The Ex-Wife's Redemption: A Love Reborn Chapter 147

After the confrontation with Thomas, I desperately needed some fresh air.

My mind was filled with conflicting emotions—gratitude toward Henry for stopping Thomas, disgust at discovering Thomas's true intentions, and shock from the entire situation.

I walked out of the building into the hospital garden, hoping the fresh air would help clear my head. Just as I began to calm down, I spotted the last person I wanted to see—my mother, Scarlett.

I realized she had been stalking me for days. The moment she saw me, she quickened her pace, her face breaking into a practiced smile.

"Sophia, darling! It's your mother! Aren't you going to say hello?" Her voice dripped with fake sweetness as she approached.

I met her gaze with ice in my eyes. "I don't have a mother. Mine died years ago."

Scarlett's appearance had pushed my mood from bad to unbearable.

I stared at this woman who shared my blood but nothing else, wondering how there could be such mothers in the world.

Her face crumpled into a hurt expression, and tears appeared in her eyes right on cue. "How can you say such a thing? No matter what, I'll always be your mother. I carried you for nine months, suffered through labor to bring you into this world. How can you be so ungrateful?"

Her voice had strategically risen, and I noticed several patients and visitors in the garden beginning to take notice of our exchange.

Feeling their eyes on us, Scarlett grew more confident, her performance becoming more dramatic.

"I raised her for so many years," she lamented to the growing audience. "I worked hard to put her through college. Now that she has a good job, I just asked for a little financial help, and she not only refuses but pretends I don't exist! Have you ever seen such an ungrateful child?"

Her hypocritical performance had the desired effect, with murmurs of disapproval starting to ripple through the crowd.

"How could you treat your mother like that?"

"Ungrateful daughter! Do you know how hard it is to raise a child?"

"You're working now—what's wrong with giving your mother some money?"

Someone recognized my hospital uniform. "She works here at the hospital! We should report her behavior to management. They shouldn't employ someone with so little filial piety!"

I'd had enough!

Years of suppressed anger finally boiled over.

"Yes, she's right about one thing—she is my biological mother!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the garden. "But from the age of six, I've taken care of myself! She abandoned me to marry her current husband, and after her wedding, she never once came back to check on me!"

My voice grew stronger as I continued. "About raising me, she never showed me an ounce of love or spent a single dollar on me. During college, I worked multiple jobs while studying. I did it all myself—she had nothing to do with it!"

I looked directly at the crowd, my voice unwavering despite my anger. "Now that I'm finally making money, suddenly she remembers she has a daughter. Don't you find that funny?"

My argument silenced the critics.

The atmosphere in the garden began to change, and public opinion started to reverse.

"Just look at her—what kind of mother creates a scene at her daughter's workplace? That alone proves she doesn't care about her daughter at all."

"You're right! If there's a family problem, why not discuss it privately? Why make such a public spectacle?"

"This mother is terrible!"

"Let's go, folks. This is a family matter—let them handle it themselves."

A kind-faced elderly woman caught my eye. "You're doing great, dear. Don't mind what others think. Stay strong!"

Seeing the crowd dispersing without taking her side, Scarlett gave up her performance. Once we were relatively alone, I got straight to the point.

"You're here for money, aren't you? Well, my hospital salary is nowhere near enough for your son's wedding expenses, so you're wasting your time."

As I turned to leave, Scarlett desperately grabbed my arm. "Sophia, you can't be so heartless! He's your half-brother! Once he's married, he'll help you too. We just need a little financial support from you right now. Not much—just four hundred thousand dollars!"

"Just four hundred thousand dollars?" I laughed incredulously. "If that's such a small amount to you, why don't you come up with it yourself? And by the way, showing up at my workplace has already jeopardized my job. My supervisor might fire me tomorrow, and then you won't get a penny from me."

Scarlett had worn herself out trying to persuade me, but she hadn't managed to extract a single dollar. As she prepared to launch into a tirade, I simply turned and walked away, not giving her the satisfaction of a response. Behind me, I could hear her stomping her feet in frustration.

What I didn't see was Isabella watching this entire exchange from her hospital room balcony.

She called Nancy over, pointing toward the garden. "Get that woman up here."

Minutes later, Scarlett was escorted into Isabella's VIP hospital suite. She immediately recognized the luxury of the room—clearly, whoever this young woman was, she had money and influence.

Isabella offered Scarlett coffee before speaking. "May I ask your name? And what is your relationship with Sophia Wilson?"

Scarlett, sizing up Isabella's expensive attire and elegant appearance, decided this wealthy-looking young woman couldn't possibly be an enemy.

"I'm Scarlett White, Sophia's mother. She's my daughter."

Isabella's eyes lit up with interest at this information.

"I'm a good friend of Sophia's," Isabella lied smoothly. "I couldn't help noticing what happened in the garden. May I ask what that was about?"

Completely unaware of Isabella's true identity, Scarlett was delighted to meet someone who appeared to be Sophia's wealthy friend. She launched into her grievances without restraint.

"You know, Sophia used to be such a sweet, obedient child. It was that old woman Harper who corrupted her. When she was little, she was so filial to me, nothing like how she behaves now." Scarlett sighed dramatically. "Sometimes I wonder if my life would have been better if I'd never given birth to her at all."

Isabella listened to this disgusting display, her face perfectly composed and calm.

The woman before her was the perfect weapon against Sophia!

After a thoughtful pause, Isabella said, "Mrs. White, I must say, on this matter, Sophia is indeed in the wrong. After all, parents are always right, aren't they?" She shook her head in feigned disappointment. "Sophia is being too harsh, not understanding your difficulties. I'll talk to her about it."

An enemy's enemy is a friend, Isabella thought. She would be more than happy to ally with Scarlett.

"Mrs. White, don't be upset with Sophia. Let's not make things worse with her. It's just a money issue, right?" Isabella reached into her purse. "I have fifty thousand dollars here that I can lend you for emergencies."

Scarlett's eyes lit up greedily as she reached for the cash Isabella was holding, but Isabella quickly pulled her hand back, smiling sweetly.

"You don't need to pay me back this fifty thousand," she said. "But I do need you to do a few things for me."

"No problem!" Scarlett replied without hesitation. "Not just a few things—I'll do dozens of things for you! Whatever you want!"

Isabella signaled Nancy to bring over a document. "Here's an agreement. Sign your name, and the fifty thousand dollars is yours." Her voice hardened slightly. "But if you don't follow the instructions in this agreement precisely, I'll take the money back immediately. Think carefully."

Without even reading it, Scarlett signed her name, her eyes never leaving the cash.

She bowed repeatedly to Isabella. "From now on, young lady, you're like my own daughter. Whatever you need, I'll make it happen!"

"If you do well," Isabella promised, "I'll give you another sum of money. Your son's wedding expenses will be completely covered."

Scarlett thanked Isabella profusely before stuffing the cash into her purse and leaving with a smile plastered across her face.

As soon as Scarlett left, Isabella's pleasant expression vanished.

She spat out in disgust: "What a fool. How could such an idiot even imagine being my mother?"