Overprotected By My Tsundere CEO-Chapter 448 - 262: Get Ready for Divorce

Chapter 448: Chapter 262: Get Ready for Divorce
Alma Ferreira made a complete mess of the bedroom.
The furniture was scattered everywhere in complete disarray. She collapsed to the ground, her hair wild and disheveled, eyes vacant, face haggard, looking utterly deranged.
She never expected that, because of a busybody’s tweet last night, the news about Nora Scott being an illegitimate daughter would suddenly explode.
Even more unexpected was Ernesto Scott’s immediate and direct response, discrediting the claim publicly and without regard for her or the child’s feelings, clarifying that Nora was indeed a legitimate daughter.
In Ernesto Scott’s heart, she had no place at all...
"Bang!"
The door was suddenly pushed open with such force that it slammed hard against the wall, making a loud noise.
Alma Ferreira shrank back sharply.
She turned her head, ready to lose her temper, only to see Ernesto Scott striding over, full of anger and an intimidating presence. One cold glance from him made her shiver all over, her anger turning entirely into fear.
"Ernesto..."
Struggling to get up from the floor, Alma Ferreira meekly called out to Ernesto Scott.
Kicking aside the clutter in his way, Ernesto Scott strode over to her, glaring coldly, his questioning words brooking no dispute. "Are you the one spreading rumors everywhere that Nora is an illegitimate daughter?"
"I..."
Alma instinctively wanted to deny it.
However, under Ernesto Scott’s scrutinizing gaze, she found she lacked the courage to voice her denial.
His gaze bore down like a mountain, enveloping her in an invisible pressure that suffocated her.
"So it is you after all."
The look on Alma Ferreira’s face gave Ernesto Scott all the confirmation he needed.
When this woman had confidence, she would never exhibit such a demeanor.
Taking a deep breath, Alma asked tremulously, "Is it really that important whether she’s an illegitimate daughter?"
"I should be asking you that!" Ernesto took a step closer, his face dark enough to drip water. "What do you gain by spreading lies that she’s an illegitimate daughter?"
Staring at her coldly, Ernesto enunciated, "Self-deception!"
Self-deception!
Those four words completely shattered Alma Ferreira’s mental defenses.
"I just can’t stand you being good to her!"
Tears streamed down Alma’s face as she screamed, heartbroken.
Her makeup was long ruined. Ignoring her appearance, she accused him with wild abandon—
"Aren’t Sophie and Oliver your children too? I educated them so well; aren’t they both outstanding? Yet you, have you ever really looked at them?!"
"What is Nora compared to them—a child raised by a poor old man, without manners, without upbringing, poor results, lacking talent! Which part can compare to Sophie and Oliver?"
"It’s one thing to bring her home, but why are you so biased towards her? When it comes to drawing, she’s an artist with full support, but Sophie only earns a couple of verbal acknowledgments from you."
"Why?!"
"Just because she’s the spawn of that woman, Evelyn Easton?"
"I admit I’m no good! If I had the ability, I’d destroy Nora completely!"
Alma’s emotions were wildly agitated, and she seemed ready to charge forward.
Ernesto listened to her accusations expressionlessly, catching her wrist as she came at him and pushing her back down to the floor.
"Do you know how you married me, how Sophie and Oliver came into existence?"
Ernesto stared silently at her disheveled state, his eyes devoid of sympathy or pity.
"For years, you’ve deceived the children, deceived others, creating a façade of mutual respect, living in a web of lies of your own making. What is it? After lying for so long, you’ve convinced even yourself?"
"With a venomous heart like yours, how do you measure up to someone like Evelyn?"
"These years, I’ve indeed neglected Sophie and Oliver, allowing your pathological approach to influence their upbringing. Who said my children must be elites? When you treated them like tools to grab my attention and flaunt them publicly, did you ever once consider yourself a real mother?"
Mentioning child-rearing issues, Ernesto was filled with uncontainable anger.
Indeed, he hadn’t paid much attention to Sophie and Oliver.
One reason was being caught up in entrepreneurship with little time; another was not having much emotional attachment to those two children.
It wasn’t until New Year’s, when Nora subtly hinted that Alma’s education methods might cause psychological issues for Sophie and Oliver.
Only then did he realize something was wrong.
However, Sophie had been close to her mother from a young age; after the plagiarism incident, she had cut off all communication, making it impossible for him to reach her. He could only try to communicate with Oliver to prevent him from following Sophie’s path.
As for Alma—
As a mother, offering no maternal love and only endless demands and exploitation... she’s unworthy of motherhood!
