《Anything For Her》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Do Not Move It was annoyingly hot in Horington by the time June arrived. After the self-study session ended at night, Sophie Tanner waited till the other students filed out before she got on her bicycle. She took the road to a quiet alley to head home. It might be deserted, but she could shorten her journey by over ten minutes. Before she could cycle out of the alley, she caught a whiff of blood with her keen nose. Sophie was pretty familiar with the scent of blood. Other girls would¡¯ve fled the scene if they were in her shoes. However, Sophie was no ordinary young woman. She continued riding on her bicycle as though nothing had happened. Indeed, five minutester, she saw a fight happening in this deste alley. One of Sophie¡¯s feet was on the ground, and the other was on the pedal. She stuck one hand into her pocket and held her bicycle with the other as she whistled loudly to catch the others¡¯ attention. There were over a dozen tall men beating a man up. As there were no lights in the alley, she peered at the man who was surrounded by the rest under the moonlight. Looks like he¡¯s the one who got hurt. Hearing Sophie¡¯s whistle, everyone present turned to look at her. ¡°Scram!¡± As she was tall, skinny, and d in her school uniform, the leader of the attackers barked at her furiously. Sophie¡¯s brow knitted together impatiently. ¡°You¡¯re blocking my way.¡± ¡°You have a death wish!¡± the leader snarled testily. They had gone to great lengths before getting the opportunity to take action against Tristan Lombard. Anyone who stopped them from doing that would have to die. It only took one look from him to get two men to march toward Sophie. ncing at her watch, Sophie realized it was already half past ten at night. Before they couldy a hand on her, Sophie ced her other foot on the pedal and cycled toward the men in ck swiftly. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. In the blink of an eye, she managed to hit one man with her bicycle, who stumbled to the ground in a miserable heap. cing both palms on her seat, Sophie whipped around and kicked another man forcefully. The leader btedly realized he had overestimated Sophie¡¯s capability. At once, he ordered, ¡°Kill them both.¡± They didn¡¯t have much time left. If Tristan¡¯s men arrived, they wouldn¡¯t be able to take him out any longer. Tristan was barely alive when he heard the leader¡¯s order. He immediately pulled himself together. I can¡¯t die here. Sophie initially nned to leave after teaching the men a lesson. She happened to walk past Tristan and caught a glimpse of him. Suddenly, her bicycle halted to a stop even though she had sessfully escaped from the men. ¡°D*mn it.¡± Sophie changed her mind. I¡¯m going to do a kind act today. Just for today. The next moment, she turned her bicycle around and pedaled toward the men. As Sophie didn¡¯t have any weapons, she grabbed two knives from the men. Using her bicycle as leverage, she started attacking the men. The men¡¯s expressions grew grim when they realized how vicious and swift Sophie could be. ¡°Kill them!¡± the leadermanded. Sophie darted to Tristan deftly. ¡°You¡¯re still alive?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to die.¡± They didn¡¯t have a chance to continue their conversation, for the men began charging toward them. Sophie was capable enough to defeat them all easily. Her actions were cool yet sassy. After all the men had been beaten to a pulp, Sophie kicked the person who was blocking her path away. ¡°Goodbye. You¡¯re wee.¡± She didn¡¯t want to continue poking her nose into his business. She got onto her bicycle nimbly. It was almost eleven, so she needed to get home as soon as possible. s, her bicycle remained rooted to the spot even after she started pedaling. She turned at her shoulder and realized Tristan had grabbed the rear seat of her bicycle. Her eyes were shing with fury, for it waste at night. ¡°What else do you want?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± With that said, he fainted and lost consciousness. ¡°What the f*ck?¡± Sophie cursed under her breath as she red at the man on the ground. Despite losing consciousness, he still looked as dignified as ever. In the end, she helped him up and used up all her might to ce him on the rear seat of her bicycle. After doing that, she gritted her teeth and rode out of the alley. As Tristan was shot, Sophie dared not bring him to the hospital. A gunshot wound was too sensitive. She was pretty satisfied with her current life and didn¡¯t want to return to her past life. If his gunshot wound wasn¡¯t dealt with, he would meet his doom before the sun rose tomorrow morning. Sophie brought him to a medicalboratory at Horington University. She walked in freely as though she owned the ce. After switching on the lights, she ced Tristan on the dissection table that the medical students used for their experiments. Opening one of the cabs, she pulled out a surgical gown and put it on. There were no anesthetics around. He had fainted, so she assumed he could bear the pain. After putting on the surgical gloves, Sophie grabbed a pair of scissors and cut Tristan¡¯s bloodied shirt into half. The bullet was pretty near to his heart, so if she didn¡¯t pay enough attention, his heart might suffer from a rupture. She disinfected the scalpel and began to remove the bullet. Tristan prided himself as a tough man, but the pain jolted him awake when the scalpel sank into his chest. He red at the youngdy beside him who was holding the scalpel. ¡°Who are you? Do you have a death wish?¡± Sophie had no idea Tristan would regain consciousness at this moment. It was understandable, though. There was an incision on his chest, so he was no less than a dead body if he were to remain motionless. ¡°If you want to survive, don¡¯t move,¡± she snapped impatiently. Not wanting to waste more time, Sophie continued the surgery without hesitation. ¡°Mm!¡± Tristan moaned in anguish as she cut into his skin. However, that was the only moan he made throughout the entire surgery. Tristan waited until the surgery ended before he allowed himself to faint. ¡°He has a strong willpower, huh?¡± Sophie remarked. After all, Tristan had remained awake the entire surgery and watched as she operated on him without taking any anesthetics. Hence, he deserved the praise. Pulling his phone out, she typed out a text and sent it to a random name that was to her liking. Sophie cleared theboratory and left with her backpack. She didn¡¯t even bother sparing the man another look. After receiving Tristan¡¯s text, Felix Northley rushed all the way to the medicalboratory at Horington University. He was stunned to see Tristan lying on the dissection table. I wonder who had the guts to do this? Doesn¡¯t he or she know who Tristan Lombard is? He¡¯s one of the Lombards from Jipsdale! Tristan woke up and saw Felix standing before him. ¡°Mr. Tristan, who did this to you?¡± he asked curiously. The person must have a death wish! No one dares to do this to Mr. Tristan in Jipsdale. Tristan shot the talkative Felix a look. ¡°Mr. Tristan, who brought you here?¡± Felix was sweating profusely after he learned of Tristan¡¯s disappearance. If he meets his doom, many people in Jipsdale will have to die alongside him! I wonder who is the person who did this to him. Felix¡¯s curiosity was piqued. ¡°The enemy hired mercenaries to take my life. Find out who saved me tonight.¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Men Are All Shallow ¡°No problem!¡± Felix arranged for Tristan to be sent to Horington General Hospital without hesitation. The bullet might¡¯ve been removed, but it was necessary for Tristan to undergo a checkup at the hospital. The doctor at Horington General Hospital gaped in disbelief after he saw Tristan¡¯s wound. This doctor was the top surgeon at Horington General Hospital. If he was tasked to operate on patients like Tristan, he would have to carry out the surgery carefully. After all, the bullet was too close to Tristan¡¯s heart. The patient¡¯s heart would rupture if the surgeon wasn¡¯t careful enough. However, the person who saved Tristan managed to operate on him and remove the bullet sessfully. Tristan¡¯s heart remained healthy. Only a selected few in Chanaea couldplete this feat. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there something wrong with his wound?¡± Felix panicked as the doctor stayed silent for way too long. ¡°Mr. Tristan, may I know who removed the bullet for you?¡± the doctor asked earnestly. He was a famous surgeon in Horington, but this person was clearly more skillful than him. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Tristan wanted nothing more than to know who was the person who saved him. ¡°The surgery was sessful. You¡¯ll only have to recuperate for a few months.¡± The doctor was sorely disappointed to learn that Tristan didn¡¯t know the person¡¯s identity. He was the top surgeon in all of Horington and only became the director of his department after working for over thirty years. Thus, he didn¡¯t expect to run into someone who was better than him. After the doctor left, Tristan shot Felix a look. Thetter immediately left to investigate the matter. The next morning, Felix arrived at Tristan¡¯s ward to see thetter walking around. ¡°Mr. Tristan, do you have a death wish?¡± He couldn¡¯t believe that Tristan was paying no heed to his health. If the person back in Jipsdale finds out about this, he¡¯ll rush here at once. Is he trying to get me in trouble? ¡°Stop talking nonsense,¡± Tristan snapped. ¡°I found out who saved you. Here you go.¡± Felix handed a file to Tristan. Tristan opened the file and pulled out the documents. His brows snapped together as he read the information inside. ¡°An eighteen-year-old student in her senior year?¡± How could a student in her senior year remove the bullet in my chest? ¡±Felix, how dare you pull such a stunt?¡± Felix hurriedly waved his hands. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t believe it. I was shocked when I read the file, too. But I¡¯ve confirmed it myself. It¡¯s her.¡± Felix showed him a photo. Tristan took the photo from him. The young woman depicted in the photo had an unforgettable face. She was young, lively, and gorgeous. Her eyes were especially attractive. ¡°An eighteen-year-old student who is capable of defeating mercenaries and performing surgeries? Interesting.¡± ¡°Mr. Tristan, are we returning to Jipsdale?¡± Tristannded in trouble the moment he arrived at Horington. Obviously, someone was intimidated by their presence here. ¡°We haven¡¯t solved anything yet. Why would we return? Are you scared? If you are, you¡¯re wee to leave without me.¡± Felix¡¯s lips twitched helplessly. ¡°Don¡¯t tell him about this.¡± The ¡°him¡± Tristan was referring to was his father, William Lombard. ¡°What if Old Mr. Lombard asks about you? Do I have to keep it a secret?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell him anything.¡± Tristan was certain he could handle the matter himself. ¡°Let¡¯s go find her.¡± When Felix found Sophie, thetter was surrounded by a few thugs. ¡°You¡¯re Sophie Tanner, right?¡± Sophie was wearing Horington High School¡¯s uniform. Her sleeves were rolled up to expose her fair wrist. Ignoring them, she strode forward. ¡°F*ck it, Boss. She just ignored you!¡± ackey yelled. Everyone in Horington High School dared not go against their leader. The leader of the thugs, Jack Keyes, bristled and rushed toward Sophie. ¡°I was talking to you. Are you f*cking deaf?¡± Jack demanded as he reached out to grab Sophie¡¯s hand. Sophie halted in her tracks and spat out the gum she had been chewing a while earlier. ¡°Scram,¡± came her icy reply. ¡°Ha! You¡¯re quite hot-tempered, huh? You¡¯ve offended someone whom you shouldn¡¯t have offended!¡± Jack dered. Having said that, he reached out to attack Sophie. Before he couldy a hand on Sophie, she threw him over her shoulders. Jack fell to the ground with a thump, and he could no longer move. ¡°Do you know who I am? My dad is¡ª¡± His yell was cut short by Sophie, who stepped on his cheek forcefully. ¡°Shut up!¡± she snapped irritably. The other thugs trembled in fear, for they had no idea Sophie was this good at fighting. ¡°Call my dad!¡± Jack screamed. ¡°I want Sophie Tanner to leave Horington!¡± Everyone was pointing fingers at Sophie after seeing what she did to Jack. There was a rumor saying that Sophie used to be a delinquent. She had an abortion in middle school after getting pregnant with a thug¡¯s child. Finding her embarrassing, her family ended up abandoning her in Horington. Thus, she had no choice but to fend for herself. Sophie ignored their horrible insults and strode away. A whileter, a ck car rolled to a stop beside her. The door was pushed open to reveal a tall and handsome man. Coming to her, the man greeted, ¡°Hello, Ms. Tanner. I am Felix Northley. My employer, Mr. Tristan, would like to talk to you.¡± Sophie fished out a piece of gum from her pocket and started chewing on it. Felix opened the door to the backseat, so Sophie hopped into the car. The man inside was the very one she savedst night. ¡°You bled a lot but still survived. You¡¯re quite lucky, huh?¡± Sophie remarked nonchntly. Her face was devoid of emotions. She sounds really aggressive. The corner of Felix¡¯s lips twitched after hearing her words. Back in Jipsdale, only a handful dare to talk to Mr. Tristan this way. ¡°I am Tristan Lombard. Thank you for saving my lifest night.¡± Tristan gave her his name card. Without looking at it, Sophie stuffed it into her backpack.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Have you studied medicine before?¡± Felix blurted out. He couldn¡¯t tamp his curiosity, for Sophie was just eighteen years old. She was capable of removing a bullet from a gunshot wound and was thus no ordinary being. Sophie shook her head. ¡°Nope. My neighbor is a vet, so I helped him a couple of times previously,¡± came her answer. Hearing that, Felix turned to look at Tristan. Hear that? You¡¯re nothing but an animal to her. ¡°Do vets know how to remove bullets?¡± ¡°Nope. He was almost dead, so there was no harm trying,¡± Sophie exined. She then told the driver, ¡°Drop me off at the end of this street.¡± The driver nced at Tristan, who gave him a nod. As requested, the driver stopped at the end of the street, and Sophie got out of the car. ¡°Ms. Tanner, don¡¯t you need our help?¡± After all, she seemed to have offended someone influential. ¡°No need.¡± Sophie gave a dismissive wave. She was confident that she could handle the matter herself. Before Tristan¡¯s car could leave, she hailed a taxi and left. ¡°Wow, that was sassy of her.¡± Felix had never seen any woman as cool and pretty as Sophie. ¡°Mr. Tristan, do you think she can be trusted?¡± he asked. ¡°What do you think?¡± Tristan didn¡¯t even bother sparing him a look. ¡°Interesting.¡± Felix was befuddled. Did Mr. Tristan justment that she¡¯s interesting? ¡°Mr. Tristan, have you taken a liking to her? Yes, I¡¯ll admit that she¡¯s pretty. In fact, she¡¯s prettier than those well-known beauties in Jipsdale. But she¡¯s too young!¡± he eximed. Tristan shot him a look. ¡°How shallow of you.¡± Felix fell silent. Yes, I¡¯m shallow. Men are all shallow beings! Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Does She Even Have A Family The next morning, Sophie arrived at her ssroom to be told that the discipline teacher hade to look for her three times in a row. ¡°Soph, did you do something wrong?¡± Everyone knew Sophie was a delinquent who loved getting involved in physical fights. However, no one had ever seen her fighting after she transferred to this high school. Sophie often slept in ss, but almost everyone in Horington High School did the same. Horington High School was the worst high school in all of Horington, so the teachers didn¡¯t even bother to yell at the students for sleeping in ss. ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll go to his office.¡± Sophie tossed her backpack onto her desk and went to the administration office. In the administration office of Horington High School, the principal, Vincent Zeller, could barely tamp down his anger. ¡°Sophie Tanner, how could you? I don¡¯t mind if you have a bad reputation, but why did you beat Jack Keyes up? Do you know who he is? He¡¯s the son of Percy Keyes, the deputy director! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re bold enough to beat a government official¡¯s son up. He has been admitted to the hospital. What are you going to do now?¡± Vincent was already regretting epting Sophie in the first ce. ¡°I¡¯ve called your mother. You¡¯re too good for us, so we dare not keep you here. You are free to go to any school that dares to take you in!¡± he concluded furiously. Sophie didn¡¯t utter a word at all. Soon, Sophie¡¯s mother, Charmaine Laird, arrived at Horington High School. ¡°Mr. Zeller, what happened? Did Sophie do anything wrong again?¡± The moment Charmaine arrived, she didn¡¯t ask about the details and assumed it was Sophie¡¯s fault. ¡°We¡¯re no longer capable of teaching your daughter. Please take her with you today. She has offended Mr. Percy Keyes, a deputy director in a government agency. I¡¯m in trouble no thanks to her. I shouldn¡¯t have taken her in in the first ce!¡± Vincent expelled Sophie immediately without giving Charmaine any opportunity to speak. Hearing that, Sophie spun on her heels and strode out of the administration office. ¡°Mr. Zeller, Sophie is still young. Please give her another chance. If she gets expelled from Horington High School, no other high school will take her in!¡± Charmaine pleaded, utterly flustered. ¡°Mrs. Tanner, I can¡¯t help you. You should worry about Mr. Keyes.¡± Vincent¡¯s stance remained firm. Left with no choice, Charmaine left the office reluctantly. Her frustration kicked in at the sight of Sophie outside. She raised her arm with the intention of giving Sophie a p. However, Sophie grabbed her arm and red at her icily. ¡°Mrs. Tanner, what are you doing? You and the Tanner family should stay out of my business. You discarded me back then, right? Stop poking your nose into my business.¡± They made their choice five years ago, right? They chose Willow, and I was their unwanted daughter. ¡°Sophie, what was that? How could you be that rude? What else are we supposed to do after your humiliating incident? You were the reason our family became theughingstock of Jipsdale. Haven¡¯t you learned from your mistake?¡± Charmaine demanded. Sophie was disappointed after hearing her words. Despite being her mother, Charmaine had never trusted her. ¡°I¡¯ve humiliated you, so I¡¯ve cut all ties with the Tanner family. Whether I die or live on is none of your business. Stoping to me or butt into my business,¡± Sophie told her calmly. Going to her ssroom, she grabbed her backpack and marched out of school. Charmaine¡¯s disappointment increased when she saw how stubborn Sophie was. I can¡¯t ignore her. No matter what, she¡¯s still my daughter. Besides, if Dades home and finds out we abandoned Sophie in Horington, there¡¯s no telling what he¡¯ll do. After all, Dad adores Sophie the most. ¡°Mr. Tristan, Sophie has been expelled from her school,¡± Felix promptly updated Tristan. ¡°She¡¯s the youngest daughter of the Jipsdale Tanners who was abandoned in Horington.¡± ¡°She¡¯s Caleb Tanner¡¯s younger sister?¡± The Tanner family wasn¡¯t that influential in Jipsdale, but Tristan knew who Caleb was. ¡°Yep, she¡¯s Caleb Tanner¡¯s younger sister. Apparently, Sophie caused an uproar in Jipsdale for living together with a thug when she was in eighth grade. She even got an abortion.¡± ¡°Apparently? How could you believe a baseless rumor?¡± Sophie isn¡¯t one who would live together with a thug and abort her child in middle school. That sounds ridiculous. Felix scratched his nose awkwardly. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It was her elder sister, Willow Tanner, who spilled the truth.¡± ¡°Willow Tanner?¡± Tristan had no recollection of the name. ¡°Mr. Tristan, this is the Tanner family¡¯s personal matter. Are you going to interfere?¡± ¡°I find Sophie extremely interesting. If we bring her back, she might be of use to us one day,¡± came Tristan¡¯s answer. ¡°What? Mr. Tristan, are you nning on letting her work in Lombard Group?¡± Felix was dumbfounded. ¡°Why? You¡¯ve got a problem with that?¡± Felix shook his head profusely. ¡°Of course not. I don¡¯t have any problem with that. You call the shots,¡± he responded in an attempt to butter up to his employer. Night soon fell, but Charmaine couldn¡¯t figure out any solution. She didn¡¯t even get to meet Percy in person. When she was about to leave without taking Sophie with her, Josiah Tanner¡¯s call arrived. ¡°Bring Sophie back no matter what. If you fail to do that, you don¡¯t have toe home,¡± Josiah ordered loudly once the call was connected. ¡°Bring Sophie back? Dad, five years ago, she¡­¡± Before she could exin, Josiah had already hung up. Frustration crept up Charmaine¡¯s heart at the thought of the people in Jipsdale waiting to see her make a joke out of herself. If she were to bring Sophie back, everyone would definitely gossip about them. To her utter surprise, Caleb showed up before her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you in Anndur? Why are you even here?¡± she blurted out in shock. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m here to bring Sophie home.¡± Caleb¡¯s answer was curt. ¡°Caleb, you know about Sophie¡¯s reputation in Jipsdale. We can¡¯t afford to humiliate ourselves,¡± Charmaine insisted. ¡°We don¡¯t know exactly what happened five years ago. Thus, we can¡¯t just listen to one side of the story. I don¡¯t think Sophie did anything to humiliate our family. Back then, I allowed her to leave Jipsdale as she was suffering there. It is now time for her to return to Jipsdale to take the university entrance exam.¡± As Caleb had made up his mind, Charmaine said nothing else despite her dislike for Sophie. ¡°I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯te back home with you. Don¡¯t you know her? She¡¯s stubborn and insistent.¡± ¡°Stay out of this. You can leave now. I¡¯ll bring Sophie back home.¡± Without further ado, Caleb went to Sophie. Sophie didn¡¯t know she¡¯d run into Caleb here. Why is he here? I have nothing to do with the Tanners anymore. After all, they picked Willow over me, didn¡¯t they? Sophie was about to walk past Caleb, so he reached out to stop her from leaving. ¡°It¡¯s me, Soph. I¡¯m here to bring you home,¡± Caleb said gently. Sophie¡¯s brows scrunched up. Does he want to bring me home? He wasn¡¯t even here during my most helpless and darkest moment. I don¡¯t need him now. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Ask For Help ¡°Sir, you¡¯ve gotten the wrong person.¡± Sophie pulled her hand out of his grip. Caleb frowned. Looks like she hasn¡¯t forgiven us yet. ¡°Sophie, I know you hate us. We didn¡¯t have another choice back then.¡± He tried hard to persuade her to change her mind. ¡°You didn¡¯t have another choice? Ha! You did make your choice back then,¡± Sophie mocked. ¡°Sophie, Grandpa¡¯s back. He wants to see you. Even if we were at fault, Grandpa is innocent. He isn¡¯t doing well recently.¡± Caleb knew Josiah was the only one in the Tanner family that Sophie cared about. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll pay him a visit.¡± As expected, Sophie caved in after he mentioned Josiah. He told her, ¡°Grandpa told me to give you a ride back home.¡± ¡°I can head there myself.¡± Sophie refused to waste more time with him. Back in her house in Horington, Sophie switched on herptop and typed a series of codes. After getting what she wanted, she sent them to the Public Integrity Section. Percy Keyes, huh? This information is enough to send him to jail! He¡¯s nothing but trash judging from his son¡¯s actions. She then began packing up her stuff. After stepping out of the airport, Sophie took a taxi to the hotel she reserved earlier. She might¡¯ve agreed toe back, but there was no way she would live in the Tanner residence. At the hotel, she checked in and went to her room to take a shower. All freshened up, she hailed a taxi to the Tanner residence. ¡°Mom, did you say Sophie¡¯sing back?¡± Willow¡¯s expression grew grim after she learned about Sophie¡¯s return. ¡°Your grandpa told Caleb to bring her home.¡± Charmaine was seething, too. ¡°What does Grandpa want? After what Sophie did, people are still gossiping behind my back! Now that she¡¯s back, people will start saying that the Tanner family¡¯s daughters are¡­¡± Sophie stepped into the house before Willow could finish her sentence. Clearly, Sophie had heard everything. Willow wasn¡¯t afraid of being heard, anyway. ¡°Sophie, how could you be this shameless? If I were you, I would immediately end my life in shame!¡± Willow scorned. ¡°If you feel sorry, you can end your life now.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Where¡¯s Grandpa?¡± Sophie ignored her tantly. After all, she was back to see her grandfather as he wished to see her. A wave of fury crashed through Willow. ¡°Mom, just look at her!¡± she huffed. ¡°Shut up!¡± Right then, Josiah descended from the stairs. ¡°Sophie¡¯s my granddaughter, and she has the right to stay in the Tanner residence. If you both have any objection, you can scram now.¡± ¡°Grandpa, you can¡¯t do this to me. Sophie¡ª¡± Josiah cut in, ¡°Willow, don¡¯t you understand my words?¡± There was a hint of warning in his tone. ¡°Sophie,e here. I haven¡¯t seen you for five whole years.¡± Sophie¡¯s heart ached when she saw her grandfather¡¯s white hair. Obediently, she went to him. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m here to pay you a visit.¡± Oh, she¡¯s so skinny. They left her to her own devices in Horington when she was a kid, and there was no one who could take care of her. Josiah squeezed her hands. ¡°Sophie, I wasn¡¯t here five years ago and had no idea what happened. Now that I¡¯m back, no one will dare to bully you,¡± he promised. ¡°Thanks, Grandpa.¡± He was the only one who trusted her wholeheartedly in the family. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. Morgan, go clean Ms. Sophie¡¯s room now.¡± Josiah was in a jovial mood after seeing Sophie. ¡°Charmaine, you¡¯ll have to enroll Sophie into a school tomorrow,¡± he ordered. ¡°Dad, Sophie was expelled by her school five years ago. I¡¯m afraid no school would take her in now,¡± Charmaine exined. They weren¡¯t in Horington and couldn¡¯t pay a school to take Sophie in. ¡°Sophie can attend Jipsdale Premier High together with Willow,¡± Josiah added as though he hadn¡¯t heard her exnation. ¡°Dad, not everyone can get into Jipsdale Premier High. It¡¯s the hardest high school to get into in Jipsdale! Not even rich and influential people can send their children there. Wi got into Jipsdale Premier High through her own abilities.¡± ¡°Grandpa, you don¡¯t have to do this.¡± Sophie only came here to pay him a visit. She added, ¡°Besides, I¡¯m staying somewhere else. I¡¯m not moving back.¡± Josiah¡¯s face turned dark at her words. ¡°Sophie, I promise no one can bully you here. The Tanner family needs you,¡± he reiterated. ¡°Grandpa, Sophie knows nothing! All she does is fight and spend her time with delinquents.¡± Bang! Josiah mmed his teacup onto the table so loudly that the tea sshed out. ¡°Willow, you are to leave right this instance if you dare to utter one more word!¡± Josiah fumed. ¡°Are my orders ineffective now as I wasn¡¯t home for five years?¡± He turned to Sophie. ¡°Sophie, are you going to disobey me, too?¡± ¡°Grandpa, I¡­¡± Sophie trailed off hesitantly. She would definitely ignore those words if they came from someone else¡¯s lips. However, Josiah was the one who said those words, and he was the only one who cared for her. ¡°Okay, then.¡± I¡¯ll go to Jipsdale Premier High if that¡¯s Grandpa¡¯sst wish. ¡±I won¡¯t stay here, though,¡± she said. If she were to stay under one roof with people she hated, she couldn¡¯t promise she wouldn¡¯t do anything to them. ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t force you to stay. But you¡¯ve only returned tonight, so I want you to spend one night with me.¡± Sophie nodded in response. ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯ste. You should go to bed. I¡¯ll stay home for the next few days to keep youpany,¡± Sophie assured him. She didn¡¯t want to disappoint him. ¡°Good. I¡¯m no longer young, so I want our family to get along with each other,¡± Josiah said pointedly. He then got up and went upstairs with Morgan¡¯s help. Charmaine went to clean Sophie¡¯s room with Morgan, so only Sophie and Willow were left in the living room. It seemed to Willow that Sophie wasn¡¯t the same person she used to be. No matter what, I¡¯m the only daughter of the Tanner family. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you had the guts toe back home,¡± Willow sneered. There was a hint of malice on her face that was unbefitting of her age. Sophie fished out a piece of gum from her pocket. She unwrapped the gum and stuffed it into her mouth. ¡°Willow, I¡¯ll definitely kick you out of the Tanner family!¡± Having said that, Sophie spun on her heels and entered the room that she used to upy. Boiling with anger, Willow flopped back into the couch. D*mn it. How dare Sophie say that to me? The next morning, Josiah brought Sophie to Jipsdale Premier High personally. The principal of the school, Andy Langston, was also the head of the Jipsdale Department of Education. Busy with his duties, he would only make time to meet important people. Josiah was a well-known figure in Jipsdale, so he was allowed to wait outside the principal¡¯s office with Sophie. Andy only showed up at his office a little after eleven. He immediately told his assistant to unlock the door and ushered them in. After learning about Sophie¡¯s condition, Andy was stumped. Sophie¡¯s results wouldn¡¯t get her into any vocational schools, let alone the prestigious Jipsdale Premier High. ¡°Mr. Langston, I¡¯ve never asked for anyone¡¯s help, but please do me a favor this time,¡± Josiah pleaded. ¡°Old Mr. Tanner, I¡¯m not refusing to help you. I believe you know that Jipsdale Premier High is the top high school in Jipsdale. Most of our students are capable of entering Ivy League schools. I can¡¯t do anything with Sophie¡¯s results. I think you should try applying to vocational schools instead. I don¡¯t think other high schools would take her in with her results.¡± Sophie had never wanted Josiah to ask someone else for help, so she got up to leave. Josiah knew how proud she was, so he rose to his feet and went after her hastily. Right then, Andy received a call from Felix. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Tell Me Who She Is After hanging up on his call, Andy rushed out of the office and cried, ¡°Please wait, Old Mr. Tanner. I¡¯ll take Ms. Sophie Tanner as a student.¡± His attitude had taken a one-eighty from before. Even Josiah had no idea why the principal had suddenly changed his mind. ¡°Are you sure, Mr. Langston?¡± Josiah asked. ¡°That¡¯s right, Old Mr. Tanner. I¡¯ll have her ced in a ss right away.¡± Then, Andy immediately called the high school¡¯s academic head and informed her about Sophie¡¯s immediate enrolment. Sophie went along with the enrolment, but even she knew things were hardly as simple as they seemed. The academic head promptly assigned Sophie to the worst-performing ss in the school. After receiving her school uniform, Sophie was handed over to the homeroom teacher of Senior ss 8, Derrick Hayes. Before Josiah left, he said to Derrick, ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you to keep an eye on Sophie, Mr. Hayes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all, Sir! You should head back. I¡¯ll lead Sophie to her ss soon,¡± came Derrick¡¯s courteous reply. That was the only answer he could give, seeing as every student at Jipsdale Premier High had a wealthy or influential parent that the teachers could not afford to offend. Derrick happened to be in charge of the third lesson of the day for Senior ss 8, so he personally escorted Sophie to her new ssroom. When he arrived at the ssroom, he announced, ¡°Hi, everyone, we have a new student in our ss. She¡¯ll introduce herself. Please give her a warm wee.¡± Sophie walked onto the podium at the front of the room and wrote her full name on the board. Then, she dered, ¡°Hi, everyone, my name is Sophie Tanner.¡± Sophie Tanner? Her new ssmates immediately whispered furiously among themselves. ¡°Isn¡¯t she the Sophie Tanner who was expelled five years ago?¡± ¡°I think so! She used to be in my ss.¡± ¡°I heard she had an abortion around tenth grade. Do you know if it¡¯s true?¡± ¡°It was! Back then¡­¡± Derrick piped up, ¡°All right, everyone, settle down. There¡¯s a seat at the end of the ssroom, Sophie. You can take that.¡± Sophie obediently went to thest row and ignored the spiteful res directed her way. The students in Senior ss 8 did not produce spectacr grades. Naturally, most of them came from elite circles. Their upbringing meant they were the farthest thing from cowards. Once Derrick ended his lesson, Queenie Lane sauntered to Sophie and taunted, ¡°It really is you, Sophie! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re thick- skinned enough to return to Jipsdale. If I were you¡ª¡± ¡°Shut your trap, Queenie,¡± Sophie cut in abruptly. Queenie had always been a member of Willow¡¯s clique and had had her fair share of picking on Sophie in the past. Sophie was nursing a headache after a sleepless night in an unfamiliar house, and she was in no mood to entertain Queenie¡¯s prissy attitude. s, Queenie did not fear Sophie at all. She grabbed Sophie¡¯s hand and continued, ¡°We¡¯re not in Horington anymore, Sophie. Did you think you were something in Jipsdale?¡± She still believed Willow¡¯s sister was as meek as before. Sophie¡¯s beautiful eyes narrowed dangerously. In the blink of an eye, she twisted her hand and grabbed Queenie¡¯s wrist, swiftly bending it backward. ¡°Ahh!¡± Queenie yelped in pain. Their ssmates noticed the threat in Sophie¡¯s eyes, and no one dared to step forward to break up the fight. Sophie dered, ¡°I don¡¯t want to cause trouble, but I¡¯m not a target for you to pick on, either. Remember this, Queenie. I¡¯m not the same Sophie from five years ago. Not just anyone can trample over my dignity. Oh right! I¡¯m sure you remember what you all did to me five years ago. I¡¯ll make sure you all have a taste of your own medicine soon.¡± She suddenly felt as thoughing back had been the right decision. After that, she shoved Queenie roughly, causing thetter to fall to the ground. Queenie was dumbstruck. Sophie was utterly fearsome. I can¡¯t allow Sophie to remain in Jipsdale. We have to get rid of her! Sophie spent thest two lessons of the ss sprawled across her desk, asleep. After school ended, she grabbed her bag and left. She had just set foot outside the school gates when she spied Felix waiting outside. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Mr. Langston must¡¯ve changed his mind because of them! Before Felix had said a thing, Sophie decisively got into the car beside him. Felix did not utter a single word of the speech he had prepared. With impatience brimming in her gaze, Sophie announced, ¡°Tristan Lombard, right? I saved youst time, and you helped me today, so we¡¯re even. Don¡¯t look for me again.¡± She believed Felix and Tristan wereplex characters, and she did not wish to be involved with them further. Meanwhile, Tristan replied, ¡°My life is worth a fortune.¡± He merely asked Felix to make a call, and it was nothingpared to what she did for him. He continued, ¡°I¡¯m Tristan Lombard of Lombard Group, and I need your help.¡± His words flustered Felix, who wondered, We can have anyone we want in the world. Why must Mr. Tristan insist on this Sophie Tanner? Sophie stared at Tristan and said drily, ¡°I have poor grades and poor morals. What exactly do you want from me?¡± People rarely stared Tristan straight in the eyes, and he knew in that instant that he was staring at an extraordinary young woman. ¡°Your medical skills,¡± came Tristan¡¯s reply. ¡°Medical skills? Are you pulling my leg? I¡¯m an eighteen-year-old high school student. What would I know about medicine? I¡¯ve said this many times; I managed to remove the bullet from your body out of sheer luck. You would be dead now if luck hadn¡¯t been on my side.¡± Tristan merely insisted, ¡°I¡¯m dead serious, Sophie. Please consider my offer carefully.¡± Lombard Group was rumored to be the corporation every elite in Jipsdale wanted to consort with, yet this young woman appeared to scoff at the golden opportunity. Sophie was too tired to argue with them. It was clear that they would not give up regardless of what she said. She left the car. Felix whined, ¡°Just be honest if you¡¯re trying to woo her, Mr. Tristan! She¡¯s obviously not falling for your odd excuses.¡± Tristan stared after her, utterly taken by the young woman. After leaving Tristan¡¯s car, Sophie¡¯s phone rang. She unlocked her phone and immediately hung up when she saw the phone number. The caller did not seem to understand the meaning of giving up and called Sophie more than ten times. With a shrug of resignation, Sophie eventually answered the call and fumed, ¡°You better have some important news. I¡¯m in a foul mood today.¡± ¡°Phantom, your persistently ill temper never ceases to amaze me. When are youing back?¡± Butterfly was unperturbed by Sophie¡¯s outburst. ¡°Out with it!¡± ¡°All right! Jeez. There¡¯s an assignment. Do you want to take it?¡± Phantom was notorious for epting assignments depending on her mood, but she had a perfect track record. Her status as the youngest member of Wings of Light hardly mattered when she was the best. Sophie replied curtly, ¡°Nope.¡± Butterfly urged, ¡°Phantom, this assignment is rted to Chanaea¡¯s Inte security. I hope you¡¯ll seriously consider it before rejecting it.¡± If Phantom had rejected any other assignment, Butterfly would have left her alone. ¡°Inte security?¡± Sophie¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°Fine. Send the information over.¡± She hung up right after that. Butterfly had more to say but dropped the conversation after hearing Sophie¡¯s instructions. She quickly prepared the information for Sophie¡¯s perusal. Meanwhile, Tristan had hurried back to Lombard Group¡¯s offices after receiving a call from Charles Quigley. ¡°Phantom has appeared, Mr. Tristan,¡± Charles dered in excitement. No one would be surprised if he fainted after discovering his idol¡¯s appearance. Tristan ordered, ¡°Gather everyone in thepany. I must figure out who Phantom is.¡± Phantom was the most skilled hacker in existence, and no one knew its gender or identity. It was revered as a legend, and every international corporation wanted to hire Phantom¡¯s services. With Phantom at the helm, inte insecurity would be a thing of the past. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Who Did I Offend This Time Sophie looked through the information Butterfly sent and learned that hackers from Anndur were trying to break through Chanaea¡¯s firewall. If the hackers seeded, they could steal government information from Chanaea and plunge the country into a huge crisis. Sophie promptly deleted the information and took a taxi back to the Tanner residence. The moment she arrived, she heard Charmaine say, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t cause any trouble now that you¡¯re in Jipsdale Premier High, Sophie. Since you¡¯re in the same school as your sister now, you can ask her for help.¡± Regardless of how much Charmaine despised Sophie, she was her daughter at the end of the day, and that was a fact she could not change. To that end, Charmaine could only hope that Sophie would not make things difficult for Willow. Willow piped up, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. I¡¯ll take care of Soph and keep her from repeating her old mistakes.¡± She ruined Sophie¡¯s reputation five years ago, and she was confident that her younger sister was still not her match today. Irritated by their pretentious acts, Sophie drawled, ¡°Are you done with your little act? It¡¯s disgusting. Keep your hands out of my matters; they have nothing to do with you. If you love acting so much, why not be an actress?¡± Sophie headed upstairs without sparing the two onest look. Charmaine was infuriated. ¡°Look at her attitude! Who does she think she is? She¡¯s still not remorseful after what she did years ago!¡± Willow secretly scoffed to herself before coaxing, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Mom. You still have me. I won¡¯t disappoint you.¡± ¡°Yes! Thank goodness! You¡¯ve never disappointed your mother. Wi, you know the Tanner family¡¯s situation now. It¡¯s even more imperative that you seed.¡± As long as Willow married into a wealthy family, the Tanner family would have hope of reviving their fortunes. Sophie ignored the duo downstairs and whipped out herptop once she was back in her room. She switched on the nondescriptptop, which started up faster than an Appleputer. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. It was booted up and ready to use in under three seconds. The interface did not look different from an averageputer, either. Sophie sat on her bed and ced theptop on herp. She rapidly tapped out a string of code. ¡°Aha!¡± She immediately had a measure of the Annduran hackers¡¯ skills after a minute of work. ¡°Idiots.¡± I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re messing with the Chanaean government. I need to teach them a harsh lesson before they think they can continue picking on us. Her fingers flew across the keyboard. Lines of code materialized on herptop screen. An Annduran hacker had been hired to steal Chanaea¡¯s confidential information on military defense. His employer asked, ¡°How is it going? Did you get it?¡± ¡°F*ck!¡± The hacker was about to ess the information when someone blocked his hack and added an imprable firewall to the program. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°We¡¯re doomed.¡± Before the Annduran hacker could do a thing, his adversary had hacked into Anndur¡¯s firewall. Hisputer froze for ten whole seconds while he tried desperately to encrypt the firewall. Within that brief time frame, Anndur¡¯s confidential information had been stolen. ¡°What on earth happened?¡± ¡°The other party stole our confidential documents.¡± ¡°What? Who did this? Didn¡¯t you say you were unbeatable?¡± ¡°It must be Phantom from Wings of Light. No one but that hacker canpete with me.¡± ¡°I cannot stress how important those confidential documents are. You¡¯d better think about how to exin this to the President!¡± The Annduran hacker swore, ¡°Just you wait, Phantom!¡± Back at the Tanner residence, Sophie sent the information she stole to Butterfly. Then, she entered a few lines of code and removed all traces of her past activity before shutting down herptop. Butterfly called her right after she switched off herptop. ¡°I knew you could do it! I just didn¡¯t think you could even steal their confidential documents in such a short time. You¡¯re really a legend; no one can achieve your heights or defeat you.¡± Sophie was already numb to suchpliments, and she replied, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m hanging up.¡± ¡°All right. Payment goes to your usual card, right?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± As usual, Sophie hung up without waiting for Butterfly¡¯s reply. Her hack had dragged another unfortunate victim along with it. Charles stared at the ck screen on hisputer in shock as he muttered, ¡°Damn it! Myptop was hacked too.¡± I wanted to catch Phantom in the act! Why did I get hacked instead? Felix failed to suppress hisughter as he teased, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ve got the chops, Charles?¡± ¡°This must be Phantom¡¯s doing. No one else can perform such a hack.¡± There was truly no one else who could achieve that feat in such a short time and not leave a single trace behind. Tristan, who had been silent all the while, suddenly asked, ¡°Do you have any leads?¡± ¡°A little. I can confirm that Phantom is in Jipsdale.¡± That was the only useful piece of information he had gleaned. ¡°What? Phantom is in Jipsdale?¡± Tristan added, ¡°Find a way to get in touch with Wings of Light.¡± Wings of Light was a mysterious hacker organization. No one knew where the organization was based. They only knew that the hackers in the group were better than the next, and Phantom was the best of them all. He returned to the CEO¡¯s office, determined to get through the pile of work he had not dealt with since arriving in Horington several days ago. Afterpleting her assignment, Sophie yed some phone games on her bed. Someone knocked on her door, and she got up to see who it was. ¡°It¡¯s your grandpa, Sophie.¡± She quickly opened the door and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up, Grandpa?¡± At the same time, she helped Josiah to walk into her room. He said, ¡°Tell me what happened five years ago. You¡¯re my granddaughter, and I want the people who harmed you to receive their deserved punishment.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Grandpa. You don¡¯t need to deal with this.¡± Josiah was old, and Sophie did not want him to worry over her. She added, ¡°Just take care of your health. That¡¯s enough for me.¡± Josiah replied, ¡°I know you suffered a great deal when I wasn¡¯t around five years ago. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t protect you. Now that I¡¯m back, no one will bully you again. Focus on your studies and leave the rest to me. I have a debit card for you. Buy anything you need. Let me know if you need more money. Don¡¯t mistreat yourself, all right?¡± Girls at Sophie¡¯s age were busy prettifying themselves, yet Josiah was dismayed to discover the Tanners¡¯ former princess with such a different personality than before. Despite her tough demeanor, Sophie¡¯s throat choked up with emotion. It had been a long time since anyone had looked out for her. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa.¡± She could not bring herself to reject her grandfather¡¯s kindness. Sophie only arrived at school in the afternoon, and Butterfly called her incessantly again. She found a quiet corner and answered the call. Butterfly asked, ¡°Did you offend anyely, Phantom?¡± ¡°Who did I offend this time?¡± Others would find a way to ruffle her feathers even if she minded her own business. There was little she could do about it. ¡°Do you know Lombard Group? They¡¯re investigating your identity.¡± Nothing could evade the knowledge of Wings of Light. ¡°Lombard Group? Yeah, I know who they are.¡± Sophie sounded utterly unconcerned. Butterfly warned, ¡°Be careful. You don¡¯t want to make enemies of them.¡± No other corporation was a worthy match for Lombard Group in the whole of Jipsdale. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Cannot Stand The Sight Of Her ¡°Got it.¡± Still, Sophie wasn¡¯t bothered about it. Instead, she ordered, ¡°Don¡¯t contact me these few days.¡± ¡°Why? Are you really in trouble?¡± But then, she¡¯s the only one who can handle some of the assignments! ¡°No, I¡¯m just tired and would like to change my style of living.¡± ¡°What? Why are you suddenly tired? Don¡¯t tell me you want to quit Wings of Light? No way! I¡¯m not going to agree to that.¡± At that, Sophie couldn¡¯t help chuckling. ¡°I¡¯m not nning to quit Wings of Light, Butterfly. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m busy with something else recently, so I don¡¯t want to take on any assignments. No matter who it is and how much money they offer, simply decline them all.¡± ¡°What exactly happened? If you can¡¯t handle it, you can tell me. Every member of Wings of Light can help you figure out a solution.¡± Wings of Light had plenty of talents, so they could resolve the issue no matter who she offended. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t want to continue talking about that, so she hung up right away. Butterfly was familiar with Phantom¡¯s character. If thetter didn¡¯t want to speak about something, it would do her no good regardless of how hard she pressed for an answer. Besides, she believed that Phantom could resolve all problems. Anyway, she could never understand the world of geniuses. When Sophie returned to her ss, she noticed that the look in other people¡¯s eyes as they stared at her had turned even stranger. Nheless, she didn¡¯t pay it any mind. Casting a look at her, Queenie couldn¡¯t help sneering. Regardless of whether it was five years ago or the present, she¡¯s still as annoying as ever! After the first period, Sophie got to her feet to visit the washroom. A girl in front of her stood up as well. ¡°Nice to meet you, Sophie. I¡¯m Ysabelle Lombard.¡± The girl who spoke had a bob cut and a pair of big, beautiful eyes. Sophie merely grunted in acknowledgment, obviously not in the mood to entertain her. ¡°Wait a moment, Sophie!¡± Ysabelle wasn¡¯t as tall as Sophie and hadn¡¯t had thetter¡¯s long legs either, so she struggled to match her pace. ¡°Is something else the matter?¡± Sophie could tell that she didn¡¯t mean any harm. ¡°Sophie, they uploaded the pictures of you fighting to the school¡¯s forum. You were so cool when you fought!¡± Admiration was written all over Ysabelle¡¯s face. ¡°What pictures?¡± Ysabelle then handed her phone to Sophie. ¡°Can I gang up with you henceforth?¡± Ysabelle asked with a sheepish smile. ¡°I don¡¯t form gangs.¡± Sophie nced at the pictures and saw that the discussion on the forum centered on her past. Caustic remarks about her amorality and shamelessness abounded. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Sophie. Such is their attitude, always spouting nonsense. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± ¡°Go back. Don¡¯t mix with me.¡± ¡°Why? I like you a lot!¡± Ysabelle wasn¡¯t bothered about Sophie¡¯s indifference. Sophie couldn¡¯t do anything about someone like her, and she didn¡¯t have any malicious intentions, so the former allowed her to tag along. ¡°Would you please teach me how to fight?¡± Ysabelle inquired earnestly. ¡°No.¡± Oh well, I really can¡¯t bring myself to hate her. ¡°Why not?¡± Ysabelle bit her lip before murmuring, ¡°Do you not like me?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°But why? Am I not cute?¡± Ysabelle acted cute with Sophie. Although Sophie remained impassive, she still didn¡¯t give up. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You still don¡¯t know me well at the moment. When you know me better in the future, you¡¯ll definitely like me!¡± Ysabelle rambled despite Sophie¡¯s silence. ¡°Look at Ysabelle, Queenie. She actually went to the washroom with Sophie!¡± ¡°Hmph! Teach her a lesson so that she knows who exactly is the boss of Senior ss 8!¡± Queenie snarled. She wanted the entire ss to ostracize and pick on Sophie. Above all else, she wanted thetter to get out of Jipsdale. ¡°Okay! She¡¯s undoubtedly a rotten apple since she¡¯s siding with Sophie!¡± All the girls in the ss didn¡¯t like Ysabelle. She was beautiful, and her grades were passable, but her family background was, unfortunately,cking. When the school bell rang, Ysabelle followed Sophie back to the ssroom. Sophie¡¯s seat was in thest row. Meanwhile, Ysabelle sat in the third row as she was pretty short. But when she walked in, someone stretched out a leg and tripped her. As a result, Ysabelle stumbled forward. Hearing the movement, Sophie whirled around and swiftly caught Ysabelle. Following that, Ysabelle fell right into her arms. ¡°Who did that?¡± She swept a gaze over everyone, upon which the ssroom instantly plunged into dead silence. Verily, Ysabelle suffered a fright. She knew that many in the ss loathed Sophie, but she liked her from the depths of her heart at first sight. Nevertheless, she hadn¡¯t expected them to make a move against her so quickly. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Sophie.¡± Afraid that a fight would break out, Ysabelle immediately mollified Sophie. The girl who stretched out her leg earlier was a touch fearful at Sophie¡¯s gaze. But still, she stood up. ¡°She was the one who was careless and tripped! What has it got to do with me? Why, do you want to fight?¡± Sophie helped to steady Ysabelle on her feet. Then, she stalked toward that girl. ¡°Apologize.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The girl apologized without a hint of sincerity. At that, Sophie saw red. She stepped right on the girl¡¯s foot. At that trod, such excruciating pain swamped the girl that her foot went numb. ¡°How could you?¡± The girl burst into tears. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t see your foot.¡± After saying that, Sophie spun on her heel and returned to her seat. Seeing that, Ysabelle liked her all the more. Never had she seen such a cool girl. When the other girls saw Sophie¡¯s brutality, they didn¡¯t dare utter a single word. Queenie balled her hands into fists. Sophie¡¯s behavior was different in the past, so she was a tad petrified by the present Sophie. ¡°Yvonne, go and tell the teacher about this after ss. It¡¯s Jipsdale Premier High here, so he¡¯ll unquestionably hope that Sophie will get out of here as well!¡± Therefore, Yvonne Zales went crying to Derrick after ss. On top of that, she even called her parents. ¡°Look at my daughter¡¯s foot, Mr. Hayes! It¡¯s all red. Evie has always been a diligent and obedient child. We sent her to school in perfect condition, but she can¡¯t even walk now. You must give me an exnation today!¡± The Zales family has some influence in Jipsdale, so they couldn¡¯t possibly allow their child to suffer such bullying without seeking justice. Derrick¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Calm down, Mrs. Zales. There must be some misunderstanding here since they¡¯re all kids in their teenage years.¡± ¡°How could I possibly remain calm? Evie, tell your teacher who did this to you.¡± Selena Ardern was utterly dissatisfied with Derrick¡¯s attitude. ¡°It was the new transfer student, Sophie Tanner. Mom, I heard that she used to fight and brawl a lot in the past. That aside, she even cohabitated with a ruffian and had an abortion. I don¡¯t want to be in the same ss as such a student.¡± Yvonne wailed even louder. As Derrick listened, his expression turned increasingly darker. ¡°Where did you hear all this, Yvonne? It¡¯s not good to say such things about your ssmate. All that are unfounded rumors.¡± No matter what, Sophie was his student, and such rumors were devastating to a girl. ¡°Are you biased toward Sophie, Mr. Hayes? If you don¡¯t give me an exnation today, I¡¯m going to seek Mr. Langston out personally!¡± Selena threatened furiously. Just then, Sophie arrived at the office. When she caught sight of Yvonne, she knew what it was all about. ¡°I have a question for you, Sophie. Were you the one who stepped on Yvonne¡¯s foot?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sophie answered frankly. Derrick couldn¡¯t help but frown at her answer. ¡°Then, is there a conflict between the two of you? It¡¯s normal for girls to have some conflicts.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no conflict. I simply can¡¯t stand the sight of her.¡± Such a paltry lesson is nothing when she dared to y tricks right under my nose! Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Chapter 8 I Am Here For You ¡°Did you hear that, Mr. Hayes? How could there be such a student at Jipsdale Premier High? She¡¯s too arrogant! She¡¯s simply overbearing!¡± Selena was so livid that she leaped up from the couch. ¡°Do you not know the kind of creature your daughter is?¡± Sophie was exceedingly annoyed at her aggressive attitude. ¡°How dare you? Mr. Hayes, if you can¡¯t handle this, have the discipline teachere over.¡± Selena knew that Andy was very busy and had no time to handle such a matter. By then, she was already so infuriated that she couldn¡¯t wait anymore. ¡°Mrs. Zales, this matter¡ª¡± ¡°What about this matter? It¡¯s already clear as day that she picked on my daughter! Are you still determined to defend her now? What exactly is your rtionship with her, Mr. Hayes?¡± Left with no other choice, Derrick could only have the discipline teachere over. As soon as Selena saw the discipline teacher, Rhett Quillen, she instantly demanded, ¡°You must give me an exnation today, Mr. Quillen! Look at my daughter¡¯s foot. If you can¡¯t handle this problem well today, I¡¯ll have no choice but to hand the matter over to the police. This is intentional assault!¡± Rhett alternated his gaze between the fuming woman and Sophie, who said nothing at all. ¡°What exactly happened here, Mr. Hayes? Isn¡¯t she a new transfer student? It¡¯s only her first day here, and she has created such a huge mess?¡± ¡°Mr. Quillen, it¡¯s normal to have conflicts between girls. I think there¡¯s no need for us to make a mountain out of a molehill.¡± ¡°I¡¯m making a mountain out of a molehill? How could you say that, Mr. Hayes?¡± ¡°Since Sophie is at fault, have her parentse and take her away.¡± Rhett made that decision after glimpsing Yvonne¡¯s foot. Meanwhile, Ysabelle called Tristan at once when she saw someone summoning Sophie away. ¡°Come over quickly, Uncle Tristan! Someone at school picked on me!¡± Tristan was in a meeting when he received her call. ¡°Go to your father instead.¡± ¡°Uncle Tristan, my father will kill me if he learns about this. Hurry up ande over!¡± Ysabelle was on the verge of tears. After all, Sophie only trod on Yvonne¡¯s leg because of her. Knowing how much William loved that granddaughter of his, Tristan left his work upleted in the end and went to Jipsdale Premier High with Felix. At the school, Rhett had Sophie call her parents and have theme over. Ysabelle knocked on the door. After obtaining permission to enter, she immediately went in. ¡°Mr. Quillen, this matter has nothing to do with Sophie. It was Yvonne who picked on me.¡± At the sight of her, Rhett¡¯s brows inexorably creased. ¡°What do you know, girl? Yvonne has always been a good student with impable character and grades, while Sophie has always been notorious. Do you think Mr. Quillen will believe that?¡± ¡°All I said was true! Mr. Hayes, it was really Yvonne¡¯s fault!¡± Ysabelle was frantic to the point of tears when she saw that they didn¡¯t believe her. ¡°You¡¯re not needed here, Ysabelle. Go back.¡± Sophie hadn¡¯t expected her toe over. However, Ysabelle walked right up to her. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Sophie. I¡¯m here for you!¡± Truly, Sophie never thought that she would hear such words from another girl. ¡°Look, Mr. Quillen! They¡¯re in cahoots. Expel them both! Allowing such students to stay will only affect the reputation of Jipsdale Premier High!¡± Selena continued kicking up a fuss unreasonably. Rhett couldn¡¯t quite figure out Ysabelle¡¯s background, so he didn¡¯t dare make a decision then. ¡°Mrs. Zales, this matter¡ª¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t handle this matter today, Mr. Quillen, then I¡¯ll have no choice but to call Mr. Langston.¡± Selena put pressure on him. Rhett knew the status of the Zales family in Jipsdale. As an inconsequential character, he didn¡¯t dare offend them. ¡°In that case, we shall expel them both,¡± Rhett murmured helplessly. ¡°Mr. Quillen, neither of themmitted any major mistakes. How could you expel them just like this?¡± Derrick felt that it was too hasty a decision. He held himself responsible for every single student in the ss, so he didn¡¯t harbor any prejudice against Sophie despite knowing that her grades were atrocious. ¡°This matter is decided, Mr. Hayes. Mrs. Zales, I heard that yourpany are recently¡ª¡± ¡°Mr. Quillen is really unreasonable!¡± Even Ysabelle, who was as timid as a mouse, couldn¡¯t help getting mad by then. She then continued, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sophie. I¡¯ve already given my uncle a call. He¡¯s very powerful!¡± At that, Sophie arched a brow. Did I say that I¡¯m afraid? It¡¯s merely Jipsdale Premier High. A single phone call from me determines who¡¯s expelled or dismissed. ¡°Who do you want to expel? Mr. Quillen, I think there¡¯s no need for you to be at this school anymore.¡± When Felix heard at the door that Rhett wanted to expel Ysabelle, his temper spiked. Right after saying that, he pushed open the door and allowed Tristan to enter before him. Tristan didn¡¯t expect to see Sophie there though he knew that she was also a student at Jipsdale Premier High and was nning to go and visit herter. ¡°Who are you both?¡± Rhett had never met Tristan and Felix. But from their auras, he knew that they weren¡¯t easy prey. ¡°What a coincidence!¡± Felix was likewise surprised to see Sophie there. Seeing the two of them, Sophie couldn¡¯t help frowning. Why am I bumping into them everywhere? ¡°That isn¡¯t important. The important thing is, you have no right to expel them both.¡± ¡°How arrogant! Do you think this is your house? It¡¯s the school here! What can you do when Mr. Quillen is determined to expel them?¡± Selena hadn¡¯t had any opportunity to have contact with people from Tristan¡¯s circle, so she didn¡¯t recognize the man before her. ¡°Just expel them both, Mr. Quillen! Zales Corporation will handle it if there¡¯s any problem!¡± ¡°Zales Corporation?¡± Tristan spoke at longst. ¡°Is Zales Corporation very powerful, Felix?¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°No idea. What kind of business is Zales Corporation involved in?¡± Felix really couldn¡¯t recall any company known as Zales Corporation right then. ¡°Did you see that, Mr. Quillen? They don¡¯t even know of Zales Corporation, yet they¡¯re putting on airs here!¡± Selena threw a contemptuous look at them. ¡°Why, is Zales Corporation all that mighty?¡± Felix countered. ¡°Do you believe I can make it so that you two are dead meat with a single phone call?¡± Selena grew all the smugger. They¡¯re afraid now, huh? ¡°Honestly speaking, I¡¯m really a touch scared now. I¡¯ve still got my entire family to support, so what am I to do if I don¡¯t have a job?¡± Felix fretted sarcastically. Selena was too confident in Zales Corporation, and her sense of triumph soared after she heard that. ¡°So, what¡¯s your choice? If the two of you are willing to drop to your knees and apologize to me now, I can still spare you both.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hah! She¡¯s walking all over us! Just because I gave her an inch, she¡¯s taking a mile! Tristan was already at the end of his patience. Why bother yakking with such a person here? ¡°I¡¯m giving you three hours to have the Zales Corporation she mentioned vanish from Jipsdale, Felix. Also, ensure that the Zales family do not appear anywhere I might go henceforth!¡± When it came to being arrogant and domineering, no one couldpare to him. ¡°What are you saying? Are you dreaming? Make Zales Corporation vanish? Do you think you¡¯re Tristan Lombard?¡± In Jipsdale, only that man dares to say such a thing! ¡°Mr. Quillen, I don¡¯t want anyone to know about the incident today.¡± After saying that, Tristan turned around and headed out. Ysabelle promptly followed, tugging Sophie along. I just knew that Uncle Tristan could resolve the matter as soon as he intervenes! Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Do Not Doubt His Words Seeing that they had all left, Felix instantly made a call. ¡°Hey, have Zales Corporation vanish from Jipsdale in three hours.¡± Only then did Selena realize the gravity of the matter. ¡°Who exactly are you both?¡± Her knees went weak, and she couldn¡¯t quite remain steady on her feet anymore. ¡°Well, he¡¯s Tristan Lombard, whom you mentioned earlier! You wanted his niece to apologize to you? How audacious of you!¡± ¡°Tristan Lombard? He¡¯s really Tristan Lombard?¡± Selena copsed onto the couch. Gah! Why on earth did I say such things just now? ¡°Mr. Quillen, the Lombard family doesn¡¯t want Ysabelle¡¯s identity to leak out. As such, you¡¯re not allowed to breathe a single word about the incident today.¡± The Lombard family merely wanted to give Ysabelle a simple life. ¡°Sure, sure!¡± Rhett no longer dared to say anything contrary by then. After all, it was Tristan Lombard. A single flick of his finger could have the whole of Jipsdale quaking in fear. ¡°As for you, Mrs. Zales, it¡¯s best that you leave Jipsdale quickly. Don¡¯t doubt Mr. Tristan¡¯s words.¡± Having said that, Felix strode off. Despite my remark, Sophie was the main reason Mr. Tristan came personally today. In the past, even if Ysabelle encountered some sort of problem, he only sent us over. Does he really fancy her that much? Meanwhile, Ysabelle was over the moon that Tristan came to school personally to help her. ¡°Thank you, Uncle Tristan! Don¡¯t tell my father about this. Otherwise, he¡¯ll kill me.¡± ¡°Yeah, I got it.¡± ¡°Uncle Tristan, this is my ssmate and best friend, Sophie. She only got into trouble with Yvonne today because she avenged me.¡± Ysabelle adored Sophie. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± It¡¯s noon now, and they probably hadn¡¯t had lunch. ¡°Nope. Are you nning to treat me to lunch, Uncle Tristan? Okay, then! I want to eat the cuisine at Pegasus Pavilion!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tristan nodded in agreement. ¡°Really? You¡¯re too nice to me, Uncle Tristan!¡± Ysabelle hugged his arm in tion. However, at the man¡¯s icy gaze, she immediately dropped her hold on him. Oh God, how could I have forgotten that he detests others touching him? ¡°I¡¯ve still got something to do, Ysabelle.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t n on eating with them. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Upon hearing that, Ysabelle grabbed her hand at once, clutching it tightly. ¡°I must thank you for this incident today, Sophie. Thus, I insist on treating you to this meal. If you don¡¯t go, it means that you don¡¯t regard me as your friend.¡± Her tone was firm, but the expression on her face was incredibly coy. ¡°Please? Pretty please? It¡¯s just lunch. My uncle isn¡¯t going to eat you,¡± she continued coaxing. Cough! Cough! Cough! Felix couldn¡¯t help coughing. Perhaps Mr. Tristan really wants to eat her up! ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Mr. Northley? Go to the hospital and get yourself checked up if you¡¯re not feeling well.¡± ¡°No, no, I¡¯m fine.¡± Felix swiftly waved a dismissive hand before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll make a reservation at Pegasus Pavilion right now.¡± Sophie was most afraid of girls like Ysabelle, who was cute and kittenish, for she couldn¡¯t bring herself to turn thetter down. ¡°Okay.¡± She nodded since it was just a meal anyway. ¡°I¡¯ll go and drive the car over. You guys can wait for me here.¡± Felix promptly trotted off to get the car. When the car arrived, Tristan personally opened the car door for Ysabelle. ¡°Go in.¡± ¡°Uncle Tristan, I can sit in the back with Sophie!¡± In truth, Ysabelle still wanted to cling to Sophie longer. s, a look from the man had her slipping into the passenger seat at lightning speed. After closing the car door, Tristan opened the car door to the back seat for Sophie. ¡°After you.¡± It was clear as day that his attitude toward her was far better than his own niece. Sophie got into the car and moved inward. Tristan climbed in as well. The two of them sat side by side. When Felix saw that, the urge tough seized him. He¡¯s being too obvious, isn¡¯t he? But is he really serious about a girl who¡¯s only eighteen years old? Why did I never realize that he¡¯s such a beast, liking them young? ¡°What do you like to eat, Sophie?¡± Ysabelle turned and gazed at Sophie earnestly. ¡°I¡¯m not picky.¡± In the face of her smiling countenance, Sophie truly couldn¡¯t bring herself to be harsh and unrelenting. Verily, she resembled a friend of hers very closely. Throughout the drive, Ysabelle asked her questions every so often. In fact, she was the one doing all the speaking. Surprisingly, Sophie, who always wore a chilly expression with others, answered all her questions, albeit briefly. By the time they arrived at Pegasus Pavilion, the manager was already waiting outside. The instant he spotted Felix¡¯s car, he instantly stepped forward and weed them. ¡°Mr. Tristan, Mr. Northley, Ms. Ysabelle. Everything is ready.¡± Tristan alighted from the car first. He waited until Sophie had also gotten out before closing the car door. The manager had already helped Ysabelle open the car door. After getting out, she quickly went over to Sophie. ¡°Let¡¯s go in, Sophie! We¡¯re going to the washroom first, Uncle Tristan!¡± After saying that, she strode in, dragging Sophie with her. Felix then alighted from the car and went over to Tristan. ¡°Sophie is remarkably patient with Ysabelle! From the look of things, she¡¯s very fond of her.¡± After all, she has never given us any quarter! ¡°Yeah.¡± Naturally, Tristan discerned that as well. ¡°Judging from the situation, you¡¯ve got to depend on Ysabelle if you want to draw close to her.¡± Ignoring him, Tristan headed straight to the private room. A few minutes passed before Ysabelle brought Sophie into the private room. ¡°Let me do the introductions, Sophie! This is my uncle, Tristan Lombard. In the future, you can follow me and address him as Uncle Tristan.¡± Hearing that, Felix, who was drinking water, almost choked. ¡°Mr. Lombard.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t address Tristan as Uncle Tristan. She had no blood ties with him, so she didn¡¯t want to profess something false. ¡°You really don¡¯t have to stand on formality, Soph. Whatever¡¯s mine is yours, so my uncle is also your uncle.¡± ¡°Ysabelle.¡± Tristan didn¡¯t give her the opportunity to continue spouting nonsense when that address carried a generational gap. Following his re, Ysabelle could only zip her mouth. The manager came over to take their orders personally, giving them a menu each. In no time, Ysabelle named several dishes. Then, she turned and asked Sophie, ¡°What would you like to eat, Soph? You don¡¯t have to be shy with my uncle.¡± Hence, Sophie ordered two dishes at random. ¡°I¡¯m not being shy.¡± Seeing that they had ordered enough food to go around, Tristan and Felix handed their menus back to the manager without ordering anything. ¡°Please wait for a while, Mr. Tristan.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your phone number, Soph? I¡¯ll add you to my contacts on WhatsApp.¡± Ysabelle wanted Soph¡¯s phone number right after they had finished ordering. Sophie didn¡¯t decline, taking out her phone and tapping open WhatsApp, allowing her to scan her QR code. ¡°Where are you staying right now, Soph? Can I go and visit you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m staying in a hotel right now and will look for a ce in a few days.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t n to continue staying at the Tanner residence. ¡°Look for a ce? I can help! What kind of ce are you nning to look for?¡± Felix queried earnestly. He could tell Tristan¡¯s thoughts with a single nce without thetter having to voice them out. ¡°That¡¯s right! Let Mr. Northley find a ce for you, Soph!¡± It¡¯ll be very troublesome for her to do it by herself. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go to the trouble. I can manage by myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. It¡¯s my honor to help a beauty!¡± Felix didn¡¯t allow her any chance to decline. Soon, the manager came in with some servers and served the food. Sophie sat between Tristan and Ysabelle. Once the food was served, both of them took food for her. It was Ysabelle¡¯s first time seeing her uncle taking food for someone else. Even she had never had such a privilege. As such, she eyed him strangely. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Chapter 10 An Unpleasant Encounter ¡°Eat your food. Are you going to be full just by staring at me?¡± At that, Ysabelle promptly buried her head in the food. While Uncle Tristan is devastatingly handsome, I still can¡¯t get full from staring at him. Sophie didn¡¯t turn to rebuff their kind intentions, and she ate everything the both of them presented before her. Her appetite wasn¡¯t ginormous in the first ce, so she only ate half a bowl of pasta at most. Pegasus Pavilion¡¯s dishes were indeed pretty good, but she didn¡¯t eat much. ¡°Is the food not to your liking?¡± She¡¯s too thin. She¡¯s almost one point seven meters, but she probably weighs only ny pounds. ¡°No, it¡¯s good. I just don¡¯t eat much usually.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°You eat even lesser than I do, Soph. We are still in the process of growing now, so you¡¯ve got to eat more.¡± Ysabelle, who had been quiet for a while, started chattering nonstop once more. ¡°Okay.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t refute that. It was ratherte after they finished lunch. Tristan personally sent them both to their nightly self-study session. When the car was five minutes away from school, Felix pulled over. ¡°Study hard,¡± Tristan said to Ysabelle. ¡°Got it, Uncle Tristan! Do you still not know that I¡¯m always a good girl?¡± Ysabelle was still all smiles. When Sophie and Ysabelle returned to ss, all the students in the ss were talking about Yvonne transferring schools. ¡°Queenie, aren¡¯t you good friends with Yvonne? Why did she suddenly transfer schools? Is it because of the incident this morning?¡± ¡°Exactly! Didn¡¯t you say that Sophie will definitely be expelled? What exactly is going on here?¡± ¡°How would I know? I can¡¯t even get in touch with her now.¡± As soon as Queenie saw Sophie walking in, she immediately zipped her mouth. Could it really be because of her? But the Zales family is quite reputable in Jipsdale, and the average person can¡¯t possibly affect them. Ysabelle went back to her seat. Shortly after, she rushed over in search of Sophie. ¡°This is for you, Sophie! She¡¯s my favorite amateur singer. Although she¡¯s an amateur singer, her music is really great. I love her a lot!¡± She handed Sophie a music yer. ¡°We should start studying.¡± ¡°Ah, then I¡¯ll be returning to my seat.¡± Because of Yvonne¡¯s incident, the self-study session that night appeared unusually quiet. No one dared to pick trouble with Sophie and Ysabelle. After the self-study session, Ysabelle waited for Sophie at the side. ¡°Why are you still here?¡± Her family has probablye to pick her up. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you! Let¡¯s go! Everyone has left.¡± Ysabelle took her bag out from the drawer and carried it before she went out with Sophie. They had only walked for a little while when the car they rode in that afternoon came into sight. ¡°Your uncle is here to pick you up, so go home first.¡± However, Ysabelle grabbed her hand and refused to let go. ¡°I¡¯ll have him drop you off first.¡± While saying that, she resolutely dragged Sophie into the car. This time, Tristan drove personally without Felix there. Finally, Ysabelle¡¯s wish to sit with Sophie in the back seat came true. Throughout the drive, she was still the one to chatter endlessly. Sophie, on the other hand, gave brief answers asionally. Tristan drove Ysabelle home first. ¡°You must help me send Sophie back, Uncle Tristan. You¡¯re not allowed to bully her, okay? If you do so, I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll¡­ Never mind. You probably won¡¯t do that.¡± Ysabelle truly didn¡¯t have the guts to threaten her uncle. Only after watching her enter the Lombard manor did Tristan turn the car around. ¡°What exactly do you want from me, Mr. Tristan?¡± He¡¯s the top dog in Jipsdale, but he has been circling me the whole of today. Therefore, he can¡¯t possibly have no ulterior motives. ¡°Do you still remember saving me in Horington? The mastermind knows that you were the one who saved me, so you¡¯re now in great danger.¡± ¡°In danger? Oh, I see.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t react much to that piece of news. Instead, she asked, ¡°So?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll protect you before the danger is neutralized.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Hmm, I¡¯m merely a normal high school student now, so I should react like a high schooler. ¡°Jipsdale Hotel, please.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t want to continue talking about that subject. Tristan didn¡¯t speak further either. When the car arrived at Jipsdale Hotel, he didn¡¯t leave. Instead, he got out of the car. ¡°Is something else the matter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to check out your living situation.¡± Sophie was promptly rendered speechless. What exactly is he trying to do? She was staying in a single room in Jipsdale Hotel. Everything she had was still in her suitcase, which remained unpacked. Initially, she hadn¡¯t nned on staying long in Jipsdale. But judging from her grandfather¡¯s condition, she couldn¡¯t leave for the time being. ¡°This is everything there is to see. It¡¯s very safe here.¡± It couldn¡¯t be clearer that she was giving the man the boot. ¡°Pack your things and move into Wisteria Apartments before the danger is neutralized.¡± Tristan had a unit in Wisteria Apartments, so she could stay there temporarily. ¡°Is Lombard Group that desperate to hire new employees, Mr. Tristan? I haven¡¯t even graduated high school.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t believe that the top dog in Jipsdale would care about a high schooler. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, for I won¡¯t coerce you into anything you¡¯re unwilling to do.¡± It must be some mysterious organization seeking to assassinate him. After all, someone who can afford to hire mercenaries can¡¯t be a simple character. Sophie decided not to stand on formality with him. Since he¡¯s so eager to take responsibility for my safety, I¡¯ll just give him that opportunity. I can deal with those assassins, but I¡¯ve got something else to do on my trip to Jipsdale this time. Hence, there¡¯s no need for me to waste my time on that. Everything of hers was basically still in her suitcase, so she didn¡¯t have much to pack. Wheeling the suitcase along, she left with Tristan. The car went straight to Wisteria Apartments. It was the most high-end and expensive residential area in Jipsdale. On top of that, it was even within the area of Jipsdale Premier High. Thus, one could only imagine its price. ¡°You probably don¡¯t live here, yes?¡± ¡°I do asionally.¡± Tristan had Sophie register her fingerprint. ¡°Stay here with peace of mind. I¡¯m not going to stay here during your stay.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Tristan opened the door to a room. The d¨¦cor inside was exceedingly simple, in line with the impression he gave others. Sophie didn¡¯t unpack her suitcase. Not only was she uncertain about how long she was going to stay there, but she didn¡¯t have much luggage, so she was in no hurry to unpack. ¡°Let¡¯s go! There¡¯s a supermarket downstairs. I¡¯ll bring you down to buy some necessities.¡± ¡°It¡¯s veryte. I¡¯m tired and would like to rest.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t feel like going out to shop. ¡°There aren¡¯t even any toothbrush or towels here. It¡¯ll only take about ten minutes.¡± ¡°Okay, then.¡± The two of them proceeded to the supermarket downstairs. Sophie was a speedy shopper, so it only took her ten minutes to choose some daily necessities. After an exhausting day, all she wanted to do was go back and rest. She looked back, but she didn¡¯t see any signs of Tristan. Not in the mood to look for him everywhere, she waited at the cashier. Before Tristan showed up, however, she caught sight of Queenie. Queenie hadn¡¯t expected to see her there either. ¡°I was just wondering who it was, and it turned out to be you, Ms. Sophie! You hooked up with a ruffian back then, so who else did you seduce this time?¡± Her voice was shrill and loud, making it so that everyone around could hear that. ¡°Who is she, Queenie?¡± Queenie¡¯s boyfriend was with her. The instant he glimpsed Sophie, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her anymore. Queenie was considered quite a beauty, but the girl before her stood at a height of about one point seven meters,plete with long and slender legs. Her skin was extremely fair, and one couldn¡¯t forget her countenance just after a single look. Her eyes, especially, were bewitching. Clocking the look in her boyfriend¡¯s eyes as he stared at Sophie, a sense of utter chagrin rose within Queenie. She¡¯s still as shameless as before, seducing men all the time! Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Chapter 11 She Will Not Get Away With This ¡°Cyro, what is the meaning of this? Why does it matter to you who she is?¡± Queenie was extremely jealous. Cyro¡¯s line of sight was still firmly fixed on Sophie. Queenie quickly pulled Cyro away. She was worried that Sophie might seduce her boyfriend. ¡°Cyro, I¡¯m ready.¡± Queenie really liked Cyro. That night, she nned to let him have her. That way, she could let him realize how pure she was and how dirty Sophie was. After hearing Queenie, Cyro immediately wrapped his arms around her delicate waist. ¡°I love you, Queenie.¡± Since she had served herself up on a silver tter, it would be a sin for him to deny such an opportunity. However, even after checking out and leaving, Cyro still turned his head to nce at Sophie. She was cool, elegant, and exceptionally gorgeous. Her waist was the slimmest waist he had ever seen, and her slender legs only made his imagination go wild. Tristan walked out only to see Cyro¡¯s deviant gaze. Is he looking at Sophie? If he is, I¡¯ll have his eyes gouged out. ¡°Do you know him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a ssmate.¡± Sophie understood who he meant. Tristan tossed the items into the trolley and pushed it to the checkout counter. Sophie took out her wallet but Tristan did not give her the chance to pay. It was already past midnight when they finally returned to the condominium. ¡°Take a shower and rest early.¡± Tristan never nned to stay the night. He only brought her here because the security of Wisteria Apartments was good, and it could keep her out of trouble. ¡°Okay.¡± Sophie got up to send him off. As they arrived at the door, Tristan suddenly stopped. ¡°Stay away from the ssmate you saw today.¡± To Tristan, Cyro didn¡¯t seem like a decent guy at first nce. Sophie nodded nonchntly as she had never paid attention to people like them. ¡°Hand me your phone.¡± Sophie handed over her phone to Tristan, and he quickly entered a series of numbers on her phone and saved it into her contact list. ¡°Call me if anything happens and remember to lock the door.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Tristan, you don¡¯t have to treat me this way.¡± She wasn¡¯t some delicate and helpless little princess. In fact, she wasn¡¯t as weak as he thought. However, she wasn¡¯t annoyed at Tristan¡¯s kind gesture. On the contrary, when Tristan turned around, the two were so close together that Sophie could smell the scent of male hormones wafting through her nostrils. Despite always being an indifferent person, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little warm at her ears. Tristan was an unusually handsome man. His every action could make anydy in Jipsdale blush with elevated heart rate. Although Sophie was adept in many sorts of aspects, she waspletely inexperienced when it came to rtionships between men and women. At that moment, the two were so close that she immediately took a step back. Tristan rested both hands on the door frame like he was pinning her against a wall. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink. I don¡¯t have any ulterior motives.¡± Tristan was indeed a little interested in Sophie. However, Sophie was still a young girl, and he didn¡¯t want to frighten her. ¡°I¡¯m not overthinking anything.¡± Sophie was very unfamiliar with her strange physical and psychological reaction. Hence, she turned around into the house and closed the door in front of him. When Tristan thought of her angry expression at the very end, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Ever since he met Sophie, she had always been indifferent and nonchnt. That was the first time he saw the kind of expression usually found in young girls on her and it moved him. Sophie took a bath andy down. She had nned to y video games for a while but fell asleep not long after lying down. Sophie woke up the next day at seven o¡¯clock and freshened herself up for more than ten minutes before walking to school. On the other hand, Cyro had sent Queenie to the school entrance. It was Queenie¡¯s first time the night before, and she was pretty shy. However, men liked inexperienced girls. ¡°Cyro, tonight¡ª¡± Queenie liked Cyro a lot and wanted to keep him using this method. Cyro casually patted Queenie¡¯s face and said, ¡°Be good now. I¡¯ll be busy tonight. I¡¯ll meet you after I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Cyro, are you disappointed with me?¡± ¡°Of course not! You made me feel so good.¡± ¡°Really? Then you must remember toe and meet me after you¡¯re done.¡± Queenie couldn¡¯t care about being reserved as long as she could continue to attract Cyro with her body. Cyro didn¡¯t leave even after Queenie had walked into the school. He continued to wait at the entrance of Jipsdale Premier High until the beautiful figure he had been having on his mind appeared at the school entrance. Cyro quickly walked toward Sophie. ¡°Hello, Sophie. I¡¯m Cyro from the national team.¡± Sophie ignored him and walked right past him. That was the first time Cyro was ignored when hitting on someone. However, Cyro smiled and immediately followed behind. ¡°Come on, Sophie. There¡¯s nothing wrong with making friends.¡± After he spoke, he took out a business card and handed it to Sophie. Sophie received the business card and took a nce. ¡°Cyro Gaucher? National Basketball Team?¡± Failing to discern the contemptuous smirk on Sophie¡¯s face, Cyro nodded proudly. ¡°Let¡¯s be friends!¡± Sophie threw the business card into the trash can next to her. ¡°You¡ª¡± That was also the first time Cyro hit a wall. Usually, the girls woulde to him willingly. ¡°Interesting. I like girls with a little bit of challenge. Sophie, just you wait. One day, I will expose your true nature.¡± To Cyro, all women were the same. They couldn¡¯t be bothered before he dominated them. However, once he got his hands on them, they would beg him to bed them, just like Queenie. Willow, who had been in the car the whole time, witnessed the entire scenario and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Oh, Sophie. Even if I don¡¯t do anything, you won¡¯t be able to survive in Jipsdale.¡± Queenie alone is enough to deal with you. Whether it was five years ago or the present, the only person who can be the heir to the Tanner family is me. Everything in the Tanner family will belong to me. After the morning self-study session, Queenie went to meet Willow. ¡°Willow, I did it with Cyro.¡± Although she had already done it, Queenie was still a little scared. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be pregnant?¡± ¡°No. There aren¡¯t many senior girls who are virgins nowadays. Queenie, congrattions! Your wish finally came true! It¡¯s just that¡ª¡± Willow¡¯s face froze as though she didn¡¯t know how she should bring up the subject. ¡°What is it? Willow, we¡¯ve been friends for so many years. If you have anything to say, just say it.¡± ¡°I might have misunderstood! You know, Sophie is my sister after all.¡± ¡°Willow, what¡¯s the matter? Tell me.