Chapter 122: Sophie Resigns!
"Mr. Hale, please calm down. I’ll handle this matter personally. Does it really have to go all the way to court?"
Principal Monica’s voice was tight with anxiety as she pleaded with him. She knew that if this case ended up before a judge, James Trav wouldn’t be the only one whose reputation would be destroyed.
Crystal Gems Educational Academy itself would become a laughingstock across the local education industry. Once parents began withdrawing their children, the academy’s reputation and finances would suffer a devastating blow.
"You don’t have the right to negotiate with me," Luca replied coolly, without even looking in her direction. "If someone wants to talk, have your board director call me."
He had no intention of wasting another word on the principal. His attention had already shifted to the familiar figure walking down the corridor.
Sophie Kennedy.
The moment she stepped into the lobby, his expression softened.
"Sophie." Luca walked over and gently took her delicate hand in his. "Let’s quit this job, alright?"
A sweet smile spread across Sophie’s face.
"Okay."
She agreed without the slightest hesitation.
The only reason she hadn’t resigned earlier was because she couldn’t bear to abandon her students right before their final exams. She had planned to endure the rumors until the term ended before quietly leaving.
But if she had to choose between this academy and Luca...
She would choose Luca every single time.
Whatever decision he made, she would stand beside him.
She didn’t even need to ask what had happened. One glance at James’s battered face, the tense atmosphere, and the legal team gathered nearby told her more than enough.
She had been willing to quietly tolerate the gossip for another month, but Luca had refused to let anyone stain her name.
As his partner, all she wanted to do was trust him.
And she did.
Completely.
"Do you have anything left to pack?" Luca asked softly. "If not, let’s go."
"Mhm."
Still holding Sophie’s hand, he led her toward the lobby doors.
"Mr. Hale! Teacher Kennedy! Please wait!"
Principal Monica hurried after them, desperate for one last chance to salvage the situation.
She barely managed three steps before several broad-shouldered security officers from the Stone Free Grand Hotel stepped in front of the entrance, blocking her path.
Behind them, Mason Reid folded his arms and looked down at her with open disdain.
"Didn’t you hear our boss?" he said coldly. "You’re not even in a position to negotiate with him. Stay where you are."
His gaze then drifted toward James Trav, who was still sitting weakly on the floor, trembling.
"And you..."
A humorless smile spread across Mason’s face.
"Before the court summons arrives, my security team will make sure you receive a very warm welcome around town."
---
By the time Luca and Sophie reached the academy’s front entrance, they unexpectedly ran into Lucy Smith and her fiancé, Johnathan Chris.
Johnathan sat behind the wheel of a dark Jeep Grand Cherokee while Lucy rested one arm on the open window, smiling as soon as she spotted them.
"Luca, Sophie! Where are you two headed? Hop in. We’ll give you a ride."
Lucy had genuinely grown fond of Sophie. She was gentle, considerate, down-to-earth, and it was obvious that every bit of her affection for Luca was sincere.
"Boss."
At that moment, Mason Reid emerged from the building with several senior executives from the Stone Free Grand Hotel following behind him.
Luca turned with an easy smile, the icy anger from earlier already gone.
"Sorry for dragging everyone out here on such short notice."
He looked toward Mason.
"When you get back, hand everyone a little bonus. Call it money for drinks and cigarettes."
The executives immediately brightened.
At Stone Free Grand Hotel, Luca’s casual "drinks and cigarettes" bonus was anything but casual. It usually meant at least a thousand dollars per person. For little more than a ten-minute drive, that was an excellent reward.
While Luca chatted casually with Mason, a completely different storm was brewing inside Lucy and Johnathan’s SUV.
Every executive standing around Luca wore impeccably tailored business attire that practically screamed wealth and professionalism. Even the security personnel carried themselves with disciplined confidence.
Yet every single one of them addressed Luca the same way.
Boss.
Lucy had always assumed Luca had simply earned a comfortable fortune after moving to San Fierro. Enough to buy a luxury SUV, perhaps.
But this...
This was something else entirely.
The man standing in front of them wasn’t just wealthy.
He commanded people.
The thought settled heavily in both their minds.
Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, Lucy leaned toward Sophie.
"Sophie... did your boyfriend start some huge company or something?"
Sophie’s cheeks instantly turned pink.
She glanced shyly at Luca before lowering her eyes with a soft smile.
"Yes..."
She nodded gently.
"The Stone Free Grand Hotel belongs to Luca."
The words "your boyfriend" echoed pleasantly in her heart.
Without realizing it, she imagined a future where she would become his wife, standing beside him as the lady of his home. The thought alone made her pulse quicken, filling her with a mixture of bashfulness and quiet happiness.
Lucy, meanwhile, was too stunned to notice Sophie’s reaction.
The Stone Free Grand Hotel...
That iconic luxury hotel wasn’t just another business. It was one of Ashford’s most prestigious landmarks.
Owning it required an unimaginable amount of money.
And even more astonishing connections.
Lucy slowly turned toward Johnathan.
He was already looking back at her.
Neither of them spoke.
They didn’t need to.
The same thought had surfaced in both their minds.
Johnathan’s independent game studio desperately needed funding. Without a significant investment, nearly one million dollars, the company might not survive much longer.
To ordinary people, that amount was impossibly large.
But for someone who owned the Stone Free Grand Hotel...
It might be little more than pocket change.
Maybe...
Just maybe...
This was the opportunity they had been waiting for.
Whether Luca agreed or refused didn’t matter nearly as much as trying. If they never even asked, they would always wonder what might have happened had they simply found the courage to speak.