At that moment the silence cracked like glass under a heavy foot. Everyone stared at Sophia.Immediately her grandfather blinked twice, trying to process what he thought he misheard. Her father’s jaw clenched. Even London, so full of himself a moment ago, faltered. His proud smirk twitched uncertainly.Then Sophia took a step forward. Her shoe echoed on the polished floor, each sound loud in the heavy silence.“You all thought I was going to beg him?” Her voice was steady, but there was something raw just beneath it. “Is that what you were waiting for? For me to kneel down and cry and say ‘I’m sorry, London’? After everything?”At that moment in time her grandfather’s eyes darkened even more. “Sophia, enough.”“No,” she said sharply, cutting through the tension. “No, Grandpa. You said I should apologize, for disrespecting him. But did anyone stop to ask what respect he gave me in the first place?”She turned to London. “Tell them, London. Tell them how you called me a disgrace. How y

Upon hearing what London just said, Sophia’s eyes narrowed slightly, her voice calm but firm. “Like I said before, London… I don’t have anything to think about.”She folded her arms. “You can go. Do whatever you want. It’s not my business anymore.”Still her tone didn’t crack. No fear, no guilt. Just finality.London stood frozen for a second. His lips pressed into a hard line as he scanned her from head to toe—slowly. His eyes held a mix of disbelief, anger, and bitter disappointment. But mostly, bruised pride, seeing Sophia rejecting him over and over again.Immediately his jaw clenched. “You really meant it…” he muttered under his breath, like he couldn’t believe it was actually happening.Then his voice rose.“So that’s it?” he barked. “You walk away from everything—just like that?”He scoffed bitterly and pointed toward her. “Because some fool from the gutter was lucky enough to save your grandfather, now you think he’s good enough for you?”However Sophia remained silent. Not ev

At that moment the room went quiet immediately. His son clenched his jaw but said nothing. He slowly lowered his eyes and took a step back, biting back the words that had risen to his tongue. He had seen that look on his father’s face before — the look that said not another word. Pushing now would only make things worse.But deep down, he was unsettled about everything.If Serenity could walk in here and offer anything to buy the identity of that man… if they accepted and the news got out — would anyone ever trust them again? His thoughts raced. What about if any of them needed help from the miracle doctor? Would he even come here again?He looked at Serenity, standing tall and unreadable, her arms crossed, her gaze sharp but calm. She wasn’t bluffing. She meant every word. She had the power to reward them greatly — or walk away and never return.Sophia’s father swallowed hard. ‘She’s serious. If we help her… we’ll get favor. But at what cost?’However Sophia grandfather didn’t waver

Serenity nodded without hesitation. Her expression remained calm, though her heart beat steadily in her chest. She stretched out her hand and passed the badge forward. There was no tremble in her fingers.Just then, Sophia’s father stood up sharply from his seat.“This is enough,” he snapped, his voice filled with restrained fury. “Father, stop this. I’ve kept quiet for too long, but I don’t like this anymore. It’s getting out of hand.”He turned toward Serenity, his tone no less firm. “What we’re doing here—it’s not right. Using a woman’s honor as leverage? Blackmailing her for the identity of a man who saved us?”He looked down, his fists clenched at his sides. “This will not end well. And I don’t want to be part of this.”At that moment Serenity stepped forward, her voice quiet yet unwavering.“Don’t worry,” she said gently, locking eyes with him. “I’m not going to give their identity out.”“I’m not going to say I got the identity from you,” Serenity said quietly, her words steady

“I heard you,” Serenity finally said, her voice low and cold. “I’ll keep your identity safe.”Her eyes didn’t meet his again. She simply turned around and walked out of the mansion with slow, heavy steps. The weight of what she had just learned made it feel like she was dragging chains behind her.She didn’t say goodbye, she didn’t even glance at Sophia grandfather again.Sliding into the driver’s seat of her car, she closed the door quietly behind her. But inside her chest, her heart was pounding like thunder.She gripped the steering wheel tightly, staring ahead through the windshield, but not really seeing anything. Her mind had started spiraling.‘Damien?’ she repeated the name silently. Damien is the Miraculous Doctor’s apprentice? Suddenly, puzzle pieces she had ignored for months started falling into place.That one time she saw him walking through the military headquarters—people acted like he belonged there. No one stopped him. No one questioned him.And with the Brain, she t