"I understand." Sophie nodded, a smile masking her growing suspicions.Given Melissa's past attempts to harm her pregnancy with Cherry, considering her capable of hurting Tristan now was not far-fetched.Observing Sophie’s fatigued face, Mrs. Carrie voiced her concern, "You should rest too.""I'll just make a phone call and then rest."Mrs. Carrie discreetly left, allowing Sophie privacy.Sophie unlocked her phone and scrolled through her contacts, finally dialing a number."Hello, I’m Sophie Luxford."The man’s voice betrayed surprise. "Ms. Luxford, why are you... To what do I owe this call?""Mr. Harvey, it’s been many years since we last spoke. I need your help with something. Remember, I referred you to Madam Carlson as her investment consultant. You're still handling her financial matters, correct?""Yes, you introduced me to a valuable client. May I ask why you’re calling?" His tone was cautious yet polite.Sophie cut to the chase. "I need information about Madam Carlso
"Yes, I’m interested in Serenus Villa on Panthalasa Avenue. I spotted it listed on your website," Sophie said, swiftly displaying a picture of the property on her phone to the agent. "This one.""The detached villa, right? It's been on our listings for about a month. The property market is quite competitive, and the villa you're eyeing has been sold," the agent replied with a smile after a quick glance at the photo."Are you certain it's been sold?""Yes, I handled that sale myself. I remember it distinctly." The agent beamed with pride, recalling the sale. That villa was among their most expensive listings, expected to take a long time to sell. Surprisingly, it sold within days of being listed, earning me a tidy commission.Noticing Sophie’s look of disappointment and assuming her continued interest in the area, he suggested, "I can show you several other properties in the vicinity if you're interested?"After a moment of consideration, Sophie nodded and followed the agent to his
'The 20,000 dollars isn't a large amount, but coupled with the ownership of a villa, it could be a game changer," Sophie contemplated, piecing together the emerging puzzle in her mind.-At the hospital.Cedric's face was flushed, interrupted by sporadic sneezes.Dr. Zegler, his longtime physician, was concerned. "Mr. Carlson, I warned you five years ago that even a mild cold could escalate to a high fever. You need to take better care of yourself."Reflecting on Cedric's history of persistent high fevers since his near-drowning incident years ago, Dr. Zegler was puzzled by his current condition. "I’ll have the nurse arrange for your admission.""No need for hospitalization, just an IV will suffice," Cedric insisted."For a regular patient, an IV might do the trick. But given your condition, even a simple cold and fever could escalate into pneumonia. You should be more cautious." Dr. Zegler was clearly unconvinced."I know my body's limits. Just hook me up to the IV," Cedric in
Ascending to the fifth floor, the person assigned to keep watch respectfully opened the door for Cedric.Polly's complexion turned pale at his entry."Mr... Mr. Carlson?" she stuttered, her panic palpable. Her hands were nervously twined behind her back, and she avoided his gaze.Cedric sat opposite her, his frosty eyes briefly surveying her before he spoke in a sharp tone. "Who told you to do it?""I don’t know... what you’re talking about, Mr. C-Carlson," Polly stammered, her distress clear."On the day of my grandfather’s birthday party, you deliberately led Tristan into the ladies’ restroom, knowing Sophie was there. Tell me, how much did Vivienne pay you for this?" Cedric demanded, his eyes narrowing.Polly began to tremble, eventually collapsing to the floor in terror."I didn't know anything would happen to Tristan! Please believe me!" she pleaded.She insisted she would not have accepted the task if she had known the extent of the consequences."Who was your accomplice
As Sophie exited the elevator at her company, Linda's assistant approached her. "Ms. Luxford, Linda and Ms. Archer have called to say they won’t be in the office today.""Understood."Upon entering her office and setting her bag on the couch, Sophie promptly dialed Jeanna's number. Though Melissa was a suspect, Sophie's primary concern remained on Vivienne.After a few rings, Jeanna answered. "Sophie babe, we’re going from hospital to hospital right now.""Are you having trouble finding information?" Sophie surmised from Jeanna's tone that their search was not progressing well."Yes, even though there aren’t many self-paying patients, it's still challenging without photos or additional details for identification.""Then try the radiology department.""Why didn’t I think of that? Linda and I are heading there now," exclaimed Jeanna, ignited by the suggestion. With newfound clarity, her previously muddled thoughts began to clear. If Vivienne had taken Tristan to a hospital, there
After Evander concluded, Jeanna's expression softened a bit, her hostility diminishing slightly. "So, he is somewhat capable."Evander considered bringing up that these instructions were all from Cedric while he received an IV but decided against it.-After comparing hundreds of CT scans throughout the day and night, almost to the point of nausea, they finally narrowed it down to three scans closely matching Tristan's injury.Sean noted the hospital name on the CT scans with a hint of a smile on his tired face. "Interesting, they’re all from City Hospital.""I'll go with Jeanna to speak to the attending doctor there. You guys should check the surveillance footage from around that period. Call us if anything comes up," Linda said, still sharp despite being up all night.Evander glanced at her, his expression showing a hint of admiration."That's not a great division of labor. There's a saying, 'Men and women working together make tasks easier.' I want to be with Jeanna," Sean de
Linda took out her cell phone and pulled up a photo from the album. "Dr. Brook, could you please take a closer look and see if this is the child in question?"Upon realizing he might have revealed too much, Dr. Brook quickly changed his tone. "I just told you they were wearing masks and caps, so I can't remember very clearly. If you're not here for treatment, please leave. There's a long line of patients waiting behind you."The nurse unceremoniously kicked them out, and Jeanna gnashed her teeth. "He just stopped all of a sudden! How infuriating!""It's okay, we're almost certain it's Vivienne now. Let's see if the two men found the surveillance footage." Just as Linda finished speaking, Sean and Evander emerged from the elevator.Sean even waved flirtatiously at Jeanna, a gesture that rendered any questions she had.-At Luxford Group."Vivienne must have noticed the lump on the back of Tristan's head and seized the chance to blame Sophie. This shameless woman is truly wicked."