¡± As a Physical Education student, Queenie wasn¡¯t as bright as Willow. ¡°When I came to school, I saw Sophie stopping Cyro. It looked like she was asking for his phone number! However, I think Sophie simply admired him! After all, Cyro is on the national team and is likely to join the NBA.¡± ¡°What? That filthy b*tch.¡± ¡°Queenie, I¡¯m only telling you this because you are my best friend. I know how much you love Cyro. Be careful out there.¡± ¡°I know. Cyro and I love each other. Who does Sophie think she is? How dare she seduce my boyfriend! She will not get away with this.¡± Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Stay Away From My Boyfriend Physical Education was the final ss of the morning. Since Ysabelle had a history of poor health, she would therefore skip every Physical Education lesson as a result. Since Sophie was there, she apanied Sophie to the ss that day. ¡°Soph, we¡¯re not required to attend the senior year Physical Education ss. Let¡¯s go to the shop to buy something to eat! I¡¯m starving.¡± Ysabelle was hungry because she didn¡¯t eat much in the morning. ¡°Okay.¡± To Ysabelle, Sophie was very easygoing. Although they had only known each other for a few days, Sophie couldn¡¯t bring herself to hate Ysabelle. ¡°Sophie, stop right there.¡± Before they could even leave the basketball court, Queenie called out to Sophie. ¡°Get out of my way.¡± Sophie couldn¡¯t be bothered at all. To her, Queenie was still the same girl she used to be. Seeing Sophiepletely ignoring her, Queenie extended her arm in front of Sophie to stop her path. ¡°Did you ask my boyfriend for an autograph this morning? Sophie, why are you so shameless? How could you hit on someone else¡¯s boyfriend?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Cyro is Queenie¡¯s boyfriend and a reserve member of the national team. He will be joining the NBA in the future.¡± ¡°Cyro? Reserve member of the national team? So what?¡± Sophie raised her eyebrows with a carefree expression. ¡°Sophie, I¡¯m warning you. Stay away from my boyfriend. Otherwise, I will make you pay.¡± ¡°You should keep your boyfriend in check! Don¡¯t let him get raunchy whenever he likes.¡± Ysabelle couldn¡¯t stand her anymore. Cyro was like a precious gem to Queenie, but to Sophie, he was nothing. ¡°Sophie, this is my final warning. Don¡¯t get any ideas about my boyfriend!¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡± Sophie shoved her aside and turned to Ysabelle. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re hungry? Hurry up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m disgusted and have just lost my appetite.¡± Ysabelle snorted at Queenie. ¡°I¡¯ve seen things more repulsive than this. Don¡¯t let a piece of trash affect your mood.¡± ¡°Queenie, did she just call us trash?¡± ¡°D*mn, she¡¯s so arrogant. I¡¯ve never seen anyone this shameless.¡± ¡°Queenie, you must keep an eye on your boyfriend. Sophie really has the capability to seduce men.¡± Queenie lightly clenched her fists. No. I can¡¯t let Sophie stay in Jipsdale. It¡¯s too risky. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! She won¡¯t be smug for long. My boyfriend will never fall for such a sl*t!¡± ¡°Soph, let¡¯s go have some food! It¡¯s thest ss anyway.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Soph, what would you like to eat?¡± ¡°Anything is fine for me.¡± Ysabelle brought Sophie to a pasta shop that she frequented. ¡°I really enjoy the pasta here, but my parents never allowed me to eat it.¡± Ysabelle¡¯s family constantly ced numerous restrictions on her because of her bad health, which dated back to her early years as a child. ¡°Can your body handle it?¡± Sophie looked at Ysabelle. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just a bowl of pasta.¡± Ysabelle insisted. Nobody was following her that day. Naturally, she had to seize the chance to enjoy her favorite food. The two went in and found a table. Then, Ysabelle ordered two servings of pasta. After having their fill, they went for some milkshakes. When it was almost time, the two nned to take a taxi back to school. However, after walking for a while, Sophie realized something wasn¡¯t right. Her stomach was hurting badly. When Ysabelle saw Sophie¡¯s pale face and the sweats beaded on her forehead, the former was shocked. ¡°Soph, what¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Sophie immediately squatted down, trying to ease the pain in her stomach. Ysabelle squatted down as well. ¡°Soph, what should we do? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ysabelle had always been well protected by the Lombard family and never had any of such experience. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Take me to the hospital.¡± In the past five years in Horington, Sophie was always alone and used to handling her problems by herself most of the time. Upon hearing that, Ysabelle took Sophie to the hospital immediately. ¡°Doctor, what¡¯s wrong with her? Is she going to die?¡± ¡°Miss, please wait outside. We¡¯ll examine your friend.¡± ¡°Soph¡ª¡± Looking at Ysabelle¡¯s frightened state, Sophie, lying on the stretcher, worried about her. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Go wait outside.¡± Even at that critical moment, Sophie was unusually calm. After the doctor¡¯s examination, the doctor got the nurse ready for surgery immediately. Ysabelle cried when she heard that Sophie was about to have surgery. She grabbed Sophie¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Soph, what are we going to do? Please don¡¯t die!¡± Why do you need surgery? Watching Ysabelle in a sobbing mess, Sophie couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a minor surgery.¡± ¡°Should I inform your parents?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any parents.¡± In fact, her parents think she would be better off dead! The only person who cared about her was her grandfather, Josiah. However, Josiah was old, and she didn¡¯t want him to worry. ¡°Go to ss. I¡¯ll be all right.¡± The nurse took Sophie to the operating room, and Ysabelle followed. When the doors to the operating room closed in front of her, Ysabelle was shaking from anxiety. She immediately took out her phone and called Tristan. Tristan was in the middle of hosting a meeting when he received the call, and he hung up the phone when he saw Ysabelle¡¯s name on the caller ID. However, Ysabelle called again. Tristan frowned. What is going on? Why is she calling me so persistently? As soon as he answered the phone, he heard Ysabelle crying. ¡°Uncle Tristan, what should I do? Sophie is dying.¡± ¡°What?¡± Tristan stood up from his seat at once. The people who attended the meeting were the executives of thepany. When they saw Tristan¡¯s expression, none of them dared to make a sound. ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Ysabelle was constantly sobbing on the phone, and he couldn¡¯t tell what was happening. Ysabelle calmed down a little after knowing that Tristan wasing over. ¡°Today¡¯s meeting ends here.¡± As he finished, Tristan left the executives looking at each other and immediately drove to the hospital. When Ysabelle saw Tristan¡¯s arrival at the hospital, she cried even louder. ¡°Uncle Tristan, what should we do? Soph isn¡¯t out of the operating room yet.¡± ¡°It will be fine. I¡¯ll get Felix to pick you up. Go home. I¡¯ll be here.¡± ¡°No. I want to wait for Sophie toe out.¡± Ysabelle refused. At that moment, the doctor came out of the operating room. ¡°Doctor, how is Sophie?¡± Tristan asked. ¡°She¡¯s doing fine. It was just a minor appendicitis surgery. She¡¯ll be hospitalized for two to three days, and then she will be free to go.¡± ¡°What? Appendicitis surgery?¡± Ysabelle was embarrassed. After all, it must be funny that she cried so terribly. After hearing the doctor¡¯s words, Tristan heaved a sigh of relief. Since receiving Ysabelle¡¯s phone call, Tristan¡¯s chest has been immensely taut, and he was finally relieved to hear that Sophie was all right. ¡°However, you should inform the patient¡¯s family members. Although it is a minor surgery, she requires close attention.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you, doctor.¡± At this moment, the nurse pushed Sophie out of the operating room. Sophie was a little surprised to see Tristan there. Tristan? What is he doing here at this hour? His time could be worth tens of millions by the minutes! ¡°Soph, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re doing fine. You have no idea how frightened I was.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± After the nurse pushed Sophie into the ward, she wanted to get on the hospital bed herself. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Tristan spoke and carried her up. Sophie didn¡¯t expect him to carry her suddenly, and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck to prevent herself from falling. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Flirting ¡°I can walk on my own.¡± While he was carrying her, their faces got closer to each other. If she looked up, her lips would brush across his chin. Her heart began to beat out of control, and her ears began to grow hot. Ysabelle was stunned. She had never seen Tristan treat anyone so well. Even at home, he was always cold, and even his grandfather was annoyed at him for it. Tristan didn¡¯t give Sophie the chance to refuse. He gently put her on the hospital bed, then checked on her infusion tube. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s time for your evening self-study,¡± Tristan said to Ysabelle. ¡°Uncle Tristan, I don¡¯t want to go. If I hadn¡¯t brought Sophie to the pasta outlet, she wouldn¡¯t end up like this. I¡¯ll stay and apany her.¡± Well, it wouldn¡¯t matter if I missed one session of self-study. Tristan looked at her and didn¡¯t speak. ¡°Uncle Tristan.¡± He looks so scary. ¡°I¡¯m okay now, Ysabelle. I¡¯ll go back after the infusion.¡± ¡°No!¡± Tristan and Ysabelle eximed in unison. ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± ¡°Sophie, it¡¯s all my fault. You must stay in the hospital and get well. Otherwise, I will feel very guilty.¡± ¡°You should recuperate in the hospital. I¡¯ve already informed the school that you¡¯re taking the day off.¡± Tristan dered. How could she be so calm even after her surgery? Tristan stopped forcing Ysabelle to go to ss. If Ysabelle is here to apany her, she should feel more at ease. The VIP ward Tristan arranged for Sophie was a suite equipped with a bathroom and a kitchen. At half past nine in the evening, Felix came to pick up Ysabelle. ¡°Uncle Tristan, I won¡¯t be going home tonight! I want to stay with Soph. I don¡¯t want her to be alone in the ward. It¡¯s sad.¡± Whenever Ysabelle was sick, her parents and grandparents would stay by her side. However, Sophie didn¡¯t have anyone close to her, which was really sad. ¡°Felix will take you home. I¡¯ll get someone to look after Sophie.¡± Ysabelle looked at Sophie aggrievedly. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I like to be alone.¡± Sophie couldn¡¯t help butugh. To her, Ysabelle¡¯s reaction was adorable. Ysabelle seemed to have more to say, but Felix dragged her away. At half past ten, Tristan was still there with Sophie, but Sophie didn¡¯t care much about it and yed games in her bed. When it was half past eleven and Sophie noticed that Tristan hadn¡¯t left. She raised her head to look at him and said, ¡°Mr. Tristan, you may go. I don¡¯t need anyone to take care of me.¡± It was just a minor surgery. Besides, I can already get out of bed and walk. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Sleep if you¡¯re tired.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and apany you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Sophie doubted her ears. Tristan, the man who could cause Jipsdale to tremble with one word wanted to stay and apany her. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Sophie hadn¡¯t eaten anything yet, and Tristan was worried that she might be hungry. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t have much appetite. Tristan took that as a yes, and called someone to deliver oatmeal from The Crown. The oatmeal arrived in a thermal instion container instead of a takeaway box. Tristan filled a bowl with oatmeal, sat beside Sophie, and put the spoon near her mouth. ¡°Ahem!¡± Even Sophie, who had always been calm, was stunned at that moment. Tristan, the head of the Lombard Group, a prominent character in Jipsdale, was feeding her oatmeal. ¡°Mr. Tristan, I can eat by myself.¡± She didn¡¯t know how to deal with Tristan¡¯s behavior. Tristan knew that she wasn¡¯t used to it, so he didn¡¯t insist. Besides, he wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He wanted to give her time to get used to his existence. Hence, Tristan handed her the bowl and spoon. Sophie took a bite and felt that it tasted pretty good. Hence, she slowly finished the bowl of oatmeal. ¡°Want some more?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good. Thank you.¡± Sophie felt pretty awkward when Tristan, a person unrted to her, cared for her this much. ¡°Mr. Tristan, you may go. This is a hospital. It¡¯s very safe.¡± ¡°Sleep! I don¡¯t mind sleeping on the couch for one night.¡± Tristan covered her with a nket andy down on the couch. He wasn¡¯t nning to leave at all. ¡°Mr. Tristan?¡± Sophie had never shared a room with another man. Although it was a ward instead of a room, she still felt awkward about it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you not tired yet?¡± Sophie remained silent. Fine. I saved his life before too. Maybe the Lombard family is really serious about gratitude. The ward was quiet, and only the alternating sound of their breathing could be heard. A long while passed and Sophie fell asleep in a daze. When Tristan heard her faint breathing and knew she was asleep, he got up and walked to her side. Sophie looked vulnerable while asleep, just like a baby. It made him feel like protecting her no matter what so she would never get hurt. The following morning, Tristan¡¯s assistant delivered breakfast to the ward for the two of them. Not only did Tristan help Sophie with her breakfast, he also catered to her every need. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The assistant¡¯s jaw almost dropped. Is this really the oppressive and ruthless Mr. Tristan? After breakfast, the nurse came over to administer an infusion. ¡°Mr. Tristan, you have a meeting today in the morning with the SF Corporation in Anndur¡¯s¡ª¡± The assistant began. ¡°Postpone today¡¯s meeting until tomorrow.¡± The assistant was momentarily stumped and was rendered speechless. Tristan shot him a nce, and thetter nodded immediately. After giving out some instructions, he finally said, ¡°You may leave now.¡± His employee immediately packed up and left. That girl on the hospital bed must be someone important! That was the first time I saw Mr. Tristan treating a youngdy that way and even neglecting his work for her. ¡°Mr. Tristan, you can go if you have work to do. I can manage.¡± To Sophie, having the prominent Mr. Tristan take care of her was highly unbelievable. ¡°Work is never finished. Do you feel any difort? Should I slow it down?¡± Tristan adjusted her infusion tube. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± When he had the time, Tristan would sit on the couch and work. He would also look up at the infusion bottle and press the bell to call the nurse in time to change the IV drip. Due to her infusion, Sophie needed to go to the bathroom. Hence, she got up and wanted to walk to the bathroom with the infusion bottle by herself. However, Tristan had already walked over. He took off the infusion bottle from the stand and carried it. He even wanted to carry her up. Sophie immediately extended both her arms to stop him. However, she identally rested her hands on his chest. He was wearing only a white shirt, and he also took off his tie and unbuttoned the first two buttons on it the night before. At this moment, Sophie was directly touching his skin. Sophie quickly retracted her hands as if she had been electrocuted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Tristan¡¯s expression looked as if she had deliberately took advantage of him. Although it was said that all the socialite from the upper echelon wanted to touch Tristan, they never had the chance nor the courage. However, Sophie truly didn¡¯t mean to touch him. ¡°I won¡¯t mind even if you did it on purpose. I was even slightly hopeful for it to happen.¡± Sophie was dumbfounded. Did he just flirt with me? Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Chapter 14 I Am In Love With Her ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to go to the restroom? Or are you hoping I¡¯d carry you there?¡± ¡°I can do it myself.¡± Sophie instantly tried to take the bag of IV solution. However, Tristan did not let her take it; he forcibly apanied her to the restroom. ¡°Mr. Tristan, can you please leave? With you around, I¡­¡± I¡¯m a young woman! How am I supposed to relieve myself with him around? It was only then Tristan finally gave her the bag of IV solution. If he continued teasing her, she might actually get mad. ¡°I¡¯m right outside, so call for me whenever you need any help.¡± Sophie nodded. Once she saw Tristan leave the ward, she let out a sigh of relief. Then, she entered the bathroom with the bag of IV solution. When she came back out, she had a relieved smile on her face. Sophie then hung the bag on the hook and got onto the bed. She nned to y a few games to kill time, but unexpectedly, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Who is it? Is it Tristan?¡± It¡¯s unlikely him. He¡¯d never knock. ¡°Come in.¡± Sophie could not guess who was outside, so she had no choice but to allow them entry. The moment the door opened, she was greeted with the sight of Cyro Gaucher entering with arge bouquet of fresh roses. Upon realizing that he was the one knocking on the door earlier, Sophie frowned. What is he doing here? Was my message not clear enough? ¡°Ms. Tanner, do you still remember me? I heard that you¡¯re sick, so I came right away to visit you! Are you okay?¡± When Cyro was on his way to send Queenie to school, he heard from Queenie that Sophie was sick. Hence, he immediately sent someone to find out which hospital Sophie was at. ¡°Who do you think you are?¡± Sophie scoffed. She did not even bother with being courteous to people like Cyro. ¡°I¡¯m Cyro Gaucher from the national team!¡± Cyro proudly replied. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re in the hospital alone, so I took leave toe and keep youpany.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it. You can leave now.¡± How can someone who¡¯s in Queenie¡¯s social circle be anyone good? ¡°Sophie, I¡¯ve fallen for you at first sight. Please give me a chance to prove my feelings.¡± Sophie furrowed her brows, feeling disgusted at the man. ¡°Aren¡¯t you Queenie¡¯s boyfriend? Don¡¯t you find it disgusting to say such things to me?¡± ¡°Queenie¡¯s the one who has been clinging on to me. You have no idea how cheap she is. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll clear things up with her.¡± Woman like Queenie paled inparison to a beauty like Sophie. ¡°That¡¯s your problem. It has nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°Sophie, I¡¯ll prove it to you.¡± ¡°You should leave now,¡± Sophie impatiently responded. The more indifferent Sophie acted toward him, the more interested Cyro became of her. She¡¯s simply fascinating! Just as Cyro left, Tristan returned. When he saw the roses by the bedside table, he frowned. ¡°Was someone here?¡± I just went out to take a call, and someone has alreadye and given her roses? ¡°Just a piece of trash,¡± Sophie uttered. She was not at all interested in Cyro. ¡°Oh.¡± Hearing that, Tristan walked over to take the bouquet of roses and threw it into the trash can. Sophie did not mind at all. By noon, Sophie was done with her IV therapy. She then had a talk with the doctor, who told her that she may leave the hospital. When Tristan saw that she truly did not want to stay in the hospital, he talked to the doctor about the things she needed to be mindful of before settling the procedures for her discharge. Then, he sent her back to Wisteria Apartments. Meanwhile, once Ysabelle found out that Sophie had been discharged, she rushed to Wisteria Apartments. ¡°Soph, are you really all right now?¡± Ysabelle was still worried. What happened to Sophie the day before had genuinely frightened Ysabelle. As Sophiezily leaned back on the couch, she replied, ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± Ysabelle then served Sophie like she was the queen, for she felt that Sophie only ended up in that predicament because of her. In the afternoon, Tristan ordered lunch from The Crown, and lunch for Sophie was nd as usual. After all, the doctor had advised her to eat nder food for now. Ysabelle took out the dishes, set up the table, and served the food. Sophie did not have much appetite, so she only ate half a bowl of oatmeal. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you not like it?¡± She ate so little. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Sophie had always had a small appetite. ¡°You¡¯re too skinny. Eat more.¡± Tristan¡¯s heart ached. Despite Sophie¡¯s height, she felt extremely petite in his arms. Ysabelle bobbed her head in agreement. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Yes, Uncle Tristan¡¯s right, Soph. You should eat more. Look at me. I¡¯m only a hundred and sixty centimeters tall, but I¡¯m chubbier than you. It¡¯s not great for a girl to be too skinny. It won¡¯t felt good to hug you.¡± Sophie was speechless at that. Why should I be good to hug? ¡°I¡¯ve hired a housekeeper for you. She¡¯lle and clean the ce up and make lunch and dinner.¡± ¡°Uncle Tristan, you¡¯re indeed meticulous!¡± Ysabelle felt like apuding Tristan. ¡°Okay. How much would that be? I¡¯ll pay for it myself.¡± Sophie did not like taking advantage of others. ¡°Sure.¡± Tristan did not insist otherwise. After Queenie received Cyro¡¯s call, she deliberately put on nude makeup and carefully selected a purple dress to go with it. Then, she went to the hotel they agreed to meet at. The moment she entered the building, she launched herself into Cyro¡¯s arms. ¡°Cyro, I missed you so much!¡± It was afternoon, and Queenie did not mind doing unspeakable things with him there. However, Cyro seemed disinterested. Instead, he pushed Queenie away from his arms. The look in his eyes rmed Queenie. She then inched closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck before sending her red lips close to him. Again, Cyro avoided her by turning sideways. Queenie ended up kissing his cheek. ¡°Cyro, what¡¯s the matter? Are you upset?¡± ¡°Queenie, let¡¯s end things on good terms.¡± Cyro had always been a member of the basketball team. Moreover, he was tall and handsome, so he neverck pretty girls flocking after him. ¡°What are you talking about? Cyro, you¡¯re joking with me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Queenie tried to squeeze a smile onto her face, but the smile looked ugly. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What do you mean why? I just don¡¯t like you anymore,¡± Cyro ruthlessly said to her. Queenie inched closer to him. ¡°Did I do anything wrong? Tell me, and I¡¯ll change.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to do that. You¡¯ll find someone better than me in the future.¡± Cyro was not giving her any chance, and he did not want to waste any more time on her. Queenie ran over to stop him from leaving. ¡°Cyro, I love you. I really do,¡± she said to him, for he was the first person she had fallen in love with. ¡°But I don¡¯t love you anymore.¡± Cyro¡¯s patiencepletely vanished at how she was making a scene and refusing to let go. ¡°Don¡¯te and look for me anymore.¡± ¡°Is it because of Sophie? She seduced you, didn¡¯t she?¡± Queenie spat out of her gritted teeth. Cyro arched a brow at the sight of her resentful expression. She looks like a madwoman. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m in love with her,¡± he said. He did not think that it was something that should be kept a secret. ¡°Do you know what kind of person she is? She moved in with someone in eighth grade, and she even aborted a baby because of that man. She¡¯s nothing but a promiscuous woman!¡± Cyro pped Queenie. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Queenie. Why are you so vicious at such a young age?¡± With that said, he shoved Queenie aside. By then, Queenie¡¯s makeup was ruined from her continuous bawling, and she looked terrifying. As Queenie climbed to her feet, she angrily hissed, ¡°Just you wait, Sophie. I¡¯m going to make you regreting back to Jipsdale!¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Admitting Your Mistake In the afternoon, Sophie insisted on going to school with Ysabelle. When the two arrived at the school, they spotted Queenie with a few other girls around. The way Queenie was looking at Sophie was as if she was staring at her nemesis. ¡°Stop right there, Sophie!¡± Queenie snarled, fury burning bright in her eyes. Sophie ignored her and continued walking away. Her prideful demeanor infuriated Queenie even more. In the next instance, she threw the basketball in her hands at Sophie. ¡°Soph, watch out!¡± The moment Ysabelle turned around and saw Queenie¡¯s action, she lunged toward Sophie¡¯s back. The ball ended up hitting Ysabelle¡¯s back, and Ysabelle groaned in pain. Sophie spun around and red at Queenie. ¡°Queenie Lane, are you crazy? Why are you barking at everyone you meet?¡± ¡°Sophie, I¡¯ve warned you not to seduce my boyfriend. You were the one who started this.¡± ¡°Sophie, how can you be such a shameless person? Queenie has already been with Cyro for a month. How can you steal her boyfriend?¡± ¡°Women like her would do practically anything. She just couldn¡¯t keep it in her pants.¡± ¡°Exactly. She only knows how to seduce others with her looks.¡± ¡°Queenie, you¡¯re on the school¡¯s basketball team, right?¡± Sophie asked, tilting her head to the side. ¡°That¡¯s right. Queenie¡¯s the team leader of the school¡¯s basketball team. I dare you toe and compete with her if you have the guts.¡± ¡°Dare she? All she knows is how to seduce men. How can she possibly know how to y basketball?¡± ¡°True. She only thinks about how to get men into her bed. We¡¯re really not on the same level.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go against all five of you,¡± Sophie said as she picked up the basketball from the floor. She initially did not want to stoop to their level, but since they had hurt Ysabelle, Sophie was going to toy with them a little. ¡°How insolent of you!¡± Competing in basketball game with me? Sophie must have a death wish. ¡°Cut the nonsense.¡± Just start the game already. Why is she still spewing nonsense? Ysabelle grabbed Sophie. ¡°Soph, you¡¯ve just¡­¡± Ysabelle was panicking. After all, she was worried about Sophie¡¯s wellbeing, and that was why she shielded her from the basketball. ¡°Wait for me over there. I¡¯ll be done in a minute.¡± ¡°Did you hear her? Girls, since she asked for it, let¡¯s all go against her together,¡± Queenie growled, narrowing her eyes. By then, arge group of people had already gathered around the field. ¡°Sophie, I hope you¡¯re not going to end up in tears in a moment. Also, if you lose, I want you out of Jipsdale Premier High and the city of Jipsdale!¡± ¡°What if you lose?¡± ¡°Me? Losing? Ms. Tanner, are you trying to be funny?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a match. There are bound to be victory and defeat.¡± ¡°If I lose, I¡¯ll prostrate before you.¡± ¡°It seems like you¡¯re really confident in yourself.¡± ¡°Are you scared? If you¡¯re scared, crawl in between my legs, and I¡¯ll let you off.¡± At that, Sophie could not help but chuckle. Very well. She¡¯s confident. It seems like no one has ever taught them a lesson before. Sophie then took off her jacket and threw it at Ysabelle. ¡°Damn, Soph, you¡¯re so cool!¡± A pretty person really gets further in life. No matter what she does, it all looks so cool! Ysabelle then took out her phone, ready to record the scene. Queenie scoffed. If they werepeting in something else, perhaps she would be afraid. However, they were about to compete in a basketball match, and she knew that she was as skillful as the members of the boys¡¯ team. Therefore, Queenie vouched that she was going to teach Sophie a lesson that very day. Once the match started, Queenie took three steps and threw the ball right into the hoop. She then turned to look at Sophie gleefully. ¡°How is it? Are you scared now?¡± The other four girls were just standing at the side, knowing that Queenie would be able to defeat Sophie easily by herself. Therefore, they did not even need to do anything but watch the scene unfold. Despite Queenie¡¯s taunts and actions, Sophie remained expressionless. ¡°Hm? Scared is never in my vocab.¡± With that, Sophie stole the basketball from Queenie¡¯s hands before thetter even realized it. Then, she retreated beyond the three-point line and raised her arms. Before the others could get a clear look at what was happening, the basketball collided against Queenie¡¯s stomach. ¡°D*mn! I thought she was going to go for a three-pointer!¡± ¡°Hello? Do you think that everyone¡¯s a variation of Cyro?¡± Cyro used to be on Jipsdale Premier High¡¯s basketball team, and his skill in basketball was whatnded him a spot at Jipsdale University. ¡°Sophie, do you know how to y? If you don¡¯t, just give up. It¡¯s not embarrassing to lose to Queenie.¡± The others wereughing at Sophie about how she only had good looks and nothing else. ¡°Sorry, I haven¡¯t yed basketball for a long time,¡± Sophie nonchntly responded. Meanwhile, Queenie could not even straighten up from the blow. The others were allughing at Sophie, but Queenie did not dare to underestimate her opponent anymore. She knew well that Sophie was proficient in handling the ball. ¡°Let¡¯s continue,¡± Sophie then said to the referee. When the next round started, Queenie began trying her best to y defense. Unfortunately, Sophie still managed to intercept the ball at the tiniest window of opportunity. The moment Sophie got the ball, she retreated beyond the three-point line and hurl the ball at Queenie again. Unable to continue watching any longer, Queenie¡¯s four teammates hurried to Queenie¡¯s side. ¡°Sophie, you¡¯re doing this on purpose!¡± Sophie sneered. ¡°Did you just realize it now? Your eyes don¡¯t seem to be working that well.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± They were on Jipsdale Premier High¡¯s basketball team; they could not let some random person defeat them so easily. ¡°All of you shoulde at once. I don¡¯t have that much time to spare,¡± Sophie uttered in a haughty tone. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Once the whistle went off, the match resumed. Even when the five of them tried their best to intercept Sophie, Sophie still easily avoided them. At that, Queenie gave her teammates a look. In that case, you can¡¯t me us if you get injured. ¡°Aim at her leg. Break it,¡± whispered one of the teammates. When Sophie realized what they were trying to do, she narrowed her eyes dangerously. What Sophie had nned to do was to teach them a lesson, but they ended up ying dirty tricks. So, you want to resort to dirty tricks, huh? Fine. I¡¯ve never been scared of anyone. In the blink of an eye, Queenie swung her leg toward Sophie¡¯s calf. However, Sophie easily leaped up to dunk the ball. ¡°Wow!¡± The people around them were astounded by Sophie¡¯s remarkable jumping ability. The ball entered the hoop, and Sophie received a point. After that, Sophiended steadily on the ground. On the other hand, Queenie¡¯s expression was dark as the night. Dozens of minutes after that, it was as if Sophie had turned the match into her show. The five girls posed no threat to Sophie at all. In the end, the match ended with fifty points to zero. The school¡¯s basketball team ended up theughingstock of the day. The whistle sounded, signaling the end of the match, and the five on the school¡¯s basketball team had scowls on their faces. They had never suffered a defeat that horrendous before. Ysabelle rushed over to hug Sophie. ¡°Soph, how can you be that impressive? I¡¯m sure you can even enter the national team with your skills!¡± Sophie was still not used to being so physically close to another person, so she gently pushed Ysabelle away. ¡°Soph, you¡¯re brilliant! I love you so much!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to.¡± Meanwhile, Queenie was clenching her fists. When did Sophie be so talented? I¡¯ve really humiliated myself thoroughly today. ¡°Queenie, let¡¯s go.¡± Her other four teammates were feeling embarrassed as well, and all they wanted to do was hide away in some discreet spot to lick their wounds. ¡°Go? Where to? Queenie, have you forgotten about our bet?¡± ¡°Hey, Sophie, this is too much. We¡¯re all studying in the same school. Must you cross the line?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Just let it go.¡± ¡°You were the one who said you¡¯d prostrate before me and admit to your mistakes. You should keep your words,¡± Sophie nomittally pointed out. It was as if nothing in the world could faze her. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Chapter 16 One Against Five ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard about how one must honor one¡¯s bet? If Soph was the one who lost today, would you still say the same?¡± Ysabelle clicked her tongue, thinking, What double standards they have! Queenie bit her lip, having never felt so humiliated before. She really could not bring herself to prostrate before Sophie and apologize to her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Queenie, weren¡¯t you really confident earlier?¡± Sophie¡¯s tone was still as nonchnt as ever, but the expression on her face sent chills running down others¡¯ spines. In the end, Queenie steeled herself and kneeled down before Ysabelle. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it.¡± ¡°Louder. I can¡¯t hear you.¡± Every time Ysabelle thought about how Queenie had ambushed Sophie, she felt reluctant to forgive Queenie. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Right then, Willow appeared. She walked over to Queenie and helped thetter up. ¡°Sophie, you¡¯re going too far.¡± Upon seeing Willow, Queenie burst into tears. She truly had never experienced humiliation like that before. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t cry anymore, Queenie. I¡¯ll bring you back to the ssroom first.¡± Sophie did not even want to bother herself with Willow. Who does she think she is to challenge me? In the meantime, Cyro, who hade to find Sophie, witnessed everything. With a slight turn, Queenie immediately spotted Cyro. Promptly, she ignored everything and everyone else and ran toward Cyro. ¡°Cyro, you saw what happened, right? Sophie, she¡ª¡± ¡°Queenie, didn¡¯t I already tell you that Sophie has nothing to do with this? I¡¯m the one who has fallen for her. Stop picking on her in the future. I won¡¯t forgive you the next time you do this.¡± Initially, Cyro had fallen for Sophie¡¯s attractive looks, but after watching her basketball performance, Cyro was starting to fall for her entirely. He had never seen a girl y basketball that well before. Back then, he was interested in Queenie because she was good in basketball and clicked with him. Yet, it seemed like Queenie¡¯s skill was nothingpared to Sophie¡¯s. Queenie burst into tears again. How can he do this to me? Queenie was aggrieved. ¡°Cyro, how can you do this to me?¡± ¡°Stay away from Sophie from now on. If I find out that you¡¯re trying to y dirty tricks on her again, I won¡¯t let you off.¡± With that said, Cyro left. He did not even spare Queenie onest look. ¡°Willow, why is he doing this to me? How can he do this to me? I¡¯ve given him my innocence, but what did he do? He abandoned me after learning about Sophie.¡± Queenie sobbed miserably, her eyes red from her bawling. Willow hugged her shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t you know what kind of person Sophie is? She has always been like this. She always covet what was not hers. It doesn¡¯t even matter if she likes it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. This is all Sophie¡¯s fault. I won¡¯t let her off the hook so easily.¡± ¡°What can you do to her? Forget this, Queenie. You¡¯ll meet someone better in the future.¡± ¡°Forget this? How can I forget this? Willow, she¡¯s your little sister. You¡¯re not telling me that you¡¯re on her side, are you?¡± ¡°She has never thought of me as her sister. Queenie, you¡¯re my best friend; of course, I¡¯d be on your side. No matter what you do, you have my support.¡± ¡°Willow¡ª¡± Queenie was moved by Willow¡¯s words, but the smile on Willow¡¯s face when Queenie was not looking was a contemptuous one. What an idiot Queenie is. I can¡¯t believe I thought about having her deal with Sophie. Sophie ended up crushing her like an ant. Sophie¡¯s no longer the same as before. Nevertheless, no matter how much she changed, I¡¯ll still end her. ¡°Soph, you¡¯re amazing! If you¡¯re a guy, I would¡¯ve married you.¡± Ysabelle was still thrilled by the earlier event even after they returned to the ssroom. ¡°Don¡¯t do something foolish like that next time,¡± Sophie said. She was talking about how Ysabelle had shielded her from the basketball. ¡°You¡¯re my best friend! Of course I have to shield you from danger! Soph, I know you¡¯re incredible, but I¡¯m your friend, right? How can I just sit on my hands if you¡¯re in danger?¡± Sophie was touched by how stubborn Ysabelle was about that. Sophie had to rely on only herself during her five years at Horington. Life had been challenging up until she found out the things she could do. It was only then no one tried to bully her. However, Ysabelle was the first to dere that she wanted to protect Sophie regardless of everything. While Sophie was lost in her thoughts, Ysabelle edited the recording of Sophie defeating Queenie and posted it on her Instagram. Her caption was: My Soph is so cool! I really want to marry her! P.s. Do you all know which countries legalized gay marriage? After posting it, Ysabelle liked her own post and kept her phone, ready to focus on ss. The first ss was physics, and just as Carrie entered, she saw Sophie sleeping. Hence, she walked over to Sophie and knocked on her table. The moment Sophie raised her head, she saw her physics teacher staring at her angrily. ¡°Sophie, I know you don¡¯t want to enter the university, and it¡¯s not like I¡¯m hoping that you¡¯ll get into a good university with the kind of person you are. I just have one favor to ask of you, which is to not sleep in ss. If you keep sleeping in ss, and if the principal sees you through the window, I¡¯ll be embarrassed.¡± Carrie was in a bad mood, and she even fought with another teacher at noon. Thus, no matter how trivial anything was, it would easily set her off. ¡°All right, Mrs. Fletcher.¡± Sophie straightened up, not about to engage in a fight with her physics teacher. However, Sophie always had a nonchnt demeanor, and at that moment, to Carrie, it seemed like Sophie was being rebellious. ¡°Get out right now!¡± Sophie arched a brow. Did Mrs. Fletcher get up on the wrong side of the bed today? ¡°Are you deaf? I told you to get out!¡± After a moment of silence, Sophie snorted, speechless at Carrie¡¯s action. She then rose to her feet and left the ssroom. When Queenie saw how much Carrie hated Sophie, she could not help butugh. It seems like I¡¯m not the only one who doesn¡¯t like her. I doubt it¡¯ll be easy for Sophie to stay at Jipsdale Premier High. ¡°Sophie¡ª¡± Ysabelle had wanted to leave with Sophie, but Sophie shook her head at her. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Focus in ss.¡± At that, Sophie left the room with her bag. Meanwhile, on the other side, Felix had just arrived at Lombard Group¡¯s office to discuss a coborative project with Tristan. As Tristan was still busy, Felix took out his phone to look at his Instagram. Then, he burst intoughter upon seeing Ysabelle¡¯s Instagram. Tristan only spared him a nce before returning to his work. ¡°Mr. Tristan, say, what is so good about Sophie that even your cute niece say she wants to marry her?¡± ¡°What?¡± Tristan¡¯s interest was only piqued when he heard Sophie¡¯s name. ¡°Look at your Instagram.¡± Tristan then took out his phone and clicked on his Instagram. Right away, he saw Ysabelle¡¯s video, and when he yed it, he realized that it was a recording of Sophie going up against five people. ¡°This girl¡¯s not bad to go up against five at once. She reminds me of myself when I was younger.¡± The ruthlessness on Sophie¡¯s face was simply too cool as she hurled the ball at the other girl. It was no wonder Ysabelle wanted to marry Sophie. On the other hand, Tristan was not admiring Sophie¡¯s performance. She just underwent surgery yesterday, but she¡¯s already undergoing such an intense activity? How careless can she be with her own health? With that thought in mind, Tristan stood up to leave immediately. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a while.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± Sh*t, is he going to just leave me hanging like this? What¡¯s he in a rush for? Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Never Seen Him Before The moment Sophie went out of school, Butterfly called. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Are you at Jipsdale?¡± Butterfly asked. She had not seen Phantom in person ever since the establishment of Wings of Light. Now that she was at Jipsdale, naturally, she wanted to meet the young woman. ¡°Yes.¡± It was not as if Sophie was nning to hide from anyone. ¡°Let¡¯s meet, then!¡± Butterfly excitedly cried out. ¡°Why?¡± Is there a need for us to meet each other?¡± ¡°I want to meet you! I¡¯ve already seen the other members of Wings of Light. You¡¯re the only one left. I doubt you know about this, but everyone¡¯s curious about you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary person.¡± ¡°F*ck, Phantom. You¡¯re telling me that you¡¯re an ordinary person? Phantom who topped the first in the hackers¡¯ ranking is telling me that she¡¯s a normal person. Are you joking?¡± ¡°Butterfly, there¡¯s a reason for me to be at Jipsdale.¡± Once she was done settling those matters, she was going to leave. ¡°What is it? Do you need our help?¡± Butterfly promptly asked with concern. The other members of Wings of Light were all concerned about the youngest but the most impressive member of their organization¡ªPhantom¡ªand Sophie knew that. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can deal with it myself.¡± ¡°Phantom, you have to remember that you¡¯re not alone. You have all of us backing you up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m at Lumen Street. Are you going toe?¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯ll be right there. Send me your location.¡± I¡¯m about to finally meet Phantom. The others must be jealous! Sophie had been staying at a caf¨¦ on Lumen Street, which providedptops to their patrons, ever since she came out of school. She turned on theptop and logged into her email ount before reading her recent emails. One of the emails was from Arius Gullifer. He asked her about when she was going to the international medical association. Sophie replied to the email saying that she had not made up her mind yet. Just as she was done with the emails, Butterfly arrived. The moment she entered the caf¨¦, she spotted Sophie. Even though they had not met before, Butterfly instantly recognized her. ¡°Phantom, it¡¯s me, Butterfly.¡± Butterfly took a seat opposite Sophie. It was then Sophie raised her head to look at the speaker. ¡°Just call me Sophie.¡± After all, it was best to avoid calling her Phantom in reality. ¡°Sophie, how long are you nning to stay at Jipsdale? I have an assignment that I need your help with.¡± ¡°What is it? Can you all not deal with it?¡± Sophie was not nning to take on any assignments for a while. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing. Dr. Yarren¡¯s missing. Do you know Dr. Yarren?¡± ¡°Are you talking about the Dr. Yarren from the Academy of Sciences?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right; that¡¯s him. He has a crucial technology with him right now.¡± ¡°I see. I understand. I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°But the payment for this assignment isn¡¯t high.¡± Or, at least, thirty million was a small sum in comparison with the amount that the majorpanies offered to Sophie to get her to join them. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Hacking was a hobby. Earning money from that hobby was merely an added benefit. ¡°Is that all about work? Say, why have youe to Jipsdale? Do you really not need our help?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t.¡± Right then, Sophie¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Where are you?¡± came Tristan¡¯s voice from the speakers the moment Sophie picked up the call. ¡°I¡¯m at Lumen Street. What¡¯s the matter? Did something happen?¡± Sophie was confused by the call. Does Tristan have that much time on his hands? ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m going toe to you now. Don¡¯t go anywhere.¡± ¡°Who is that?¡± Butterfly curiously asked. ¡°A friend¡¯s uncle,¡± Sophie replied after a moment of thought. ¡°Uncle?¡± Her friend¡¯s uncle shouldn¡¯t be that young. With that thought in mind, she added, ¡°Phantom, you have to be careful. Some older men like young girls like you..¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°What do you know? Forget it. No one will dare to be mean to you with us around. As long as you¡¯re in Jipsdale, you can lord over anyone.¡± ¡°Butterfly, why didn¡¯t I realize that you¡¯re so humorous in the past?¡± Hearing that, Butterfly, who felt that she was too old to be called cute at the age of twenty-five, turned red in the face. ¡°All right, since you have a friend who¡¯sing over, I¡¯ll take my leave first. I¡¯ll send you the details of Dr. Yarren¡¯s matter. You can go right ahead to the state office to look for the police captain.¡± They had to work with the people from the state office as well. ¡°Okay.¡± Not long after Butterfly left, Tristan arrived and sat opposite her. ¡°How are you feeling? Do you want to go to the hospital?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Mr. Tristan, are you really that free?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°It appears that I am. What¡¯s wrong? Is someone bullying you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the bully. Who would dare to tread on my toes?¡± Sophie said, unintentionally showing her true colors. ¡°The doctor has asked you to get proper rest for now, so it¡¯s best that you heed his advice.¡± Tristan had been in a rush toe to her, but the moment he saw her, the sense of urgency dissipated. He then ordered a cup of coffee. ¡°How are you in Jipsdale Premier High? Fitting in fine?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Sophie waspletely unperturbed by Queenie and her gang. Hearing that, Tristan turned on aptop, about to work from there. Both were attractive people¡ªone carried an air of elegance, while the other was a beautiful young woman. Their presence in the small caf¨¦ caught the attention of many. Tristan did not deliberately try to continue the conversation. Instead, he would chat with her a little once in a while, and somehow, his words enticed her. Sophie did not mind Tristan staying by her side. After a round of her game, her phone rang. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Grandpa?¡± ¡°Soph! Can youe home for dinner tonight? Didn¡¯t you promise me that you¡¯lle back once a week?¡± Josiah was rather upset that, even though he had gotten her back from Horington, he still rarely saw her. ¡°Tonight?¡± ¡°What is it? Can¡¯t you even have a meal with your grandpa?¡± ¡°All right. I¡¯lle home tonight.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better.¡± Josiah then told her a few reminders before ending the call. ¡°Who was it?¡± Tristan was curious. It was his first time seeing her so meek. ¡°My grandpa,¡± was all she said. She did not wish to say anything else to him, for she did not want anyone to intervene in the Tanner family¡¯s affairs. Sophie then began packing her things. The Tanner residence in Jipsdale was a distance away from the caf¨¦, and the drive there would take over an hour. ¡°Let me send you there,¡± Tristan offered. Sophie did not reject him and left the caf¨¦ with him. That day, Tristan was driving a silver Lamborghini. The figure of the car was particrly smooth, and its mere presence was attracting the attention of many passersby. When those passersby realized that the owner of the car was an extremely handsome man, some women felt the urge to approach him. Unfortunately, the look on Tristan¡¯s face was extremely stern so no one dared to actuallye close to him. Tristan then opened the door to the front passenger seat for Sophie. Once she was inside, he closed the door for her. In other words, he was a perfect gentleman. That made the women around the car turned green with envy. ¡°If only I was that woman!¡± one said wistfully. ¡°Did you look at yourself in the mirror? She¡¯s young and pretty!¡± another retorted, thinking, There are few in Jipsdale who can be a match for her! Meanwhile, Willow, who was shopping with her friends, noticed themotion. Why haven¡¯t I seen this man before? Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Transfer Of Shares Louisa threw a nce at Willow who was in a daze. ¡°Willow, isn¡¯t that your sister? She¡¯s more of a troublemaker than she was five years ago!¡± ¡°Yea.¡± Willow felt lousy. Since they were children, it had always been like that. People always praised Sophie for her beauty. As for her, she would only be Sophie¡¯s essory. Louisa became interested. ¡°Who is that man she¡¯s with? He¡¯s so handsome.¡± ¡°I have no idea.¡± Willow also wanted to know the identity of that man and how he was rted to Sophie. It was Willow¡¯s goal to marry into a wealthy family, but she did not want her younger sister to surpass her in that aspect. ¡°I¡¯ll go back home now. My driver is still waiting for me.¡± After bidding Louisa goodbye, Willow got into the Mercedes-Benz. However, with the thought of Sophie sitting in the Lamborghini that cost a few million, Willow felt depressed. Other than having a pretty face, there was nothing so great about Sophie! Willow was better than her younger sister in every aspect except for her looks, and she felt extremely inferior. Once they had arrived at their destination, Tristan asked Sophie, ¡°Will you be going back to Wisteria Apartments tonight?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She disliked staying at the Tanner residence. The only reason she agreed toe for dinner was because of her grandpa. ¡°Once you are done, let me know. I¡¯lle and pick you up.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. I can go back on my own.¡± ¡°Enough. Go on in!¡± Tristan refused to hear any more of it. Sophie had no choice but to nod in agreement. She knew Tristan did it out of concern, and to be honest, she did not mind being near him. Tristan drove off in the silver Lamborghini. On the way to the Tanner residence, Willow saw the Lamborghini and quickly wound down her window to catch a glimpse of the man driving it. However, the car windows of the Lamborghini were tinted for privacy, so she failed to see anything. Once the ck Mercedes-Benz arrived at the Tanner residence, Willow got out of the car and saw Sophie outside the house too. ¡°Who was that man just now?¡± Sophie could not be bothered with Willow. The moment the housekeeper heard the voices, she opened the door. Sophie walked in immediately. Seeing that Sophie was giving her cold shoulders, Willow was furious. ¡°Sophie, what kind of attitude is that? I¡¯m your older sister, and I don¡¯t want you to get cheated on by others. Nowadays, there are many men who rent luxurious cars in an attempt to fool young girls. Don¡¯t fall for it.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, but I can take care of myself.¡± If that advice hade from someone else, Sophie might have believed them. Since it came from Willow, it meant nothing but a joke to her. Willow was the only person in the whole world who wished her ill. As the two sisters entered the house, they saw that Josiah was already downstairs. Their dad had also just returned home. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re back.¡± When Willow saw her father, she got emotional and rushed up to embrace him. ¡°Dad, I missed you so much.¡± Yale returned the hug. ¡°How is your study? You must work hard now that the university entrance exam ising soon.¡± ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry! I¡¯m always one of the top five students in my level. I will certainly get into Jipsdale University.¡± Knowing that her father preferred intelligent children, Willow had always been very hardworking. Obviously, Yale noticed Sophie too, but she had been a disgrace to him five years ago. He was truly unhappy to see her. ¡°What are you doing back here? Haven¡¯t you humiliated yourself enough?¡± Yale was a doting and loving father to Willow. On the contrary, he was extremely harsh with Sophie and treated her with disdain. Josiah roared in anger, ¡°I¡¯m the one who allowed Soph toe here. What¡¯s wrong? Do I have no say in this family?¡± He could not believe the way they treated Sophie when he was still alive. Imagine when I am dead and gone! Sophie walked up to Josiah and rubbed his back to calm him down. ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t be angry. It isn¡¯t good for your health.¡± ¡°Dad, I know you have spoiled her since she was young. But, this time, she has really made a mistake.¡± ¡°So what? Yale, have you never ever done anything wrong before in your life?¡± Yale was dumbfounded. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t be upset. Grandpa loves Soph very much. That¡¯s all,¡± said Willow thoughtfully. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s eat.¡± There was nothing Yale could do when it came to his father. ¡°Soph,e and sit next to me.¡± With that, Josiah immediately pulled Sophie to the seat next to him. Yale, Willow, and Charmaine also sat down. The family began to have their dinner in silence. Everyone was unhappy about something. The atmosphere was nowhere cordial. Nearing the end of the dinner, Josiah spoke up. ¡°I have asked Soph toe here today, but it isn¡¯t only to have dinner.¡± The other three eyed Josiah with interest. Only Sophie was nonchnt. ¡°I still own twenty percent of the shares of Tanner Group. I intend to give it all to Soph so that she will be taken care of as well.¡± ¡°Dad, what are you talking about? How can you give your shares to Sophie?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Dad! Soph is still young. If she sells the shares that you give to her, that will be bad for Tanner Group.¡± Willow did not expect Josiah to give all of his shares to Sophie. ¡°Grandpa, please don¡¯t be impulsive.¡± I¡¯m also his granddaughter. Why doesn¡¯t he give me anything? Why does Grandpa always favor Sophie since we were young? Haven¡¯t I done enough over the years? I have worked so hard to be a socialite just to please him. But, the moment Sophie appears, everything is as just before. Nothing has changed. Why? Josiah was genuinely upset. ¡°The shares belong to me, and I can give them to whoever I want. It breaks my heart to see the way all of you treat Soph.¡± ¡°Dad, the shares of Tanner Group are important and shouldn¡¯t be treated like child¡¯s y.¡± Yale still disagreed with his father¡¯s decision. ¡°Soph, say something!¡± Charmaine turned her attention onto Sophie. As long as Sophie refused to ept the shares, there was nothing Josiah could do about it. ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± ¡°Did you say something to your grandpa? Do you know how to run apany? What¡¯s the point of you owning any shares?¡± Charmaine was outraged that Sophie was fighting for power and money at such a young age. ¡°Sophie, back then, you were the one who shamed the Tanner family. How dare you still have the cheek to demand the shares of Tanner Group?¡± Yale could not bear to give those twenty percent of shares to his younger daughter. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Sophie sneered. That was how scared they were of her owning those shares. Am I still part of the family as far as they are concerned? They guard me as if they are guarding against an enemy. ¡°Well, initially, I have no intention of taking any share of Tanner Group. But since all of you don¡¯t want me to have them, I will ept the shares. Grandpa, thank you.¡± Her words infuriated Yale and Charmaine to the extreme. However, Sophie did not even bother to look at them at all. ¡°I¡¯ll get thewyer to handle this next Monday. You shoulde by the house too. I¡¯ll get the driver to send you back now.¡± Knowing that Sophie did not like to be there, Josiah had no wish to force her to stay on. She must be very disappointed with this family! ¡°Grandpa, I can go back on my own. You have better take an early rest.¡± Sophie then got up. She refused to have any eye contact with the other three. Josiah also made his way upstairs. How did the family be like this? ¡°Dad, Grandpa meant what he said, didn¡¯t he?¡± Willow was in disbelief. ¡°Concentrate and do well in your studies. I have already paved the way for you. Once Mason from the Laird family is back, you have better put on a good show.¡± Yale could only rely on Willow right now. Sophie¡¯s reputation was beyond salvation. There was no way to help her. As for Willow, Yale must make sure that she got into high society so that the Tanner family could enjoy a more esteemed status. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Tanner residence, she nned to call for a car to go back. Before she could reach the main gate, she saw the silver Lamborghini. Sophie stopped whatever she was doing and walked out. The moment Tristan saw her, he got out from the car and opened the door for her to get in. Willow had gone back to her room and nned to have a bath when she saw the Lamborghini that had sent Sophie there. She immediately rushed to the window in the hope to catch a glimpse of that mysterious man. In the end, she saw the man get out of the car, opened the door for Sophie, and even shielded her head for fear that she might hit herself when she was getting into the car. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. That made Willow really mad with anger and hatred. Hmph! Sophie can always get whatever she wants. No decent man will treat Sophie so well. In the entire Jipsdale, every one of the wealthy families knows about Sophie¡¯s reputation. With that thought in mind, Willow could not help but chuckle. ¡°Sophie, I want to see how long you are going to get away with it.¡± The thought of Josiah giving Sophie his portion of shares enraged Willow. She had to ensure those shares did notnd in Sophie¡¯s possession. After closing the door for Sophie, Tristan then walked back to the other side of the car. ¡°Didn¡¯t you go back?¡± If he had, he would not have shown up there without her having to phone him. ¡°I did go out for a while.¡± Sophie leaned back on the seat and shut her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you not feeling well?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Her grievances with the Tanner family had toe to an end eventually. ¡°If you¡¯re tired, take a nap. Once we have arrived, I¡¯ll wake you up.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sophie had no idea why, but she always felt more rxed with Tristan by her side. At first, she only intended to close her eyes for a short while. She ended up falling into a deep sleep. The silver Lamborghini drove slowly into the residential area where Wisteria Apartments was located and went into the parking lot. Looking at Sophie who was deep in her sleep, Tristan did not wake her up. She looked so peaceful and lovely like an angel. It made him want to be by her side and protect her just so that she could have a good dream. By the time Sophie woke up, it was already eleven at night. She could not believe that she had been sleeping in the car for two hours. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw that gorgeous face of Tristan. It made her feel like she was still dreaming. ¡°Mr. Tristan, is this your way of wooing me?¡± The instant Tristan heard her question, he turned and looked at her. The way she looked after waking up was so tantalizing. Tristan reached out to pinch that baby face of hers lightly. It was such an innocent move, buting from Tristan, it was so alluring that it made her heart skip a beat. ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m pursuing you. Can you feel it?¡± After hearing the affirmative answer, Sophie eyed him in disbelief. ¡°Why?¡± Who is he? He¡¯s Tristan, the number one boss in the whole of Jipsdale. One word from him and anything will be done. That¡¯s how powerful and influential he is. ¡°I¡¯m following my heart.¡± Sophie was dumbfounded. She felt that she had fallen for Tristan¡¯s charms. One sweet sentence from him was sufficient to make thousands of girls fall to their knees. Furthermore, Tristan was particrly affectionate at that moment. There was no way Sophie could carry on with her questions. Instead, she opened the car door and got out. Tristan did the same and walked her back to Wisteria Apartments. After opening the door, Sophie stood there with no intention of inviting him in. ¡°Goodbye.¡± Later on, when Sophie was lying on the bed, she recalled Tristan saying that he was following his heart. Since the time when they first knew one another, Tristan had always been a gentleman and treated her very well. He was always by her side when she underwent minor appendix surgery. Sophie was no fool. She was aware of his feelings for her. However, she was nevertheless shaken to the core when she heard him confess earlier on. The next day, Sophie realized something was amiss when she arrived at school. Someone was up to no good. All of the students of Jipsdale Premier High were gossiping about her. Ysabelle had been waiting for her at the entrance of the school. The moment she saw Sophie, she ran up to her. ¡°Soph, Cyro is here again.¡± ¡°I thought he has already broken up with Queenie?¡± ¡°Cyro has overestimated himself. I can¡¯t believe he wants to pursue you. He should look into the mirror first before doing that.¡± As far as Ysabelle was concerned, thosemoners were no longer good enough for Sophie. The instant Sophie walked into the school, Cyro came over in a hurry. He took out the title deed of his house, bank cards, and bank books. ¡°Sophie, I¡¯m serious about you. If you agree, all these will belong to you.¡± ¡°Cyro, what on earth are you doing?¡± Ysabelle could not help butugh at him. He was being too dramatic. Queenie had alsoe over when she heard that Cyro was there. Unfortunately, that was what she witnessed. ¡°Sophie, what do you want me to do so that you will ept me?¡± Cyro was not interested in anyone else other than Sophie, and he kept his burning gaze on her. ¡°Move aside.¡± Sophie was not in the least bit interested in his act. Cyro reached out to grab hold of Sophie¡¯s wrist. Sophie had never liked to be touched. Right now, her eyes narrowed with a glint of danger. ¡°Do you still want to keep your hand?¡± Cyro still smiled at Sophie thinking that no one could resist his charms. He truly believed that it was only a matter of time that Sophie would fall for him. ¡°Sophie, be with me! I will give you everything you want.¡± Sophie had already lost her patience. With a twist of her hand, she heard an agonizing cry from Cyro and saw his hand dangling there. It appeared that his hand had been dislocated. ¡°I have warned you before not to touch me.¡± Without checking on Cyro who was about to pass out from the pain, Sophie stepped on his documents before walking away. Ysabelle was in awe. After seeing Sophie¡¯s move, she wanted so much to scream. Right there and then, she became Sophie¡¯s biggest fan. No matter what Sophie did, Ysabelle found it awe-inspiring. ¡°Queenie, let¡¯s go! Cyro is just a scumbag. He deserves what he gets.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Queenie, let¡¯s go! ss is about to start.¡± Queenie shook her head. She was both disappointed and heartbroken to see Cyro in that state. She still yearned to be with him and knew that he was only temporarily obsessed with Sophie. Queenie walked up to Cyro. ¡°Cyro, are you all right? Let me send you to the hospital.¡± Sophie has been so vicious. However, Cyro frowned when he saw that it was Queenie. ¡°Queenie, stay away from me. I don¡¯t want Sophie to have any misunderstanding about us.¡± ¡°Cyro¡­¡± Queenie could not believe what she had just heard. Sophie had treated Cyro so badly. Yet, he still refused to give up. ¡°Queenie, I¡¯m sorry. But, I think I have met my true love.¡± It did not matter to him what Sophie had done. All he wanted was to be with her. ¡°True love? If she¡¯s your true love, what am I to you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only normal for people to meet the wrong ones before they meet their true loves.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a mistake¡­¡± Queenieughed out loud in exasperation. ¡°Cyro, you will never get what you want. A sl*t like Sophie-¡± The moment she insulted Sophie, Cyro gave Queenie a tight p across her face. ¡°Don¡¯t let me hear you insult her ever again.¡± Queenie broke down in tears. She was utterly heartbroken. If Sophie hasn¡¯t returned and met Cyro, if she has just disappeared, won¡¯t everything be different? Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Queenie had this strong urge to ruin Sophie¡¯s lifepletely; nothing could make that idea vanish from her head. She wanted Sophie to meet a fate worse than death, and she would make Cyro see thetter¡¯s true color. Queenie phoned her elder cousin, who was involved in the underworld. ¡°Hey, you¡¯ve always fancied Sophie, right? She¡¯s back.¡± When it was time for physics ss, Carrie, their teacher, mmed the pile of test papers on the table the moment she entered the ssroom. ¡°What is going on with this ss? The questions are so simple, yet your answers are absolutely absurd! Out of all thirty sses in this grade, this ss is at the very bottom!¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s to be expected, Mrs. Fletcher, given somebody here got a zero,¡±mented Queenie coldly. At her words, Carrie red at Sophie. Her eyes became increasingly malicious. ¡°Sophie, you can be a failure all you want, but don¡¯t bring other people with you.¡± Raising her head, Sophie retorted, ¡°I¡¯ve never disturbed you while you¡¯re teaching, have I, Mrs. Fletcher?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? Are you expecting a thank you from me?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°People like you are useless to society. I don¡¯t even know why you exist in this world.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re too much, Mrs. Fletcher?¡± uttered Ysabelle, as she could not stand it any longer. ¡°Do people with bad grades deserve to be insulted like this? As a teacher, you¡¯re supposed to have morals.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t that good either, Ysabelle. Look at your grade. It¡¯s trash.¡± Carrie could not control her emotion. She had a fight with her husband at home, and she vented her anger out on her students. Hearing what she said, Ysabelle was enraged. ¡°You¡ª¡± ¡°If we manage to get good grades, would you apologize?¡± questioned Sophie icily. ¡°You? Good grades?¡± An outcast like you? ¡°I hope you¡¯ll apologize to the whole ss after the monthly test, Mrs. Fletcher.¡± ¡°Fine. I don¡¯t expect much. I¡¯ll apologize as long as you pass this subject, but if you don¡¯t, leave the school. Don¡¯t be a drag to everyone else.¡± Carrie had no faith that Sophie would pass at all. Even so, Sophie ignored her. I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s such a teacher in high school. After the ss, Ysabelle worriedly ran to Sophie and sat beside her. ¡°Soph, you were so impulsive. Physics is tough.¡± Although she was serious about her studies, physics was just too difficult a subject. Moreover, Sophie had never paid attention in ss before, so how could she pass? ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± After the incident, Sophie listened to the lectures mindlessly, but at least she never dozed off. ¡°Does Sophie think she¡¯s a genius or something? How would a failure like her be a top student?¡± ¡°She¡¯s overestimating herself. It¡¯s only a matter of time till it backfires on her.¡± ¡°Yeah, and she even provoked Carrie. She¡¯s doomed.¡± Everyone in the ss disliked Carrie, for she was too emotional¡ªshe was always in a bad mood with the ss for no reason at all. However, they also scorned Sophie, although she never did anything to them. It was just that she was too beautiful for their liking. When it was half-past six, Ysabelle returned to the school to self-study. Arriving at the school entrance, she spotted the pale Queenie crouching there. Initially, Ysabelle wanted to ignore her, but Queenie seemed to be in pain, so she retreated. ¡°Are you all right, Queenie?¡± ¡°My tummy hurts, Ysabelle. Please take me to the hospital.¡± Seeing the state Queenie was in, Ysabelle helped her. As she did not make an appearance in the ss until seven o¡¯clock, Sophie went out and dialed her number. ¡°Where are you, Ysabelle? Why aren¡¯t you here yet?¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hello, Sophie. It¡¯s me. If you want nothing to happen to Ysabelle,e over here immediately.¡± Upon hearing Queenie¡¯s voice, Sophie frowned. ¡°Queenie, I swear, if there¡¯s even a scratch found on Ysabelle, I will beat you to death.¡± Not replying to that, Queenie only sneered. Now that I have Ysabelle, she¡¯d better watch her attitude. ¡°Come alone. If you dare call the police, I¡¯ll ruin Ysabelle¡¯s face.¡± With that, Queenie hung up and sent an address to Sophie using Ysabelle¡¯s phone. ¡°Queenie, do you know who I am? How dare you kidnap me!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t me me for doing this, Ysabelle. me Sophie instead. If it weren¡¯t for her, you wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re f*cking ill, Queenie!¡± I seriously wish I could p this b*tch! Not wanting to hear Ysabelle¡¯s nonsense any longer, Queenie ordered, ¡°Tape her mouth.¡± Right after her words fell, a thug came forward from behind and taped Ysabelle¡¯s mouth with duct tape, which enraged thetter even more. D*mn it! I¡¯m going to teach these thugs a lesson! ¡°Queenie, will Sophie reallye here?¡± asked Harvey Lane, Queenie¡¯s cousin. He had fancied Sophie in the past. Even after years passed by, he still could not forget about Sophie. ¡°Yes, she¡¯ll definitelye.¡± Harvey¡¯s involved in the underworld. There¡¯s no way Sophie can escape tonight. Just then, Sophie arrived. They were at an abandoned factory. Once she opened the door, she immediately spotted Queenie and the others. Sweeping her gaze around the surrounding, she then noticed Ysabelle tied to a chair. With a tight frown, Sophie approached Queenie step by step. ¡°How dare you, Queenie!¡± Queenie merely scoffed, unaware of what was toe. ¡°Let her go.¡± ¡°Let her go? Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know what you¡¯re doing is against thew, Queenie?¡± ¡°Stop trying to scare me, Sophie. I¡¯m not frightened. Harvey, you¡¯ve liked her for a long time, so go tie her up. She¡¯s all yours tonight.¡± Harvey stared at Sophie. It¡¯s been five years, and she¡¯s even more attractive. I can¡¯t look away. Sophie was also staring at him. In awe, Harvey asked, ¡°Sophie, do you remember me?¡± ¡°Tie her up, Harvey,¡± uttered Queenie impatiently. No matter what, I have to teach this ignorant woman a lesson tonight. With the way Harvey was staring at her, Sophie could not help but smile. ¡°You like me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± replied Harvey, not trying to hide his feelings at all. ¡°Then help me tie Queenie up.¡± ¡°What?¡± Harvey asked in uncertainty. ¡°You said you like me, right? So help me tie Queenie up. What? You can¡¯t even do something as small as this for me? Are you sure you like me?¡± Sophie sounded nonchnt, but it was exactly this attitude, coupled with her godly appearance, that made people attracted to her. She was like a witch. Seeing Harvey remaining motionless, Queenie began to panic. ¡°What are you waiting for, Harvey? Don¡¯t you want her?¡± ¡°This is your so-called ¡®like¡¯? Forget it. Many people like me, anyway. What¡¯s the point of dwelling on this matter with you for this long?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her, Harvey.¡± Queenie was panicking by now. How can Sophie remain like this even at such a moment? There¡¯s not even a trace of worry on her face. I have to tear down her facade. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Addicted Taking the rope, Harvey approached Queenie. ¡°What are you doing, Harvey?¡± Queenie never thought Harvey would tie her up for real. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to Sophie. We¡¯re rted!¡± ¡°We¡¯re merely cousins,¡± responded Harvey coldly. ¡°Harvey.¡± I didn¡¯t expect he¡¯d listen to Sophie. Just like that, Queenie was tied to a chair. ¡°Let me go, Harvey! Hurry and let me go!¡± As her voice annoyed him, Harvey pped her. ¡°Shut up.¡± Queenie stared at her cousin in disbelief. Is he out of his mind? Turning around, Harvey stared at Sophie nervously. ¡°I really like you, Sophie. I¡¯ll listen to everything you say, as long as we can be together. If Queenie dares to hurt you, I¡¯ll beat her up for you.¡± Harvey immediately pledged his loyalty to Sophie. ¡°Release my friend,¡± demanded Sophie in an icy tone. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Harvey questioned his subordinate. Heeding his order, the subordinate instantly did as told. Ysabelle did not expect Sophie woulde to her rescue alone, and it moved her to tears. Why is Soph so charming? Once she was released, Ysabelle ran to Sophie. ¡°Soph!¡± Scanning Ysabelle all over, Sophie noticed the former¡¯s red cheek. ¡°Who did this?¡± Upon hearing her question, Harvey¡¯s subordinate shuddered. Even Boss listens to what she says. She¡¯s scary. Sophie need not see anything else to know he was the one who did that to Ysabelle. Slowly, she approached the tall man. ¡°Which hand?¡± Frightened by the eighteen-year-old girl, the thug took a step back. ¡°Not saying anything, huh? I¡¯ll break both hands, then.¡± Without saying anything else, Sophie immediately went into action, sessfully breaking the man¡¯s hands. Her movement was fast and precise. Having just had his hands crippled, the man rolled on the ground in pain. As the others witnessed the scene, they all went pale as a ghost. Even after what happened to his subordinate, Harvey was still smiling as if nothing had transpired. ¡°I came here to see you, Sophie. Now that you¡¯ve vented your anger, you¡¯re not mad anymore, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re with them, aren¡¯t you?¡± Sophie disregarded him, unwilling to let the thugs go just like that. Harvey¡¯s expression changed at her words. ¡°I¡¯m being nice to you, Sophie. Don¡¯t waste it.¡± Ignoring Harvey¡¯s nonsense, Sophie kicked the man¡¯s stomach, making himnd on the floor. ¡°How does a weakling like you have the confidence to join the underworld? Don¡¯t you find it embarrassing?¡± ¡°Grab her! If I don¡¯t teach her a lesson today, she¡¯ll think¡ª¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Sophie delivered another kick to his face. The impact was so hard that Harvey vomited blood, and two of his teeth fell out. Seeing that, his subordinates immediately fled. That girl is not a human! She¡¯s a demon straight from hell! Meanwhile, Queenie had the shock of her life as she watched everything from the side. Since when did Sophie be this impressive? Queenie wanted to step back upon seeing Sophie walking toward her. However, she could not move even an inch, as she was tied to a chair. Patting Queenie¡¯s cheek, Sophie uttered, ¡°Haven¡¯t I warned you before, Queenie?¡± ¡°What are you trying to do, Sophie? Killing is a crime!¡± At her words, Sophie could not help but let out a chuckle. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°What are youughing for?¡± At this point, Queenie panicked even more. ¡°Killing? Why would I dirty my hands just for you?¡± Suddenly, Sophie punched Queenie¡¯s nose, breaking thetter¡¯s nasal bone. Queenie had spent so much to get her nose done. ¡°Sophie¡ª¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a next time, I¡¯ll not be this easy on you.¡± With that, Sophie turned and sauntered toward Ysabelle. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Ysabelle nodded. Seeing the two on their way to leave the factory, Queenie bellowed in panic, ¡°Sophie, let me go!¡± She was in the wilderness. There was no way she would want to be alone here. As if she did not hear Queenie, Sophie did not look back as she left the rundown factory. Scared, Queenie bawled her eyes. Who¡¯s going to save me? Ysabelle twisted her ankle on the way to the factory earlier, so she was limping now. Noticing that, Sophie held her. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± reassured Ysabelle, not wanting her friend to worry. However, Sophie carried her up instead, which stunned Ysabelle. She¡¯s so strong! ¡°Can I marry you, Soph? I want to marry you.¡± ¡°Stop it. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡± Noticing that Sophie was not in the mood to joke around, Ysabelle stuck her tongue out. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Soph. Really. I only just got pped and twisted my ankle.¡± Despite what she said, Sophie did not listen to her as they continued their journey to the hospital. Upon arriving at the hospital, Ysabelle gave Tristan a call. ¡°Uncle Tristan, I¡¯m noting home tonight. I¡¯m at the hospital. If Grandpa asks for me, can you tell him I¡¯m with you?¡± The hospital again¡­ Tristan was having a dinner appointment when he received Ysabelle¡¯s call. Immediately, he drove to the hospital. Once he saw Ysabelle¡¯s swollen cheek, Tristan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°What happened?¡± Who is daring enough to do this to a Lombard? Ysabelle then ryed everything that had happened to Tristan. ¡°You have no idea how charming Sophie is, Uncle Tristan,¡± praised Ysabelle. At that, Tristan¡¯s face dimmed even more. When they were alone, Tristan blocked Sophie and pinned her against the wall. Raising her head, Sophie met the man¡¯s angry eyes. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± ¡°Because I could handle it.¡± They¡¯re mere thugs, anyway. To me, they¡¯re nothing. Upon hearing that, Tristan felt helpless. Seriously, this girl will melt anyone¡¯s heart. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°No.¡± Tristan pulled her into his embrace. Although he knew she was fine and that she was skilled in fighting, he was still worried. ¡°If you encounter anything like that again, tell me, okay?¡± Tristan¡¯s deep voice sounded sexy and enticing. The man tightened his hold around her. Sophie noticed how easy it was for him to put her in a daze, especially with that aura of his. ¡°Did you hear me? I want to be your backup.¡± ¡°Tristan¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Can you let go of me?¡± She felt suffocated, and his action also made her feel a bit embarrassed. Pleased with her expression, the man ced a kiss on her forehead before easing up his grip on her. He never nned to release her, though. Now that she was this close to him, Tristan realized how addicted he was to her¡ªhe could not bring himself to let go of her at all. ¡°You haven¡¯t answered me yet.¡± ¡°Tristan, I¡¯m not the kind of girl you think I am.¡± ¡°Which kind?¡± ¡°The kind that¡ª¡± ¡°You are you. I don¡¯tbel you with anything. You can do whatever you want, and I won¡¯t force you to join Lombard Group if you don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take it slow with you, but now, let me hold on to you for a little longer.¡± Having no reason to reject him, Sophie gently leaned into his embrace. He¡¯s so warm¡­ I¡¯m addicted. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Lodging A Report Given Ysabelle could not return home due to her condition, Tristan sent both the girls to Wisteria Apartments. As Ysabelle could spend more time with Sophie, she was immensely delighted. Even though she was drained, she happily rolled around in her bed until she finally fell asleep. ¡°Let me handle Queenie,¡± uttered Tristan. ¡°How?¡± He made it sound like he was dealing with the trash. ¡°You don¡¯t have to concern yourself with that.¡± I¡¯ll also deal with those thugs, lest they trouble her again in the future. ¡°You can handle the thugs, but let me deal with Queenie. I¡¯m the one she has a problem with.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t interfere in girls¡¯ problems, Mr. Tristan. Don¡¯t you have faith that I can handle it?¡± ¡°Of course I have.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go to bed, then.¡± When Sophie was about to go to her bedroom, Tristan stopped her. ¡°If things don¡¯t go well. Let me know. I don¡¯t want what happened today to repeat.¡± ¡°It will go well.¡± It was not until the next morning that someone from the nearby residential area noticed Queenie. Once she spotted a person, Queenie burst into tears. A woman in her fifties eximed, ¡°Goodness! Why are you tied up here?¡± The woman quickly untied Queenie. ¡°Let me take you to the hospital, youngdy.¡± ¡°No need. Take me to the police station instead. I want to lodge a report,¡± replied Queenie,pletely forgetting who kidnapped who first. In the meantime, Tristan did not allow Ysabelle to go to school because of her injury. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Uncle Tristan. With Sophie by my side, no one would dare bully me.¡± I¡¯ll be happy to have Sophie with me. ¡°Your leg¡¯s injured, Ysabelle. It¡¯s better for you to stay at home.¡± ¡°All right, then.¡± Her answer made Tristan frown. Since when is she this obedient? Also, why is she looking at Sophie like that? It isn¡¯t normal. ¡°Sophie is a girl, Ysabelle. Keep that in mind.¡± ¡°I know that!¡± Ysabelle stared at her uncle strangely. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Just then, Sophie cleared her throat and took her bag, ready to go to school. ¡°Rest well. Someone will be here and make breakfast for you shortly,¡± said Tristan. ¡°Why am I home alone?¡± Ysabelleined grumpily, only to be ignored by her uncle. In no time, Tristan caught up with Sophie. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you to school.¡± ¡°No need. I¡¯ll just have breakfast outside and walk to school after that.¡± It¡¯s just a few minutes¡¯ journey. I don¡¯t need him to drive me. ¡°Then let¡¯s have breakfast together!¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± I¡¯m going to a nearby simple outlet. Is he even used to such food? ¡°Yup.¡± Of course I¡¯m sure. I still have time. After they entered a clean breakfast outlet, Sophie told him she wanted a bagel and a cup of coffee. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Same as you.¡± Hence, Sophie ended up ordering two sets of her order. By the time she returned, Tristan had already used tissue papers to wipe the chair and table for her. Seeing that, Sophie could not help but smile. Huh, I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d do this for anyone. When their orders were served shortly after, Sophie dipped her bagel in the coffee. She liked to eat it this way. Tristan then mirrored her action. ¡°Try it. I like to eat like this.¡± Tristan gave it a try. It¡¯s quite good. ¡°It¡¯s yummy.¡± ¡°Good to hear that.¡± After breakfast, Tristan drove Sophie to the school before heading toward Lombard Group. Early in the morning, Felix was asked to go to thepany through a phone call. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mr. Tristan? It¡¯s only eight.¡± ¡°Have you ever heard of Sage Dragon Gang?¡± ¡°Sage Dragon Gang?¡± Felix thought hard about it, but the name did not ring a bell. ¡°No. Is it famous?¡± ¡°I want it destroyed.¡± ¡°Why? Did the members offend you?¡± What kind of idiots would dare to offend Mr. Tristan? All Tristan did was give Felix a look for thetter to nod in understanding. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll handle them.¡± It¡¯s just a gang. Destroying it is but a mere game for me. Meanwhile, Harvey ran to the Sage Dragon Gang¡¯s ce early in the morning. That darned Sophie. How dare she beat me to this point? I¡¯ll never let her off the hook. Harvey nned to ask his master, who was a skilled fighter, to teach Sophie a lesson. I¡¯ll make sure she beg for mercy. As soon as he opened the door, the sight of the members kneeling on the ground greeted him, which stunned him. What the hell is going on? Who did they offend? He wanted to retreat in secret, but the main door had been closed. ¡°Are you Harvey?¡± Scared, Harvey replied, ¡°No.¡± ¡°He is,¡± intervened Harvey¡¯s master. Harvey was about to flee when somebody kicked him, resulting in him kneeling on the floor. ¡°You¡¯re bold, aren¡¯t you? How dare you kidnap ourdy?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± He was not even given a chance to talk when he was immediately beaten to a pulp. ¡°From now on, Sage Dragon Gang is no more. If I hear of this gang involved in anything else, I¡¯ll blow your ce to pieces,¡± uttered Felix in a cold tone. Normally, there was no need for him to get entangled in such a trivial matter in person, but since he had been bored out of his mind recently, he did. With that, he left with his men. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± After they left, the gang leader of Sage Dragon Gang red at Harvey, obviously furious. ¡°Harvey, you scum! Beat him!¡± At his order, Harvey received another round of beating from the other members; his master was no exception. In the end, Harvey had to crawl back home. D*mn it! This must be Sophie¡¯s doing. Who the hell is backing her up? Why is she so powerful? On the other side, Queenie arrived at the police station. ¡°Officer, I want to lodge a report, and I want to have my injury checked.¡± I¡¯ll make sure Sophie is expel from school this time. Seeing her in that state, the officer immediately took her to the hospital to have her injury examined for forensic purposes. They came out with the result of her having a broken nose. ¡°You have to help me, officer. My life is in danger,¡± Queenie sobbed. ¡°Come with us to give your statement, Miss. Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll definitely help you.¡± Whoever did this to her must be held ountable. Back at the police station, Queenie turned on the waterworks and recounted Sophie¡¯s evil deeds in great detail while watching the officer jot the situation. ¡°I¡¯m so scared, officer. I don¡¯t want to go back to school.¡± ¡°Worry not, Ms. Lane. We¡¯ll bring Sophie here today. You¡¯ll hear from us in no time.¡± When the police officers arrived at the school, they were in the middle of physics ss. Upon seeing the officers, Carrie was momentarily stunned. ¡°Can I help you?¡± queried Carrie politely. ¡°Yes, can you call Sophie out here?