Chapter 14: Fierce Competition

One comment after another showed a wave of public support for Sophia. People sympathized with her and were appalled by the Hawthornes' behavior. The Hawthorne company's stock plummeted as investors and the public alike turned their backs on the scandal-ridden siblings.

***

In his study, Raphael Hawthorne was nearly shaking with rage as he read through the flood of articles and comments.

"What a disgrace!" he growled, slamming his fist on the table. His calloused knuckles turned white with tension. "I won't have the Hawthorne name dragged through the mud like this."

He turned, barking orders at his assistant. "Get Marcus and Lauren here. Now."

As if remembering something, he asked, "Has Pablo arrived from his trip?"

"Mr Hawthorne will be arriving soon Sir." The butler replied.

"Let him see me immediately. I want him to take care of his children's mess." He commanded.

***

Meanwhile, back at Valmere, Sophia was scrolling through her phone, her heart racing as she saw the outpouring of support. She'd never expected this twist, and the kindness of strangers left her both surprised and comforted. And the rumors about her "Masked Hero" had her blushing as she read through them.

"Right, the Masked Hero," she murmured to herself, wondering what Alexander thought of his new title.

She took her phone and typed a message, 'Thank you for everything.' She sent, keeping her message short, but her gratitude was unmistakable.

The reply came almost instantly. 'Mmhh.'

Sophia smiled at his flat reply but she could feel the warmth. She placed her phone down, a warm sense of reassurance flooding her. She hadn't expected to feel safe, but with his help, she felt like she could finally face the Hawthornes without fear.

***

Elsewhere, Marcus paced his office, his face red with a mix of anger and humiliation. The reports had exposed everything; his liaisons, his secrets. And it was all linked back to him and Lauren, dragging the Hawthorne name into disrepute.

The memory of the man who had rescued Sophia replayed in his mind. His hands balled into fists, his jaw clenched as jealousy flared again. He could still see Sophia wrapped in that man's protective embrace, the way she'd looked so at ease in his presence. Whoever that man was, he had taken Sophia away right before Marcus could reach her.

"Who is he?" Marcus muttered bitterly. His desire to win Sophia back burned hotter than ever, fueled now by a fierce competitiveness. If he couldn't have her, the thought that another man might, infuriated him.

Lauren stormed in, her face contorted with rage. "Did you see what they're saying about us? Marcus, this is a nightmare! How could this happen?"

"It's that man," he muttered. "He's using Sophia as his pawn to get back at us."

Lauren rolled her eyes. "Sophia's not that clever. But whoever he is, he's ruining us. And we're not going down without a fight."

Marcus didn't say a word, but it was clear that he didn't object to his sister's suggestion.

"But for now, Dad wants us to go home right away." She added with a grim expression.

And just as the Hawthornes plotted their next move, social media kept buzzing, unaware of the schemes unraveling behind the scenes. But amid all the chaos, the public was still rooting for one thing: Sophia's happiness, and a potential new romance with her mysterious hero.

Marcus and Lauren entered their father Pablo's study, each step weighed down by the dread of what awaited them. Pablo was standing by the window, his tall frame tense as he observed the city skyline. The air in the room was thick with tension.

He was the one in charge of the Hawthorne family business after his father retired. He had just come back from his business trip and was met by the mess his children had caused. As if not bad enough, his father Raphael scolded him for not raising his children well.

When he finally turned to face them, his expression was hard, cold.

"You two," he began, his voice low but laced with fury. "Do you realize how much you've disgraced this family? Incapable. That's what you are. Both of you."

Lauren shifted uncomfortably, her hands clasped together tightly. Marcus clenched his jaw, his gaze fixed on the floor.

Pablo took a step closer, his gaze burning with barely contained rage. "Not only have you embarrassed yourselves, but you've dragged our family name through the mud. The entire city is talking about your sordid affairs. And you, Lauren, acting like some loose woman while calling yourself the refined young lady of the Hawthorne family."

Lauren opened her mouth, but Pablo's glare silenced her.

"For the next month," he continued, "you will not step foot outside this house, Lauren. You're grounded. I don't care what excuse you come up with; you'll make none. You'll focus on salvaging what's left of our reputation."

Lauren's eyes widened in shock. She opened her mouth to protest, but her father's hard stare forced her to remain silent.

"And you, Marcus." Pablo turned his wrath to his son. "If I hear so much as a whisper of you checking into another hotel, I will cut off your funding entirely. This family will not be associated with such scandalous behavior."

He paused, letting his words sink in. "Both of you, get out. Make yourselves scarce. I have real problems to fix."

They left the study with their father's anger still ringing in their ears. Marcus clenched his fists, seething. Lauren fumed, but there was nothing they could do.

Meanwhile, Alexander returned home after a long day, his shoulders heavy. The moment he stepped into the house, he was met with the delicious aroma of home-cooked dishes. Sophia, he realized, had prepared dinner.

"Welcome back," she greeted him with a small smile, her voice soft. She didn't try to make conversation, merely led him to the dining room, where an array of dishes was neatly arranged on the table. The warm glow from the lights gave the room a cozy ambiance, contrasting sharply with Alexander's usual cold, controlled environment.

They sat down, and as Alexander tasted the food, he was surprised by how much enjoyed it. Yet, true to his nature, he kept his expression stoic, giving away nothing.

Sophia glanced at him, catching his cold, impassive stare. But she was unbothered; she wasn't expecting gratitude or warmth from him. This was simply her way of saying thank you, even if he chose not to acknowledge it.

The dinner passed in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts. They exchanged a few polite words, nothing more. For Sophia, this quiet, unremarkable evening was blissful. She had her peace, and that was enough.

The next morning, Sophia woke up feeling refreshed. The house was silent, and Alexander was already gone. She settled herself with her laptop, deciding to work on her CV. She wanted to find a job, something that would allow her to stand on her own. She couldn't rely on Alexander forever.

Just as she opened her laptop, her phone rang, jolting her out of her thoughts. It was her brother, Ethan. His voice was filled with panic.

"Soph, it's bad. They're chasing Mom out of the hospital."

Sophia's heart raced as she stood up abruptly, not even stopping to grab a coat. "I'll be there soon," she promised, rushing out of the house.

When she reached the hospital, she was met with a disturbing scene. Two hospital personnel, a tall, stern-faced man and a woman with a sharp expression, were forcefully pushing her mother out of her room. Catherine, looking weak and pale, clutched at her side, trying to steady herself.

"Please, my mother just had surgery less than a week ago!" Ethan was pleading with them, desperation in his voice. "She needs time to recover."

The female nurse, her tone patronizing, merely shrugged. "We have a long waiting list for patients who need surgeries. Keeping her here means depriving others of treatment."