Can’t Win Me Back by Ginger Sue

Chapter 635
Both Lyla and Sophia’s birthdays happened to be on the same weekend.
Sophia was so excited the night before that she barely got any sleep. All she could think of was how stunning she would be
during her birthday celebration, with all eyes on her.
She had even had photo reels of her from her glory days as an actress made, which would be played on loop onstage during the
celebration for everyone to admire.
Sophia ended up looking like the undead the next morning, with sunken hair, bloodshot eyes, and eyebags so dark and heavy
that it looked like she had prosthetics on. Makeup was sorely needed, lest she looked
like some ravenous ghoul.
She was nearly 50 years old, after all. Unlike in her youth, when she would spend days shooting
continuously, one sleepless night was enough to make all her wrinkles stand out in the spotlight.
“What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get my makeup artist!” she roared, pacing back and forth in her room. She even
shattered an expensive crystal glass out of sheer anger, like someone having a manic
episode.
Naturally, Javier was oblivious to all this. Meanwhile, all the maids had run off to get the makeup artist.
Sophia stared at herself in the mirror, anger boiling in her gut like a witch’s cauldron.
She was celebrating her birthday tonight, right on Lyla’s birthday.
It had been years since Sophia had seen Lyla in person. She was proud, thinking she was in a far better
position than Lyla, being Javier Beckett’s wife and all that. But she still felt terrified whenever she recalled
how Lyla had been the star of TS Network in their youth.
Sophia was deeply afraid she wouldn’t be able to best Lyla.

“Mom!” Betty ran into the room, yelling, “Mom!”
However, Betty was left stunned by how horrifying Sophia looked.
“What are you yelling for?” Sophia huffed.
“I-I just called Grandpa earlier to ask him, and... he still said he won’t be attending your birthday
celebration tonight...
“What’s so
alarming about that? I never expected that old buffoon to show up in the first place. My night.
just might have turned for the worse if he did!’ Sophia snorted, not hiding her disdain for Newton in front
“But... but Grandpa also wanted me to tell you...” Betty stammered over her words.
“He’ll be attending the celebration at the Taylor family’s, like Jasper...”
“What?” Sophia shrieked, her eyes bugging out in rage.
“He said Mr. Taylor and Alyssa had both called him last night and that they had a really enjoyable conversation. So he decided to
go spend some time with Mr. Taylor at the very last minute.”
“Damn that old fool!” Sophia fumed, steam nearly blowing out of her ears. With one mighty sweep of her arm, she sent
everything on the makeup table clattering onto the floor.
“How can this stand, Mom? Jasper and Grandpa are clearly humiliating you by attending an outsider’s party instead of yours. It
would be terrible if the public got word of this!” Betty cried.
She used this as an opportunity to get back at Sophia after the latter had supported Lauren getting
together with Landon.
“They never respected you as the matriarch of this family and think it’s embarrassing to attend your party!”
“That’s enough from you!” Sophia shouted, her blood pressure rising dramatically.

“What do we do now?” Although Betty sounded concerned, she was secretly cackling with glee.
“Leave it be! That old fool is clearly angering me on purpose! If I get upset now and ruin my own birthday
celebration, they would laugh their heads off!”
Sophia fumed and sat down on the couch. “No matter what, that old man’s already retired. Everything that
belongs to him will go to Javier in the end, so I don’t give a damn what happens to him now.
“It’s not like he’ll outlive me!”
At 6:00 pm sharp, several sleek, black cars lined up outside the house. Javier, Sophia, and their two
daughters sat in the middle car while bodyguards filled the rest, protecting them as the cars drove to
Berenike Hotel, (2)
Javier gazed outside the window during the ride, his attitude toward Sophia as warm as usual, given that
it was her birthday.