When They Beg I Rise (Lemira) novel Chapter 1093

Lemira found Sophia's unprovoked hostility utterly laughable.

Without so much as a glance in her direction, Lemira guided Amanda further into the room. Amanda had clearly noticed Sophia as well, but deliberately chose to look right through her.

Being completely ignored only fueled Sophia's deep-seated rage.

She had seen the recent tabloid headlines splashing photos of Lemira dining with Orion and Amanda across the internet.

The media was practically declaring it an official meet-the-parents dinner.

For weeks, the entire internet had been ruthlessly mocking Sophia, a former high-society darling who had lost her coveted spot to a girl from a small town.

Scrolling through those articles had made Sophia so physically ill she couldn't stomach her meals.

That wretched Lemira had stolen everything from her.

Sophia stepped into their path, glaring at Amanda. "Don't for a second think Lemira is any better than me. The gap between her and the Everhart family is massive. She's only been using Orion from the very beginning."

Amanda took a seat, slowly lifting her gaze to meet Sophia's. "That is none of your business. As far as I'm concerned, Lemira is a wonderful young woman. If she were willing to marry my son, I'd wake up laughing from sheer joy every single day."

Hearing Amanda's glowing endorsement, Lemira kept her eyes fixed on the floor in silence.

Ever since those paparazzi photos leaked, rumors had been swirling that she and Orion were on the verge of making things official.

With the trial looming over her, she hadn't bothered to publicly debunk the gossip, not wanting to distract from the court case.

These kinds of celebrity rumors always faded with time anyway.

Sophia, however, looked ready to explode. She couldn't believe Amanda genuinely adored this girl!

Why was her life in shambles while Lemira was thriving?

Matthew lunged forward, ready to physically throw her out, but Orion caught his arm, holding him back.

Orion's predatory gaze locked onto Sophia. "Looking at a woman like you makes me feel sick to my stomach."

Sophia gasped, her face crumbling in shock. "Why are you treating me like this?"

"Like what? I haven't given you the time of day since we were kids. You're the one who stalked me for years. Having to deal with a psycho like you has been the biggest curse of my life."

Seeing Matthew still bristling with barely restrained violence, a flicker of genuine fear finally pierced through Sophia's delusion. She backed away, retreating to the defendant's family section in a huff.

Refusing to swallow her pride, she lifted her chin and shot Lemira a smug, defiant glare. "No matter what you do, my mother won't get the death penalty. She's going to live a long, comfortable life. You're not going to win."