The truth must be thoroughly investigated, but they must not ignore their health just to clear Sophie's name earlier."Soph is right. We three are beauties endowed with both wisdom and allure. After a good sleep, we'll be as capable as Sherlock Holmes himself."Linda, let's hurry back and grab some beauty sleep. As our looks improve, our brains will naturally follow suit."Linda could not help but smile, but she still looked a little concerned as she glanced at Sophie. "Ms. Luxford, you should go back early too.""Yeah," Sophie said.After seeing the two off, Sophie did not leave but instead sat back in her chair. With furrowed brows and tired eyes, she stared at the continuing playback of the video. 'What have I missed? Why can't I find any clues in this footage?'-"Mommy, you're finally back! I was waiting for you until I was so hungry that I ate first." As soon as Sophie entered the house, Cherry threw herself into her arms, playfully revealing her chubby belly while glancin
Tristan looked up in surprise. As if struck by a sudden thought, he glanced at Cherry, who was writhing in pain, and timidly asked, "Can I go to the hospital to help?""You need to stay home and help Cherry get a leave from school tomorrow. Be good and stay here. Trust Daddy. Cherry will be fine." Cedric's words seemed to soothe Tristan's anxiety.Avoiding Cedric’s gaze, Tristan obediently nodded. 'Cherry will surely be fine.'-The Bentley sped along the road and soon arrived at the hospital.Cedric held Cherry the entire time, while Sophie handled the paperwork. Their seamless cooperation made them seem like a perfectly ordinary married couple."Mr. Carlson, Mrs. Carlson, the child has gastritis and needs to be hospitalized for treatment," the emergency physician explained after examining Cherry, jotting down the diagnosis in the medical record.Sophie's face turned pale. 'Gastritis? How could it be so severe?'"Can she recover?" Cedric asked with a frown, his sudden intimida
In Imperium, hardly anyone else would dare yell at Cedric like this. Cedric's eyes narrowed dangerously, his shoulders radiating a cold aura. However, traces of helplessness and doting affection softened his expression. Despite his reluctance, he eventually turned aside cooperatively.Sophie couldn't help but smile. 'It's no wonder some people believe that daughters are their fathers' lovers from a previous life. If it were anyone else, Cedric would have likely thrown them out the window by now.'She lifted Cherry's clothes to reveal her round belly and gently massaged it in circles with her fingers. Taking the opportunity, she also gave Cherry a gentle reminder, "How many times has Mommy told you not to eat so much? But you never listen. Now you know how it feels when you overeat, huh?""Mommy, could you not rub salt in my wounds?" Cherry's face was scrunched up in pain. Her pitiful and aggrieved expression instantly silenced Sophie, who decided to save the scolding for when Cherry
Cedric kissed Sophie’s rosy cheeks, preparing to take things to the next level, when a knock on the door interrupted them at a crucial moment.His expression darkened immediately. No man liked being interrupted at such a time, and it had happened repeatedly."Who is it?" Sophie grabbed the blanket beside her to cover her exposed chest, her hoarse voice betraying her recent passion."Ms. Luxford... It's me." Tristan's low voice came from the other side of the door.'Tristan?' Sophie looked at the man beside her, surprised. She had assumed it was Cherry again, but unexpectedly...Gathering her scattered clothes from the floor, Sophie dressed quickly. Ensuring there was nothing inappropriate between her and Cedric, she got out of bed and walked toward the door.Tristan stood there, head down, fingers fidgeting, indicating urgency. As soon as the door opened, he looked up anxiously and said, "Ms. Luxford, could you go check on Cherry? She seems unwell.""Cherry is unwell?" The flush
"This birthday brings me a lot of happiness."Sophie grasped the deeper implications of his words. The blush on her cheeks faded slightly, and the initial flutter of excitement mingled with a touch of sadness. No one could predict what Jeff's condition would be like by her next birthday.Cedric shifted the topic, pouring the already decanted red wine into a tall glass and handing it to her. "Just one glass. This is for your private birthday celebration. Happy birthday."The intoxicating aroma of the wine was irresistible. She stopped resisting and held her glass up to gently clink against his, producing a clear, melodious sound that resonated beautifully in the quiet room.The rich wine slid down her throat, soothing her tense nerves. Her tightly held shoulders relaxed, and her racing heart found a semblance of peace. She had once believed she would never fall for Cedric again, but looking back, she realized that all her hatred had been rooted in love.He had transformed love into
