Chapter 449


    After Yvonne left, Rose smiled at Sophia and pointed at a cafe nearby. "Let''s talk over there, shall we?"


    "All right."


    Sophia''s impression of Rose was ratherplicated. It wasn''t bad, but it wasn''t good, either.


    Rose had not sought out Alexander at all for the past thirty years or so, yet suddenly turned up to bring


    him overseas. That wasn''t what a good and responsible mother would do.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t cause you to miss your flight." The corners of Rose''s lips curled as she noticed


    Sophie checking the time on her watch.


    Sophia returned the gesture and followed her into the cafe that wasn''t too crowded then.


    Rose chose a spot with more privacy and ordered twottes before they each took their seats.


    "Mdm. Lenoir, may I know why you''re looking for me?"


    Rose was being quite amiable, and Sophie remembered that the former said she wouldn''t object her


    rtionship with udius.


    Nheless, Sophia had no idea whether Rose truly approved of their rtionship or was merely


    putting on an act in front of udius.


    Rose flicked her hair and retrieved a set of documents from her bag, which she handed to Sophia. "Ms.


    Yarrow, since you need to go through a security check before boarding your ne, I''ll keep things brief.


    You must be questioning why I''m sending udius overseas when he''s been doing fine all this while


    without me. Indeed, my absence as his mother doesn''t affect his life in any way. In truth, I didn''t seek


    him out for the past thirty years as I had no idea he existed."


    Sophia''s hand that was opening the file jolted slightly. "You didn''t know he existed?"


    Just then, the waiter served them their drinks. Rose paid him his tip and waited for him to depart before


    continuing, "I believe you''ve done a background check about me. My family was bankrupt when I left


    the country thirty-four years ago. While in Moranta, I depended on my aunt. Back then, I had broken up


    with udius'' father for six months already.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "We tend to be so reckless and stubborn during our youth. I had broken up with Zachary because of


    Kristen. After that, I bumped into him when he was on a business trip in Norham. I was naive to think I


    could teach him a lesson back then, as I ended up the fool. I only realized I was pregnant after I had


    moved overseas, and it was toote for an abortion. I inquired about Zachary, learning he was still


    together with Kristen. As such, I resented him and the child. Once I was eight months pregnant, I


    returned to the country wanting to send the infant to Old Mr. Xenos immediately after giving birth.


    "Yet when it came time to do so, I regretted my decision. Unfortunately, the nurse informed me that my


    child had died due to oxygen deficiency. I initially refused to believe her, but they brought a stillborn


    baby to me to prove their point. I was so exhausted afterbor and devastated by the pain of losing my


    child that everything that happened after that seemed like a blur. I spent two more months in Chanaea


    and departed only after giving my child a proper burial. I never returned after that as there were too


    many people and incidents I wasn''t willing to face." Rose cast her nce at Sophia. "I only knew of


    udius'' existencest year. I established UI together with my husband as well as the support of my


    uncle. My cousins subsequently took the positions of the higher-ups in thepany after the passing


    of my aunt and uncle. As the saying goes, greed knows no bounds. They weren''t satisfied with their


    current state and yearned to possess UI. I would never hand over Jeff and my life''s work to those


    unsatiable monsters. Actually, I discovered my son''s existence thanks to them. I had no idea how they


    found out that Zachary and I had a son who was over thirty years old and went by the name Alexander.


    My cousins assumed I would be passing down UI to him. Hence, they dispatched many assassins to


    Chanaea to do away with him."


    At that point, Sophia understood the whole story.


    "So why did the hospital deceive you regarding your child''s death?"


    "You''d better pose this question to Kristen."


    Kristen again.


    The smile on Sophia''s face faded. "Does he know about all this?"


    Rose took a sip of coffee. "Sooner orter."


    Rose gestured at the documents Sophia was holding. "Aren''t you going to take a look?"


    Sophia pursed her lips and removed the documents from the file, revealing a will.


    She was taken aback for once. "Mdm. Lenoir, what''s the meaning of this?"


    "My cousins are unscrupulous and no longer care about our familial ties. It wouldn''t be safe for me or


    udius to hold on to this will. If you hadn''t appeared, my only option would be to pass it to Yasmin."


    Sophia frowned. "You mean you expect me to bring it back to Chanaea?"


    "You are pretty bright after all."


    Rose grinned at Sophia. "Never in their wildest dreams would they expect the will to be in your hands."


    She paused before continuing, "Worry not. Threewyers have notarized the will. Whatever it stiptes


    has to be followed unless I say otherwise."


    Sophia felt that something was off but couldn''t quite put her finger on it. She looked at the older woman


    and hesitated before questioning, "I hope you don''t mind me asking this, but I suppose you haven''t


    reached the age of sixty yet, right?"


    "I''m sixty-two."


    Rose tapped her fingers on the rim of her cup. "You must be curious why I already have a will ready


    when I''m only sixty-two."


    Sophia continued staring at Rose without a word.


    She was indeed intrigued.


    While people these days preferred nning ahead, and Rose didn''t seem to be in a good ce at the


    moment, Sophie still felt that she would not be so easily ovee when she''d managed to survive all


    this while.


    No matter what the reason was, it was unorthodox for someone like her to prepare a will this early.


    Rose nced at her watch. "I was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago and had undergone


    surgery to remove it. My check-upst year, however, revealed that I have rpsed."


    She got to her feet and looked at Sophia for onest time. "The doctor says I might pull through this


    year with luck. If not, perhaps you''d hear of the news of my passing from udius the moment you


    reach Chanaea. Sophia, I''m really fond of you as my daughter-inw. I''ll take you skiing if I''m still alive


    when you''re back in Moranta."


    Rose turned to leave after finishing her sentence.


    Sophia sat there in shock as Rose''s figure disappeared into the distance.


    This was not what she''d foreseen happening.