Chapter 822
Finally, Sophia and Michael released their skynterns into the night sky. All the surfaces of Sophia’s
lantern were filled with her handwriting.
She was too kind-hearted, and she wished for peace for everyone she knew. On the other hand,
Michael’s only wish was for his wife and daughter to be happy.
Staring at thenterns which ascended into the sky, Sophia felt as if she was floating in the sky with them
too. Though the metaphysics behind the releasing of skynterns were unknown, it must be somewhat
efficacious since so many people did it. She hoped that the skyntern would bring her wishes to heaven
so that everyone she knew would be granted peace.
Her eyes were fixed on the skyntern full of handwriting as it gradually faded out of her sight.
Eachntern represented a beautiful wish. The riverside was lively as many came to release sky
lanterns as well—some with their family while others with their lovers. There werenterns floating on
the river too, and the river became radiant and colorful as it was full withnterns flowing gently with
the current, creating a magnificent spectacle.
Sophia found a spot to sit down and quietly admired the sight. ncing toward Michael who sat beside
her and was also staring at the rivernterns, she could see the reflection of the lights in his eyes, which
were elegant yet mysterious.
All of a sudden, she asked, “Is there any grudge between you and Quinton? Dad asked me to stay away
from Theo’s son, but who’s Theo?”
Michael showed a rueful smile as she finally asked the questions. Nevertheless, he told her the story of
him and Quinton.
His narration started from thirty years ago where Theo was summoned to perform tasks at the Southwest
border, and he talked about Tanya and Hope as well as her history with Quinton.
There was nothing that he could not say to her, and he didn’t conceal anything. He would tell her
whatever that was appropriate, and hold back other less appropriate contents.
He should not have kept these from her, and it was good for her to know now.
“… That night, Justin plotted to kill Quinton, but Quinton managed to escape. On the same night, you
were attacked by a gangster that the Harpers hired was forced to protect yourself by jumping into the
river. You ended up being washed ashore to Salvador Ind, and there you met Quinton, who was also
injured. Something might have happened back then…”
Michael let out a ruefulugh as he came toward the end of the story.
“I once thought that he took you away because you’re my wife, and he wanted to snatch everything away
from me. I thought that he would torture me by killing you and Carmen once he knew he could not have
you.”
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“But you’re back now, and he did not harm you nor Carmen at all during those years. He thinks that you
belonged to him and I’m the one who stole you from him, so it was reasonable for him to take you away
from me.”
Sophia smiled and shook her head as she listened to Michael. A glint shone in her eyes as she gazed at
the floating rivernterns.
She said, “I actually owe my life to him, then. At that time, he might have been nning toe and find
me the next day, but Joe took me away, unfortunately.”
Michael remained silent.
Back then, Quinton might have genuinely intended to take Sophia away after the incident had blown
over. But s, when he came back after everything had calmed down, Sophia had already left
Duckburgs, and she had be Michael’s woman by the time they met again.
… Indeed, Quinton came across her first. The two sorrowful souls got together and kept each other
warm against the piercing wind, sustaining each other throughout the long night.
Seemed like he was theter. Nevertheless, order did not exist in love.
He believed that he was the one whom his chica loved, and Carmen was the proof of their intense love.
Even though Michael paid a price and bought Sophia over, he was still a responsible man—he had
already made up his mind to love her and protect her for a lifetime ever since he took her away from
Daniel.
Two of them remained silent for some time. Momentster, Sophia lifted her head and stared at the sky
full of romantic skynterns. “Anyway, I’ve paid off the debt owed to him. From now onward, my life
belongs to myself.”
Quinton treated her well back in those days, and she probably had somemitments toward him.
However, after that, she left with Michael and thereafter fell in love with him.
If she had to trade her life for love, she had already done so!
Virs-18 hadpletely ruined her since the catastrophe—her appearance, her voice, her eyes, and even
her life.
Since Quinton bloodlessly intended to exchange the favor of saving her life for her love, she poured out
everything to repay his favor. However, her love toward him ceased too as she finished returning the
favor to him.
From now on, she was the one to decide who to love.
Michael stared at her numbly, then suddenly broke into incessantughter as he looked down. Sophia
looked at him puzzledly and asked, “What’s gotten into you? Why are youughing?”
Laughing until he cried, Michael waved his hand about. “It’s nothing.”
The eminent monk from Dragon Mountain was right—destined favors had to be returned, and destined
separations could not be avoided. Right from the start, Sophia was bound to repay the favor to Quinton
for saving her life, and she had already cleared her debt. And true enough, they were separated for three
years before they met again.
Finally, everything hade back to the start.
Indeed, none of them were indebted to each other now. Standing on an equal footing, it seemed as if
there were never any entanglements between them.
This was essentiallying back to the start, where everything restarted again, wasn’t it?
The wind was strong by the river. Though spring hade, the film studio had a higher altitude, and the
temperature could decrease dramatically when the wind howled.
However, Sophia did not want to leave as she desired to watch the rivernterns.
Michael took off his jacket andid it on her body as he gently cooed, “It’s cold here, so let’s get back
earlier. We cane again some other day.”
It was not a smart approach given that he was courting her—he should have apanied her until
midnight. However, he could not bear to see her sitting in the wind and was worried that she would catch
a cold.
Out of his expectation, his bodyguard grantly interfered before Sophia answered him. Turned out
Cooper had called to urge them to go back.
Michael checked the time. It’s still early! We’ve only been out for less than two hours!
Michael could not have done anything to Cooper’s daughter in public within two hours. Even if he really
wanted to do something to her, it was at most holding her hands.
Resigned, Michael had no choice but to quickly send Sophia home, in case his father-inw got mad at
him if they werete.
They arrived at the hotel, and Cooper was waiting in the lobby. When he saw Michael, he looked at him
with a darkened face, then coldly threw Michael’s jacket back to him and walked away with Sophia.
Michael’s room was on the ground floor while Sophia’s room was on the top floor, and between the floors
were a dozen bodyguards who kept watch over Sophia all day.
Carmen had finished shooting her scene in a day, and she went to Panda Foundation right after that to
see the pandas. Following that, she wandered around the ce before returning to Bayside City for the
second scene.
The second scene was going to be shot at Bayside City Museum, and the actress would carry Carmen to
see the national treasures and tell her the history of them.
The shooting would take ce after the museum was closed. This time round, Michael did not follow
along as he was upied with other matters. Sophia wore a mask and apanied Carmen to the
museum together with Cooper.
Upon arriving at the scene, Sophia met the actress with whom Carmen would be acting with… and she
looked exactly like her!