Behind The Proposal novel Chapter 50

"Oh for goodness sake, Sophie, what on earth is wrong now?" Mary asked as they walked into the dining room. Of course her mother would notice her blotchy face. "And don't tell me Tom is at work again. On a Sunday. That man is definitely having an affair. You need to watch him more carefully, Sophie."

Sophie stilled and stared at her mother, the plates of food shaking in her hands.

"What's wrong, Mummy?" Jasmine asked, looking between her mother and grandmother in confusion.

"Why don't you go play with your dolls a minute, sweetie?" Kim suggested then took the plates from Sophie, placing them on the table. "Tom has..." Kim started hesitantly as she glanced at Sophie.

"Don't tell me he's left her already," Mary scoffed. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Excuse me?" Sophie had hoped for some sympathy from her family, instead her mother was implying she was a failure. Again. Her marriage hadn't even lasted four months.

"Well, considering her -" Mary started.

"Mary!" her father warned.

Her mother huffed and glared at him in shock. Sophie shared a shocked glance with Kim - neither of them could ever remember when their father had stood up to their mother. "No, Gordon. I've had enough. For twenty-eight years I've raised that girl as my own. I knew she was going to be trouble from the moment she was born but you insisted we take her in. Of course she would be difficult, she's just like her mother. I did warn you that the apple wouldn't fall far from the tree."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sophie asked, staring at her parents. Kim looked equally confused and shrugged when her sister glanced at her. "You're not my parents?"

"No," Gordon replied gently. "We weren't going to tell you -"

"We hoped we could raise you right and that you wouldn't turn out like that woman but we were wrong." Mary added in her usual superior way.

Sophie had never heard him raise his voice to anyone. He was usually such a gentle man. To hear him defend his sister... her mother like that... it was clear how much he'd cared for her.

"Of course it was. You can't behave like she did - partying, taking drugs, getting involved with all the wrong sort of people - she was asking for trouble." Mary turned to Sophie. "And now you've gone and done the same thing. I warned you not to get in trouble but of course you did. First with that dreadful man, Marcus. How you could get involved with a married man, I have no idea. Then you had the gall to insist on keeping his child. And now this. Did you really think someone as successful and powerful as him would stick around for you?"

Sophie finally snapped. "I want you all to leave. Now."

"Excuse me?" Mary stared at her, stunned.

"You heard me. Leave," Sophie growled, pointing her finger towards the front door. She had enough to deal with. Tom would come home in two days time and she had to face him. Plus now she had all of this information she had to process. She couldn't believe her parents had lied to her all these years, but at least it explained why they treated her like they did. Sophie held in the tears as her mum - who wasn't her mother - stomped out of the house, her father trailing close behind, but not before looking in her eyes and giving her a big hug and kiss on the cheek. At least he cared, right?

"What happened to all of my stuff?" Tom asked incredulously as he took in all of his clothes, shoes, toiletries, everything else he'd brought to the marriage, stacked in the spare bedroom next to the front door. He walked into the room and mentally went through it all as he ran his fingers over the boxes and suitcases. It was all there. "Why is it all in here?" he demanded as he turned to Sophie.