âMarcus, Iâm home!â
After stepping through her houseâs door, she announced her arrival.
Both the man and the child were lounging in the living room, engrossed in a TV show Neither of them so much as glanced her way Marcus simply responded with a casual, âMmmâ
Sophia was all too accustomed to Marcusâs indifference. She arrived at the couch, holding bags of groceries she had bought âMarcus, look! I stopped by the supermarket on my way home. I got a bunch of fresh ingredients. Iâm going to whip up the rib soup recipe I learned today.â
She said while swaying her shopping bags.
Marcus glanced up, his gaze void of any emotion. âYouâve been out all day. You donât have to cook.â
Sophia shook her head. âIâm not tired. Marcus, I realized I actually enjoy cooking. Every time I see you and Tristan eating the food I prepared, it gives me a sense of accomplishment.â
Marcus said nothing. If she wanted to cook, then he would let her. He had no objections Today, he just wasnât in the mood to eat. Everything tasted the same.
However, Adrian, with the innocence of a child, muttered, âWe eat your food not because itâs good, but because we have no other choice. If we donât eat, weâll starve.â Sophiaâs smile froze. She chuckled awkwardly. âTristan, how can you be so blunt at such a young age? If you talk like this, youâll never get a wife when you grow up.â
Adrian shrugged it off. âI obviously wouldnât talk to my future wife like that. Iâm not stupid!â
Sophia was speechless.
So, he was intentionally talking to her like that and intentionally trying to piss her off.
Damn it!
This damn child was definitely a product of that wretched woman, Ellinor. He was infuriating down to his very bones.
Sophia, at her witâs end, walked over and tugged on Adrianâs ear. âHow dare you talk to Mommy like that? Have you no manners? Mommy works hard every day to cook for you, and all you do is complain about the food? Iâve wasted my time raising you!â
Adrianâs ear was throbbing with pain. He yelled, âLet go of me!â
Sophia exclaimed in anger, âApologize to Mommy properly, then Iâll let you go!â
Adrian, despite the pain, glared defiantly at her. âWhy donât you just kill me then? Hmph!â
She truly desired to smack this ill-mannered child right now. However, she couldnât do it in front of Marcus. âYou insolentâ¦
âWhat are you doing? Let him go!â Marcus suddenly chided her. His voice was as icy as ever.
Sophia released Adrian, looking at Marcus in astonishment. âMarcus, I was just disciplining him. You saw how disrespectful Tristan has been to me. He doesnât even treat me like his mother. This canât continue!â
Marcus pulled his pained son into his arms, inspecting his reddened ear before glaring at Sophia.
âDisciplining a child does not involve violence. Heâs only three years old; how could you lay a hand on him?â
Sophia was taken aback. I didnât use any force. I just wanted to scare him a bit, Marcus. Donât be fooled by his cries. Heâs just doing it to get your sympathy. I think itâs time to seriously discipline this child, otherwise, he might start disobeying you too!â
Adrian nestled into Marcusâs arms. âWho said I wouldnât listen to Daddy? I listen to Daddy all the time!â
Sophia looked at the child, who was getting on her nerves, with even more malice in her eyes. âIf you listen to Daddy, why wonât you listen to Mommy?*