Because I Was an and He Threw Away 96

Chapter 96 The Reason Sophia Didn’t Come 

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She wanted to ask him what he was really thinking. She needed to know how they could part ways peacefully, without all the drama. 

But before Ethan could even agree to talk, his phone suddenly rang, shattering the tense silence. 

He pulled it out and glanced at the screen. The name flashing there was “Nancy.” 

Emily noticed his hesitation about answering, so she forced a smile and said, “Go ahead and take the call.” 

The phone was about to stop ringing when, after a brief pause, Ethan finally picked it up. 

As he answered, he stepped out of the bathroom. 

Emily stood behind him, catching snippets of the conversation. 

From the other end, Sophia’s voice bubbled through. “Daddy, look at this! It’s a little villa that Nancy and I drew together.” 

Ethan stared at the phone screen, scrutinizing the drawing in the video. He spotted three figures in it and asked curiously,5:25 

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“Sophie, who did you draw there?” 

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Sophia beamed with excitement. “I drew you, Nancy, and me! We’re sunbathing together!” 

Ethan’s face lit up with a genuine smile as he praised her. “It looks amazing, kiddo.” 

Sophia then asked, “Daddy, was Great–Grandpa happy today?” 

Ethan replied warmly, “Yeah, he was thrilled.” 

“Daddy, I’ll visit him next time. This time, Nancy wanted to go on vacation, so I had to go with her,” Sophia explained. 

Ethan responded with a neutral “Mm–hmm.” 

Ethan was in the living room taking the call, while Emily lingered in the bathroom. 

She had finished applying her skincare but didn’t step out yet. Part of her wanted to eavesdrop, curious if Sophia would mention her at all or ask about her. 

After overhearing a few exchanges, she unexpectedly pieced together why Sophia hadn’t returned to Wilson Manor. 

15:25 

She hadn’t imagined that Sophia would skip such an important 276 event as Matthew’s birthday just to accompany Nancy on a 

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vacation. 

If Matthew found out, he’d probably blow a fuse, his disappointment turning to outright fury. 

Sophia continued, “Daddy, you didn’t spill the beans, right? If Great–Grandpa knew I ditched his birthday to go play, he’d be so heartbroken.” 

Ethan replied coolly, “I covered for you―told him you were visiting your grandma.” 

Sophia sighed in relief. “Thanks, Daddy, you’re the best.” 

“Are you heading to bed soon?” Ethan asked, his expression softening with fatherly affection. 

Though he fell short as a husband in so many ways, as a father, Ethan actually did a decent job. 

From the bathroom, Emily overheard Ethan using her mother as an excuse to let Sophia tag along with Nancy on vacation, and it twisted her insides with resentment. 

A fresh wave of bitterness toward him welled up inside her, sharp and unrelenting. 

15:25 On the other end, Sophia said, “Not yet–I’m gonna go look at 376 the stars at the beach with Nancy later.” 

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Ethan settled onto the couch in the living room, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a drag before saying mildly, “Alright, but head back and rest up after you’re done.” 

Sophia hummed in agreement, then asked hopefully, “Daddy, are you coming? Without you, it just feels like something’s missing. Nancy’s been kinda down, too.” 

Ethan glanced sideways toward Emily, still in the bathroom, and remembered Matthew’s insistence that they stay 

overnight. He turned down the invitation. He hesitated only momentarily before refusing. “Not tonight. Next time, I’ll take both of you.” 

Sophia sounded deflated. “Okay…” 

Ethan wrapped up, “Go have fun with Nancy. I’m hanging up now.” 

At the mention of Nancy, Sophia perked up instantly. “Yay! Alright, I’m off. But if you change your mind, come soon, Daddy.” 

“Yeah.” 

After Sophia hung up, Ethan pocketed his phone. 

15:25 

Emily had caught every word of their conversation, leaving her 476 

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heart tangled in a mix of disappointment and ironic amusement, 

From start to finish, Sophia hadn’t uttered a single word about her–not even a passing question. 

It left a sour ache in her chest, but no tears came; she felt too numb, too guarded to let them fall. 

She didn’t want anyone to see her vulnerability, so she shut the bathroom door firmly, pretending she needed to use the toilet. 

Ethan noticed but said nothing. 

Emily stood there in the bathroom for a while, waiting for her emotions to settle, like storm clouds slowly drifting apart. 

When she finally opened the door and stepped out, she found Ethan already showered and lounging on the bed. 

He must have used the guest bathroom. 

Ethan lay there, propped on his side, scrolling through videos on his phone. 

He hadn’t sprawled across the entire bed; instead, he’d deliberately left half empty, as if reserving space for her. 

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Emily wasn’t entirely sure if that was his intention. 

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But regardless of whether he’d meant it for her, she’d never share a bed with him anymore. 

She made her way to the sofa, lay down, and pulled a blanket over herself. Then, she reached over and switched off the room’s main light, plunging everything into the soft glow of a single dim lamp. 

Ethan frowned when he saw Emily opting for the sofa, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. Part of him wanted to tell her to come back, but his pride strangled the words in his throat. 

So, he chose silence, letting the moment stretch uncomfortably. 

Before long, he heard Emily’s breathing even out, steady and rhythmic. 

Ethan thought he’d misheard at first. He listened more closely, confirming it was real–she’d drifted off. 

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