Chapter 206

Not long after, James Grant called Edward Hawthorne again. The moment the call connected, James's voice came through rapid and unsettled. He hadn’t even caught his breath yet. "Is there really no room to work this out?" Leaning casually against the railing, Edward took a drag from his cigarette, the cherry glowing then fading in the dim light as smoke curled in front of his face. "There's nothing to talk about." "James, some people only learn the hard way. Letting her off easy won’t do any good." "But Sophia's my sister!" James raised his voice, then paused to calm himself. His breath came in heavy bursts. “I swear, she won’t bother you again.” Edward’s eyes narrowed instinctively, and he flicked his cigarette into the ashtray, grinding it out with deliberate force. "Emily is my wife. I have to make things right for her." Realizing there was no changing Edward’s mind, James didn’t press further and ended the call. He turned and walked into the living room. There, Sophia Grant was still