Chapter 483


    The minute Sophia stepped into the house, Agatha greeted her with a cup of ginger tea. "Ms. Yarrow,


    the weather is getting cold since it''s starting to rain. Have a cup of ginger tea to warm up."


    Sophia smiled at her kindness. "Thank you."


    As Agatha studied Sophia, her eyes brimmed with tears. Sophia probably reminded her of Rose.


    "Mdm. Rose used to say Mr. udius has a beautiful fiancée. She met you before and liked you a lot."


    Sophia''s movement halted and consoled, "Don''t be sad, Agatha. I''m sure Mdm. Lenoir doesn''t want


    you to be sad as well."


    Agatha nodded in agreement. "Mdm. Rose said we shouldn''t cry over her death, but I''m old and can''t


    help it."


    After wiping away the tears streaming down her face, Agatha looked at Sophia and started, "Mdm.


    Rose didn''t have it easy. My mother used to work as her housekeeper. Mdm. Rose''s family was


    wealthy in the past, but everything turned south overnight. Her father jumped off from a building,


    leaving only her and her mother to fend for themselves. Mdm. Rose had a smooth sailing life as she


    grew up, but since that day, debt collectors would kick at their doors and smash their windows to


    threaten the mother and daughter. Her mother couldn''t deal with the turn of events once they got here


    and would condemn her for being a useless woman instead of a man who could do more. Mdm. Rose


    had to strike a bnce between her studies and being the breadwinner of the family. She would have


    gone berserk if she didn''t have a strong will! After that, she finally met Mr. Jeff and established UI


    together. Yet, Aploth financial crisis urred, and they weredened with debt. In the end, they pulled


    through, and their days got better. It didn''tst long because Mr. Jeff got into a car ident and lost a


    leg. Despite that, they still lived happily. Those days were short-lived. Six years ago, Mr. Jeff was


    suddenly diagnosed with liver cancer and passed away six monthster, leaving Mdm. Rose alone.


    She always said being alive was pointless and wouldn''t have continued living if it wasn''t for her strong


    determination to prevent UI, thepany she painstakingly established with her husband, from falling


    into the hands of those vultures."


    Agatha''s sobbing had turned to bawling as she continued. Sophia reached for a box of tissues and


    handed it over to her. "It''s all in the past now. I''m sure Mdm. Lenoir hoped that we could live happily."


    Agatha took the box and thanked her before she continued, "I wasn''t even eight years old when Mdm.


    Rose''s family went bankrupt. My mother had heard about the news and stole an antique vase from


    Mdm. Rose''s house and fled with her lover. My life might''ve ended there if Mdm. Rose didn''t take me


    along with her. Ms. Yarrow, Mdm. Rose was such a kind person. Why did God have to be so unfair and


    take away such a kind soul?"


    Bitterness filled Sophia at her question. She exhaled deeply and assured, "Let''s think of it from another


    angle. Maybe Mdm. Lenoir missed Mr. Jeff so much that she left early to meet him."


    After pouring her sorrow out, Agatha finally calmed down slightly. She wiped away her tears and said,


    "Ms. Yarrow, UI was Mdm. Rose''s and Mr. Jeff''s flesh and blood. You and Mr. udius must never let


    UI fall into the hands of the Zimmerman family."


    "Don''t worry. udius will never allow it."


    "I''m sorry for losing myposure, Ms. Yarrow. I heard from Ms. Zobek you didn''t get much rest during


    your journey and only arrived at Lusterg yesterday. Now that Mdm. Rose''s affairs havee to an end.


    Please get some rest, Ms. Yarrow."


    Sophia finished the ginger tea in her cup and answered, "Sure, thank you for the ginger tea. It warmed


    me up."


    Agatha shed her a smile and took the cup back to the kitchen.


    Feeling lethargic, Sophia went to the guest room.


    It was already the middle of the night in Chanaea. Sophia was tired from the long journey to Lusterg.


    However, she couldn''t fall asleep despite lying in bed.


    Maybe Rose''s passing made her sad or perhaps she was worried about udius'' mental state.


    She got up from bed and crossed the room to stand by the window.


    The rain had slickened every surface outside. Looking down, Sophia noted the roses blooming in the


    garden.


    Sophia was lost in thought as she stared at the flowers.


    By afternoon, Agatha came knocking at her door. "Ms. Yarrow, lunch is ready. Do you want to have it


    now?"


    Agatha probably thought Sophia was sleeping, so her voice wasn''t too loud.


    Since Sophia wasn''t asleep, she could hear her clearly. Snapping out of her thoughts, she retracted her


    gaze from the blooming flowers before she turned around to open the door. "Sure. Thank you, Agatha."


    Only Sophia and Agatha were in the mansion, so when the house was silent after lunch, perhaps


    Agatha had gone to take a break.


    The rain was still falling outside, so Sophia went to the garden with an umbre.


    The fragrance of roses blew toward her along with the breeze. As she toured the garden, she noticed


    roses were nted everywhere, including the corners.


    Returning inside, she saw Agatha standing by the doorway, looking at her.


    "Mr. Jeff nted every rose in that garden for Mdm. Rose," she exined.


    "How romantic of him."


    No wonder Rose insisted on being buried beside Jeff after she passed.


    "Do you want some dessert, Ms. Yarrow?"


    Sophia shook her head. "You don''t have to go to the trouble of preparing it. I''ll go get some rest, and


    you can focus on your work."


    Sophia returned to her room and fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.


    When she woke up, the sky had already turned dark. The room was shrouded in darkness, so she


    turned on the lights. Then, she reached for her phone to check the time and realized it was already


    seven in the evening. Besides, Katherine had called her two hours earlier.


    Rubbing her temples, she returned Katherine''s call.


    It was eight in the morning in Chanaea, so Sophia didn''t have to wait long for Katherine to pick up the


    call. "Sophia?" Sophiaughed. "Yes, it''s me. What''s wrong?"


    "Nothing. I just want to ask you how are thing over there."


    Sophia sighed. "She passed awayst night. We had the funeral today."


    "Oh, apany Alexander then. I''ll end the call so that I won''t be a bother."


    Sophia arched a brow and asked, "What are you hiding from me?"


    "Didn''t I say I have a surprise for you? I''ll tell you when you''re back!"


    At the heels of her words, Katherine hung up.


    Sophia looked down at her phone. Some of the heaviness weighing on her heart had eased.


    It sounds like good news.


    As she spaced out, the door opened.


    She thought it was Agatha, but it turned out that udius was back.


    Setting down her phone, she beamed at him. "It looks like you''re a man of your word."


    udius walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Yeah."


    Sophia stood up with her arms circled around him. "Is dinner ready?"


    "Yes."


    udius wrapped one hand underneath her knee, carrying her to her shoes. Once she slid her feet


    into the slippers, they left the room, heading for the dining room.


    Agatha had made Chanaean cuisine and chicken soup.


    Sophia could smell the delicious aroma of the chicken soup the minute she stepped out of the room.


    The dishes were already set up on the table, and Agatha had returned to her room. Only Sophia and


    udius were in the dining room.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.