¡± ¡°Sophie? See, I knew this school shouldn¡¯t have epted a student like her. Even the police are here now.¡± Since Carrie was loud, the whole ss heard her. The students in the ss started murmuring among themselves. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°No idea.¡± ¡°Sophie is truly so problematic!¡± ¡°Come out here, Sophie!¡± Carrie bellowed. It¡¯s so embarrassing to have a student like her. ¡°Seriously, what¡¯s going on with you, Sophie? Not only do you have a bad grade, but you always cause trouble,¡± Carrie scolded. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Evidence ¡°Ma¡¯am, we¡¯re just going to bring her in for questioning.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary. All she does is cause problems.¡± I really can¡¯t stand Sophie. ¡°You should go back to the ss, Mrs. Fletcher,¡± uttered Sophie coldly. She¡¯s not even qualified to be a teacher. As she followed the police officers downstairs, Willow was coincidentally ascending the stairs, but Sophie did not even bother to nce at her. However, Willow halted her steps, a frown on her face. ¡°Just what exactly did Sophie do that the police are here for her?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± Willow could not bear to listen to the students¡¯ gossips. If the news of Sophie being arrested spread around, will Grandpa still give her the shares? Bearing that thought in mind, she quickly gave Charmaine a call. ¡°Mom, the police took Sophie in from the school. I don¡¯t know for what. Just wanted to inform you in case you and Grandpa want to check on her.¡± On the other side, Charmaine was enraged after she received the news. That darned Sophie! Why didn¡¯t she just die in Horington! Is it not enough for her to embarrass us five years ago? Why is she still causing trouble! Josiah seemed to take notice of her fury as he queried, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Dad, Sophie is arrested. I don¡¯t know what happened, but I¡¯ll go to the police station now.¡± No matter what, she¡¯s still a Tanner. I can¡¯t neglect her. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. I¡¯ll go check on her.¡± ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± On the flip side, Sophie could not help but sneer upon noticing Queenie at the police station. Hmm. How dare she continue with her act here? Seems like what I did to her is not enough. ¡°Do you know who she is?¡± asked an officer to Sophie. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Have a look at this statement. Do you have anything to say regarding Ms. Queenie¡¯s charges?¡± Queenie smirked. Let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll remain smug this time, Sophie. ncing at Queenie, Sophie still seemed smug. ¡°Yes,¡± thetter responded nonchntly. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I am indeed the one who broke her nose.¡± Just as she said that, Charmaine walked in, and thetter was infuriated. ¡°Sophie, I shouldn¡¯t have let you return to Jipsdale!¡± she hollered. Why do I have a daughter like her? All she does is get into trouble! At this time, Queenie¡¯s mother also arrived. Since the Lane family had some sort of business in Jipsdale, Queenie¡¯s mother could not bear to see her daughter in this state. ¡°Why are you so evil at such a young age? What did my Queenie do to you that you did this to her?¡± Seeing her mother, Queenie ran into her embrace. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m scared. I don¡¯t want to go to school anymore.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Queenie. I believe the police will help us,¡± replied Cynthia Lane, Queenie¡¯s mother. ¡°We¡¯re at fault here, so if you need anything, we¡¯ll surely give it to you,¡± said Charmaine. This matter can¡¯t travel out. Otherwise, our family will be embarrassed once again. ¡°Really? Then break your daughter¡¯s nose. Our family doesn¡¯t need any more money.¡± ¡°We¡¯re really sorry, Mrs. Lane. Sophie¡¯s still young. Please let her off the hook this time. What are you waiting for, Sophie? Apologize!¡± Seeing Charmaine behaving like this, Josiah spoke up. ¡°Hold on.¡± Why is she ming Sophie when she doesn¡¯t know the full story yet? ¡°Dad, you don¡¯t have to get involved in this. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Knowing Josiah¡¯s temper, Charmaine was afraid that he would make things worse. ¡°Get to the side, Charmaine.¡± Josiah did not wish to continue watching Charmaine ndering his granddaughter like this. ¡°Dad¡ª¡± ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s okay. Trust me. I¡¯ll get this dealt with.¡± How would a kid like her deal with this matter? ¡±Soph¡ª¡± ¡°Dad, let¡¯s just use money to resolve this issue.¡± ¡°Money? Do you think our familycks money? Officer, you¡¯ve seen so yourself how this family behaves. I¡¯ve had enough. I¡¯m not going to ept anything they offer. I want to press charges against her.¡± Hearing that, Charmaine panicked. ¡°You better shut the hell up, Sophie.¡± ¡°Mrs. Tanner, my problem has nothing to do with you. Please go home.¡± Why would someone who doesn¡¯t even listen to me help me, anyway? ¡°Queenie, I did hit you,¡± Sophie stated. Her words rendered everyone else speechless. Why does she look proud of it? ¡°But that¡¯s only because you deserved it. You told everyone I broke your nose. Why don¡¯t you tell them why I did it?¡± ¡°Are you trying to justify yourself? What kind of behavior is this? You¡¯re already eighteen. You have to bear the consequences of your own actions,¡± retorted Cynthia. ¡°Why did Sophie hit you?¡± questioned Josiah, siding with Sophie. ¡°How would I know why you hit me, Sophie? Didn¡¯t you get expelled from the school in Horington because of fighting? You, of all people, should know what kind of person you are.¡± I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t have any proof that I kidnapped Ysabelle. ¡°Hmm, seems you still refuse to give up.¡± With that, Sophie fished out her phone, giving a recording to the police officer. When the officer pressed y, the voice of Queenie threatening Sophie was heard. Instantly, Queenie¡¯s face went pale, as she did not expect Sophie would record the phone call. Simultaneously, Cynthia stared at her daughter in disbelief. ¡°I rescued my friend while Queenie kidnapped and hurt her. I suppose the police know who¡¯s right and who¡¯s wrong here.¡± ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t.¡± After that, Sophie handed a sh drive to the police officer. ¡°The evidence is all there.¡± The officer did not imagine the matter to take such a drastic turn. ¡°Queenie, if you have anything to say, just tell the officer. I¡¯ll not be epting any offer from you as well.¡± When the officer confirmed the evidence, the way he treated Sophie changed. ¡°I apologize, Ms. Tanner.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. Queenie, if you have any questions, you can speak to mywyer,¡± said Sophie as she gave Queenie a name card. Turning to the officer, Sophie asked politely, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, may I take my leave?¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Tanner.¡± Approaching her grandfather, Sophie supported him. ¡°Let me send you home, Grandpa.¡± ¡°Thank you, officers,¡± uttered Josiah. Meanwhile, Queenie was on the verge of tears. ¡°What are we going to do, Mom?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Cynthia gave her daughter a p. ¡°Queenie, are you stupid! How could you act as if you were in the right when you were the one at fault!¡± There¡¯s even evidence! ¡°Isn¡¯t Uncle Jason awyer, Mom? I don¡¯t want to go to jail!¡± Uncle Jason is extremely famous in his field. It¡¯s still uncertain who¡¯ll end up in jail. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Are You Angry Cynthia brought Queenie to her younger brother, Jason¡¯sw firm. ¡°You must help me, Uncle Jason. I can¡¯t go to prison! I have ns to join the national team.¡± I would have even less of a chance with Cyro if I were in prison. Jason asked for a brief understanding of the situation. ¡°All right,¡± he said with brisk confidence when she was done, ¡°I think I got it. I¡¯m a pretty famouswyer, you know. You won¡¯t be going to prison.¡± Having founded hisw firm after graduating from university, Jason had been unbeatable ever since. He did not take an insignificant conflict between high school students seriously. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Uncle Jason.¡± Queenie hugged him coyly. ¡°I have work to do,¡± Jason announced, too busy to chat with them. ¡°It would be best if you go home first. Let me handle it.¡± When the women emerged from the office, Queenie threw the card given to her by Sophie into the trash. ¡°I don¡¯t care who Sophie hires,¡± she dered haughtily, ¡°nobody will do anything to me with my uncle here.¡± Who does Sophie think she is? Other than Josiah, none of the Tanners treat her as family. I have pull in Horington and can hire anywyer I want. Does she think that I am so easily intimidated? Sophie personally sent Josiah back to the Tanner residence. ¡°I want you to tell me no matter what happens to you, Soph,¡± Josiah said distressedly. ¡°Do you understand? I can¡¯t bear the thought of you facing it all alone.¡± How has my poor Soph suffered in my absence! ¡°I won¡¯t allow myself to be stepped on, Grandpa. I have been too foolish in the past, and I won¡¯t be allowing anybody to hurt me again.¡± Josiah felt another twinge of pain at her words and pulled her close to him. ¡°Let me find you somebody you can lean on, Soph.¡± I know I don¡¯t have much longer to live. What will happen to her when I die? ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Grandpa. I can take care of myself. Your well-being is more important to me.¡± Grandpa has grown so old. His hair is all white now. ¡°You shall have my shares, Soph. It¡¯s the only thing that I can give you.¡± He had initially nned to hand the Tanner family over to Soph as she was his only worthy heir. ¡°Hold on to them, Grandpa. I don¡¯t need them yet.¡± Her reason for those words was to deny Willow satisfaction. She had her own money; it was not something shecked. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Come back often to see me, won¡¯t you?¡± He dared not allude to his mortality lest he upset her. ¡°I wille back often to spend time with you,¡± Sophie promised with a sweetness she reserved only for Josiah. ¡°How is yourwyer, by the way? Would you like me to find you a better one?¡± Her reassurances did not convince Josiah. He was worried as the Lane family was one of the most influential in Jipsdale. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa. I have faith in my representation. I won¡¯t embarrass you.¡± If this is how Queenie wants to pick a fight, I won¡¯t back down. I¡¯m not afraid of her. Sophie stayed behind at noon for lunch with Josiah and took a cab to school when he took his siesta. Ysabelle arrivedter that afternoon. She pulled Sophie aside when she saw thetter heading for the ssroom. ¡°I heard the police are here looking for you, Soph. This has nothing to do with you. I¡¯ll have Uncle Tristan deal with it.¡± Queenie is too much. Being the one at fault, how dare she turn it around? ¡°There¡¯s no need to tell your uncle. I can handle this.¡± By then, Queenie arrived at school as well. ¡°Do you know who my uncle is, Sophie?¡± Queenie was beside herself with glee. Sophie did not deign to spare her a nce. What does her uncle¡¯s identity have to do with me? ¡°Have you heard of Jason Chandler? He is the bestwyer in Jipsdale. Just wait and see.¡± ¡°Jason Chandler?¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re afraid, aren¡¯t you? Just wait. I will put you in prison this time.¡± ¡°Is this Jason Chandler a goodwyer?¡± Sophie turned to Ysabelle. Ysabelle shook her head. ¡°Never heard of him.¡± She was not lying. The name was new to her. Queenie chuckled coldly at their ignorance. ¡°Look at you two idiots. It¡¯s fine if you haven¡¯t heard of him. You will get to know him very well when the trial starts.¡± Jason Chandler was a neer to the legal industry and the most gifted member of his family. He was also Queenie¡¯s uncle. ¡°Have you never heard of Jason?¡± asked an acquaintance of Ysabelle¡¯s. ¡°My father says he¡¯s excellent and on a hot streak with some prickly cases recently.¡± They, too, heard that the police hade for Sophie. What¡¯s more, Queenie has gotten herself such a goodwyer. ¡°Is he really that good?¡± Ysabelle was considering hiring a betterwyer. ¡°Why don¡¯t you apologize to Queenie, Sophie?¡± the acquaintance suggested. ¡°We¡¯re all ssmates, after all. There¡¯s no need to make a scene.¡± Ysabelle bristled. ¡°Apologize to her? You must be joking.¡± I have been too nice that everybody now thinks I¡¯m a pushover. ¡±She kidnapped me. Why should Soph apologize?¡± Ysabelle was so angry she laughed in disbelief. ¡°Jason is not one you should pick a fight with!¡± ¡°Enough, girls. We should go in. ss is about to start.¡± Sophie was not in the least bothered about what Queenie said about Jason. She was interested to see how true it was for herself. It¡¯s such an obvious case. How is he going to fight us? Queenie ran into Willow after their lesson, who sneered at her swollen nose inwardly but put on a show of concern. ¡°Are you all right, Queenie? How are you so badly injured? What did the doctor say?¡± ¡°My nose is broken. I¡¯m not going to forgive Sophie for this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Why should you apologize, Wi? This has nothing to do with you. It¡¯s all the little b*tch¡¯s fault. I¡¯m not going to let her off the hook.¡± ¡°Sophie has always been a troublemaker.¡± ¡°She is! Stay away from her, Wi. Sophie is not the same as she was five years ago. She¡¯s much crueler now.¡± ¡°I know.¡± With a simpleton like Queenie acting on my behalf, I don¡¯t even need to lift a finger. Tristan was approached by his niece upon his return to Wisteria Apartments that night. ¡°Help me hire awyer, Uncle Tristan.¡± Ysabelle was incensed by the mere thought of Queenie¡¯s triumphant expression. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That b*tch Queenie has hired a famous one. She intends to put Soph behind bars.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you before, Ysabelle?¡± Sophie interjected. ¡°I¡¯ve got this handled.¡± It¡¯s a simple task of hiring awyer. I think I can handle it. ¡°This isn¡¯t just your battle, Soph. I was the one Queenie kidnapped.¡± ¡°I know. Rest assured, she is going to pay for it.¡± There is no need to get Tristan involved as it¡¯s a feud between us girls. Why should we bring out the big guns for something so trivial? ¡°I¡¯d mention before toe to me if you need help, Sophie. You never seem to remember that.¡± Tristan¡¯s gaze was a little frightening. Even Ysabelle did not dare speak. ¡°I¡¯ve got this handled,¡± Sophie repeated. It¡¯s not a big deal. ¡°Are you mad at me?¡± she added uncertainly. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Give Me A Wide Berth ¡°No.¡± Though Tristan¡¯s tone was light, he did not look at her. Sophie became even more certain of her hunch. Ysabelle retired to her room for a shower after dinner and left Sophie and Tristan in the living room. ¡°Why are you upset?¡± Sophie asked, still puzzled. ¡°I want to be the first person you think of whenever you run into trouble.¡± Being inexperienced in rtionships, Sophie might never have known if he did not bring it up. ¡°I know,¡± she remarked nomittedly. She was already used to solving her own problems. Tristan did not know what else to do. With a sudden movement, he reached forward and took her hands. Feeling her tiny hands nestled within his vast and warm ones, Sophie felt her heartbeat race. He made her feel very safe, as if he would be able to solve all her problems no matter what happened. As the witness, Ysabelle apanied Sophie to court on the day of the trial. Upon arriving outside the court, they saw Queenie and her uncle. The former scoffed at the sight of Sophie and Ysabelle. ¡°They¡¯re the ones who have assaulted me, Uncle Jason. You must avenge me.¡± Jason cast an eye on the two girls standing across him and found them both exceptional beauties. ¡°Rx. I¡¯ve never lost a case.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you inside, Uncle Jason.¡± Queenie sent her uncle in to prepare before walking over. ¡°I¡¯m sure you saw all of that. That¡¯s my uncle. You¡¯re screwed today, Sophie.¡± I will put Sophie behind bars no matter how long it takes. Sophie failed to suppress a snort. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Scared silly?¡± Queenie did not like the smile on her nemesis¡¯ face. She found it nauseating. ¡°You¡¯ve hurt Ysabelle, Queenie. I¡¯m not letting you go for that. Enjoy being smug while you still can. I¡¯m going to oblige you by putting you behind bars today.¡± Some people seem to forget what pain feels like once the injury heals. She needs a scar that will never heal. ¡°Still in denial at this point.¡± Queenie strode briskly into the courtroom, leaving Sophie and Ysabelle to await theirwyer. Jeffrey Goode saw Sophie as soon as he exited his car and hurried over. ¡°Apologies for beingte.¡± ¡°Not at all. You¡¯re just in time.¡± The three of them entered together. Queenie turned to Jason the moment she saw Sophie entering with herwyer. ¡°Do you know Sophie¡¯swyer, Uncle Jason?¡± Jason looked up and saw Jeffrey by Sophie¡¯s side. ¡°It¡¯s him!¡± Jason¡¯s hands that were going through the briefs froze. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is he any good?¡± Queenie asked anxiously. I do not want to go to prison. My future is still filled with possibilities! ¡°Good? You underestimate your uncle, Queenie. Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re winning this suit today.¡± Jeffrey was the opposing counsel on more than one of Jason¡¯s cases, and he had never won. Jeffrey caught sight of Jason as well. ¡°We¡¯re going up against Jason!¡± ¡°Do you know him?¡± Sophie seated herself, not sounding very interested. ¡°Let me find you a betterwyer, Sophie.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve gone up against Jason several times before and have never won.¡± Hisst remark was heard by Jason, who wasing over to greet them at that moment. ¡°You¡¯re pretty self-aware, Jeffrey. Haven¡¯t I told you before to stay down when you have a case against me? It wouldn¡¯t help your reputation to be losing all the time.¡± Jeffrey turned green and did not offer a refute. He is right. I am a loser. Losers have no right to any dignity. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jeff. The case is crystal clear. They will lose.¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Jason smirked. ¡°The world is not all ck and white, youngdy. Many things aren¡¯t as simple as you think.¡± I can turn anything into the truth. ¡°How can you call yourself awyer?¡± Sophie asked. ¡°It¡¯s not your ce to decide whether or not I¡¯m worthy. Remember when you¡¯re in there that everything that happens is caused by you hiring a second-rate attorney.¡± The judge¡¯s arrival signified that the court was in officially in session. Jason returned to his seat. ¡°What did you say to them, Uncle Jason?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Jeffrey, on the other hand, was deathly pale. ¡°You¡¯d better find someone else, Sophie.¡± I can¡¯t do this. Sometimes, I even wonder if I¡¯m suited to be a lawyer. ¡°I¡¯ve said it once before,¡± she reiterated firmly, ¡°you are mywyer.¡± What is he afraid of? I¡¯m the defendant, and I¡¯m not even that nervous. ¡°We¡¯ll find someone else if he can¡¯t manage, Soph.¡± Ysabelle did not want to see her friend behind bars. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. There¡¯s still me.¡± Unable to refute those words, Jeffrey steeled himself and stepped forward for the opening statements. Jason went first. ¡°Your Honor, my client, Queenie Lane, has her nose broken by the defendant, Sophie Tanner. Here is the medical report. Furthermore, the defendant shows no remorse for her malicious assault. I believe the case is clear.¡± The judge turned to Sophie. ¡°Do you have anything to say about the intiff¡¯s version of events?¡± ¡°I didmit the assault,¡± Sophie admitted. ¡°Your Honor, the defendant has already exhibited such sadistic tendencies despite her tender age. I rmend teaching her a lesson lest she bes a menace to society when she¡¯s older.¡± Sophie chortled at Jason¡¯s words. The judge¡¯s eyes flicked to her at once. ¡°Is the defense holding the court in contempt?¡± ¡°Your Honor, I onlyughed because I find the intiff¡¯s im ridiculous. First and foremost, I do admit that I struck the intiff. However, the reason for my conduct has to be rified. I will not be held responsible for the intiff¡¯s damaging actions to society.¡± Sophie cleared her throat. ¡°At six-thirty on the twenty-third, I received a phone call from the intiff informing me that my friend, Ysabelle Lombard, was in her hands. If I did not make an appearance, she would hurt Ysabelle. Out of consideration for my ssmate¡¯s safety, I arrived at the designated location alone and saw that a dozen gangsters under Queenie¡¯s employ had tied Ysabelle to a stool. There were visible bruises on Ysabelle¡¯s face. To rescue the victim, I began to fight them. Though I did strike Queenie by ident, it was done entirely in self-defense.¡± ¡°The intiff, Queenie,¡± Sophie continued as she pointed, gathering steam, ¡°hasmitted kidnapping in exchange for ransom. ording to our statutes, kidnapping to extort or hold one hostage warrants a minimum of ten years to life imprisonment and a fine or the confiscation of their assets.¡± Sophie provided her own rebuttal before herwyer even opened his mouth. She then handed the surveince footage of Queenie taking Ysabelle, the screenshot of the message sent by Harvey, and the voice recording of Queenie ckmailing Sophie to the judge. Jason turned pale. How was I not informed of the kidnapping? ¡°What is this, Queenie?¡± If she had told me earlier, I would still be able to prepare for it. How am I going to argue my way out of this now? Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Does It Hurt ¡°Aren¡¯t you the bestwyer in Jipsdale, Uncle Jason? You must help me. I don¡¯t want to go to prison.¡± Her faith in her uncle had never wavered. ¡°You-¡± Jason was too livid toplete his sentence. Jeffrey had regained hisposure by then. ¡°My client is only an eighteen-year-old student, Your Honor. The intiff had kidnapped my client¡¯s ssmate; she had only acted in self-defense. More importantly, the intiff had kidnapped her ssmate and issued threats. What else would she be capable of in the future if she is not taught a lesson today?¡± ¡°The youngdy can hold her own, Mr. Tristan.¡± The man who spoke was the bestwyer in Jipsdale, Sean Burton. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like your services would be needed. You may go.¡± ¡°Right. You¡¯re the boss.¡± The case was very clear. ¡°The girl is suited for a career inw.¡± Tristan did not deign to respond. Sophie has many facets. Her performance in court was better than manywyers. Besides, she was only an eighteen-year-old senior in school. As the court adjourned, the jury went to the back to discuss the verdict. Jeffrey gazed at Sophie in awe. ¡°Where are you nning to attend university, Sophie?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡± Her future ahead was bright with possibilities. ¡°Be awyer! You will be the bestwyer there ever was.¡± ¡°You have it in you, Jeff. You¡¯re just temporarily off your game. Don¡¯t forget why you started this.¡± Having understood Jeffrey¡¯s situation was the reason why she insisted that he be the one to represent her. ¡°I know. I won¡¯t give up.¡± He was initially considering quitting. Without a foothold or a reputation in Jipsdale, he would not survive in the city. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Thewsuit today gave me a fresh perspective. ¡°Remember toe to me if you run into any trouble in the future.¡± The jurors returned with the verdict. Queenie was sentenced to prison for five years for kidnapping and extortion. Even after her wrists had been cuffed together, she remained in t denial. ¡°Help me, Uncle Jason! I don¡¯t want to go to prison.¡± Jason was frozen to the spot, unable to believe his defeat. How the hell did Jeffrey beat me? That¡¯s not true. I¡¯ve lost to a little girl who¡¯s not even out of high school. Queenie screamed in despair at the prospect of a prison sentence. The courtroom only regained its silence after the police took her away. ¡°Have you studiedw?¡± Jason could not repress his curiosity as he approached Sophie. His loss had hit him hard. ¡°I¡¯ve flipped through a couple of books. I wouldn¡¯t count it studying.¡± Jason was dumbstruck in disbelief. Is that really true? Sophie got to her feet and led Ysabelle out. It¡¯s over, isn¡¯t it? ¡°If you¡¯re not satisfied with the verdict, you could put in an appeal.¡± Ysabelle gazed in awe at Sophie once they were out of the courtroom. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re a terrible student, Soph?¡± Impossible! This is the rhythm of a prodigy! ¡°No. I dabbled out of interest.¡± Sophie did not mention that she had a photographic memory. Jason had sabotaged himself this time. Being fond of publicity, he had preemptively tipped off the reporters. The reporters were waiting outside at that moment. They rushed forward to meet Sophie and herpanions. ¡°You have established a pattern of defeat against Jason, Jeffrey. Do you n to remain awyer?¡± Awyer who had never beaten Jason; even if he wanted to keep being awyer, nobody might want to hire him. The reporter¡¯s question was blunt. Before, Jeffrey would have turned and run. At that moment, however, he was already calm. ¡°I always believe that justice is in to all. I love my profession and will keep working hard to fight for those who have been wronged.¡± ¡°Are you Ms. Sophie Tanner, whose name has been dragged through the mud? Could you please-¡± Before the reporter finished his question, a dozen bodyguards d in identical suits blocked him. ¡°Get in, Ms. Tanner.¡± Sophie brought the two of them over and saw Tristan seated in the silver Lamborghini. ¡°You¡¯reing with us in this other car, Mr. Goode. We¡¯ll give you a ride home.¡± Jeffrey was taken away. Sophie and Ysabelle got in the car. Back there, Jason was swarmed by the reporters as soon as he emerged. ¡°We have heard that the intiff is your niece, Mr. Chandler. What is the oue of the trial?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Against your old nemesis, Jeffrey, you must have won by andslide, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Excuse me, noment.¡± Jason looked a little pale. He could not bring himself to tell the reporters that his niece had been sentenced to five years in prison, and it would be akin to shooting himself in the foot. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have lost, could you, Mr. Chandler?¡± ¡°How is that possible? Mr. Chandler could not lose.¡± The reporters were tormenting him. Jason shoved the reporters aside brusquely. How can I tell Cynthia that Queenie has been put behind bars? His mood worsened at the thought of that. Before the Lamborghini departed, Ysabelle nced back at Jason surrounded by reporters. ¡°Jason deserves it.¡± Despite being smug earlier, his cheeks must be smarting with embarrassment. Sophie merely cast an indifferent nce. Five years was the price Queenie was forced to pay for kidnapping and pping Ysabelle. As Ysabelle is part of my group now, toy a finger on her means to dere war against me. By the way, did Tristane to court? What is he doing here? Tristan departed after dropping them both at Wisteria Apartments. ¡°You must be exhausted, Soph,¡± Ysabelle said at once. ¡°Let me give you a back rub.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡± ¡°You must be thirsty, then. I¡¯ll get you a ss of water.¡± Sophie found it amusing to watch her scramble all over the ce. Ysabelle¡¯s adorable demeanor is really growing on me. After an afternoon nap, Ysabelle awaited Sophie to head to school together. Sophie shook her head. ¡°Why not? Are you unwell?¡± Ysabelle asked anxiously. ¡°Not at all. I have something to attend to this afternoon. Please exin my absence to Mr. Hayes.¡± ¡°What is it? Do you need me toe with you?¡± ¡°No need. I can go alone.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to start another fight, are you, Soph? Bring me along!¡± ¡°This is a serious errand.¡± My task from Butterfly isn¡¯tplete yet. It wouldn¡¯t do to drag it out. ¡°All right then.¡± Ysabelle headed to school while Sophie took a cab to the police station. ¡°Good day. I¡¯m looking for Captain Sheppard.¡± Sophie walked to the young man on duty after getting out of her taxi. ¡°What business do you have with Captain Sheppard, miss? He¡¯s a busy man.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can wait.¡± ¡°Go on in, then. Captain Sheppard is out. I¡¯ll let him know once he returns.¡± The young man on duty did notplicate things for Sophie. Sophie entered the police station and seated herself. She had been kept waiting for over two hours before the legendary captain showed himself. ¡°Are you looking for me?¡± A handsome man in uniform arrived before Sophie. ¡°You are Eustace Sheppard?¡± Captain Sheppard is young! And very handsome too. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Kneel ¡°Yes, I am. Who are you?¡± This girl looks really pretty. There¡¯s no way I would forget her if I had seen her before¡­ ¡°My name is Sophie.¡± Not wanting to waste too much time here nor reveal her identity to him, she stood up and continued nonchntly, ¡°You guys are tracking down Dr. Yarren¡¯s whereabouts, right? I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± Eustace couldn¡¯t help but frown when he heard that. ¡°Missy, you should get back to ss if you¡¯re bored. I¡¯m really busy, so I don¡¯t have time for your silly games!¡± He had been so stressed out over Dr. Yarren¡¯s case that he hadn¡¯t slept well in a month, so he really wasn¡¯t in the mood for games. ¡°I said, I can help you out, Captain Sheppard!¡± Sophie was starting to lose her patience. ¡°Missy¡ª¡± ¡°You desperately need to find Dr. Yarren, don¡¯t you? What harm is there in letting me have a shot?¡± Eustace had assumed she was just another troublemaker at first, but changed his mind when he saw the determined look in her eyes. ¡°All right, then. Come with me!¡± Eustace said as he led her to the technical department. The technicians had been working day and night for a month, but were still unable to track down Dr. Yarren. ¡°Captain Sheppard!¡± a few of them greeted Eustace upon seeing him before getting back to work. As Dr. Yarren¡¯s life could be in danger, it was of utmost importance that they find him as soon as possible. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°You there, get up,¡± Sophie told one of the technicians. ¡°Go y somewhere else, missy. I¡¯m busy over here,¡± the technician replied without even looking at her. ¡°Get up!¡± As it was Eustace ordering him this time, the technician had no choice but to do as told. ¡°Where did you find such a pretty girl, Captain Sheppard?¡± he asked when he finally looked at Sophie. Since when has Captain Sheppard be so irresponsible? I can¡¯t believe he¡¯d bring an outsider into the technical department! Sophie ignored him and began entering a bunch of codes after sitting down. The technician and a few other senior programmers were dumbfounded when they saw her go at it. What the¡­ She¡¯s wearing a high school uniform, and yet, she¡¯s greater than all of us in terms of her speed and skill! Who on Earth is this girl? Eustace, who was initially skeptical of her request, soon found himself feeling a little expectant after seeing her skill. Sophie continued chewing on a piece of gum while hacking her way through firewall after firewall, eventually narrowing the search down to a specific area. Hmm¡­ This is as detailed as I can get, huh? ¡°This is as far as I can get you, Captain Sheppard. The rest is up to you guys.¡± Sophie said with a frown as she got up and prepared to leave. ¡°Are you sure this is the ce?¡± The technicians were unable to find any leads before, so they were a little skeptical about the data on the screen. ¡°This is all I managed to find.¡± The technician, who mocked her earlier, asked respectfully, ¡°What¡¯s your name, missy?¡± ¡°My name is Sophie Tanner.¡± ¡°Thank you very much, Sophie. I¡¯ll treat you to a meal as a token of appreciation when I bring Dr. Yarren back!¡± Eustace said as he gathered his men. We¡¯ll head over to Anndur and bring Dr. Yarren back for sure! ¡°Hello, Ms. Tanner. I¡¯m Ian Dous. May I ask you some questions?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Sophie was going to leave, but returned to her seat when she heard that. The senior programmers then bombarded her with a ton of difficult questions, all of which she answered with detailed exnations. As some of the answers were tooplicated for them to comprehend, Sophie even demonstrated her methods for them to see. ¡°Any other questions?¡± ¡°You¡¯re unbelievably amazing, Ms. Tanner!¡± Ian eximed in awe. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. I¡¯ll be on my way now if there are no further questions.¡± ¡°Where are you headed, Ms. Tanner? I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡± Ian had always assumed that he was the best in his field, but witnessing Sophie¡¯s skills made him realize how much of an amateur he really was. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I can head back on my own.¡± Sophie turned his offer down as she preferred to keep a low profile. The senior programmers were so shocked by Sophie¡¯s skills that it took them a while to regain their composure after she left. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I got destroyed by a high school student!¡± They were able to be a part of Eustace¡¯s team because they were experts in their field, but Sophie had easily outperformed each and every one of them. ¡°There will always be someone better out there. This girl is truly something else.¡± ¡°It¡¯d be great if she could join our team!¡± Ian eximed hopefully. ¡°She hasn¡¯t even graduated from high school, man!¡± As there would be tons ofpanies out there that would kill to recruit her, it was unlikely that they would be able to do so. ¡°But we have Captain Sheppard! We could have him court her or something! I think that could work!¡± Ian suggested, genuinely believing that he hade up with a great idea. Everyone else, however, fell speechless after hearing that. ¡°She¡¯s way too young for him!¡± someone eximed after a brief pause. Captain Sheppard is really amazing for making it to this position at the age of twenty-eight, and we¡¯ve all witnessed his capabilities in the field. Even so, he¡¯s probably at least ten years older than Sophie! Ian must be crazy for suggesting something like that! ¡°It¡¯s not entirely impossible if Captain Sheppard likes her, though!¡± Sophie had showed up at the ssroom on time for the self-study session. As the students were all aware that Sophie had gotten Queenie in prison, they felt a little afraid of her. Ysabelle handed Sophie a bottle of water the moment she saw her. Worried that Sophie would get upset, she reassured her, ¡°Ignore them, Soph. They¡¯re just jealous of you.¡± Sophie had just taken a sip of the water when Cynthia showed up outside the ssroom. ¡°Hey, Sophie! Queenie¡¯s mother is here to see you!¡± shouted one of the students sitting near the window. Sophie got up and made her way out the door. Cynthia found herself feeling a little intimidated when she saw Sophie walking toward her. ¡°Yes? Is there something I can help you with?¡± Sophie asked coldly. It was as if the person standing before her had nothing to do with her at all. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what Queenie did, Sophie. Will you please have mercy on her? She¡¯s still a young girl! Her life will be ruined if she gets sent to prison!¡± Cynthia pleaded with fear in her eyes. Whatever arrogance and pride she had before werepletely gone at that point. No one had expected for a nobody like Sophie to be capable of sending Queenie to prison. Even Jason couldn¡¯t do anything to save her. ¡°Queenie has broken thew, Mrs. Lane. It¡¯s not like I can just say a few words and get her released,¡± Sophie replied while rolling her eyes. What does she take the legal justice system for? Having been pushed to desperation, Cynthia knelt down in front of Sophie and continued pleading with her, ¡°Please spare Queenie! I¡¯m begging you! I can give you anything as long as you spare my daughter!¡± What the heck is she trying to pull now? ¡°I don¡¯t need anything, and this isn¡¯t up for me to decide,¡± Sophie replied with a frown. Feeling frustrated, Cynthia leapt to her feet and shouted, ¡°How could a young girl like you be so cruel and heartless? What has Queenie ever done to you, huh?¡± She then reached out to hit Sophie, but thetter was faster and caught her hand with ease. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Water Park Sophie narrowed her eyes as she said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve been very patient standing here and listening to your nonsense, so don¡¯t push it too far. You may file an appeal if you are dissatisfied with the verdict issued. Stop wasting my time with such pointless arguments.¡± She was never a patient person, to begin with, so Cynthia¡¯s actions were really starting to anger her. Cynthia was about to try and hit her again, but someone pulled her back before she could do anything. ¡°You can talk to mywyer directly if you have any further concerns.¡± Tristan had dropped by Jipsdale Premier High after hearing that Sophie took the rest of the day off, only to witness such a scene upon arrival. ¡°Hey! Let go of me!¡± Cynthia was so desperate that she couldn¡¯t care less about her image anymore. Queenie being sent to prison had impacted the Lane family¡¯s reputation so greatly that most of their business partners stopped coborating with them. ¡°Do not show yourself in front of her ever again, or I will destroy the Lane familypletely!¡± Tristan said while shoving her away. The prison sentence that Queenie received for kidnapping Ysabelle was actually a lot better than what could¡¯ve happened to her if Tristan had taken matters into his own hands. ¡°This woman has been bullying Soph, Uncle Tristan!¡± Ysabelle eximed when she came out and saw her uncle. Tristan was regarded as a very attractive man due to his devilishly handsome face and long, slender legs. The fact that he was six feet tall only made him all the more irresistible to the girls that were ogling him. Having witnessed how powerful Sophie was, they were all shocked when they heard what Ysabelle said. No one could possibly bully someone as powerful as Sophie! Being the teacher in charge of the self-study session, Carrie got mad when she arrived and saw the commotion outside the ssroom. She was about to start scolding them, but the words got stuck in her throat when she saw Tristan standing there. ¡°Hi, who are you?¡± Carrie had never seen such a handsome man in her entire life. He looked so good that standing before him made her feel ashamed of her unattractive appearance. ¡°I¡¯m a rtive of Sophie¡¯s,¡± Tristan replied. Ysabelle froze when she heard that. Wait¡­ Isn¡¯t he my rtive? Since when did he be Sophie¡¯s rtive? Carrie frowned when she heard him mention Sophie¡¯s name. ¡°Please look after our Sophie, miss,¡± Tristan said politely. ¡°Of course!¡± Although she didn¡¯t quite like Sophie, Carrie found herself unable to say no to Tristan. ¡°Ugh¡­ He could¡¯ve just told her to not bully Sophie!¡± Ysabelle muttered under her breath. Carrie then turned toward the students watching on and said, ¡°Settle down, students! It¡¯s time for ss!¡± Sophie was about to head on in as well, but stopped in her tracks when Tristan grabbed her arm from behind. ¡°Is there something else I can help you with, mister?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°I¡¯d like to have a word with Sophie, if that¡¯s okay.¡± Although Carrie had wanted to admire Tristan¡¯s handsome face a little while longer, she had no choice but to reluctantly enter the ssroom. Since it was just the two of them on the field, Sophie didn¡¯t really mind hanging out with him. ¡°Come take a walk with me,¡± Tristan said, looking incredibly dazzling even though he was just standing there. Huh? Is he asking me to walk around the school with him? Oh, well¡­ I guess I could use some fresh air after dealing with that crazy woman earlier. With that in mind, Sophie casually walked alongside him as they strolled around the campus. Jipsdale Premier High had a garden with a river that ran through the entire school. As the students were all in ss, there was no one in the area. All they could hear was the sound of the river and the buzzing of the cicadas. ¡°Your school has a nice scenery.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen way better scenery than this in your life, Mr. Tristan. Jipsdale Premier High should be child¡¯s y inparison,¡± Sophie mumbled while kicking a pebble aside. I¡¯m not sure why he came to see me, but it¡¯s nice not having to sit through Carrie¡¯s ss. Sophie was so lost in her thoughts that she didn¡¯t notice the steps beneath her feet and lost her bnce. Fortunately, Tristan had his eye on her the whole time and quickly reached out to grab her arm. He then pulled her into his arms, only letting go of her after she had steadied herself. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Sophie, who had always been as cool as a cucumber, found herself blushing a little. D*mn it! Why am I so clumsy around him? The way she lowered her head in embarrassment made his heart flutter. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll walk you back to your ss.¡± Tristan was no longer the hot-blooded teen he used to be, but being around eighteen-year-old Sophie never failed to make his heart race. Since she was already in high school, he didn¡¯t mind waiting a little for her to mature as an adult. The first self-study session had just ended by the time Sophie returned. Ysabelle pulled her aside the moment she stepped in through the door. ¡°What were you and my uncle talking about, Soph? You were out for an entire session! My uncle isn¡¯t exactly a very chatty person, but he seems to treat you very differently!¡± she asked curiously. Sophie started blushing again when she recalled that little embrace they had earlier. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why is your face so red? Are you having a fever?¡± Ysabelle asked worriedly and reached out to touch her forehead. Not wanting to keep the conversation going, Sophie brushed her hand aside. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s probably just the heat. Besides, I think he treats me differently because of you!¡± Since the senior year students would be having their university entrance exams, Jipsdale Premier High only let them have Sundays off. As Sophie didn¡¯t have any ns for that Sunday, she decided to sleep in and visit Josiahter in the afternoon. She was sleeping soundly in bed when the doorbell rang all of a sudden. After dragging herself out of bed, Sophie opened the door and saw Ysabelle standing outside all dressed up. ¡°Why are you still in bed, Soph? The weather is so great that it¡¯d be a sin to stay indoors!¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To the water park! Come on, let¡¯s go together!¡± Ysabelle really loved water parks and had been wanting to go there for quite a while. ¡°Okay.¡± Since Ysabelle was already at her doorstep, Sophie had no choice but to change her ns for the day. Her outfit consisted of a light blue shirt over a in white tee and a pair of skinny jeans, which looked rather simple whenpared to that of Ysabelle¡¯s. Even so, she still looked so stunningly beautiful that Ysabelle¡¯s jaw dropped when she saw her. ¡°My goodness¡­ You look so hot that you¡¯re making me drool, Soph!¡± she said while wiping the corner of her mouth. ¡°You look great too, Ysabelle! Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± Ysabelle took a picture with Sophie upon arriving at the entrance of the water park. As the two of them looked incredibly beautiful, the pictures they took were practically wallpaper material. Ysabelle then picked out nine of the pictures and uploaded them to Instagram with the caption: Isn¡¯t my hubby handsome? Determined to have an absolute st, she excitedly dragged Sophie into the water park with her. Meanwhile, Tristan was ying golf with Felix and the others at Newcove Hot Spring Resort. As Tristan was ridiculously good at golf, he easily beat them all at it without even trying. ¡°Are you having a lot of fun destroying us at this game, Mr. Tristan?¡± Frustrated at how pointless it was to y against Tristan, Felix decided to pull out his phone and scroll through his social media feed instead. After tapping on the Instagram icon, the first thing that he saw was Ysabelle¡¯s post. ¡°What the¡­ Did I just get cheated on?¡± Felix eximed in shock. Everyone in their social circle knew that he had a crush on Ysabelle. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Charles asked in confusion. ¡°Ysabelle has fallen for someone else! No, this won¡¯t do¡­ I need to go to the water park!¡± Felix mumbled anxiously as he leapt to his feet. ¡°What¡¯s all this about?¡± Tristan made his way over after hitting thest golf ball. Felix simply handed him the phone without saying anything. Tristan¡¯s eyes went wide when he saw the nine pictures, all of which looked like they belonged on posters and magazines. ¡°Are you going too, Mr. Tristan?¡± Charles asked in surprise. ¡°Yeah.¡± Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Applying Sunscreen ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit unusual, even for you?¡± Realizing that he had yet to introduce Sophie to his friends, Tristan said, ¡°You guys carry on. I¡¯ll bring a friend over tonight.¡± ¡°Is your friend male or female?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out when the timees.¡± Sophie and Ysabelle were queuing up to buy tickets when Tristan and Felix arrived at the water park. The line was rather long due to it being a weekend, so Sophie was scrolling through her phone to kill time. ¡°Uncle Tristan? What are you doing here?¡± Ysabelle asked when she saw Tristaning over. If I recall, he hatesing to childish ces like this! ¡°I saw your Instagram post, so I decided to drop by.¡± Noticing that Sophie was sweating from the hot weather, Tristan continued, ¡°Come here, you two. Felix, go take their ce in the queue.¡± Felix then swapped ces with them while Tristan led them to a shady tree. ¡°You girls can just wait here until Felix gets the tickets.¡± Tristan¡¯s casual-looking outfit made him seem a few years younger. That,bined with his already handsome face, got a lot of girls looking his way. Someone selling straw hats happened to pass them by, so Tristan bought them one each and helped Sophie put it on. As Sophie had really fair skin, it was starting to turn red from exposure to the hot sun. ¡°Do you have sunscreen on?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± She didn¡¯t like applying sunscreen because of how ufortable it felt on her skin. Tristan then borrowed a bottle of sunscreen from Ysabelle and squeezed some of it onto his palm. He was about to apply it on Sophie when she grabbed his arm. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Hold still.¡± Tristan ignored her response and continued applying the sunscreen on her face. Sophie found herself burning bright red when he gently ran his fingers over her cheeks. Eek! This guy is really¡­ Even Ysabelle was stupefied by what she had just witnessed. Since when did Uncle Tristan be so caring and gentle? After applying sunscreen on her face, Tristan squeeze some of it directly onto her arm and gently rubbed it all over. Felix¡¯s jaw dropped when he returned with the entrance tickets. What has gotten into Tristan today? I¡¯ve never seen him give a girl such treatment before! I bet nobody would ever believe me if I told them Tristan personally applied sunscreen on someone! ¡°Here, I bought the tickets! Let¡¯s go!¡± Felix then grabbed Ysabelle¡¯s hand and started dragging her away. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Has my uncle Tristan gone crazy from the heat or what?¡± she asked in confusion. ¡°Maybe!¡± Felix replied. He wasn¡¯t really sure about the rtionship between Tristan and Sophie, so he didn¡¯t want toment on it any further. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Sophie felt as if her body was burning up from his touch. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The two of them then made their way toward the entrance, which had a boat on a huge water slide. ¡°How about the four of us sit together for this ride?¡± Ysabelle suggested. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No. You and I are going to take a separate row,¡± Felix said while dragging her away. The next thing he knew, Ysabelle had stomped on his foot with all of her might. ¡°Ow! What was that for?¡± Felix shouted in pain. ¡°For not minding your own d*mned business!¡± Has Uncle Tristan taken a liking to Sophie? Isn¡¯t he a little too old for her? I mustn¡¯t let Sophie fall for him! As Tristan and Sophie had already taken the row behind them, Ysabelle had no choice but to take the one in front with Felix. As she turned around after getting seated, Ysabelle saw Tristan gently fastening the seat belt around Sophie¡¯s waist. ¡°Yup, it¡¯s game over!¡± Ysabelle mumbled to herself when she saw how intimate the two looked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°My uncle Tristan is really going to rob the cradle!¡± D-Did Ysabelle just call Tristan old? Oh, well¡­ she is his niece, so I suppose she¡¯s the only one who can say that without getting in trouble! As the boat began to move, Ysabelle decided to set her concerns aside and lose herself in the moment. Being the more excited one of the four, she was the only person that screamed in excitement the whole time. The boat slowly climbed to a really high point before plunging rapidly into the water below. Tristan instinctively leaned over to shield Sophie from the huge ssh. Unbeknownst to him, his little protective act had caused her heart to race a little. ¡°Woohoo! This is so much fun!¡± Ysabelle was incredibly excited even though her clothes were all wet. All four of them had varying degrees of wetness on their clothes when they got off the boat ride. ¡°What do we do now?¡± Sophie asked as she found it ufortable walking around in wet clothes. ¡°We¡¯ll head over to Newcove Hot Spring Resort,¡± Tristan suggested as Charles and the others were still waiting for them over there. As Sophie was wearing light-colored clothes, her curves could clearly be seen with the fabric stuck to her skin. Tristan took his jacket off and draped it over her body, an act which Sophie did not refuse. ¡°Take care of my niece for me. Don¡¯t bully her, you hear?¡± Tristan told Felix when they got to the parking lot. ¡°You know how Ysabelle is, Mr. Tristan! I¡¯d thank my lucky stars if she doesn¡¯t bully me instead!¡± Felix eximed with a helpless smile. ¡°I should be telling you not to bully Sophie, Uncle Tristan!¡± Ysabelle protested. She had wanted to ride in the same car with them, but didn¡¯t dare do so when Tristan shot her a warning re. ¡°Now, now¡­ Sophie is an adult, so I¡¯m sure she knows what she¡¯s doing!¡± Felix then quickly shoved Ysabelle into his car before she could say anything further. Tristan opened the door to the passenger seat and helped Sophie into the car. He then grabbed a fresh towel from the trunk before climbing into the driver¡¯s seat. Noticing that Tristan was going to help dry her hair, she quickly grabbed his arm and said, ¡°I-I can do it myself, Mr. Tristan!¡± She was still a little ufortable with such intimate gestures. ¡°Okay,¡± Tristan replied with a nod and handed her the towel. ¡°Do you want to dry your hair as well?¡± Sophie asked after toweling her hair dry. ¡°I want you to do it for me,¡± Tristan replied. Noticing no response from her, he continued, ¡°I helped you earlier, didn¡¯t I?¡± Sophie fell silent after hearing that, but leaned over to help dry his hair anyway. As he had his head lowered while Sophie wiped his hair, his gaze naturally fell upon her exposed cleavage. Tristan quickly averted his gaze when he felt his blood surging toward his crotch. Sophie, on the other hand, was so focused on drying Tristan¡¯s hair that she didn¡¯t notice his struggle. ¡°There, all nice and dry,¡± she said while folding the towel. ¡°I¡¯ll get you introduced to a few of my friends. They might be of use to you in the future,¡± Tristan mumbled in a rather hoarse voice. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± While it was perfectly normal for him to have some kind of physical reaction toward a girl he liked, he found it a little disgusting due to how young she was. After taking a moment to regain hisposure, Tristan was about to start the car when he heard someone talking about Sophie. Louisa and Willow were at the water park too. ¡°What? Sophie got Queenie in prison?¡± the former eximed in shock after hearing the news from thetter. ¡°They say she got sentenced to five years in prison. Do you think Sophie has returned to get revenge for that incident from five years ago?¡± Willow felt uneasy just thinking about it. ¡°What are you so afraid of, Willow? What could Sophie possibly do on her own? Not only does she have no evidence for that incident, but she will also be haunted by it for the rest of her life!¡± Louisa reassured her with a disdainful sneer. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Too Pretty Neither Tristan nor Sophie said anything as they sat there listening to their conversation. What? Did that girl just say Sophie is all on her own? Do they not realize that she has me now? Sophie red at them with her eyes narrowed. Oh? Do they really think I couldn¡¯t find any evidence? If they want to y with fire, then I¡¯ll make sure they get burned to ashes! ¡°We¡¯re going to the resort, right? Let¡¯s get going, then,¡± Sophie said. As Tristan drove the car out of there, he kept one hand on the steering wheel and held Sophie¡¯s in the other. What is he doing? She turned to look at him and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting a little too intimate, Mr. Tristan?¡± ¡°Did those two hurt you five years ago?¡± ¡°I can handle it myself.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t care what people said about her, but she would be sure to return the damage they did. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need my help?¡± Tristan asked in hopes of her changing her mind and seeking his assistance. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m very sure,¡± Sophie replied, much to his disappointment. Tristan then brought her to a presidential suite at Newcove Hot Spring Resort and had someone deliver a fresh set of clothes. ¡°Take a shower and get changed. I¡¯lle pick you up for dinnerter.¡± Although her clothes were already dry, it still felt ufortable on her skin. Sophie waited for him to leave before entering the bathroom with the clothes he provided. After taking a quick shower, she came out with only a towel wrapped around her body. That was when her phone started ringing all of a sudden. Butterfly¡¯s voice came on the other line the moment she answered the call. ¡°Phantom, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Is something the matter?¡± ¡°Someone has been looking you uptely. Are you all right?¡± ¡°Looking me up? Okay, understood.¡± Sophie sat down on the couch and gently shook her head to let her hair down. ¡°Be careful. This person is probably up to no good.¡± ¡°Got it. By the way, I¡¯ve taken care of Dr. Yarren¡¯s case.¡± ¡°As expected of Phantom. You always do a clean job!¡± ¡°Just wire the money into my ount. Is there anything else you¡¯d like to tell me? If not, I¡¯ll be hanging up now.¡± Sophie heard a knock on the door right after ending the call. She opened the door, only to see that Tristan hade to pick her up. It took him a few seconds to realize that Sophie only had on a bath towel. Her smooth shoulders, alluring corbones, and calves were all exposed. This young girl is only eighteen, but she has the ability to charm even a guy like me! Tristan swallowed hard at the thought of that. ¡°I¡¯m not done yet. Do you want to maybe¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait here. Go on in and get dressed. We¡¯re in no rush, so take your time!¡± Sophie then grabbed the bag of clothes and went into the room to put them on. Upon inspecting the contents of the bag, she realized he had prepared everything for her, including underwear. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Sophie was feeling fine when she put on the underwear which happened to be just the right size, but got ufortable when she saw the light green miniskirt. What the f*ck? Isn¡¯t this skirt a little too short? But¡­ I¡¯ve already washed my clothes while I was showering earlier, so I can¡¯t wear them now¡­ ¡°D*mn, I can¡¯t believe Tristan is into such outfits!¡± Sophie muttered under her breath as she put on the miniskirt and a short dress shirt which exposed her bellybutton. After getting dressed, Sophie gave her hair a quickbing before heading out the door. The first thing that Tristan noticed was her fair, smooth, and slender legs. It was the first time that he had seen her in such an outfit, and he found himself getting aroused by how sexy she looked. ¡°This kind of clothing doesn¡¯t really suit me, Mr. Tristan.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t like how much it restricted her movement. Tristan walked up to her and said in a seductive voice, ¡°I agree. While it does looks good on you, I don¡¯t think anyone else should see you in these clothes.¡± He then made another phone call, and the staff delivered a new set of clothes. ¡°Here, put this on instead.¡± Sophie went back into the room to get changed. This time, it was a red dress that still looked amazing even though it covered more skin. She saw Tristan talking on the phone when she stepped out of the room. Since she wasn¡¯t in a hurry, Sophie sat down on the couch and scrolled through her phone while waiting. After getting off the phone, Tristan walked up to her and took a good look at her new outfit. The red dress was a little more conservative whenpared to the previous outfit as it covered her legs more, but she still looked drop-dead gorgeous in it. ¡°You must be hungry, right? Let¡¯s go have dinner,¡± Tristan said while putting his phone away. ¡°Sure.¡± Sophie, too, figured it wasn¡¯t appropriate for the two of them to stay in the room any longer. It probably didn¡¯t help that he was looking at her like he wanted to eat her up. ¡°They¡¯re just getting a change of clothes, so why are they taking so long? That¡¯s it, I have to go check on them!¡± Worried about Sophie, Ysabelle wanted to go make sure she was okay. Felix grabbed her by the arm when she tried to leave. ¡°Are you crazy? Do you not know how scary Mr. Tristan can be?¡± So what if he really is nning on doing it with her? Ysabelle can¡¯t just barge in and interrupt him! ¡°You¡¯re such a f*cking coward, Felix! Why are you so scared of my uncle? Have you no b*lls, man?¡± Ysabelle was determined to ensure Sophie¡¯s safety as she was the one who brought her along. ¡°Oh, yeah? You¡¯d better watch your mouth, Ysabelle! Don¡¯t you ever attack me like that ever again!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on, Ysabelle?¡± The door to the private room was opened all of a sudden, and Tristan came in with Sophie. He then led her to the table and even pulled up a chair for her. Charles and Sean both exchanged confused nces when they saw what he did. Since when did Mr. Tristan be such a gentleman? Tristan waited until Sophie was seated before sitting down next to her. ¡°Sorry to have kept you all waiting.¡± ¡°Oh, it wasn¡¯t that long of a wait. I mean, it¡¯s only been an hour!¡± Felix couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they had been doing it in the hotel room earlier. Ysabelle quickly moved to the other seat next to Sophie¡¯s and asked, ¡°Soph, did my uncle do anything to you?¡± As her voice was rather loud, everyone in the private room could hear her. Tristan shot her a re and asked, ¡°What the heck are you going on about, Ysabelle?¡± Intimidated by his response, Ysabelle was quick to change the topic. ¡°I can¡¯t help but worry about your safety, Soph! Your face is ridiculously pretty, after all! Anyway, allow me to make the introductions. Guys, this is my friend, Sophie Tanner. Sophie, that guy over there is Charles Quigley, the third son of the Quigley family. The guy sitting next to him is Sean Burton, the heir to the Burton family.¡± The people sitting at the table were from the four prominent families in Jipsdale. Even so, Sophie maintained a calm attitude as she said, ¡°Hello, everyone. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you all.¡± The food was soon served up, and Tristan began discussing business with the guys. Sophie only had a few spoonfuls of food before she stopped eating. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is the food not to your liking?¡± Although Tristan had been chatting with the other guys, his eyes were on her the whole time. ¡°No, I¡¯m just not really hungry.¡± ¡°Here, you should eat more. At least finish the food on your te,¡± Tristan said while topping up her te. He found her to be far too skinny, and it pained his heart to see her like this. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Feisty Seeing how Tristan was taking care of Sophie, Ysabelle panicked even further. She got so worried that she lost her appetite. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I thought you said you were hungry earlier?¡± Felix asked caringly. Ysabelle put down her fork. ¡°Are you full now, Soph? Let me take you out on a stroll,¡± she said. I should avoid letting Soph meet Uncle Tristan in the future. I really like her, and I don¡¯t want to lose a friend like her. ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Sophie nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking Soph out on a stroll now, Uncle Tristan!¡± Ysabelle informed before dragging Sophie outside. ¡°What¡¯s up with her?¡± Tristan asked Felix. ¡°She¡¯s afraid you¡¯ll snatch Sophie away.¡± Felix could tell Ysabelle really liked Sophie. Tristan didn¡¯t ask about it further. ¡°Oh yeah, the Lane family has been getting restless recently. Find something for them to do to keep them busy.¡± Tristan put his fork down, raised the winess next to him, and gently swirled the wine within. ¡°You mean the Lane family who kidnapped Ysabelle?¡± Felix¡¯s expression darkened when he heard that. ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry; leave it to me.¡± Sean didn¡¯t like to talk, but he was efficient and reliable when it came to work. ¡°Oh yeah, did you hear about Jason?¡± Charles suddenly asked. ¡°What about him?¡± ¡°None of you knew hisw firm is under investigation? I thought you two were the ones who did it.¡± ¡°I was going to!¡± Felix didn¡¯t expect that to happen. Who did it? Who else dislikes Jason? ¡°Someone anonymously reported Jason¡¯sw firm. That someone also sent evidence of his tax evasion to the relevant authorities.¡± Tristan raised his eyebrow. That¡¯s quite a direct and brutal tactic. Jason won¡¯t even have the chance to struggle. Who¡¯s the one behind this? ¡°Let¡¯s go swimming, Soph!¡± Ysabelle suggested. There were a lot of things in the resort, including an excellent outdoors pool. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring a swimsuit with me,¡± Sophie informed. ¡°You can find anything here! Follow me; I¡¯ll take you to buy one.¡± Ysabelle brought Sophie to the swimming pool by taking the shuttle bus. Before they went in, they headed to the shop to buy swimsuits. Ysabelle was very excited when she saw the skimpy swimsuits on disy. ¡°Wear this, Soph.¡± She grabbed one of the skimpy swimsuits and gave it to Sophie. ¡°You have a wonderful figure, so you¡¯ll definitely look good in this! Wear this one, okay, Soph?¡± As she spoke, she stared at Sophie¡¯s chest lewdly. ¡°You¡¯re a woman too, Ysabelle! Can you not be that indecent?¡± Sophie put the swimsuit back and picked a far more conservative one. ¡°You¡¯re too unadventurous, Soph! Those whoe to swim will use the opportunity to show off their bodies!¡± Ysabelle picked a two-piece swimsuit. She, too, didn¡¯t have the guts to wear a one-piece swimsuit. After Sophie handed the swimsuit to the owner of the shop, she pulled out a bank card. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, Soph. This entire resort belongs to Uncle Tristan!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have money.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t have the habit of taking advantage of others. She paid for the swimsuit before both of them went to the swimming pool. The weather was still hot despite the fact that it was October already. Therefore, a lot of people were swimming in the pool. The two women changed into their swimsuits in the changing room before exiting with a towel around their shoulders. They both had slender legs and fair skin. Even though there were already plenty of sexy women in the swimming pool, they still stood out. The moment they showed up, a lot of people¡¯s attention shifted toward them. It was also then that Casey saw Sophie. He had been busy with hispetition, which was why he hadn¡¯t gone to find her recently. Little did he expect to see her at the pool. ¡°What are you looking at, Casey?¡± one of Casey¡¯s teammates asked. ¡°A friend I know. I¡¯ll go and greet her.¡± When Casey finished, he ambled toward Sophie. My body looks pretty good. I bet she¡¯ll like it! Girls like six-pack muscles, right? ¡°I¡¯m surprised to see that you¡¯re here too, Sophie! Are you here with a friend?¡± Casey smiled brightly. ¡°Who are you?¡± Sophie didn¡¯t want to interact with him. He didn¡¯t mind her attitude. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you both swimming? Do you not know how to swim? If you don¡¯t, I can teach you. My swimming skills are pretty good.¡± When he saw the two women sitting by the pool and kicking the water instead of swimming, he thought they didn¡¯t know how to swim. ¡°No need.¡± ¡°Sophie, since you¡¯re already here, why not swim and have fun?¡± Sophie stood and stared at Casey. ¡°Are we familiar with each other?¡± When Casey¡¯s friends saw the two beautiful women next to him, they approached as well. ¡°Hey, beautiful! How about we teach you how to swim, too?¡± one of Casey¡¯s friends offered. ¡°No need,¡± Sophie replied indifferently. ¡°Show me some respect, Sophie! A lot of my friends are here!¡± Casey uttered in a low volume with a darkened expression. Sophie is going overboard with her act, even though I¡¯m treating her nicely! ¡°Do you have any dignity?¡± Sophie spoke with slight disdain and pulled Ysabelle away with the intention of leaving. Seeing how Sophie was about to leave, Casey grabbed her shoulder. ¡°Stop messing around, Sophie.¡± His expression had darkenedpletely. Sophie really didn¡¯t like people touching her. ¡°Let go,¡± she warned for the final time. ¡°These are my friends, Sophie. Show me some respect here,¡± Casey muttered. In the next second, Sophie turned around, grabbed his arm, and threw him over her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± She spoke with contempt. Who does he think he is, touching a woman after being warned not to? ¡°Woah¡­¡± ¡°Oh my gosh!¡± ¡°D*mn, she¡¯s so feisty. I like it.¡± Many people in the pool opened their mouths wide when they saw that. After being thrown to the ground by a woman, Casey crawled up awkwardly. ¡°Sophie.¡± There was a threatening tone in his voice. ¡°How dare you hit me!¡± He had always been admired and fawned over by women. That was the first time he was humiliated by one. ¡°So what if I hit you?¡± Sophie replied coldly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want it to happen again, you better stay far away from me when you see me.¡± Ysabelle wanted to scream out loud. It was only then she realized her potential to be a brainless fan. Casey¡¯s friends helped him up. One of them asked, ¡°Are you all right, Casey?¡± Casey¡¯s face remained dark. He didn¡¯t expect a small woman like Sophie to be capable of throwing a 1.8-meter-tall man like himself over her shoulder so easily. It utterly embarrassed him. When Sophie and Ysabelle attempted to leave, Casey¡¯s friends blocked their path. ¡°Do you think you can leave after hitting our friend? We aren¡¯t dead, you know.¡± Sophie turned to face the man who spoke up. ¡°Then what do you want?¡± ¡°You all better stop causing trouble! If you refuse to listen, I¡¯ll have you all kicked out of here.¡± Casey¡¯s friends were all of a simr height to him. They were also very burly, which made Ysabelle worry about Sophie. ¡°Get us kicked out? Who do you think you are?¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± ¡°Kneel and apologize to Casey. I have to warn you, I have no qualms about hitting women,¡± one of Casey¡¯s friends threatened. Sophie pulled down her towel as malice entered her cold eyes. ¡°Well, then. If I don¡¯t teach you all a lesson on behalf of your parents today, you¡¯ll never understand that there are people better than you.¡± ¡°Hah! You talk big, missy. Just don¡¯t cryter.¡± Casey had fallen only because he had been caught off guard. However, they were now prepared. There was no way they were going to let a woman get the best of them. Additionally, the man who spoke to her knew how to fight very well, so he wasn¡¯t afraid.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Support ¡°Are you sure?¡± Sophie gave him onest chance. ¡°Come on, then! I¡¯ll teach you how to act properly today, missy. A woman shouldn¡¯t behave so wildly,¡± Casey¡¯s friend dared. Meanwhile, Tristan and Felix exited the building after they finished their meal. They then learned Sophie and Ysabelle had gone to the swimming pool from a receptionist. ¡°Do you want to head over there?¡± Felix was definitely going because he was worried about Ysabelle getting herself into trouble. ¡°Mr. Tristan, Ms. Ysabelle has started a fight with someone at the swimming pool.¡± A person approached the two men and reported. When Felix and Tristan heard that, they immediately rushed over to the swimming pool. Casey stopped his friend. ¡°Forget about it.¡± ¡°When did you be such a p*ssy, Casey?¡± his friend questioned. Casey shook his head. At that moment, Tristan and Felix arrived. Tristan could already see Sophie¡¯s alluring legs in the distance. He approached her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°They want to beat Sophie up, Uncle Tristan,¡± Ysabelle immediately replied. When the manager was informed about Tristan¡¯s arrival, he immediately rushed over to their location and asked, ¡°Is everything all right, Mr. Tristan?¡± He quickly wiped the cold sweat on his forehead away. ¡°Get them out of here. From today onward, they are forbidden from stepping into any properties belonging to the Lombard family,¡± Tristan ordered. Those who mess with my people will pay the price. ¡°All of you, please leave!¡± the manager shouted as he summoned a few security guards. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Casey¡¯s friend, the one who knew how to fight, still wanted to duke it out. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but the person standing in front of you is Mr. Tristan,¡± the manager informed. That information was enough to deter Casey¡¯s friend. After all, it didn¡¯t matter who he was when the entire ce was owned by Tristan. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Those who could afford a vacation at the resort were rich people. No one had seen what Tristan looked like before, but they knew he owned the resort. Since the manager had vouched for Tristan¡¯s identity, then there was no mistaking him for someone else. When Casey¡¯s friend knew who he had messed with, his legs turned into jelly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Tristan. I didn¡¯t know they were your people.¡± He immediately tried to beg for mercy. Tristan didn¡¯t even look at him. ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with him, Sophie?¡± Casey didn¡¯t want to give up because he still liked Sophie. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Sophie couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with him. I¡¯m d Tristan¡¯s here. This swimsuit, while not at all skimpy, would make it difficult for me to fight. ¡°I really like you, Sophie.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I really don¡¯t like you.¡± After that incident, Sophie lost all interest in swimming. The security guards chased Casey and his friends away without mercy. ¡°Ysabelle.¡± Tristan turned his attention to Ysabelle. Ysabelle pretended to y with her fingers. ¡°We didn¡¯t go looking for trouble with them. They were the ones who wanted to bully Sophie.¡± The look in Tristan¡¯s eyes turned even colder. Seems like I didn¡¯t punish those punks hard enough. Sophie approached him, pulled his arm, and headed outside. His aura was so dominating that it was going to chase the other guests away from the pool. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have caused a scene in your territory.¡± Sophie wasn¡¯t sure if he was angry about that. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to swim? I¡¯ll ask the staff to clear the pool.¡± Tristan nced at her. She¡¯s wearing too little. I already couldn¡¯t take it when she wore that ultra-short skirt and high-waist shirt, yet now she¡¯s wearing a swimsuit. I really don¡¯t like other men looking at her. ¡°No, I¡¯m going to change back to my clothes.¡± She had lost the mood to swim. Tristan grabbed her hand and pulled her back. ¡°You¡¯re free to fight if you want to. Just make sure you don¡¯t get hurt.¡± Even if you injure or kill someone, with my support, there¡¯s nothing you need to worry about. While that was happening, Felix had already pulled Ysabelle out. ¡°Let go of me, Felix! Why are you pulling me out? It¡¯s too dangerous for Soph to be inside there alone!¡± she shouted. Felix was rendered speechless. ¡°Are you worried your uncle¡¯s going to eat her whole? I think you should just focus on taking care of yourself.¡± She pouted as she felt aggrieved. ¡°Aren¡¯t you sick of looking at me all day? Why do you keep clinging to me?¡± ¡°Who says that I¡¯m sick of looking at you?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Ysabelle rolled her eyes before entering the shuttle bus headed back to the hotel. Felix immediately followed her into the vehicle. Just what did I do this time to piss her off? A woman¡¯s thoughts are too hard for me to guess. When Sophie exited the changing room, she saw Tristan waiting for her. She approached him before both of them left together. Charles and Sean had other things to do, so they left first. When Tristan and Sophie returned to the hotel, they saw Felix standing outside of Ysabelle¡¯s room. It didn¡¯t matter what Felix said ¨C Ysabelle refused to open the door. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Sophie asked while shooting Felix a sharp look. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She knocked on the door. ¡°Ysabelle, are you in there? Can Ie in?¡± When Ysabelle heard Sophie¡¯s voice, she opened the door. Sophie saw her friend¡¯s red eyes and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did Felix bully you? Do you want me to teach him a lesson?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with me either,¡± Ysabelle answered. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re fine.¡± When Monday rolled around, it was time for the monthly exam. Sophie got up from her bed, put on her uniform, and went out. She bought two buns on her way to school. Before Sophie could eat them, Willow got off a car and faced her. It would appear that Willow had been waiting for her. ¡°Why do you live in Wisteria Apartments?¡± Willow asked. Even though Wisteria Apartments wasn¡¯t a mansion district, the housing price was still ridiculously high due to its unique geographical location. Back when she wanted to attend Jipsdale Premier High, she had asked her father to buy her a house there. Her father had declined her request. Sophie¡¯s expression darkened too, as she didn¡¯t want to meet someone she disliked so early in the morning. ¡°Why does it matter to you where I¡¯m living?¡± ¡°You should know your ce, Sophie. I¡¯m here today to tell you that Dad doesn¡¯t want you to take Grandpa¡¯s shares.¡± ¡°Is it him or you who doesn¡¯t want that to happen? Are you feeling really scared now, Willow? Afraid that you won¡¯t have everything you want in the palm of your hands?¡± Sophie taunted. ¡°What do you mean?¡± While Willow was infuriated and upset, she still pretended to be fine on the surface. ¡°Then again, how can you lose something that was never yours to begin with?¡± Willow¡¯s expression changed in response to Sophie¡¯s words. Why does she look like she has everything in her control? I hate that look! She tightened her fists, looking as though she wanted to tear the disguise on her face down. ¡°Don¡¯t act so smugly, Sophie! You don¡¯t have the right to take the shares from me when your reputation is in shambles!¡± ¡°Oh! I almost forgot if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it. What happened five years ago isn¡¯t over yet!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Willow was sure she had not left any evidence behind five years ago. ¡°You¡¯ll know when the timees! Also, your current image is that of a top student, correct? If I do better than you, will your precious daddy still love you?¡± ¡°Do better than me? You¡¯re overestimating your abilities, Sophie. Ever since I entered high school, I¡¯ve always been one of the top three students in my year! What about you? All you know is to fight. Who cares about the truth regarding what happened five years ago anymore? Aren¡¯t you just a piece of trash now?¡± ¡°Is that so? I¡¯ll take back everything you hold dear, Willow!¡± Sophie didn¡¯t feel like talking to her anymore. As Willow watched her leave, she began to panic. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Tanner. There¡¯s no way she¡¯ll surpass you. You¡¯ll get whatever you want,¡± the Tanner family¡¯s driverforted. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Smug That¡¯s right; there¡¯s no way Sophie can win against me! I¡¯ve been studying hard for the past five years! All Sophie has done is either fight or skip sses. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll lose! Willow gritted her teeth. Ysabelle had arrived before Sophie. Hence, when the former saw thetter, she called out to thetter immediately. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sophie ate her buns as she approached her friend. ¡°Here,¡± Ysabelle said as she handed a piece of paper to Sophie. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you have a bet with Carrie? That you have to pass the physics exam?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Sophie nodded. I did do that. ¡°These are the questions I suspect will being out. You should take a look. We¡¯re having a Chanaean exam in the morning and a maths exam in the afternoon. The physics exam is tomorrow, so you¡¯ll still have time to study.¡± Sophie couldn¡¯t help but chuckle when she saw how cute her friend was acting. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? I¡¯m being serious right now, you know! What are youughing about?¡± Ysabelle pouted. ¡°My grades aren¡¯t bad, you know.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re a prideful person, Soph, but we still need to face the reality of things.¡± ¡°Fine, fine, I get it.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t pay attention in ss because she already knew what the teachers were talking about. It was why she opted to spend her time in ss sleeping instead. Back when she was in Horington, the teachers there didn¡¯t like her that much. No one really paid attention to her grades. When she was sitting for her exams, she only nced at the questions. Because of that, people thought she wasn¡¯t a bright student. She didn¡¯t tell Ysabelle that she also needed to beat Willow because she was worried Ysabelle would steal the answers to the exam papers for her. When nine o¡¯clock rolled around, it was time for the exam tomence. Sophie nced at the essay question, took five minutes to n what she wanted to write, and began putting words down on the exam paper. It only took her half an hour to finish the essay. Then she flipped to the first page and spent ten minutes answering basic grammar questions. She spent twenty minutes on the readingprehension section and then another ten minutes writing all the answers down on the answer paper. Without even double-checking her work, she began sleeping. When the time was up, she was the first to hand in her paper. Ysabelle was worried when she saw her friend handing in the exam paper so quickly. Is she done already? The amount of time given for the Chanaean exam was just about right. Although, some who wrote much slower still hadn¡¯t finished their essay yet. It wasn¡¯t until there were ten minutes left on the clock that Willow finished her essay. Her red lips curved upward as she stared at her answers with satisfaction. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll lose to Sophie! I¡¯m no longer the Willow from five years ago! The exam ended at eleven o¡¯clock. When Ysabelle walked out of the exam room, Sophie was already waiting for her outside. ¡°What do you think about the exam, Soph?¡± Ysabelle asked. ¡°It was okay,¡± Sophie replied. While the exam was difficult for many students, especially the ssical prose part, it wasn¡¯t at all hard for Sophie. ¡°How confident of you, Sophie.¡± Amanda Poole then turned to Willow. ¡°What about you, Willow? How hard do you think the Chanaean paper was?¡± They were in the top ss of their grade, and all of their ssmates were aiming to attend the best university in the country after they graduated. Even though all of them thought the exam was difficult, Sophie was there saying it was okay. ¡°I also think it was okay.¡± Willow smiled, still maintaining her elegant facade. ¡°Why are you asking Willow that question? She always sits in the top three each year! No matter how difficult the questions are, she¡¯ll always get more than one hundred and forty marks!¡± Amanda smiled. ¡°I suppose so. You know, since Sophie is Willow¡¯s sister, I guess it¡¯s only natural that she also finds the exam easy.¡± She was clearly trying to make fun of Sophie, who she thought was bluffing about the exam¡¯s difficulty. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t know how to answer the questions, Soph. I can tutor you after the exams end.¡± Willow smiled. What a pretentious woman! ¡°It¡¯s not certain who will be tutoring who at the end!¡± Sophie ignored them and left with Ysabelle. She could hear a few other girls still praising Willow. ¡°Even though Sophie handed her paper in in less than two hours, she still had the gall to say it was easy.¡± ¡°The questions this time around are pretty difficult. It¡¯s only natural that Sophie didn¡¯t know how to answer them since she spent her time at a school like that in Horington.¡± Jipsdale Premier High came up with its own exam papers, and it was a lot harder than university entrance exams. Ysabelle waved her fist. ¡°They¡¯re all so smug about it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. Just let them have their moment,¡± Sophie replied. ¡°You don¡¯t need to care that much about grades, Soph. Everyone pays attention to it during school, but when we enter society, all people will see is a person¡¯s capability!¡± Ysabelle was worried Sophie would mind. At noon, Tristan ate lunch with the two of them. Tristan¡¯spany was half an hour¡¯s drive away from the school. However, he spent fifty minutes on the road because it was rush hour. ¡°How was the exam in the morning?¡± he asked. He knew their monthly exam was starting today. ¡°It was quite difficult. I don¡¯t even know if I can score over one hundred and twenty,¡± Ysabelle replied. Tristan didn¡¯t press on with his questioning. He didn¡¯t really care if her grades were good or not. ¡°Take a nap after you finish your meal.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She always obeyed her uncle¡¯s words without hesitation. To be more precise, it wasn¡¯t because she was actually being obedient. She was just afraid of him because the consequences of her being disobedient would be awful. After Ysabelle went to take a nap, Sophie began cleaning up the table. The housekeeper had left after preparing their lunch and would only return to clean up during the afternoon after Sophie and Ysabelle had gone back to school. However, Sophie couldn¡¯t bear looking at the leftovers sitting on the table. After she cleaned the table up, Tristan gave her a notebook. ¡°What is this?¡± she asked. ¡°It¡¯s a notebook I prepared for you.¡± When she opened the book, she realized it was a physics notebook. The contents inside were tidy and easily understandable. The handwriting was also pleasant to look at. ¡°You made this for me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tristan intentionally wrote it slowly and neatly because he was afraid Sophie wouldn¡¯t understand his handwriting. While she wanted to say she didn¡¯t need it, she was touched by how much effort he put into the notebook. ¡°Is this how you chase after girls, Mr. Tristan?¡± ¡°Nope. You¡¯re the first andst person I¡¯ll ever chase after.¡± He might appear cold, but he was actually a passionate person. Sophie was speechless. At three in the afternoon, the math exam started. Sophie only took ten minutes to finish the twelve multiple-choice questions. It was even easier for her toplete the questions where she needed to fill in the nks. When she started on the subjective questions, she spent more than half an hour doing so because she needed to write down all the steps. There were still forty minutes left on the clock when she finished the paper. Due to the monthly exam, she wasn¡¯t going to attend the night self-study sessions for these two days. After Sophie walked out of the exam room, Josiah called. ¡°Can youe back tonight, Soph? I¡¯ve already asked thewyer to prepare everything.¡± He had promised to give her the shares, so he would. ¡°Can I refuse to take it, Grandpa?¡± ¡°Listen to me, Soph. I know you don¡¯t like dealing with this, but this is my way of protecting you,¡± he persuaded. With the shares in her hand, her husband¡¯s family won¡¯t dare to bully her after she gets married. This is the best I can do to help her face the harsh reality. ¡°Fine, I get it.¡± Before Sophie returned, another person called her. It was Yale. ¡°I¡¯m waiting at the back of the school. Come now.¡± His authoritative tone made her ufortable. After she exited the school through the back entrance, she saw Yale¡¯s Mercedes-Benz sitting at the side of the road. When the driver saw her, he drove toward her and let her enter.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Picking You Up ¡°How were the exams?¡± Yale asked. Sophie raised her eyebrow. Does he really care about my grades? ¡°Don¡¯t you know I don¡¯t like studying? Are you asking me that question to make me feel awful?