Chapter 345

Looking at Sophia Carter, Sophia Montgomery's heart unexpectedly warmed.

She had no friends.

All her former university classmates had cut ties with her after her imprisonment. Later, in prison, she met Aunt Eleanor, but Aunt Eleanor passed away. Then Noah Whitmore risked his life to protect her, but Ethan Blackwood had no idea where Noah had been exiled.

After enduring so much, Sophia wasn’t the type to make friends easily. But seeing Sophia Carter's radiant smile and the admiring sparkle in her eyes, Sophia paused just before entering the design department and asked, "If he wanted a girlfriend for marriage, would he choose you?"

Sophia Carter blinked. "Huh?"

"Does he date with the intention of getting married?"

"No! Absolutely not!" Sophia Carter exclaimed. "Everyone knows Mr. Montgomery loves to play the field."

"Then why waste your time on him?" Sophia Montgomery blurted out.

Sophia Carter froze.

She was right.

Most women never stopped to consider that. They all knew Julian Montgomery was a notorious playboy, yet they still threw themselves at him, hoping to be the exception.

Only Sophia Montgomery saw through it.

Sophia Carter watched in awe as Sophia entered the design department office before turning to leave.

When Sophia returned after lunch, she noticed the entire design team staring at her—men and women alike.

All morning, she had been buried in helping Elizabeth Dawson organize files, too busy to glance at her colleagues. Now, under their scrutiny, she realized every female colleague was impeccably dressed, radiating sophistication, while the men wore sleek, high-fashion ensembles.

Only Sophia stood out—and not in a good way.

Having spent too long in Willowbrook County, her outfit was not just conservative but deliberately mismatched. She had chosen the most unflattering combination possible—pieces that, when styled properly, could have been chic, but now made her look painfully outdated.

Her colleagues' gazes were a mix of disdain and envy, as if she were some country bumpkin who had stumbled into a fortune.

Sophia didn’t care.

She had been too busy earlier to introduce herself. Now, she did so confidently. "Hello, I'm Sophia Montgomery, the new designer."

"Designer?" someone sneered. "More like a glorified assistant."

"She spent all morning doing Elizabeth’s grunt work."

"Can she even draft?"

"Before that, does she even know how to use design software?"

Sophia’s lips curled faintly. "I can use a computer. And yes, I can draft."

Colleagues A, B, C, D: "..."

"Who referred you?" another voice demanded.

A whisper followed. "Olivia Kensington from upstairs said it was her future brother-in-law who forced her in. You know, Liam Sterling from Sterling Holdings. Rumor has it they’re..."

Hearing Liam’s name dragged into this again, Sophia cut them off sharply. "I was hired through HR."

"Then why did Olivia call you a homewrecker?" a shrill voice challenged from behind.

Sophia turned to see Elizabeth Dawson sauntering in, one hand on her hip.

"Elizabeth," Sophia acknowledged coolly.

"Are you a homewrecker?" Elizabeth demanded, her tone venomous, as if Sophia had personally stolen her man.

She stared Sophia down, waiting for her to crumble.

The entire office watched, anticipating humiliation.

Most people would either rage or break down in tears.

But Sophia’s expression remained unreadable. "Whose home am I supposedly wrecking?"

Elizabeth faltered. "What?"

"If you’re asking if I’m your husband’s mistress, I don’t even know him. And if I were, you should be scolding him, not me."

Elizabeth’s face twisted. "I’m not married!"

"Then there’s no husband for me to steal. You’re just slandering me." Sophia didn’t even glance at her as she took her seat.

After everything she’d survived, Elizabeth’s petty drama meant nothing.

This job? She could walk away anytime.

Sophia had known returning to Harborview City would bring trouble. At twelve, the Montgomery family treated her like trash. After prison, Nancheng’s elite hunted her like a stray.

Six years in hiding had been peaceful. Now, back in the lion’s den, she’d barely started working when Olivia Kensington—Charlotte Kensington’s cousin—appeared.

This workplace was doomed from the start.

So Sophia had already decided: she wouldn’t stay.

And if she wasn’t staying, she had nothing to fear.

Elizabeth’s face flushed with rage. "I wasn’t accusing you! Everyone in the cafeteria heard Olivia say it!"

"Then why are you repeating gossip instead of working?" Sophia countered. "What a waste of company resources."

Her words were few, but each one struck like a blade.

Elizabeth choked, momentarily speechless.

The other colleagues exchanged glances. Sophia Montgomery might dress like a country mouse, but she was no pushover.

The tension dissipated as everyone quietly returned to their desks, not wanting to draw her ire.

Especially since Julian Montgomery himself seemed taken with her.

The brewing storm died before it could erupt.

Defeated, Elizabeth shoved a stack of blueprints at Sophia. "Here. Sort these drafts immediately. Since you claim you didn’t use connections, prove you can actually work. These are architectural designs—one mistake, and you’ll be liable for the consequences."

With that, she flounced out on her stilettos.