Free Web NovelChapter 262: Chapter 263 Starting Rumors
THIRD PERSON POV
The dinner hall was filled with all sorts of medical experts.
Round tables covered with white tablecloths filled the hall,. The guests attending tonight were not ordinary people. Most of them were respected doctors, medical researchers, hospital directors, and influential figures from the medical world.
Conversations filled the room as people exchanged greetings and discussed recent medical achievements.
Sophia felt slightly out of place.
She sat quietly beside Lance as people kept coming to their table. The closer she looked, the more familiar some faces became. Many of them were individuals whose names appeared in medical journals and research papers she had studied for years.
Meanwhile, Lance appeared completely at ease.
People greeted him the moment they entered the ballroom. Senior doctors shook his hand warmly. Researchers approached to ask for his opinions. Several hospital directors personally came over to welcome him.
"Doctor Lance"
"It’s been too long."
"We’ve been trying to get you to join our research project."
Lance smiled politely at everyone while answering. "I appreciate the offer." "Let’s discuss it later." "You flatter me."
Sophia watched quietly.
For the first time, she truly understood how respected Lance was in the medical community. Everyone seemed eager to speak with him. Everyone treated him as someone important.
"You look nervous." Lance said to her.
She smiled weakly "Is it that obvious?"
"A little." His expression softened "You belong here, Sophia."
His words made her chest warm up.
Across the ballroom, Damien stood beside Tiffany.
Tiffany was speaking about a recent charity event. Several business partners surrounded them, laughing and complimenting her. She looked elegant in her red dress.
Normally, Damien would have paid attention. Tonight, however, his focus was somewhere else.
His eyes landed on Sophia. Instantly, everything around him seemed to disappear. For several long seconds, he simply stared.
She looked way better than she had the last time he saw her in the hospital. Her complexion still looked slightly pale, but she looked healthier.
He felt relief as he looked at her..
His wolf immediately relaxed “She’s healing”.
The thought repeated itself inside his mind “She’s okay”
Then his eyes moved toward Lance. The relief immediately became mixed with something darker.
Jealousy.
Sophia sat beside Lance. Lance leaned toward her occasionally. Sophia smiled during their conversations. The sight bothered Damien more than he wanted to admit.
"Damien?" Tiffany’s voice broke through his thoughts.
He blinked "What?"
Her smile remained in place, but her eyes had narrowed slightly. "I asked if you were listening."
"I am."
He wasn’t. Tiffany followed his line of sight. The moment she saw Sophia, her smile tightened.
Immediately, she felt irritated. Even here, Sophia was somehow drawing Damien’s attention.
Tiffany hated it. Before either of them could speak again, movement near the entrance captured everyone’s attention.
Professor Archer had arrived. The atmosphere instantly changed.
Conversations quieted. People stood from their seats. Several respected doctors walked forward to greet him personally.
The elderly professor smiled warmly as he entered the ballroom. His reputation alone commanded respect.
Sophia straightened slightly in her chair.
Lance smiled "Professor Archer is finally here."
A few moments later, everyone returned to their seats.
Waiters began moving throughout the ballroom carrying trays filled with crystal glasses. Soon, a glass was placed in front of every guest.
Sophia looked down. Her stomach dropped as she looked at the glass. It was filled with strong liquor. The smell alone made her nervous.
Her recent surgery flashed through her mind. Her doctor had specifically forbidden alcohol.
Panic slowly began building inside her. She looked around the room. Everyone was receiving the same drink. Everyone was expected to participate in the toast. Refusing could attract attention. Drinking could affect her recovery.
Neither option felt good.
Sophia tightened her fingers around the glass. What was she supposed to do?
Across the ballroom, Damien noticed immediately. His eyes narrowed. He recognized the hesitation on her face. He knew she couldn’t drink.
At the same table, Lance noticed as well. Unlike Damien, however, Lance was close enough to act.
He leaned slightly toward Sophia "What’s wrong?"
Sophia lowered her voice "I can’t drink this."
At that exact moment, Professor Archer stood. Everyone began raising their glasses.
Sophia’s anxiety increased. Suddenly, Lance reached over. Before anyone could react, he calmly picked up Sophia’s glass.
Sophia stared "Lance-"
"It’s fine."