¡± She had no intention of showing him a good attitude. ¡°No matter what happens, I¡¯m still your father, Sophie. You look ill-mannered like this.¡± Yale frowned. ¡°Stop spending your time hanging outside of the school. You should follow your sister¡¯s example by learning how she studies and interacts with the world.¡± He couldn¡¯t understand why there was such a big difference between his two daughters. ¡°Learn from her? Is she even good enough for me to do that?¡± Sophie sneered. Her sneer would make people ufortable and terrified. ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase. You aren¡¯t allowed to take the twenty percent shares your grandfather is giving you.¡± That was the main reason Yale was there. ¡°Since Grandpa is giving it to me, I will take it.¡± Sophie was giddy when she saw her father¡¯s pissed-off expression. ¡°Sophie.¡± His voice began to sound like he was warning her. ¡°I¡¯m telling you not to take the shares. If you refuse to listen, don¡¯t me me for what I¡¯ll do.¡± It didn¡¯t matter who he was dealing with. As long as that person was a threat to him, he would show no mercy. The only person he loved the most in the world was himself. Sophie pushed the door open and exited the vehicle. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the shares aren¡¯t the only thing I want. I want the wholepany.¡± The more desperately her family wanted to keep something to themselves, the more she wanted to take it away from them, even if she couldn¡¯t care less about having it. ¡°You talk big for an ipetent girl.¡± Yale didn¡¯t want to argue with her any further. After all, in his eyes, she was just a senior student without any notable skills or academic achievement. He didn¡¯t believe she would cause much trouble for him. When Sophie arrived back at the Tanner residence, everyone except for Caleb was already there. When Yale and Charmaine saw Sophie, their expressions darkened. They could scarcely believe she had the guts to take the shares that Josiah had the nerve to hand out. ¡°Come and talk with me, Sophie. Thewyer hasn¡¯t arrived yet,¡± Josiah said. ¡°Dad, this twenty percent is far too important to Tanner Group. Are you really going to give it to her that easily?¡± Yale refused to give up. Josiah ignored his son because he had the right to decide to who he wanted to give his assets. ¡°Dad, Soph is still young. If you give her such an incredibly valuable thing, you may end up hurting her instead of protecting her.¡± ¡°Why would I be hurting her? You know, it breaks my heart to see neither of you cares for her.¡± ¡°Tanner Group doesn¡¯t only just belong to our family now, Dad. There are other shareholders paying attention to what you¡¯re doing! If you give those shares to a girl like her, we won¡¯t be able to protect her if the other shareholderse after her!¡± Yale knew the struggle for power had always been like that. Josiah remained silent. Obviously, he knew about that as well after spending many years in the business world. ¡°Soph is your daughter. If you two dare to touch her, I won¡¯t let any of you get away with it.¡± He knew he didn¡¯t have long to live. Soph will only have herself to depend on once I pass. She has to get stronger. ¡°Are you scared, Soph?¡± he asked. Sophie held her grandfather¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ve never been afraid, Grandpa.¡± If they were talking about facing the struggles of growing up, then she really was unafraid of facing them. Josiah was d. I can see my younger self in her. ¡°Think about it carefully, Sophie.¡± The look in Yale¡¯s eyes turned cold. It was then thewyer arrived. ¡°Are you sure about this, Old Mr. Tanner?¡± Terrence Baldwin, thewyer, was also worried about whether Sophie could keep the shares Josiah was giving her. ¡°No need to be afraid, Soph. Even if, in the end, you throw away the shares I give you, I still won¡¯t regret my decision. Consider it as me giving you your tuition fees.¡± ¡°Please put your signature here, Old Mr. Tanner.¡± Terrence didn¡¯t say anything else because he knew Josiah wouldn¡¯t change his mind. ¡°Please sign here, Ms. Tanner.¡± He pointed at a spot on the paper. Once Josiah and Sophie put their signatures down, thewyer dered, ¡°Okay. The shares now belong to Ms. Tanner.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Josiah then sent Terrence out. ¡°Now that Sophie has inherited my shares, she¡¯s considered one of Tanner Group¡¯s shareholders. Don¡¯t disappoint me, Sophie,¡± Josiah uttered before heading upstairs. He was getting old, which was why he left, as he didn¡¯t want to witness such a sullen atmosphere in his home. Sophie was about to leave after obtaining the shares. ¡°You¡¯re still young, Soph. We¡¯re just thinking about your well-being. Let your dad keep hold of your shares first. You¡¯re our daughter, so we won¡¯t hurt you,¡± Charmaine coaxed. ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ll help you manage your shares first. Once you get married, I¡¯ll return the shares to you untouched,¡± Yale added. Sophie couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. The world has always been like this. People¡¯s loyalties are where their interests lie. It¡¯s so sad to see my parents put up an act like this in order to obtain my power and fortune. ¡°What are youughing at? Am I not looking after your best interest? Do you know how to take care of apany?¡± Yale¡¯s smile faded as he questioned like amanding father. ¡°Does it matter if I don¡¯t? I just need to take the dividends, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sophie retorted. ¡°You¡ª¡± Yale was so angry that he couldn¡¯t speak further. ¡°Think about it carefully, Soph. The other shareholders in Tanner Group are all vicious schemers. A girl like you isn¡¯t their opponent.¡± Charmaine acted as though she was a kind mother. ¡°I¡¯d rather die in their hands than in you two¡¯s!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Charmaine was pissed off as well. ¡°Fine. Now that you¡¯re all grown up, I can¡¯t control you anymore. You better protect your shares well and don¡¯t let them slip out of your hands. Don¡¯te and beg us for help when you have nothing left.¡± ¡°Even if I have nothing left, I won¡¯te and find you both.¡± Sophie grabbed the document, turned, and left. ¡°How did I give birth to a piece of trash daughter like her?¡± Charmaine was so angry that she smashed the cup on the table. Willow had been staying silent at the side. It was then that she spoke politely. ¡°She won¡¯t be able to gloat for long, Mom.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She won¡¯t be. That twenty percent share is nothing when you marry into the Laird family. When that timees, you can get whatever you want,¡± Charmaine assured. After all, Mrs. Laird likes Willow and has been nurturing her as a daughter-inw. ¡°Yeah.¡± When Willow thought about Mason, she felt a little giddy. So what if Sophie likes Mason? In the end, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to marry into the Laird family. Sophie grinned as she stared at the document in her hand outside of the Tanner residence. So this is all they have been pining for, eh? Instead of calling for a taxi, she wanted to go on a stroll. Every time she found herself in the Tanner residence, her worldview was shattered. ¡°Do you want me to stop, Mr. Tristan?¡± the driver asked. Isn¡¯t Mr. Tristan here to meet Ms. Tanner? ¡°No need. Just follow behind her slowly.¡± The driver silently drove the car slowly. He would asionally stop for a few seconds before proceeding just to keep the car a safe distance from Sophie. He wondered what she was thinking that prevented her from noticing the car had been following her for a long time. It wasn¡¯t until it started raining that Sophie stopped. ¡°Stop the car.¡± Tristan stepped out of the vehicle, strolled toward Sophie, and swept her into his arms. When she raised her head, she saw his handsome face. ¡°Why are you here?¡± she asked. ¡°To pick you up.¡± By the time Tristan carried her into the car, they were already soaked from the heavy rain. ¡°Head to Wisteria Apartments,¡± he ordered. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Addicted To Hugging You When they arrived at Wisteria Apartments, Tristan filled the bathtub with hot water and added a few drops of essential oil before carrying Sophie into the bathroom. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve been getting a little too familiar with carrying me, Mr. Tristan?¡± Even though Sophie said that, she still wrapped her arms around his neck. Tristan let her down once they were inside the bathroom. ¡°I¡¯m happy to serve you. If you don¡¯t feel like moving, I can even help you with¡ª¡± ¡°No need.¡± She immediately pushed him out and leaned against the door. It¡¯s a little worrying that the great Mr. Tristan is willing to do so much for me. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll stay inside longer.¡± The weather changed very fast. Even though it was just rain during fall, the weather was already quite cold. She took off her clothes and entered the bathtub. Upon immersing herself in the warm water, Sophie let out a satisfied moan. Tristan was someone who enjoyed the finer things in life, which was why he had bought a tub that would keep the temperature constant. The water would remain warm for as long as she wanted to stay inside. There was no need to worry about it going cold. Outside, he took a simple bath and changed into a casual outfit. When he got out, he heard Sophie¡¯s phone ringing. Since she hadn¡¯t left the bathroom yet, he picked up the phone. There was a string of numbers on the screen without a name. Tristan didn¡¯t answer the phone and simply knocked on the bathroom door. ¡°You got a call. There¡¯s no name listed on the screen.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll answer it after I get out in a moment,¡± Sophie answered. ¡°Don¡¯t spend too much time inside. Otherwise, you¡¯ll faint.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Sophie only left the bathtub and changed into a casual outfit after she heard the door closing. Then she nced at the phone and saw it was from Butterfly. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°You finally picked up the phone. I thought something had happened to you.¡± ¡°What can possibly happen to me? Oh yeah, Captain Sheppard brought Dr. Yarren back. He asked me for your number, saying he wants to thank you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. There¡¯s no need to give him my number, though. You know, Captain Sheppard is quite a good talker at Jipsdale. It won¡¯t hurt you to know him better.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Sophie was used to being alone. It was just by coincidence that she formed Wings of Light. ¡°Gosh, what am I going to do with you? Fine, do what you want.¡± ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I chat with you for fun?¡± Silence was the response Butterfly got. ¡°I still got things to do, so I¡¯m going to hang up now.¡± After Sophie dried her hair and exited the room, she saw the food that the staff from Pegasus Pavilion had delivered. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet?¡± She wondered why Tristan hadn¡¯t eaten yet even though it was alreadyte. ¡°Nope. Come and eat with me!¡± In actuality, Tristan had already eaten. He knew she hadn¡¯t yet, which was why he ordered people to deliver food to them. Sophie sat across from him and ate. They remained silent as they enjoyed their meal. He only had a few bites before he kept putting food on her te. Not only that, he even poured her a bowl of mushroom soup. She ate a lot over the course of the meal. Once it was over, she took on the task of cleaning up the table. Tristan didn¡¯t stay around for long as he left after the meal was over. It was as though he was only there to share a meal with her. While the physics exam the next day involved a lot of calctions, Sophie was still able to finish them easily. There was half an hour left when she handed her paper in. For her Ustranasion paper during the afternoon, she took her time writing her answers down on the answer paper. She really didn¡¯t understand why people were saying the exam was hard. Once the exam was over, everyone gathered around to discuss it. Ysabelle sat on the bench in front of Sophie and turned around to face her friend. ¡°How well did you do, Soph?¡± Ysabelle was really worried about her friend¡¯s grades. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Can you pass the physics paper?¡± ¡°I can.¡± Carrie just so happened to pass by both of them then. She snickered when she heard what Sophie said. ¡°If you can pass without ever paying attention in ss, what are us teachers for?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll know once the results are out. There¡¯s no need to rush, Mrs. Fletcher. I always keep my promises. If I don¡¯t pass this time, I¡¯ll quit school voluntarily.¡± Sophie smiled coldly. ¡°Soph¡­¡± Ysabelle was worried because the physics paper had been really hard. I¡¯m pretty sure half of the ss won¡¯t even pass! Why is she acting so confidently? ¡°Is that so? I look forward to your results, then. Hmph.¡± It was obvious Carrie didn¡¯t believe Sophie. When Sophie and Ysabelle went out for a meal, they encountered Willow and her posse. ¡°How well do you think you¡¯re going to do this time, Willow?¡± Willow¡¯s friend asked. ¡°Well enough,¡± Willow replied. ¡°You always say that, and you always get into the top three!¡± Another one of Willow¡¯s friends chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s right! Willow is just that awesome! She¡¯s good- looking and smart! Whoever she marries in the future is going to be very lucky.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± Ysabelle couldn¡¯t help but click her tongue when she heard Willow¡¯s posse praising Willow. ¡°What do you mean by that, Ysabelle?¡± One of Willow¡¯s ssmates spoke up sullenly. Even though what Willow¡¯s ssmates said was true, they were actually really jealous of Willow. ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything else by that. This isn¡¯t your home, so why do you care what I¡¯m saying?¡± Ysabelle retorted. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°You!¡± ¡°Forget about it. There¡¯s no need to waste our time talking to a bunch of awful students like them! Any one of the students in our ss can crush them easily,¡± one of Willow¡¯s ssmates mocked. It was true that Senior ss 1 students would utterly stomp on Senior ss 8 students. ¡°You¡ª¡± While that was the truth, it still pissed Ysabelle off. ¡°So what if you¡¯re all good at studying? That¡¯s the only thing you nerds know how to do!¡± ¡°Who are you calling a nerd, huh?¡± A girl in sses pushed Ysabelle back. ¡°So what if I¡¯m calling you all nerds?¡± Ysabelle refused to back down. The girl in sses wanted to hit Ysabelle, but Sophie caught her arm. ¡°Keep your hands to yourself,¡± Sophie warned. ¡°You think you¡¯re untouchable just because you won against Queenie? So what if you¡¯re good at basketball when your grades suck? What¡¯s there to be proud of?¡± Sophie sneered, ¡°Is intelligence the only thing you¡¯re proud of? In that case, just you wait until the results for the monthly exames out.¡± Once she finished her sentence, she left with Ysabelle. ¡°How are her grades, Willow?¡± the girl in sses asked. Sophie sounded as though she was confident she¡¯ll be getting good grades for the exam! ¡°Nothing impressive,¡± Willow answered. ¡°Good. We¡¯ll see how long she can act so smugly.¡± Inside the offices of Jipsdale Premier High, the Chanaean teachers were already marking the papers. There were around thirty teachers using the inte to mark their papers. Suddenly, a teacher jumped up. ¡°Oh my god! This is the first time I¡¯ve seen an essay like this in all my years as a teacher!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The other teachers surrounded their colleague when they heard that. ¡°Read this.¡± A few teachers read the essay at the same time and quickly realized it was the most perfect essay they had everid their eyes on. It was wless in every aspect. ¡°Which ss does this student belong to? Why didn¡¯t we notice this student before?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s written by someone in our ss.¡± ¡°Is this a student from your ss, Ms. Reynolds?¡± Ripley Reynolds was the Chanaean teacher for Senior ss 1. Since that ss consisted of the best students in the grade, it was only natural for them to assume the essay was written by a student in that ss. Ripley nced at the essay and shook her head immediately. ¡°The handwriting is too neat. No one in my ss writes like this.¡± ¡°Then who is this ck horse?¡± The teachers around were all very curious about the author of the essay. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Chapter 36 tter For the physics paper, most of the students of Jipsdale Premier High had no idea how to answer the last question, leaving that question nk in the end. ¡°The questions for the physics paper this time are just too difficult. I onlypleted the paper after an hour.¡± Not only were the questions difficult, but there were also a lot of calctions too. More than half of the students in Senior ss 1 had a breakdown from it. Carrie kept silent the whole time. She had also tried the paper but had no idea how to answer thest question either. Even Aaron Elswick, the physics teacher from Senior ss 1, took an hour toplete the paper. ¡°What do you think, Mrs. Fletcher? Were you able toplete the calctions for thest question?¡± Aaron asked. ¡°I did. I don¡¯t think it was that difficult,¡± she said, not wanting to embarrass herself for not being able to answer the question. ¡°Haha¡­¡± The man knew that she wasn¡¯t that skilled, so her words were just a joke to him. Carrie knew that he was making fun of her, but she dared not stand up against him head-on. She wasn¡¯t as good at physics as he was, after all. ¡°No way! One of the students actually managed to answer this question. Not only are the steps for the calctions correct, but their answer is too!¡± ¡°Really? Then, it must be a student from Senior ss 1.¡± Among all of the sses, Senior ss 1 was the most capable. ¡°Should be. When ites to physics, who could everpare to Bailey Dixon from your ss?¡± Bailey was the top student of Jipsdale Premier High and had been cing first ever since he started attending the school. Looking over, Aaron noticed that it wasn¡¯t Bailey¡¯s handwriting on the paper. ¡°The student¡¯s not from my ss.¡± Everyone froze upon hearing that. Who else could it be if it¡¯s not Bailey? Is there another schr like him here at Jipsdale Premier High? On Friday night, they made reservations at Sky Hotel to celebrate Josiah¡¯s eightieth birthday. Since he did not like crowds, only a handful of rtives came to have dinner with him, taking up only two tables. ¡°Did you let Soph know?¡± When Josiah saw that Sophie had not arrived even though it was almost six in the evening, he asked Charmaine, who was sitting next to him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. I¡¯ve already let her know. But you know how her temper can be. I don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll come.¡± The woman just couldn¡¯t bring herself to like Sophie. Even though they were both her daughters, Willow was obedient, while Sophie was always arrogant and would never listen to her. ¡°I don¡¯t think she will being, Grandpa. I saw her leaving with a delinquent when school ended.¡± ¡°Forget about her, Dad. It¡¯s your eightieth birthday today. There are so many rtives here. Why should we let others make a joke out of us if Sophiees?¡± Hearing that, Josiah mmed the ss he was holding on the table. ¡°A joke? Who would dare do that? Whoever here who doesn¡¯t want to eat with our Sophie can leave,¡± he retorted. No matter what he did, they still had such an attitude toward his granddaughter. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Yale came over instantly when he heard such a bigmotion. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Notify Sophie. No one can start eating if she doesn¡¯te.¡± All he wanted was to have a happy family dinner. How could he start dinner if Sophie wasn¡¯t here? Yale¡¯s expression turned dark in an instant. ¡°How old are you, Dad? Sophie¡¯s being immature, but are you going to be the same as well? Everyone¡¯s waiting! Everyone here is of seniority, so what if a younger one doesn¡¯te? Why should we make everyone wait for her?¡± Right then, Sophie pushed open the door and entered. In truth, she had not received a call from Charmaine, but she knew that it was her grandfather¡¯s birthday that day. It had not been a difficult task for her to find out where they were having dinner to celebrate it. ¡°I¡¯m here, Grandpa.¡± Josiah finally looked at ease at the sight of his granddaughter. ¡°Soph! Come here.¡± Sophie walked over and sat beside him. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to get angry, Grandpa. It¡¯s your eightieth birthday, so how could I note?¡± Hearing that, Josiah couldn¡¯t stop himself from smiling. As expected from my Sophie. Patting her head, he said, ¡°Oh, Soph! What would you do if I wasn¡¯t here anymore?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still in great health! Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°All right. Since everyone is here now, bring the dishes over!¡± Yale had a grim expression on his face, but he said nothing else. After all, it was his father¡¯s birthday today. He couldn¡¯t make it an unhappy day for him. ¡°Wi, your monthly exam just ended, right? How was it?¡± Willow¡¯s maternal aunt, Yara, asked. ¡°It was all right, Aunt Yara.¡± ¡°I heard from our Taylor that the papers this time were really difficult. You¡¯re really lucky, Charmaine,¡± she continued to tter. Charmaine was delighted when everyone turned their attention to Willow. She had spent so much time and energy on her daughter, after all. ¡°Taylor is really well-behaved too. I¡¯m sure she did well in her exams.¡± ¡°I¡¯d probably do better than Sophie,¡± Taylor replied with a smile. ¡°Watch what you¡¯re saying, Taylor.¡± ¡°I was just telling the truth, Mom! No one here is a match for Wi.¡± A smile surfaced on Willow¡¯s face when she heard thepliment, but she stayed silent. Nheless, she really liked hearing praises like these. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her, Soph. Taylor is still young, so she doesn¡¯t know any better.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind!¡± Sophie had never cared about irrelevant people like her. ¡°Soph, now that you¡¯re back in Jipsdale, you have to study hard. Stop with the nonsense you did in the past.¡± ¡°What did I do in the past that was so nonsensical, Aunt Yara?¡± Hearing that, Sophie raised a brow. These two are here to stir up trouble on purpose, aren¡¯t they? ¡°Since when is it your turn to tell me what to do with my life?¡± ¡°Watch your words, Sophie! She¡¯s your aunt!¡± Charmaine scolded as she red at Sophie. ¡°This is how I¡¯ve always spoken. Don¡¯t you know that I have no manners and am a delinquent? Besides, I¡¯m holding back today since it¡¯s Grandpa¡¯s birthday. Don¡¯t me me for being too hard on you next time I hear you saying something like this again.¡± Sophie couldn¡¯t help but feel disgusted at how they were ttering her mother while trampling over her. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Are we still eating or not?¡± No one dared to utter another word when Josiah spoke up. ¡°Don¡¯t mind their words, Soph,¡± he said, his heart aching for Sophie. After their meal, everyone got up and gifted Josiah with the presents they brought. ¡°I¡¯ve also prepared something for you, Grandpa.¡± Willow stood up and took out a red velvet box. ¡°I bought this emerald ring from an auction for two million. I hope you will like it, Grandpa.¡± ¡°What a filial child you are, Wi. Two million!¡± Yara¡¯s eyes lit up. Two million was not a small number for an ordinary family. ¡°I used the money I¡¯ve saved up since I was young, and the gift is nothing too expensive. I just hope that you will like it, Grandpa,¡± Willow said gently. Would Grandpa still like Sophie as much now? ¡°Sophie, Old Mr. Tanner gave you his twenty percent of the shares. Did you not prepare anything for him on his birthday?¡± Yara asked, not wanting Sophie to have an easy time. ¡°What I gave Sophie is just a gift to her as her grandpa. I am almost dying soon. Why should I need any more gifts?¡± ¡°Please calm down, Grandpa. I¡¯ve also prepared something for you.¡± The only reason she waste was that she had gone to get her grandfather¡¯s gift. ¡°Oh? What is it?¡± Josiah¡¯s interest was piqued. At that, Willow¡¯s expression turned ugly. Why is Grandpa always favoring Sophie? He only took a nce at my present before he called for a housekeeper to take it away. Yet, here he is, being so interested in Sophie¡¯s gift. I have to see for myself just what kind of gift she prepared. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Chapter 37 I Will Teach You ¡°I know that you really like Edward Hopper¡¯s paintings, Grandpa. That¡¯s why I searched for one of his paintings for you. I hope that you¡¯ll like it.¡± ¡°What? Edward Hopper¡¯s painting? Are you dreaming, Sophie? Do you know how expensive his paintings are? At leaste up with something more believable if you¡¯re going to lie.¡± Right then, the door to the private room opened. Then, a man in a suit walked in with a 1.5-meter wooden case in his hands. ¡°Is Ms. Tanner here?¡± ¡°Here.¡± Sophie stood up, and the man handed her the case. She opened up the case and pulled out the painting from inside. Then, she held it up so that Josiah could have a look at it. He was indeed very fond of Edward Hopper¡¯s paintings. It was to the point where he was obsessed with them. The man smiled in an instant. He quickly put on his reading sses to carefully study the painting before him. ¡°I really like this painting, Soph. But where did you get so much money?¡± Edward Hopper¡¯s paintings were extremely expensive, after all. ¡°How is it possible that an eighteen-year-old girl like her would be able to buy an authentic painting, Old Mr. Tanner? This must be a fake,¡± Yara ridiculed. ¡°There¡¯s not an ounce of sincerity in her.¡± ¡°Who said that it¡¯s fake? This is an original painting of Mr. Hopper. I even have the documents to prove it,¡± the man in a suit said as he took out the documents. ¡°Then, the documents must be fake too!¡± Yara said, still refusing to believe it. ¡°I wish you a long life with great prosperity, Grandpa.¡± Sophie had put in a lot of effort in order to get the painting. However, everything was worth it as long as Josiah liked it. ¡°Do you really believe that it¡¯s real, Grandpa?¡± Even though Willow knew nothing about art, she didn¡¯t believe that Sophie was capable enough to get one of Edward Hopper¡¯s paintings. ¡°It¡¯s real.¡± He had been analyzing the art for so many years. There was no way he wouldn¡¯t be able to tell if it was real or fake. Everyone was shocked at his words. How on earth did you get your hands on it, Sophie? Sophie only left the Tanner residence after she sent Josiah back. ¡°Stop right there, Sophie.¡± Hearing that, she halted her footsteps. Willow immediately made her way toward her. ¡°Where did you get the painting? It¡¯s fake, isn¡¯t it? How can you lie to Grandpa?¡± ¡°Everything I own is authentic. Anything that¡¯s fake is just worthless to me.¡± Is anything she can¡¯t get fake to her? ¡°The man who drove the Lamborghini gave it to you, didn¡¯t he? How shameless of you, Sophie. How dare you use your body in exchange for something! Nheless, he¡¯s only interested in you for now. Once he loses interest, do you think you¡¯d be able to marry into a wealthy family with that reputation of yours?¡± Willow did not want to admit that she was getting anxious. It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a painting. The Tanner family can buy it too, so this is nothing. ¡°Marry into a wealthy family?¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°I will definitely marry into the Laird family. Do you still remember Mason? The one you had a crush on for two years? He¡¯s going to return soon.¡± Sophie turned around at her words. ¡°Is that so? Then, let me congratte you in advance. Willow, you set me up back then all because of Mason, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll know what I¡¯m talking about soon.¡± Then, Sophie left, leaving Willow alone. Mason is going to return soon. I have to take advantage of this chance. Meanwhile, Charles invited everyone to have dinner at Azure Club to celebrate his sister, Winter, getting third ce in a perfumerypetition. Winter had always liked Tristan. She had been preparing to marry him ever since she was in middle school. Now, she was quite famous in the perfume industry and even had her own fragrancepany. I¡¯m worthy of being with Tristan now, right? ¡°Time passes so quickly. The snotty Winter from back then is now all grown up,¡± Felix teased. ¡°What are you talking about, Felix? When was I ever snotty?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not spewing nonsense. I remember that you liked following the four of us around, and you¡¯d always cry your eyes out at the littlest things.¡± ¡°Felix¡ª¡± Winter was so embarrassed to be talked about like that in front of the person she liked. She nced at Tristan, who was sitting in front of her. How can he be so handsome? Right then, Ysabelle arrived with Sophie. Having found out that the rest of them would be hanging out here, the former insisted that theye, and she was adamant that thetter apany her. Felix instantly went to wee them when he found out that they were here. ¡°Why are you here and not sleeping, Ms. Lombard?¡± Even though he had asked the question, he was quite happy that she was here. ¡°Is there a problem with being bored?¡± Ysabelle was toozy to be bothered by him. She stepped in once the waiter opened the door. ¡°Congrattions, Winter. I heard that the perfume you concocted for thepetition was really special.¡± Upon seeing Sophie, Tristan stopped drinking and got up to pull out a chair for her. Then, he gestured for her to sit down. ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, have some juice.¡± At that, Tristan called for a waiter and ordered two sses of fruit juice for Sophie and Ysabelle. ¡°It was all right,¡± Winter replied to Ysabelle. Yet, she kept her gaze on Sophie. ¡°Let me introduce her, Winter. This is my ssmate, Sophie Tanner.¡± ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Winter Quigley,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°She¡¯s Charles¡¯ sister. You¡¯ll have a lot of opportunities to meet each other in the future,¡± Tristan whispered in Sophie¡¯s ear. ¡°Hi. Sophie Tanner.¡± She got up and shook Winter¡¯s hand. ¡°You guys should skip ss tomorrow. We¡¯ll go have some fun,¡± Felix suggested. ¡°Sure! It¡¯s been a long time since Ist went out to have fun,¡± Ysabelle answered, feeling excited. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Charles asked. ¡°We¡¯re at a club right now. What can¡¯t we do here?¡± Tristan was nning to send Ysabelle and Sophie home by eleven at nightter. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Then, the group headed to the game room next door. Winter grabbed onto Ysabelle, and the two of them walked at the back of the group. ¡°Ysabelle, your uncle¡¯s treating Sophie so differently. What¡¯s their rtionship?¡± As a woman, Sophie was being too big of a threat to her. ¡°What do you mean, Winter? Sophie is just a ssmate. Besides, there¡¯s a huge age gap between them. Sophie wouldn¡¯t see him that way.¡± ¡°You silly girl! Is there a woman on earth who wouldn¡¯t want your uncle?¡± Any woman would dream to be with a man like Tristan. Who would care about the age factor? ¡°Sophie is different.¡± Other women couldn¡¯t wait to have him for themselves the moment theyid eyes on him. However, Sophie was different from them. ¡°I hope so.¡± What am I thinking? She¡¯s just a high school student. Even though she is beautiful, I¡¯m sure her looks are all she has. ¡°Let¡¯s y pool,¡± Charles suggested. He knew that his sister liked Tristan, but the man did not see her that way. However, he still wanted to create opportunities for her since Winter was good at ying pool. ¡°Sure!¡± she replied instantly. Winter always wanted to show her best self when she was with Tristan. ¡°Do you know how to y, Sophie?¡± Ysabelle asked. She wasn¡¯t as interested in pool. ¡°Nope,¡± Sophie answered. She wasn¡¯t interested in the game either. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can teach you,¡± Tristan said as he walked over to where she was. Once they entered the room, he said, ¡°You guys go ahead and y first. I¡¯ll teach Sophie and Ysabelle how to y.¡± Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Chapter 38 My Disciple Tristan arranged the balls on the pool table and exined the rules of the game to Sophie and Ysabelle. However, Ysabelle wasn¡¯t interested in it at all. ¡°Can I not learn, Uncle Tristan?¡± she asked as she didn¡¯t like the game. ¡°Sure. Why don¡¯t you find something else to y with?¡± After that, he guided Sophie on what to do, and thetter nodded as she listened to the rules. ¡°Do you remember everything?¡± Tristan asked. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± As she spoke, she picked up the pool cue to give it a go. Leaning over the table, Sophie aimed at the balls just as the man had instructed. Seeing that her posture wasn¡¯t correct, Tristan walked over and helped correct her. With the position they were in right now, their bodies would press against each other even if only one of them were to move slightly. Sophie wasn¡¯t used to being so intimate with a grown man, and she couldn¡¯t stop herself from getting distracted. ¡°Focus.¡± Tristan was just as distracted, but he quickly calmed himself down. I can¡¯t let my imagination run wild. She¡¯s only eighteen. I can¡¯t think about those things. I can wait for her to grow up. ¡°Okay.¡± Sophie tried her best not to let the man¡¯s breath affect her. ¡°Aim at the balls. Your left hand should be this way, and your right like this. Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. I¡¯ve never seen Mr. Tristan so patient before.¡± Tristan could get a hang of things he was learning very quickly. However, not even Ysabelle, who was most loved by the Lombard family, had gotten such a hands-on ss from him before. Obviously, Winter also saw it, and she couldn¡¯t help but clutch tightly onto her pool cue. Charles patted her shoulder and said, ¡°Winter, you¡¯re my sister. There¡¯s no man out there that you can¡¯t get. Come on, let¡¯s not think about him anymore. I¡¯ll introduce someone good to you in the future.¡± He had been friends with Tristan for so many years. Naturally, he knew how the man¡¯s temper was. Winter smiled bitterly at that. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Charles.¡± She¡¯s just a little girl. Maybe Tristan is just taking care of her as if she¡¯s his little sister. After all, no matter how you see it, a girl like her isn¡¯t worthy of someone like Tristan. However, Winter herself had never been so intimate with him before. Meanwhile, Sophie got the hang of the game with just a few tries. ¡°Let me try it on my own.¡± Just like Tristan, she could learn things really quickly. In just a short while, she felt that she had already gotten the hang of it. He let go of her hand, and the feel of her skin lingered on his palm. Tristan secretly heaved a sigh once he let go of her. The girl¡¯s impact on him was getting bigger. He didn¡¯t seem to want to let her go once he grabbed hold of her. Sophie gave it a try on her own. She knew the rules and also the postures, so it wasn¡¯t difficult for her. ¡°Do you know how the game works now?¡± Winter came over and asked. Turning to Tristan, she added, ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me teach her, Tristan? It¡¯d be better since I¡¯m a woman too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll teach my own disciple. Why? Are you doubting me?¡± He didn¡¯t want to have Winter getting so intimate with Sophie. ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything else. It¡¯s just that Sophie is a girl, so she might feel ufortable if you stick so close to her.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Are you feeling ufortable?¡± he turned to ask Sophie. Sophie walked over to the other side of the pool table. She only looked up at him once she had scored one of the balls. ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if she¡¯s okay with it. Go ahead and y with them, Winter. Didn¡¯t you want to y?¡± Winter bit her lip, but she kept a smile on her face. Damn it! Are you doing this on purpose, Sophie? How do you know how to seduce people when you¡¯re so young? Tristan stopped bothering with Winter when he saw that Sophie¡¯s posture was wrong again. He quickly walked over to correct her. Lowering his head, he saw that the top of her breasts was showing because she was leaning forward. Tristan¡¯s eyes darkened at the sight of this. This little vixen always manages to seduce me even without the knowledge of doing so. He quickly looked away and corrected her posture. ¡°Don¡¯t wear clothes like this from now on.¡± Sophie straightened up and looked down at her clothes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± This shirt is really normal! ¡°The cor¡¯s too low.¡± The two of them were acting as if there wasn¡¯t anyone next to them, and Winter¡¯s face paled. Charles instantly walked over to drag her back to their table. ¡°All right. Stop looking.¡± What can she do even if she continues? No one can control what Tristan thinks or does. Winter bit her lip. ¡°Charles, Mr. Tristan¡¯s treating her so well.¡± ¡°No one knows what¡¯s on his mind. Just mind your own business. Don¡¯t mess with her, understand?¡± It seems like Mr. Tristan has already taken the girl under his wing. That means he won¡¯t tolerate anyone who messes with her. ¡°I know.¡± How could she not know his temperament? Nheless, she liked him and, thus, couldn¡¯t stand seeing him treat other women so well. Sophie finally got the hang of it after practicing more. ¡°Not bad,¡± Tristan said, giving her a rarepliment. ¡°Our Soph is that great! She can do anything.¡± Ysabelle couldn¡¯t help but feel proud herself when she heard Tristanplimenting Sophie. ¡°Are you up for a game, Sophie?¡± Even though Winter had a smile on her face, what she felt toward the girl before her hadpletely changed. ¡°Winter,¡± Charles warned. He knew that she wanted to show off her skills, but Sophie had only just learned the basics. He could not believe that his sister was shameless enough to challenge a beginner. Yet, Winter ignored him. ¡°It¡¯s just a game. You won¡¯t lose anything! You wouldn¡¯t mind right, Mr. Tristan?¡± ¡°Are you okay with it?¡± Tristan asked Sophie. It¡¯ll be fine even if she doesn¡¯t want to y. ¡°Of course!¡± Sophie said as she slowly picked up the pool cue. Ysabelle got up from her seat in an instant. She knew that Winter was picking on Sophie on purpose. ¡°That¡¯s not cool, Winter.¡± As the youngest of the Lombard family, Ysabelle didn¡¯t hold back her words. She liked Sophie, so naturally, she wanted to protect thetter. ¡°It¡¯s just a game, Belle. Why are you making it sound like I¡¯m bullying her? I won¡¯t force you if you don¡¯t want to, Sophie.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a game, so it doesn¡¯t matter who wins.¡± Rolling her wrist to stretch it, Sophie added, ¡°You can go first.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re new, so you go ahead,¡± Winter said. I¡¯m the best among the other women when ites to ying pool. As a beginner, how dare she tell me to go first? She¡¯s really overestimating herself. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes. Mr. Tristan, is your disciple as good as you are? Can she score all the balls in one go?¡± Tristan ignored her words. To him, Winter was just Charles¡¯ sister. Sophie started the game. Her moves were a little rusty, so she could not get the game off to a good start. Seeing this, Winter smirked inwardly. I¡¯ll have to show Tristan that there¡¯s nothing more to a little girl like her. I have to show him just how vulnerable she is. I¡¯m the only one worthy of being with Tristan. It doesn¡¯t matter in what aspect¡ªI¡¯m the best suited to be with him! Sophie looked up and smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m still a bit rusty.¡± Then, she continued. Leaning over the table, she aimed and hit, scoring three red balls in one go. ¡°What great luck,¡± Winter sneered. It¡¯s her first time. She just has beginner¡¯s luck. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Wait For You To Understand Me s, Sophie¡¯s following actions merely served to increase Winter¡¯s fury. The final ball soon rolled into the hole. Winter had lost the game without even getting a chance to y. Seeing that, Charles, Felix, and Sean could barely hide their shock. Is this her first time ying this game? She¡¯s too good! Ysabelle flung her arms around Sophie. ¡°Oh, that was amazing. Soph, you¡¯re my idol!¡± Tristan scoffed. ¡°She has a great teacher, that¡¯s why.¡± ¡°Mr. Tristan, you¡¯re indeed amazing. I can¡¯t believe you taught her this well in a short time!¡± What are they talking about? No wonder Mr. Tristan treats her differently. She¡¯s indeed different from what I expected. Winter¡¯s expression turned dark when she heard everyonevishing praises on Sophie. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯ll give them a ride home. You can continue with the game.¡± Tristan spoke up. Sophie and Ysabelle were both twelfth-grade students, so they couldn¡¯t stay upte. ¡°I¡¯m taking my leave, too. Mr. Tristan, I didn¡¯t drive here. Can you give me a ride home?¡± Winter asked. Tristan was leaving, so there was no reason for her to stay behind. The new perfume was about to be released soon, so she was pretty busy with work. ¡°It¡¯s not convenient,¡± Tristan rejected her without hesitation. Winter nearly popped a vein in frustration. Isn¡¯t it obvious that I have a crush on him? Can¡¯t he see it? How could he be this heartless? ¡°Charles, she¡¯s your sister. You brought her here, so take her back home yourself.¡± ¡°Mm. I¡¯ll do that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give Ysabelle a ride home. Her house is right beside mine, anyway,¡± Felix offered. ¡°Sure. Uncle Tristan, make sure Sophie gets home safely, all right?¡± Ysabelle implored. ¡°Let¡¯s go. No one will be stupid enough to dare to harm her if she¡¯s with Mr. Tristan.¡± Felix dragged her out. Winter wasn¡¯t about to give up just yet, but Charles didn¡¯t give her any chance and pulled her away. ¡°Charles, why did you drag me out? I can walk myself!¡± she huffed angrily. Charles sighed. ¡°Winter, you¡¯re my sister. I know you¡¯re smart, and our family has always been proud of you. However, you have to remember you can¡¯t win someone else¡¯s love just because you¡¯re smart. Tristan doesn¡¯t love you. No matter how much you work hard, he won¡¯t notice you. In fact, if you weren¡¯t my sister, you wouldn¡¯t even get to be in the same room as him.¡± How does someone as smart as her be a fool when in love? ¡°Charles, I don¡¯t want to hear that. I want nothing more than to be with him. You¡¯ll help me, right?¡± Winter whined. I¡¯m the daughter of the Quigley family, and Charles is a good friend of Mr. Tristan. Everything is in my favor, so I can¡¯t give up just yet! ¡°Be good. I can help you elsewhere, but this is beyond my capabilities,¡± Charles said. He wanted Winter to listen to his advice and give up, for her crush was fated for a bad ending. ¡°Don¡¯t do something that you¡¯ll regret.¡± Winter hung her head low and insisted, ¡°But I worked hard. I can be his perfect partner!¡± Charles shook his head. ¡°Whether or not you are a suitable partner for Mr. Tristan depends on his preference. No one else can make up his mind for him.¡± Tristan was born into an influential family, so he didn¡¯t need a wife to elevate his status. All he wanted was a woman who he loved. Tristan drank that night, so he didn¡¯t drive. His driver was already waiting outside. After spotting them, the driver got out of the car and opened the door for them. Tristan gestured for Sophie to enter the car before him. The driver then closed the door and returned to the driver¡¯s seat. He didn¡¯t need any orders, for he already knew where they were headed. ¡°Mr. Tristan, are you all right?¡± Sophie asked. He seems pretty downcast today. ¡°I¡¯m fine. My head¡¯s throbbing a bit, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Then ask the driver to give you a ride home first.¡± She didn¡¯t mind going home a bitter. Tristan leaned on her shoulder and shut his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I think I drank too much tonight,¡± he responded. Sophie stiffened the moment his headnded on her shoulder. The man implored, ¡°Let me lean on you for a bit.¡± Can I say no? Obviously not, since he¡¯s already leaning on me. When the car rolled to a stop at the underground parking at Wisteria Apartments, the driver didn¡¯t wake them up. He left them alone and went out to smoke. As he didn¡¯t know whether Tristan wanted to stay here, he decided to wait till Tristan woke up. Sophie didn¡¯t wake Tristan up either. She remained in her seat and allowed him to rest. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived?¡± Tristan¡¯s eyes snapped open, and the first thing he noticed was her attractive eyes. Reaching out, he caressed her cheek. ¡°It¡¯ll be great if you can be this good at all times,¡± hemented with a chuckle. Tristan had always been indifferent to others. However, the sight of his warm smile caused Sophie¡¯s heart to soften. ¡°I¡¯ve always been good,¡± Sophie retorted. She would only attack those who provoked her. If someone had the guts to invoke her wrath, she would definitely teach that someone a lesson without holding back. ¡°Do you need help with Tanner Group?¡± As of now, Tanner Group was no longer a threat in Jipsdale. ¡°No need. I can handle it myself.¡± She had to do this herself to savor the joy of aplishment. ¡°Mm. Be careful. Don¡¯t hurt yourself.¡± He wouldn¡¯t allow anyone toy a hand on her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not that weak.¡± Tanner Group was about to hold its annual board meeting soon. As one of the directors, Sophie thought she should show her presence at the meeting. Otherwise, they would think she was no longer alive. ¡°Do whatever you like. Don¡¯t worry.¡± She can do anything she likes with Tanner Group. ¡°Mm.¡± Sophie nodded. Willow wants Tanner Group for herself, so I¡¯ll take it from her. Tristan sat up. ¡°You don¡¯t have to see me off. Wisteria Apartments is perfectly safe,¡± Sophie said. He was feeling unwell and should head back home to rest. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Tristan pretended not to understand her rejection. As he was already here, he would have to send her to the door of her house safely. Perhaps he wanted to spend a few more minutes with her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you spend the night here instead of going home?¡± she suggested. ¡°What?¡± Sophie exined, ¡°Don¡¯t take me wrongly. This is your home, and I¡¯m staying here temporarily. You have your own room here, too.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to exin anything.¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything else,¡± she insisted. After all, she wasn¡¯t an easy woman. ¡°A youngdy¡¯s reputation is important. I don¡¯t want others to nder you,¡± Tristan told her. Sophie isn¡¯t afraid of me, but I¡¯m afraid I might do something to her. She can affect me greatly. If I spend the night with her, I might lose control over myself. I respect her too much to tarnish her reputation. Tristan apanied her to the door and watched as she entered the house before leaving. ¡°Mr. Tristan, thanks.¡± Tristan turned at his shoulder. Suddenly, he had the urge to stay behind. He gave her a gentle hug. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. I don¡¯t need your gratitude.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Sophie lifted her head to look at him. She had nothing but gratitude to offer him. Tristan pressed a kiss to her forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to grow up and understand me.¡± She was still too young, and her life was full of possibilities. He was willing to give her more time to get what she wanted before getting together with him. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Full Marks For Physics Monday arrived in the blink of an eye. The students arrived at their ssroom and immediately started chatting about the monthly exam. ¡°I¡¯m doomed. The parent-teacher conference will be held after the results are released.¡± ¡°Yes! My mom will kill me.¡± ¡°What should I do? The results should be out by now. I can¡¯t bring myself to find my results. When you find out yours, help me find mine, too.¡± Those who did badly in the test dared not find out their results. ¡°Soph, don¡¯t be nervous. Even if you failed your physics paper, you don¡¯t have to leave Jipsdale Premier High. If you leave, I¡¯ll leave with you!¡± Sophie had said nothing after arriving at school, so Ysabelle assumed she was worried about her results. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± ¡°What? Soph, I¡¯ll go wherever you go. I¡¯m your fan!¡± Ysabelle enthused. No matter what Sophie did, Ysabelle would side with her willingly. ¡°ss is going to start soon. Go back to your seat!¡± Sophie didn¡¯t feel like talking. She preferred silence, and her ssmates were too noisy. ¡°Mm. Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯m here, and I¡¯ll protect you,¡± Ysabelle promised. Right then, Carrie entered the ssroom with the answer sheets. She could barely believe her eyes when she saw the physics results of the students. m! She mmed the answer sheets onto the table loudly. ¡°I thought you were merely students with bad grades, but at least you had good characters. To my utter shock, something this serious happened in Jipsdale Premier High, in Senior ss 8! How embarrassing is this?¡± Carrie started yelling the moment she stepped into the ssroom. The students were confused by her action. Bobby finally stepped out to ask, ¡°Mrs. Fletcher, what happened? You¡¯ve been yelling at us for some time, but we still don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡± He couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. Carrie had never liked their ss, and it was unreasonable for her to yell at them for no reason. Carrie stopped her lecture. ¡°Before exining the matter, I shall announce everyone¡¯s physics exam marks.¡± Carrie then proceeded to announce everyone¡¯s marks. There were thirty-six students in total, and only six managed to pass the test. The rest scored around forty to fifty marks. The students fell silent after hearing their results. Their physics weren¡¯t good to begin with. This time, the physics test was too difficult. Thus, they assumed it was natural for Carrie to yell at them. ¡°Did you forget my marks?¡± Sophie inquired. ¡°Sophie, shut up. Don¡¯t you know that you suck?¡± ¡°Yes! Our ss was the secondst in physics. Now that you¡¯re here, we¡¯ve fallen to thest ce!¡± ¡°Soph, calm down,¡± Ysabelle urged. She was worried that Carrie would fly into a fit of rage as thetter was ring at them angrily. ¡°Mrs. Fletcher, before Sophie came, our ss¡¯ physics results used to be secondst. You should be ming Sophie!¡± Lenora chimed in. ¡°Lenora, shut the f*ck up!¡± Ysabelle hissed. She wanted nothing more than to rip Lenora¡¯s lips apart. ¡°Your physics suck. Am I to me for that?¡± Lenora was one of the six who passed her physics test. Her results were always good, so she was pretty smug about herself. ¡°How much did I score?¡± Sophie asked calmly. ¡°Sophie Tanner, full marks.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Mrs. Fletcher, have you gotten it wrong?¡± It was practically impossible for a student to score full marks for the physics test this month. Even Bailey from Senior ss 1 couldn¡¯t achieve this feat. ¡°Really?¡± Ysabelle blurted excitedly. Indeed, Soph can do anything easily! ¡°Sophie, stand up,¡± Carrie ordered. ¡°Mrs. Fletcher, you wanted me to pass the test, and I scored full marks. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Sophie no longer wanted to show any respect for Carrie. ¡°Mrs. Fletcher, she must¡¯ve stolen the test paper prior to this. No one could possibly score full marks!¡± Lenora uttered. Ysabelle retorted, ¡°Shut the f*ck up, Lenora!¡± She would forever be supportive of Sophie. ¡°Be honest with me. How did you get the test before this?¡± Carrie was of the opinion that Sophie had cheated too. Hearing that, Sophie snorted icily. ¡°Is it that hard to acknowledge someone else¡¯s ability?¡± ¡°Sophie, I¡¯m being calm right now. If you refuse to say anything, I¡¯ll have to bring the matter to the principal,¡± Carrie warned. ¡°Whatever.¡± Sophie wasn¡¯t about to entertain Carrie when thetter was being unreasonable. Carrie dered, ¡°All right. Just you wait. Jipsdale Premier High can tolerate students with bad results, but we¡¯ll definitely expel those who cheat!¡± Jipsdale Premier High had this policy all along, so Sophie wouldn¡¯t be the exception. Furious, Carrie marched out of the ssroom and mmed the door shut in her wake. The students of Senior ss 8 fell silent for a few moments before bursting into an uproar. ¡°D*mn it. Mrs. Fletcher has always been mean to us. If we score badly in our physics test, she has to bear some sort of responsibility too, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! She often answers calls and ys games on her phone during ss. Does she have a powerful background? Otherwise, why would she get to teach here?¡± The students of Senior ss 8 had been unsatisfied with Carrie for a long time. She had gone too far with her actions today. ¡°All right. Everyone, calm down,¡± Bobby announced. He went to Sophie and asked, ¡°Sophie, you didn¡¯t cheat, right?¡± ¡°Bobby!¡± Ysabelle huffed. ¡°No,¡± Sophie responded nonchntly. Lenora snorted. ¡°Sophie, even if you were to cheat, you shouldn¡¯t copy everything and get full marks. Be smart. Do you think anyone will believe you¡¯re capable of getting full marks?¡± ¡°Sophie, if you did cheat, be honest. We can talk to the principal together. Mrs. Fletcher was rude, so I believe the principal won¡¯t me you after he learns about her attitude.¡± ¡°I said, I didn¡¯t cheat!¡± Sophie¡¯s patience was at its limit. Right then, the principal¡¯s assistant showed up. ¡°Sophie Tanner, the principal wants to see you at his office.¡± Sophie got to her feet and zipped her uniform up. ¡°Soph, I¡¯ll apany you!¡± Ysabelle offered. She meant what she said. If Soph gets expelled, I¡¯ll leave the school with her! ¡°No need. I can handle this myself.¡± In the principal¡¯s office, Carrie was stillining about Sophie. ¡°Mr. Langston, Jipsdale Premier High has been an elite school for decades. We can¡¯t let one student ruin our reputation. It¡¯s uneptable that this has happened in Jipsdale Premier High!¡± Carrie raged. ¡°Sophie? Come, have a seat,¡± Andy said warmly. Sophie padded over and sat on the couch across from Carrie. Andy parted his lips to say, ¡°I heard you scored full marks for your physics test this time, Sophie.¡± Sophie inclined her head. ¡°But Mrs. Fletcher doesn¡¯t think you¡¯re capable of doing that, so she thinks you cheated. What is your exnation?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t cheat,¡± came Sophie¡¯s answer. Carrie sneered, ¡°You were expelled from Horington High School but scored full marks for your physics test. Don¡¯t you think your lie is too much of a stretch?¡± ¡°Mrs. Fletcher, please mind your words,¡± Andy reminded. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Mr. Langston, I¡¯m merely stating my doubts.¡± Right then, Sophie asked, ¡°Mrs. Fletcher, do you have evidence to prove that I cheated during the test?¡± ¡°No. I refuse to believe that you can score full marks, though.¡± ¡°Mrs. Fletcher!¡± Andy said, and there was a finality to his tone that warned her to stop talking. Carrie is too rude to her students. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Proving Her Wrong ¡°Mr. Langston, I can no longer teach her,¡± Carrie insisted. Right then, Derrick showed up at the office, panting heavily. He had run all the way to the principal¡¯s office after learning about the matter. ¡°Mr. Langston, this must be a misunderstanding!¡± He huffed and panted. ¡°Mr. Hayes, I¡¯m d you¡¯re here. I can no longer teach your ss. Never mind if they rankedst in their batch; now someone even cheated in the test! Find someone else to take over my position!¡± Carrie announced. ¡°Mrs. Fletcher, we don¡¯t know what happened yet. How could you use my student of cheating?¡± Derrick argued. ¡°I don¡¯t think even I can score full marks for the test this time. How could she score full marks? Are you kidding me?¡± Carrie retorted. Derrick responded, ¡°You¡¯re not capable enough, that¡¯s why. I can¡¯t believe you have the face to say that out loud.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Carrie fumed. ¡°Why don¡¯t we do this? I have a set of physicspetition questions with me. Sophie, please solve them.¡± Andy pulled out a set of physics quiz questions that were sealed. ¡°Mrs. Fletcher, you should solve them, too.¡± ¡°Mr. Langston, you want me to solve it together with her?¡± Carrie might not be as capable as Aaron from Senior ss 1, but she found it humiliating to be asked to solve the questions with her student. ¡°Just do it. You think you¡¯re capable of teaching the honors sses, right? It¡¯s time for you to show me your ability. If you¡¯re capable enough, I¡¯ll allow you to teach the honors sses,¡± Andy told her. Andy unsealed the file and gave them both the papers. ¡°Sophie, if you can score fifty marks this time, I¡¯ll admit that you didn¡¯t cheat. I¡¯ll also apologize to you,¡± Carrie said after taking a look at the papers. The questions were difficult, so she was pretty sure Sophie couldn¡¯t solve them. ¡°Mrs. Fletcher, stop talking. Go solve the questions there.¡± Sophie took the papers and returned to her spot on the couch. She grabbed a pencil and started scribbling the answers down without even using a draft paper. Carrie, on the other hand, started using the draft paper for the first multiple choice question. I need to perform well this time. They think I can¡¯t teach the honors sses, right? This is the time to prove myself. Afterpleting the multiple choice questions, Sophie moved on to the subjective questions. She was good at mental arithmetic, so she could write out the steps on paper and calcte the answer mentally without needing any draft papers. They were given two hours toplete the physics quiz, but Sophiepleted everything in one hour. She ced her pencil on the table and put on her earphones casually. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr. Langston, see that? She gave up as she didn¡¯t know how to answer any of them! How dare she listen to music here? I¡¯ve never seen anyone as arrogant as her!¡± Carrieined. ¡°Mrs. Fletcher, you should hurry. There is only one hour left, but you have yet toplete many questions,¡± Derrick chimed in. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to stay quiet anymore. Since Sophie came to this school, Carrie had been making life difficult for her. Derrick had talked to Carrie a few times privately, but she still refused to change her attitude. Carrie shot Derrick a re before returning to her questions. The further she got, the more difficult the questions became. Carrie¡¯s expression turned dark. She couldn¡¯t solve two subjective questions. Her initial n was to perform well. s, her n had gone down the drain. However, this was a physicspetition paper. The reassuring thought made her rx immediately. The questions were too difficult to begin with, so it had nothing to do with her ability. Andy invited the physics teacher of Senior ss 1 and also the Head of Physics, Aaron, to mark their papers. Aaron marked Carrie¡¯s paper first. He quickly finished marking the multiple choice questions. She got them all correct. Carrie heaved a sigh of relief at the results. Aaron made the calctions as he marked the subjective questions. In the end, Carrie scored seventy-eight marks. ¡°Mrs. Fletcher, you¡¯re quite weak in physics,¡± Aaronmented. As the Head of Physics, he kept reminding the other physics teachers to solve physics questions during their free time. However, Carrie kept brushing him off. Carrie turned grouchy after getting reprimanded in public. Derrick handed Sophie¡¯s paper to Aaron. Sophie got all the multiple choice questions and the fill-in-the-nk questions correct. She also got all the subjective questions correct. Thus, she scored full marks on the quiz paper. Aaron could barely hide his shock, for he couldn¡¯t even score full marks if he were to do the quiz himself. ¡°How did she do?¡± Andy queried. ¡°Mr. Langston, she scored full marks!¡± Aaron reported happily. Did our school hit the jackpot? Is she a genius? ¡°What? Mr. Elswick, did you make a mistake?¡± Carrie refused to believe it. Sophiepleted the questions an hour ago, so it seemed impossible for her to score full marks. ¡°Mr. Langston, please allow me to tutor Sophie. I¡¯ll register her name for the physicspetition this year!¡± Aaron implored excitedly. He had always been an ambitious teacher but had nevere across any smart students in his teaching career until now. ¡°Mm. We¡¯ll talk about thatter.¡± Andy was surprised, too. He only took Sophie in as a favor to the Northley family, so he had no idea he would hit the jackpot. ¡°Sophie, you can leave now. We know that you didn¡¯t cheat.¡± Andy¡¯s voice grew increasingly gentle. ¡°I¡¯ll be off now.¡± After Sophie left, Andy returned to his seat. ¡°Mrs. Fletcher, I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t be a physics teacher in our school with your ability,¡± he said. Carrie only scored seventy-eight marks, so it was pretty obvious she wasn¡¯t capable of teaching the students. ¡°Mr. Langston, I¡­¡± Carrie had no idea she would shoot herself in the feet today. ¡°You¡¯ll be in charge of managing the dorms from today onward. For now, work hard on your physics. You¡¯ll take the final examination with the students. If your level is still the same, then you¡¯ll keep managing the dorms. I can¡¯t allow an unqualified teacher to teach the students. Of course, if you aren¡¯t satisfied with my arrangement, you can resign now. I¡¯ll approve your resignation right away,¡± Andy stated firmly. Carrie was seething inwardly. D*mn it! I wouldn¡¯t be in this state if it wasn¡¯t for Sophie! ¡°Mr. Langston, let me continue teaching Senior ss 8,¡± she answered weakly. Andy asked, ¡°Mr. Hayes, as the homeroom teacher of Senior ss 8, do you think Mr. Elswick can teach them physics?¡± ¡°But Mr. Elswick is already teaching three sses! Won¡¯t it be too much for him to teach my ss too?¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t too much! I can do it. I can teach your ss,¡± Aaron interjected swiftly. After Sophie returned to Senior ss 8, everyone turned to look at her quietly. ¡°Soph, how did it go?¡± As she said naught a word, Ysabelle began packing up her stuff. ¡°Soph, let¡¯s go. There¡¯s no point studying in such a school,¡± she huffed. Sophie grabbed her arm. ¡°Where are you going? I don¡¯t have to leave.¡± Having said that, Sophie returned to her seat calmly. ¡°Really? Didn¡¯t Carrie¡ª¡± ¡°Ysabelle, I¡¯m fine. I didn¡¯t cheat, so she can¡¯t expel me.¡± Derrick then entered with Aaron behind him. ¡°Everyone, quiet down. From today onward, Mrs. Fletcher will no longer be your physics teacher. Mr. Elswick will be your new physics teacher,¡± Derrick announced. The students gaped in disbelief. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I thought Mr. Elswick teaches the honors sses?¡± ¡°The results for the monthly test are out. You can find out your results on the bulletin board. Next Monday will be the day of the parent-teacher conference. It¡¯s very important, so one of your parents will have to show up.¡± After learning that the results had been released, the students of Senior ss 8 rushed out of the ssroom before Derrick could even finish his announcement. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Just Like That Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Willow, let¡¯s go. The results are out, so we should go take a look.¡± At the same time, Senior ss 1 received the news, too. ¡°Bailey wille first, and Willow will either be in the second or third ce. They won¡¯t be curious about their results.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. We should take a look together. This time, the test was quite hard.¡± Willow got to her feet. Instead of her own results, she wanted to see Sophie¡¯s scores. She was certain that Sophie wasn¡¯t her match. When Willow and her friends arrived, the bulletin board was crowded. ¡°Scram! Your results are that way!¡± The students from Senior ss 1 started chasing the others away. The top hundred students were usually from the honors sses, so there was no reason for the students from the other sses to crowd this spot. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can check out Sophie¡¯s results first. She¡¯s my sister, so I hope she did well.¡± Willow went to the end of the bulletin board, certain Sophie didn¡¯t do well in the test. She knew how bad Sophie¡¯s results were back in Horington, and it was impossible for one to improve that swiftly in such a short amount of time. ¡°Wi, how could you be this kind? You treat her nicely, but she might not appreciate your gesture. She has a bad reputation, so you should be careful not to let her drag you down.¡± The upper-ss society cared about their reputation a lot. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. No matter what, she¡¯s still my sister,¡± Willow insisted. ¡°Didn¡¯t she rankst?¡± Everyone assumed Sophie was going toest, for the students at Jipsdale Premier High were pretty smart. Willow¡¯s smile nearly slipped when she couldn¡¯t find Sophie¡¯s name among thest ten students. They moved up the list. ¡°Wi, how bad did your sister do? Her name isn¡¯t even on the list!¡± Hearing that, Willow sighed. Her name isn¡¯t even on the list? That means Sophie did really bad! Meanwhile, Ysabelle dragged Sophie out of the ssroom to check out their results. ¡°Oh my god! Soph, am I seeing things?¡± Ysabelle rubbed her eyes incredulously. She opened her eyes wide and stared at the list again. Sophie hade in second, only scoring ten marks lesser than Bailey. ¡°Soph, how did you score that high?¡± Ysabelle was shocked. Isn¡¯t Soph a terrible student and a delinquent? How did this happen? ¡°Just like that,¡± came Sophie¡¯s nonchnt answer. She hadn¡¯t wanted toe first and had done several questions wrong on purpose. Otherwise, Bailey wouldn¡¯t even be her match. Willow came over to them and sneered, ¡°Sophie, why isn¡¯t your name on the list? Did you do so badly that the teachers refuse to let others see your results?¡± ¡°Wi, just ignore her. She isn¡¯t worth your time.¡± ¡°I guess no one in Jipsdale Premier High had ever scored this low, so the teachers were too embarrassed to release her results to the public.¡± Willow¡¯s friends burst out giggling. Ysabelle was so furious she let out a snort. How dare they look down on Soph? ¡°Why are you snorting?¡± One of Willow¡¯s friends, a girl wearing sses, spoke out. ¡°If you suck, you should stay in your ssroom instead of embarrassing yourself in public.¡± ¡°I¡¯mughing at someone who¡¯s blind. Sophie¡¯s name is really obvious, but someone is too blind to see it.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Willow went over to the top of the list. Bailey came first as he scored seven hundred and twenty-five marks. Sophie came second for scoring seven hundred and fifteen marks. Willow ranked third for scoring six hundred and eighty marks. ¡°How is this possible?¡± Willow couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. Did Sophie rank second? She scored thirty- five marks more than me! Everyone else came after seeing Willow¡¯s reaction. They were at a loss for words after seeing Sophie¡¯s results. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Willow, isn¡¯t your sister a terrible student?¡± ¡°Yeah! I thought she loves to fight? What is going on?¡± ¡°Ha! Why? Are you jealous? Sophie can fight and study well! She¡¯s an all-rounder!¡± Ysabelle announced proudly. In fact, she was so delighted as though she was the one who came first. ¡°Impossible.¡± Willow shot Sophie a disbelieving look. ¡°You cheated during the test, right?¡± Sophieughed icily. ¡°Cheat? Do you think it¡¯s possible to cheat when the test is so hard? I don¡¯t think you can memorize the answer to thest question in the physics test even if you were given the answer beforehand!¡± she mocked. Willow scowled. How could this be? Sophie did poorly back in Horington! ¡°Ysabelle, let¡¯s go back to ss.¡± Sophie led Ysabelle back to their ssroom. Willow stood rooted to her spot. Many things had changed since Sophie¡¯s return, and she was about to lose control of everything. ¡°Willow, are you all right?¡± her friend asked in concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± It¡¯s just a monthly test. Never mind. I can work hard to defeat Sophie. She was dealt another blow when their Chanaean teacher read Sophie¡¯s essay out loud in ss. The teacher keptvishing praises on Sophie¡¯s writing. For the next few sses, Sophie¡¯s answers were used as a temte for the students to learn and improve. Willow couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous. That night, she went home to Charmaine, who asked her about her monthly test results. ¡°Wi, you haven¡¯t told me about your results.¡± Charmaine had hired many famous teachers for Willow as she wanted her daughter to get admitted into a top university. Nowadays, eligible bachelors from the upper-ss society would consider their future partners¡¯ education level and IQ as they wanted their next generation to inherit good genes. Thus, Charmaine had always paid attention to Willow¡¯s education. ¡°Not bad.¡± Willow dared not tell Charmaine that Sophie had done better, afraid that Charmaine would focus on Sophie¡¯s good results. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did someone bully you in school?¡± Charmaine asked worriedly. Willow seemed to be in low spirits tonight. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I think I didn¡¯t get to rest well as I worked too hard for the test. I¡¯m a bit tired,¡± she exined. Charmaine told the housekeeper to heat a ss of milk for her. ¡°Wi, I know it¡¯s hard on you. You need to work hard as that¡¯s the only way you can get what you want. Think about Mason. You¡¯ve always liked him, right?¡± Doesn¡¯t she know what kind of wife the Laird family prefers? Charmaine added, ¡°Besides, you¡¯ve neglected painting recently. You need to paint more. I¡¯ll organize an art exhibition for you one day.¡± ¡°Mm. I know.¡± Willow perked up at the mention of that. Indeed, having good results wasn¡¯t enough. The upper-ss society wanted more than that from women. For example, Mason¡¯s mother, Constance, was a painter of some renown. With her painting skills, she was better than most women of her age. ¡°Mom, the parent-teacher conference will be held on Monday. Are you free to attend it? If you aren¡¯t, it¡¯s fine.¡± This time, Willow didn¡¯t want her mother to attend the conference. She didn¡¯t want Sophie to get to gloat. ¡°Monday? Sure, I¡¯ll be there,¡± Charmaine promised. ¡°If you attend it for me, what about Sophie? You should just stay home instead of showing up.¡± Charmaine assured her, ¡°Wi, you¡¯re my only hope. Sophie is no match for you!¡± Sophie has a bad reputation. She¡¯s hopeless. Hearing that, Willow leaned into Charmaine¡¯s arms. ¡°Mom, thanks. I won¡¯t disappoint you,¡± she vowed. ¡°Good. You must marry Mason. I¡¯ll figure out a way to get the twenty percent of shares from Sophie to be your dowry.¡± Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Conference That Friday night, the Lombard family returned to the Lombard residence for dinner with William. William sat at the head of the table as a dozen of them took their seats. Although William was over seventy years old, the aura he had amassed over the years since he became an entrepreneur was still strong. ¡°Tristan, I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re rather conspicuous recently.¡± Tristan put down his wine ss and replied, ¡°Dad, since you¡¯ve handed over Lombard Group to me, I¡¯ll handle everything. You can put your mind at ease and enjoy gardening at home.¡± ¡°Tristan, how can you talk to Dad like that?¡± William¡¯s eldest son, Lincoln, chided Tristan for disrespecting their aged father. ¡°That¡¯s right, Tristan. Dad wanted to remind you for your own good. Others won¡¯t let you off the hook once you harm their interests.¡± Soon, William¡¯s second oldest, Sarah, chimed in. ¡°Sarah, I know what I¡¯m doing. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Tristan was confident and had made the necessary preparations for the drastic action. ¡°Sarah, how are things going between you and that brat from the Quigley family? You¡¯re not getting any younger. If he¡¯s not okay, you¡ª¡± ¡°Dad, please don¡¯t bother yourself with this matter.¡± Sarah felt a little frustrated once William brought it up. ¡°Do you guys think I want to poke my nose into your business? I¡¯m worried about all of you!¡± ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m well-behaved!¡± Ysabelle interrupted after she had been eating quietly for some time. William put on a smile when he saw his beloved granddaughter. ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re such a good girl.¡± ¡°Grandpa, I have a friend in Jipsdale Premier High. I¡¯ll bring her here on my birthday. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fond of her.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°By the way, the parent-teacher conference will be held next Monday. Dad, will you be going?¡± ¡°Monday? I¡¯ll be in Mapleton that day. Let Uncle Tristan go on my behalf.¡± ¡°Uncle Tristan? Are you free to join the conference?¡± Ysabelle thought Tristan was busier. ¡°Okay.¡± Much to her surprise, Tristan agreed. After dinner, Tristan was chatting with Sarah in the greenhouse. ¡°Sarah, Juan isn¡¯t the right man for you.¡± Among the siblings, Tristan and Sarah were the closest to each other. Sarah put on a wry smile once Tristan finished. ¡°Tristan, sometimes you find yourself unable to do anything when you¡¯ve fallen for someone.¡± As if I don¡¯t know what kind of a person Juan is. Despite that, I can¡¯t control my heart. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt.¡± Tristan could settle everything for Sarah except for this. ¡°All right. Don¡¯t be bothered by my business. People are saying that you¡¯ve been quite close with a youngdytely. Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Let me evaluate her for you!¡± ¡°Who said so?¡± ¡°So it¡¯s true? Bring her home someday. I¡¯m eager to meet her.¡± ¡°Sure, but don¡¯t let Dad know.¡± Since William was bad-tempered, Tristan didn¡¯t want Sophie to get hurt. ¡°I understand. Dad is indeed bad-tempered.¡± On Monday morning, Ysabelle came up to Sophie once Sophie arrived in ss. ¡°Soph, which of your family member wille to the parent-teacher conference this evening?¡± ¡°No one.¡± Since Josiah was getting on in the years, Sophie didn¡¯t want him to be troubled by the trivial matter. As for Yale and Charmaine, she hadn¡¯t told them about the event. ¡°I see. My uncle will beingter. I¡¯ll ask him to bring Felix along to help you.¡± ¡°No need for that.¡± ¡°No worries.¡± ¡°There¡¯s really no need for that.¡± ¡°Soph, you¡¯re my friend. My uncle is also your uncle.¡± Sophie was rendered speechless. At noon, Tristan and Felix came to Wisteria Apartments to have lunch with Sophie and Ysabelle. Sophie¡¯s and Ysabelle¡¯s lips twitched when they saw the dressed-up men. It¡¯s merely a parent-teacher conference. Do they have to dress up like this? ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Ysabelle, do you want to rate my outfit today?¡± Ysabelle sat on the couch and replied, ¡°My god. Others might think you¡¯re going to attend an award- giving ceremony!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I look good?¡± Tristan had faith in his appearance, for he was known to be a handsome guy. Sophie didn¡¯t say a word. She knew that Tristan would remain handsome and eye-catching even if he wore some ordinary clothes from the thrift store. ¡°Mr. Northley, thank you for acting as my parent.¡± Felix rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. Didn¡¯t Mr. Tristan tell her I¡¯ll act as Ysabelle¡¯s parent? Her parent will be Mr. Tristan! After a while, it came to Felix¡¯s mind that Tristan would probably act as Sophie¡¯s future husband. Since Tristan didn¡¯t reveal it, Felix certainly wouldn¡¯t say a word about it. ¡°You¡¯re wee. I don¡¯t have much work to do today anyway.¡± ¡°Sophie, you don¡¯t have to thank him. I asked Uncle Tristan to bring him along.¡± ¡°Ysabelle, do you have a problem with me recently?¡± Ysabelle scoffed at that but didn¡¯t utter a word in response. ¡°All right. Come and have lunch already.¡± Just then, Tristan interrupted and stopped their nonsense. At two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, the driver drove Charmaine and Willow to Jipsdale Premier High. Since the parent-teacher conference was being held today, no cars were allowed to enter the building. Hence, the driver stopped at the entrance for Charmaine and Willow to get out of the car. Since the students of Jipsdale Premier High came from wealthy or prominent families, the entrance was packed with many luxury cars. Even the Tanner family¡¯s car wasn¡¯t the best one. ¡°Willow, you have to get close to the Laird family. It¡¯s the only way that the Tanner family can prosper.¡± Oftentimes, humans would not feel satisfied with what they already had. ¡°Mom, I understand.¡± Willow was a well-known student in Jipsdale Premier High, for she was always among the top three students in her grade. As they headed toward the ssroom, many parents who knew Charmaine came andmended Willow for being beautiful and clever. At that moment, Charmaine thought she had made the right choice. Willow is the one who can bring me great honor. Meanwhile, Willow was also pleased at their praises. Yes, I should always be in the limelight. No matter how excellent Sophie is, no one will care about her because of her embarrassing past. Just then, a white Porsche Cayenne pulled over at the entrance of Jipsdale Premier High. The well-dressed Felix hopped out and quickly opened the door for Ysabelle. The next moment, a silver Lamborghini stopped right behind the Porsche Cayenne. After the driver opened the door, Tristan and Sophie got out of it. As both were good-looking, the people around began to stop and stare at them. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Some young girls even screamed in excitement. My god! Are these movies stars here for filming? Hearing themotion, Charmaine and Willow also stopped walking and turned around. Charmaine¡¯s expression turned grim once she saw Sophie. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Charmaine grabbed Willow¡¯s wrist to continue walking. She couldn¡¯t tolerate the thought that people would ridicule her because of Sophie. After all, she always treated Sophie as a disgrace. In the meantime, Charmaine¡¯s reaction sparked joy in Willow¡¯s heart. Just as I thought, Sophie has be an embarrassment. No matter how hard she tries to prove herself, she will always be a nobody in the Tanner family! ¡°Soph, don¡¯t be sad. You still have me.¡± Noticing Willow and Charmaine¡¯s disdainful reaction, Ysabelle quickly held Sophie¡¯s arm. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Feel Sorry For Her After a while, the four people arrived at the ssroom of Senior ss 8. ¡°Ysabelle, where is your seat?¡± ¡°Here.¡± Felix sat in Ysabelle¡¯s chair upon hearing that. Not bad. This spot is just right for Ysabelle since she isn¡¯t a tall girl. ¡°And you?¡± When Sophie brought Tristan to thest row, he took the seat. Other students continued toe in with their parents, mostly in their thirties or forties. Unknowingly, they dared not breathe too loudly upon seeing Tristan. After a while, some parents who knew each other began discussing their children¡¯s results. ¡°Did you hear the news? Previously, Senior ss 8 was the secondst in physics. However, the ss¡¯ performance deteriorated since a student named Sophie came.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard about that. My daughter told me that Sophie is a delinquent. She has been living together with some random men since junior high.¡± ¡°How can such a studente to Senior ss 8? Since today is the parent-teacher conference, I n to discuss it with Mr. Hayes. Our children are now in their senior year, which is a crucial year. We can¡¯t let a rotten apple spoil the barrel! Our children¡¯s exam results mustn¡¯t be affected!¡± ¡°I agree. Let¡¯s raise our concern with Mr. Hayes together.¡± Since they talked loudly, other parents also heard their conversation. With a cold expression, Tristan kept tapping the table with his index finger. ¡°You two should leave the room for now.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Okay.¡± With that, Sophie and Ysabelle left the ssroom. ¡°Soph, don¡¯t be bothered by what they said. They will regret it upon seeing your results.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Let¡¯s buy some canned drinks at the canteen!¡± Sophie and Ysabelle headed toward the canteen. At two-thirty in the afternoon, the conference officially began. Derrick showed some slides to present pictures of the students since the school opened. Besides, he even thoughtfully added captions. After Derrick finished the presentation using dozens of slides, the parents had a rough idea about their children¡¯s performance at school. Derrick then walked upstage to wee the parents and exined some crucial aspects to which students in their senior year should pay attention. After some time, the long-awaited moment of announcing exam results finally arrived. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I will now distribute the students¡¯ report cards and analyze the monthly test results with all of you.¡± Before he could distribute the report cards, one of the parents stood up. ¡°Mr. Hayes, I heard our ss has enrolled a dropout from Horington High this semester. Since when has Jipsdale Premier High be a school that epts trash? How could the school enroll the student after even a substandard school like Horington High kicked her out? Moreover, our students are in their senior year, which is an important year. However, the arrival of the delinquent has severely affected our children¡¯s studies. Hence, we hope that the school can expel the student.¡± Derrick couldn¡¯t help but frown upon hearing the parent¡¯s overly offensive and impertinent remarks. ¡°You must be Lenora¡¯s mom. I understand that all of you are concerned about your children¡¯s studies. Indeed, their studies are more important than ever since it¡¯s their senior year¡ª¡± ¡°Mr. Hayes, you agree with me, right? In that case, why doesn¡¯t the school expel that Sophie girl? I can¡¯t let my daughter study in the same ss with a piece of trash.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, how can you make such an impudent remark? As far as I can see, you¡¯re worse than a piece of trash.¡± Felix couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. Is this what Sophie has had to endure since she started studying at Jipsdale Premier High? ¡°You¡ª¡± Lenora¡¯s mother, Matilda, was pissed off. Since Lenora always badmouthed Sophie, Matilda certainly believed her daughter. ¡°This is not just my personal opinion, right?¡± ¡°Indeed! Mr. Hayes, she¡¯s not wrong. What kind of a ce is Horington? How could the school ept a student rejected by Horington High and destroy our children¡¯s future?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. My kid is aiming to attend one of the best universities in the country! We spent so much to send our kids to Jipsdale Premier High not because we want to see a delinquent student.¡± ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, Sophie is a well-behaved student. No one can ascertain if the rumors are true. Nheless, the truth is Sophie has done well recently.¡± ¡°Mr. Hayes, we know you¡¯re a good teacher and wish to protect your students. However, the news about what Sophie went through in Jipsdale is true. Even her parents find her embarrassing because of that.¡± Meanwhile, Tristan couldn¡¯t help but sneer when he realized that the adults in their thirties and forties were so hostile to an eighteen-year-old girl. Moreover, he felt sorry for Sophie once he imagined how she had to endure the mental torment alone. If she had been beside him at that moment, he would have hugged her without hesitation. How old was Sophie when others used her of debauchery five years ago? A thirteen or fourteen-year-old kid was criticized and even abandoned by her family in Horington. As Tristan recalled the look of determination in her gaze and how she endured everything, he couldn¡¯t help but get emotional. ¡°Felix, check the backgrounds of those who insulted Sophie. Have thewyer sue them for nder!¡± Leaning back in the chair, Tristan still maintained hisposure. However, he was infuriated deep down. Under normal circumstances, Tristan wouldn¡¯t get angry, for he would ensure those who irritated him suffered hell on earth. Hence, it was his first time experiencing anger because of Sophie. ¡°You have some nerves! Are you Sophie¡¯s parent? Don¡¯t you feel ashamed of yourself for having such a kid? Moreover, since many of us share the same opinion, can you sue all of us?¡± Matilda mocked Tristan, still unaware of who he was. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please look at the monthly test results. Sophie ranks second in the whole grade. How could she affect your children¡¯s studies? It won¡¯t be an overstatement to say that she can help your kids instead!¡± Derrick finally regained his voice and quickly distributed the report cards. ¡°Mr. Hayes, is that true?¡± Matilda nced at the report card¡ª Sophie was ranked first in ss and second in the whole grade. Inparison, her daughter Lenora was ranked thirtieth in ss and over five-hundredth in the whole grade. ¡°I understand that you want the best for your children. However, please be objective and speak based on the truth. Sophie isn¡¯t a delinquent student.¡± After Derrick finished, Matilda sat down. Her face was a deep red, and she had never felt so embarrassed before. At that moment, she was deeply ashamed of herself for using a student in second ce of affecting her daughter¡¯s studies. After Derrick told the parents about other aspects that required their cooperation, the parent-teacher conference finally ended. A few parents stayed in the ssroom to discuss their children¡¯s performance with Derrick. After Tristan and Felix walked out of the ssroom, Felix quickly stopped Matilda. ¡°You¡¯re Mrs. Wagner, right?¡± ¡°What is it? What do you want to do in broad daylight?¡± So focused was Matilda on ndering Sophie earlier that she hadn¡¯t noticed the strong aura they exuded. ¡°You were the first one who ndered Ms. Tanner. Well, here is herwyer¡¯s name card. He will contact you very soon.