Chapter 437: My Answer Is No!

Seeing the redness in his eyes, Sophia smiled.

"Michael, even if you're serious, did you ever ask if I want to marry you?"

Michael was taken aback after hearing her words.

He had always believed he was in control when it came to love, making decisions without asking for anyone's opinion.

Noticing his shock, Sophia let out a scoff.

"It's clear you've never thought about my feelings. You expect me to go along with whatever you decide. To you, I'm no different from a maid, someone you can command. You're always so arrogant, acting like what I want doesn't matter, right?"

"I... I..." Michael stammered. It wasn’t that he didn’t care—he had just never thought about it before.

"It’s not like that, Sophia." Michael struggled to explain, but his words felt clumsy. "I’ve never seen you as just a maid. You’ve always been the one I care about. I’m sorry for not considering your feelings. So now, let me ask you properly. Will you marry me?"

The more casually he talked, the more it hurt Sophia.

She sniffled and slowly lifted her head. Her eyes were cold as she looked at him.

"My answer is… no!"

Sophia's words shook Michael to his core. His hands trembled as he held her shoulders, struggling to control the rush of emotions inside him. "Why? Why won't you be with me?"

Sophia's voice was cold and firm. "Don't you remember? We're enemies. Enemies don't marry each other."

Michael stared at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

"My mom died in a car accident because of your dad, and your dad died because of mine. We can never be together, Michael," Sophia said, her voice filled with anger.

"But it's not our fault," Michael said, his voice shaking.

Panic swept over Michael, draining the color from his face.

Sophia laughed bitterly. "Marrying your enemy's daughter would be a betrayal to your family. You're the head of the Yates family. Do you know what people would think if they found out?"

Michael’s fists tightened and his knuckles turned white. "No one has to know. It's a family issue."

"Michael, you're being naive." Sophia’s smile was sharp. "Do you think you can hide it? Your father's scandal is still fresh. Your mother held the Yates Group together while the families in Blosa waited for a chance to tear you down. Do you think you're ready to face what your mother might do to protect the Yates Group?"

Michael stepped back with his mind spinning. He had never considered these things before.

He had once believed that by controlling his mother and gaining more power, he could shape his own future. But reality was far more complicated.

Helping Dave had opened his eyes to the harsh truth of the business world. The scar on his mother’s face, a constant reminder of the battles she fought, haunted him. She had protected him so well that it created an illusion of peace.

Sophia's words shattered that illusion.

Michael felt his heart breaking, each piece cutting deeper than any knife.

All he wanted was to marry Sophia and give her daughter Elaine a loving family. So why did it feel like it was impossible?

"Michael, please, let me go," Sophia begged, her voice shaking as she held back tears. "We can't be together."

Michael's lips trembled as he forced a smile. "Let you go? How could I do that? Do you want Elaine to grow up without her father?"

Sophia’s eyes widened in shock. "What did you just say?"

Michael was so stunned by his own words that he suddenly blurted it out in the middle of their hated confrontation.

"What do you mean?" Sophia’s voice grew louder as she approached him and confusion filled her eyes. "Elaine’s father is Andrew. She already has a father, Michael."

Michael’s mind was a mess. He couldn’t bring himself to tell Sophia about what happened in Champs Le Bar a few years ago. The fear of her anger held him back.

He looked down quickly, avoiding her eyes.

"Michael, say something!" Sophia urged him as her voice rose.

Feeling trapped, Michael gathered his courage and looked her in the eye. "Sophia, Elaine deserves a father. I want to give her the love she needs, no matter what happened between you and Andrew. But other men... they might not be as understanding."

Sophia’s eyes flashed with anger. "Don’t project your narrow thinking onto others," she snapped.

"What? Did Nicolas promise you something?" Michael’s face darkened, his voice turning into a growl.

"That’s a private matter between him and me," Sophia snapped.

"Do you have feelings for him?" Michael asked, gritting his teeth.

"We share the same career, and we understand each other. We’re on equal ground. He respects me, and I respect him," Sophia said calmly. "Michael, you’ll never understand that."

Hearing Sophia’s words, hinting that he was inferior to Nicolas, sparked anger in Michael. He stepped forward and grabbed Sophia’s arm, trying to show control. "Then tell me, between Nicolas and me, who would you choose?"

Sophia pulled her arm away, staring at Michael as she spoke clearly. "No matter who I choose, it will never be you."

She tried to walk away immediately.

But Michael grabbed her wrist, stopping her. When she looked back, his glare was cold and threatening.

Ignoring her protests, Michael pulled her toward the bedroom. She struggled, but his grip didn’t loosen.

"Let go of me! Stop!" Sophia yelled, hitting his back with all her strength.

But Michael didn’t budge. He stayed firm in his actions.

Michael threw Sophia onto the bed. Before she could react, he pinned her down without giving her a chance to escape.

Pinned beneath Michael, Sophia's face paled with fear. Clenching her teeth, she warned, “If you force me, I will hate you forever.”

Michael tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, his smile dark. “You’ve been mine since the day you entered my home. I’d rather have your hatred than see you with someone else. Whether you marry me or not, you still belong to me.”

He grabbed her collar, pulling it down to expose her skin.

“Are you out of your mind?” Sophia yelled. She never thought he would go this far. Desperate, she fought back with all her strength.

But Michael was too strong. He barely reacted to her resistance.

"Let me go, or I'll scream!" Sophia’s voice trembled with fear. The haunting memories of Andrew’s assault resurfaced, making her terror even worse.