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She was sure Sophia had already packed and left the Thompson house.
"Do Mom and Dad know? Who said she could leave? Lily, get in the car; we’re going home!"
Panicked, Ethan rushed Lily to his car and sped home, running red lights, convinced he could stop Sophia.
But when he arrived, Sophia and her ‘boyfriend’ were gone.
"Mrs Wilson! Where’s Sophia? Did you see her come back?"
Ethan grabbed Mrs Wilson.
"Mr Ethan remembers Miss now? Why weren’t you worried when you locked her in this morning? Now she’s gone, and you panic?"
Mrs Wilson snapped.
She’d known Ethan could be impulsive, but locking out his Sophiater? She couldn’t contain her anger.
"She’s gone? Her things are gone?"
Ethan released Mrs Wilson and tore into Sophia’s room.
All her personal items were gone.
He suddenly remembered seeing Sophia burning and smashing things days ago.
When he’d asked, she’d said her new room was smaller.
She’d been preparing to leave then, destroying her traces in the Thompson home!
"Her room’s so empty… not a single dress left…"
Lily hopped into Sophia’s room.
Seeing it pristine, like no one had lived there, she smirked internally.
Good riddance!
"Sophia Thompson, no matter how mad you are at me, come home immediately!"
Ethan, realizing Sophia was truly gone, texted her furiously.
But as he hit send, a red notification appeared: Message Failed. You are not friends with this contact.
She’d deleted him.
He tried calling; blocked.
She’d severed all ties the moment she decided to leave.
Their shared past? Erased.
"Sophia Thompson, you were always spoiled and willful! Growing up didn’t change that! You know nothing about the Harrisons? Running to them recklessly? Don’t regret it!"
Ethan’s anger flared.
He grabbed Mrs Wilson’s phone, knowing Sophia might not have blocked her.
The call connected.
"If you come crawling back someday begging us to take you in, we won’t let you stay! Get out! We have Lily; we don’t need you!"
He roared into the phone.
"Ungrateful wretch! Compared to Lily, you’re nothing but an ingrate!"
His words grew harsher, masking his fear of loss.
"You’re a heartless wolf!"
He hurled the phone back at Mrs Wilson and stormed out.
Mr and Mrs Thompson returned that night, learning Sophia had moved in with the Harrisons and wouldn’t return.
They were stunned.
"Mrs Wilson, repeat that! Where did Miss go?"
Mrs Thompson had never imagined Sophia leaving her.
Not even when the police revealed she wasn’t their biological daughter.
Sophia was her baby, raised with her own hands.
She’d cherished her.
This past year, grief over her lost daughter had overshadowed her feelings for Sophia.
But even then, she’d never intended to drive her away.
"Miss said she’s living with the Harrisons now. She said since she’s not your biological daughter, she should have left long ago. Staying out of reluctance only made everyone unhappy. She apologized."