¡± It was a ck name card with a few golden words that read ¡°Burtons¡¯ Law Firm¡± with Sean¡¯s name below it. Even if Matilda lived under a rock, she had heard of Burtons¡¯ Law Firm before. Sean was the best lawyer in Jipsdale and had never lost any cases. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Drinks Her Milkshake ¡°Mister, you¡¯ve misunderstood me! I never intend to nder Ms. Tanner!¡± Matilda tried to speak up for herself, her hands trembling uncontrobly. Tristan snickered. ¡°I don¡¯t give a heck whether you intend to do so or not. I¡¯m here to enlighten all of you today. You shouldn¡¯t have gotten on my nerves by ndering Sophie.¡± ¡°Mister!¡± Matilda was about to grab Tristan¡¯s arm. However, she retracted her hand when Tristan shot her a frigid nce. Standing rooted to the ground, she could only fasten her gaze on Tristan and Felix¡¯s retreating figures. Right that instant, Lenora advanced toward her mother and was astounded by how thetter¡¯s face was as white as a sheet. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? How about I call the driver to send you to the hospital now?¡± In response, Matilda gave her daughter a tight p. Caught off guard, Lenora covered her cheek and stared at her mother in disbelief. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s the matter with you? Why did you p me?¡± she squealed. That was the first time her mother pped her. ¡°Plead with Sophie now so she won¡¯t sue me!¡± Matilda¡¯s voice was quivering. My goodness! Sean Burton¡¯s relentlessness is known to everyone. The Wagner family will be doomed if he helps Sophie Tanner to file awsuit against us! ¡°Mom, there¡¯s nothing to be scared of. Sophie is like the Tanner family¡¯s abandoned child, and they give no hoots about her. Even if she¡¯s still considered the third heiress of the Tanner family, their family is obviously iparable to ours!¡± Lenora refuted matter-of-factly. ¡°Kneel and apologize to her! Don¡¯t you know you¡¯ve put me in deep water by provoking her?¡± Matilda fumed. Never had she expected that she would indirectly step on the toes of such an omnipotent man. After Tristan and Felix stepped out of the ssroom, thetter gave Ysabelle a call. They headed straight to the milkshake bar after knowing that Ysabelle and Sophie were there. ¡°Mr. Tristan, I¡¯m impressed by your beloved Ms. Tanner¡¯s excellent result! Didn¡¯t the others im that her results are poor? Well, I¡¯ll be d*mned! She¡¯s in second ce in the whole grade!¡± Felix gasped admiringly. In an instant, Tristan¡¯s face lit up with a sense of pride. Yeah¡­ She¡¯s mine! Sooner orter, she will be mine! Shortly after, the two men reached the milkshake bar adjacent to Jipsdale Premier High. It looked different from the usual milkshake bar. Since the students of Jipsdale Premier High were from wealthy families, the ce wasvishly designed with booth seating. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. The moment Tristan and Felix stepped into it, they caught a glimpse of Sophie and Ysabelle sitting at the table next to the window. Thus, the duo walked toward them at once. Tristan took the seat next to Sophie, whereas Felix took the one next to Ysabelle. ¡°Thanks a lot for standing up for me just now. Let me buy you both milkshakes,¡± Sophie thanked Tristan sincerely. ¡°Sure.¡± The next second, he took a sip of Sophie¡¯s milkshake despite his dislike for sweetness. Astounded, the others gazed at him in bewilderment. ¡°Uncle Tristan, aren¡¯t you a germophobe? You never use anything touched by others, don¡¯t you? Aren¡¯t you aware that this is Sophie¡¯s milkshake?¡± Ysabelle asked quizzically. She could not fathom why Tristan had been acting weirdlytely. Felix, who was seated next to her, could not resistughing discreetly. Was Mr. Tristan trying to kiss Ms. Tanner indirectly? Ha! It never urred to me that the assertive Mr. Tristan could be so adorable! Meanwhile, Sophie was staring at Tristan doubtfully, too. Tristan responded nonchntly, ¡°Sorry for that. I¡¯ll order another ss for you.¡± ¡°Sophie, you¡¯re incredible to be in second ce in the whole grade!¡± Felixplimented, giving her a thumbs up. After all, it was no mere feat for her to have such achievement at Jipsdale Premier High. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Sophie responded humbly. Deep down, she really did not feel that it was something special. ¡°Yeah! Soph is amazing!¡± Ysabelle echoed proudly. At the same time, Tristan ordered another milkshake for Sophie. Shortly after, the waiter served them two sses of milkshakes. Felix had barely taken a few sips of it before putting it aside. He could not talk himself into savoring the young girls¡¯ favorite drink. On the other hand, Tristan had finished the milkshake that Sophie had drank earlier, while she was savoring the new one he had ordered for her. ¡°Oh yeah! Have you decided which university to enroll in?¡± Felix asked the two young girls curiously. ¡°No idea yet,¡± Ysabelle replied briefly. She did not feel like pouring out to them about how she felt like leaving Jipsdale and exploring the city in the southern region instead. Her parents hoped she could enter Jipsdale University, but she had other preferences. ¡°How could you not have any idea on that?¡± Felix chuckled. No doubt, he wished Ysabelle could enter the university in Jipsdale. Nevertheless, it did not matter which university she chose. He would be supportive of her and follow her wherever she went. ¡°I really don¡¯t have any idea! I don¡¯t know which university I should choose and what¡¯s the ideal upation for me. I can¡¯t seem to find my direction in life,¡± Ysabelle emphasized. Felix switched to question Sophie, ¡°Soph, how about you? I bet there won¡¯t be any problem for you to enter Jipsdale University with such excellent results.¡± ¡°I have no idea as well,¡± Sophie responded candidly. ¡°It¡¯s all right. There¡¯s plenty of time left before the university entrance exam. You can take your time to finalize your decision,¡± Tristan reassured her. He did not mind even if Sophie had no n to pursue her studies or look for a jobter. As long as she was willing, he was more than happy to support her financially. ¡°Come on. Let me take you guys for dinner. Aren¡¯t you attending the self-study session in a while?¡± Tristan suggested. Knowing that all the students in the senior year were striving hard for their exams, he was particr about Sophie¡¯s meal. After they left the milkshake bar, Sophie realized that she had left her phone in the ss. Hence, the others waited for her outside the school while she went back to her ss to retrieve it. Unexpectedly, she bumped into Charmaine and Willow going up from the ground floor. Charmaine was rtively displeased to see Sophie. She could not help feeling ashamed of thetter and did not wish to run into her elsewhere. Sophie continued to climb the stairs, turning a blind eye to them. Willow wailed, ¡°Mom, how could Sophie have such a bad temper now? She didn¡¯t even greet you! She¡¯s the one whomitted the grievous mistake five years ago, and yet, she has the audacity to be so haughty¡ª¡± ¡°Stop mentioning what happened five years ago, and don¡¯t bother about her too. I doubt she can continue to behave so insolently for long!¡± Charmaine cut her daughter off, reluctant to hear a single word about the incident five years ago. She continued, ¡°Willow, you¡¯re still in second ce in your ss this round. Keep it up! I¡¯m convinced you¡¯ll be able to enter Jipsdale University. When that happens, I¡¯ll hold an art exhibition for you. I¡¯m sure Mrs. Laird will like you even more then.¡± Momentster, Sophie headed toward Tristan and the others after retrieving her phone. Felix had left earlier with Ysabelle. Tristan got off his car and opened the door for her to get in. After she was seated properly, he hopped into his car again. Meanwhile, Charmaine and Willow went to look for the homeroom teacher of Senior ss 1. When they stepped out of the school again, they caught sight of Sophie hopping into a car with a man. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Charmaine narrowed her eyes. The others had not forgotten about what happened five years ago and were still gossiping about it at times, causing her to feel embarrassed. D*mn it! How could she have the cheek to fool around with another man again? ¡°I don¡¯t know him. But she seems to be closely acquainted with him since I always see them together,¡± Willow exined. ¡°I see.¡± Charmaine responded cidly. ¡°Mom, do you think Sophie has given up on herself? That man seems to be filthy rich. Do you think he¡¯s only toying with her?¡± Willow asked. ¡°I¡¯ll find a time to have a chat with her. No matter what, I can¡¯t let her affect your advancement,¡± Charmaine stated resolutely. At the same time, Felix and Ysabelle were now seated in a restaurant not far from Jipsdale Premier High. When Tristan and Sophie reached there, they came across Winter. Her face fell when she realized Tristan was taking Sophie there for a meal. ¡°Oh? Mr. Tristan, you¡¯re here for a meal too? What a coincidence!¡± she greeted him, stering a smile. Tristan simply nodded impatiently at her. ¡°How about we have a meal together?¡± Winter suggested boldly. ¡°No, thanks,¡± Tristan rejected right away and stepped into the private room with Sophie. Winter remained on the spot in sheer embarrassment. Since her friends had their eyes on them, she thought he would ept her invitation. However, things did not turn out as expected. ¡°Winter, isn¡¯t that Mr. Tristan? D*mn! The young girl beside him is a beauty! I bet she can have her debut in the entertainment industry at any moment!¡± one of her friends started babbling excitedly. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Who Do You Think You Are ¡°Is she really that pretty?¡± Winter asked gloomily as she felt a rush of jealousy surging from within her. ¡°Her good looks are beyond description. I never thought there¡¯d be such a beautiful young girl in Jipsdale!¡± another of her friend chimed in admiringly. ¡°You guys go ahead. I don¡¯t have any appetite.¡± Winter could not take it any longer. Don¡¯t they know that I like Tristan? Are theyplimenting that girl deliberately to irk me? One of her friends grabbed her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. Regardless of how beautiful she is, she¡¯s only a young girl. How¡¯s it possible for her to beparable to you, our fabled perfumer? All the products of your new perfume were sold out recently, right?¡± Hearing that, the sullen look on Winter¡¯s face softened. ¡°Come on! Fill up your stomach first, so that you would have the energy to pursue the man you like.¡± Her friend cheered her up and dragged her away. Winter fell silent. Still keeping her eyes glued to Tristan, she walked away with her friends reluctantly. Yeah¡­ She has a point! How can that young girl beparable to me? I¡¯m still the ideal woman for Tristan! When Tristan led Sophie into the private room, Felix and Ysabelle were ying games on the phone. Like the gentleman he always was, Tristan pulled out a chair for Sophie. Felix had ced an order for the food, so they only needed to wait for it to be served. ¡°I need to use the restroom.¡± After a while, Sophie stood up and walked out of the private room. The moment she stepped into the restroom, she saw Winter touching up her makeup. Out of courtesy, Sophie nodded at her slightly. Winter put away her lipstick, but she did not leave immediately. By the time Sophie stepped out of the toilet, she was still there. Cutting to the chase, she asked, ¡°You¡¯re Sophie Tanner, right?¡± Sophie looked up at her in response. ¡°Do you like Mr. Tristan?¡± Winter questioned directly. Sophie whipped out a piece of gum from the pocket of her school uniform and stuffed it into her mouth. After that, she crumpled the wrapping paper before throwing it into the dustbin and asking, ¡°Who are you?¡± It never came across Winter¡¯s mind that the young girl would act so arrogantly. ¡°Who am I? Sophie Tanner, are you pulling my leg? Don¡¯t you know who I am? Nobody in Jipsdale dares to get on the Quigley family¡¯s nerves!¡± Winter scoffed. ¡°The Quigley family? You mean one of the four major families?¡± Sophie pondered for a while before saying, ¡°So, what does that have to do with me?¡± ¡°Hmph! What a naive girl! Heed my words. Stay away from Tristan. If not, you only have yourself to me when I make you disappear without a trace,¡± Winter hissed. The only reason she had stayed in the restroom was to deliver that threat to Sophie. As the heiress of the prominent Quigley family, Winter had always had a sense of superiority since she was young. She looked down at young girls like Sophie. Sophie burst intoughter as she chewed her gum. ¡°What are youughing at? There¡¯s nothing the Quigley family can¡¯t do in Jipsdale!¡± Winter snapped at her. ¡°Is that so? Just give it a try then.¡± Sophie shrugged. Is she threatening me? What a ridiculous woman! ¡°You¡­¡± Boiling with rage, Winter was about tosh out at her. ¡°What¡¯s taking you so long? Our food is served. Let¡¯s go back to have our meal now.¡± Tristan¡¯s voice sounded abruptly outside the restroom. ¡°Okay.¡± Sophie stepped out and walked away with Tristan without sparing Winter another nce. Instead, it was Tristan who shot Winter a meaningful nce before leaving. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Was she picking on you?¡± he asked on the way back to the private room. Sophie could not resist letting out augh. ¡°No. Do I look like someone others can easily pick on?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Tristan chuckled. Since Winter was Charles, his ymate¡¯s younger sister, he would more or less exercise restraint for his sake. Meanwhile, Winter clenched her fists in exasperation. It¡¯s only been a short while, but Mr. Tristan already stepped out to look for her! Is he serious about her? Back in the private room, all the dishes had been served. Felix and Ysabelle started scooping food onto Tristan and Sophie¡¯s tes. Seated facing a table of delicious dishes, Sophie did not have much appetite. She was low in spirits after taking a few mouthfuls. Even so, Tristan continued to scoop food for her. ¡°Mr. Tristan, you don¡¯t have to serve me. I¡¯ll scoop the food myself.¡± Sophie turned him down nicely. ¡°Why are you taking so little?¡± Tristan knitted his brows. To him, the amount that Sophie was eating was barely enough to feed a kitten. Sophie could not help but heave a sigh. She could only give in by swallowing some more of the food and finishing a half bowl of mushroom soup. ¡°Ysabelle, your birthday is around the corner. How do you n to celebrate it?¡± Felix asked enthusiastically. Her eighteenth birthday was the red-letter day she stepped into her adulthood. As such, he minded a lot about it. ¡°I¡¯ll celebrate it with Soph,¡± Ysabelle replied casually. Hearing that, Felix fell silent and he could feel his temples start to throb. That¡¯s one of the most momentous moments in her lifetime. Doesn¡¯t she know she should spend it with someone important to her? Whatever¡­ I could only say that she¡¯s one dumb girl. ¡°Soph, you must attend my birthday celebration, okay? Otherwise, I¡¯ll cut ties with you!¡± Ysabelle said. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll be there on time,¡± Sophie replied. After the meal, the foursome stepped out of the private room and ran into Eustace Sheppard. Eustace had been wanting to meet Sophie ever since she helped him with Dr. Yarren¡¯s matter. However, no matter how hard he looked, he could not find any information about her. He never expected that he would bump into her while stepping out for a meal with his friends. ¡°Ms. Tanner, can I have a few words with you?¡± Eustace asked politely. There was even an unmissable hint of respect in his tone. Sophie, too, did not expect that she would bump into Eustace again. After all, Jipsdale was a huge ce, and the probability of bumping into someone by chance was fairly small. Nheless, she was not repulsed by him. ¡°You guys go ahead first. I¡¯ll go to school myselfter,¡± she told the others. Tristan only shed Eustace a look before descending the stairs without saying anything. Meanwhile, Ysabelle fastened her gaze on Eustace. Who is he? And how did he know Soph? He doesn¡¯t look like an average Joe¡­ Felix dragged her away, breaking her reverie. ¡°What are you looking at? Is he more good-looking than me?¡± ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s more good-looking than you. No, this won¡¯t do. I must turn back to find out why he¡¯s looking for Soph. Ahh¡­ it seems like my dear Sophie is too eye-catching. That being said, they do look like a perfect match for each other,¡± Ysabelle bbered. Rendered speechless, Felix shed a nce at the man walking ahead. Huh? A perfect match? He could hardly refrain from shouting at her. My goodness! She¡¯s indeed slow-witted. Can¡¯t she sense that her Uncle Tristan has feelings toward Soph? How could she have the audacity to say that? ¡°Felix, send Ysabelle back to school,¡± Tristan instructed. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll definitely send her back safely,¡± Felix replied, heaving a sigh of relief after seeing that Tristan was not mad. ¡°Uncle Tristan, I¡¯ll wait for Sophie,¡± Ysabelle protested. Tristan threw her a warning nce. Fine! Intimidated by his imposing aura, Ysabelle had no choice but to walk away sheepishly. ¡°Mr. Sheppard, do you have any more questions?¡± Sophie asked. ¡°I wish to request your help, but I don¡¯t have your phone number. Would you mind giving it to me?¡± Coincidentally, one of his friends stepped out for some fresh air. Overhearing Eustace¡¯s words, he could not resistughing heartily and teasing him, ¡°Captain Sheppard, you should speak up if you have feelings for her. My, my. What a beautiful young girl!¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± came Eustace¡¯s reply. ¡°All right, all right! I¡¯ll get lost right away! I won¡¯t want to be the third wheel now,¡± the man uttered ambiguously before walking away. Eustace was undoubtedly mature for his age. Even though he was only twenty-eight years old, he was already holding such a high position. In fact, hispetence was known to everyone. Surprisingly, he could not help blushing in front of the eighteen-year-old girl. ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart. He¡¯s only joking. There¡¯s really something I need to ask you,¡± Eustace muttered. To that, Sophie replied, ¡°Give me your phone.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this. Eustace passed it to her as requested, and she keyed in her phone number right away. ¡°Sophie, are you interested in joining our SWAT team?¡± he asked eagerly. He needed apetent member like her. Sophie shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡± ¡°Well, I really hope you can think it through and join the SWAT team.¡± Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Tanner Group Shareholders¡¯ Meeting ¡°By the way, where are you heading now? I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Eustace nned to go back to the private room to get his jacket before sending her wherever she wanted to go. ¡°No need for that. I¡¯m going back to school. Carry on with your work!¡± Sophie replied. Eustacepsed into a thoughtful silence as he watched her leave. This girl really is something else! After going downstairs and walking out of the restaurant, Sophie noticed that Tristan was still waiting for her outside. He was standing there with a cigarette between his fingertips, seemingly pondering over something. However, with such a good-looking and charming man standing there, even the sight of him smoking was pleasing to the eye, so he naturally attracted a lot of girls, who flocked around him. Despite that, no one dared to approach him due to his domineering aura. Sophie walked up to his side. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you guys to leave first? Why are you still here?¡± ¡°Waiting for you,¡± he replied curtly. Tristan did not ask further since someone had already driven his car outside. The two went out, and he opened the door for her. ¡°I¡¯ll send you to school?¡± It was almost time for the night self-studying session. ¡°Okay,¡± said Sophie. He waited so long just to take me to school! On Friday, Sophie returned to the Tanner residence to have dinner with Josiah. ¡°Soph, do you want to attend the shareholders¡¯ meeting on Monday?¡± The annual shareholders¡¯ meeting was on Monday. Sophie held twenty percent of thepany¡¯s shares and had reached the age of adulthood at eighteen, so she could attend. ¡°She¡¯s too young to understand anything, Dad. I can exercise her rights by proxy. Thepany is not her personal yground.¡± The thought of his father skipping him to give Sophie the shares made Yale very upset. I¡¯m your only son. How could you be so distrusting of me? ¡°Indeed, Grandpa. Soph is still young. Those shareholders in the board meeting are all cruel and heartless. It¡¯s better not to let her participate!¡± Willow chimed in. I have nothing now. If Sophie went to the shareholders¡¯ meeting, wouldn¡¯t I look even more pitiful? I¡¯m clearly better than her in everything! ¡°Willow is right, Dad. For Soph¡¯s safety, I think she shouldn¡¯t participate!¡± Charmaine also disagreed with Sophie going. ¡°This is your own matter, Soph. Just decide for yourself.¡± Josiahpletely ignored their protests. ¡°Also, since I¡¯ve given you the shares, I won¡¯t interfere with whatever you do with them as long as you¡¯re happy.¡± ¡°Dad¡ª¡± That¡¯s thepany I¡¯ve worked so hard for all my life. How could Dad treat it so casually? ¡°Are you done eating? Apany me to the study for a chat when you¡¯ve finished your food.¡± Josiah brought Sophie to the study as he found the other three at the table too noisy. ¡°What should we do now?¡± Charmaine asked. Sophie has always been rebellious. What will we do if she doesn¡¯t listen to us on the day of the shareholders¡¯ meeting? ¡°Look at the daughter you bore! Look at what she has be. She¡¯s tantly disrespecting me, her father!¡± Yale remarked. Isn¡¯t it only natural for me to manage her shares? ¡°You speak as though I¡¯m to me for this matter. Do you think I conceived her on my own?¡± ¡°Enough of that. Just make sure Willow behaves. With the support of the Laird family, I don¡¯t think a young girl like her is capable of doing much.¡± Even without the Laird family, Yale still had forty percent of the shares in his hands and was still the largest shareholder of Tanner Group. ¡°Come. Write a few words. Let me see if your lettering has deteriorated,¡± said Josiah. Sophie obediently went to get the ink before spreading the writing paper on the table. She then took a calligraphy pen and dipped it into the ink. Josiah watched from the side and was satisfied with her performance. She wrote a few letters on the writing paper before cing the pen down. ¡°You¡¯re truly blessed!¡± Sophie¡¯s penmanship was elegant with clean lines, which greatly satisfied Josiah, and it was for this reason that he doted on her so much. This girl has been smart since childhood. She has always been able to be the best in anything she wanted to do. ¡°Your parents are short-sighted, Soph. Don¡¯t take it to heart. Tanner Group will be destroyed eventually in your father¡¯s hands. At present, thepany has already lost its former glory.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Due to his old age, there were many matters that he could no longer take into his own hands. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa. Tanner Group won¡¯t fall into ruin,¡± Sophie assured. Since it¡¯s something that Grandpa cherishes, how can I see it be destroyed? ¡°I hope that you can inherit thepany. Your brother Caleb is currently in a research institute abroad. He is talented in research, so I don¡¯t want to make things difficult for him. Your father¡¯s ability, however, is too average, and he is simply unsuitable to be the CEO of Tanner Group.¡± Hence, at present, Josiah could only ce his hope on Sophie. ¡°Okay¡­¡± She was aware of Yale¡¯s capabilities. ¡°I hope that you can be the CEO of Tanner Group in the future.¡± He believed that his granddaughter could do well. ¡°All right. Understood. You¡¯re not well, Grandpa, so don¡¯t think about these things all day,¡± Sophie replied. ¡°Will you me me for this, Soph? Girls your age should be living a happy and carefree life, yet I¡¯ve given you such a heavy burden.¡± ¡°How can I ever do that? You¡¯re the one who loves me the most.¡± When Sophie left the study and went downstairs, Yale was still in the living room. Upon seeing hering downstairs, he stood up. ¡°Since your grandfather has given you twenty percent of the shares, just take the dividends, Sophie. I, as your father, will handle Tanner Group¡¯s affairs, so you shouldn¡¯t interfere.¡± He had waited so long for her down there for this very reason. ¡°It¡¯s better that you don¡¯t attend Monday¡¯s shareholders¡¯ meeting!¡± ¡°I can decide that myself. I don¡¯t need others telling me what to do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m your father, Sophie!¡± Yale was infuriated. She has always been like that, doing as she pleases without the slightest bit of good behavior and sensibility. Sophie snorted in response and walked off. All he cares about is his interests. When has he ever thought of me, his daughter? Angered by Sophie¡¯s behavior, Yale smashed everything he could in the living room. How could a mere brat dare to treat me like this? Where did she get the courage to do that? Josiah heard themotion in the living room and came downstairs. Upon seeing his father, Yale stopped smashing things around. ¡°You¡¯ve truly disappointed me, Yale,¡± Josiah remarked. How can he manage apany when he can¡¯t even control his own emotions? ¡°Hah! Indeed. I¡¯ve always been the one who made you disappointed. You¡¯ve never been pleased with me. That¡¯s why you gave your shares to Sophie.¡± ¡°She¡¯s your daughter.¡± ¡°So what? Does she listen to me? That girl is insanely ambitious. I¡¯m afraid she wants the entire Tanner Group!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s what she wants, give it to her. She¡¯ll certainly manage it better than you,¡± Josiah replied. So what if she¡¯s young? This society only recognizes one¡¯s abilities. ¡°No. Even if it results in great losses on both sides, I still won¡¯t let her have it. Tanner Group is mine.¡± Josiah shook his head. He was utterly disappointed in his son. ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Yale. Don¡¯t hurt Soph. She¡¯s your daughter.¡± The old man left only these words and went upstairs alone. Yale scoffed. ¡°If she hurts me, I won¡¯t care whose daughter she is.¡± Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Delicate Skin A heavy downpour suddenly started while Sophie was on the way back. As she had not brought an umbre, nor had she gotten the Tanner family¡¯s driver to send her back, she ended up getting drenched by the rain. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. After she returned to Wisteria Apartments, she took a shower and felt a slight headache. Sophie settled onto the couch and watched TV. She did not know how much time had passed, but by the time she woke up the next day, it was already past nine o¡¯clock. She felt groggy and lethargic, so she nestled on the couch again after boiling a cup of hot water. Her phone rang, and she answered the call upon seeing that the caller was Ysabelle. ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe to school, Soph?¡± Ysabelle sounded very worried on the other end. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± As soon as Sophie spoke, she realized that her voice had changed and her throat was hurting badly. ¡°Did you catch a cold?¡± It took some effort for Sophie to reply, ¡°Yes. Please help excuse me from ss. I won¡¯t be going to school today.¡± Every time she had a cold, she did not like to take medicine. It doesn¡¯t matter if I do or not, it¡¯ll still take me one or two weeks to recover, so it¡¯s no use taking medicine at all. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do that. Why don¡¯t I take the day off and head over to keep youpany?¡± Ysabelle suggested. ¡°No need for that. Focus in ss. I just want to sleep, so it¡¯s pointless for you toe here.¡± ¡°All right, then. I¡¯ll hang up now. Remember to drink more warm water.¡± In actuality, Ysabelle wanted to say that apanying her for a nap was also fine! After all, warm water cures all diseases. After exining Sophie¡¯s absence to Derrick, she posted on her Instagram: My best friend is sick, and I¡¯m so bored alone. How I wish I was sick too! Felix was constantly keeping an eye on Ysabelle¡¯s Instagram, so as soon as she made that post, he immediately knew about it and called Tristan. ¡°Where are you, Mr. Tristan?¡± he asked the moment Tristan picked up the call. If I do Tristan a favor now, he¡¯ll also help me in the future! I still have a long way to go to win Ysabelle over! ¡°At the Lombard residence. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Tristan was having his breakfast at that moment and had an urgent meeting to attend not long after. ¡°Sophie is sick, and she should be alone in Wisteria Apartments right now!¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Girls are the easiest to win over when they are sick, Mr. Tristan. I¡¯ll await your good news. I¡¯m rooting for you!¡± Tristan could not be bothered to listen to Felix¡¯s nonsense and promptly hung up. William, who was doing yoga in the courtyard, could not help but frown when he saw Tristan walking out. ¡°It¡¯s the weekend, and you¡¯re still going out?¡± ¡°Mhm. Something came up.¡± After saying that, Tristan went to the underground garage and drove his silver Lamborghini to Wisteria Apartments. On the way, he also bought Sophie some chicken noodle soup from The Crown. Upon reaching Wisteria Apartments, Tristan rang the doorbell, but no one came to the door. In the end, he could only open the door himself. Once inside, he discovered Sophie lying on the couch, looking flushed. Tristan ced the bag down and crouched beside the couch. ¡°Wake up, Sophie. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡± As soon as Sophie opened her eyes, she was met with a close-up view of Tristan¡¯s face. ¡°Has anyone told you that you¡¯re extremely handsome, Mr. Tristan?¡± Sophie seemed to be delirious as she reached out to touch Tristan¡¯s face. He froze for a moment. Am I, a mature man of twenty-eight, being teased by an eighteen-year-old girl? ¡°Such delicate skin.¡± Sophie¡¯s hand gently stroked his face. For a moment, Tristan wanted nothing more than to pounce on the daring girl. However, as soon as he touched her forehead, he immediately came to his senses. The girl is running a high fever right now! How can I have such an outrageous thought? ¡°I¡¯m taking you to the hospital.¡± Tristan picked her up, intending to get her to change into a new set of clothes, but she shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I don¡¯t need to go there. I never go to the hospital when I¡¯m sick.¡± ¡°All right. We won¡¯t if you don¡¯t want to.¡± After all, he could still get his private doctor toe over. After cing her on the bed, he immediately called the doctor. ¡°Have you had breakfast yet?¡± It¡¯s past ten o¡¯clock now. Judging from her condition, she probably hasn¡¯t had breakfast yet. Sophie shook her head. ¡°I have no appetite.¡± At that moment, she did not feel like eating anything and just wanted to sleep. ¡°Go back, Mr. Tristan. I¡¯ll be fine after a nap. It¡¯s like this every time.¡± It was the same when she was in Horington. She had never cared about colds and fevers. ¡°I¡¯m very angry now, Sophie. You¡¯d better behave yourself.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be angry about when I¡¯m sick? If you think it¡¯s troublesome, you can leave now. No one is keeping you here.¡± It¡¯s not as though I told him toe over. Who does he think he is? What right does he have to get mad at me? Hearing her response, Tristan¡¯s anger instantly vanished. ¡°Sorry for my poor behavior. Be good and have some chicken noodle soup.¡± Sophie harrumphed. ¡°Come on. Be a good girl and have some chicken noodle soup.¡± Seeing that Tristan had given in, Sophie also did not stay angry and allowed him to feed her some chicken noodle soup. Dr. Zimmerman came over and gave her some cold and fever medicine. He then left after giving some instructions. By then, Sophie had fallen asleep. Tristan brought a cup of warm water over and ced it on the bedside table. He then sat on the bed and helped her up to lean against his body. Sophie was jolted awake. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Take your medicine.¡± Tristan showed her the medicine in his hand. ¡°Open up.¡± Sophie could not help but frown upon seeing the pills. Those white pills scared her the most as she could tell from one look that they were bitter. ¡°Can I say no?¡± To be honest, she was not afraid of knives and guns. However, she did not like taking medicine. ¡°No. If you refuse, I¡¯ll feed you with my mouth.¡± If her high fever persists, she¡¯ll be even more delirious! Sophie red at him as though he was her mortal enemy. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re looking forward to my kiss.¡± With a snort, she promptly opened her mouth. Tristan gave her the pills and also fed her some water. ¡°That¡¯s my good girl.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not yours. I don¡¯t belong to anyone but myself.¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re mine. One day, you¡¯ll willingly be mine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so confident in yourself.¡± Sophie was toozy to be bothered by him and closed her eyes. Tristan bent down and kissed her lips. Although it was merely a peck, it made her shudder. Opening her eyes, she red at him. He, on the other hand, gave her an unsatisfied smirk. ¡°All right. Get some sleep.¡± Sophie closed her eyes but opened them a whileter. ¡°How am I supposed to sleep when you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Do I affect you that much? Why don¡¯t I get in and sleep with you? I don¡¯t have anything to do today anyway.¡± Looking at her speechless expression, Tristan could not help but smile. ¡°Sleep well. I¡¯ve no interest in a little hedgehog that¡¯s about tobust.¡± Only after he left her room did Sophie close her eyes. His taste still lingered on her lips. Tristan? He¡­ wants me? As she drowsily fell asleep again, Tristan instructed the housekeeper to make some light lunch for her before heading upstairs again. He touched her head and found that her temperature had gone down. However, her sleepwear was drenched with sweat. Tristan opened her closet to look for another set of sleepwear. Seeing the undergarments, he was caught in a dilemma. Should I take them or not? Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Change Your Clothes In the end, Tristan took everything with him. He crossed the room to wake Sophie up. Sophie woke up feeling much better. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked with a hoarse voice. Her throat felt sore every time she talked. ¡°Helping you change.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t respond to him. ¡°Go on. Take off your wet pajama first.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t do as he demanded and merely stared at him coldly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Tristan didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with his request. ¡°Do you always flirt with girls like this, Mr. Tristan?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to do anything. I just stand there and women will flock to me. I never needed to flirt.¡± Sophie was speechless at his answer. ¡°Fine. Seeing as you¡¯re feeling much better, change into these yourself, thene down for lunch.¡± Tristan left the room after that. Sophie finally swung her gaze from Tristan to the clothing he brought her. It was her pajama and lingerie. She could feel the heat on her face, thinking about how he had touched her most intimate articles of clothing. The alwaysposed Sophie had lost her cool then. Feeling ufortable with the sweat on her body, Sophie took a quick shower and changed into a fresh set of clothing. After drying her hair, she finally went downstairs. ¡°Lunch is ready, Ms. Tanner. I¡¯ll be heading back now. You can leave the dirty dishes after you¡¯ve finished. I¡¯ll clean them in the evening when Ie over.¡± ¡°All right.¡± After the housekeeper left, Tristan was still in the study, so Sophie took a seat at the dining table. Tristan answered a call and told his assistant to reschedule all his meetings that day. He left for the kitchen after that. At the threshold, he saw Sophie already seated at the dining table. Tristan walked over and scooped some pasta for her. ¡°You didn¡¯t take more than a few bites this morning, so eat more now.¡± Sophie held a fork in her hand and looked at him. ¡°Don¡¯t you have something to do today?¡± He doesn¡¯t have to apany me. ¡°If you have something to do, you can leave after eating. I¡¯m feeling much better now.¡± It wasn¡¯t even a big deal. It was just a fever. ¡°I¡¯m free today.¡± Coboration worth billions can¡¯tpare to the girl sitting in front of me. ¡°Fine then.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t try to persuade him anymore since he said so. ¡°Have some too, Mr. Tristan. Don¡¯t just stare at me.¡± Only then did Tristan pick up his spoon, but he didn¡¯t start eating. Instead, he started scooping more food for her. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g After he was satisfied that she wouldn¡¯t go hungry, he finally dug into his food. The crease on Sophie¡¯s forehead deepened with every bite. The food tastes quite nd today. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is the food not to your liking? Shall we change the housekeeper?¡± Sophie shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± This housekeeper is quiet and professional. I feelfortable when I¡¯m with her. ¡°I¡¯ll just have her add some condiments next time.¡± ¡°You have the numbers for The Crown and Pegasus Pavilion, so just give them a call for food delivery if you don¡¯t like the housekeeper¡¯s food.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that particr.¡± I¡¯m fine as long as it¡¯s filling. I¡¯m not picky with food. After finishing lunch, Sophie couldn¡¯t sleep anymore, so she settled onto the couch and watched the television. Tristan cleaned up the dining table, then took a seat beside her. He gently patted her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great to hear.¡± Even though it was just amon cold and fever, I was worried sick when I saw her lying unconscious on the couch. She didn¡¯t even know how worried I was. Tristan left in the evening after getting an urgent call. He even ordered her to rest at home before he left. After he drove away, Sophie changed her clothes straight away. Ysabelle¡¯s birthday is tomorrow, and I haven¡¯t even bought her a present yet. I was too busy the past few days. Since she had already taken leave that day, she decided to spend the remaining time buying Ysabelle¡¯s present. She got on her new bicycle and pedaled her way to Monarch Mall. After a period of observation, Sophie had a basic understanding of Ysabelle. A rich girl like her won¡¯t lack presents, so finding a suitable gift for her will be challenging. Sophie entered a jewelry store, thinking of picking something out for Ysabelle. Dressed in a in white t-shirt, ck cks, and canvas shoes didn¡¯t get Sophie any warm greeting from the sales assistant. The sales assistant merely nodded at Sophie when she entered, then pretended she didn¡¯t exist. Couldn¡¯t care less about the sales assistant¡¯s attitude, Sophie slowly studied each piece of jewelry on the shelf. Willow and a few of her friends were out shopping as well. She didn¡¯t have to take any sses on Saturday, because she had art lessons. Yet, one call from Louisa and she skipped her lesson. Louisa loved shopping for luxury goods. The Yarborough family was wealthier than the Tanner family. Moreover, Louisa was the only child of the Yarborough family, hence the excessive love and pampering they gave her. A few other girls were following behind Louisa and Willow. With Louisa¡¯s generosity in gifting the girls small presents, they would agree to her request for an outing every time she asked. They didn¡¯t mind carrying the shopping bags for Louisa. Louisa would gift them luxury goods if she was in a good mood. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with youtely, Willow?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all Sophie¡¯s fault,¡± Willowined. She never hid anything from Louisa. ¡°You knew she was back, right? Grandpa even gave her thepany¡¯s shares. It¡¯s pointless no matter how hard I try.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only twenty percent of thepany¡¯s shares. Just marry Mason when he gets back. Once you married him, the Tanner family will be nothing to you.¡± Louisa was Mason¡¯s cousin. That was why Willow was so close to her. ¡°Oh, cut it. Mason might not even like me.¡± Mrs. Laird dotes on me, but no one knows how Mason thinks of me. ¡°Willow, don¡¯t worry so much. Wasn¡¯t Mason quite concerned about you before he left the country? You also have me as your wing girl.¡± Louisa patted Willow¡¯s shoulder reassuringly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the b**ch, Sophie?¡± Louisa¡¯s steps paused when she saw Sophie. Willow halted too. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go in and have a look.¡± Louisa intended to cause trouble for Sophie. At that moment, a bracelet caught Sophie¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hi, can I have a closer look at that bracelet?¡± ¡°Miss, are you sure you¡¯re going to buy it? Our goods are pricey.¡± Sophie¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°I said I want a closer look at that bracelet.¡± Sophie was feeling impatient with the sales assistant¡¯s attitude but still repeated her request. ¡°Do you know how much this bracelet costs?¡± The sales assistant still refused to take the bracelet out. Then, Louisa led Willow and the rest into the jewelry store. ¡°Show me that bracelet,¡± Louisa demanded arrogantly the minute she stepped into the store. The sales assistant knew Louisa was the only daughter of the Yarborough family and had made repeated purchases from the store. She knew Louisa would buy anything she liked no matter how costly it was. ¡°Yes, Ms. Yarborough. I¡¯ll take it out for you immediately.¡± Louisa would spend a lot every time she came. It looks like my sales performance will skyrocket again today. ¡°I saw this bracelet first,¡± Sophie said coolly. What¡¯s with my luck today? Why do I keep bumping into disgusting people no matter where I go? ¡°You saw it first? But have you paid for it? This bracelet costs eight million,¡± the sales assistant continued to mock Sophie. ¡°Miss, if you¡¯re nning to buy a bracelet, you can go to the gift shop outside and get one. Our items here don¡¯t suit you.¡± Chapter 50 Chapter 50 ¡°Show me that one.¡± ¡°I want that too.¡± Louisa was determined to mess with Sophie that day. She never liked Sophie. ¡°This one¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that too.¡± Themotion had even gotten the sales manager¡¯s attention. ¡°Ms. Yarborough, are you sure you want everything? All these already add up to ten million.¡± I know the Yarborough family is wealthy, but I don¡¯t think she has that much allowance. ¡°What do you mean? Are you implying I can¡¯t afford them?¡± Louisa¡¯s temper spiked at the sales manager¡¯s words. ¡°Miss¡ª¡± The sales manager shot Sophie an apologetic nce. Ms. Yarborough is a tough nut to crack. A cold grin stretched across Sophie¡¯s lips. ¡°Louisa, are you sure you want all of it? Is your credit card limit enough?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business!¡± Louisa instantly took out her card and set it on the desk. ¡°Wrap everything up for me.¡± The sales manager reached for the card and went to the register to settle the bill. However, she returned shortly after. ¡°Sorry, Ms. Yarborough, but your card limit isn¡¯t sufficient.¡± ¡°What? How is that possible?¡± Louisa¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Louisa, why don¡¯t you just choose one from those?¡± ¡°I heard Ms. Yarborough would get her hands on everything that caught her eye. It¡¯s a mere ten million. I¡¯m sure she has enough with her other cards.¡± Louisa was caught between a rock and a hard ce. Without a choice, she took out her credit card. Her heart ached when the sales manager swiped the card. This costs me ten million! How long will it take for me to settle the debt? My monthly allowance is only around half a million. ¡°Does Ms. Yarborough still wants to make more purchases?¡± Sophie smirked. Louisa was infuriated at Sophie¡¯s taunt, yet she couldn¡¯t show it. Why am I seething here while victory is seemingly on my side? ¡°What are you smug about, Sophie?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not smug about anything. Oh, right. I forgot to tell you this store belongs to the Tanner family.¡± Sophie had decided to visit a few jewelry stores under the Tanner Group to check on their sales. She didn¡¯t expect to run into the idiotic Louisa. ¡°Thank you so much for contributing ten million to Tanner Group¡¯s sales today.¡± Louisa¡¯s expression darkened even further. ¡°Have a nice day.¡± Sophie was in an excellent mood. Louisa¡¯s dark expression efficiently lifted Sophie¡¯s mood. ¡°Also, about the ten million. Your father will probably want to have a chat with you about where that money went. If he knew about your actions, I figured you wouldn¡¯t be living your best life in the near future.¡± Sophie had a thorough understanding of Louisa¡¯s father. ¡°Louisa, I didn¡¯t know.¡± Willow was oblivious to the fact that the store was under the Tanner Group. Without another word, Sophie whirled around and stomped away. I got tricked by that b**ch, Sophie. Willow immediately chased after her. ¡°Louisa, don¡¯t be mad. We can ask for a refund.¡± ¡°Ask for a refund? Sophie is still inside right now. Won¡¯t I just be humiliating myself if I ask for a refund now?¡± ¡°What should we do then?¡± That¡¯s ten million. It¡¯s not a small amount. ¡°It¡¯s fine. At most, I¡¯d live a slightly difficult life for the next few months. Despite that, I can¡¯t humiliate myself.¡± ¡°Louisa, you wouldn¡¯t be in this state if it wasn¡¯t for me.¡± Louisa wrapped her arm around Willow¡¯s. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Sophie was nning to drive a wedge between us. I won¡¯t let it happen. Willow, tomorrow is the birthday of the young miss from the Lombard family. My dad had given me an invitation. I¡¯ll bring you with me tomorrow.¡± Many people wanted to be acquainted with the Lombard family. The Lombard family was nning a grand celebration for Ysabelle¡¯s birthday. However, they only gave out a hundred invitations. Her father had spent a lot of effort to get his hands on one. ¡°You can do that?¡± The Lombard family is the real big boss. I¡¯ll get to truly enter the upper society if I can get acquainted with them. ¡°Sure. The bracelet I bought today was a present for Ms. Ysabelle.¡± ¡°Okay, I should prepare a present for her too.¡± Maybe I can meet Tristan this time. If I can marry that legendary man, that¡¯ll be the peak of my life. After the girls had left the store, Sophie turned her gaze to the sales assistant. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Nora Baum,¡± Nora answered. I have nothing to fear. She¡¯s just Sophie Tanner, the unwanted third daughter of the Tanner family. This store does belong to the Tanner Group, but Sophie can¡¯t do anything to me with her current status. ¡°You fail as a sales assistant.¡± ¡°Haha, Ms. Sophie. You¡¯re just a kid. It¡¯s not up to you whether I fail or pass.¡± Nora had someone backing her up, so she wasn¡¯t afraid of Sophie. ¡°Shut up, Nora!¡± The sales manager red at Nora. Ms. Sophie can get Ms. Yarborough to spend ten million here. How dare a sales assistant like Nora challenges her? Nora felt wronged. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. I sold ten million worth of goods today and brought a huge profit to the company. Thepany should give me a bonus. How can they fire me?¡± ¡°Fire her. The Tanner Group doesn¡¯t need an employee like this.¡± ¡°What did you say? What right do you have to give that order? Do you truly think you¡¯re a daughter of the Tanner family?¡± Sophie didn¡¯t want to waste another breath with her and summoned the store manager. ¡°Your employees here aren¡¯t eligible to work here. I¡¯ll give you one month, and if they still behave this way, I won¡¯t keep anyone currently working here, including you.¡± ¡°Miss, you¡ª¡± The sales manager quickly whispered something to the store manager. ¡°I understand, Ms. Sophie.¡± The day after the next was the shareholders¡¯ meeting. No one was sure who would be the next CEO of the Tanner Group. The store manager didn¡¯t dare to offend Sophie. ¡°Have her fired immediately.¡± Sophie turned around to leave. Nora¡¯s face paled. ¡°Manager, she¡¯s just the unwanted third daughter of the Tanner family. You won¡¯t actually fire me, right?¡± ¡°Go back first. I¡¯ll see how it goes once the shareholders¡¯ meeting ends.¡± No one knows what changes will befall the organizational structure of the Tanner Group after the shareholders¡¯ meeting. The same goes for Ms. Sophie, so I won¡¯t make any decision before the meeting. Sophie continued her shopping at the Monarch Mall and finally spotted a unique rock in an antique store. That tiny rock was exquisite. It was clear and shiny on the surface, but inside was a picture of the beauty of nature. Sophie figured it suited Ysabelle a lot. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°You have good taste, Miss! This rock might look tiny, but it¡¯s priceless.¡± ¡°Can I have a look?¡± The sales assistant took out the rock and gave it to Sophie. ¡°How much is it?¡± ¡°Fifteen million.¡± ¡°Ten million, and I¡¯ll take it. If you agree, then pack it up for me.¡± Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Who Are You Really Sophie did not need to do self-studying sessions on Saturday night, so she went to Monarch Mall and bought a gift. Just as she was about to head home, she encountered Eustace and the others. Eustace looked like he was in the middle of an angry outburst, and the few technicians beside him barely dared to take a breath. ¡°Captain Sheppard, isn¡¯t that Ms. Tanner? Maybe we should ask her for help.¡± Although Danny was embarrassed about failing the pursuit despite being a professional technician, he knew that Sophie was rather brilliant. Maybe she¡¯ll be able to help us out. ¡°Ms. Tanner?¡± Eustace looked in the direction Danny was staring in and saw Sophie, who had her head lowered as she used her phone. The young woman was wearing a set of ordinary clothes that she bought off Amazon. Her hair hung loosely over her shoulders, and she looked in. Despite so, many people were still looking at her. After all, she was pretty, and pretty people would always catch the attention of others easily. ¡°Yes.¡± Eustace and Danny then walked over. Noticing a sudden shadow looming over her, Sophie raised her head only to see Eustace. ¡°Anything I can help you with?¡± ¡°Ms. Tanner, can you do us a favor?¡± It was quite an urgent matter, and if they messed it up, everyone in Monarch Mall would die. In response, Sophie took out a piece of chewing gum to put in her mouth before she asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Eustace pulled Sophie to the side. ¡°A desperado has run into Monarch Mall and is now hiding in here. It¡¯s Saturday today, and there are lots of people in Monarch Mall.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you just go in and arrest him?¡± I¡¯m not a police officer. I can¡¯t help with that, can I? ¡°Well, the thing is, he has a bomb on him.¡± If not for the bomb, I wouldn¡¯t have called him a desperado. ¡°We¡¯ll only give him too much pressure if so many of us enter. And a cornered beast will definitely do something wild and unpredictable. That¡¯s why we need to pinpoint where he is. This man is an intelligent criminal. Our people can¡¯t figure out where he is exactly, and the longer this drags on, the more danger the people inside will be in.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g They were in Jipsdale, and this was the Monarch Mall. If anything were to happen here, Chanaea would be theughingstock of the whole world. Most importantly, there were plenty of patrons in Monarch Mall, and they were all going to die. After Sophie heard what was going on, she bobbed her head. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll help you out.¡± Hearing that, Eustace led Sophie to a ck car where a technician was still trying to trace the criminal¡¯s whereabouts. Sadly, he could not even find a single clue. He had never encountered someone as brilliant as the criminal. It was as if someone else was covering the criminal¡¯s tracks for him. Danny asked the technician before the machine to stand up and invited Sophie to sit down. Still chewing on the gum, Sophie¡¯s slender fingers danced elegantly across the keyboard. Eustace watched her work from behind her, hoping that she could speed up even more. ¡°Someone¡¯s helping him.¡± Sophie frowned. She knew then the criminal case was gettingplicated. There¡¯s more than one man, and they had entered Monarch Mall with ulterior motives. ¡°Do you have any way to track him down?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lines and lines of code appeared on the screen as Sophie fought against the hacker behind the criminals. Five minutester, the screen of the other party¡¯sputer turned ck, and he could not turn it on anymore. ¡°What the f*ck? What kind of person did Eustace find who can actually hack myputer?¡± Now that no one could help the criminal hide anymore, all Sophie needed was a minute before she found him. A red dot appeared on the screen. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Ms. Tanner!¡± Danny could not help but cry out. ¡°You can go apprehend him now.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll transfer you the mary reward for this.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± was all Sophie said. Eustace then hurried away to arrest the criminal. As the criminal had a bomb on him, he also brought men from the bomb squad. ¡°Ms. Tanner, you¡¯re fantastic! Can I ask you some questions?¡± ¡°Sorry, but I have some matters to attend to.¡± With that, Sophie stood up to leave. ¡°Danny, who is she? She looks young!¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s only eighteen. Don¡¯t feel jealous, though. Some are just born a prodigy.¡± Some people were gifted individuals who could do anything with ease. On the other hand, some could never be geniuses no matter how hard they tried. Nevertheless, all one needed to do was to do their best. Just as Sophie stepped out of the ck car, Tristan called. ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ming to pick you up.¡± She doesn¡¯t listen to anyone at all. I told her to rest at home because she¡¯s sick, but she¡¯s running everywhere! ¡°I¡¯m at Monarch Mall,¡± Sophie replied. After the call ended, she stayed in her spot and waited for him. However, no one expected the criminal to jump off the building. Many people were entering and leaving Monarch Mall at that time, so when they saw a man falling to his death from the building, they screamed. Eustace immediately asked his men to seal off the ce. ¡°Hurry up! He still has a bomb on him that hasn¡¯t been defused!¡± The men from the bomb squad rushed over. However, it was their first time seeing such aplicated bomb design, and for a moment, they had no idea what to do. ¡°Evacuate the people,¡± Eustace promptly ordered. He then walked over to Sophie. ¡°Ms. Tanner, please leave quickly. The bomb will go off at any time.¡± They haven¡¯t dismantled the bomb even after such a long time? ¡°Captain Sheppard, seems like your men aren¡¯t efficient at all!¡± They can¡¯t track down the guy, and they don¡¯t even know how to defuse the bomb. The government¡¯s wasting their money on them by giving them such high pay! ¡°The other party¡¯s a Ph.D. student of the prestigious Athene University. He¡¯s very smart.¡± ¡°I never thought that the famous Captain Sheppard would be scrambling for excuses.¡± At that, Sophie handed him the bag in her hands. ¡°Hold this for me. This costs ten million, so don¡¯t lose it.¡± That was all she said before walking toward the bomb, about to defuse it. Eustace grabbed her. ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t you know how dangerous this is?¡± Sophie pulled her hand away from his. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t haunt you if I die.¡± At that, Eustace handed the bag to his subordinate before entering the scene with Sophie. ¡°Captain Sheppard, leave now! There¡¯s only a minute left!¡± The men from the bomb squad had decided to retreat from the scene. After all, the people had all been evacuated, and what they prioritized most was the safety of the people. ¡°Move aside.¡± ¡°Youngdy, this is too dangerous! You need to run, now!¡± Sophie did not want to waste any more breath on him, so she shoved him aside and crouched down to take a nce at the bomb. Then, she took the equipment from the side. ¡°Captain Sheppard, this is a real bomb!¡± This isn¡¯t a game! Is this girl not afraid of dying? ¡°Both of you should evacuate now,¡± Eustace said to the two bomb squad technicians. ¡°Captain Sheppard¡­¡± was all the two technicians could say before they realized that there was no time left. Thus, they began running away from the scene. ¡°Get down,¡± Sophie ordered. Eustace had always been the one to order others around, but a young woman was now the one giving orders. Nevertheless, he still did as she said. After Sophie cut the green line, she then cut the red one. Everyone on the special police force was sprawled on the floor. Even the men from the bomb squad could not defuse the bomb, so all of them were sure that it would go off. However, ten seconds passed. Then, twenty. Thirty. A minute. Sophie stood up and began walking away. When she saw Eustace still sprawled on the ground, her lips curled. Her smile was what greeted Eustace when he lifted his head. It was a blinding grin. ¡°Who are you really?¡± he asked, staring at the young woman in front of him in confoundment. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Chapter 52 A Show To Watch ¡°Just someone ordinary.¡± Sophie was not afraid of Eustace looking into her. ¡°An ordinary person who knows how to defuse a bomb?¡± Clearly, Eustace did not believe her. ¡°I¡¯ve read a few books in relevance to the topic.¡± If it wasn¡¯t for the urgency of the matter, Sophie would not have defused the bomb herself. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you going to arrest me?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m just curious about you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I simply like reading books.¡± ¡°Regardless of everything, thank you. I¡¯ll buy you a meal another day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Also, I don¡¯t want the reporters to find out what I¡¯ve done. It¡¯s annoying.¡± Sophie then took her bag from a police officer and quietly left the barricaded area. There were many reporters outside, and she did not want to speak to any of them. There¡¯s still blood on me. I should go back and clean myself up. I probably look quite frightening at the moment. When she took out her phone to look at the screen, she realized that Tristan had called her multiple times. She called him back. ¡°Where are you? I¡¯m out right now. Wait, I see your car. Don¡¯t move. I¡¯lle over now.¡± All Sophie wanted was to leave the area as quickly as she could while not catching anyone¡¯s attention. Meanwhile, after ending the call, Tristan alighted the car to wait for her. However, the first thing he noticed on her was the blood on her shirt. Instantly, he strode toward her. ¡°What happened?¡± I was only away from her for an afternoon. Why is she covered in blood now? ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± was the only thing she said to him. ¡°You¡¯re covered in blood, but you¡¯re telling me that you¡¯re fine?¡± Tristan growled, and the air around him turned cold. Who is it? Who¡¯s the one who daredy a finger on my woman? ¡°It¡¯s not my blood; I¡¯m not hurt. So don¡¯t worry.¡± After making sure that it really was not her blood, Tristan became at ease. He then opened the car door for her to enter the front passenger seat. ¡°Ms. Tanner, how did you end up covered in blood after your shopping trip?¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Bad luck. I met a piece of trash.¡± Sophie hated criminals with high intellect the most. They¡¯re so smart, but instead of putting their intelligence to good use, they choose tomit crimes. Once Sophie returned to Wisteria Apartments, she took a shower and changed into a set of fresh clothes. She threw the bloodstained clothes into the trash can, but when she thought about how the housekeeper was going to notice it, she tied up the trash bag and nned to throw it outter. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Felix is going to have an early celebration for Ysabelle¡¯s birthday, and Ysabelle told me that I have to bring you there.¡± Ysabelle and the others were at Gold Sea Club. The ce was the most luxurious five-star club in Jipsdale. Just as Tristan and Sophie entered the car, Ysabelle called. ¡°Soph, hurry up. Everyone¡¯s waiting for you. What¡¯s the matter with my uncle? Why does he need to take so long to pick someone up?¡± ¡°Something happened, so you guys can start eating first if you¡¯re hungry.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not. You can take your time. There¡¯s no need to hurry.¡± With that, Ysabelle ended the call. ¡°She¡¯ll take a little while longer. Soph¡¯s a little busy right now.¡± ¡°What can a student be busy about? I¡¯d say it must be because she doesn¡¯t care about your birthday.¡± The one who spoke was Winter. ¡°Winter, I don¡¯t like the way you¡¯re talking about Soph. If she says that she¡¯s busy, then she must be busy. If you¡¯re in a rush, you can leave first.¡± Ysabelle was upset to hear Winter talk about Sophie in that way. ¡°Ysabelle, I don¡¯t mean anything by it. I just don¡¯t think tardiness is good. It¡¯ll make her seem uncultured.¡± The smile on Ysabelle¡¯s face dropped. ¡°Winter, I doubt talking behind someone¡¯s back is a cultured behavior.¡± ¡°Winter, you can leave first if you¡¯re busy,¡± Charles uttered unhappily. This woman keeps talking smack about Sophie. If Tristan were to hear her, even I wouldn¡¯t be able to protect her. Winter mped her mouth shut. If it wasn¡¯t for Tristan, I wouldn¡¯t have wanted toe to this ce! Besides, what kind of witch is Sophie to make Ysabelle so protective of her? ¡°All right. Don¡¯t be mad anymore. We¡¯re all friends here,¡± Felix said, trying to defuse the situation. ¡°Who¡¯s friends with you?¡± Ysabelle huffed, still angry. Felix patted her head. ¡°Ysabelle¡­¡± There¡¯s really nothing I can do about her. Ysabelle smacked his hand away. ¡°You¡¯re messing up my hairstyle.¡± Right then, a server opened the door to the room, and Tristan entered with Sophie. The moment Ysabelle saw Sophie, she beamed. ¡°Sit here, Soph!¡± Ysabelle pulled Sophie to a seat beside hers. To Sophie¡¯s left was Ysabelle, while Charles was already sitting on her right. In other words, there was no space left for Tristan to sit. ¡°Uncle Tristan, why are you still standing there? Take a seat!¡± When Charles saw Tristan looking at him, he stood up and offered his seat to thetter. ¡°Here you go, Mr. Tristan.¡± We¡¯re just having a meal. Does he really need to stick by her side? Tristan took Charles¡¯ seat without any hesitation. With that, Winter was sitting by Tristan¡¯s other side. She did not care why Tristan was sitting there as long as she was sitting beside him. Felix then asked the server to bring the dishes over. ¡°Ysabelle will be having her birthday tomorrow. Old Mr. Lombard will surely take up most of her time tomorrow, and there¡¯s nothing I can do about it, so I¡¯ll be celebrating her birthday here today. Thank you foring, guys!¡± Felix opened a bottle of 1982 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild. The server then filled the sses of the people by the table, but when she was about to fill Sophie¡¯s ss, Tristan stopped her. ¡°Just a hot ss of milk for her.¡± ¡°Of course, mister.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Ysabelle¡¯s birthday today, so all of us are drinking a little. Ms. Tanner, could it be that you¡¯re not of age yet?¡± Winter asked. Tristan ignored her. The others did the same, and Winter turned gloomy at once. It felt as if someone had pped her across the face. ¡°Happy birthday, Ysabelle!¡± Sophie took her ss of milk and stood up. ¡°I¡¯m d that I¡¯m friends with you, for you make me hate Jipsdale less.¡± Ysabelle lifted her ss of red wine as well. ¡°Soph, it¡¯s my pleasure to be friends with you too. We have to be good friends for the rest of our lives, okay? You have no idea how much I like you!¡± The two toasted, and Ysabelle took a sip of her red wine while Sophie took a sip of her milk. ¡°Happy birthday, Ysabelle! You¡¯re all grown up before I even knew it.¡± Charles lifted his ss as well. ¡°Thank you.¡± Meanwhile, Sean only lifted his ss in Ysabelle¡¯s direction. He was a man of few words, after all. ¡°Thank you.¡± Felix then put a meatball on Ysabelle¡¯s te. ¡°Our Ysabelle¡¯s finally all grown up.¡± I¡¯ve been waiting so long for this day. Sophie was only inattentive for a split second, and when she came back to her senses, she realized that there was much more food on her te than before. At that, she could not help but nce at Tristan. Is he trying to feed a human or a pig? After a few mouthfuls, Sophie lost her appetite. Just a glimpse at her te, and she already felt full. Hence, she put all the meat onto Tristan¡¯s te. When the others noticed her actions, they stared at her. Winter sneered, thinking, Sophie must have a death wish! Everyone knows that Tristan is a germaphobe, but Sophie just gave him the food that she has bit into before. Guess it¡¯s time for me to just sit back and watch the show. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why are you all looking at me?¡± Then, Tristan ate the food that Sophie had bitten into in front of everyone. Charles gaped at the sight of it. Is this still the Mr. Tristan that I know? Even Sean was dumbfounded. I guess that¡¯s the end of Mr. Tristan, huh? Meanwhile, Felix did not have much of a reaction. What¡¯s wrong with that? I¡¯d be d to eat anything Ysabelle can¡¯t finish, but sadly, I don¡¯t have the chance to do that. At the same time, Winter was shocked to her core, Where did Mr. Tristan¡¯s principles go? Isn¡¯t he the one with the most principles? Could it be that he¡¯s no longer a germaphobe? With that thought in mind, she mustered up the courage to put a piece of barbecue ribs onto Tristan¡¯s te. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Chapter 53 In His Arms Tristan instantly furrowed his brows, evidently upset. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Yes, mister? What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Bring a new te for me.¡± Everyone was rendered speechless. So, he¡¯s still a germaphobe; he¡¯s just fine with Sophie. Winter¡¯s face turned purple with rage. Does he hate me that much? Besides, I was using a new fork! ¡°Ms. Tanner, I heard that you have good grades. Did you rank second in grades?¡± Sean abruptly mentioned. ¡°It¡¯s just average.¡± ¡°Ha,¡± Winter sneered. That¡¯s nothing to be proud of. She¡¯s just a nerd. ¡°Ms. Tanner, you¡¯re quite good with your words. Maybe you can think about studyingw. If you actually do that, you cane and work at Burtons¡¯ Law Firm.¡± The bestwyer from the bestw firm in the country was offering her a ce in hispany. Winter frowned. When did Sean be such a bootlicker? Isn¡¯t Burtons¡¯ Law Firm the hardest ce to get into? It¡¯s a hundred times more challenging than the examination for civil servant job applications. ¡°Thank you for the offer, but I¡¯m not interested in bing awyer,¡± came Sophia¡¯s reply. ¡°It¡¯s still a while before the start of the university entrance exam. You can take your time to consider this.¡± It was the first time the others had heard so many words from Sean. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Ms. Tanner, there¡¯s a revolution going on in yourpany. I wonder what thoughts you have about that?¡± There were many women who looked pretty, but there were few who had a brain. Winter felt that she was thetter, for she handled her perfumery business well, and that was why she looked down on Sophie. ¡°Nothing much.¡± ¡°Ha,¡± Winter gleefully chuckled. I knew it. She¡¯s nothing but a bimbo! ¡°Winter, I¡¯m the main character of the day. Why are you so focused on Soph?¡± Ysabelle was well aware that Winter was targeting Sophie. If it wasn¡¯t for Charles, she would have flipped the table in fury. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ll down a ss to right my wrong,¡± Winter said as she picked up a ss, feeling much better. With that ongoing mess in the Tanner family, I¡¯m sure Sophie isn¡¯t living her best life right now. As long as she¡¯s unhappy, I¡¯m happy. ¡°Finish your milk.¡± Tristan handed Sophie the ss of milk. Sophie sighed in exasperation, but she still took the ss from him. After all, he was doing that for her sake, and she figured she could not embarrass him like that. Winter scoffed in disdain at the sight of Sophie¡¯s meek demeanor. She¡¯s just Tristan¡¯s pet. He¡¯ll get sick of her eventually. If she¡¯s not cunning enough, she won¡¯t survive in our social circle. After the meal, they went to the most famous bar in Jipsdale called Nocturnal. Ysabelle was not of age back then, so they never brought her to ces like Nocturnal. However, now that she was finally of age, she insisted on going to the bar. Sean and Charles walked in the front while Felix and Ysabelle were behind them. After those four were Tristan and Sophie, with Winter walkingst. She could not help but clench her fists at the sight of the two in front of her. If it wasn¡¯t for Sophie, I would have been the one beside Tristan. Once they were inside Nocturnal, Felix and Ysabelle went and sit on a two-seater couch while Sean sat in an armchair. The couch Sophie and Tristan sat on was the middle three-seater couch. When Winter saw that there was space left on the couch, she tried to take a seat beside Tristan. However, Charles pulled her away to sit beside him. ¡°Charles, what are you doing?¡± I didn¡¯t even do anything yet! ¡°Don¡¯t make Mr. Tristan mad. You won¡¯t be able to bear the consequences.¡± In fact, I don¡¯t think anyone in Jipsdale is able to bear the consequences of angering him. Winter did not want to admit defeat, but she was afraid of actually infuriating Tristan. Naturally, Nocturnal¡¯s manager knew who these people were. Thus, he arranged the best seats for them. Then, he hired the best bartender to serve them. ¡°Mister, please make me the best cocktail.¡± This bartender is so handsome! ¡°Of course, mydy.¡± With that, the bartender began whipping up a cocktail for her. Indeed, he was the best bartender in Nocturnal. His moves were suave, and the ss was flying from one of his hands to the other. The very sight of his performance kept everyone on the edge of their seats, and the ending them them cheer as well. ¡°Here you go, miss.¡± The bartender handed a colorful cocktail to Ysabelle. After taking a sip of the cocktail, Ysabelle immediately gave the bartender a thumbs-up. The bartender then made a cocktail for everyone. ¡°Hurry up! Let¡¯s hurry over there before the seats run out!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so excited! I came here to see my favorite celebrity today!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± ¡°Mark¡¯s my favorite singer! I heard that he frequently sings in this bar!¡± ¡°Will he be singing today?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s here as the DJ today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Mark, my favorite singer! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ll be able to see him here today.¡± Ysabelle was thrilled. ¡°Soph, why don¡¯t we go over there to take a look?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Sophie got to her feet and went with Ysabelle to see her favorite singer. ¡°I¡¯ll head there too.¡± Tristan stood up. N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°Me too.¡± What the hell? Isn¡¯t Ysabelle a little too happy to hear Mark¡¯s name? rm bells were ringing in Felix¡¯s head. ¡°Count me in,¡± Winter said as she stood up. She had decided to follow Tristan wherever he went. After all, if it wasn¡¯t for him, she would not be there at all. Mark was already on the stage, and he was dressed in an oversized ck T-shirt and a pair of ck distressed jeans. His getup was simple, but the simplicity of his clothes made his ear stud even more eye-catching. As he remixed the song, he swayed his body to the beat. He was only moving his body to the rhythm, but his fans were screaming until their throats were sore below the stage. Ysabelle kept trying to squeeze her way to the front. Meanwhile, Felix, who was afraid that those crazed fans would hurt Ysabelle, kept his arms spread out to protect her. ¡°Soph,e over quickly!¡± Ysabelle cried out upon reaching the innermost of the crowd. Sophie had no choice but to squeeze her way into the crowd as Tristan shielded her in his arms. The further they went into the crowd, the less space there was. Hence, Tristan ended up wrapping his arms around Sophie so that no one could touch her. Finally, Sophie reached Ysabelle. Winter came with them, and she tried to follow them in. Sadly, she only managed to take a few steps into the crowd before she ended up getting pushed out of the crowd. ¡°You!¡± Winter was furious. What a bunch of uncivilized girls! She tried to enter the crowd again, but a plump young woman pushed her to the ground. Winternded on her bottom, and pain shot up her body from the fall. She jumped to her feet, ready to lose her temper at the other young woman, but her voice was drowned out by the screams of the girls around her. Everyone ignored her. In the meantime, Tristan was still holding onto Sophie. He was not interested in Mark, so his attention was on the people around them. He was not nning to let anyone, regardless of whether they were a man or a woman,e into contact with Sophie. ¡°Ah! I¡¯m so happy today! Mark, I love you!¡± Felix pursed his lips upon hearing Ysabelle¡¯s screams. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask for an autographter.¡± In the blink of an eye, Ysabelle had turned into a happy fan who was eager to meet her favorite celebrity. Not long after, the song ended. Mark turned around to whisper something to the host, and the host beamed upon hearing his words. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, you¡¯re in luck tonight. Mark has said that he would like to sing a song to thank you all for your enthusiasm. However, he has asked to work with a lucky fan.¡± Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Chapter 54 So Cool ¡°Ah! Me! Pick me!¡± The fans cheered even louder and wilder. ¡°Now, I wonder who will that lucky fan be?¡± Darkness enveloped the bar, leaving only a beam of light shining down on Sophie. ¡°And there we have it! Our lucky fan today will be that stunning woman!¡± Sophie was speechless. ¡°Oh, my God, Soph, you¡¯re going to work with my idol! Ahhh! That is so amazing! You¡¯ve got to get me an autograph, okay?¡± Ysabelle was beyond excited. ¡°Do you not want to go? If you don¡¯t, we can leave now,¡± Tristan asked. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll do this for Ysabelle. It¡¯ll be her birthday present.¡± In the next moment, it was as though a miracle had happened because the fans parted ways and a clear path magically appeared in front of Sophie. ¡°Shall we?¡± Thedies screamed in delight when they saw Mark extending the invitation gracefully. ¡°Shh¡­¡± Mark signaled the others to calm down. The fans had always listened to him, so the ce turned silent a momentter. Mark led the way and brought Sophie up onto the stage. However, Sophie had no intention of singing at all. She walked toward the band and whispered something into the drummer¡¯s ears. The drummer stood up immediately after to let her have his seat. Mark grabbed the microphone, walked to Sophie, and greeted her. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since west saw each other.¡± Sophie ignored him. D*mn, this guy is still as immature as ever. Mark nodded to the other members of the band. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that Sophie knows how to y the drums,¡±mented Felix, who was rather surprised. ¡°Neither did I.¡± The music yed, and Sophie turned to Mark. Their eyes locked before their performance began. Sophie spun her drumstick in a way that made her look cool. The lightsnded on both Mark and Sophie. When Sophie yed the drums, her style was so breathtaking that every move she made stirred Tristan¡¯s heart. Tristan rarely went to concerts, but the way Sophie yed the drums at that moment¡­ She was mesmerizing, and for a moment there, he felt as though that drum set was perfect for her. It was almost as if she was born to be a drummer. Many fans were unhappy at the beginning when they weren¡¯t chosen as the lucky fan and couldn¡¯t hang out with Mark. After seeing Sophie¡¯s performance, however, everyone was pacified. They thought that the lucky audience member was cool and worked perfectly in sync with Mark. The song was over soon. Sophie put the drumsticks away and nned on getting off that stage right away. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together,¡± invited Mark. ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still as cool as ever,¡±mented Mark. He couldn¡¯t help smiling at that. ¡°But I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll be leaving Jipsdale in a few days for my tour, so you must have dinner with us.¡± ¡°Is that a threat?¡± ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t have the guts to do so. The band can¡¯t afford to lose you.¡± ¡°Mark, I¡¯m sure you know this, but I only joined the band for fun. I never intended to make a career out of this.¡± ¡°I know. That is why I¡¯m asking you to have dinner with all of us sometime. For old time¡¯s sake,¡± said Mark. He never overstepped or pushed her. ¡°Fine.¡± Eventually, Sophie agreed to go to dinner with him. Back then, she joined Mark¡¯s band because she was bored. Their band happened to be looking for a drummer, so she auditioned for the role. ¡°Give me an autograph. My friend¡¯s a huge fan.¡± ¡°Not a problem.¡± As a prank, Mark signed his name on her coat. Sophie walked down the stage and made her way back to Tristan. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± The concert was over, so the fans returned to their seats. Tristan narrowed his eyes when he saw the signature on Sophie¡¯s coat. A dangerous aura oozed out of him. I guess I¡¯ll have to get someone to break that superstar¡¯s hand. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Sophie. Is it just me or is he angry again? ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You let him touch you, huh?¡± replied Tristan as he pointed at the signature on her coat. Sophie was speechless. She took off her coat right away and handed it to Ysabelle. ¡°Here, the autograph you asked for.¡± In truth, Sophie didn¡¯t expect Mark to sign on her coat either. Ysabelle hugged Sophie tightly in her arms after getting the autograph she had been dreaming about. ¡°Ah, Soph! I love you so much,¡± she eximed. She never imagined that she would actually get her hands on Mark¡¯s autograph. Oh boy, did I just offend Uncle Tristan? Why is he looking at me as though he¡¯s going to kill me? Felix was surprised as well. He didn¡¯t think that Tristan would be jealous of his own niece. Isn¡¯t that a little too possessive? Winter didn¡¯t get to push her way in earlier, but she saw Sophie¡¯s performance from afar with the rest of the crowd. My guess is that Sophie knows that supposed superstar, Mark. How else could they work so perfectly in sync? Rtionships between band members have always been messy. Who knows? Maybe the two of them have aplicated past together. She was convinced that Sophie would be in hot waters if any incriminating evidence was exposed. I¡¯m certain that the powerful Tristan would be pickier with women. The group of five returned to their seats soon after. Ysabelle was still excited and kept staring at the autograph. ¡°It¡¯s just a signature, isn¡¯t it? I can sign a dozen for you in a minute. Is it really necessary to stare at it like that?¡± ¡°Pfft, I¡¯m not interested in your signature. Not all signatures are valuable, you know?¡± ¡°Ysabelle, that¡¯s a little harsh, isn¡¯t it? My signature is worth millions¡­ maybe even more. How is it worthless to you? D*mn, you¡¯re terrible at valuing things.¡± Ysabelle shouted a little too much earlier, so she was parched. She picked up the cocktail sitting right beside her and sipped some. ¡°Ms. Tanner, do you know Mark personally? The two of you worked rather well together, and he chose you out of all the fans here tonight. Did something happen between the two of you?¡± asked Winter while feigning curiosity. ¡°Is that true? Soph, do you really know Mark?¡± ¡°Nope. I was just lucky.¡± ¡°Oh, that makes sense, too. You have always been a lucky one.¡± Winter harrumphed. It was obvious she didn¡¯t believe a word Sophie had just said. Sophie didn¡¯t care, though. As far as she was concerned, what Winter thought had nothing to do with her. There was no need to care about a random woman at all. ¡°You must¡¯ve learned how to y drums in the past because your performance earlier was amazing.¡± Winter refused to change the topic. She kept pushing and asking about it. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ms. Quigley, you seem especially interested in my past. May I know what exactly it is you want to know?¡± Impatience shone in Sophie¡¯s eyes. ¡°That¡¯s not it at all. I just wanted to keep a casual conversation going. Isn¡¯t that why we sat down here together in the first ce?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Winter!¡± growled Tristan as he red at her. She doesn¡¯t get to butt in on Sophie¡¯s past, regardless of what it was like. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s right. Come on. Let¡¯s drink instead,¡± suggested Charles. He was truly annoyed with his sister. Why must Winter try to humiliate Sophie? It¡¯s not as though Mr. Tristan will fall in love with her if she does that. ¡°Soph, you were so cool earlier! Even a straight woman like myself was on the verge of falling for you!¡± complimented Ysabelle. She still hadn¡¯t recovered from her shock. ¡°Let¡¯s y darts,¡± suggested Winter. ¡°Sure. What are the stakes?¡± asked Ysabelle. She was especially high that night, so she was down to y anything. ¡°The loser must find a person they like in Nocturnal and kiss him or her.¡± ¡°Winter,¡± warned Charles sternly once again. ¡°Oh,e on, Charles. The whole point ofing out here is to y. Besides, it¡¯s just a kiss. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m asking for anything drastic.¡± Winter was setting up a trap. If Sophie were to lose, she would be forced to kiss a stranger. On the other hand, if Sophie were to win the game, Winter would point out that Sophie was an experienced yer in bar games despite her young age. That would make her seem like a rowdy girl. ¡°Since Winter is so adamant about ying the game, let¡¯s do it then.¡± Winter didn¡¯t expect Tristan to support her like that. She couldn¡¯t help feeling delighted and encouraged. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Anticipating The Kiss ¡°Are you okay with it, Soph? We don¡¯t have to y the game if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Ysabelle was certain that Sophie could do most things well, but throwing darts was a game that needed constant practice. I wonder if she ever yed it before. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We can y if that¡¯s what you want.¡± Sophie smiled warmly, and it was as though she was letting Ysabelle do whatever she wanted on her birthday. ¡°I love you so much, Soph,¡± said Ysabelle. In a way, Sophie was the perfect boyfriend material. ¡°Seriously, if you¡¯re a guy, I would marry you in a heartbeat.¡± Sophie smiled without saying anything else. ¡°Ms. Tanner, you truly are incredible. It seems like you can do everything with ease.¡± Winter was bidding her time and nning ahead. The higher the pedestal she put Sophie on, the more it would hurt when Sophie inevitably fell. Sophie, however, didn¡¯t think much of it. It¡¯s just a game of throwing darts, so how hard can it be? I¡¯ll just let her think that she¡¯s winning for a little longer. ¡°Do you need Mr. Tristan to give you some private lessons beforehand? He was the one who taught you how to y pools thest time, right?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Since Ms. Quigley is that eager to lose, let¡¯s just y.¡± Sophie was truly irked by Winter¡¯s behavior. After all, it shouldn¡¯t matter what her rtionship with Tristan was like. Winter still had no right butting in on the matter. ¡°Hah,¡± replied Winter. She couldn¡¯t help scoffing. ¡°Before that, though, let¡¯s make things clear. This is just a game, so regardless of how things turn out to be, no one is allowed to hold a grudge, okay?¡± ¡°Winter, let¡¯s just y. Why are you talking so much? What¡¯s the point of saying all that, anyway?¡± How have I never noticed that Winter is so annoying before? ¡°I¡¯ll go first,¡± said Ysabelle. She stood up and tossed the dart right away. ¡°Ten points,¡± said Felix. He couldn¡¯t help chuckling a little. Ysabelle¡¯s skill is really¡­ something else. ¡°What are youughing at, Felix? Do you think you can do better? Fine, go on, then. You can go next.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± replied Felix. He stood behind the line, adjusted his stance, and threw the dart. ¡°Twenty-five points. See that? That is how you do it.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Hmph!¡± That good-for-nothing Felix is deliberately messing with me! ¡°Soph, it¡¯s your turn.¡± Sophie made her way over. She picked up a dart and tossed it mindlessly. Even so, it managed to hit the bull¡¯s eye. Everyone was instantly speechless. The same thought shed across their mind. My gosh, can she be any more nonchnt? ¡°Huh¡­ I didn¡¯t think my luck will be that good. Throwing darts is all about luck, right?¡± Winter was even more delighted. Although she was the one who suggested the game, she had never thought about winning it. In fact, she was determined to lose the game. Only then would she be able to kiss Tristan. After all, it was just a game. She figured that Tristan wouldn¡¯t be able toin even if she were to kiss him. ¡°Wow, you y so well, Ms. Tanner. You must frequent clubs often and y regrly, huh?¡± Winter asked. Sophie sneered. Ah, so that¡¯s what she has been nning. Charles and Sean were up next. Both had trained with the special forces before, so games like that were nothing to them. Hence, their results were virtually perfect. ¡°It¡¯s your turn, Mr. Tristan.