The Ex-Wife's Redemption: A Love Reborn Chapter 170

"Ava!" Sophia's sharp voice continued through the phone. "I'm not your mother, and I won't indulge your behavior! You want money? Too bad—there isn't any for you!"

Ava's behavior made my blood boil. The Harding family had given her family a substantial sum of money and even purchased a house for her and Harper. It should have been enough for them to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.

Yet somehow, in just six short years, Ava had blown through all that money. I couldn't even imagine how she'd managed to spend it all so quickly.

What infuriated me most was that she hadn't bothered to use any of that money for Harper's medical care. The elderly woman's eyesight could have been saved if she'd had surgery years ago. She would at least have been able to take care of herself, to see the world around her.

And what had Ava done instead? Not only had she neglected her grandmother's health, but she'd spent every penny on partying, designer clothes, and buying favors from so-called friends. She'd been extravagantly generous with everyone except the one person who actually deserved her care and attention.

After Harper became ill, Ava didn't step up to help her. Instead, she complained constantly, saying the old woman was just a blind burden who didn't deserve to live anymore.

The private investigator I'd hired had sent me detailed reports of Ava's wasteful lifestyle over the years—complete with photos and recorded conversations with her former classmates. The evidence was damning. How could anyone possibly feel sympathy for someone like that?

Even with money at my disposal, I refused to give a penny directly to Ava. I'd pay for Harper's care, but that was it.

Having grown accustomed to spending money like water, Ava now found herself in a financial bind. All her friends had abandoned her the moment they realized she couldn't fund their entertainment anymore. With nowhere else to turn, she'd come crawling back to me, expecting a handout.

When I firmly rejected her demands, the young woman exploded on the other end of the line.

"This is MY grandmother, who the hell are you to make decisions for me?" she screamed. "Why not save that surgery money and give it to me instead? Wouldn't that be better?"

I held the phone slightly away from my ear as her voice grew louder.

"That old hag's condition is hopeless! Even if she leaves the hospital, she'll be nothing but a walking medicine cabinet. Why are you so determined to save her? Have you considered MY feelings at all? I'm still in school with no income—I can barely support myself! How am I supposed to pay for an old woman's medications?"

Her next words were particularly venomous: "Sophia, cut the holier-than-thou act! Your fake kindness makes me sick!"

Through the investigator's reports, I'd learned how Ava's life had unraveled recently. Once her money dried up, her friends vanished one by one. People who had once claimed to adore her suddenly became strangers, avoiding her completely at the first mention of borrowing money. Without friends or the trappings of luxury, she'd turned to her grandmother as a potential source of cash. But Harper was blind and ill, with no money of her own.

If Harper hadn't insisted on coming to Manhattan for treatment, Ava had planned to wait until the old woman died and then beg for money at the funeral reception. The thought made me physically ill.

"If you're so determined to play the saint," Ava continued, her voice taking on a manipulative edge, "then give ME more money. I'll spread the word about how generous you are, make sure everyone knows what a wonderful person Sophia Wilson is."

She paused for effect before delivering her threat: "But if you refuse to help me, I'll go straight to that rich husband of yours and tell him all about your past! How would you like that?"

When I remained silent, refusing to engage with her blackmail, Ava grew more agitated.

Alexander was sitting beside me and had heard everything, as Ava's voice was too loud. Seeing my furrowed brow and tense expression, he looked at me with concern. He reached toward me, pointing first at the phone I was clutching and then at himself, clearly offering: *Let me handle this call for you. I'll deal with her.*

Initially, I hadn't wanted to burden Alexander with my messy family problems. These were my issues to resolve, not his. But something about his calm, confident demeanor suggested he could handle the situation effectively. There was something reassuring in his certainty.

After a moment's hesitation, I handed him the phone. I was curious to see how he would deal with someone as persistent as Ava.

Taking my phone, Alexander didn't immediately hold it to his ear. Instead, he activated the speakerphone function so I could hear both sides of the conversation.

"You wanted to speak to me about something?" he said coolly. "Did you really think I'd care what you have to say?"

There was a brief pause on the other end before Ava responded, surprise evident in her voice.

"Are you Sophia's husband?" she asked, quickly recovering. "Don't you care about your wife's secrets? This was her first love—a passion she'll never forget! I bet that bothers you!"

Alexander's lips curved into a gentle smile directed at me before he responded to Ava.

"Young lady, don't waste your time with these childish games," he said, his voice firm but controlled. "The adult world isn't so easily manipulated by a few provocative words. I couldn't care less about Sophia's past. What matters to me is her present and her future."

His tone hardened slightly. "If you're trying to use her history as leverage, you'll only succeed in getting yourself thrown out of Manhattan. Trust me—I have the means to make that happen."

Seeing my worried expression, Alexander reached out and gently patted the top of my head, his eyes filled with such tenderness it nearly took my breath away.

The thought of pretending to be my husband clearly excited him, though he tried to hide it.

Hearing the unmistakable threat in Alexander's voice, Ava seemed to lose her nerve. Without another word, she hung up.

"I don't believe this," Ava muttered to herself after disconnecting. "Is there really a man who doesn't care about his woman's past? Impossible! Sophia, don't think I'm afraid of you. You'll pay for this, I promise!"

After the call ended, Alexander returned my phone with an amused smile. Noticing my troubled expression, he spoke reassuringly.

"Don't worry about her. She can't cause any real trouble."

"If you're concerned, I can have someone warn her off—just enough to scare her so she won't bother you again," he offered.

I slipped my phone back into my purse and shook my head. "That won't be necessary. She's just a spoiled girl. I can handle her."

"By the way," I added, deliberately changing the subject, "weren't you planning to visit the museum? Let's go now."

Not far from us, Henry sat in his car, observing everything. He had witnessed Alexander's gentle pat on Sophia's head and the tender smile that accompanied it. Alexander's eyes had betrayed undisguised affection for Sophia.

Henry watched as the two of us climbed into a taxi, then immediately reached for his phone and called Benjamin.

"Meet me," he said tersely. "We're going drinking."