Let Me Go, Mr. Howard Chapter 204

Scarlett had always known Graham was illegitimate, so Chris's explanation didn't particularly surprise her. She just hadn't realized that Sophia—a name she'd heard since childhood—was actually Graham's mother.

Her expression momentarily went blank.

Chris didn't know she'd grown up hearing all the illegitimate child gossip in their social circle. Seeing her frozen expression, he assumed she was just surprised by this revelation.

"Graham's status wasn't exactly a secret. Sebastian's second uncle never tried to hide him," Chris said, unable to suppress the slight upward curve of his lips. "That's why Sophia always thought she could marry into the Howard family."

As Scarlett listened to this story, she couldn't help drawing parallels to her own situation. Her breath caught, and her fingers tightened around the phone, the tips gradually turning pale.

Knowing Chris would notice any change in her expression, Scarlett carefully maintained her composure. She took a subtle deep breath, feigning interest in the story. "I remember Sebastian's second uncle never married."

Chris nodded, glancing at Scarlett on the screen. "He didn't. But Sophia came from a hostess club—she had a bad reputation. George Howard refused to budge on the matter."

His tone was casual—this was just an ordinary piece of gossip to him, even slightly entertaining.

But to Scarlett, it meant something entirely different. She blinked softly, pressing her lips together as a wave of sadness washed over her. So Sophia could only be a mistress, never gaining official recognition.

Her throat tightened as if an invisible hand were choking her, making it difficult to breathe.

If Sophia, who came from a hostess club, was treated this way, what about her? Her mother had also worked at a club, and Scarlett was the universally despised illegitimate daughter. With such a background, how could she possibly marry into the Howard family? And her unborn child would likely follow Graham's path...

No, not exactly.

Scarlett recalled Adeline's words. She knew her child would enter the Howard family and receive their elite education. But who could guarantee Adeline would treat the child as her own? She and Sebastian were just using the baby as a bargaining chip—Adeline's ticket into the Howard family!

Scarlett understood perfectly why Adeline had targeted her child. The Howard family had strict standards, and Sebastian was their only recognized heir. A woman who couldn't bear children would never be allowed to marry into the Howard family.

Of course, they could have chosen IVF. But with a ready-made child right in front of them, why would they bother?

These thoughts raced through Scarlett's mind in an instant, with only her downcast eyes betraying a glimpse of her inner desolation.

"What happened next? How does this relate to Ms. Morgan's misfortune?" Her voice sounded distant and hollow, as if coming from far away, though she knew it was emerging from her own throat.

Practiced at hiding her emotions, she successfully fooled Chris.

He hadn't realized how his story might trigger Scarlett's painful associations. Seeing her interest, he felt pleased. She must be bored, locked up in a Calvessa hospital by Sebastian. At least his gossip could provide some distraction.

"Sophia and Adeline's mother were close friends. After Sophia got together with Sebastian's second uncle, the Morgan family naturally connected with the Howard family," Chris smiled, furrowing his brow slightly as he tilted his head back, searching his memory for all the details.

"Twenty years ago, everyone knew about this. But as time passed, especially after Sebastian's attitude toward Adeline softened, people stopped talking about it."

Hearing this, Scarlett's already fragile heart ached even more. She couldn't help but frown, her throat constricting. "Sounds like they were childhood sweethearts."

She'd never heard anyone mention this before, and now learning about it made her feel both desolate and desperate to escape. She was truly following in her mother's footsteps.

This child had come at the wrong time—or perhaps shouldn't have come at all.

After speaking, Scarlett struggled to control her emotions. She lowered her head and raised the camera angle, removing herself from the frame.

Chris noticed the change immediately. His face moved closer to the camera—if not for the screen between them, he might have jumped right in front of Scarlett. "No, they weren't childhood sweethearts," he quickly clarified.

Scarlett kept her head down, using the bedsheet to wipe away tears. She kept her voice taut to sound normal. "Whether they're childhood sweethearts or not, what does it matter if they're well-matched?"

This logic was hard to argue with. Chris nodded, then frowned, feeling something was off. "No, that's not right."

"What's not right?" Scarlett had composed herself. She took a deep breath, blinked rapidly, and cautiously showed half her face on screen.

Despite her efforts to hide it, the redness around her eyes revealed her vulnerability.

Chris recognized her strong pride and pretended not to notice. "If you're saying they're well-matched, I don't think that's accurate. From what's been reported, Adeline hasn't received any special treatment from Sebastian, let alone the Morgan family."

"What does that prove?" Scarlett said dismissively. Believing Chris hadn't noticed her tears, she showed her full face—the slight redness of her nose and eyes only enhancing her beauty.

"Something's off. Forget what happened ten years ago—just look at the current situation," Chris said. His gaze lingered on her reddened features, inwardly sighing at his poor choice of topic. Though he no longer felt like chatting, her question compelled him to continue. "Now Adeline is being called the second Sophia in social circles."

"How is that possible?" Scarlett instinctively shook her head, unable to connect Adeline with Sophia.

One was a hostess club worker who bore a child for the Howard family's second son without any official recognition.

The other, though fallen on hard times, was still respectfully addressed as Ms. Morgan.

What could these two possibly have in common?

"It's related to Graham," Chris smiled, his eyes holding a mysterious glint.

Scarlett remained silent, just tilting her head as she watched him on screen.

"Because initially, Adeline and Graham were very close. There were even rumors of them dating in middle school."

This news was certainly interesting, though Scarlett already knew they had dated. She just wasn't aware rumors had circulated so early, so her surprise was minimal.

"But later, George Howard announced he would never acknowledge Graham's status. That's when Adeline and Sebastian started interacting more."