¡± Winter was smiling brightly. Yes, I will surely lose now. ¡°You should go ahead. I¡¯ll be thest one,¡± said Tristan. Winter didn¡¯t have the guts to disobey since it was Tristan who told her to y first. There¡¯s no way Tristan is that bad at throwing darts, right? At worst, he will definitely get some points. Winter made her way to the right spot, grabbed a dart, and threw it as well as she could. In the end, however, she got the worst result with only one point. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s been a while since Ist yed this game, so I under-performed,¡± said Winter sadly. She pretended to be disappointed, but she was actually brimming with happiness. She reckoned she finally had the chance to kiss the man she loved, who was right there in Nocturnal. ¡°It¡¯s your turn, Mr. Tristan.¡± Winter was getting a little eager. ¡°Soph, why does it seem as though Winter wants to lose the game? Is it just me, or is she that obvious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just you. She wants to lose so that she can kiss Tristan. Can you really not see that?¡± Sophie would have to be an idiot to not know what Winter was nning. ¡°Huh? What the hell? How shameless can that woman get? I can¡¯t believe she came up with a n like that. Does she really like Uncle Tristan that much? Ugh, this is so disgusting. She is not worthy of him.¡± Ysabelle would never have put two and two together if Sophie hadn¡¯t pointed it out. ¡°Well¡­ What do we do now? We can¡¯t let her kiss Uncle Tristan, can we?¡± ¡°What is there for us to do? This is about your Uncle Tristan, and no one can do anything if he¡¯s okay with her kissing him,¡± Sophie replied. ¡°No, that won¡¯t do. Anyone else can kiss him but her!¡± ¡°Why not? Aren¡¯t the two of you on good terms?¡± ¡°She and I are no longer friends, okay? I mean, did you see how she repeatedly goes after you today? I don¡¯t want to be friends with her anymore.¡± As far as Ysabelle was concerned, anyone who dared to go after her best friend would be deemed an enemy. She didn¡¯t even care who that enemy might be. Tristan gracefully made his way over and picked up a dart. Winter¡¯s gaze moved with the dart. Her heart began thumping fast. The opportunity was so close that she began picturing what it would feel like to press her lips against his. She had been dreaming of that kiss for so long, but she never had the chance to realize it. In a way, she had to thank Ysabelle for it. If it hadn¡¯t been for her, Winter would never have had an opportunity like that. ¡°Oh my gosh, Uncle Tristan¡­¡± ¡°What the hell?¡± said Felix. He couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. ¡°Uh, Mr. Tristan¡­¡± Sophie didn¡¯t say anything. She simply blinked. Okay, he definitely did that on purpose! The dart fell out of the board, so Tristan was the one with the lowest point of zero points. Winter¡¯s smile faded right away. And here I was expecting that kiss eagerly. Yet, this is all I got for waiting patiently? The kiss she had been dreaming of, the opportunity she had been dying for¡­ Everything faded just like that. ¡°I bet Uncle Tristan saw through her schemes. How is he so smart? Man, he lost so perfectly.¡± Ysabelle was cheering inwardly. I¡¯m okay with Uncle Tristan kissing anyone so long as that person isn¡¯t that scheming b*tch, Winter. ¡°Mr. Tristan, you¡­¡± Winter lost her voice. T-That means he saw through my schemes. The other men present knew that Tristan lost on purpose because it was too obvious. I guess he just wants to kiss Sophie, huh? ¡°Excuse me, I have to go to the restroom,¡± said Sophie. Sh*t! Winter set this stupid trap, and I am not paying for her mistake! Hope began ring within Winter again after hearing Sophie excusing herself to go to the restroom. She figured that Tristan couldn¡¯t possibly kiss one of the other boys, and since Ysabelle was his niece, kissing her would be inappropriate. That meant that Winter was the only option avable. Obviously, she would be much happier to have Tristan kiss her instead of being the one who had to take the initiative to kiss him. Winter licked her lips a little, and her heart thumped faster. Sophie had just stood up when Tristan suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled firmly. She fell onto his lap right away. She hadn¡¯t even registered what had happened before Tristan nted his lips on hers. Winter was speechless. So¡­ Tristan had been waiting for the opportunity to lose as well¡­ ¡°Mmm!¡± Sophie struggled to break free, but Tristan¡¯s hold on her was strong. He did not give her a shot at escaping. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Feeling Under The Weather Sophie was running out of breath. Will I be the first person to die from kissing due to suffocation? Will the media report my death tomorrow? Winter clenched her fists. D*mn it! How could this happen when I thought everything was within my control? ¡°You see that, Winter? No matter how hard you push, some things just won¡¯t go your way, so please stop testing Mr. Tristan¡¯s patience.¡± ¡°I want to go home now, Charles. I¡¯m feeling a little under the weather.¡± Winter could not take it anymore. She stood up and left without even bidding Ysabelle farewell. Ysabelle was just as stunned. Oh, my God. Uncle Tristan is taking advantage of Soph now. What should I do? If the person were someone else, Ysabelle would have walked up and fought him to the death. B-but it¡¯s Uncle Tristan! She did not have the courage to go against Tristan. She could only pinch Felix¡¯s arm with all her might to vent her frustration. Felix eximed in pain, ¡°Hey! What¡¯s wrong with you? Why did you pinch me?¡± Felix had no idea what he did to deserve that. I didn¡¯t even do anything! And that¡¯s what Mr. Tristan does best anyway. He has his way with women, and I¡¯ll never be half as good as him. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault. If you didn¡¯t insist on celebrating my birthday early, Uncle Tristan wouldn¡¯t have a chance to take advantage of Soph. Who else can I me?¡± Ysabelle vented her anger on Felix. Since she could not express her frustration in front of Tristan, she could only release her anger on Felix. ¡°Belle, think of it this way. You like Soph very much, right? Wouldn¡¯t it be great if she became your sister-inw? You two will be able to stay together forever!¡± Felix was proud of the idea. Meanwhile, Tristan finally released Sophie when she thought she was about to die from suffocation. She wanted to get up, but theck of oxygen in her brain due to the prolonged kiss caused her to stagger and fall back into a sitting position. However, this time, she fell on a particr part of a man¡¯s anatomy. Sophie, who had always been a calm person, could not remain so when she realized what she was sitting on. She snapped her head up and met Tristan¡¯s burning gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Tristan tried to tame the raging monster in his lower torso. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not suppress the desire in his voice. His reaction made Sophie even more embarrassed. However, the more embarrassed she was, the calmer she would be. It¡¯s just a kiss, isn¡¯t it? It shouldn¡¯t bother me. It¡¯s a game anyway, and we all agreed not to get mad no matter what the oue was. Yet somehow, her heart was pounding furiously. It was as if her heart was about to leap out of her chest. Sophie began to wonder why she allowed Tristan to get to her. I¡¯ve never felt like this before! ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I should go home now. How about you guys?¡± said Sean, who was a man who led a disciplined lifestyle. ¡°Well then. Let¡¯s call it a day. Felix, could you send Ysabelle home for me?¡± They could not drive because they had been drinking all night, but their drivers had arrived to send them home. ¡°Sure, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll send her home safely,¡± Felix replied. I want to spend more time with her too. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll send you home,¡± Tristan said to Sophie in a gentle voice. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Sophie still felt a little dizzy when they got into the car. She could not believe that was how she had lost her first kiss. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you think I took advantage of you? Why don¡¯t you kiss me back, and we¡¯ll call it quits?¡± Tristan¡¯s suggestion rendered the young woman speechless. ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯m all right.¡± Sophie gritted her teeth. There¡¯s nothing I can do. I can only suck it up and move on. Even when she woke up the next day, she could not resist touching her lips after recallingst night¡¯s incident. Oh,e on, Sophie! It¡¯s just a kiss! Grow up! When Sophie was about to go out for breakfast after freshening up, the doorbell rang. She opened the door and saw Tristan standing outside with breakfast in his hands. ¡°You could have opened the door yourself, couldn¡¯t you?¡± Sophie did not understand why he had to ring the doorbell since he was the house owner. ¡°I told you this is your private space now, and I can¡¯t simply trespass on your premises unless there¡¯s an emergency.¡± Tristan wanted to respect her privacy. ¡°Let¡¯s have breakfast. We¡¯ll get you an evening gown after this.¡± She has to wear an evening gown for Ysabelle¡¯s birthday party tonight. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I realized you didn¡¯t have an evening gown in your wardrobe the other day, so I decided to take you out and get you one.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin further. I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± Sophie was not someone who would put on a hypocritical front. I¡¯ll get an evening gown if the party requires me to wear it. Sophie was still in her sleepwear as she had just woken up. Her sleepwear was a mauve pink short dress that exposed her slender and fair legs. She looked exceptionally seductive in that attire. The two of them had breakfast together. Today¡¯s breakfast suited Sophie¡¯s tastes, so she ate quite a lot. After that, Sophie went to change while Tristan waited for her in the living room. Sophie wore a simple long-sleeve white t-shirt with a pair of jeans and a cap. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go!¡± Tristan could not help but question himself after seeing Sophie¡¯s youthful look. Am I too old for her? While they were on the way to the store, Tristan asked, ¡°Sophie, does age matter to you in a rtionship?¡± Upon hearing that question, Sophie, who was enjoying the pleasant weather and the view of passersby on the road while resting her right arm on the windowsill, turned around to look at the man. Tristan cleared his throat to hide his awkwardness when he realized Sophie was staring at him. ¡°It¡¯s just a random question I had in mind,¡± Tristan said. While some young girls like boys their age, some prefer older men. I wonder what¡¯s her preference. ¡°Me? I like young men¡ªgood-looking ones,¡± Sophia answered and giggled. Tristan nched at her words. He then brought her to a store that specialized in custom-made evening gowns. Sophie wondered why he brought her here as she knew the evening gowns were all custom-made. The designers would have to take the customer¡¯s measurements and design a dress ording to the customer¡¯s demeanor. Tonight is the party, and we don¡¯t have time to make a new one! Meanwhile, the designer from the store came out to greet Tristan. ¡°Bring me Ms. Tanner¡¯s evening gown.¡± ¡°The gown is ready, Mr. Tristan.¡± The designer instructed his subordinate to bring out the evening wear. ¡°You made a gown for me? But how? I don¡¯t think I¡¯vee here before!¡± Sophie wondered. The designer responded with a grin. ¡°Mr. Tristan gave me your photo a week ago and asked me to make an evening gown for you.¡± ¡°You looked amazing in the photo, but you look even more fabulous in person! You¡¯re what our brand is about. Would you like to be our model?¡± Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Private Territory ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m not interested in bing a model.¡± Sophie never liked others knowing about her private life. ¡°Oh, I see. That¡¯s such a shame because I think you¡¯re born for it. You don¡¯t have to reject me right away, though. Sleep on it, okay? If you happen to change your mind, call me anytime.¡± The designer passed Sophie her business card. Right then, the assistant brought over the dress Tristan had ordered them to custom make. ¡°Ms. Tanner, pleasee over with me to try the dress out. If needed, we can alter it on the spot.¡± The assistant then led Sophie to the changing room and helped her put on the ck dress. ¡°The dress fits you like a glove, Ms. Tanner! Mr. Lombard is going to be over the moon when he sees you in it.¡± The assistant was dumbstruck. Although the girls who had gone there to custom-make dresses were all pretty, Sophie was the prettiest of them all. ¡°Thank you.¡± Sophie had been praised for her looks ever since she was young. Hence, she was already numb to suchpliments. ¡°I¡¯ll help you tie your hair up!¡± The assistant tied Sophie¡¯s auburn hair up to reveal her beautiful neck. Although Sophie wasn¡¯t wearing any makeup, she was still stunningly beautiful. ¡°We¡¯re done!¡± The assistant opened the door, and Sophie headed out. When Sophie came out, Tristan was on the phone in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. Upon hearing the sound of footsteps, he turned around gracefully. Right then, he saw Sophie walking toward him in that ck dress. He was usually aposed and calm man. However, at that moment, he was stunned to the point he could not speak. I knew she was going to look good in ck. It seems like I have good eyes for such things, after all. Indeed, Sophie looked very alluring dressed in that ck sleeveless dress. He then hung up the phone and approached Sophie. ¡°How is it? Do you like it?¡± The sleeveless dress stopped just right above the knee. Its design was meant to showcase her beautiful legs and stunning arms. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little too short?¡± Tristan wasn¡¯t pleased when he realized all the men at the party would stare at Sophie¡¯s legs. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. The length is perfect for an evening gown! All that it¡¯s showing are the arms and legs.¡± The designer was thrilled with the dress. As a designer, her primary aim was to be able to get her customers to showcase her impable designs. The designer then approached Sophie to check out the dress. ¡°The area around your waist is still a little loose, though. Ms. Tanner, you have such a slender waist!¡± Sophie had a spectacr figure. Despite being slim, she had all the assets a woman would want on her body. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Sophie wasn¡¯t bothered. Nheless, she was in love with the dress. ¡°Ms. Tanner, Mr. Lombard had personally picked this out for you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± With that, Sophie went to the changing room to change into her own clothes. The designer wanted to alter Sophie¡¯s dress, so Sophie and Tristan sat on the couch and waited. ¡°Mr. Lombard, your suit is ready.¡± The assistant brought Tristan¡¯s suit out and asked, ¡°Do you need to try them on?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. You can just leave them there.¡± His suits were always tailored there, so he was quite sure everything would fit nicely. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Shall we have lunch first?¡± Tristan asked. Sophie nodded in response. Since she had just had a hearty breakfast, she wasn¡¯t hungry. However, she was getting bored while waiting. After instructing the assistant to send the dress and the suit to a particr location, Tristan brought Sophie to a fancy restaurant. The moment Sophie sat down, she received a call from Ysabelle. ¡°Soph, where are you?¡± Ysabelle¡¯s schedule was packed that day, so she had only found the time to ring Sophie. ¡°I¡¯m at Dream Restaurant.¡± Sophie was talking to Ysabelle and flipping through the menu at the same time. ¡°What? You¡¯re only having lunch now? By the way, you muste over tonight, okay?¡± Ysabelle was worried that Sophie wouldn¡¯t show up. ¡°I know, Ms. Lombard. I¡¯ll be there. That¡¯s all, right? I still have matters to attend to, so I¡¯ll be hanging up now.¡± With that, Sophie hung up the call. Seeing that she had finally gotten off the phone, Tristan asked, ¡°What would you like to eat? They serve good steak here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have a sd to go with the steak, then.¡± Tristan ordered the dishes. When the steak was served, Tristan helped her cut the steak into small pieces. Being the handsome man that he was, he looked dashing even when he was cutting steak. After he was done cutting, he served the te to Sophie. ¡°Mr. Tristan, thank you so much for today. You don¡¯t have to apany me to get the dress, actually. I can do it on my own.¡± Knowing how busy Tristan was, Sophie was surprised that he would spend so much time with her. After all, getting a dress is just a small matter. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. These are all things I want to do. As long as that¡¯s the case, I don¡¯t find them tedious at all.¡± Tristan continued cutting the steak. After lunch, he found out he had left something behind at Lombard Group. Hence, he brought her along to the legendary Lombard Group¡¯s headquarters. ¡°I¡¯ll just wait in the car.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s head up together so that I can show you my working environment.¡± Upon saying that, he went and opened the car door for Sophie. Sophie had no choice but to get out of the car. Lombard Group¡¯s headquarters was the most luxuriousmercial building in Jipsdale. It was a ny-story skyscraper. Tristan brought Sophie along to the nieth floor using the elevator meant for the CEO. The entire nieth floor was reserved for the CEO, and it had all the facilities one could ask for. It was divided into two sections. One was for work, and itprised the CEO¡¯s personal office and five offices for the secretaries. Apart from that, there was a luxurious conference room and a massive pantry. The other section was Tristan¡¯s private space, and it was designed like a presidential suite. ¡°Do you stay here?¡± Sophie asked, knowing that she was staying in his unit at Wisteria Apartments. ¡°I would stay here whenever I¡¯m caught up with work.¡± Lombard Group had all sorts of subsidiaries dealing in different industries. When he took over the company, there were a lot of things he needed to familiarize himself with. Furthermore, the power struggle within thepany was a thorny situation to deal with. When that happened, Tristan would just stay there and work endlessly. Hence, the ce was properly equipped, and he had everything he needed. After all, he wasn¡¯t one to mistreat himself. ¡°Have a look around, okay? I¡¯ll go to the office to get some things ironed out. I¡¯ll be back once I¡¯m done.¡± Tristan brought her to his private area. Once Tristan left, Butterfly¡¯s call came. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Sophie asked. ¡°Phantom, something bad has happened. Someone was attacking Wings of Light¡¯s firewall.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Nothing happened in the end, of course. After all, you¡¯ve personally set up Wings of Light¡¯s firewall. No one¡¯s going to be able to break it. Still, there seems to be a loophole in our firewall. If you¡¯re free,e over and have a look, will you?¡± Despite her confidence in Sophie, Butterfly was still slightly worried. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Fake Invitation Since someone was trying to go against Wings of Light, they had to deal with the situation carefully. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go over once I have the time,¡± Sophie answered. Wings of Light was an organization Sophie had formed three years prior. When she first established it, she had written the program herself to strengthen the firewall. Ever since then, countless top hackers worldwide had tried to breach Wings of Light¡¯s firewall because they wanted to know the organization¡¯s secrets. However, no matter how many times they tried, no one had seeded in doing so yet. Therefore, Sophie was very confident in the programming sequence she had written. After being heavily involved for a while, Sophie found Butterfly to take over her ce as the leader of Wings of Light. After that, she would only involve herself asionally. ¡°By the way, have you been close with Tristan recently?¡± Upon hearing that Sophie would go over, Butterfly breathed a sigh of relief and went on to gossip. ¡°Phantom, I know you like the thrill, but Tristan isn¡¯t someone to mess with. I¡¯m worried about your safety.¡± Due to Sophie¡¯s tender age, the other members were quite protective of her. ¡°I know.¡± In fact, Sophie had heard all about Tristan. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can take care of myself. I¡¯m not afraid of Tristan.¡± Throughout the eighteen years of her life, Sophie had never been scared of anyone. ¡°Oh, right! When Tristan was in Horington, a dozen mercenaries tried to kill him. I need you to help me find out who those people were,¡± Sophie uttered. ¡°But there are a lot of people who want Tristan dead, no?¡± Needless to say, a lot of people wanted Tristan dead because Lombard Group¡¯s existence posed a lot of problems for the others financially. ¡°Phantom¡­ Don¡¯t fall for Tristan¡¯s good looks, okay? He¡¯s not right for you,¡± Butterfly warned. Phantom can get whatever she wants in life. She doesn¡¯t need to get involved with Tristan. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it,¡± Sophie answered. ¡°Am I? Am I really overthinking it? I do wish that¡¯s the case, then.¡± ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough. Find out about the mercenaries and get back to me.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be as quick as possible.¡± Nothing in the world could hide from Wings of Light. ¡°If that¡¯s all, I¡¯m going to hang up now.¡± ¡°Remember toe over to the headquarters,¡± Butterfly reminded before hanging up. What a tough life I¡¯m living! Ever since I took over Wings of Light from Phantom, I¡¯ve been busting my chops to run it. Am I the most pitiful person on earth or what? After Sophie hung up the call, she started gaming on her phone. Tristan walked in and saw what she was doing. He then approached her and sat next to her to watch her y. Sophie only exited the game after she was done. ¡°It¡¯s about time. Let¡¯s go,¡± Tristan said. ¡°Mr. Tristan, is it okay if I don¡¯t stick together with you?¡± The people who were attending the party were from the upper-ss social circle. If she were to show up with Tristan, they would garner too much attention, and she preferred to keep a low profile. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you not like being with me?¡± Tristan¡¯s mood suddenly dampened. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t like the attention, so¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re a star. You¡¯ll attract attention wherever you go.¡± Sophie was rendered speechless. ¡°Fine. Since you don¡¯t want to be with me, do as you please then,¡± Tristan added. Sophie didn¡¯t say anything in response. Is Mr. Tristan throwing a tantrum? Indeed, Tristan wasn¡¯t happy. He had already shown her so much, and yet, she didn¡¯t even want to be seen together with him in public. Sophie wasn¡¯t experienced in coaxing others. Hence, she kept silent as well when Tristan was giving her the cold shoulder. Ysabelle¡¯s birthday party was held on Diamond Cruise. By six-thirty in the evening, a lot of the guests were already seen boarding the cruise ship with their invitation cards in their hands. There were a bunch of reporters at the dock, and they were all trying to board the cruise ship because the public was very curious about the Lombard family. However, the security on the cruise ship was strict, and there was no way they could get on the ship. As for those who had boarded, their phones were all confiscated. In order to safeguard the Lombard family¡¯s privacy, they couldn¡¯t risk any photos getting leaked. Just then, a ck Mercedes-Benz arrived at the dock, and Willow was seen getting out of it. Dressed in a yellow gown, she had her hair tied up, and she was holding a silver color purse. She had heard about Diamond Cruise in the past, but that was the first time she saw the ship with her own eyes. Therefore, she was filled with excitement. Meanwhile, the cruise ship was packed with all the prominent families in Chanaea. Considering how iparable the Tanner family was with the other prominent families, she never had the chance to get into their social circle. Finally, I¡¯m going to get close to these people today! The driver opened the car door for Louisa, and she was seen wearing an exquisite pink gown and matching high heels. Her hair was also styled the same way as Willow¡¯s. She walked toward Willow excitedly because that was going to be her first time boarding Diamond Cruise as well. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Willow! I¡¯ll bring you in.¡± Louisa couldn¡¯t wait to get inside the cruise ship. Since the party is attended by youngsters, this is the perfect chance to find a date! In truth, the Yarborough family was nothingpared to the other families there. ¡°Louisa, I only have the chance to attend such a party because of you.¡± At the same time, she felt like a superstar because of the number of reporters there taking photos of her, and she was so caught up in the moment that she had forgotten who she was. ¡°Willow, you¡¯re my best friend. Considering how good of an opportunity this could be, it¡¯s only natural that I¡¯m bringing you with me.¡± Willow was the only person whom Louisa could get a sense of superiority from. Obviously, Willow was well aware of that. However, she could only get opportunities as such when she was with Louisa. Hence, she didn¡¯t mind Louisa finding a sense of superiority over her. Louisa gave the security guards her invitation card, and they scanned it on their system. The screen showed: ess denied. The security guards tried again, and the same result was shown. ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry, but you have a fake invitation card. You¡¯re not getting on the cruise ship.¡± ¡°What? You must¡¯ve gotten it wrong. How is it possible that my invitation card is fake?¡± Louisa was in disbelief. ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s a fake invitation card.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Louisa was enraged. ¡°Do you know who I am? There¡¯s no way my family has gotten a fake invitation card.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know who you are, and I don¡¯t care. The one thing I¡¯m certain of is that you¡¯re not getting on.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Louisa was furious. ¡°I¡¯m not going to waste my breath on you. I¡¯m Ms. Lombard¡¯s best friend, and I¡¯m here to celebrate her birthday. No matter what, I¡¯m getting onto the cruise ship today.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g When Louisa tried to drag Willow onto the cruise ship, the security guards stepped forward and stopped them. ¡°Please leave. Otherwise, don¡¯t me us for taking extreme measures.¡± Louisa thought they were just bluffing, so she tried to push her way through. However, the security guards held them up and brought them away from the cruise ship. ¡°Louisa, what¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t Mr. Yarborough give you that invitation card?¡± Willow asked. This is so embarrassing. The reporters are taking photos of us. ¡°Wait. I¡¯m calling my dad to find out what¡¯s going on. I bet it¡¯s just a mistake on their end. It can¡¯t be fake!¡± Right then, a taxi arrived at the dock. Sophie pushed the door open and exited the car. The moment she got out of the car, the reporters started taking photos of her frantically and making comments. ¡°That young girl in the ck dress is stunning! Who is she?¡± ¡°Indeed! With her demeanor, she¡¯s surely an aristocrat.¡± ¡°She¡¯s even more graceful than the celebrities!¡± Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Tear You Apart ¡°Oh? Which wealthy family is she from?¡± Upon hearing that, Louisa and Willow turned around and saw Sophie walking toward the cruise ship. ¡°Why is she here? How did the Tanner family get an invitation from the Lombard family?¡± Louisa was curious because even the Yarborough family didn¡¯t get invited. ¡°I have no idea.¡± Willow clenched her fists in anger. Since she didn¡¯t get on the cruise ship, she wasn¡¯t going to let Sophie get on it either. Willow and Louisa stopped Sophie in her tracks. ¡°What are you doing here, Sophie? Do you know where this is? You¡¯re not worthy of being here.¡± Louisa was so boastful she had forgotten her own invitation card was a fake. ¡°Indeed! Soph, you can¡¯t go aboard the Diamond Cruise without an invitation, you know? Since it¡¯s impossible for you to get on it, I would suggest you leave now before you embarrass yourself!¡± Willow taunted. ¡°Get out of my way.¡± Sophie wasn¡¯t in the mood to entertain their nonsense. ¡°Do you have an invitation card? Like this one. See?¡± Louisa asked while waving her invitation card in Sophie¡¯s face. She was sure Sophie wouldn¡¯t have been invited. ¡°I mean, look at that miserable face of yours! I¡¯m sure you weren¡¯t invited,¡± she added. ¡°Is that any of your concern?¡± Sophie ignored the two of them and walked toward the cruise ship. I wonder is Tristan here yet? That guy is so strange. Louisa suddenly grabbed Sophie¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I¡¯m just reminding you out of kindness. There¡¯s no way you¡¯re getting on that cruise ship without an invitation. So could you please just leave before you embarrass the whole Tanner family?¡± Sophie was pissed, so she grabbed Louisa¡¯s hand and pinched her. Louisa yelled out in pain. ¡°Ouch! What the hell are you doing, Sophie? You¡¯re hurting me. Let me go!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I warn both of you before? Didn¡¯t you understand when I told you guys not to pester me?¡± Sophie asked. ¡°What are you doing, Soph? Let go of Louisa!¡± While saying that, Willow was walking toward Sophie to stop her. Sophie instantly shot her a gaze. Willow got spooked and backed off. She was scared because she was well aware of what Sophie was capable of. ¡°You¡¯re such a b*tch, Sophie! Let go of me now! Otherwise, I¡¯ll make you pay!¡± Louisa was in so much pain by then that she started having cold sweat. ¡°What a foul mouth. Since your parents never bothered to teach you a thing or two about manners, I guess I would have to teach you some lessons myself.¡± With that, Sophie let go of her hand and gave Louisa two hard ps across her face. Louisa was stunned. Did that b*tch just p me? How dare she hit me? ¡°How dare you?¡± She was infuriated. Just when she was about to pounce at Sophie, she saw her contemptuous re. Louisa immediately froze. ¡°You¡¯d better hide the next time you see me. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be getting something more than two ps.¡± Sophie took out a napkin from her purse and wiped her hands before throwing it into the bin. The reporters were excitedly snapping photos of what happened. Noticing that, Sophie called Butterfly and told her to get rid of all the photos. Afterward, she walked toward the check-in booth with Louisa¡¯s and Willow¡¯s eyes glued to her. ¡°Miss, may I see your invitation card?¡± the security guard asked. Sophie frowned. It¡¯s just a party. Why is an invitation card needed? Ysabelle didn¡¯t even give me any card. ¡°I don¡¯t have one,¡± she told the security guard. ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry. But you can¡¯t go in without an invitation card.¡± The guests at the party were all rich and powerful. That was why the security was extremely strict. Just then, Sophie received a call from Ysabelle. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you here yet, Soph?¡± Ysabelle asked. ¡°I¡¯m here. But did you forget to give me an invitation card?¡± ¡°Invitation card? Oh! I¡¯m so sorry. I must¡¯ve forgotten. It¡¯s fine. Pass the phone to the security guard.¡± Sophie handed the phone to the security guard. Upon hearing Ysabelle¡¯s voice on the other end of the line, the guard panicked. ¡°Oh! I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t know you were Ms. Ysabelle¡¯s friend! Please go ahead!¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Sophie walked right into the cruise ship after having her phone handed back to her. Louisa and Willow could only watch as Sophie walked into the party they wished so much to attend. ¡°How is that possible? How did Sophie get on the cruise ship without an invitation card? We were denied ess even when we had our invitation cards!¡± Louisa was baffled. Willow kept mum. Why does everything seem so easy for Sophie? Louisa once again went to the security guard and grumbled, ¡°She didn¡¯t have an invitation card, right? Why did you let her in when you¡¯ve denied us ess even though we have invitation cards?¡± ¡°Miss, if you insist on being a nuisance here, I would have no choice but to call the police.¡± The security guard was getting irritated. ¡°You¡ª¡± Willow pulled Louisa away when she saw an argument was about to take ce. ¡°Forget about it, Louisa. Let¡¯s just leave.¡± Willow was embarrassed. ¡°Forget about it? How could I? Sophie hit me just now,¡± Louisained. ¡°Louisa, haven¡¯t you humiliated yourself enough?¡± Louisa went quiet. Indeed, she had never been so humiliated before. ¡°I swear to make her pay! I must make her pay!¡± Louisa kept mumbling to herself all the way to the car. After getting on the cruise ship, Sophie didn¡¯t see Tristan around, although most of the guests had arrived. In the meantime, she wanted to find Ysabelle so that she could give her the present she brought along. However, someone purposefully bumped into her, causing her to drop the present. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. It was an ident.¡± The girl that knocked her over then bent down to pick up the present. ¡°Give it back.¡± Sophie red at the girl coldly. She definitely did it on purpose. ¡°I¡¯ve seen all kinds of things! Don¡¯t be so petty.¡± The girl opened the box and saw a rock inside. She couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re giving a rock to Ms. Ysabelle? Are you serious?¡± one of the other girls asked. ¡°You¡¯re giving Ms. Ysabelle a rock? That¡¯s so cheap!¡± another added. ¡°Don¡¯t push it, girls. Has anyone heard of the Tanner family before? This is the third eldest daughter of the Tanner family. Her family has already disowned her! I guess the best she could do is a rock!¡± The socialites on the cruise ship were all discriminating against Sophie. ¡°What are you girls doing?¡± Suddenly, Winter showed up and stood beside Sophie. ¡°This is Ms. Ysabelle¡¯s best friend. She will not be happy with how you girls are treating her best friend.¡± ¡°Winter, it¡¯s not that we¡¯re treating her poorly. But Ms. Sophie is being such a cheapskate by giving Ms. Ysabelle a rock as a present! We¡¯re just standing up for Ms. Ysabelle,¡± one of the socialites argued. ¡°Give it to me.¡± Sophie was starting to get impatient. ¡°It¡¯s just a d*mn rock! Why are you so anxious about it? I have plenty in my backyard. If you want some, feel free toe over and pick them up yourself.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± The socialites were having the time of their lives making fun of Sophie. Sophie walked toward the girl who knocked her over and snatched the present. While she was at it, she stomped her heel into her foot. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. It was an ident,¡± Sophie apologized sarcastically. With a heel in her foot, the socialite instantly squatted down in pain while holding her foot. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Present ¡°Danielle, are you all right?¡± her friends asked before helping her up. ¡°F*ck you! Do you know how important my feet are to me? I¡¯m going to make you pay!¡± Since Danielle Judd was a ballet dancer, her feet were her invaluable assets. ¡°Oh, is it? Then, you shouldn¡¯t pester me anymore. Otherwise, I¡¯m going to make sure to incapacitate your feet. Treat this as a lesson.¡± With that, Sophie ignored them and went to look for Ysabelle. Winter walked toward Danielle and pretended to be considerate. ¡°Are you okay, Danielle? Didn¡¯t I tell you not to act impulsively?¡± ¡°Winter, you know I¡¯ve always been interested in Mr. Tristan, right? What¡¯s so good about that wild girl?¡± Danielle raged. She¡¯s nothingpared to me in terms of family background and looks! ¡°Well, you can¡¯t force your feelings upon others, you know? That¡¯s enough. Stop causing any trouble. Otherwise, Mr. Tristan isn¡¯t going to be happy about it,¡± Winter advised. ¡°I know.¡± Danielle was still incredibly frustrated. However, she was aware of how scary Tristan could be. Although she liked him a lot, she was scared of him more. ¡°That stupid, poor girl. How dare she get on Diamond Cruise and wrap up a rock as a present? I¡¯m sure Mr. Tristan is just fooling around with her,¡± Danielle grumbled. ¡°All right. Enough. You¡¯ll get in trouble if Mr. Tristan hears that,¡± Winter warned. At that moment, Tristan had arrived on the cruise ship. The cruise ship then set sail shortly after. Upon seeing Tristan, the socialites started posing seductively. ¡°You¡¯re here, Mr. Tristan!¡± Winter dashed toward him and asked, ¡°Would you be my partner tonight, Mr. Tristan?¡± There was going to be a danceter that evening. Hence, Winter wanted Tristan to be her dance partner. Since he didn¡¯te with Sophie, that means I have a chance to dance with him! ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I already have a dance partner.¡± Tristan turned her down. He then cast a nce around, but he couldn¡¯t find Sophie. She must¡¯ve gone to look for Ysabelle. ¡°But, Mr. Tristan¡ª¡± Winter was about to ask again. ¡°Winter, don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡± Tristan had always been impatient with other women. As she watched him leave, Winter¡¯s face turned grim. Just then, Danielle walked up beside her and scoffed, ¡°Winter, don¡¯t you think Mr. Tristan is way out of your league? How could you be shameless enough to ask him to be your partner?¡± She was provoking Winter on purpose. She wasn¡¯t happy with the fact that Winter was acting all high and mighty. You had the audacity to offer yourself up? Jokes on you for getting rejected. ¡°What did you say?¡± Winter was enraged. ¡°You should mind your attitude, Danielle,¡± she added. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my attitude? Since we both like Mr. Tristan, why should I treat you nicely?¡± Danielle argued. ¡°Oh? I wonder what would Mr. Tristan think when he finds out you were bullying Sophie!¡± ¡°You!¡± Danielle didn¡¯t expect Winter to use that against her. ¡°Know your ce, Danielle. Don¡¯t ever crave for something that isn¡¯t yours,¡± Winter taunted. You¡¯re not worthy to fight against me. Sophie saw Ysabelle lying on her bed upon walking into her room. Isn¡¯t she worried about messing up her hair? Ysabelle sat up immediately when she saw Sophie. ¡°Finally, you¡¯re here! I thought you bailed on me!¡± Sophie went over to sit on the bed as well. ¡°It¡¯s your birthday. How could I miss it? You look so pretty, Ysabelle,¡± Sophie said sincerely. Ysabelle leaned on Sophie¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯m not as pretty as you, Soph. You look mesmerizing in that little ck dress.¡± If Ysabelle hadn¡¯t seen Sophie fight with her own eyes, she wouldn¡¯t believe she could fight so well with that slender waist of hers. Ysabelle couldn¡¯t help but wrap her arms around Sophie¡¯s waist and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just marry me, Soph?¡± Sophieughed upon hearing that. Does this girl not filter her words when she speaks? ¡°Why are youughing? I¡¯m serious. Honestly, I¡¯m capable of doing everything except for giving birth.¡± Ysabelle was promoting herself enthusiastically. ¡°Really?¡± Sophie asked. At that moment, the door to Ysabelle¡¯s room was pushed open, and a cold voice followed. ¡°Uncle Tristan, what are you doing here? This is my room!¡± Ysabelle was unhappy. Tristan¡¯s gaze fell upon Ysabelle¡¯s arms, where she was holding Sophie¡¯s waist. Truth be told, he wasn¡¯t happy with what he saw. ¡°Your dad asked for you. Go see him in his room,¡± Tristan said nonchntly. ¡°Oh? All right, then. Wait for me here, Soph. You can have a rest here if you¡¯re tired. I¡¯ll go see what my dad wants from me.¡± Ysabelle didn¡¯t dare to defy her father¡¯s instructions. ¡°Sure. Go on. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Sophie had quick adaptability. Ysabelle then left to find her father. ¡°Come here,¡± Tristan ordered. Since Tristan and Sophie were alone in the room, his voice turned alluring. Sophie remained still despite his order. Why should I go just because he asked me to? I have my pride. ¡°Fine. If you¡¯re noting here, I¡¯ll go to you,¡± Tristan added. Sophie instantly stood up and walked over after hearing that. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What do you want?¡± she asked. Tristan took out a jewelry box and revealed a ne that looked exquisite and expensive. ¡°I forgot to give you this,¡± he said. Tristan bought it because he knew the ne suited her the moment heid eyes on it. ¡°Mr. Tristan, this is too expensive. I can¡¯t ept this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just lending it to you.¡± Sophie was rendered speechless. Fine. What else can I say to that? Tristan then walked behind her and put it on for her. ¡°How much does it cost? What if I can¡¯t afford to pay you back if I lose it?¡± Sophie wasn¡¯t well-off at all. ¡°It¡¯s quite expensive, actually. If you lose it, I would have no choice but to sell you.¡± Sophie went speechless again. Why do I keep humiliating myself? ¡°It¡¯s almost time. Let¡¯s go,¡± Tristan said. Considering Tristan¡¯s posture, Sophie thought it was only natural if she coiled her arm around his. Although she didn¡¯t want to bring too much attention to herself, Tristan was leaving her with no choice. The two of them then strolled toward the grand hall on the cruise ship while holding each other¡¯s arms. By the time they arrived, most of the guests were already there. The socialites were all clenching their jaws in jealousy when they saw Sophie holding Tristan¡¯s arm. That d*mned vixen! What does she think she¡¯s doing? How dare she hold his arm? In truth, Tristan had never been a fan of such events. Although he had attended a few in the past, he had never brought along a female partner. However, not only did he bring a female partner this time around, but he also let her hold his arm. The socialites were so annoyed that they wanted nothing more than to rip Sophie¡¯s arm off of him. Tristan leaned toward Sophie and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here with you.¡± He was so near to her she could feel his breath on her cheeks. Sophie felt rather helpless when she saw the stares the socialites were giving her. Great, I think I just made myself a ton of enemies tonight¡­ ¡°Mr. Tristan, don¡¯t overdo it.¡± His actions were a little too affectionate to her liking. ¡°All right.¡± Despite his words, Tristan proceeded to wrap his arm around her waist. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Chapter 61 All Eyes On Her Sophie froze briefly. The gown had already been designed to cling to her tightly, and with Tristan¡¯s hand on her waist now, she felt especially ufortable. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Everyone¡¯s looking this way.¡± And is that my fault? Sophie was certain that Tristan was doing this on purpose. ¡°What the f*ck?¡± Danielle desperately wanted to shove Tristan¡¯s hand away from that woman. How dare he touch another girl? He¡¯s mine! ¡°Calm down, Danielle. Don¡¯t look at them. Ysabelle¡¯s about to make her entrance.¡± Lincoln soon appeared on stage while holding Ysabelle by the arm. He walked to the microphone and began his speech. Meanwhile, Tristan led Sophie to the front. Winter¡¯s gaze remained on Tristan. He didn¡¯t want to be my date, but now he¡¯s got his hand around Sophie¡¯s waist! And now, all eyes are on her! Those looks of envy were supposed to be on her, but clearly, that wasn¡¯t happening now thanks to Sophie. Winter refused to ept this. Tristan¡¯s hand remained on Sophie¡¯s waist, making thetter feel uneasy. ¡°You can let go now, Mr. Tristan.¡± Tristan liked having his hand on her and didn¡¯t want to let go, but seeing the look on her face, he knew she would probably hit him if he didn¡¯t listen to her. His lips curled as he released his grip on her. ¡°Last but not least, I¡¯d like to thank everyone for all the love they¡¯ve shown Ysabelle. Thank you once again.¡± When Lincoln was done with his speech, he handed the microphone to Ysabelle as he had other guests to attend to. ¡°I¡¯m so happy today. Thank you foring to my birthday party. I hope you all have a good time.¡± Not wasting too much time, Ysabelle ended things quickly and passed the microphone to the host. She then left the stage and walked toward Sophie. ¡°Soph! I¡ª¡± She wanted to take Sophie to check out the cruise ship, but Felix cut her off. ¡°Come, Ysabelle. I want to show you your gift.¡± He had spent a great deal of time picking out the young woman¡¯s birthday gift. ¡°Go on,¡± Tristan chimed in. With that, Ysabelle was snatched away in a huff. Tristan had no intention of staying either. It was too lively there, and he preferred somewhere quieter. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll get you out of this hellhole.¡± Sophie felt the same way he did. She was sick of being stared at by the female socialites there. ¡°If you¡¯re tired, you can head back and get some rest. I¡¯ll find myself somewhere I can be alone,¡± she proposed. Yet, Tristan wasn¡¯t having any of that nonsense, and he left while tugging her by the arm. ¡°Are you always this disrespectful toward women, Mr. Tristan?¡± ¡°My head¡¯s throbbing. So let¡¯s go.¡± Sophie was rendered speechless. Tristan soon brought her to his room, which appearedrger than Ysabelle¡¯s and was located in an even better spot. One could simply take a seat on the rug and have the entire city¡¯s view in front of their very eyes. The blinding lights of various colors lit up the sky beautifully. Tristan opened up a bottle of red wine, walked over with two sses, and sat down. ¡°You should have a seat too. Your feet must hurt from wearing those heels.¡± To him, Sophie was tall enough and didn¡¯t need to wear high heels. Yet, Sophie believed that an evening gown always had to go with a pair of heels. It¡¯s either heels or nothing. Tristan handed her a cushion for her to sit on. Her dress was rather short, so sitting like this wasn¡¯t the most ideal situation. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Tristan had never considered this. After all, he never really cared about the women around him. But upon seeing Sophie¡¯s slender thighs, he couldn¡¯t help but gulp. Then, he began to feel awkward as he realized what he had done. He got up and brought Sophie a woolen nket to cover her thighs with. Sophie didn¡¯t expect him to be this thoughtful. He¡¯s surprisingly quite a gentleman. Most men would rather have the opportunity to stare. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. I¡¯m just worried I wouldn¡¯t be able to hold myself back.¡± She was struck speechless. Fine! But did he really have to say it out loud? Tristan poured them a ss of wine each. ¡°Have some. This wine¡¯s pretty good.¡± He didn¡¯t want her drinking in front of other men, but now that she was with him, it wasn¡¯t a problem. Sophie raised her ss and took a sip. The wine tasted exceptionally good. It¡¯s no surprise, though. Whatever Tristan eats or uses, he always has the best of everything. Tristan began to sip on his wine, too. The two savored their drinks while staring at the scenery outside the window. Despite not saying much, the two seemed to share an inexplicable mutual understanding. After finishing a ss, Sophie wanted seconds. ¡°Can I have some more?¡± She really liked the wine. Tristan took the bottle and poured her another ss. ¡°Do you feel ufortable being with me?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, then.¡± He hoped she could slowly get used to his presence. I¡¯ll give her time. I have enough patience and confidence for this. This girl will eventually be mine. Time ticked by, and the two finished the entire bottle of wine without realizing it. ¡°Let¡¯s go grab some cake.¡± It was about time for Ysabelle¡¯s cake-cutting ceremony. ¡°Okay.¡± As soon as they stepped out of Tristan¡¯s room, the door across theirs opened, and Winter could be seen walking out. Seeing Sophie and Tristan leaving the room together only made Winter¡¯s expression sour further. ¡°Good evening, Mr. Tristan,¡± she greeted before leaving in a rush. She didn¡¯t want to look at them for a second longer, nor did she want to think about it. Tristan returned to the hall with Sophie. This time, he didn¡¯t have his arm around her, so she felt much more at ease. The workers had already wheeled an eighteen-tier cake into the room. Ysabelle had been looking for Sophie the whole time, and upon seeing her, she immediately dashed over. Sophie stood next to her. As the eighteen candles were lit, everyone began to sing. Ysabelle made a wish before blowing out the candles and cutting the cake. She was especially delighted that day. ¡°I¡¯m so happy I got to see you today, Sophie. Oh, and I really like what you gave me.¡± As she spoke, she took out her favorite gift. Upon seeing that Ysabelle¡¯s most beloved gift was a rock, Danielle burst intoughter. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being way too nice to her, Ms. Ysabelle? It¡¯s just a rock! What is there to like about it? I can¡¯t believe this so-called friend of yours would do such a thing! What kind of a gift is that?¡± ¡°Right? Never in my life would I expect anyone to give a rock as a gift!¡± ¡°This is hrious. She¡¯s such a bumpkin.¡± Ysabelle grew livid. These women are in disgusting! ¡±You¡ª¡± ¡°Excuse me, Ms. Ysabelle, but may I have a look at that rock you¡¯re holding?¡± That came from a nobleman who had a passion for collectibles. ¡°Sure, but be sure not to damage it.¡± Ysabelle didn¡¯t want to waste her time on those nauseating women. As the nobleman picked up the rock carefully, astonishment filled his eyes. ¡°Will you sell me this rock, Ms. Ysabelle? I¡¯ll buy it for any price you name.¡± ¡°What? Are you insane? It¡¯s just a rock!¡± ¡°I know, right? What on earth has this world be?¡± Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Amorous Atmosphere ¡°Like I¡¯d expect people like you to know what this rock actually is! It¡¯s worth at least ten million!¡± The man never liked women like them. All they had were looks but no substance. ¡°You!¡± Danielle wanted to retaliate, but her friend held her back. ¡°Stop talking. His family¡¯s the biggest antique trader in Jipsdale. If he says the rock is worth that much, it¡¯s definitely worth that much. You¡¯ll only look ignorant if you try to argue with him.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right. Just keep your mouth shut. You¡¯re embarrassing us!¡± With that, Danielle stopped talking. Never had she expected Sophie to be able to afford to buy Ysabelle a rock worth ten million. ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t sell this no matter how much it costs. It¡¯s my favorite gift. Thank you so much, Soph, but you really didn¡¯t have to go to such lengths for my birthday gift.¡± She couldn¡¯t imagine Sophie having forked out ten million on this rock. ¡°You¡¯re most wee. It¡¯s just ten million, anyway. Anything is worth it as long as you like it.¡± Sophie truly didn¡¯t care about the price. All that mattered was that Ysabelle liked the gift. ¡°I love it!¡± Felix felt a little sheepish now, for his gift no longer seemed as extravagantpared to what Sophie had prepared. Sophie didn¡¯t like being in crowded ces, so she turned and left after the cake-cutting ceremony, heading outside to enjoy the night view of the city. Yet, no matter how much she tried to avoid trouble, trouble always seemed to follow her. With her group of friends, Danielle walked toward Sophie. ¡°Mr. Tristan helped you get that rock, didn¡¯t he, Sophie? It¡¯s not like your family has that much money anyway.¡± Danielle refused to believe that Sophie could afford something this expensive. ¡°Yeah! Even if you don¡¯t admit it, that ne you¡¯re wearing is more than enough proof. I saw Mr. Tristan buy it at an auction with my own eyes.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way a peasant like you can afford something worth ten million.¡± ¡°Well, if thinking that way makes you happy, I won¡¯t stop you,¡± Sophie replied calmly. ¡°Are you done? Can you buzz off now?¡± ¡°Buzz off? Who are you telling to buzz off? Just who do you think you are?¡± Danielle retorted in an attempt to establish dominance. ¡°You. I¡¯m talking to you.¡± ¡°You!¡± In a rage, Danielle charged forward to push Sophie, but thetter swiftly evaded her, causing her to fall to the ground instead. ¡°Danielle! Are you okay?¡± One of her friend helped her up. ¡°You¡¯d better stay away from me,¡± Sophie warned them. Resentment swirled within Danielle. ¡°Godd*mmit! What are you getting all smug about?¡± ¡°Let it go, Danielle. I don¡¯t think we should mess with her. Besides, Mr. Tristan¡¯s got her back. He won¡¯t be happy if he finds out what you¡¯re doing to her.¡± ¡°Shut up! Whose side are you even on? There¡¯s no way Mr. Tristan would fall for a b*tch like her!¡± ¡°Danielle, we¡¯re saying this for your own good.¡± ¡°Then I suppose I¡¯ll have to thank you, huh?¡± I won¡¯t ept this. I¡¯ve prepared myself all this while and learned so many things just so I could marry Mr. Tristan one day. I¡¯m not going to let anyone else have him! Sophie headed back in to look for Ysabelle. The cruise ship was still out above the waters, so she had no way of getting off. Then, she thought of going to Ysabelle¡¯s room, only to find it locked. Left with no other choice, she could only head to Tristan¡¯s room. Sticking with him is still better than being around those stupid girls. Standing in front of the door, Sophie only had to knock thrice before it flew open. ¡°I don¡¯t have anywhere else to go, so I thought I¡¯d hang out here for a while. If it¡¯s not okay with you¡­¡± She trailed off upon noticing a gorgeous woman inside his room. ¡°It¡¯s no problem at all, but give me a second. I have some trash to take care of.¡± After responding, Tristan turned around. ¡°Get out of my room, or I¡¯ll feed you to the sharks.¡± He had returned to his room, only to find a woman waiting inside. Then, a knock came on the door before he could even take a close look at her. ¡°But Mr. Tristan¡­¡± the woman pled in a dainty voice. ¡°Get out.¡± Feeling humiliated, the woman ran out of the room in tears. Sophie felt awkward standing there. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to bother you.¡± Tristan didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. Sophia continued, ¡°But it looks like you really are adies¡¯ man, huh? There¡¯s always a woman waiting to throw herself in your arms wherever you go!¡± ¡°Shut your mouth, or I¡¯ll shut you up in my own ways.¡± It would probably be easier if he just plugged that infuriating little mouth of hers. ¡°Ooh, someone¡¯s mad.¡± Hearing that, Tristan immediately grabbed her by the waist and nted his lips against hers. Sophie¡¯s eyes widened in bewilderment. She didn¡¯t think he meant it, or that he would shut her up this way. Ugh¡­ Me and my big mouth! Why did I p*ss him off in the first ce? Sophie remained frustrated even after Tristan had let go of her. I was never such a pushover! The man gently brushed her swollen lip with his fingers. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± He had used a bit of force then. Sophie pushed his arm away. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s bearable.¡± Tristan gazed at her silently. ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything by that! Don¡¯t get the wrong idea.¡± He continued to stare at her. ¡°Seriously, that¡¯s not what I meant! Argh! Forget it. You can think whatever you want!¡± He smiled. Sophie grew enraged at that. What¡¯s so funny? He keeps getting on my nerves! The air inside the room grew slightly amorous, making Sophie feel unsettled.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. She sat down at the same spot as before and gazed out the window. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t havee here in the first ce, but it¡¯s toote to think about all this now. Tristan handed her a woollen nket for her legs again. ¡°You can sleep on the bed if you¡¯re tired. I¡¯m going to go say hi to some people.¡± As soon as he left the room, Sophie heaved a sigh of relief. Feeling bored on her own, she took out her phone and began to create a mini-game. It was only when Ysabelle called her that she exited the program. ¡°Soph! Where are you? Come back! The waltz is about to begin.¡± The waltz was the main event of the night. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m on my way.¡± Sophie wasn¡¯t all that interested in dancing, but she didn¡¯t want to rain on the birthday girl¡¯s parade. After putting the nket back onto the couch, she left in search of Ysabelle. When she arrived, she saw Ysabelle dancing with Felix. They were the only two on the dance floor. It was Ysabelle¡¯s birthday, after all, so she naturally had the first dance. Anticipation rose within Winter when she noticed that Tristan wasn¡¯t with Sophie. Where did he go? Well, it¡¯s fine if I couldn¡¯t make him my date for tonight. I¡¯d be more than happy to have one dance with him. By now, Felix and Ysabelle had ended their first dance. More couples entered the dance floor as the music yed once again. At that very moment, a dashing-looking man stopped in front of Sophie. ¡°Good evening, Ms. Tanner. Would you care to dance with me?¡± Sophie frowned. ¡°Sorry. But I don¡¯t know how to dance.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll guide you.¡± The man had no intention of giving up. ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡± ¡°Give me a chance, Ms. Tanner. Aren¡¯t you attending Tanner Group¡¯s shareholders¡¯ meeting this coming Monday? I might just lend you a hand on that day.¡± ¡°An outsider like you shouldn¡¯t interfere with the Tanner family¡¯s affairs.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Suddenly, Tristan appeared behind her. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to wait inside my room? Why did youe out here on your own?¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Chapter 63 A Goodnight Kiss ¡°Mr. Tristan.¡± The man was immediately petrified when he saw Tristan. F*ck! She¡¯s his woman, and she was even in his room. I¡¯m doomed. ¡°Get lost,¡± Tristan growled. ¡°Sure thing. I¡¯ll leave right away.¡± With that, the man disappeared without a trace. Everyone in Jipsdale knew their days would be numbered if they dared to cross Tristan, and the man had no wish to meet a sticky end. Under the crowd¡¯s envious gazes, Tristan extended his hand in a gentlemanly gesture of invitation. ¡°May I have this dance?¡± Sophie ced her hand in his, silently agreeing to dance with him. Tristan held her hand and led her onto the dance floor, then ced one hand on her slender waist while resting the other on her shoulder. As the otherdies watched Tristan hug Sophie¡¯s waist, a thought surfaced in their minds. They wished Sophie would disappear at once and that the person in Tristan¡¯s arms was them. ¡°D*mn it! Why is it Sophie again? How is she so lucky?¡± one of them whined. ¡°Yeah! How could she end up with the man of my dreams?¡± Another choked out through bitter sobs, ¡°This is going to make me cry myself to death.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let that little minx get away with this!¡± Danielle hissed through clenched teeth, her fingers gripping the stem of her winess so tightly as if she was going to crush it. Winter was also still among the crowd. I thought I¡¯d get the opportunity to dance with Tristan, not expecting I¡¯d still lose to Sophie in the end. ¡°Forget it. There¡¯s nothing we can do about her,¡± she said. ¡°What are you talking about, Winter? What do you mean by there¡¯s nothing we can do about her? She¡¯s just a member of the Tanner family. What could she possibly be capable of doing?¡± ¡°You¡¯re no match for her.¡± Danielle was enraged. ¡°You¡­ Don¡¯t look down on me, Winter. Just you wait and see how I¡¯ll make her suffer.¡± Winter knew Danielle would not be able to stir up much trouble. Nheless, thetter was capable of causing Sophie some minor upsets, which wouldn¡¯t be such a bad thing. Meanwhile, Tristan and Sophie were twirling away on the dance floor in effortless harmony. It was their first time dancing together, yet they made for apletelypatible pairing. ¡°Mr. Tristan, I didn¡¯t think you had what it took to cause a national crisis,¡± Sophie remarked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Sir, don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t tell that all thedies here are thinking of sinking their teeth into me and ripping me to pieces,¡± Sophie replied, deliberately emphasizing the word ¡°sir.¡± ¡°They¡¯re just jealous that you¡¯re much more beautiful than them. You don¡¯t have to worry about a thing.¡± His response rendered Sophie speechless. Very well, then. Since you¡¯re so handsome, everything you say is correct. ¡°Mr. Tristan, this dance doesn¡¯t require us to be so close together, does it?¡± At that moment, their bodies were pressed so closely together in ufortable proximity, and Sophie was sure that Tristan had to be doing it on purpose. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°It does,¡± he answered simply. Sophie fell silent while thedies in the crowd started buzzing with whispers. ¡°What the heck? Just as I thought, Sophie is a minx! It¡¯s too shameful to witness!¡± someone eximed. ¡°You¡¯re right! Is she trying to seduce Mr. Tristan?¡± ¡°Let go of Mr. Tristan. Let me hold him instead,¡± anotherdy wailed. Unable to bear the sight of them dancing any longer, Winter turned and grabbed a ss of red wine before exiting the hall. Watching the man she had harbored feelings for since she was little being so close to another woman was too much for her. Danielle was also so angry that her face turned pale. When the music stopped, Tristan still did not want to let go of Sophie. ¡°Mr. Tristan, I think that¡¯s enough,¡± said Sophie. I¡¯ve already been in the limelight too much today, and it wouldn¡¯t be wise to go overboard. I certainly have no wish to make myself more enemies. Although I¡¯m not afraid of them, I already have enough trouble on my te. Finally, Tristan loosened his grip. She¡¯s right. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to take things too far. I mustn¡¯t act too hastily. Having also had her fill of dancing, Ysabelle walked over with Felix. ¡°Soph, this is your keycard.¡± Ysabelle handed a keycard to Sophie. Taking it from her, Sophie said, ¡°I¡¯m exhausted, Belle. I¡¯ll go to my room to rest first. Happy birthday again.¡± ¡°Sure. Felix, help me see Sophie to her room. There are many people here who¡¯ve been eyeing her.¡± Ysabelle did not think anyone present was worthy of Sophie. However, Felix made no answer and merely looked at Tristan. How could he possibly give me the chance to do such a thing? Tristan piped up, ¡°Felix can stay here with you. I¡¯ll send Sophie up to her room.¡± ¡°Goodnight,¡± Sophie murmured to Ysabelle and the others before leaving with Tristan. When Sophie reached her room and opened the door, she turned toward Tristan and said, ¡°Goodnight, Mr. Tristan.¡± He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. ¡°A goodnight kiss. Go on in and get some rest.¡± Sophie found herself at a loss for words once again. How did I just get kissed by him again? This man is really¡­ Why does he keep kissing others so casually? ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you hesitating to go into the room because you want to invite me to sleep with you?¡± ¡°Get lost,¡± Sophie uttered curtly, then went into her room and shut the door behind her. That was the first time anyone had treated Tristan so brusquely, yet he did not appear to mind. Instead, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Sophie¡¯s room was next to Tristan¡¯s, and as Winter returned from drinking her ss of wine, she saw the smile on Tristan¡¯s lips. Winter was thoroughly agitated by the sight of that smile. She had never thought she would see him so besotted, and it left her devastated. ¡°Mr. Tristan¡­¡± She called out his name, hoping he would spare her a nce. However, the smile on his face faded the moment he saw her. ¡°Get some rest,¡± he responded. The icy manner in which he uttered those three words was worlds apart from how he had said them to Sophie. ¡°Why her?¡± Winter knew she should not have asked that question. After all, Tristan disliked others prying into his private affairs. I just can¡¯t help it. I really, really, really like him. It has nothing to do with his family background. My love for him is pure and simple! ¡°What does that have anything to do with you? For your brother¡¯s sake, I¡¯ll let it slide this time. Make sure it doesn¡¯t happen again.¡± With that, Tristan opened the door to his room and went in. Winter leaned against the door, and her body slowly slid downward. She did not even dare to make a sound as she cried. Sophie was fast asleep when she was rudely awakened by a knock on the door. She pulled the covers over her head, but it did nothing to block the sound. Left with no other choice, she got out of bed and opened the door. Then she began berating the person outside the door without even looking to see who it was. ¡°Are you f*cking crazy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Tristan said, unable to resistughing when he saw her in that state. ¡°Mr. Tristan, why aren¡¯t you asleep at such ate hour? What on earth do you want?¡± she demanded. Sophie would mind her words when she was awake. But at that moment, she could not be bothered to do so at all. I¡¯m in a bad mood, so he¡¯d better have a good reason for showing up here. ¡°Come on. I¡¯m taking you to see the sunrise.¡± ¡°Can I not go?¡± ¡°No.¡± Many others were also awake at that time to catch the sunrise. Tristan led Sophie to the uppermost deck of the cruise ship. No one else was allowed there, and they had the ce to themselves. Because of the low temperature at sea during dawn and the fact that Sophie was still in her evening gown from the night before, she felt rather chilly. Tristan took out a shawl and draped it over her shoulders. The view from the topmost deck was breathtaking, and as the pair sat together in silence, the sea breeze swept away Sophie¡¯s drowsiness Soon, the sun slowly rose above the calm surface of the water. ¡°It¡¯s gorgeous!¡± Sophie gasped in awe. ¡°Indeed. Gorgeous,¡± Tristan echoed. However, he had his gaze fixed on her instead. It was not until the sun had fully risen into the sky that Sophie finally turned around. ¡°I should get back,¡± she said. She still had the shareholders¡¯ meeting to attend that day. ¡°Do you have something to do?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s something I need to attend to.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll send you back,¡± Tristan replied. After all, it would probably be noon by the time the cruise ship made its way back. As Tristan led Sophie down from the deck, the otherdies watching the sunrise appeared upset to see them together. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Chapter 64 The Fate Of Tanner Group Tristan took Sophie to the dining hall for a simple breakfast, and by the time they finished eating, the yacht that was supposed to pick them up had arrived. After bidding farewell to Ysabelle, Tristan led Sophie onto the waiting yacht. ¡°What¡¯s this? Mr. Tristan is leaving his niece here and heading back first?¡± ¡°Right? Now that Mr. Tristan has left, what¡¯s the point of staying here?¡± ¡°I wish I could leave with him. s, I dare not tell him that.¡± ¡°You? Even if Mr. Tristan wanted to take someone with him, it¡¯d be me. Why would he take you with him?¡± ¡°Why you¡ª¡± With Tristan gone, all that was left behind were thedies and their wild imaginations. Over at Tanner Group, Yale had arrived at the office bright and early that morning. The annual shareholders¡¯ meeting would be held that day, and he couldn¡¯t make a single mistake. Charmaine, who held five percent of Tanner Group¡¯s shares, had also gone to the office that day. Yale¡¯s secretary cautioned, ¡°Mr. Tanner, many shareholders have strong opinions over the strategy you employed thest quarter of the year. Today¡¯s meeting may not be favorable to you.¡± ¡°I know that. But as Tanner Group¡¯srgest shareholder, even if they¡¯re displeased with me, there¡¯s nothing they can do to me. Am I right?¡± To Yale, Tanner Group was meant to belong to the Tanner family. The secretary was well aware of Yale¡¯s character. He¡¯s too stubborn, and his abilities are mediocre. If it weren¡¯t for him, Tanner Group wouldn¡¯t have turned into what it was today. The secretary did not say anything more, thinking it was probably time to start searching for a new job. ¡°I¡¯ll go and prepare for the meeting, then.¡± With that, the secretary left the conference room immediately. ¡°Are you sure there won¡¯t be any problems?¡± Charmaine pressed. Although she did not know what had happened to thepany, she did know that the dividends she received had gradually decreased due to thepany¡¯s less-than-ster profits over the past few years. ¡°What problems could there be? Stop cursing me with bad luck,¡± Yale snapped irritably, in a foul mood. His eye had been twitching over the past week, and he was worried that it was an omen that something would go wrong. I¡¯d rather die than let Tanner Group slip through my hands! ¡°Why are you getting mad at me? Tanner Group¡¯s profits have only plummeted lower and lower in your hands. I honestly have no idea how you did that!¡± Charmaine¡¯s temper also red as she thought about how her life was getting increasingly difficult. ¡°If you can¡¯t say anything good, then shut up. Otherwise, get lost!¡± Yale yelled, infuriated. If it hadn¡¯t been for me, Tanner Group would be in a much worse state now! Meanwhile, Tristan had driven Sophie right up to the lobby of the office building of Tanner Group. ¡°Do you want me to go in with you?¡± The car hade to a stop, yet he was reluctant to let her go in and face the criticisms and judgments alone. ¡°That¡¯s okay. Are you busy? If not, stay here and apany me for a while.¡± I don¡¯t want to head up just yet. I¡¯ll go to the shareholders¡¯ meeting directlyter. If I go up now, I¡¯ll only have to listen to a bunch of nonsense. ¡°I¡¯m not busy,¡± he replied. As long as she needs me, I¡¯ll make time even if I¡¯m busy. Taking out his phone, he sent a text message to his assistant, asking thetter to dy his morning meeting by half an hour. ¡°Sophie, if you really need me to be there, I can attend the shareholders¡¯ meeting with you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I just don¡¯t want to go in so early and see the others, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Thus, they sat in the car for more than ten minutes. Seeing that it was almost time, Sophie got out of the car. ¡°Thank you so much for today,¡± she said before leaving. Tristan alighted from the car, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into his embrace. ¡°Remember this, Sophie. No matter what happens, call me first thing,¡± he reminded her. I believe she can handle these matters by herself. Since she doesn¡¯t want me to interfere, I¡¯ll respect her decision. It¡¯s just that she has to protect herself. Sophie beamed at him. ¡°It¡¯s only a shareholders¡¯ meeting, not a congregation of evil monsters. I¡¯ll be fine. Honestly!¡± she responded. Isn¡¯t he thinking too little of me now? Then, she continued, ¡°Okay. I should really get going now.¡± Tristan murmured an acknowledgment. I believe in her. Just before the meeting was about to start, all the shareholders took their seats. Yale had also arrived at the conference room five minutes earlier. Seeing no sign of Sophie as he settled into his seat, he visibly heaved a sigh of relief. He did not know why, but he was terribly afraid Sophie would attend the shareholders¡¯ meeting that day despite knowing she only held twenty percent of the shares. Charmaine let out a relieved sigh as well. As long as Sophie doesn¡¯t turn up, there won¡¯t be any hups at the shareholders¡¯ meeting today. After all, we have forty-five percent of the shares in our hands. Together, we¡¯re thepany¡¯srgest shareholders. ¡°Is everyone here?¡± asked the secretary behind Yale. ¡°Except for Ms. Sophie, the other shareholders have arrived.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s begin, then.¡± ¡°But Ms. Sophie isn¡¯t here yet. She has a twenty percent stake in thepany.¡± ¡°I¡¯m her father. I can represent her.¡± That had been Yale¡¯s n all along. As Sophie¡¯s father and guardian, naturally, he would be able to make a statement on her behalf if she did not show up. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I can represent myself.¡± At that moment, Sophie pushed open the door and strode into the conference room. She had changed her clothes and was dressed simply in blue jeans and a white sweater with her hair tied up. Yale¡¯s face fell slightly. She could¡¯ve arrived at any time, but she must¡¯ve deliberately chosen to show up at this very moment. After picking a seat at random and sitting down, Sophie said, ¡°Isn¡¯t there still one minute left? I¡¯m not late, so you don¡¯t have to look at me like that.¡± The other shareholders exchanged nces, wondering which camp Sophie belonged to. ¡°You may begin now.¡± The person presiding over the meeting that day was Lionel Jennings, the general manager of Tanner Group. He nced at Yale and waited until thetter nodded before making his opening remarks. Sophie did not pay the slightest attention to what he said. Instead, she pulled out her phone and started ying a game. A shareholders¡¯ meeting like this is so dull! The other shareholders could not refrain from frowning when they saw her ying a game on her phone at such a time and ce. As expected, she¡¯s just a child. If Old Mr. Tanner hadn¡¯t given her twenty percent of the shares out of pity, she¡¯d have nothing. Even though she¡¯s here for the shareholders¡¯ meeting today, her presence probably won¡¯t affect the oue of today¡¯s meeting. The shareholders kept shaking their heads, thinking that there was no hope left in the Tanner family. On the contrary, Yale was pleased with Sophie¡¯s behavior. It doesn¡¯t matter if she¡¯s present for today¡¯s shareholders¡¯ meeting. As long as she doesn¡¯t stir up any trouble, I can put up with her. Noticing that Sophie did not seem to be listening, Lionel calmed down at once. She¡¯s nothing but a silly little girl. Anyway, I¡¯ve done up all the reports for today wlessly. Even Yale Tanner didn¡¯t suspect a thing, let alone a foolish girl like her. The other shareholders listened carefully as Lionel continued with his report. When it came to the portion of the profits, the expressions of several shareholders darkened. We didn¡¯t invest all that money into Tanner Group to get a pittance. If thepany goes on as it is, we¡¯ll definitely lose everything! It was then that Sophie finally set aside her phone and raised her head to nce at Lionel. ¡°Next, I¡¯d like to invite our CEO to say a few words.¡±All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Turning The Tables Yale cleared his throat before turning on his microphone to address the investors. ¡°After Mr. Jennings¡¯ introduction just now, I believe we all now have a better understanding of the profit and loss in the previous phase. I also believe we¡¯re all well aware that there are ups and downs in the business world. That¡¯s why I hope we can take some time to remember why we started this in the first ce. Let us keep moving forward because I know that Tanner Group will rise again one day.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate those words, Mr. Tanner. The only reason I invested in Tanner Group is to make more money, and now you¡¯re telling me that I¡¯m losing money instead? I can¡¯t ept that.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°That¡¯s right! Do you think our money grows on trees? Is that why you spent it like it¡¯s nothing?¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t do your job right, then I think it¡¯s time we rece you with someone else. That way, we can sleep easier at night,¡± suggested Victor White. The man owned twenty percent of Tanner Group¡¯s shares, making him a majority shareholder that was second only to the Tanners. Yale did not expect Victor to undermine him like that in front of all the other investors. ¡°Mr. White, I¡¯m the biggest shareholder of Tanner Group. Besides, it¡¯s Tanner Group, not White Group.¡± To that, Victor responded with a sneer. ¡°I see. So you¡¯re telling us that Tanner Group is a family business and that there¡¯s nothing we can do about your ipetence, then? Is that it?¡± ¡°Why you little¡­¡± Yale got so upset that he was lost for words. He never knew Victor could be so infuriating. Even though Victor had a devious smile on him, he had a point. ¡°I agree with Mr. White. If you don¡¯t have what it takes, Mr. Tanner, you should let someone more capable take your ce.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Why tire yourself when you can just sit back and let your dividends take care of you? In case you didn¡¯t notice, you¡¯re not doing a very good job.¡± Charmaine looked at Sophie and realized that the young woman was simply sitting there as though what was happening around her mattered not. ¡°We can keep doing this and waste everybody¡¯s time, or we can raise our hands and vote! Mr. Tanner may have forty percent of the shares, but together, we have sixty,¡± suggested Victor impatiently. ¡°Those who do not agree that Yale Tanner should continue to hold his position as CEO of Tanner Group, please raise your hands.¡± Victor decided to ignore Lionel and proceed with the voting himself. As soon as Victor finished his sentence, he was the first to raise his hand. The other shareholders thought for a while but eventually followed suit. This is the society we live in now, and family business just doesn¡¯t work anymore. Mr. Tanner should let someone more capable take his ce if he can¡¯t produce desirable results. In the end, Charmaine, Sophie, and Yale were the only ones who did not have their hands raised. Combined, those who agreed to rece Yale possessed thirty-five percent of thepany shares. ¡°Do you see now? You only have thirty-five percent, which means my family and I are still in charge. None of you have any rights to kick me out.¡± Yale could not help but gloat over the result. Disappointed, Victor stood up and was ready to leave the conference room. ¡°Wait.¡± Suddenly, Sophie raised her hand. ¡°I agree that Mr. Tanner should be stripped of his position as CEO of Tanner Group.¡± The room immediately fell dead silent when everyone heard Sophie. ¡°Sophie, I¡¯m your father!¡± eximed Yale furiously. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯re in the office right now. Personal rtionships do not apply here.¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± Victor turned back around, utterly impressed by Sophie. ¡°In that case, the first decision of today¡¯s shareholders¡¯ meeting is to dismiss Yale Tanner as the CEO of the Tanner Group,¡± announced Victor, thrilled that Yale was finally knocked off the pedestal. ¡°Since we need to assign someone new as CEO now, I volunteer.¡± ¡°This is what it¡¯s all about, isn¡¯t it, Mr. White? You power-hungry b*stard!¡± cursed Yale with a popped vein. ¡°Not so fast. I¡¯ll be contending for the position as well.¡± Sophie¡¯s voice resounded throughout the room once again. Even though she did not turn on her microphone, her voice was loud enough to catch everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she just eighteen years old?¡± ¡°She is! What makes her think this is a good idea anyway?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t she know who Mr. White is? How dare she oppose the man like that!¡± ¡°You?¡± asked Victor after a moment of silence. Although he preferred not to embarrass the young woman, he did not think it was appropriate for her to treat thepany like her yground. Sophie nodded in response because she had promised her grandfather that she would ensure their family name stayed in thepany name. ¡°That¡¯s right. Me.¡± Victor snorted. He could not believe that a young woman like Sophie would dare topete with him. What the heck is this family¡¯s problem? I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on anymore. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± questioned Sophie as her nce swept across the shareholders. ¡°Ms. Tanner, this is a workce, not your personal yground.¡± ¡°Do you think we¡¯re fooling around here? A huge amount of money is at stake here!¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I think Mr. White and I should each take charge of a loss-makingpany. Then, we¡¯llpare the profits we make after a month. The winner gets to be CEO. How does that sound?¡± Since the shareholders refused to take her seriously, Sophie decided to let her capability do the talking. ¡°Are you sure about that, Missy?¡± Victor was confident that he could beat Sophie. After all, he did not go from rags to riches because he was lucky. ¡°Are you?¡± The man could not help chuckling in amusement when Sophie riposted. ¡°You¡¯ve got guts, Missy; I¡¯ll give you that. Nobody has ever talked to me like that before. Fine! If that¡¯s what you want, I¡¯ll y along. See you in a month?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯d like to participate as well. I don¡¯t think either of you can do better than me.¡± Discontented that he was no longer CEO, Yale thought thepetition Sophie suggested would be his chance at redemption. ¡°Sure! I wouldn¡¯t stop you from embarrassing yourself.¡± Since Victor agreed to let the man join in, the other shareholders had nothing to say about it. ¡°That¡¯s it for today¡¯s shareholders¡¯ meeting, then! See you all in a month.¡± Victor was sure that he would be the CEO no matter what. ¡°Mr. Jennings, would you kindly sort out the threepanies with the highest loss and send the information to us?¡± Sophie asked the general manager. ¡°Sure, Ms. Tanner,¡± responded Lionel immediately. Sophie was ready to walk away after all the shareholders had left, but Yale stopped her. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Is this how you treat your own father, Sophie? Do you have any idea how disappointed I was just now?¡± Yale was upset that his daughter undermined him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with how I treated you? Since you can¡¯t do your job right, it¡¯s only normal that we get someone more capable to rece you.¡± ¡°Why you little¡­¡± Thoroughly infuriated by his daughter, Yale felt as if his head was about to explode. ¡°Do you see what you¡¯ve given birth to? She can¡¯t even do well in her studies yet thinks running a company is easy. It¡¯s nonsense!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll know for sure in a month.¡± Sophie did not want to listen to the ranting any longer, so she turned around and left. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Not Going To Do Anything After walking out of the office building, Sophie was nning to catch a ride back to Wisteria Apartments when a red Porsche Cayenne suddenly stopped in front of her. When the car window was rolled down, Sophie saw Victor with his shy sunsses on. ¡°Where are you heading, Missy? Let me give you a ride,¡± offered Victor after propping the eyewear on his head. ¡°No, thank you.¡± Sophie could immediately tell how showy the man was and would rather not be in his company. ¡°Come on. It¡¯s rush hour. You¡¯re not going to get a ride anytime soon. Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t do anything to you,¡± promised Victor with a big smile, showing his pearl-white teeth. Knowing that Victor was right, Sophie had no choice but to open the car door and get into the Porsche Cayenne. ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°Wisteria Apartments.¡± Even though it was already afternoon, Sophie still had to go to school. ¡°What do you say we go for lunch together? Come on. Don¡¯t look at me like that! It¡¯s not like I¡¯m nning to do anything to you; you¡¯re too young for me. I admire what you did just now, so I hope to get to know you better.¡± Many who knew Victor professionally regarded him as their big brother because he always looked out for others.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No, thank you.¡± Victor talked a lot on the way, but Sophie simply nodded or gave the briefest response possible. ¡°You really want to be the CEO of Tanner Group, Missy?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here. Thanks for the ride.¡± Victor wanted to say something after he parked his car, but Sophie quickly got out and denied him the chance to do so. ¡°She¡¯s a pretty serious one if nothing else,¡±mented Victor while scratching his nose awkwardly. Meanwhile, Yale and Charmaine had just returned to the Tanner residence. As soon as Yale parked his car, he rushed toward Josiah, who was busy watering the nts. ¡°Dad, do you know what Sophie did today? She sided with outsiders to strip me of my position as CEO! Tanner Group is the result of your hard work, Dad. You can¡¯t just let her ruin it!¡± ¡°He¡¯s right. What Sophie did was cold and heartless,¡± Charmaine chimed in. ¡°Sophie should¡¯ve done that sooner after what you two did to thepany. You¡¯re not fit to be CEO, Yale. Even if Sophie doesn¡¯t get the position, you should let someone more capable than you take your ce.¡± ¡°Are you looking down on me too, Dad? You¡¯re just like the rest of them!¡± Yale got emotional since he did not expect his father to agree with Sophie. ¡°Because it¡¯s true that you don¡¯t have what it takes.¡± Josiah had already given Yale enough chances, yet all he got was nothing but disappointment. ¡°Just you wait, Dad! I¡¯m going to prove you wrong.¡± Willow clenched her fists when she overheard the conversation. Why did Sophie have to return? Why did she have to take everything away from me? When Yale entered the living room, Willow followed. ¡°I¡¯ll always support you, Dad. To me, you¡¯re the best there is.¡± Willow then hugged her father. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who trusts me unconditionally, Willow,¡± stated Yale as he gently touched his daughter¡¯s cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Dad. Sophie won¡¯t get her way because Mason¡¯sing back from overseas soon. He can help you.¡± ¡°Good girl. You have to win Mason¡¯s heart. With the Lairds¡¯ help, there¡¯s no way Sophie can take Tanner Group from me.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Willow was confident that she could handle Mason. At two-twenty, Sophie bumped into Willow just when she was about to leave Wisteria Apartments for school. Damn it! She doesn¡¯t know when to give up, does she? ¡°What were you thinking, Sophie? How can you treat Dad that way?