Without hesitation, he drank his own liquor first, then he drank Sophia’s as well.
The movement happened so naturally that many guests simply laughed.
Someone nearby joked loudly "Doctor Lance is drinking for two tonight."
Several people chuckled. The tension disappeared.
Sophia released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. She felt so relieved.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Lance smiled "Anytime."
Across the room, Damien’s jaw tightened.
He’d noticed her problem and he’d wanted to help. Yet once again, Lance had gotten there first.
The realization left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Tiffany noticed his expression. She got even more irritated.
Meanwhile, Professor Archer completed his toast. The guests applauded politely.
After that, the dinner started. Not long afterward, Tiffany slowly rose from her seat.
She lifted her glass, smiling widely. "I’d like to make a toast."
Sophia’s eyes went wide in shock when she saw Tiffany standing.
The room went quiet. Everyone was eager to hear what she had to say.
Tiffany turned toward Lance "I want to congratulate Doctor Harrison for his recent accomplishments."
Several people nodded.
Tiffany continued smiling. "He’s always been brilliant, dedicated, hardworking."
The compliments sounded innocent enough.
However, whispers soon began spreading throughout the ballroom. Several guests looked at each other.
Some remembered old rumors. Others remembered Tiffany’s years studying under Lance.
The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.
Sophia noticed immediately. Lance noticed too. His expression remained calm, but the room had undoubtedly changed.
The whispers continued.
"Didn’t Tiffany work closely with him before?"
"I heard she admired him."
"Weren’t there rumors?"
Tiffany pretended not to hear anything. Inside, however, she was enjoying every second. Any attention was good attention, especially when it shifted focus away from Sophia.
Across the room, Damien’s face went dark. He disliked hearing people connect Tiffany and Lance together. At the same time, he disliked seeing Sophia sitting comfortably beside Lance.
Everything about tonight seemed designed to irritate him.
As dinner went on, another topic slowly came up.
Sophia.
People began noticing her. They didn’t know who she was so they started asking questions.
Who was she? Why was she sitting beside Lance?
Questions spread from table to table. Eventually, someone asked directly.
"Miss Sophia, what exactly is your background?"
The table grew quieter. Sophia looked up politely.
Another guest smiled. Unfortunately, the smile wasn’t kind.
"I don’t believe we’ve seen you at any major conferences before." The guest said.
A third person joined in "Weren’t you a housewife?"
Several people laughed softly.
Sophia felt her heart drop to her stomach. That particular comment hurt her deeply. Even her wolf whimpered.
Someone else added another comment "I heard she interrupted her studies."
The criticism was subtle but it was definitely criticism.
Lance frowned. Zade’s expression became dangerous. Sophia saw both reactions, then she gently shook her head.
No. She didn’t want them fighting her battles. Not tonight.
She slowly placed her fork down. The movement drew everyone’s attention.
For a few seconds, everywhere was silent.
Then Sophia smiled calmly. "You’re right."
Everyone looked surprised as soon as she said that.
"I did interrupt my studies." She said.
Some even gasped. The honesty immediately caught them off guard.
Sophia continued "I got married. I became a mother. I spent years focusing on my family."
The ballroom remained unusually quiet.
Nobody interrupted. Nobody laughed.
Sophia sat straighter. Her voice remained calm as she spoke "I don’t regret loving my family. I don’t regret raising my daughter. But I also never stopped loving medicine. I may not have followed the traditional path but I worked hard. I never abandoned my dream."
The confidence in her voice surprised many people.
She wasn’t defensive. She wasn’t angry. She was simply telling the truth. And somehow that made her words even more powerful.
Several guests exchanged uncomfortable glances. The woman they expected to embarrass was handling herself with grace.
For the first time that evening, genuine respect began appearing in some of their eyes.
Sophia remained calm and composed.
Across the ballroom, Damien watched silently. Years ago, he would have ignored this moment. Tonight, however, he couldn’t look away.
Because for the first time in a long time, he was seeing Sophia clearly, not as his wife, not as Ashley’s mother. But as a woman with her own strength. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
And somehow that realization hurt more than he expected.
The dinner continued around them but the atmosphere had changed.
People were no longer laughing at Sophia. They were looking at her differently now.
And for the first time that night, Sophia felt that she had finally stood on her own.