"..."
Lying on the floor, Alma’s face was paper-white. Ernesto’s blunt revelations and accusations left her utterly at a loss.
Her lies...
Her education...
No, she wasn’t wrong, she wasn’t wrong.
Alma Ferreira was in a daze, muttering to herself, but her mumblings were incoherent.
Seeing her crazed disposition, Ernesto Scott had no patience to dredge up old matters, and said bluntly, "I warned you last time, either be a good stepmother and treat everyone equally. Or—"
His gaze turned cold as Ernesto Scott pronounced each word deliberately, "Get ready for divorce."
With those words, Ernesto Scott turned and walked away.
Divorce?
Suddenly stunned, Alma Ferreira was bewildered for a few seconds, then suddenly reacted. She panicked, not even getting up, and crawled over to Ernesto Scott, clutching his leg.
"Ernesto! Ernesto!"
Alma Ferreira’s face was drenched in tears as she looked up at Ernesto Scott, hysterical and frantic.
"I’m begging you, don’t divorce, don’t divorce..."
Tearfully, with her pride and dignity thrown away, she pleaded, "I’ll change, I’ll change! In the future, I’ll treat Nora well, I’ll promise to treat her like my own daughter. No, even better than my own daughter. Sophie is useless, I won’t be good to her anymore, I’ll only be good to Nora, okay?"
"Ernesto, as long as we don’t divorce, I’ll do whatever you say."
"Really, really. Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it..."
Alma Ferreira was almost begging.
She did not want a divorce.
Once divorced, she would completely lose this man.
At the same time, she would become everyone’s joke...
No!
She couldn’t let that happen!
However, lost in her own emotions, she did not realize that with every word she spoke, Ernesto Scott’s expression darkened further.
In the end, Ernesto Scott could hardly stand listening any longer, and pushed her away, knocking her to the ground.
He looked at this mad woman incredulously, "Do you know what you’re saying?!"
What did she mean by, ’Sophie is useless, I won’t be good to her anymore’?
To her, did children have no value unless they were useful?
Ernesto Scott was completely shocked by her worldview.
"I said, I said..." Alma Ferreira looked at him blankly, "Ernesto..."
Ernesto Scott could no longer listen to any of it.
Too lazy to waste words on her, Ernesto Scott turned and walked out, leaving Alma Ferreira on the floor crying and shouting repeatedly.
As soon as Ernesto Scott stepped outside, he saw Sophie Scott standing at the door, along with Lisa, who was beside her, looking worried and anxious.
It was obvious that the conversation with Alma Ferreira had been heard by both of them.
Sophie Scott’s face was full of shock, her eyes blurred with tears, as she stood there trembling uncontrollably.
"Sophie—"
After all, she was his daughter, and Ernesto Scott’s heart softened. He instinctively reached out to her.
Unexpectedly, Sophie withdrew quickly, holding onto her arms tightly, looking at him defensively and warily, and for a moment, a trace of hatred could be seen in her eyes.
Ernesto Scott was taken aback.
Then, he frowned slightly and took a business card out of his pocket, "This is Doctor Loughton’s card, if you have anything to say, you can talk to him."
He wasn’t good at communicating with his children.
Oliver Scott was fine; he could reach out to him on his own.
Normally, Ernesto Scott was extremely clumsy when talking and acting in front of Nora.
Earlier this year, Nora had already reminded Ernesto Scott that under Alma Ferreira’s way of upbringing, Sophie was likely to have psychological issues and suggested persuading Sophie to see a psychologist.
He had found a reliable psychological institution, and among them, Doctor Loughton was the best.
However, when he handed over the card, Sophie glanced at it, showing strong resistance, "I’m not sick, it’s Alma who is, I don’t want it!"
Alma.
She was no longer willing to call the crazy woman in the bedroom "Mom."
Ernesto Scott’s face darkened, and he didn’t persuade further. Instead, he handed the card to Lisa.
Lisa accepted it.
"Tell the driver to send Alma back to the Ferreira Family this afternoon," Ernesto Scott ordered forcefully, "I don’t want to see her when I come home tonight."
"This..."
Lisa hesitated a bit, still wanting to say a few words for Alma’s sake.
However, as Ernesto Scott cast a cold gaze over, her heart skipped a beat, and she obediently agreed, not daring to say more.
Although the usual focus was on the madam, young lady, and master, the master of the house was still the head of the family.
No room for her to act out of turn.
After dealing with the troublesome family matters, Ernesto Scott glanced at Sophie Scott, who didn’t dare to approach him, and quickly left.
He still had to go to school.