¡± rebuked Willow the second she saw Sophie. ¡°Get out of my way.¡± Sophie would rather not waste her time talking to the woman. ¡°I¡¯m your sister, Sophie.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a sister,¡± uttered Sophie before bumping Willow¡¯s shoulder to walk past the woman. ¡°One more thing. Stop stalking me because it¡¯s disgusting.¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± Willow immediately stepped forward to grab Sophie by the hair. ¡°D*mn it!¡± Sophie shut her eyes and tried to control her emotions but to no avail. With a swift turn, Sophie grasped and twisted Willow¡¯s wrist. The poor woman was in so much pain that she immediately ordered, ¡°Let go of me! What are you doing?¡± Her eyes were already red, ready to send tears rolling down her cheeks. ¡°Do you not understand what I just said to you?¡± When the driver saw what the two were doing, he hurriedly got out of the car. ¡°What are you doing? Let go of Ms. Willow now!¡± demanded the driver while grabbing Sophie¡¯s hand. In response to that, Sophie furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°This doesn¡¯t concern you. Get lost.¡± ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, Ms. Sophie? Ms. Willow¡¯s hands are precious! They cannot be injured!¡± The driver thought he could overpower Sophie just because he was bigger in size. However, he realized he could not move when the young woman grabbed him by the hand as well. ¡°Why? Just because she knows how to use a brush? What she painted was trash anyway, so I might as well save her trouble,¡± mocked Sophie. ¡°You little¡­¡± At that point, Willow wanted nothing more than to rip off Sophie¡¯s lips. How dare she say that about my paintings! I¡¯ve won awards for my talent! ¡°You¡¯re probably just jealous of me, aren¡¯t you, Sophie? You¡¯re jealous that I get to be with Mason while you¡ª¡± ¡°Jealous of you? You have absolutely nothing that I want.¡± Sophie applied more pressure on Willow¡¯s wrist, and immediately, the woman fell to the ground. ¡°You¡¯d better stay away from me, or I¡¯ll be more than d to break that hand of yours.¡± The driver hurried over to help Willow up. ¡°Are you okay, Ms. Willow?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, but you can tell my father what just happened.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Sophie stepped into her ssroom just as the bell was still ringing. Ysabelle wanted to walk over to speak with Sophie, but unfortunately, their physics teacher had arrived. ¡°Students, we have a physicspetition next semester. Does anybody care to participate?¡± The students exchanged looks, but none raised their hands to volunteer. ¡°What about you, Sophie?¡± When Sophie regained her senses, Aaron was already staring intently at her. ¡°Mr. Elswick, I¡¯ll be sitting for the university entrance exam next June, so I¡¯d like to concentrate on preparing for that.¡± The entire ssroom fell dead silent after everyone heard Sophie¡¯s ridiculous excuse, for they all knew that she did anything but pay attention in ss every day. Her ssmates were convinced that the university entrance exam was nothing more than a joke to her. ¡°Sophie, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find thepetition this time around very interesting because Bailey will be participating too. You can learn a lot from each other.¡± ¡°But I¡ª¡± ¡°Before you turn me down, just hear me out, okay? Come to my office after ss, and we¡¯ll talk.¡± Seeing how excited Aaron was, Sophie had no idea how to reject her teacher. After ss, the young woman received information from Lionel informing her that she would be in charge of Transfix Cosmetics, a makeup brand under Tanner Group. The brand used to rake in the most profit, but after an unfortunate incident, it got boycotted by the public. The incident, where a university student got disfigured after using the foundation produced by Transfix Cosmetics, had yet to be resolved. Hence, people avoided the Transfix Cosmetics counters as though they were gued with diseases. Reviving the brand would not be an easy job. Thepany Victor was assigned had suffered heavy losses as well. When Sophie saw the one Yale was assigned, she could not help chuckling. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Chapter 67 The Burn Thepany Yale got was Tanner Group¡¯s most profitable one. If everything went well for him, he would not even have to do anything, and thepany would still make the most profit. Did he seriously think no one would notice? Is it so hard for him to just admit his ipetence? Sophie was unsure how to feel about her father. ¡°What are you looking at, Soph? Come on. Let¡¯s go eat,¡± Ysabelle urged Sophie to go. ¡°You probably don¡¯t have much money left after you got me that gift. So from today onward, I¡¯ll pay for all your food.¡± Ysabelle really liked the rock Sophie got for her. She could not bear the thought of the young woman skipping meals. ¡°Sure!¡± Sophie was more than willing to let her friend take care of her meals. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Ysabelle had always had trouble deciding where to go for food. ¡°Let¡¯s have spaghetti! It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go.¡± There was a restaurant famous for its spaghetti just less than a mile east of Jipsdale Premier High. Many, including the students of the high school, patronized the establishment regrly. Naturally, the ce was almost full when Sophie and Ysabelle arrived there. ¡°Hurry, Soph! I just saw two empty seats!¡± Ysabelle pulled Sophie to an empty table, and the two ordered spaghetti after sitting down. ¡°Hi there. I¡¯m Bailey Dixon from Senior ss 1,¡± greeted the boy seated across from the youngdies as soon as they settled down. Because of how tall Bailey was, he did not seemfortable with his table and chair. The young man had a pair of clear but cold eyes that made him seem somewhat distant. ¡°So you¡¯re Bailey! I¡¯m Ysabelle, and this is my best friend, Sophie,¡± Ysabelle dly introduced herself and Sophie to Bailey. Now I know why he¡¯s the campus hunk. What a handsome face! ¡°What the heck? I¡¯m only here because Bailey is!¡± ¡°Me too! We¡¯re in the same ss. I don¡¯t understand why he¡¯s talking to those two from Senior ss 8 instead of me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe he just introduced himself to them.¡± The other female students in the restaurant were upset when they saw what had happened. They all had a crush on Bailey because not only did the young mane from a wealthy family, but he was also kind and smart. Most importantly, he was exceptionally good-looking. Bailey¡¯s admirers thought his appearance was as impressive as that of an angel. ¡°Your spaghetti is on the way.¡± A waiter was rushing toward Sophie and Ysabelle when somebody bumped into him. ¡°Soph, look out!¡± Ysabelle¡¯s heart almost skipped a beat when she saw the te of hot spaghetti flying toward Sophie. Fortunately, Bailey was strong and quick enough to pull Sophie out of the way. Some of the saucended on Bailey¡¯s arm, but most of it ended up on the floor. Had Bailey not rescued Sophie in time, the young woman would have been covered in spaghetti. ¡°Oh, my goodness! I¡¯m terribly sorry. It was an ident. Are you okay?¡± The waiter was so shocked that his face was drained of color. Since the spaghetti came just out of the kitchen, it was piping hot. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Bailey wanted to ensure that Sophie was fine even though his arm was slightly burned. ¡°I¡¯m fine. We need to get you to the hospital!¡± Sophie could see a sizeable red patch on Bailey¡¯s fair arm since the young man got the sleeves of his school uniform rolled up. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. I¡¯ll just apply some healing balm, and it¡¯ll be as good as new,¡± said Bailey nonchntly since he did not think his injury was anything a man like him could not handle. ¡°I still think you should go to the hospital.¡± Ysabelle insisted that the young man seek professional help after looking at his injury. ¡°I¡¯m good. Really.¡± ¡°Fine! If you won¡¯t go to the hospital, at least let me get you something from the pharmacy. You guys wait for me at the school gate.¡± ¡°Sophie¡­¡± Before Bailey could finish his sentence, Sophie had already left. The young woman went to a pharmacy to buy a bottle of burn relief spray and returned to the school gate, where her schoolmates waited. ¡°Take off your jacket.¡± ¡°Let me help you,¡± offered Ysabelle, but Bailey would not let her. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can do it myself.¡± Bailey wrapped his jacket around his arm after taking it off. Then, Sophie approached the young man to lift his arm with one hand while holding the spray with the other. Even though the process could not be simpler, Sophie gave Bailey her full attention anyway. Suddenly, it was as if they were the only two people around. Bailey found himselfpletely captivated by the young woman treating his arm. After she was done spraying, Sophie handed the bottle to Bailey. ¡°Spray again before going to bed and make sure your arm stays dry.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who should be grateful here, Bailey.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. That¡¯s what schoolmates do. Hey, you guys haven¡¯t had dinner yet, right? What do you say we go get something to eat?¡± ¡°Sure. To show my appreciation, I¡¯ll buy,¡± offered Sophie generously. She was the kind of person who knew how to hold a grudge, but at the same time, she was also quick to repay kindness with kindness. The three then went to a pizza ce near Jipsdale Premier High. Sophie only returned to her seat after cing their orders. ¡°I heard Mr. Elswick wanted you to participate in the physicspetition, Sophie. Let¡¯s do it together!¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± Sophie knew she had to keep her promise to Josiah, so she could not afford to be distracted. ¡°Well, I hope you¡¯ll decide to participate.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Ysabelle could not believe there was no hot sauce on the pizza when it got served. ¡°Who eats pepperoni pizzas without hot sauce?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± responded Bailey before ncing at Sophie unconsciously. Sophie may look cold, but she¡¯s actually a very thoughtful person. ¡°Let¡¯s dig in!¡± During dinner, Ysabelle posted on her Instagram: What should I do? I think Soph is going to abandon me for someone else soon. Still, she was lucky the campus hunk was around to save her today. For Soph¡¯s sake, I¡¯ll keep my thoughts to myself for now. It had only been a minute since Ysabelle posted on Instagram when Tristan called her. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± questioned Tristan. ¡°What are you talking about, Uncle Tristan?¡± Ysabelle had no idea what the man was referring to. ¡°Where are you now?¡± ¡°At school, of course!¡± Ysabelle was about to say something else, but Tristan had already hung up. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± inquired Sophie curiously when she saw how baffled her friend was. ¡°Nothing.¡± Ysabelle had not the faintest idea what had gotten into her uncle. Even though she did not say anything about it, Ysabelle thought there was something seriously wrong with Tristan then. When Tristan finally arrived at the pizza ce, he saw the three walk out. Even though he could not hear the conversation between Sophie and the young man beside her, he could see how attentive she was. The two were so absorbed in their conversation that they did not even notice Tristan when they passed by his car. ¡°What are you worried about, Mr. Tristan? It¡¯s just a harmless boy. He¡¯s got nothing on you.¡± ¡°Give me a cigarette.¡± As instructed, Felix lighted a cigarette before handing it to Tristan, who then took a long drag. ¡°Are you okay, Mr. Tristan?¡± Since Felix could not read Tristan¡¯s mind, he could not understand why the man would feel threatened by a boy. So what if he¡¯s the campus hunk? He¡¯s no match for Mr. Tristan when ites to good looks. After their self-study session, Sophie only returned to Wisteria Apartments after watching Ysabelle leave in a car. The young woman only walked for five minutes before she stopped and turned around to look at Tristan behind her. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Chapter 68 She Has Come Of Age ¡°Mr. Tristan, what are you doing?¡± Sophie eximed. She had noticed Tristan tailing her a while back but decided to wait and see what he had up his sleeve. To her surprise, they had almost reached the apartment, yet he still hadn¡¯t taken the initiative to show himself. Knowing that he had been exposed, Tristan went to Sophie and walked with her. ¡°Are you okay? Is the Lombard Group going bankrupt?¡± thetter asked. s, Tristan said nothing. Sophie suddenly stopped in her tracks and added, ¡°Then, what¡¯s with that expression of yours? Are you feeling down?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Come on. I¡¯ll send you home. It¡¯s gettingte.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s grab a bite first! I didn¡¯t have a good dinner earlier,¡± Sophie suggested, remembering how she had only ordered non-spicy dishes because of Bailey. The food was not to her taste that she could feel her hunger pangs return. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Tristan asked as he took her bag. Women who walked past the couple, regardless of their ages, couldn¡¯t help but cast envious nces at them. N?velDrama.Org owns this. What a lucky youngdy! Her boyfriend is such a good-looker and so considerate to help carry her bag! ¡°Oh, let¡¯s go get some barbecue! It¡¯s been so long since I had that,¡± Sophie chirped as she pulled Tristan along excitedly. If I remember correctly, there¡¯s a food truck just up ahead! True enough, a barbecue food truck came into sight after about ten minutes of walking. Sophie pored over the menu and ordered several items that caught her attention. She turned around to look for Tristan, only to notice he was staring at her. Realizing Tristan would stick out like a sore thumb if they ate at the food truck, she quipped, ¡°We¡¯ll take these home to eat!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°Hey, boss, we¡¯d like to do a take-out. A medium spice level will do,¡± Sophie instructed. As much as I love spicy food, I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be wise to overdo it thiste at night. ¡°Got it! Please take a seat first!¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay. That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Sophie replied before sauntering toward Tristan to stand with him. After a while, she broke the silence. ¡°Why have youe today?¡± It hasn¡¯t been that long since we parted, has it? ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I ended up walking here,¡± Tristan exined. ¡°And since it was almost time for your self-study session to end, I decided to drop by.¡± ¡°Oh, okay¡­¡± Sophie answered and said nothing more. She wasn¡¯t particrly curious, so she didn¡¯t see the need to probe further. Unfortunately, there were so many people at the food truck that the waiting time got rather long. ¡°Are you tired?¡± Tristan asked concernedly. Indeed, Sophie was starting to feel the exhaustion setting in. How could she not, when she had attended a shareholders¡¯ meeting in the morning, a ss in the afternoon, and a self-study session at night? ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you head home first? I¡¯ll bring the food back when it¡¯s ready,¡± Tristan urged. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We should be getting our orders soon anyway,¡± Sophie replied. I don¡¯t want to go home. I don¡¯t want to stay there alone. ¡°All right, miss, your food is ready! Oh, and I must say, your boyfriend¡¯s very handsome!¡± the food truck owner teased as he handed a bag of food to Sophie. Just as she was about to pay by scanning the QR code with her phone, Tristan handed a hundred in cash to the owner. ¡°That¡¯s right, miss. You guys are dating, so don¡¯t be shy to spend your boyfriend¡¯s money,¡± the owner said with a chuckle while looking for change. ¡°Keep the change,¡± Tristan uttered. Thanks to the owner¡¯s words, his gloomy mood had done aplete one-eighty. Sophie, too, could also sense the drastic change in him. Wow, he sure has cheered up a lot! Later, on their way home, Sophie bought a case of beer at the convenience store. ¡°Let me take that!¡± Tristan offered. Sophie didn¡¯t reject him either and handed the beers over without hesitation. Now that she didn¡¯t have to carry anything, there was a spring in her step as the couple made their way home. Once they were back in Wisteria Apartments, Sophie quicklyid the food on the coffee table and passed a can of beer to Tristan. ¡°Do you want to drink?¡± Tristan instantly epted it. Knowing that Sophie was in the mood to drink, he was only too happy to join her. With that, Sophie opened another beer for herself and took a long sip. ¡°Oh, the taste is pretty good.¡± After sitting on the carpet and leaning against the couch, she began tucking into her spread of barbecued meats. Tristan, too, picked up a fork and took a few mouthfuls of food. Worried that Sophie might overeat, he began to eat even faster. ¡°Don¡¯t eat so much. It¡¯s not good for your health,¡± he advised. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I only eat these asionally. Besides, many people in Chanaea are fond of barbecued meats, yet they¡¯re all fine, aren¡¯t they?¡± It didn¡¯t take long before Sophie finished her can of beer. After crushing the empty can and tossing it into the bin, she promptly took another. ¡°You can stop eating if you¡¯re not used to the food,¡± Sophie suddenly said. Tristan did as he was told and joined her on the carpet with his beer. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m good!¡± Sophie answered. I merely had a craving for beer. That¡¯s all. Despite having a high alcohol tolerance, she still couldn¡¯t stop her face from getting warm and flushed after downing a few cans of beer at one go. Just as she was about to open another beer, Tristan grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms. Sophie looked up at him in surprise. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ve had enough.¡± ¡°Oh. Well, this is thest can,¡± Sophie insisted as she cracked it open and took a few sips. Then, she set it down on the coffee table and added, ¡°Excuse me, I have to use the bathroom.¡± In all honesty, with Tristan sitting so near her, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little ufortable. Seeing that she was about to leave, Tristan pulled her back into his embrace and nted a kiss on her lips. Even though Sophie wasn¡¯t drunk, her eyes had zed over from the alcohol, making her look even dreamier and more alluring. Breathless from the unexpected kiss and feeling somewhat parched, she hurriedly pushed Tristan away. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty.¡± Without further ado, Tristan fetched a ss of water and fed her. ¡°Time for bed,¡± he muttered. If I continue staring at her like this, who knows what else I might do to her? Sophie nodded obediently and headed back to her room. For the next few minutes, Tristan finished Sophie¡¯s remaining can of beer, tidied up the coffee table, and finally left Wisteria Apartments. The next day, Felix walked into the CEO¡¯s office at Lombard Group and was surprised to see Tristan in a cheery mood. ¡°Mr. Tristan, how didst night go?¡± he teased, curious to find out how far his boss had progressed. ¡°Are you tired of living? What filthy thoughts do you have in your mind?¡± ¡°Of course not! But didn¡¯t you go straight to her as soon as you heard about the campus hunk? You were jealous, weren¡¯t you?¡± Felix said with a chuckle. I can¡¯t believe I had the chance to see Mr. Tristan being green with envy. For that alone, everything¡¯s worth it! ¡°Mr. Tristan, if you like her, you got to tell her! How else would she know about your feelings?¡± Felix added. ¡°Also, there has to be some form of physical contact. Catch my drift?¡± ¡°She¡¯s still young,¡± Tristan replied. There¡¯s no need to rush things. ¡°She hase of age.¡± ¡°Felix, are you sure you want to carry on this discussion?¡± Tristan snapped as he signed the documents that the former had brought along. ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t say anymore.¡± Mr. Tristan has always been ruthless and decisive in everything he does. When it came to love and rtionships, he never seemed to harbor any desires either. But now that he has found someone he fancies, he¡¯s be so willing to dote on her! After finishing her second period of the day, Sophie instantly received the information from Butterfly. Unfortunately, before she could go through it all, she received a call from thetter. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need our help?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter. I got this,¡± Sophie replied. If I can¡¯t even find the confidence to handle it, I wouldn¡¯t be Sophie Tanner! That evening at seven, Sophie skipped her self-study session and went to Nocturnal after changing her clothes. Since she was alone and a total knockout, her appearance soon caught everyone¡¯s attention. To her surprise, the youngdy she was looking for had three men around her and plying her with alcohol. ¡°I can¡¯t drink anymore.¡± ¡°How can that be? You haven¡¯t drunk a lot at all. Come on. I¡¯ll feed you,¡± one of the men urged before pouring whiskey into his mouth to feed her. Seeing how dazed the youngdy was, Sophie immediately strode toward her and pulled her up. ¡°Hey, who the hell are you? How dare you ruin my fun!¡± the man scolded. However, when he looked up and saw how pretty Sophie was, his eyes instantly lit up. ¡°Hey, missy, have you perhaps fallen for me? We¡¯re happy to oblige if you want to join in the fun. You know, I¡¯m a very skilled lover. I guarantee you¡¯ll be satisfied!¡± he said leeringly. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Chapter 69 You Love A Crowd The next second, the man tried to make a move on Sophie, only to have her grab his hand. ¡°I told you to get lost. Did you not hear that?¡± Sophie snapped. She had never been a patient person, but unfortunately, her appearance always made her look meek and vulnerable. s, the man wasn¡¯t about to give up on his lewd advances. ¡°Come on, missy. I¡¯m really amazing in bed!¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Letitia suddenly shouted as she red at the nosy Sophie. ¡°I had my eyes on him first.¡± Thetter arched her brows. My goodness. This girl sure is an odd duck! ¡°Fine. In that case, sorry for bothering you,¡± Sophie muttered before letting go of the man¡¯s hand and returning to her seat. As luck would have it, Felix entered the bar at that moment. ¡°Wait a minute. Are my eyes deceiving me? That¡¯s Sophie, isn¡¯t it?¡± Upon hearing that, Tristan hurried over to take a look for himself. Ah, he¡¯s right. That is Sophie. She had worn a sleeveless sequin dress, and her long hair was draped sensually over her shoulders. As she sat on the swivel chair with her legs crossed, there was no doubt many men would have had the temptation to take her home. Naturally, Winter had also noticed Sophie. After all, Charles had arranged the party at Nocturnal for her so they could celebrate the sess of her new perfume. ¡°Well, well, well. Who¡¯d have thought that a high school student would take a shine to Nocturnal? Then again, who wouldn¡¯t be dazzled by the resplendence here? I suppose it¡¯s even more exciting for Ms. Tanner since she had spent time in a ce like Horington,¡± Winter scoffed. ¡°That said, don¡¯t you think she¡¯s dressed a little too provocatively?¡± In all honesty, Winter hated seeing Sophie near her. No matter where thetter showed up, she¡¯d immediately steal all the limelight, and Winter would no longer be the center of attention. ¡°Watch your words, Winter,¡± Charles warned. What¡¯s the use of making thesements anyway? The more she says, the more she¡¯ll seem rude. Winter shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting anything. I just don¡¯t think it¡¯s safe for a youngdy toe to a ce like Noctural alone.¡± Felix was instantly rendered speechless. I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s shameless enough to say that! It¡¯s wild enough that she¡¯d be worried about something untoward happening to Sophie. ¡°You guys can go over first,¡± Tristan ordered, his expression cold and stoic. Deep down, however, he was fuming. Sophie¡¯s outfit was way too attractive, and several men in the bar were checking her out. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . That, without a doubt, made Tristan very ufortable. All he wanted was to gouge out the eyes of anyone who had the gall to look at her. ¡°Mr. Tristan¡­¡± Winter said before her voice trailed off. She was worried that Tristan might leave, but after seeing his expression, she decided to hold her tongue and walk to their private room. The next second, Tristan marched to Sophie and sat next to her. Like her, his long legs were just as alluring. Having detected movement behind her, Sophie turned around and immediately came face to face with Tristan. ¡°Mr. Tristan, have you installed a tracking device on me?¡± she mused with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Thanks for reminding me. I really should do that,¡± Tristan answered. It¡¯s her fault for always ying with danger and making people worry. Instead of answering him, Sophie decided to change the topic. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for Winter¡¯s celebration party. We¡¯re in the same private room asst time. Are you alone?¡± ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Sophie replied before ncing at Letitia. From the looks of it, I guess she has chosen to sink into the depths of depravity. I¡¯ll have to find some other time to negotiate with her. Letitia is the key to saving Transfix Cosmetics, but I know it won¡¯t be easy to get the truth from her. ¡°Join me then!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m leaving in a bit. Besides, I¡¯m not familiar with Ms. Quigley. I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be nice to crash the party,¡± Sophie exined. More importantly, I know Winter¡¯s not going to like me. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll only stay for a while, and I¡¯ll send you home.¡± ¡°All right, then!¡± As soon as Sophie got up, her long, slender legs stood out even more. s, the men with Letitia noticed that and quickly made their way toward her. After all, how could they let a perfect prey slip away? The lustful man from before whipped out a wad of cash from his bag and mmed it on the table. ¡°Well? Is this enough?¡± Sophie instinctively nced at Tristan, but before she could say anything else, the man shouted, ¡°Why are you looking at him? I have all the money in the world, and if you don¡¯t think this is enough, I¡¯ll give you more!¡± With that, he tossed another thick wad of cash onto the table. ¡°Hey, missy, I really like you. As long as you leave with me tonight, I¡¯ll give you any amount of money that you desire.¡± Winter, who had overheard the conversation, couldn¡¯t help snickering. Oh, my. I wonder how Mr. Tristan would feel after witnessing that. Sophie is such a fool! Doesn¡¯t she know she¡¯s digging her own grave? Once again, this proves I¡¯m the only one worthy of being with Tristan! Sophie suddenly burst outughing. What¡¯s wrong with this guy? Doesn¡¯t he know he¡¯s ying with fire? ¡°Is it still not enough? Fine. I have more!¡± the man thundered as he pped another hundred thousand in cold, hard cash on the table. ¡°Wait a minute. You are¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Trevor Gardner! You might not have heard of me, but I¡¯m sure you know my father, Brayden Gardner!¡± ¡°Brayden Gardner? Oh, so you¡¯re his son,¡± Tristan said coldly with a glint in his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s right! Look, missy, even he knows who my father is! Why don¡¯t you be my girlfriend? I¡¯m serious about it!¡± Trevor eximed as he grinned from ear to ear. ¡°You want me to be your girlfriend?¡± ¡°Yes. What do you think? Leave with me tonight!¡± s, Trevor still had no idea who he had just offended. ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Sophie muttered before taking her phone out to make a call. As soon as the call got through, she immediately rattled off the address of Nocturnal. ¡°That¡¯s the bar I¡¯m in. Bring a few of your kind over here right now.¡± Then, she hung up the phone. ¡°Wow, so you love a crowd! That¡¯s no problem. I know many people who would be happy to join us!¡± Trevor said with a lewd smile. ¡°I see we¡¯re the same kind!¡± By then, Sophie could no longer be bothered to answer him. Tristan, though, couldn¡¯t help but chime in, ¡°You¡¯re courting disaster.¡± How dare he perv on my love! ¡°Why are you so angry? Calm down. If you like, we can rope you in too. You¡¯re quite a looker yourself,¡± Trevor uttered as he looked Tristan up and down. Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t mind trying it out with a man for once. Unable to hold it in any longer, Sophie burst outughing. ¡°Do you know who he is?¡± she asked amid guffaws. I got to hand it to him for even thinking about touching Mr. Tristan. ¡°Does it matter who he is? What¡¯s most important is who I am, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Mr. Tristan, he said you¡¯re not important.¡± ¡°M-Mr. Tristan? Hey, missy, cut it out. Y-Your joke is not funny¡­¡± Trevor stammered. His father had once warned him not to mess with anyone from the four major families of Jipsdale, especially not with the head of the families, Tristan Lombard. ¡°You¡¯ve got some guts,¡± Tristan said as he finally got up from his seat. ¡°So you want to y, huh?¡± ¡°You guys can¡¯t scare me! Why would the real Mr. Tristan show up in a ce like this? I¡¯m not dumb!¡± Trevor retorted, even though he could feel his legs turning into jelly. ¡°I¡¯m indeed Tristan Lombard. You can now think about how you should die to appease me.¡± Upon hearing that, Trevor immediately fell to his knees. ¡°I-Is that really you, Mr. Tristan? Oh, my goodness. I¡¯m such a fool. I didn¡¯t mean to put you down. I¡¯m so sorry!¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Tristan snapped, his voice even louder now. ¡°Do you have a warped understanding of who I am? Is that why you think I¡¯m a kind person who¡¯d easily forgive those who insulted me?¡± Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Keep Him Alive Terrified, Trevor started groveling at Tristan¡¯s feet. Thetter turned to look at Sophie. ¡°Well? What do you think we should do?¡± ¡°Miss, I was wrong. I¡¯ve made a big mistake. Please let me off!¡± Trevor begged, hoping Sophie would be soft-hearted enough to speak up for him. At that moment, five strapping men entered the bar and walked up to Sophie. ¡°Ms. Tanner, we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Mr. Gardner loves having fun with men. You guys like that, don¡¯t you? Take him away! You can do whatever you like to him, but make sure to keep him alive.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Tanner!¡± ¡°N-No! Ms. Tanner, I was wrong! I won¡¯t do it again!¡± Trevor pleaded. A cold grin crept across Sophie¡¯s face. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were amazing in bed? Have you forgotten that you wanted to y with Mr. Tristan too?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know he¡ª¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Sophie interrupted. ¡°You said you love having fun, so I got plenty of people to y with you. By the way, they don¡¯t need your money, so you can enjoy yourself without spending a dime! Take him away! What an eyesore.¡± With that, two of the burly men pulled Trevor to his feet. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mr. Gardner! Stop resisting. Otherwise, don¡¯t me us if you get hurt.¡± Seeing the scene unfold in front of her, Letitia hurried over. ¡°What are you guys doing? Let go of Mr. Gardner this instance, or I¡¯ll call the police!¡± ¡°You¡¯d better mind your own business, Ms. Gatrell! Aren¡¯t you ashamed of yourself after all that you¡¯ve done? What gives you the right to stand here and lecture us?¡± one of the men said before dragging Trevor away. Now that Sophie had instructed them, they¡¯d make doubly sure not to kill Trevor from all the fun they were about to have with him. ¡°Well?¡± Sophie asked as she turned to Tristan. ¡°Are you pleased with that resolution?¡± Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Not really, but I can still ept it.¡± ¡°Y-You¡­ You guys have gone too far! Do you know who his father is? He¡¯s none other than¡ª¡± Before Letitia could finish her words, Sophie interrupted, ¡°So? Do you want to go with him? If that¡¯s what you desire, I can call my men back to take you along. You can all have a wild night together.¡± Urgh. Letitia is seriously testing my patience. Doesn¡¯t she know how tiring it is to teach people a lesson? Suddenly, Tristan removed his suit jacket and tied it around Sophie¡¯s waist. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sophie asked in bewilderment. We¡¯re in a bar, for goodness¡¯ sake. I¡¯m already dressed very modestly for the asion. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go in!¡± Still seething with anger, Letitia ran off to inform Brayden. With Brayden around, Trevor will be fine, won¡¯t he? Tristan and Sophie are feeling pretty smug now, but I¡¯m sure the Gardners will never let them off! Just wait and see! As expected, Brayden immediately sent people to rescue Trevor when he got the call. However, upon learning who his son had offended, he was rendered speechless. ¡°That a*shole! Does he know what he has done?¡± Brayden was a famous director, so it was natural for him to rub shoulders with high society. He might have heard of Tristan¡¯s name, but he had never met thetter in person before. Despite that, he had always known that Tristan was someone he should never provoke, so why was his son dumb enough to poke the bear? ¡°What should we do, then? We can¡¯t possibly leave our only son in the lurch!¡± Brayden¡¯s wife, Valerie, muttered. Brayden flew into a rage. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me? We¡¯re up against Mr. Tristan, for goodness¡¯ sake! No one in Jipsdale or even Chanaea dares to aggravate him! It¡¯s all your fault. You¡¯re home every day, yet you¡¯ve failed to educate our child.¡± ¡°You can rely on your connections, can¡¯t you?¡± Valerie pleaded. ¡°After all, you¡¯re a famous director. I¡¯m sure Mr. Tristan would go easy on you.¡± Left with no other choice, Brayden continued calling up his friends in a bid to track down Tristan. Valerie is right. I¡¯m a famous director with legions of fans. The CEO of Lombard Group can¡¯t possibly make me his enemy and risk incurring the wrath of everyone, can he? Meanwhile, Tristan opened the door to the private room and ushered Sophie in, causing everyone inside to look up at them. After seeing the suit jacket around Sophie¡¯s waist, Felix roared withughter. ¡°Sophie, what a unique dress sense you have!¡± Winter had initially thought that Tristan would change his mind about Sophie after the earlier episode with Trevor. To her horror, not only had he brought Sophie to the party, but he had also shown just how much he cared about her. After all, if she meant nothing to him, why would he mind that others were looking at her legs? Sophie merely shrugged off Felix¡¯sment. Unique? So be it. What baffles me more is why Mr. Tristan doesn¡¯t seem too happy. ¡°Scoot over,¡± Tristan instructed Felix. Without hesitation, thetter got up to sit with Sean, leaving the two-seater couch for Tristan and Sophie. The couple had just taken their seats when Tristan¡¯s phone started ringing. After answering the call and listening for a few seconds, he scoffed, ¡°Well, what do you think? His son pissed me off, so why shouldn¡¯t I teach him a lesson to keep him in line? I won¡¯t kill him, but if he continues antagonizing me, don¡¯t me me for changing my mind.¡± As it turned out, Brayden had managed to find someone to intercede with Tristan on his behalf. ¡°Wow. Who knew Brayden Gardner had that much influence?¡± Sophie mused, surprised that the director could find people willing to help him. Tristan hung up the phone, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. I don¡¯t care who tries to intercede for the Gardners today. No amount of pleading would work. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Mr. Tristan. It¡¯s not good for your health,¡± Winter said as she poured him a ss of red wine. Besides, is it worthwhile getting so worked up for Sophie? Instead of drinking the wine, Tristan opened one of the beers on the coffee table and took a gulp. Naturally, Winter was shocked. Everything around her was changing so rapidly that she had trouble grasping them. ¡°Mr. Tristan, didn¡¯t you use to dislike drinking beer?¡± she blurted out. ¡°Winter, there¡¯s no need to be so strict,¡± Tristan replied. Does she expect me to report my likes and dislikes? How ridiculous. Sophie, too, had grabbed a beer to drink. Winter¡¯s trying to show me up, isn¡¯t she? Why else would she keep implying how much she knows Tristan? Then again, so what if she knows him well? He doesn¡¯t fancy her at all. Winter tightened her grip around the ss. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, Mr. Tristan.¡± ¡°All right, all right. We¡¯re here tonight to celebrate Winter¡¯s sess, so cut her some ck, Tristan,¡± Charles chimed in. He couldn¡¯t bear to see his sister being so infatuated with someone who didn¡¯t reciprocate her feelings. Thankfully, Tristan nced at Charles and said nothing more. Even though she felt aggrieved, Winter merely sat silently, not daring to say anything else. However, there was no doubt that she hated Sophie with a vengeance. I was supposed to have my celebration party tonight, yet Sophie has to show up and ruin everything for me. It hurts so much to hear Tristan criticizing me! ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I should go home now,¡± Sophie muttered as she got up from the couch. Since Winter and I dislike each other, there¡¯s no point in staying here and wasting my time. We should go our separate ways. ¡°Okay. You guys continue with the party, then. I¡¯ll send her home,¡± Tristan said. Winter looked up in disbelief, but Tristan had already left the couch. ¡°Mr. Tristan, what¡¯s this about?¡± Felix asked in bafflement. We¡¯ve barely started drinking, and he¡¯s already on his way out? ¡°I¡¯m not in a good mood. You guys carry on without me!¡± Tristan answered before following Sophie out of the room. ¡°Got it!¡± Ha! So, Mr. Tristan¡¯s also the kind who favors his lover over friends! After leaving the room, Sophie turned to Tristan. ¡°Mr. Tristan, I can make my own way home. You don¡¯t have to give me a lift.¡± ¡°Even if I stayed, I¡¯d only be drinking with them. What¡¯s so fun about that?¡± With so many people jostling about in the bar, Tristan swiftly pulled Sophie into his arms when he saw someone about to bump into her. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Sophie replied. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to stay? I know Ms. Quigley would want you to.¡± ¡°Sophie, it doesn¡¯t matter what Winter thinks. I have nothing to do with her.¡± Indeed, Tristan wasn¡¯t a promiscuous person by any means, and he had never done anything to lead Winter on. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Chapter 71 A Bridal Carry ¡°Okay, then. I apologize for saying that.¡± When Sophie and Tristan left Nocturnal, it was raining heavily outside. ¡°What awful weather!¡± It was pouring, so even if the valet were to drive the car over, they would still be drenched when they walked the short distance. Sophie rubbed her arms, for it was still rather chilly in Jipsdale in November. There was heating in the bar earlier, so she didn¡¯t feel it. Right then, however, she was really cold. Seeing that, Tristan removed the suit jacket from her waist and draped it over her shoulders. Thus, his jacket enveloped her, covering even her bottom. ¡°What should we do now?¡± ¡°How about going back into the bar first? If you don¡¯t like to hang out with them, we can get a private room for ourselves.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t have any issue hanging out with them.¡± Felix and the others aren¡¯t the hateful kind of people. ¡°Okay.¡± Tristan didn¡¯t ask further, for the person speaking was Sophie, and he respected her decision no matter the choice. ¡°Oh well, let¡¯s just take shelter here for a while.¡± There were quite a number of people taking shelter from the rain in front of Nocturnal then. Sophie hadn¡¯t experienced that in a long time, so she found it rather intriguing. ¡°Are you cold?¡± she asked Tristan. He¡¯s only wearing a shirt at the moment, so he¡¯s probably freezing! ¡°Nope.¡± Tristan, on the other hand, turned his gaze to her fair legs. I think she¡¯s cold instead. He then made a call and had the driver bring them an umbre. As the crowd grew, it became increasingly packed. Some couples were already hugging, and others were even kissing. To protect Sophie from being jostled, Tristan kept her in his embrace. His chin came to just above the top of her head. Such a posture was exceedingly intimate, with his warm breath tickling the top of her head. Suddenly, someone jostled Tristan. He inched forward a fraction, upon which both their bodies stered together. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Sophie abruptly felt that it wasn¡¯t a wise decision to take shelter with him under the eaves. At that precise moment, the driver came with the umbre. The car was parked there, but the rain wasing down in torrents, so the curb was already flooded. ¡°I¡¯ll carry you over.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I can walk over by myself.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll ruin your shoes.¡± Sophie initially wanted to say that she didn¡¯t mind, but Tristan had already scooped her up. Meanwhile, the driver opened an umbre for her. ¡°I¡¯ll carry her instead, Mr. Tristan!¡± he offered. How could I have Mr. Tristan doing such a thing? ¡°What did you just say?¡± Glimpsing the look in Tristan¡¯s eyes, the driver immediately shook his head and pretended that he didn¡¯t say anything earlier. ¡°Oh my God, a bridal carry! Look, that¡¯s the ideal boyfriend! Inparison, you aren¡¯t even willing to carry me.¡± ¡°Look at his girlfriend first. She¡¯s as beautiful as a goddess!¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± The girl pinched her boyfriend¡¯s ear. In response, the boy took her hand at once. ¡°No, no, you¡¯re my goddess instead!¡± When Tristan carried Sophie over, the driver promptly opened the car door. After cing her in the car, Tristan took the umbre from him. He closed it before climbing into the car. It only took seconds, but his shirt was all drenched. ¡°How about I return your suit jacket to you?¡± However, Tristan stilled her hand that moved to doff the jacket. ¡°I¡¯m fine, so just continue wearing it.¡± The driver got into the car and turned on the air-conditioning in the car. ¡°Where are we going now, Mr. Tristan?¡± ¡°Drive Ms. Tanner home.¡± ¡°Your shirt is dripping water!¡± Sophie pointed at Tristan¡¯s shirt. At that, Tristan moved to the side slightly. ¡°Now, it won¡¯t drip on you.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I meant.¡± Honest to God, I didn¡¯t mean that! Just then, Tristan sneezed. ¡°Are you okay, Mr. Tristan?¡± the driver swiftly inquired in concern when he heard the man sneezing. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not that delicate.¡± s, no sooner had he finished saying that than he sneezed again. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± This time, Tristan sounded incredibly solemn. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that you¡¯re sick. Sir, please step on it.¡± Sophie merely instructed the driver to speed up. There was heating in the car, so it was actually quite warm already. Nheless, she still felt that he should take a hot bath as soon as possible. Shortly after, the car drove into Wisteria Apartments¡¯ underground parking. ¡°You may go back,¡± Tristan ordered the driver after alighting from the car. ¡°I¡¯ll just wait for you here, Mr. Tristan.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll go back by myself.¡± Since he had said as much, the driver had no rebuttal left and could only leave. Upon returning to the condominium, Sophie removed Tristan¡¯s suit jacket. ¡°Go and take a bath.¡± After all, it was easy to fall sick when one got drenched in the rain in such weather. ¡°Sure!¡± Anyway, Tristan felt very much ill at ease when he was all soaked. He went into the room and took out a change of clothes before taking a bath. Outside, Sophie quickly found a piece of ginger and scraped the skin off. Then, she surfed the inte for recipes for ginger tea. Following the steps stated in Google, she prepared ginger tea. Truthfully, she wasn¡¯t good at cooking. When she was alone in Horington back then, she basically had takeaway all the time. She couldn¡¯t quite fathom which wires in her brain got crossed that day either that she was making ginger tea for Tristan. Tristan soaked in the bathtub for twenty minutes before he came out. Slipping on a white bathrobe, he blow-dried his hair before exiting the bathroom. He opened the door and went downstairs, only to see Sophie reading on the couch. She had already changed into casual attire that was creamy white. As the dim yellow lights illuminated her, it gave off a sense of warmth. After going downstairs, Tristan took a seat on the single couch. When Sophie noticed that he was only wearing a bathrobe, she couldn¡¯t help averting her gaze. ¡°What are you brewing?¡± Tristan queried, breaking the silence in the room. ¡°Ginger tea. It¡¯s my first time brewing ginger tea, so I¡¯m not sure how it¡¯ll taste. It¡¯s about ready now. I¡¯ll go and take a look.¡± Getting to her feet, Sophie went to check on the ginger tea. Meanwhile, Tristan was at a loss for words. Ginger tea? I positively loathe the taste of ginger tea. I don¡¯t have a cold yet, no? Moreover, even when I was really suffering from a cold in the past, I never drank ginger tea. But then, she prepared it especially for me now. He likewise stood up and trailed after her. Sophie uncovered the lid of the earthen pot and watched as the color of the ginger tea darkened. ¡°It should be about ready.¡± Turning off the gas, she snagged a cloth, nning to pour the ginger tea in the earthen pot out. ¡°I¡¯ll do it instead.¡± Tristan took the cloth from her. Wrapping it around the earthen pot, he poured the ginger tea into a bowl. ¡°It looks pretty good.¡± Sophie seemed extremely satisfied with the fruits of her effort. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s indeed pretty good.¡± While saying that, Tristan couldn¡¯t help gulping. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Oh God, ginger tea really tastes strange! It¡¯s bitter, astringent, and spicy! ¡°Are you not drinking it? I prepared it especially for you!¡± Sophie gazed at him expectantly. At her hopeful look, Tristan simply couldn¡¯t bring himself to decline. Well, I reckon that as long as she gazes at me with such a look in her eyes, I¡¯ll drink it without hesitation even if it¡¯s poison! ¡°It¡¯s too hot, so I¡¯m leaving it to cool for a bit.¡± ¡°Phew! I thought youck confidence in my cooking skills, so you don¡¯t dare drink it.¡± The expression on the man¡¯s face was really interesting, causing the corners of Sophie¡¯s mouth to turn up inexorably. ¡°It¡¯s cool enough, Mr. Tristan. If it¡¯s too cold, we¡¯ll have to heat it up again. That¡¯d be troublesome.¡± I¡¯ve got to make it clear that I¡¯m only doing this for his own good. I¡¯m not at all pulling a trick on him! Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Should I Follow The Car Tristan calmly picked up the bowl. Bringing the porcin bowl to his mouth, he took a huge gulp. It¡¯s astringent and spicy. Sure enough, it tastes strange. Sophie continued gazing at him expectantly, hoping that he would finish it all. Under her hopeful gaze, Tristan mustered his courage and downed the rest of the ginger tea. ¡°How was it?¡± Sophie even remembered to ask him for his opinion. ¡°It was good.¡± When Sophie said nothing to that, Tristan reiterated, ¡°Really, it was delicious!¡± ¡°All right, then! Since you like it, I¡¯ll make it for you again next time.¡± At that, Tristan went silent instead. ¡°Or do you not like it?¡± ¡°Of course not! I love it!¡± Sophie washed the porcin bowl and earthen pot before spinning on her heel and leaving the kitchen. ¡°Do you need my help with Letitia Gatrell?¡± Tristan had a thousand ways to have Letitia speak the truth. He was naturally aware that the woman deliberately framed Transfix Cosmetics, but even if he wanted to help Sophie, it still depended on whether she wanted to ept his help. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I can handle it by myself.¡± All at once, Tristan¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Hmm, why does the atmosphere feel as though it¡¯s somewhat chilly? ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong.¡± Tristan hoped that Sophie would rely on him no matter the problems she encountered, but she wanted to resolve everything herself, the thought of asking for his help never once crossing her mind. That had him feeling very much defeated. ¡°I¡¯m not as weak as you think, Mr. Tristan.¡± Truly, I can settle it by myself! Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Okay.¡± Tristan was nomittal. Gah! This is not an issue of weak or otherwise! I merely want to help her. ¡°All right, sleep earlier. You¡¯ve still got ss tomorrow.¡± Not only does she have to attend sses, but she also has to handle the affairs of Tanner Group, so she must be exceedingly busy! ¡°Okay.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t think much about it, merely whirling around and returning to her room. Tristan, on the other hand, stayed in the living room for a while before leaving. At ten past seven in the morning, Sophie headed out after washing up, donning her school uniform, and snagging her schoolbag. No sooner had she exited the residential area than Eustace, who had been waiting for her there, blocked her path. ¡°Ms. Tanner, I need a favor from you.¡± Being a macho man, he was a tad embarrassed when he said that. ¡°I¡¯m busy, Captain Sheppard!¡± After all, she still had to go to school. ¡°I know it¡¯s really mortifying that I need your help all the time, Ms. Tanner. How about this? I¡¯ll treat you to breakfast, and you do me a favor in return.¡± In Jipsdale, Eustace had never lowered himself so much before anyone. He had always been invincible, both in conducting investigations and performing his duties. However, he had no choice but to admit to his inadequacy in front of Sophie. ¡°Never mind, forget about that. Let¡¯s go!¡± All of a sudden, regret swamped Sophie. I must have had some wires crossed back then that I actually went to the police station. If I hadn¡¯t gone in person at that time, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten myself stuck with such a troublesome man! ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll bring you to have breakfast first. You probably haven¡¯t had breakfast, yes?¡± Eustace drove a SWAT car that day, so it was rather ostentatious. He went over and opened the passenger door for her. Meanwhile, Willow had just alighted from the car when she spotted Sophie getting into the SWAT car. Unbidden, her eyes narrowed a fraction. Whipping out her phone, she quickly snapped a photo of it. Who exactly is that man with Sophie? He appears to be a tough nut. Therefore, what exactly is so great about her? Why are there always such formidable figures around her? Conversely, I¡¯ve worked myself to the bone, but I¡¯ve only got Mason on my side. ¡°You¡¯d best pray that I don¡¯t find any dirt on you, Sophie. Otherwise, I¡¯ll crush you right away, allowing you no opportunity to ever make aeback!¡± ¡°Mr. Tristan¡­¡± The driver didn¡¯t dare utter a single word as he sat there like a statue. Mr. Tristan went to The Crown early in the morning and bought breakfast for Ms. Tanner, even bringing it over personally. Unexpectedly, he witnessed her getting into another man¡¯s car. ¡°Should I follow the car?¡± It was his first time encountering such a situation, so he didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Yeah.¡± Just when the driver was going to start the engine, Tristan changed his tune. ¡°Never mind. She has her own freedom.¡± Words eluded the driver. I¡¯ve been working for Mr. Tristan for a long time, but this is the first time I¡¯m seeing this side of him. It looks like he¡¯s really irrevocably in love with her. ¡°Give me a cigarette.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go and buy some cigarettes for you, Mr. Tristan! Mine is too cheap.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just give me a stick.¡± Left with no other choice, the driver took out a stick of cigarette from the cigarette box and handed it to Tristan alongside the lighter. Only after Tristan had finished the cigarette than he ordered, ¡°Let¡¯s go! Head to Lombard Group.¡± The driver finally breathed a sigh of relief. The atmosphere in the car was too frigid, so he hadn¡¯t dared to speak at all. At the same time, Eustace had a hand on the steering wheel as he typed the location into his phone with the other. ¡°The breakfast fare at The Crown is pretty good. Let¡¯s go and eat there!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to go to such trouble. We can just have something simple.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no trouble.¡± Eustace drove to The Crown. He then ordered plenty of food for the two of them. Sophie was very quiet when she ate. She didn¡¯t eat much, so she merely sat there and scrolled through her phone when she had finished eating. Seeing that she was already full, Eustace had the server pack some food for his team members. There were many people on his team, so he ordered a lot for takeaway. ¡°You¡¯re pretty nice to your subordinates.¡± Sophie voluntarily helped him carry some of the bags upon seeing that he couldn¡¯t carry everything. ¡°I suppose so. In our line of work, we risk our lives every day, and a single misstep would result in our demise. As such, our bond is forged in death and blood.¡± At that, Sophie stopped pursuing that subject. Ultimately, Eustace was not wrong at all. All cases that ended up assigned to the SWAT team were difficult cases. Soon, the car drove right into the police station. ¡°Captain Sheppard is back!¡± Danny knew that Eustace had gone to pick Sophie up, so he had been waiting outside. After the jeep came to a stop, Sophie came out of the vehicle. As soon as Danny spotted her, he immediately ran over. ¡°You¡¯re here, Ms. Tanner? I ran into a problem recently. Can you please take a look at it for me?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Sophie went over and helped Eustace with the takeover. ¡°Whoa! Breakfast from The Crown! You¡¯re too nice to us, Captain Sheppard!¡± ¡°Ms. Tanner, Captain Sheppard is very nice to others!¡± ¡°Exactly! Captain Sheppard is definitely a great man, so you must cherish him!¡± Simr sentiments rang out, one after another. Sophie was rendered wholly speechless. So, what are they doing now? Are they promoting their captain? ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough. What nonsense are you all spouting? Go and eat!¡± The moment Eustace spoke, his team members took their breakfast to the side and started wolfing down the food. There was a cafeteria in the police station, and the food was pretty good as well. Compared to the food from The Crown, however, it was still not quite up to that level. Danny brought Sophie to the technical department. ¡°Are you not eating?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± ¡°Ms. Tanner, Captain Sheppard is really nice although he¡¯s a bloody hero to the outside world.¡± ¡°Danny, is Captain Sheppard aware that you¡¯re promoting him in such a manner?¡± I just came over to do them a favor, so why are they all promoting Captain Sheppard? Whatever kind of person he is has nothing to do with me! ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything. I just want to tell you that Captain Sheppard is really an amazing man! If you want to find a boyfriend, you can consider him.¡± Danny didn¡¯t bother masking his intentions at all. If she bes Captain Sheppard¡¯s girlfriend, I¡¯ll be able to ask her questions frequently in the future! Just the mere thought of it is intoxicating! Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Teach Them All A Lesson ¡°Shut up, Danny.¡± Naturally, Eustace, who followed behind Sophie, heard Danny¡¯s remark as well. Good Lord! Why are they saying all this to a little girl? ¡°Don¡¯t take their words to heart. Such is their nature, enthusiastic without any malicious intentions.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Danny proceeded to tell Sophie about the problem they encountered, and thetter managed to resolve it in less than five minutes. ¡°How about this, Danny? Add me to your contacts on WhatsApp. If there are any problems in the future, send them to me directly.¡± In truth, Sophie found it very much a hassle to go to the police station often. ¡°Sure!¡± Danny instantly took out his phone and added her to his contact on WhatsApp. ¡°You¡¯re really incredible, Ms. Tanner!¡± Herputer skills are indomitable! Perhaps only Phantom from Wings of Light is her match! Even then, Danny was blown away by her capabilities. Subsequently, Eustace and Danny saw Sophie out. Eustace opened the door to the jeep. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you back.¡± Without any token protest, Sophie climbed into the car. ¡°Bye!¡± Throughout it all, Danny and the other team members watched on the sidelines. Eustace shot them a re before driving off. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You must have been ill at ease today, huh?¡± ¡°Not really. I¡¯m used to it.¡± At once, Eustace was dumbfounded. Huh? There¡¯s getting used to such a thing? ¡°Then, it seems that you¡¯re very popr, Ms. Tanner.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t reply to thatment of his. Upon seeing that she seemingly didn¡¯t want to talk to him, Eustace felt somewhat defeated. He drove her to Jipsdale Premier High. ¡°I¡¯ll go and exin things to your teacher.¡± By then, two periods had passed. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I can manage by myself.¡± ¡°Thank you very much for today, Ms. Tanner.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to stand on formality with me, Captain Sheppard. All right, I¡¯ll be going in.¡± Eustace watched Sophie enter the schoolpound from the car until she disappeared from sight before he turned the car around and left. She¡¯s shrouded in mystery! By the time Sophie arrived at her ss, the third period had alreadymenced. ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Sophie dered. When Derrick saw that it was her, his brows inexorably knitted together. ¡°Sophie, I know your grades are already excellent, but there¡¯s no end to the pursuit of knowledge. You must continue working hard.¡± ¡°I understand, Mr. Hayes.¡± Derrick was a decent person, so Sophie was extremely courteous to him. ¡°All right, go back to your seat.¡± After returning to her seat, Sophie didn¡¯t sleep out of respect for the man. When the third period had ended, Ysabelle asked Sophie to apany her to the washroom. ¡°Where did you go? Do you know how worried I was? You should¡¯ve brought me with you when you skipped ss!¡± ¡°Ms. Lombard, you seem eager to skip sses!¡± ¡°Of course! It¡¯ll be even better if I get to scale the wall!¡± After having been a good student for such a long time, Ysabelle wanted to do something out of character during her senior year. Only then would she be able to boast of having lived her youth. ¡°Sure! When I¡¯m free, I¡¯ll bring you to do that!¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Really? I just knew that you love me most, Soph!¡± Ysabelle gazed at Sophie in adtion. Sophie didn¡¯t want to go to the washroom, so she plugged in her earphones while waiting for Ysabelle and listened to music as she stood in the corridor. Out of the blue, someone patted her on the shoulder. She nced over her shoulder, only to see that it was Bailey. Puzzlement inundated her, but still, she removed her earphones. ¡°Have you decided whether to join the physicspetition yet?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll be joining.¡± Truth be told, Sophie couldn¡¯t stand Aaron¡¯s pestering anymore. If she didn¡¯t agree, he would hound her until she relented. It was her first time meeting such a teacher. While she was a touch exasperated, she also found him rather adorable. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Bailey took out a pack of chewing gum from his pocket and handed it to her. It was the vor she favored. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t take it. However, Bailey stuffed it into her hand. ¡°I just bought it at the convenience store earlier. I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the physicsb after school.¡± Sophie was entirely floored. Eh? Did I say I was going to the physicsb? Coincidentally, Willow and a few girls from Senior ss 1 came out of the washroom. They witnessed that scene. The few girls were outraged. Bailey is the campus hunk of Jipsdale Premier High and the pride of Senior ss 1. What right does she have to taint him? ¡°Say, why are you so shameless, Sophie? Can you just stay away from Bailey?¡± ¡°Exactly! What¡¯s so great about cing second?¡± ¡°Bailey isn¡¯t someone you¡¯ll ever deserve in terms of both family background and character! You may be rotten yourself, but don¡¯t go around tarnishing others!¡± ¡°Have you all said enough?¡± Sophie grew utterly impatient. Ugh! Their mouths are really filthy! ¡°Look, Willow! Such is your sister! All she knows is to seduce others. How nauseating!¡± Standing at the side, Willow merely watched the show. She felt absolutely delighted at the sight of Sophie surrounded and insulted. ¡°From the look of things, the lot of you will really think that you can walk all over me if I don¡¯t teach you all a lesson today.¡± Sophie then pped them all. ¡°How dare you? You¡¯re such a brute! This is bullying! I¡¯m going to tell the teacher and expose you!¡± ¡°Hear, hear! No one had ever raised a hand against me!¡± ¡°Come, let¡¯s all go and look for the teacher together!¡± ¡°Oh, the lot of you want to go andin to the teacher? I think you¡¯ve forgotten how Queenie ended up in prison. There are surveince cameras along the corridor. Everything you said to me constitutes nder. Bullying, you said? You¡¯re huge in numbers while I¡¯m alone. Who do you think is the victim of bullying here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re simply unreasonable!¡± The few girls were so livid that words eluded them. Besides, they were also fearful at the mention of Queenie. When Ysabelle came out and saw such a crowd, she immediately shoved them away and went over to Sophie. ¡°What are the lot of you doing? Who wants to bully Soph? Over my dead body!¡± Sophie couldn¡¯t help giggling at herical look. How could there possibly be such a cute girl in this world? ¡°Ms. Lombard, do you know that it¡¯s against thew to be so adorable?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Soph. With me here, no one will dare pick on you!¡± After saying that, Ysabelle took her arm and left under the few girls¡¯ resentful gazes. ¡°Such is your sister, Willow.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me we¡¯re to take the humiliation without being able to do anything?¡± ¡°What can we do? Have you forgotten what happened to Queenie?¡± Queenie went to prison, and the Lane family didn¡¯t have it easy either. ¡°Forget it! Don¡¯t provoke her anymore. She won¡¯t show any mercy even to me, her sister. No, that¡¯s not right. She has never regarded me as her sister in the first ce.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really unlucky to have such a sister, Willow. Your life at the Tanner residence must be torture.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be done about it. It doesn¡¯t matter to me that she¡¯s treating me in such a manner since it¡¯ll pass with some toleration. Regretfully, she treats my parents the same way.¡± ¡°She¡¯s really an awful person!¡± After school in the afternoon, Aaron coerced Bailey and Sophie to the physicsb to conduct an experiment. Sophie mastered the experiments in no time, so he was exceedingly satisfied. ¡°You¡¯re truly a rare physics genius, Sophie!¡± Aaron couldn¡¯t helpuding. Then, he asserted, ¡°Trust me in this¡ªunder my guidance, the champion and first runner-up for the physicspetition this time will definitely be ours!¡± Just when Sophie was conducting an experiment, her phone rang. ¡°Bailey, take the call for Sophie. She doesn¡¯t have the time to do so now.¡± ¡°May I?¡± Bailey asked Sophie. In response, Sophie nodded. ¡°Hello. May I know who¡¯s on the line?¡± Bailey pressed the answer call button. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Going Off The Deep End Thinking that he might have dialed the wrong number, Tristan put his phone down and nced at it. It¡¯s Sophie¡¯s phone number all right. Then, who¡¯s the man who answered the phone? Is it the man this morning? So, she¡¯s been with him all this while? Something astringent welled within him. Verily, he was very much unfamiliar with such emotion. ¡°Is Sophie there?¡± His voice was frightfully cial as though dripping ice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but she¡¯s currently upied. I¡¯ll have her phone you back when she¡¯s free.¡± Bailey hung up right after saying that. Sophie was totally focused as she conducted the experiment, so she didn¡¯t bother asking who exactly phoned her. Meanwhile, Tristan¡¯s expression turned even darker. ¡°Are you okay, Mr. Tristan?¡± Felix inquired cautiously. Why is he wearing such an expression? He has been on the brink of blowing his top the whole of today, and he¡¯s even more terrifying now! Again, Tristan phoned Sophie. This time, it was Aaron who answered the call. ¡°You¡¯re already told that she¡¯s busy. Can¡¯t you understand that?¡± He loathed people calling when he was conducting experiments. This time, he turned the phone off right away. Tristan was dumbstruck. Noticing that the man was on the verge of going off the deep end, Felix didn¡¯t even dare to breathe. Tristan¡¯s expression was really intriguing since that was the first time someone dared to speak to him in such a manner. ¡°Who was it, Mr. Tristan? I¡¯ll go and end him!¡± Felix was truly afraid, for it was petrifying when the man lost his temper. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± Tristan¡¯s voice was close to subzero temperature. Felix cast a nce at Sean, who sat across from him. On the contrary, Sean was calm and unruffled as though it had nothing to do with him. But then again, that made sense considering his upation. ¡°You guys enjoy yourselves. I¡¯m leaving first.¡± Getting to his feet, Tristan snagged his suit jacket from the couch and draped it over his wrist before leaving. ¡°Mr. Tristan¡­¡± Felix wanted to persuade him to stay, but he had already left. ¡°It must be because of Sophie again! Truly, I¡¯ve never seen him so affected because of anyone in the past. Say, does love really have so much power over someone?¡± Charles couldn¡¯t help remarking. Finally, Sean lifted his head. ¡°Who knows when love is subjective? All right, seeing that Mr. Tristan has left, I¡¯m leaving as well since I¡¯ve still got a case on my hands.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving as well?¡± It¡¯s been really difficult for the four of us to gather recently! After Tristan got into the car, the driver turned and queried, ¡°Where are we going now, Mr. Tristan?¡± He was exceedingly cautious when he asked that question, for the murderous aura emanating off the man was simply too intense. He¡¯s been like this since he saw Ms. Tanner getting into the SWAT car this morning, and now, it¡¯s even worse. ¡°Jipsdale Premier High.¡± When the driver drove over to Jipsdale Premier High, Tristan didn¡¯t alight from the car, merely sitting in there. He phoned Sophie again, but her phone was turned off. ¡°Please excuse me while I take a puff, Mr. Tristan.¡± Finding the atmosphere scary, the driver decided to make himself scarce. At that exact moment, Aaron stepped out of the gates of Jipsdale Premier High with Bailey and Sophie. ¡°Let¡¯s continue after dinner! There¡¯s still another experiment today.¡± ¡°Mr. Elswick, there¡¯s still a long time before the physicspetition. We really don¡¯t need to be in such a rush.¡± ¡°The physicspetition this time is a nationalpetition, Bailey! If your performance in the physics competition this time is outstanding, you can go to Jipsdale University directly. As such, we must work hard now!¡± ¡°I also think that there¡¯s still much time left. Mr. Elswick, I¡¯ve still got something else to do tonight, so I¡¯ll take a rain check on dinner.¡± As soon as Sophie came out, she caught sight of Tristan¡¯s car. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to have a self-study session today anyway. What else do you have to do?¡± ¡°Would you please give me some freedom, Mr. Elswick? Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t embarrass you during the physicspetition.¡± ¡°Fine, then. Go, go!¡± Thereafter, Sophie walked toward Tristan¡¯s car. ¡°Let¡¯s go! I¡¯ll bring you to dinner. Sophie has taken off, so you can¡¯t do the same.¡± Aaron dragged Bailey along. While being dragged away, Bailey peered over his shoulder, curious to know the identity of the person in the car. When Tristan saw Sophie heading over, he swung open the car door from the inside. Sophie got into the car. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°No particr reason. What were you busy with today?¡± ¡°Nothing! I just went to school as usual!¡± Tristan said nothing. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Mr. Tristan?¡± Sophie sensed something amiss with the atmosphere. ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong.¡± Disappointment flooded Tristan that she was keeping secrets from him. I thought we could at least be honest with one another! ¡°Where were you all nning to go originally?¡± he questioned. ¡°Dinner. Mr. Elswick wanted to take us out for dinner.¡± Us? Does that refer to her and the other guy? ¡°I¡¯ll bring you out to dinner instead!¡± Tristan wound the car window down and instructed the driver to get back into the car. Willow had a stomachache, so she nned to go home to rest. Unexpectedly, she spotted Tristan¡¯s car. She was all too familiar with that car, for she recognized it as the car that often dropped Sophie off at school. That was the first time she beheld the man¡¯s face clearly. He was incredibly handsome and striking. In fact, if he were to join the entertainment industry, he would definitely shoot to stardom. Wanting to take a photo, she took out her phone. s, Tristan swung his gaze at her. She promptly stilled, not daring to move a muscle. Sophie saw Willow as well, upon which a smirk tugged at her lips. What rotten luck to always bump into her! ¡°Step on it,¡± Tristan ordered the driver in the front. Willow stood there with the phone raised in her hand, but she didn¡¯t dare press the capture button. This morning, a SWAT car came to pick her up. Then, Bailey was all attentive to her at school. And now, it¡¯s a man with an unknown identity. She¡¯s really good at seducing people! ¡°I¡¯ll just wait and see how you ruin yourself, Sophie!¡± ¡°That sister of yours seems rather dismal.¡± That remark had Sophie stupefied. That doesn¡¯t seem to have anything to do with me! ¡°Why is your phone turned off?¡± Ultimately, Tristan couldn¡¯t resist voicing that question. Sophie took out her phone and turned it on straight away. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t notice that.¡± Tristan had no response to that. The car drove to Blossom Garden. Sophie had heard of it in the past, but she hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to visit it. The owner of Blossom Garden was a lovely middle-aged woman. As soon as she saw that Tristan brought a guest, she came over to serve them personally. ¡°You haven¡¯t been here in a while, Mr. Tristan. Are you taking your usual room?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The proprietress, Blossom, personally led Tristan and Sophie to a private room with a retro feel. From the window there, one could see the pavilions in the courtyard. It was a stunning sight. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you before, miss. May I be so bold as to ask for your name?¡± ¡°Sophie Tanner.¡± ¡°Go and make the preparations, Ms. Blossom. Just get us the usual dishes.¡± Tristan brought Sophie there so that he could be with her alone for a while. At that, Blossom shed him a charming smile. ¡°You¡¯re finding me the third wheel here, aren¡¯t you, Mr. Tristan? Fine, fine, I¡¯ll leave then.¡± With that, only Tristan and Sophie were left in the private room. Sophie took out her phone, for Danny sent her a WhatsApp message. Since we stepped into the private room, she¡¯s been on her phone. Am I not even as captivating as a phone? When Sophie lifted her head, she saw Tristan staring at her intensely. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you have something to say to me, Mr. Tristan?¡± She couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that he seemed a tad hesitant whenever he looked at her that day. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Too Brutal ¡°No.¡± Tristan said nothing at all. I¡¯m no one to her, so what right do I have to ask so much of her? Whoever she wants to be with is definitely her freedom! Truth be told, he actually understood all that. However, at the thought that Sophie might not belong to him, he would grow terribly frustrated, even if that possibility was negligible. ¡°Oh, okay.¡± In the courtyard outside, a group of teenage girls was dancing in ssical attire. Every single move exuded grace. They snagged Sophie¡¯s attention, so she didn¡¯t bother trying to specte what exactly was wrong with Tristan. Sigh! At that, Tristan couldn¡¯t help sighing. There¡¯s still a long way to go before I win her over. Never had I imagined that such a day woulde for me! When the dance ended, a young maiden in white and wearing a veil came out to y the harp. Right then, Blossom came with a few other servers and served the food. ¡°Enjoy the food, Mr. Tristan, Ms. Tanner. Just call me if you need anything else.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Tristan picked up the bottle of sherry on the table. ¡°This bottle is really unique!¡± The bottle was simr to those in historical movies on television, but it was even more exquisite. ¡°Yeah.¡± Tristan opened the bottle of sherry and poured some for Sophie as well. ¡°Try some. The most famous item here in Blossom Garden is its sherry.¡± ¡°Are you trying to get me drunk, Mr. Tristan? What do you want to do?¡± Sophie arched an eyebrow, her eyes stunning beyond words. ¡°I want to do everything, but I can¡¯t do anything.¡± She was young, so he wouldn¡¯t do anything to her no matter how fevered he was. ¡°I was just joking.¡± Sophie liked that ce a lot. She picked up the crystal ss and took a sip. Sure enough, the taste was superb. It was incredibly mellow, a different tastepared to red wine. In a single gulp, she downed the sherry in the crystal ss. ¡°Can I have more?¡± Withoutmenting, Tristan poured her some more sherry. ¡°Sophie, it¡¯s not appropriate for a girl to drink in front of men. You must learn to protect yourself. In the future, don¡¯t drink with other men.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll drink with you in the future!¡± Sophie deliberately dered with a smile. Tristan didn¡¯t mind though he was aware that she was intentionally teasing him. ¡°Don¡¯t just drink. The food at Blossom Garden is also top-notch.¡± He took some vegetables for her. ¡°Go ahead and eat. You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± Actually, Sophie wasn¡¯t all that hungry. But she really liked the sherry. I wonder if Ms. Blossom will be willing to sell me a few bottles. ¡°Mr. Tristan, how¡¯s your rtionship with Ms. Blossom?¡± ¡°What rtionship?¡± Tristan frowned, for he didn¡¯t want her to misunderstand. However, it turned out that he was the one who misinterpreted her remark. ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m pretty fond of the sherry here. Please have Ms. Blossom sell me a few bottles.¡± At once, Tristan was stumped. ¡°Blossom Garden doesn¡¯t sell its sherry. Whoever wants to drink it can onlye here.¡± Even if the president himself came, the same principle applied. ¡°Even you can¡¯t get it, huh?¡± Disappointment showed on Sophie¡¯s face. At the sight of her crestfallen expression, distress inundated Tristan. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m in Jipsdale now anyway, so I cane whenever I like!¡± Subsequently, Sophie poured herself another ss of sherry. ¡°What an alcoholic!¡± Tristan didn¡¯t expect her alcohol tolerance to be so high that she seemed fine even after drinking a few sses. ¡°Don¡¯t drink so much. It kicks in very strongly. Once, Felix got drunk at Blossom Garden.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Having drunk quite a bit, Sophie went over to the window to watch the performance outside. Unexpectedly, she saw Juan with Letitia. This time, it was only the two of them. Well, he recovers pretty quickly. Juan went into the adjacent private room with Letitia. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. I just spotted someone I know. Wait for me here for a while.¡± Sophie stood up. Back then, I didn¡¯t get to settle the score with Letitia because I bumped into him and the others. Meanwhile, Juan had just taken his seat when Letitia snuggled up to him. ¡°Mr. Quigley, didn¡¯t you say that I could act in Mr. Quelch¡¯s new movie? The filming is about to start. When are you going to make the arrangements?¡± As she spoke, her hands weren¡¯t idle either, roaming about his chest. ¡°If you serve me well, I¡¯ll have you take the female lead directly and give you the role.¡± Letitia had quite the looks. Otherwise, he would have gotten sick of her after fooling around with her for a month. However, after seeing Sophie at Nocturnal, he felt that she was too vulgar. When Sophie opened the door, she was greeted by the sight of them in a scandalous posture. ¡°Who the hell dares to disrupt me?¡± The instant Juan lifted his head, he saw Sophie eyeing him with a half-smile. That expression of hers had Juan stiffening immediately. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Tanner. I didn¡¯t know that it was you.¡± He was so stricken that his face had gone pale. Letitia, on the other hand, quickly straightened her clothes when she saw Sophie entering the room. ¡°Please step out for a moment, Mr. Quigley.¡± Sophie was exceedingly courteous. ¡°Sure! I¡¯ll leave right away!¡± Juan was truly terrified, for her methods were too brutal. Wanting to leave as well, Letitia got to her feet. s, Sophie blocked her path. ¡°You¡¯re a media student, right, Ms. Gatrell?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Letitia tried her best to appear brave. This is a society governed byw, so she won¡¯t dare to do anything to me. ¡°Do you still remember the brand Transfix Cosmetics? I¡¯m sure you haven¡¯t forgotten about it.¡± Letitia went silent for a moment. So, she¡¯s someone from Tanner Group. ¡°Who are you? And what exactly do you want? Ms. Tanner, I don¡¯t care who you are, but it¡¯s a fact that I was almost disfigured because of Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ makeup!¡± Striding up to her, Sophie grasped her chin and turned her face this way and that. ¡°Your face looks perfectly fine to me! Ms. Gatrell, you¡¯re really gutsy to frame Tanner Group!¡± ¡°How dare¡ª¡± Letitia wanted to argue further, but she couldn¡¯t utter a single word under Sophie¡¯s gaze. ¡°I came to seek you out today to give you a final chance. You¡¯d best rify the matter personally. Otherwise, you¡¯ll know the consequences.¡± Fear struck Letitia. Sophie then spun around to leave. ¡°Don¡¯t try to y tricks with me. Otherwise, I¡¯ll make it so that you can never make a living in the entertainment industry!¡± Nowadays, all girls who had some beauty wanted to join the entertainment industry. ¡°Damn it!¡± Back then, it was because Letitia saw that Tanner Group was on a downhill decline that she dared to utilize Transfix Cosmetics. She yed the victim, but she also gained much poprity from that. Never had she imagined that present situation. If I admit that I framed Transfix Cosmetics, I won¡¯t be able to stay in the entertainment industry anymore! When Sophie returned to the private room where Tristan was, she was greeted by the sight of him smoking by the window. ¡°Give me a cigarette as well!¡± Hearing that, Tristan promptly tossed his cigarette into the trash can. Sophie was dumbfounded. ¡°I¡¯m not smoking anymore, so you shouldn¡¯t smoke either.¡± Tristan felt that he needed to lead by example in front of her. ¡°Do you think Letitia will listen to you?¡± She¡¯s pretty good at kicking up a fuss. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if she doesn¡¯t.¡± Sophie smiled nonchntly. ¡°Whatever floats your boat.¡± Tristan didn¡¯t bother speaking further. Sure enough, Letitia sought out a journalist the next day and revealed the despicable act of a heinous capitalist threatening her, an inconsequential character with no one backing her up. As soon as that news came out, many verified ounts on Twitter started hyping it up. In the blink of an eye, Transfix Cosmetics and Tanner Group became the talk of the town. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Heartless The matter kept on brewing. The majority of the people had animosity toward the rich and empathized with the weak. Especially Letitia¡¯sst words. She hoped everyone would remember that if anything happened to her, it was for the cause of justice. Someone posted: How pitiful! Letitia thought she could make a career in the entertainment industry after enrolling at the University of Communication. I bet she never thought things would turn out this way. Aizen wrote: Yeah, how cruel of the Tanner Group! Transfix Cosmetics had nearly destroyed the face of a girl who depended on it to put food on her table. She was merely revealing the truth. How could they be so ruthless? Onement wrote: You don¡¯t know then. How can a girl survive in the entertainment industry without any backup? Anotherizen posted: I¡¯ll boycott Transfix Cosmetics and all the other brands under the Tanner Group. Someone else wrote: That¡¯s right. I agree to boycott. Anotherizenmented: Please release a statement, Tanner Group. Suddenly, a wave to boycott Tanner Group swept the inte. Willow was thrilled at the news. Didn¡¯t Sophie think highly of herself? Let¡¯s see how capable she is this time around. Sophie had juste out of ss when she saw Willow waiting for her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste my time on her, but why does she keep showing up in front of me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re too pretty, Soph. That makes you a target of others¡¯ jealousy.¡± ¡°Is there something to be happy about, Sophie? With you causing so much damage to the Tanner Group, do you think Grandpa will still take your side?¡± ¡°Ignore her, Soph.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Wasn¡¯t that the truth?¡± At that moment, Sophie¡¯s phone rang. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Grandpa? All right, got it. I¡¯lle over in the afternoon.¡± Willow¡¯s heart leaped up in joy at Sophie¡¯s words. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can stay happy.¡± I¡¯m sure the reason Grandpa summoned her is rted to today¡¯s incident. He cares about the name and image of Tanner Group the most. Sophie is a goner this time. ¡°Why is she acting all arrogant, Soph? She¡¯s not as pretty, her body is not as curvy, and even her brain isn¡¯t as smart as you.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Willow was so furious that she couldn¡¯te up with a retort. ¡°Laugh on! We¡¯ll see how long you canugh.¡± Willow whirled around and left. I don¡¯t have to do anything but watch. Sophie has to leave Tanner Group no matter the cost. Tanner Group is mine! There¡¯s no way she can take anything from me. ¡°Soph, are you all right? Should I ask for Felix¡¯s help? He¡¯s close to the media.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let Letitia continue her act.¡± It¡¯s better if this matter esctes even further. ¡°All right, I trust you. No matter what our Sophie does, she¡¯ll do it well.¡± Meanwhile, Felix was in Tristan¡¯s office. ¡°Mr. Tristan, are you sure you don¡¯t need me to interfere?¡± I don¡¯t understand what Mr. Tristan is thinking. Doesn¡¯t he care about Sophie a lot? Why is he acting this way now? ¡°She can handle it.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± What else can I do when Mr. Tristan is as cool as a cucumber? After sses let out, Willow was waiting to go back with Sophie. Once Sophie came out and saw Willow talking to the driver, she didn¡¯t want to spare another nce at her and turned to leave in another direction. ¡°What are you doing, Sophie? Grandpa asked me to take you back. Why are you running away?¡± Now you¡¯re scared? Don¡¯t have the guts to face your family members? ¡°Can¡¯t I not go with you?¡± Sophie hailed a taxi, got in, and gave the driver the address without giving Willow any time to react. ¡°Dang!¡± Anger coursed through Willow. Why is she so arrogant? ¡°Let¡¯s go, Ms. Tanner. We¡¯ll miss the show if we¡¯rete,¡± the driver reminded Willow. ¡°That¡¯s right! There¡¯s a good show today for sure. How can I miss it?¡± Back at the Tanner residence, Yale wasining to Josiah about Sophie. ¡°Dad, look at this. Look at the mess Sophie has caused. The Tanner Group¡¯s share is still dropping.¡± Yale paced around the living room agitatedly. ¡°That¡¯s right. Sophie is still a child. We can¡¯t let her risk the Tanner Group like this.¡± ¡°Dad, I know I didn¡¯t manage Tanner Group well the past few years, but at least nothing as bad as this happened while I was in charge.¡± ¡°Are you done talking? The reason Sophie did what she did was for the Tanner Group. Silence, all of you!¡± ¡°Dad, I¡¯m your son!¡± Am I that untrustworthy? Sophie heard Yale badmouthing her the minute she stepped into the Tanner residence. ¡°I¡¯m back, Grandpa.¡± Sophie set her bag down on the couch. Yale could feel his anger grow the moment she appeared. ¡°What the heck are you doing, Sophie? I know you¡¯re still mad at us for abandoning you at Horington, but you can¡¯t destroy the Tanner Group like this!¡± Yale was shouting so loudly that Sophie could hear ringing in her ears. She picked at her ear, trying to relieve the ringing. ¡°You¡¯re too loud,¡± Sophie said nonchntly. ¡°You¡ª¡± Anger coursed through Yale at her impassiveness. ¡°Do you hate the Tanner family so much?¡± Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Shut up, Yale!