Chapter 5: Your Mother is not our Responsibility 

Sophia stared at her phone, watching it buzz repeatedly on the table. A wave of exhaustion washed over her, the weight of everything pressing down hard on her shoulders. The last thing she wanted was to deal with the Hawthornes, but she couldn’t ignore the call. With a heavy sigh, she answered.

"Mrs. Hawthorne, this is the butler. Old Master Hawthorne requests your presence at the family house immediately," came the familiar voice, so stiff and formal.

Sophia winced. I can't deal with them today. She rubbed her temples, trying to muster the energy for one more interaction. “Please tell Mr. Hawthorne I’m sorry, but I can’t make it today. I’m very tired.”

There was a brief silence, then the butler’s voice returned, softer but insistent. "Mrs. Hawthorne... I must insist. Old Master... well, he won’t take it well."

Sophia leaned back against the couch, closing her eyes, letting the quiet of the room settle around her. I don’t owe him anything. I don’t owe any of them anything anymore. She pressed her lips together, taking a deep breath. "I’m sorry, but I can’t. Please tell him, no."

The butler hesitated, and then reluctantly acknowledged her request. “I will inform him, Mrs. Hawthorne.”

Sophia hung up, the feeling of that name, Mrs. Hawthorne, still heavy and repulsive on her tongue. It was as if the title itself had become a prison, tying her to a family that had never truly accepted her.

As she tossed her phone back onto the couch, it buzzed again. This time, the call was from an unknown number. She almost didn’t answer, but a gut instinct told her it was important.

"Hello?" she answered, her voice steady but cautious.

“Where are you?” came a low, enraged voice that made her blood run cold. “I want you here right now.”

Sophia recognized it instantly. Raphael. Old Master Hawthorne. She had known this conversation was coming.

"I’m sorry, Mr. Hawthorne," she replied, trying to keep the exhaustion from seeping into her voice. "I’m really tired. I can’t come today."

The line was silent for a long moment before Raphael’s voice crackled through again, laced with fury. "Are you being unfilial now? What are you busy with? Doesn't Marcus provide everything for you? What’s so important that you can’t obey me?"

Sophia’s stomach tightened. She had dealt with enough of this for years. The constant disrespect, the way they viewed her as a mere extension of their son—nothing more. She wasn’t about to back down now. "I’m busy with my mother. I’m trying to figure everything out. This has nothing to do with Marcus."

Raphael’s voice shifted, becoming sharper. “So it’s about that woman, is it? Your mother.” The sneer was almost palpable in his words. “Sophia, you just need to be a good daughter-in-law to our family. Stop bothering us with these... unnecessary needs.”

Sophia’s pulse quickened. She could feel her blood rising to her face, and she clenched her fist. Unnecessary needs? She bit her lip to steady herself. "That woman you’re referring to is my mother. And I’m not going to apologize for taking care of her." Her voice was cold and steady, the anger just below the surface. "And what does that have to do with you?"

Raphael scoffed as if she were beneath him. "She is not your—"

Sophia cut him off, her voice rising. "She’s not what? What did you just say?"

There was a moment of shock on the other end of the line. Raphael seemed to realize he had misspoken. A heavy silence followed, and she could almost hear the gears turning in his mind as he tried to recover.

He cleared his throat, his tone now more calculated. "I meant... she’s not our responsibility. You, as a part of the Hawthorne family, should not burden us with people who aren’t even... part of the family."

Sophia couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He thinks this is how it works. She took a deep breath, her voice icy. "So, Mr. Hawthorne, you mean to tell me that once a person marries into your family, they should forget about their own? Forget about their own flesh and blood?" She let the silence hang in the air, her words sinking in.

Raphael’s rage flared again. “How dare you speak to me like that! What did you just call me?”

Sophia raised an eyebrow, her heart pounding. "Mr. Hawthorne, of course. Oh, didn’t your precious grandson tell you that we’re divorced?"

The silence that followed was deafening. Sophia could almost hear the shock in Raphael’s breath. “What?” he rasped, clearly struggling to process what she had just said. "Why didn’t you come to me first before signing the divorce papers?"

Sophia didn’t flinch. “What does our marriage have to do with you? And shouldn’t you be asking your grandson that question instead?”

Raphael, momentarily speechless, fumbled with his words. But Sophia didn’t wait for him to find them. Before he could speak again, she hung up the phone, cutting the conversation short.

Her heart was racing, but a sense of relief washed over her. I’m done with them. I’m done with all of them.

She stood up, taking a deep breath, feeling the weight of the Hawthornes finally lifting off her shoulders. For the first time in what felt like forever, she felt a small glimmer of freedom.

Sophia didn’t want to be affected by the Hawthornes anymore. She was done being their puppet, done being their Mrs. Hawthorne. Whatever came next, she was ready to face it head-on. And if they came crawling back, she'd be the one in control this time.

The following morning, Sophia went to the hospital. She was worried about her mother and even if Alexander promised to sort everything, she still wasn't sure if he did. Before anything, she went to confirm first, and true to his word, he had arranged and settled everything. The hospital staff confirmed that her mother's surgery was scheduled for later that day.

Sophia felt a wave of relief wash over her for the first time in days. She will not have to watch her mother suffering in the hospital helplessly anymore. This was something good to give her relief and hope.

Ethan, her brother, arrived at the hospital soon after. He was juggling between his studies and a part-time job to support their family. He appeared tired, but when he saw their mother resting peacefully in her hospital bed, waiting for the operation, his eyes lit up.

“How did you manage to gather the funds, Soph?” He asked, unable to hide his concern and worry etched on his face.

Sophia hesitated as she glanced at their mother. She pulled Ethan outside to the hospital corridor. “I made a deal with someone. It's complicated, and I can't explain it right now. What's important is that mom's surgery is taken care of.

Ethan furrowed his brows slightly but he didn't want to stress his sister. He wrapped his arm around her, “Okay, I won't ask more questions, as long as mum is okay. But promise me you will be fine too.”

Tears swelled in Sophia's eyes as he promised her brother, “Don't worry I know what I'm doing.”

Ethan nodded before saying, “You look exhausted, you should go home and have some rest. I will stay with Mum.”

Sophia smiled weakly, touched by her little brother's thoughtfulness. She hugged him, “Thank you, Ethan.”

Sophia went to her apartment to have some rest. The last few days had left a toll on her. The next day, she woke up feeling lighter and rejuvenated. She wanted to relax more when a black sedan car pulled up outside her apartment. She went out curious to see who the unexpected visitor was.