Chapter 35

Arabella’s POV I felt like I was on the verge of a breakdown. For the past two days, Sophia had been staying at Imperial Court, nitpicking everything I said—insisting I was utterly useless. But since she was my elder and Jasper’s mother, I dared not retort; I could only swallow my pride. Jasper mentioned he would attend a press conference tonight, and that only deepened my anxiety. How was I supposed to face Sophia alone? Fortunately, tonight Sophia seemed unusually cheerful. After dinner, she sat quietly in front of the TV, completely absorbed by the screen. After clearing the dining table, I planned to retreat to the study and work. But before I could leave, Sophia called out, “Hold on—come sit with me and watch TV.” I was taken aback, since I’d never joined them for TV before, but I obeyed and settled onto a lone sofa far from her. At half past seven, Sophia switched the channel to the movie network, where a press conference was unfolding—the launch of Aurora’s new film