Cedric seemed to know exactly what Sophie was nervous about. He raised his eyebrows suggestively, causing her to blush and quickly look away.What had happened between them lingered in the air, irrevocable.Jeff squinted, watching their subtle gestures with satisfaction. Smiling contentedly, he struggled to his feet with the help of his cane. These two had already reached a natural conclusion, and there was no need for him to exaggerate his illness any longer."Mommy, I still have homework to do. I'm heading to my room," Cherry announced, her bright eyes glancing at Tristan. She couldn't beat him at Taekwondo, but she was determined to outshine him in the midterm exams!"I’m going upstairs too," Tristan added, surprised by her sudden focus. He hesitated for a moment before quickly following her up the stairs.Melissa had long lost her patience. Without a word, she dragged Matthew upstairs, letting out a disdainful snort as they left.What had been a lively living room now left So
"Okay."Understanding Cherry’s impatience, Sophie smiled and gently pulled away from Cedric’s embrace. She clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and made a wish.She hoped for her family's safety, health, and happiness. She wished that her parents and sister were living comfortably in another world. And she wished that she and Cedric would have a happy ending, free from past mistakes.After silently making her wishes, she blew out the flickering candles in one breath.The room filled with the faint scent of melted wax."We can eat the cake now!" Cherry beamed with joy, eagerly carrying the cake to the dining table.Her impatience made Jeff laugh heartily, his eyes crinkling with delight as he stroked his beard. "Alright, let’s start eating before this little girl drools all over the table."Sophie took her seat, glancing at Cedric, who still held her hand tightly. Her smile widened as she playfully scolded him, "Why didn’t you tell me on the way here?""If I told you, ho
Although Sophie's mind was brimming with questions, she couldn’t help but smile at Cedric's words. She looked down at their intertwined hands, feeling the warmth of his palm. Whether it was a perfect match or a union made in heaven, it all required two hearts in love. With love, even amidst turbulence, they would find the courage to move forward together.Before long, the Bentley smoothly pulled into the Carlson residence.Jeff immediately smiled and waved upon their arrival. "Soph, come over here."Sophie approached, noticing that Mrs. Carrie had prepared a table full of dishes. She couldn’t help but feel puzzled. "Grandpa, what has made you so happy? Why did you ask Mrs. Carrie to make so much delicious food?""Silly girl, did you forget what day it is today?"Jeff's loving yet mischievous smile left her momentarily bewildered. Then her eyes widened in surprise. With everything going on with Linda, she had completely forgotten her own birthday!"Happy birthday." Cedric had quie
Fearing that staying any longer would only worsen the situation, Linda quickly opened the door and walked out.Fenix stood there, confusion gradually replacing the determination in his eyes."What’s wrong with marrying me?" he asked Sophie, genuinely puzzled.'I’m the CEO of Cheshire Group. I’m not unattractive, and marrying me would make her legally protected as Mrs. Cheshire. Why am I being rejected?'Sophie coughed awkwardly, gaining a deeper understanding of Fenix. Sean had navigated the world of romance with ease, but Fenix seemed as naive in matters of the heart as a child."Am I really that bad?"Seeing that Fenix was still fixated on why he was rejected, Sophie shook her head. "Feelings are different from business. It’s not about racing against time or weighing benefits. You can’t apply business tactics to relationships. Spending a lifetime together requires a foundation of love.""Foundation of love? You and Cedric grew up together. You had a good foundation, but it was
Sophie's suspicion was right. Fenix was not one to easily abandon his target. After Linda ignored countless calls, he took the initiative to find her."Mr. Cheshire, Linda really isn't in the office right now," the secretary tried to block him, but it was futile against a determined man, especially one exuding an intimidating chill."Then I’ll find Sophie.""But Ms. Luxford, she—" Before the secretary could finish, Fenix's long legs had already taken him to Sophie's office door.He knocked twice before pushing it open. The secretary looked like she was about to cry. "Ms. Luxford, I’m sorry, I couldn’t stop Mr. Cheshire.""It’s fine. Go make Mr. Cheshire a cup of coffee," Sophie said.Seeing Fenix barge in, she raised an eyebrow, smiled, and glanced at Linda, who was hiding in her office. "Have a seat and let's talk.""No need. I have to catch a flight soon." Fenix cut straight to the point, his determined eyes fixed on Linda as he said firmly, "I need an answer from you.""Mr.