¡± Ever since Sophie came in, he could only hear Yale¡¯s voice. Yale sat down with a huff, the re he gave Sophie was enough to kill her a thousand times over. Willow hade back at that time too. When she felt the tense atmosphere in the room, she smiled inside. ¡°Grandpa, Dad, Mom, I¡¯m back.¡± ¡°Go upstairs. This matter doesn¡¯t concern you.¡± Charmaine didn¡¯t want Willow to hear anything about the matter and only wanted Willow to focus on her studies, so she could get into a good university and make a career out of art. ¡°Okay.¡± Willow obeyed obediently and went upstairs. However, the minute she was out of sight, she immediately hid in the back and stealthily eavesdropped on the conversation downstairs. How can I let such a good opportunity go? I¡¯m happy to listen to anyone criticizing Sophie. ¡°Sophie, no matter what you do, I believe you.¡± Since I¡¯ve already transferred the twenty percent of shares to her, she has the right to make all the decisions. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa.¡± Grandpa has always trusted me wholeheartedly. No matter how ridiculous the things I did are in other¡¯s eyes, Grandpa would still support me. Hisplete trust moved her. ¡°Dad, how can you still be like this at this point in time? The Tanner Group is your blood, sweat, and tears. Can you bear to watch it fall into ruins?¡± Yale was simmering with anger at Josiah¡¯s attitude. ¡°I see that you¡¯ve gone truly senile.¡± ¡°Are you done?¡± Sophie asked in a chilling tone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa. I know what I¡¯m saying.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good as long as you understand what you¡¯re doing. Stay for lunch.¡± The reason he summoned her was so that he could have lunch with the whole family. He had always wanted to bridge the distance between the family members. However, no matter how much effort he put in, the others didn¡¯t take it to heart. He felt helpless at his failed attempts. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Grandpa. I still have other things to do.¡± ¡°Sophie, I¡¯m warning you. Don¡¯t do anything that¡¯ll harm Tanner Group¡¯s benefit. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me when I turn against you.¡± I don¡¯t care who is it. I will not show mercy to the person that brings me loss, even if that person is my daughter. I¡¯ll treat her all the same. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Ruthless Willow, who¡¯d been eavesdropping, was dissatisfied. Is Grandpa going to take her side no matter how big of a mess Sophie caused? It looks like age is getting to him, that¡¯s why he starts acting soft. ¡°Dad, are you going to watch Tanner Group fall into ruins?¡± Yale was still unwilling to ept the fact that Josiah was taking Sophie¡¯s side. ¡°I have no choice even if it does fall into ruins. Didn¡¯t I give you a chance too? Tanner Group turned out to be in its current state under your leadership. What do you have to say for yourself? Now, I¡¯ve given that chance to Sophie. No matter what decision she makes, I¡¯ll support her. No matter what the oue is, I¡¯ll ept it.¡± Josiah didn¡¯t want to say anything anymore, so he turned around and went upstairs. ¡°What should we do now? Thepany¡¯s stocks were down by tens of millions within several hours. On the bright side, I presume not even a single shareholder is on Sophie¡¯s side now.¡± ¡°Right, no one is going to want to take her side with the present situation. The final victory belongs to me. Dad wants her to inherit the Tanner Group, right? How is that even possible?¡± I will never let that happen. ¡°Yale, no matter what, she¡¯s your daughter. I hope you don¡¯t cross the line.¡± Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Humph, women have no rationale. You treated her like your daughter, but did she ever treat you as her mother? Has she even shown us any kindness ever since she returned?¡± ¡°I only hope you can let her live.¡± She¡¯s my flesh and blood, regardless. How can I not care for her? ¡°That depends on her performance. I won¡¯t be heartless if she doesn¡¯t get in my way.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t go to school in the evening. Instead, she went to Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ Development Department. Sophie asked the receptionist, ¡°Is the person in charge around?¡± ¡°May I know who you are? Why are you here instead of school at this hour?¡± the receptionist asked impassively. The receptionist merely wanted to send the young girl away when she saw it was just a normal high schooler. ¡°I request an audience with your general manager. Can you have here down to meet me?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t cause trouble here. If you refuse toply, I¡¯ll have to ask the security to escort you out of the premise.¡± We don¡¯t even get our pay on time these days. Wasting our time here cking off feels terrible. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s best I resign from my post. What do you think we¡¯re still doing here? Now that Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ sales are at an all-time low, no, scratch that, I should say zero sales. If this goes on, we¡¯d lose our job sooner orter, might as well we leave now and search for new jobs!¡± ¡°Yeah. I even heard that the Tanner Group had handed us over to a high schooler. Say, do you think a high schooler can manage thepany well? Aren¡¯t we going to end if this goes on?¡± ¡°I request an audience with your general manager. Are all of you deaf? Also, I¡¯m the high schooler you¡¯re talking about. If you¡¯re staying, do your job, otherwise, you can choose to leave now.¡± Oh my gosh! Did my boss actually hear me gossip about her? ¡°Ms. Tanner, right? I¡¯ll bring you up right away. The general manager is currently having a meeting.¡± Sophie followed one of the receptionists into the elevator and ignored the rest. ¡°Ms. Lineker, we really can¡¯te up with an idea. We didn¡¯t manage to sell even a piece of cosmetics since the incident. The entire nation is boycotting us due to Ms. Sophie. Yet, you¡¯re asking me to think of a solution for that? That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Yeah. We all know now how crazyizens can get. The products they boycott won¡¯t be able to survive. If this goes on, we¡¯ll lose our job.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry we can¡¯t be colleagues anymore. I¡¯ve decided to switch jobs. I hope we¡¯ll meet again somewhere.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± The general manager of Transfix Cosmetics, Wilma Lineker, didn¡¯t think her colleague would turn in their resignation. At that time, Sophie, who had been listening in by the door, gently knocked on the door and attracted the attention of everyone in the meeting room. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no hope for Transfix Cosmetics with the current management allowing just anyone to enter the conference room. If this goes on, you won¡¯t have any prospects. Does anyone else wants to leave with me?¡± The woman who resigned wanted to bring a team with her. ¡°Ms. Summers, I¡¯m leaving with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going with you too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re crossing the line here, Rachel! It¡¯s fine if you¡¯re leaving, but now you¡¯re nning to take my people with you? Do you have no regard for me?¡± Transfix Cosmetics was Wilma¡¯s blood, sweat, and tears. She had worked for Tanner Group since she was a fresh graduate. She was the one who set up Transfix Cosmetics. ¡°I guarantee your new sry will be twice your current one if youe with me. It¡¯s fine if you¡¯re unwilling, we¡¯ll still be friends.¡± Rachel got up and left. The few girls that piped up earlier also got up and left. ¡°Is there anyone else leaving? Anyone who doesn¡¯t feel anything for Transfix Cosmetics may leave now.¡± Sophie searched for a seat and sat down. The reason she was there that day was to make some reorganizations. She never thought she would see such an incident. ¡°You are¡­¡± Wilma had never seen Sophie before, so she didn¡¯t recognize her. ¡°I¡¯m Sophie Tanner. From today onwards, I¡¯ll be in charge of Transfix Cosmetics.¡± ¡°My words earlier still stand. Anyone who wants to leave may leave now. I won¡¯t force anyone to stay.¡± ¡°Ms. Sophie, you¡ª¡± Wilma knew once an employee has a change of heart, it would be pointless if they continued to stay. However, they couldn¡¯t afford to lose more manpower. ¡°Wilma, is it?¡± With one nce from Sophie, Wilma immediately stopped talking. ¡°Are you willing to stay?¡± Sophie asked. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m willing to stay. Transfix Cosmetics is my blood, sweat, and tears. I won¡¯t give up on it no matter what.¡± ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ll follow Ms. Lineker no matter what happens.¡± The ones that stayed were Wilma¡¯s trusted subordinates. ¡°Very well. I know all of you have doubts about me. The attack on Transfix Cosmetics is scary, but please believe me. I have full control of the situation.¡± ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay, Ms. Sophie? The rumors are getting worse. The whole inte is boycotting Transfix Cosmetics. Even if we have a new product, we can¡¯tunch it, and even if we dounch it, no one will buy it.¡± ¡°You have a new product now?¡± Sophie turned to Wilma. Wilma immediately handed over a proposal to Sophie. It doesn¡¯t matter whether I¡¯m agreeable to being under her management. Since Sophie is now the person in charge, I¡¯ll do what I¡¯m supposed to. Sophie quickly looked through the entire proposal. ¡°I have three conditions for your current proposal.¡± ¡°Firstly, the new product¡¯s quality has to pass the quality control. The details¡­¡± ¡°Secondly, we¡¯ll hold a press conference for theunch a weekter. It will be at¡­¡± ¡°Thirdly, I want to be in charge our brand ambassador.¡± Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Blushing Wilma didn¡¯t harbor any hope for Sophie, but after the former heard thetter¡¯s analysis and requests regarding the case, the former got a tad excited. It had been a long time since Wilma felt that kind of intense excitement. Under Sophie¡¯s lead, Transfix Cosmetics will no doubt return to its former glory! In fact, it may even surpass its previous achievements and be better than before! ¡°All right, Ms. Sophie.¡± After a long pause, Wilma found her voice again because she was just that emotional. Everyone stared at Sophie in shock. They couldn¡¯t believe she was just a normal high-schooler because her thought processes were so many times more advanced than the students from prestigious universities like themselves. When Sophie finished, she was slouching on the chair, staring at them. Even though she was exuding anguid vibe, they were all blushing as they stared at her. ¡°Do you all have any other questions? If there aren¡¯t any other problems, I¡¯ll let Ms. Lineker handle the company matters. As for thements on the inte, I¡¯ll take care of it. There¡¯s no need for you all to worry about it.¡± Seeing how everyone was staring at her, Sophie reassured them. ¡°I don¡¯t have much issue with most of what you said except for your third point. With how Transfix Cosmetics is right now, there¡¯s basically no one who¡¯ll be willing to be the ambassador for the company, Ms. Sophie.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯ve already contacted a few celebrities, but they¡¯d all rejected our requests.¡± ¡°In the past, they were the ones who came to us when they were desperate. Now that we ask them for help, they wouldn¡¯t let us in at all. It¡¯s outrageous.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! The situation in Transfix Cosmetics is really tough right now, Ms. Sophie!¡± Sophie straightened her back and informed, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. I want all eyes on our new marketing campaign this round.¡± After she finished her sentence, she left. Wilma personally sent her out. ¡°You don¡¯t have a driver¡¯s license yet, right, Ms. Sophie? I¡¯ll drive you to your destination.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯ve been doing your best in Transfix Cosmetics, Ms. Lineker. Once you take care of the company¡¯s issue properly, I hope you¡¯ll be willing to help me manage it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Ms. Sophie! I¡¯ve poured my blood and sweat into thepany, so I¡¯ll definitely make sure to take good care of it!¡± All those years, It wasn¡¯t that no one had tried to poach her. It was just that she didn¡¯t want to leave because that was where her dream started. She spent an enormous amount of time and effort to push Transfix Cosmetics to its current position. Therefore, there was no way she would give up and leave. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I won¡¯t let you down! I have faith in you, Ms. Sophie. I trust that you can take thepany to even greater heights. Sophie slept until noon on Sunday. It wasn¡¯t until she epted Ysabelle¡¯s invitation for lunch that she got up and washed up. ¡°Are you all right, Soph? You really shouldn¡¯t pay any attention to those nastyments,¡± Ysabelle advised. Even though Soph isn¡¯t saying anything, it still makes me worry about her. ¡°I¡¯m fine! Rx. I¡¯ll let Letitia parade around for a few more days.¡± Sophie was going to give Letitia more chances to show off her acting skills. After she almost finished lunch, she suddenly felt her stomach cramping. ¡°I need to go to the restroom.¡± ¡°Do you need me to apany you?¡± Ysabelle asked. ¡°No need! You should just eat.¡± Sophie spent some time in the restroom before she felt better. Hmm, if I¡¯m not wrong, my menstruation period should be around the corner. I need to go get some padster¡­ When she opened the door, she saw Letitia smiling at her smugly. Sophie ignored her and washed her hands at the washbasin. ¡°If you apologize to me now, I¡¯ll consider letting Transfix Cosmetics go!¡± Letitia negotiated. Sophie didn¡¯t want to talk to her. She¡¯s so incredibly greedy. Even now, she¡¯s still trying to extort more money. When she went out, Letitia followed behind her and abruptly said, ¡°I¡¯m at my wit¡¯s end now, Ms. Tanner! I beg you, please show me mercy! Yes, I know I shouldn¡¯t have told the truth, but now, every night, I can¡¯t sleep! Please, let me go! I¡¯m just an ordinary civilian. I¡¯m no match for Tanner Group!¡± From the moment she started speaking, Sophie knew what she was doing. If my guess is correct, there¡¯s probably a recording device on her body. What a cheap tactic this is. ¡°Ah! Ms. Tanner! Why did you hit me?¡± Letitia uttered as she gave herself a p. Sophie stayed silent and watched her continue to put on a show. Despite being red at intently, Letitia stubbornly continued to act out her script. ¡°Have you had enough fun, Ms. Gatrell? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible for you to make it big in the entertainment industry with your poor acting,¡± Sophie dissed. ¡°You¡ª¡± Letitia pulled out her recording device and pressed stop. ¡°You need not worry about how I¡¯ll fare in the future, Ms. Tanner. Although, with your current reputation on the inte, what do you think will happen if theizens heard this recording?¡± ¡°Let me ask you something, Ms. Gatrell. Are the cosmetics sold by Transfix Cosmetics really defective? Or is it just something you made up to get attention?¡± When Letitia saw the confused look on Sophie¡¯s face, she grinned smugly. ¡°I bet you¡¯re really regretting taking over Transfix Cosmetics now, Ms. Tanner! Say, you¡¯re just a high- schooler. Why are you doing this instead of studying? I kind of pity you, so I¡¯ll tell you this. That¡¯s right, there¡¯s absolutely nothing wrong with Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ products at all! I tampered with them. But who¡¯s going to believe you? Even if you tell everyone what I said, still no one will believe you, because everyone only trusts me now. I¡¯m the victim here, you see. Nheless, if youpensate me right now, I¡¯ll consider letting thepany off. Say, how much are you all willing to pay this time?¡± Thest time she did that, she got five million aspensation. Although, she had already spent all of it. She wanted to be a famous actress, and she was convinced the reason she hadn¡¯t be a star yet, despite her outstanding acting skills, was because she didn¡¯t have any backup behind her. If only I have someone to back me up, nobody could be my match! ¡°So you¡¯re doing all of this for money? Do you think theizens who are on your sides are all idiots, Ms. Gatrell?¡± Sophie questioned further. ¡°That¡¯s right, they¡¯re all idiots. I just need to squeeze out a few drops of tears and they¡¯ll think I¡¯m the poor victim. Isn¡¯t what¡¯s happening now the best evidence for that? Tanner Group¡¯s stock is plummeting, isn¡¯t it? If you want this to stop, the only way you can do so is bypensating me. That¡¯s the sole solution to your problem. You have one day to think about it. If you give me thirty million, I¡¯ll pretend what happened today never urred and let this story slide from the public consciousness. Otherwise, I¡¯ll destroy Transfix Cosmetics and Tanner Grouppletely!¡± Letitia then left while waving the recording device in her hand. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . She was certain no one in Tanner Group would dare toy a finger on her, and that if anything happened to her, people would think Tanner Group was responsible. Sophie nced at the surveince cameras in the corridor. Well, this is certainly an unexpected gain when I¡¯m just here to have a meal. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Apany Me Sophie returned to the restaurant and turned on theptop in the establishment. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What are you doing?¡± Ysabelle asked curiously. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just received an urgent email that I need to reply to. Wait for me for a moment.¡± The laptop was much slower than hers as it took almost a minute to boot. She swiftly typed a string of code on the keyboard before she found the surveince footage of the corridor. Seems like the footage captured was in HD vision. It even has audio recording, too. After downloading the footage, she sent it to her email and wiped off any trace of her using theptop. Once their meal was over, Sophie and Ysabelle went shopping in Monarch Mall. Ysabelle was trying out clothes inside when Wilma called. ¡°Ms. Sophie, we arrived at the same time Rachel and the others did. However, they chose Rachel.¡± Wilma sounded sad. ¡°No need to worry, though. I¡¯ll continue to work hard. I¡¯ll definitely find a suitable ambassador!¡± ¡°I know, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already found a suitable candidate to be our brand ambassador,¡± Sophie replied. ¡°What? You already found one? Who is it?¡± It wasn¡¯t that Wilma didn¡¯t believe Sophie, it was just that no one else was willing to be their ambassador so far. ¡°Cecelia Lance.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Cecelia Lance.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear that wrong, right, Ms. Sophie? Cecelia is the newly crowned queen of movies! Her future is very promising! Will she really agree?¡± Wilma and her team had been looking for newbies to be their ambassador and even they had refused. It was why she doubted Cecelia would agree. ¡°She¡¯ll agree. Just take care of the matters I told you to handle,¡± Sophie assured. ¡°Okay.¡± Even though Wilma was still doubtful, she knew Sophie¡¯s temperament, so she didn¡¯t dare to ask any more questions. Rachel still didn¡¯t want to leave after exiting Lorelei¡¯s house because she was waiting tough at Wilma. I¡¯ve been overshadowed by her for a long time in Transfix Cosmetics. It¡¯s finally my turn to shine. ¡°No need to feel that bad, Wilma! It¡¯s actually good that you didn¡¯t manage to invite Lorelei to be your spokesperson. Nowadays, no one is using Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ products. You can¡¯t even pay your employees their wages, much less spend an enormous amount of money hiring someone as famous as Lorelei!¡± Rachel mocked. ¡°That¡¯s right! Transfix Cosmetics is over! I think you lot should quickly find a new job! If you can¡¯t work in the same industry anymore, I suggest washing dishes at a hotel!¡± one of Rachel¡¯spanions mocked. Wilma¡¯s face darkened. D*mn you, Rachel! ¡°Look at you, Rachel, acting all smug. You made your choice, and we¡¯re fine with that. There¡¯s no need to kick us when we¡¯re down. Besides, it¡¯s not over and the winner has yet to emerge!¡± she retorted. Rachel sneered, ¡°You¡¯re as stubborn as a mule, Wilma. Even at its best, Transfix Cosmetics couldn¡¯t win against Dream. Now that yourpany has fallen to its current state, there¡¯s no way it¡¯ll even catch up to Dream now!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s all thanks to Ms. Summers that we have an opportunity to be part of Dream!¡± ¡°Give up, Wilma! You¡¯ll never make aeback!¡± ¡°Thanks for your concern.¡± Wilma opted to ignore them. I¡¯ll never give up until the end! ¡°Have any of you invited a director to shoot the advertisement?¡± Wilma asked as she left with her team. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s the shooting day, but we don¡¯t have an ambassador or a director! What do we do, Ms. Lineker?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Dream is deliberatelyunching a new product on the same day as us! Why do they have to do it on the same day¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re clearly bullying us!¡± ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough. It¡¯s pointless talking about that. Right now, we just need to focus on our tasks. I believe Transfix Cosmetics will make aeback.¡± Wilma attempted to boost their morale. No matter what happens, I need to keep their spirits up. ¡°Yeah! With Ms. Lineker around, Transfix Cosmetics won¡¯t fall!¡± That night, at Cecelia¡¯s mansion. Cecelia actually returned to the country in secret. No one knew she was already back at that moment. When she saw thenguid young woman sitting on the couch ying games, she spoke resignedly. ¡°You¡¯re doing this on purpose, aren¡¯t you, Sophie? I just returned to the country, you know? Can¡¯t you at least spare me a nce?¡± Is this how you¡¯re supposed to treat the youngest person crowned the queen of movies? Sophie finally raised her head and shifted her line of sight from her phone to Cecelia. ¡°I¡¯m here to ask you to cast in an advertisement for Transfix Cosmetics.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Cecelia pouted. I refused to be ordered around! I¡¯m not going to star in an advertisement just because you said so! ¡°Be good, okay?¡± Sophie coaxed. ¡°Hmph! You didn¡¯t contact me for a long time, and the moment Ie back, you want me to star in an advertisement for your sake. Am I all that¡¯s left to you?¡± ¡°You should be d that you¡¯re useful to me at all.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t mince her word. ¡°You!¡± Cecelia pouted again. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone you¡¯re going to be involved in Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ advertisement yet.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Sophie, do you know how popr I am? I¡¯m the queen of movies now, you know. All the advertisements I starred in will basically lead to the products selling out!¡± Cecelia was confident in herself. ¡°Be good, okay?¡± Sophie furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°Don¡¯t you forget that I¡¯m two years older than you, Sophie.¡± Cecelia was displeased with Sophie¡¯s attitude. Sometimes, the aura a person exuded had nothing to do with their age. ¡°Keep mepany tonight, will you?¡± Cecelia stared at Sophie pitifully. ¡°I have things to do,¡± Sophie rejected. ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Sophie. If you don¡¯t go to bed with me tonight, I won¡¯t star in your advertisement.¡± ¡°Go to bed with you? Do you think you¡¯re still in a movie, Ms. Lance?¡± Sophie narrowed her eyes slightly. Even if we are to go to bed together, I should be the one making that demand! Still, she originally had no intention of leaving, since they hadn¡¯t met each other for a long time. ¡°This Lorelei, she¡¯s¡­¡± Cecelia was utterly speechless. ¡°So what if she got to star in Dream¡¯s advertisement? The reason she got it in the first ce is that I rejected it.¡± She swiped open Twitter and saw the trending topic about Lorelei¡¯s coboration with Dream. ¡°Why do you care about her? You should go and sleep now. You have an advertisement to shoot tomorrow.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°I want to apany you a little longer. It¡¯s been a while since west met.¡± Cecelia didn¡¯t want to sleep yet. ¡°Go to sleep so tomorrow¡¯s advertisement won¡¯t suck.¡± ¡°Fine! Then will you be apanying me to the shoot?¡± Even the location of the shoot for Transfix Cosmetics and Dream was held at the same venue. Since Cecelia promised Sophie she would keep the job a secret, she arrived at the venue in secret. When Wilma saw Cecelia in the dressing room, her jaw almost dropped. ¡°She¡¯s Ms. Lineker from Transfix Cosmetics,¡± Cecelia¡¯s assistant introduced. Cecelia stood and stretched her hand out. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Cecelia Lance, Sophie¡¯s best friend.¡± ¡°Do you understand Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ current situation, Ms. Lance?¡± Even though Cecelia was very popr, she had been staying overseas for a long while. It was why Wilma was worried if Cecelia knew what was really going on in the country. ¡°What do you mean? Do you think I¡¯m not good enough to shoot for Transfix Cosmetics?¡± Cecelia furrowed her eyebrows. Wilma shook her head immediately. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I need to hear. In any case, you may not trust Sophie enough, but I do.¡± Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Feels Like Elopement Cecelia was able to understand what she needed to do swiftly, as expected from the newly crowned queen of movies. It only took two hours in the morning and the advertisement was half done. ¡°Cecelia is really beautiful! I never thought our products are that ssy before, but when it¡¯s applied on Cecelia, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s inferior to the major brands from overseas at all!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s right! Ms. Sophie is incredible! With so many famous directors in the country waiting to work with Cecelia, I couldn¡¯t believe Ms. Sophie could talk her into working with us!¡± ¡°Totally! Ms. Sophie is amazing!¡± Even Wilma couldn¡¯t help but praise Sophie. She had understood many things in the industry after working there for years. When you¡¯re at the top, people wille and butter you up. However, when you get unlucky and fell from grace, those same people will kick you when you¡¯re down. Even though ourpany¡¯s reputation has fallen off a cliff, Cecelia probably agreed to take on the job because of Ms. Sophie! ¡°How are things going?¡± Sophie asked. She arrived there by taxi after school ended at one in the afternoon. Upon hearing her voice, Wilma turned around and saw herzy eyes. ¡°You¡¯re here, Ms. Sophie! The filming is going smoothly. Ms. Lance is incredible!¡± ¡°That she is.¡± The edge of Sophie¡¯s lips curved upward a little. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have asked her to help me out. ¡±She¡¯s worthy of Transfix Cosmetics.¡± ¡°Why are you only here now, Sophie?¡± When Cecelia saw Sophie, the former immediately rushed over to thetter¡¯s side. She didn¡¯t at all look like the queen of movies when she did that. ¡°You should be d I was able toe at all,¡± Sophie replied. Don¡¯t you know how busy I am? ¡°Stop being such a bully.¡± Even though Cecelia appeared cold and elegant in front of outsiders, she would pout like a child in front of Sophie. ¡°Do you think your fans will still love you if they see you like this?¡± ¡°My fans aren¡¯t this shallow! What they love is the beauty within me.¡± ¡°I bought some food you love. Go and eat them now! We need to wrap up the shooting as soon as possible.¡± Sophie handed the food she bought to her. ¡°Thanks!¡± Cecelia smiled. Sophie furrowed her eyebrows when she suddenly heard noises outside of the studio. When Wilma saw her furrowed eyebrows, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll take a look at what¡¯s happening outside.¡± Upon leaving the studio, she saw Rachel and a couple of other betrayers approaching her. ¡°We¡¯re filming an advertisement right now, Rachel. We don¡¯t wee you here. Please leave.¡± ¡°Filming an advertisement? Wilma, please. Are you going to tell me you still refuse to give up? How are you going to film one without an ambassador or director? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re doing it yourself.¡± Rachel was doubtful because she didn¡¯t see any news about it on the inte. ¡°You¡ª We do have an ambassador!¡± One of Wilma¡¯s subordinates couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. ¡°Who is it?¡± Rachel, naturally, didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°It¡¯s Cecelia, Cecelia Lance.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Rachel sneered, ¡°Why don¡¯t you say it¡¯s Jennifer Lawrence instead? Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s a bad idea to be overambitious, Wilma? Cecelia is a famous movie star. Even if she agrees to star in an advertisement, it¡¯s more likely she¡¯ll do it for the big, international brands! Even Lorelei is unwilling to film an advertisement for the current Transfix Cosmetics.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± When Sophie walked out and saw Rachel, her eyebrows furrowed. She had a photographic memory, and she met Rachel once before, so she had some impression of her. ¡°I¡¯ll ask the security guards toe right away, Ms. Sophie,¡± Wilma assured. ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s Ms. Sophie!¡± Rachel sneered. I can tell Tanner Group doesn¡¯t like her. Otherwise, Transfix Cosmetics wouldn¡¯t have been handed to her. ¡°You have a problem with me?¡± Sophie nced at her. Rachel wanted to say something, but when she met Sophie¡¯s cold look, a chill ran down her spine. The words got caught in Rachel¡¯s throat. No matter how hard she tried, she could not voice them out. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± She squeezed the words out of her mouth. ¡°We¡¯re only here to take a look at how you all are doing! After all, we used to be colleagues. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that, right? Anyway, we should go! Ms. Crawford should be here at any second now!¡± The reason Rachel came to visit Wilma and tried to stir up trouble was to vent her anger. Lorelei only had her debut not too long ago! How dare she act all snobbish and arrogant! ¡°It¡¯s windy outside, Ms. Sophie. You should go in!¡± Wilma suggested. Jipsdale¡¯s temperature was currently sitting at a single-digit degree Celsius, and Sophie only wore a white hoodie with a pair of jeans. Sophie returned to the studio while Wilma followed behind. Even though Sophie was wearing an outfit of amon brand, her demeanor and aura wasn¡¯t something other people could copy. Upon entering the studio, Sophie saw Cecelia had finished eating the food and was drinking small sips of water. ¡°I still need to go to ss in the afternoon, so I won¡¯t be apanying you. Leave in secret once the filming is over.¡± She didn¡¯t want to announce the matter to the public yet. Cecelia was speechless. Only Sophie has the guts to speak to me like that. At almost half-past two in the afternoon, Sophie ambled out of Senior ss 8. The moment Ysabelle saw her, she immediately pulled her outside. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sophie was confused. ¡°Let¡¯s skip sses today, Soph!¡± Ysabelle continued to pull Sophie down the stairs, as though she was being chased by ghosts. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Do you really need an excuse to skip ss?¡± Ysabelle raised her head and stared at the wall that was over two meters tall. Are we really going to climb over the wall? Will our bones break if we fall? Sophie stared at her friend nonchntly. She¡¯s been talking about climbing walls and escaping ss for a while now. She¡¯s the one who said we can¡¯t escape through the front gate. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to climb the wall? Do it!¡± she urged. Ysabelle shrunk slightly and gulped. ¡°How about¡ª¡± Before she could say she wanted to give up, Sophie ran backward, then forward, and used the momentum to leap onto the wall. It shocked Ysabellepletely. Her jumping ability is remarkable! ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Sophie spoke as she sat carefreely on the wall. Ysabelle grabbed her hand. Wow, my heart is beating really fast. Why does this feel like we¡¯re eloping? Sophie pulled her friend up and helped Ysabelle sit on the wall. As they sat together, Ysabelle giggled. ¡°It¡¯s only until today that I feel like my high-school life is complete, Soph. It won¡¯t feel right if I don¡¯t skip sses at least once in high school.¡± Sophie rolled her eyes. Sometimes, I really have no idea what she¡¯s thinking. Well, I guess she got her wish. ¡°Let¡¯s go down!¡± she said. Only then did Ysabelle nce downward. ¡°I don¡¯t have the guts to.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to fulfill your high-school dreams? How can it beplete without you breaking at least a bone or two?¡± ¡°Hey, you two! What are you doing?¡± Suddenly, a security guard on patrol saw the two of them sitting on the wall. ¡°What are you doing, Ysabelle?¡± Tristan asked. Tristan and Felix saw Ysabelle sitting on the wall after they exited their parked car. Felix felt like his heart was about to jump out of his chest. ¡°Go down! He¡¯ll catch you.¡± Seeing how Felix was already standing below, Sophie directly pushed her friend down. ¡°Ah!¡± Ysabelle closed her eyes and screamed. Am I really going to break my bones? ¡°Eh? It doesn¡¯t hurt at all.¡± She only opened her eyes when she felt the warmth of a person¡¯s embrace. Though, perhaps it would be better if she didn¡¯t open her eyes because she had to see Felix¡¯s flustered and exasperated face. ¡°You¡¯re noting down?¡± Tristan opened his arms and spoke to Sophie. Cecelia was able to understand what she needed to do swiftly, as expected from the newly crowned queen of movies. It only took two hours in the morning and the advertisement was half done. ¡°Cecelia is really beautiful! I never thought our products are that ssy before, but when it¡¯s applied on Cecelia, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s inferior to the major brands from overseas at all!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Ms. Sophie is incredible! With so many famous directors in the country waiting to work with Cecelia, I couldn¡¯t believe Ms. Sophie could talk her into working with us!¡± ¡°Totally! Ms. Sophie is amazing!¡± Even Wilma couldn¡¯t help but praise Sophie. She had understood many things in the industry after working there for years. When you¡¯re at the top, people wille and butter you up. However, when you get unlucky and fell from grace, those same people will kick you when you¡¯re down. Even though ourpany¡¯s reputation has fallen off a cliff, Cecelia probably agreed to take on the job because of Ms. Sophie! ¡°How are things going?¡± Sophie asked. She arrived there by taxi after school ended at one in the afternoon. Upon hearing her voice, Wilma turned around and saw herzy eyes. ¡°You¡¯re here, Ms. Sophie! The filming is going smoothly. Ms. Lance is incredible!¡± ¡°That she is.¡± The edge of Sophie¡¯s lips curved upward a little. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have asked her to help me out. ¡±She¡¯s worthy of Transfix Cosmetics.¡± ¡°Why are you only here now, Sophie?¡± When Cecelia saw Sophie, the former immediately rushed over to thetter¡¯s side. She didn¡¯t at all look like the queen of movies when she did that. ¡°You should be d I was able toe at all,¡± Sophie replied. Don¡¯t you know how busy I am? ¡°Stop being such a bully.¡± Even though Cecelia appeared cold and elegant in front of outsiders, she would pout like a child in front of Sophie. ¡°Do you think your fans will still love you if they see you like this?¡± ¡°My fans aren¡¯t this shallow! What they love is the beauty within me.¡± ¡°I bought some food you love. Go and eat them now! We need to wrap up the shooting as soon as possible.¡± Sophie handed the food she bought to her. ¡°Thanks!¡± Cecelia smiled. Sophie furrowed her eyebrows when she suddenly heard noises outside of the studio. When Wilma saw her furrowed eyebrows, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll take a look at what¡¯s happening outside.¡± Upon leaving the studio, she saw Rachel and a couple of other betrayers approaching her. ¡°We¡¯re filming an advertisement right now, Rachel. We don¡¯t wee you here. Please leave.¡± ¡°Filming an advertisement? Wilma, please. Are you going to tell me you still refuse to give up? How are you going to film one without an ambassador or director? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re doing it yourself.¡± Rachel was doubtful because she didn¡¯t see any news about it on the inte. ¡°You¡ª We do have an ambassador!¡± One of Wilma¡¯s subordinates couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. ¡°Who is it?¡± Rachel, naturally, didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°It¡¯s Cecelia, Cecelia Lance.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Rachel sneered, ¡°Why don¡¯t you say it¡¯s Jennifer Lawrence instead? Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s a bad idea to be overambitious, Wilma? Cecelia is a famous movie star. Even if she agrees to star in an advertisement, it¡¯s more likely she¡¯ll do it for the big, international brands! Even Lorelei is unwilling to film an advertisement for the current Transfix Cosmetics.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± When Sophie walked out and saw Rachel, her eyebrows furrowed. She had a photographic memory, and she met Rachel once before, so she had some impression of her. ¡°I¡¯ll ask the security guards toe right away, Ms. Sophie,¡± Wilma assured. ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s Ms. Sophie!¡± Rachel sneered. I can tell Tanner Group doesn¡¯t like her. Otherwise, Transfix Cosmetics wouldn¡¯t have been handed to her. ¡°You have a problem with me?¡± Sophie nced at her. Rachel wanted to say something, but when she met Sophie¡¯s cold look, a chill ran down her spine. The words got caught in Rachel¡¯s throat. No matter how hard she tried, she could not voice them out. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± She squeezed the words out of her mouth. ¡°We¡¯re only here to take a look at how you all are doing! After all, we used to be colleagues. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that, right? Anyway, we should go! Ms. Crawford should be here at any second now!¡± The reason Rachel came to visit Wilma and tried to stir up trouble was to vent her anger. Lorelei only had her debut not too long ago! How dare she act all snobbish and arrogant! ¡°It¡¯s windy outside, Ms. Sophie. You should go in!¡± Wilma suggested. Jipsdale¡¯s temperature was currently sitting at a single-digit degree Celsius, and Sophie only wore a white hoodie with a pair of jeans. Sophie returned to the studio while Wilma followed behind. Even though Sophie was wearing an outfit of amon brand, her demeanor and aura wasn¡¯t something other people could copy. Upon entering the studio, Sophie saw Cecelia had finished eating the food and was drinking small sips of water. ¡°I still need to go to ss in the afternoon, so I won¡¯t be apanying you. Leave in secret once the filming is over.¡± She didn¡¯t want to announce the matter to the public yet. Cecelia was speechless. Only Sophie has the guts to speak to me like that. At almost half-past two in the afternoon, Sophie ambled out of Senior ss 8. The moment Ysabelle saw her, she immediately pulled her outside. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sophie was confused. ¡°Let¡¯s skip sses today, Soph!¡± Ysabelle continued to pull Sophie down the stairs, as though she was being chased by ghosts. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Do you really need an excuse to skip ss?¡± Ysabelle raised her head and stared at the wall that was over two meters tall. Are we really going to climb over the wall? Will our bones break if we fall? Sophie stared at her friend nonchntly. She¡¯s been talking about climbing walls and escaping ss for a while now. She¡¯s the one who said we can¡¯t escape through the front gate. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to climb the wall? Do it!¡± she urged. Ysabelle shrunk slightly and gulped. ¡°How about¡ª¡± Before she could say she wanted to give up, Sophie ran backward, then forward, and used the momentum to leap onto the wall. It shocked Ysabellepletely. Her jumping ability is remarkable! ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Sophie spoke as she sat carefreely on the wall. Ysabelle grabbed her hand. Wow, my heart is beating really fast. Why does this feel like we¡¯re eloping? Sophie pulled her friend up and helped Ysabelle sit on the wall. As they sat together, Ysabelle giggled. ¡°It¡¯s only until today that I feel like my high-school life is complete, Soph. It won¡¯t feel right if I don¡¯t skip sses at least once in high school.¡± Sophie rolled her eyes. Sometimes, I really have no idea what she¡¯s thinking. Well, I guess she got her wish. ¡°Let¡¯s go down!¡± she said. Only then did Ysabelle nce downward. ¡°I don¡¯t have the guts to.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to fulfill your high-school dreams? How can it beplete without you breaking at least a bone or two?¡± ¡°Hey, you two! What are you doing?¡± Suddenly, a security guard on patrol saw the two of them sitting on the wall. ¡°What are you doing, Ysabelle?¡± Tristan asked. Tristan and Felix saw Ysabelle sitting on the wall after they exited their parked car. Felix felt like his heart was about to jump out of his chest. ¡°Go down! He¡¯ll catch you.¡± Seeing how Felix was already standing below, Sophie directly pushed her friend down. ¡°Ah!¡± Ysabelle closed her eyes and screamed. Am I really going to break my bones? ¡°Eh? It doesn¡¯t hurt at all.¡± She only opened her eyes when she felt the warmth of a person¡¯s embrace. Though, perhaps it would be better if she didn¡¯t open her eyes because she had to see Felix¡¯s flustered and exasperated face. ¡°You¡¯re noting down?¡± Tristan opened his arms and spoke to Sophie. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Be Good Sophie was speechless. The wall¡¯s not even that high. I¡¯m not afraid at all, okay? ¡°Which ss do you belong to? Don¡¯t do anything stupid. We can talk this out.¡± The security thought Sophie wanted to end her life and was panicking already. Sophie jumped down from the wall without turning back. Tristan was stubborn and insisted on catching her. He knew how physically capable she was, but he still couldn¡¯t help but worry when he saw her performing such a dangerous act. Sophie coughed, reminding him to put herself down. However, it was as though he didn¡¯t hear her at all as he carried her to his silver Lamborghini. ¡°I can walk by myself, Mr. Tristan,¡± she uttered. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have legs. Tristan didn¡¯t let her go until she was inside the car. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything that dangerous again.¡± On the other side, Felix had finally found his voice again, though it was slightly trembling. ¡°You¡¯re getting bolder now, Ysabelle! You even know how to climb a wall now!¡± If I wasn¡¯t here, what would¡¯ve happened if she broke her arm or leg? Ysabelle dug into her ears. ¡°Why are you speaking so loudly, Felix? I feel like I¡¯m turning deaf! I was just climbing the wall so I can skip sses. Why are you panicking so hard?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you should stay with Sophie in the future anymore, Ysabelle. You¡¯ve learned some bad habits. Look at you right now¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Felix. Don¡¯t you dare speak ill of Soph. Otherwise, I¡¯ll stop talking to you.¡± She was very insistent on protecting Sophie. No one is allowed to badmouth her, not even Felix! Seeing how serious she appeared, Felix shut his mouth. Who do you think I¡¯m doing this for? ¡°Hmph!¡± She then jerked open the door to the passenger seat and went in. He had no choice but to be their driver resignedly. ¡°Why did you twoe here, Uncle Tristan? Is Lombard Group going bankrupt? You seem to be very freetely!¡± Ysabelle asked. Felix was speechless. Only she has the guts to say something like that. Who else will look forward to their family going bankrupt? ¡°Shut your mouth, Ysabelle,¡± Tristan ordered. ¡°Well, you see, Letitia is causing trouble again, and this time, she¡¯s gunning for Sophie. Mr. Tristan was worried about Sophie, so he came looking for her.¡± As Tristan¡¯s subordinate, Felix had to speak if his boss didn¡¯t want to. The moment he finished, he could feel an air of coldnessing from his back. That was Tristan threatening him. ¡°No need to care about what thosements are saying, Soph,¡± Ysabelleforted. It was because she saw Letitia¡¯s recording that she wanted to bring her friend with her and skip school. She didn¡¯t want her friend to feel down about what the inmmatoryments were saying, whether it came from Letitia¡¯s fans or just randomizens. Things got so bad that even their ssmates were cursing Sophie. It made her feel awful, but she alone couldn¡¯t control what other people say about Sophie, which was why she suggested skipping school. Sophie pulled out her phone, logged into Twitter, and saw Letitia¡¯s post that read: I¡¯m really afraid of dying! Below that sentence was the audio file of the ¡°conversation¡± they had at the restaurant. Even though Sophie only uttered a single sentence in the recording, and she didn¡¯t admit to anything, everyone believed Letitia was the victim. They were all convinced Sophie was really posing a threat to Letitia¡¯s life. Thements underneath the post even insulted all three generations of the Tanner family. Someizens were even calling for a witch-hunt against Sophie to avenge Letitia. ¡°This Letitia is going overboard. I really want to tear her to pieces right away!¡± Ysabelle spoke angrily. Sophie closed Twitter. ¡°How about I send people to tell Letitia to take down the post and control thements?¡± Felix also thought the things people were saying about Sophie were going a little overboard. ¡°No need.¡± Sophie grinned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Soph? Are you all right? We believe you, you know?¡± Ysabelle was worried her friend was driven mad by anger. ¡°I¡¯m really fine. Transfix Cosmetics is about tounch its new product. Since Letitia is so eager to help me out, I¡¯ll just let her.¡± ¡°How is she helping you, Soph? She¡¯s clearly trying to hurt you!¡± ¡°I have a n. Letitia wants to be famous, right? Well, I¡¯ll help her out with that just this once. I¡¯ll make her famous in the whole world.¡± When Felix turned back, he saw Sophie¡¯s malicious smile. In the past, he thought Tristan was the only one he shouldn¡¯t piss off. However, at that moment, after seeing her expression, he knew he couldn¡¯t afford to cross Sophie either. When Letitia saw thements theizens were posting, her grin turned wider and wider. Ever since the start of the incident, she had received multiple invitations from a few directors. As expected, a person really can¡¯t go far without knowing how to make headlines about themselves in the entertainment industry. This is finally my time to shine. With this, no one can stop me. I will get famous! When she saw another call on her phone, her smile became brighter. In the past, I¡¯m the one who has to butter Juan up. Now he¡¯s taking the initiative to call me! ¡°Mr. Quigley.¡± Letitia still wanted to act prideful. ¡°Are you insane, Letitia? Didn¡¯t I tell you not to mess with Sophie? If you want to get destroyed, go ahead but don¡¯t drag me down with you. I¡¯m telling you, from here on out, I have nothing to do with you!¡± Juan yelled. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! She was utterly dumbfounded. ¡°Are you living in your own fantasy right now? What an ignorant woman.¡± He then hung up the phone. Letitia was struck dumb at his words. What the f*ck is going on? ¡°Coward! What can the Tanner family do to me?¡± She gritted her teeth. Still, even without him, the resources that I currently possess will make me famous! He may be afraid, but I¡¯m not! As the saying goes, no pain, no gain! Tristan brought Ysabelle and Sophie to Lombard Group¡¯s headquarters. He asked his assistant to prepare lots of desserts and fruits for them. Ysabelle smiled bitterly when she saw the desserts and fruits on the table. ¡°Do we look like we¡¯re very hungry, Soph?¡± She was so full from lunch that she didn¡¯t have the appetite to eat. ¡°Probably!¡± Sophie replied. ¡°You two stay here. I have a meetingter. Once my meeting is over, we¡¯ll have dinner and I¡¯ll take you two to a concert.¡± ¡°A concert!¡± Ysabelle wasn¡¯t very enthusiastic about it since she liked contemporary music better. ¡°Be good.¡± Tristan was worried Sophie would be in danger if she went out alone since theizens were emotional. Therefore, he didn¡¯t want her to go out alone. Sophie knew he was saying that to her. However, she wasn¡¯t exactly a good girl. After Tristan left for his meeting, Ysabelley on the couch. ¡°Do you think my uncle likes you, Soph? I¡¯ve never seen him treat other people so nicely before. He never even treated me, his own niece, that well!¡± She turned to Sophie. ¡°What about you, Soph? What do you think about my uncle?¡± It¡¯s not too bad if Soph ends up with Uncle Tristan. This way, we¡¯ll be together forever! Before she could get the answer she wanted, Sophie¡¯s phone rang. When Sophie saw it was from Yale, she immediately declined the call. The moment she did that, he called again and again. She got annoyed and answered it. ¡°What are you doing, Sophie? Do you know you made your grandpa so angry that he was sent to the hospital?¡± Yale¡¯s voice was heard on the other end. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Embrace ¡°What did you say?¡± Sophie¡¯s voice sounded exceptionally deep. ¡°I said you pissed off your grandpa so much that he almost died!¡± When Yale finished, he hung up the phone. I hope Dad finally realizes how big of a mistake he had made! Sophie jumped down from the couch with her phone in hand and headed outside. ¡°Where are you going, Soph?¡± Ysabelle asked while she was barely able to react to Sophie¡¯s quick movements. She immediately tried to follow her friend. ¡°Wait here, Ysabelle. Tell your uncle I have a matter I need to attend to, and that I have to leave now,¡± Sophie replied. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Ysabelle grabbed her friend¡¯s hand. I¡¯ve never seen such an expression on her face before! It scared her. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Sophie? Tell me about it or I¡¯ll follow you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. My grandfather is sick, so now I¡¯m heading to the hospital to visit him. You don¡¯t need to follow me.¡± When Sophie finished, she swiftly left. Ysabelle stood dumbfounded, unsure of what to do. What do I do? Uncle Tristan is still in the meeting, and I don¡¯t know when it¡¯ll end! Sophie exited Lombard Group, hailed a taxi, entered the vehicle, and immediately called Butterfly. ¡°Help me find my grandfather¡¯s location.¡± When she finished, she sent Josiah¡¯s ID card and phone number to Butterfly. Butterfly could hear the panic in her voice, so she immediately turned around and typed on her keyboard. Upon finding out the information Sophie wanted, she sent it to her via a text message: Jipsdale Hospital, VIP Room No. 9. ¡±Are you all right, Phantom?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m hanging up the call now.¡± When Sophie arrived at the hospital, she went straight to her grandfather¡¯s ward. Willow, Charmaine, and Yale were standing outside of the ward. When Yale saw Sophie, he bolted toward her and attempted to p her. She grabbed his hand and stared at him coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t mess with me.¡± Her voice sounded really cold. ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done, Sophie! You know what, I think you shouldn¡¯t have returned at all! You should¡¯ve just died in Horington.¡± Yale was brutal with his words. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to you if I¡¯m dead or not. I¡¯m in a bad mood right now, so you¡¯d better not open your mouth again!¡± Sophie flung his hand away. ¡°He¡¯s your father, Sophie! How can you speak to him like that?¡± Charmaine approached her. ¡°This whole thing is your fault in the first ce. What right do you have for shouting here? Have you looked at what a mess you¡¯ve caused Tanner Group to be?¡± ¡°The Tanner family really doesn¡¯t wee you, Sophie,¡± Willow sneered. Sophie is a jinx. I want to see how long she can continue to act tough. It was then the doctor walked out. Sophie ignored the three of them and approached the doctor. ¡°How¡¯s my grandpa, doctor?¡± The doctor answered, ¡°There are no major issues with him. That¡¯s how people are when they are old. He¡¯s fine. In fact, he has already woken up and calling for you to go in!¡± Sophie nodded and entered the ward. Yale followed behind too. If anything happens to Dad, I mustn¡¯t let Sophie have Tanner Group! When Josiah saw how pale Sophie was, he smiled. ¡°No need to appear so serious, Soph! I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just that my blood pressure was slightly on the high side.¡± She approached him and grabbed his hand. ¡°You¡¯re going to be fine, Grandpa.¡± ¡°Mhm, I¡¯m fine.¡± Ever since Sophie was a child, Josiah had doted on her. He knew she was aplicated person and that ordinary people wouldn¡¯t be able to worm their way into her heart. However, if someone did manage to secure a ce in her heart, she would give her all to him. ¡°Do you see now, Dad? Sophie isn¡¯t at all suitable to enter Tanner Group! I hope you¡¯ll hand her shares to me,¡± Yale suggested. ¡°You can leave now, Yale.¡± Sophie frowned. Even at this moment, all he sees is still power and money. A person like him doesn¡¯t deserve to stand here. ¡°No matter what happens, I¡¯m still your father, Sophie! How dare you speak to me like that!¡± Yale was so angry that he wanted to choke her to death. ¡°Get out of here, Yale! All of you should go home! I only need Soph to apany me. This ward isn¡¯t that big either. It can¡¯t have too many people inside,¡± Josiah ordered. ¡°Are you still trying to defend her, Dad? When are you going to stop protecting her?¡± Yale retorted. ¡°Yeah! You¡¯re sick, Grandpa. How can we go back in peace? I want to apany you, too,¡± Willow added. ¡°Dad, Sophie is still young. She doesn¡¯t know anything! How can she take care of you? I think it¡¯s better for me to stay and¡ª¡± ¡°Are you all ignoring me right now? I¡¯ve said so much, yet none of you seem to listen at all!¡± Josiah angrily sat up on his bed with much difficulty. ¡°Fine. Since you don¡¯t want to see us here, we¡¯ll leave.¡± Yale was disappointed and angry at Josiah, too. Seeing that Yale was about to leave, Charmaine didn¡¯t have the nerve to stay any longer. Hence she pulled Willow away with her. It wasn¡¯t until the three of them were outside that Willow said, ¡°What kind of spell did Sophie put Grandpa under, Mom? Even after what she did to Tanner Group, Grandpa still trusts her! Why?¡± ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough. Your dad¡¯s already not happy. It doesn¡¯t matter to you what will happen to the Tanner family. Once you get married to the Laird family, you¡¯ll have so much more than what you currently possess,¡± Charmaine dismissed. Willow¡¯s fist tightened. ¡°You know how impressive the Laird family is, Mom. If I join their family with nothing, do you think they will take me in with high regard? Don¡¯t you know how important dowry is nowadays?¡± ¡°I know, and your dowry won¡¯t be anything short of impressive.¡± Charmaine felt like she was getting a headache, but there was nothing she could do. Only Josiah and Sophie were left in the room. ¡°Come sit next to me, Soph,¡± Josiah requested. Sophie pulled a stool closer and sat on it next to the bed. ¡°You should take care of yourself, Grandpa! No need to think about anything else. There¡¯s still me!¡± He smiled. ¡°When you reach my age, you¡¯ll find many things bing unimportant. As you can see, I¡¯m getting really old now. I can let go of anything but you. I just hope you¡¯ll find happiness.¡± She was his favorite child. Sophie wasn¡¯t exactly a talkative person, so all she did was nod. However, her heart was turning cold. She knew how well he had been treating her. Seeing how heavy her expression was, Josiah joked, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t want to die yet! Not until I see you getting married to a good man, at least.¡± ¡°You will, Grandpa. I want you to personally hand me over to the person I love.¡± When he thought about that day, his eyes turned red. God, there¡¯s nothing else I want more than a little more time for me to see her get married. ¡°What do you want to eat, Grandpa? I¡¯ll buy it for you.¡± Sophie couldn¡¯t bear seeing her grandfather like that, so she wanted to find an excuse to leave. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, Sophie. The butler got that covered. You just need to apany me.¡± ¡°Mhm. You should sleep for a while, Grandpa! I¡¯ll stay right here with you. I won¡¯t leave.¡± Sophie¡¯s voice sounded soft. ¡°Okay.¡± Josiah fell asleep shortly as he was tired. It wasn¡¯t until someone knocked on the door that she turned to open the door. When she did, she saw an anguished Tristan. He immediately hugged her. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Chapter 83 I Am Chasing After Her Being held inside Tristan¡¯s embrace and taking in his unique scent made Sophie feel safe. ¡°Is your Grandpa okay?¡± Tristan rushed over to her location when he heard what was going on with her. At that moment, he didn¡¯t want to think about anything else other than protecting her and staying by her side. ¡°Not too good.¡± Sophie knew her grandfather¡¯s condition must be serious to warrant a stay in the hospital. She also knew how stubborn he could get due to his past experience as a soldier. He would always think his body was still fine and unwilling to admit that age was catching up. Everything she said at that moment would be pointless. Tristan simply grabbed her hand andforted her. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here with you.¡± No one has any say in the circle of life and death. Along that way, we would go through sickness and hardships, and there was really nothing we could do about it other than endure and embrace it. ¡°Mr. Tristan, you don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to act tough all the time, Ms. Tanner.¡± With him around, she could act more gently. Sophie wanted to say something, but Josiah woke up at that moment. ¡°Is that your friend, Soph? Since he¡¯s here, why don¡¯t you introduce him to me?¡± he asked. Tristan stepped closer to Josiah with Sophie. ¡°Hello, Old Mr. Tanner. I¡¯m Tristan.¡± Before Sophie could introduce him, he introduced himself. Josiah studied the young man in front of him in detail. He¡¯s certainly good-looking, and it seems like he¡¯d served in the military before. ¡°Have you served in the army?¡± ¡°For a year,¡± Tristan replied. ¡°Good, that¡¯s good.¡± Josiah tended to feel more friendly toward people who served in the military before. ¡°You¡¯re Sophie¡¯s¡­¡± He raised his eyebrow slightly. Everything about him seems pretty good, though he definitely looks older than Soph. ¡°He¡¯s my ssmate¡¯s uncle.¡± Sophie spoke up. ¡°Ah, uncle!¡± Josiah clearly didn¡¯t believe that. ¡°I¡¯m chasing after her right now.¡± Tristan didn¡¯t at all hide his intention. She was speechless. This man is so blunt! ¡°How old are you this year?¡± Josiah was getting serious because he quite liked the young man. ¡°I¡¯m twenty-eight years old.¡± Tristan didn¡¯t realize he panicked a little when he said that. ¡°Twenty-eight years old! Our Soph is only eighteen.¡± Josiah was a little concerned about the age gap. ¡°However, as long as she likes you, I don¡¯t mind. Just take good care of her.¡± Sophie grabbed an apple and peeled it. Her hands were so agile that the fruit appeared as though it was dancing in her palms. Once she cut the apple into slices, she stabbed toothpicks into them and served them. Tristan continued to talk to Josiah. Both of them had a pretty good time talking with each other, which made the old man like the younger man even more. It wasn¡¯t until they were alone in the room that Josiah said, ¡°Even though you¡¯re a decade older than Soph, I quite like you, Tristan. Good luck!¡± While he liked Tristan, he could tell Sophie didn¡¯t seem ready yet. If Tristan wants to marry her, there¡¯s still a long way ahead for him. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Tristan smiled. ¡°I only have one request. Soph is still young, so don¡¯t you dare bully her.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Tristan knew what Josiah was implying and gave the old man his promise. ¡°I¡¯m a little tired now. You should take Soph out for a meal! I¡¯m not hungry, and I don¡¯t really have the appetite.¡± Josiah loved Sophie the most, and so he would always think for her. ¡°What do you want to eat, Grandpa? I¡¯ll buy some for you,¡± Sophie asked after she returned to the ward. Since she was already at the hospital, she wouldn¡¯t be able to eat in peace if she didn¡¯t see her grandfather eating well. ¡°Anything of what you can find will be good! I¡¯ll be sleeping now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tristan put the nket over Josiah¡¯s body. If my dad sees me in the act, I bet he¡¯ll be furious. When Sophie returned from fetching water, she saw him covering Josiah¡¯s body with a nket. At that moment, she felt touched. When Tristan turned back and saw her holding a kettle, he went over to her side and grabbed it. ¡°You should¡¯ve let me do this.¡± ¡°My grandpa likes you,¡± Sophie stated. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°I prefer if you like me instead.¡± She was speechless. Is this how he chases after women? ¡°I¡¯ve never chased after a woman before, Sophie. You¡¯re my first, and myst. I don¡¯t have any experience, but I want to give you the best I can offer.¡± ¡°Mr. Tristan¡ª¡± ¡°All right, it¡¯s fine. You¡¯re still young. I¡¯m not in a hurry. I can wait.¡± Both of them were experiencing the same kind of feeling, a feeling of longing for each other. ¡°Right now, I need to fulfill my promise to Old Mr. Tanner and take you out for a meal,¡± Tristan said. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± ¡°You should still eat even if you¡¯re not hungry. People don¡¯t eat just because they¡¯re hungry!¡± He knew Josiah wouldn¡¯t want her to suffer because of him. Tristan pushed Sophie out of the hospital and brought her to a nearby restaurant. The decor was very elegant. After the food they ordered arrived, he kept putting food on her te. As for Sophie, she ate quietly. After their meal was over, Tristan asked the chef to prepare three mild-vored dishes for Josiah. Upon returning to the hospital, they saw the old man had woken up. He was smiling at them as they entered the ward. Tristan proceeded toy out the three dishes he bought on the table. While the dishes were mild-vored, the chef spent a lot of effort making them look good. Tristandled a bowl of mushroom soup for Josiah before Sophie held the bowl and fed the soup to her grandfather with a spoon. Seeing how naturally the two of them were interacting with each other, Josiah began to feel like they were made for each other. ¡°Open your mouth, Grandpa.¡± Sophie was never good at serving other people or having great patience, but she was exceptionally patient when taking care of her grandfather. Josiah opened his mouth and drank a spoonful of soup. ¡°Mhm. The taste is pretty good. It reminds me of the food I eat in the military. You sure are thoughtful, Tanny.¡± Tanny? Sophie turned to nce at Tristan. Grandpa¡¯s probably the only person in Jipsdale who calls Tristan that! ¡°I¡¯m d you like it, Old Mr. Tanner. The chef of the restaurant we went to was a retired member of the toon you served with before,¡± Tristan replied. Josiah became even more satisfied with Tristan. If he¡¯s treating me this nicely, doesn¡¯t it mean he¡¯s very interested in Sophie? He was having a pretty good appetite and managed to finish half of the food on his te. Sophie didn¡¯t dare to tell him to finish the rest since eating too much at that time of day might lead to stomach problems. After the old man finished his meal, Tristan chatted with him further. ¡°I think you two should head back now! There are nurses and butlers around to take care of me,¡± Josiah urged. ¡°I want to stay with you, Grandpa,¡± Sophie retorted. ¡°Listen to me, okay? Don¡¯t you have sses tomorrow?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if I don¡¯t attend school for one day,¡± she said without a care. ¡°It¡¯s not convenient for a girl like you to stay here, Soph! You should go back.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send you back first before returning here to apany Old Mr. Tanner,¡± Tristan offered. ¡°Mr. Tristan¡ª¡± Sophie felt it wasn¡¯t necessary for him to do that. ¡°You cane over during the day. It¡¯s more convenient for me to take care of him during the night.¡± She stayed silent. ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough. I¡¯m fine! I don¡¯t need people to take care of me. You should send her back home now!¡± Josiah said. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Stunned By His Handsomeness Since Sophie could not argue with Josiah, she had no choice but to go home. ¡°Grandpa, have a good rest. I wille here again tomorrow.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have toe here again. I¡¯m going home tomorrow.¡± Josiah did not wish to waste his time staying in the hospital. He believed his body was failing due to old age, and it was pointless to keep trying to save it. Sophie heard him and immediately paused her step. ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t be stubborn. Since you are already in the hospital, you should stay here and get proper treatment. You are not allowed to leave without the doctor¡¯s permission.¡± ¡°All right, I will listen to you. My Soph knows best.¡± Josiah did not insist on leaving the hospital. To him, it did not matter where he lived. He just did not want to make them worry about him. After leaving the hospital, Sophie got into the car but did not say anything. Tristan started the car and sent her to Wisteria Apartments. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you worried about Old Mr. Tanner? He will be fine. I will assign a few specialists to give him a proper check-up tomorrow,¡± Tristan said. ¡°Thank you.¡± Sophie did not refuse him. It looks like I have to contact the international medical association. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Tristan replied. ¡°Have a safe drive home.¡± Sophie was about to get out of the car. ¡°Would you like me to stay with you?¡± Tristan would like to stay with her if she needed him. ¡°No, you should go home.¡± Sophie refused his offer straight away. ¡°All right. Good night.¡± Tristan did not insist on staying out of respect for her choice. After Tristan left, Sophie headed straight to her room and gave Arius a call. However, Arius did not pick up even after she had called for a long time. Since Sophie was too impatient to wait, she turned on herputer and tracked Arius¡¯s location. He¡¯s in Anndur. It shouldn¡¯t take him too much time to return here. In actuality, Arius was taking a bath when Sophie called. He saw her missed call aftering out of the bathroom and returned the call immediately. ¡°What is the matter? Have you changed your mind? Didn¡¯t I say that you have natural talents in medicine? So, will you be joining our association?¡± If she joins us, she will be able to interact with the foremost specialists in the medical field. I believe she will be a legend in the medical field. ¡°Shut up.¡± Sophie could not stand his chattering. Arius was rendered speechless. He had a respectable standing in the world. Yet, he could not help but turn cowardly before Sophie. ¡°When will you be free to make a trip to Jipsdale?¡± Sophie asked. ¡°Why? Are you unwell?¡± She is as fit as a horse. I don¡¯t think she can get sick. ¡°Are youing or not?¡± Sophie replied impatiently. ¡°Yes. Since you asked me to go to Jipsdale, how can I say no? I will go there after I¡¯m done with the matters here,¡± Arius answered. ¡°Sure.¡± Arius asked, ¡°But seriously, are you not nning to join the medical association?¡± The medical association is such a wonderful ce! ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it another time.¡± Sophie still had a lot of things to deal with, so she could not leave Jipsdale yet. However, she was relieved that Arius would being to Jipsdale. Arius was an expert in all kinds of diseases, and there was no health condition that he could not cure. Furthermore, he had the backing of the whole medical association. Meanwhile, Tristan returned home and bathed before sending Sophie a message. Tristan texted: Rest early! Sophie saw the message and replied without thinking: You too. Then, she took a bath and went to bed. The following day, Sophie came to school and found some people whispering behind her back. Hearing how people criticized Sophie, Ysabelle felt a strong urge to fight with them. ¡°Soph, these people have nothing better to do.¡± What is wrong with people nowadays? They can¡¯t form an opinion but follow the crowd blindly and fall for Letitia¡¯s pathetic act. ¡°Just ignore them,¡± Sophie said. Seeing Sophie in a sullen mood, Ysabelle asked with concern, ¡°How is your grandpa?¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± Sophie responded. What does ¡®Mmm¡¯ mean? Ysabelle could not understand Sophie¡¯s response, but she did not question her further. Suddenly, Ysabelle pointed forward and said, ¡°Soph, Bailey is there.¡± Sophie nced in the direction Ysabelle pointed and saw Bailey dressed in a school uniform, waiting for someone quietly by the road. At that moment, Bailey noticed Sophie and ran to her. ¡°Sophie, are you all right? Why didn¡¯t you go to theb yesterday?¡± ¡°Something came up at home,¡± Sophie answered. ¡°Do you need my help?¡± Bailey hoped he could be of help to Sophie. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Bailey. I won¡¯t be going to the physicsb temporarily. Can you inform Mr. Elswick for me?¡± Sophie replied. ¡°That sounds serious!¡± Bailey appeared thoughtful. ¡°Sophie, I hope you won¡¯t give up on physics no matter what happens.¡± Bailey wished Sophie could continue to advance in doing physics research with him. However, Sophie did not answer his question but said, ¡°ss is about to start.¡± Then, she dragged Ysabelle and headed to the ssroom. Other students from Senior ss 1 were disappointed to see Bailey talking amicably to Sophie. ¡°Bailey, did you not check the Web?¡± ¡°Yeah! You should check the Web and read the articles properly. People like Sophie do not deserve to live in this world.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Sophie thinks she has the right to bully others because she is rich. People like her should die.¡± ¡°Have you all said enough?¡± Bailey frowned. What has Sophie ever done to them? They have no right to say all such nonsense against her. ¡°Bailey, we are concerned about you.¡± His ssmates still refused to give up. ¡°I don¡¯t need that,¡± Bailey retorted. After school ended at noon, Sophie came out of the school and saw Tristan¡¯s car. Thus, she opened the door and got in. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Sophie asked. ¡°I¡¯m going with you to see Grandpa,¡± Tristan answered calmly. ¡°Mr. Tristan, he is my grandpa and not yours, so stop calling him that,¡± Sophie argued. However, Tristan was not bothered by her words and continued calmly, ¡°I have arranged a few specialists to give your grandpa a check-up. Let¡¯s go there together to learn more about his condition.¡± Once they arrived at the hospital, Tristan and Sophie went to the ward to see Josiah. When they came to the room, Willow and Charmaine were there too. Willow was feeding Josiah lunch. ¡°Tanny is here,¡± Josiah greeted warmly upon seeing Tristan. Willow turned around and nearly stopped breathing when she saw Tristan¡¯s handsome face. It was her first time seeing Tristan this close. Previously, she thought Mason was handsome, but now, his appearance paled to Tristan¡¯s. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°Grandpa, Sophie and I havee to see you,¡± Tristan said. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that I am healthy? There is nothing wrong with me,¡± Josiah protested. ¡°Who are¡­¡± Charmaine had never met Tristan before and looked at Sophie and Tristan puzzledly. Josiah was a little exasperated seeing Charmaine¡¯s behavior. ¡°Charmaine, I have people taking care of me here. Since Willow has to paint and sit for her university entrance exam soon, you don¡¯t have to bring her here every day. Let her focus on her work.¡± ¡°All right, Dad!¡± Since Josiah had told her to leave, Charmaine did not continue with her question about Tristan. Since Old Mr. Tanner calls him Tanny, it shows Tanny doesn¡¯t have an influential background. There is nothing special about him other than being handsome. Thus, he can¡¯tpare to Mason. ¡°Willow, since Grandpa doesn¡¯t need us here, we should go home!¡± Charmaine stood up to leave. ¡°Willow!¡± Charmaine could not help but frown. How can she stare at a man like that? How embarrassing! Willow returned to her senses with a flush on her cheeks. ¡°Mom, what is the matter?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Charmaine was disappointed with Willow¡¯s behavior. I spent so much effort training her, hoping she would be a socialite in the high society and marry into the Laird family. She has disappointed me today. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Chapter 85 The Product Launch ¡°Willow, I¡¯m very disappointed with you today,¡± Charmaine said the moment they left the hospital ward. ¡°I didn¡¯t even do anything!¡± Why¡¯s she angry at me? ¡±That man with Sophie is actually very good- looking, isn¡¯t he?¡± She was just an eighteen-year-old girl, after all. Wasn¡¯t itmon to enjoy seeing eye candy every now and then? ¡°What else do you have in that brain of yours? How embarrassing would it be if someone saw you ogling at him like that?¡± Willow fell silent. ¡°Your grandfather called him ¡®Tanny¡¯! What sort of man worth his weight in gold would ever allow someone else to call him that so casually? Looks are nothing in the end. Power and privilege are what really matters.¡± That man did look rather intimidating, but Charmaine didn¡¯t think of Sophie as someone who could be in thepany of anyone with power. ¡°Okay, I get it. I won¡¯t do it again.¡± She¡¯s right! This is the Laird family we¡¯re talking about, the family of everyone¡¯s dreams. If Mrs. Laird didn¡¯t assume I had saved Mason, I would never have gotten this chance! ¡°Good. Mrs. Laird invited us to dinner tonight. Come back earlier, okay? I¡¯ll take you to get dolled up.¡± She would only be counted as a member of the upper ss society if she managed to get on good terms with the Laird family. ¨C Sophie poured a ss of water for Josiah, and he drank a big gulp. ¡°Soph, I¡¯m really okay. You should be spending your time in school studying, not in this hospital.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry as it¡¯s lunchtime now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s even more important. You should rest too.¡± ¡°Okay then. I¡¯ll be going now. You should rest too, okay?¡± Sophie didn¡¯t tell Josiah that she was going to talk to a doctor. Since he didn¡¯t want her to know, then she would pretend that she didn¡¯t know anything. ¡°We¡¯ll be heading off now, Mr. Tanner.¡± Tristan waved at Josiah. ¡°Go ahead! Don¡¯t worry, there are a lot of people taking care of me here.¡± Tristan and Sophie arrived at the specialist¡¯s office where more than ten specialists were already waiting. ¡°Hello, Mr. Tristan.¡± The director bowed respectfully when he saw Tristan. ¡°What exactly is wrong with Mr. Tanner?¡± Tristan asked directly. ¡°We¡¯ve already done a full scan for Mr. Tanner. The reason behind his fainting is because there were still bullet fragments in his brain.¡± It was probably a mistake on the doctor¡¯s part and had most likely been left behind during the surgery. Sophie closed her eyes. She was extremely interested in medicine and the director¡¯s rough exnation was already more than enough for her to imagine. ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡± Tristan hated seeing that expression on her face. ¡°The only solution is surgery, but due to the location of the fragments being extremely unique, it will be a highly risky surgery. The important thing is that there haven¡¯t been any doctors in the country who have been willing to do such a surgery.¡± The surgery was an extremely detailed one and highly depended on the chief surgeon. There were barely any doctors across the world who dared to do such a surgery, let alone in the country. ¡°So you¡¯re saying you guys don¡¯t have a n?¡± Tristan said, clearly agitated. The director fell silent, not daring to speak. Almost everything could be settled by hard work, but surgeries were something that no one dared to experiment on. ¡°Okay, I understand. Please leave us alone for now,¡± Sophie finally said. All the doctors sighed in relief. They were all terrified of facing Tristan¡¯s wrath. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll find another specialist.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± ¡°Sophie¡­¡± Tristan never knew how tofort others. He felt as if anything he said would be useless in this situation. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She couldn¡¯t change the fact that there were no doctors in the country who could do it, but that didn¡¯t mean it was impossible after all. ¡°I¡¯ve already contacted Arius,¡± she continued. Arius was famous in Chanaea as the youngest doctor in the world who made groundbreaking contributions to the field of medical science. ¡°Arius Gullifer?¡± Tristan had heard that name once, but he never thought that Sophie would be able to get him. He was actually already thinking of contacting Arius, but it seemed like she had beaten him to it. The first time they met, she had already taken out a bullet for him. What exactly is the rtionship between her and Arius? Content ? N?velDrama.Org. However, it wasn¡¯t the time to say such things. He simply remained silent. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but think about what a unique girl he had set his sights on. She was practically surrounded by elite people. It seemed like he would have to keep a close eye on her. He might lose her to someone else if he didn¡¯t watch her closely. Time flew by and in the blink of an eye, it was time for Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ productunch. Wilma had been working overtime for the past few weeks and had even begun wishing for more hours in a day simply so that she could get more things done. She really felt like she had already done everything she could. ¡°We won¡¯t lose this time, Ms. Linker.¡± ¡°Yeah! We¡¯ve already done our best.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s keep working hard, everybody. I¡¯m confident in our new products this time.¡± Wilma continued to boost their morale. After having prepared those new products for thest three years, she was very confident. ¡°Oh, no. Letitia ising today for a press conference too, and she picked the spot right in front of us.¡± ¡°Crap! How much does she hate ourpany?¡± ¡°She just wants to push us into a corner at this point. Her press conference was scheduled to start half an hour before ours.¡± All the reporters they had invited would definitely have swarmed over to Letitia by then. ¡°What do we do, Ms. Linker?¡± Plenty of people weren¡¯t looking forward to theirtest products. They were beginning to wonder why they were even hyping themselves up. At that moment, Wilma was paler than a sheet of paper. ¡°Ms. Linker?¡± The others began to lose faith at the sight of her expression. Suddenly, Sophie appeared. It was almost as if Wilma had seen a savior. ¡°Ms. Tanner, I-¡± ¡°I understand.¡± She had already done her homework on the way there. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Ms. Tanner. I didn¡¯t expect this to happen,¡± Wilma said apologetically. She had really done her best. Why are things just not working out? ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry, Ms. Linker. You are not to me for this. Most importantly, you have to trust me. Our productunch will be very sessful.¡± Even though Sophie was just a fresh and young eighteen-year-old, Wilma felt a miraculous sense of relief at the sound of her reassurance. ¡°Okay! No matter what, I will always be right behind you, Ms, Tanner.¡± Wilma was finally confident again. No matter what, she would always stand with Sophie. ¡°Good. Buck up, everyone! We will dy the productunch by two hours.¡± ¡°Ms. Tanner, there are no reporters here right now.¡± It wouldn¡¯t matter even if the reporters came three, four or ten hourster. ¡°Do whatever Ms. Tanner tells you to,¡± Wilma said to her subordinates. ¡°Good. Everyone, be on your highest alert! Also, Cecelia will being to the event.¡± Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ new products would definitely make their name. Now, all that mattered was how popr it would be, and that depended on its quality. Letitia and Dream Cosmetics must be feeling really proud at that moment. The happier they were right now, the more they would regret it after the press conference. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Turn The Table ¡°Ms. Summers, Transfix Cosmetics has pushed back their productunch.¡± ¡°Luckily we left Transfix Cosmetics along with Ms. Summers back then. We would have already lost our jobs by now if we had stayed!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Wilma is insane! How could she put so much trust in an eighteen-year-old?¡± ¡°She¡¯spletely hopeless, isn¡¯t she?¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t help but feel overjoyed as the girls around her began discussing Wilma¡¯s dreadful situation. They were right, after all. Back then, she had always been outshined by everything Wilma did. Now was her chance to shine. ¡°Okay, everybody! Now the most important thing is to do our jobs well. We will make the new products a sess! Moreover, Lorelei is extremely popr now.¡± Rachel was determined to make Wilma and the others regret everything they had done. Letitia¡¯s press conference had already begun. ¡°I¡¯d like to thank everyone for attending this press conference today. Recently, the conflict between Transfix Cosmetics and I have taken up a lot of public resources. For that, I would like to apologize, and I also hope that this will be put to an end today.¡± Letitia stood up and bowed deeply. ¡°What a polite girl! I haven¡¯t seen a bow that deep in a long time.¡± ¡°Yeah! Transfix Cosmetics is a real jerk!¡± ¡°We should just boycott Transfix Cosmetics and Tanner Group altogether.¡± Someone in the crowd began to holler, and others began to follow suit. ¡°Yes! We have to protect our little fairy so that she doesn¡¯t get hurt!¡± Little fairy? Letitia¡¯s manager nced at her. Just how confident is this girl about her looks? How could she have the face to let others call her little fairy? ¡°Regardless of the truth, I hope my dear fans will stop stressing out over this topic. Today, I would like to announce some good news to everyone. I am about to start filming a new movie! I hope you guys will be able to direct your attention to that instead and support me in my new role.¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll support our little fairy!¡± ` The crowd was still moring in her favor. Letitia stood up and bowed deeply once again. Based on how popr she was right now, her new movie would definitely take off. She had been dreaming of that day for the longest time. Sophie¡¯s name is probably getting dragged down the drain right now! She couldn¡¯t help but smile. Does that high school student really think she could do anything to me? Even if the sky copsed, her fans would be there holding it up for her. Letitia¡¯s manager took her to one side after her press conference had ended. ¡°Letitia, I have to warn you. You may be popr now, but it¡¯s never good to offend potential investors. Everything in this modern society is fueled by them.¡± ¡°We have the poprity now! We don¡¯t have to worry about not having the capital anymore.¡± After tasting a brief glimpse of sess, she was practically on cloud nine. As far as she was concerned, she was already an A-list actress. ¡°Letitia, Transfix Cosmetics has just started their press conference.¡± ¡°Who cares? Transfix Cosmetics is done for. No one will ever buy their new products.¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s not the thing. Someone just released a HD video online¡­¡± Letitia rolled her eyes in disdain. To her, nothing could stand in her way anymore. The assistant showed the video to her manager, whose expression waspletely stormy after watching it. ¡°Letitia, what is the meaning of this?¡± Letitia was starting to get annoyed. ¡°Are you tired of working for me? Just because you¡¯re my manager, that doesn¡¯t make you my boss.¡± ¡°Is that so? You¡¯re not even a C-list celebrity yet! How do you have the face to pull off such obnoxious acts? I don¡¯t want to have someone as big-headed as you working under me either.¡± Letitia finally started feeling that something was wrong and snatched the phone from the assistant. The security footage of everything that Letitia said and done to Sophie in the restaurant the other day was ying on the screen. Everything nasty that she had said was yed in the video for everyone to see. Xeno: Little fairy? More like little b*tch! Beast: I can¡¯t believe I spent so much time defending her! C#: I really pity Transfix Cosmetics for having to deal with a psycho like her. 10290: I¡¯ve never dared to say this before, but to be honest, Transfix Cosmetics is a really good brand! I would even regard it as one of the best local brands. Lilyxxx: Their foundation stays on your face the whole day and doesn¡¯t even smudge! I¡¯ve been wanting to say this for a while. I¡¯ve even tried a whole bunch of international products and none of them can compare to theirs! Golditis: Letitia is such a scheming b*tch! The wholement section was full of insults toward Letitia. Someone had even started a hashtag for #ILoveTransfixCosmetics that had begun trending. Almost instantly, everyone who had previously hated Transfix Cosmetics was beginning to use the hashtag. &Loveme&: I can¡¯t wait for Transfix Cosmetics to release their newest product! I¡¯ll definitely be the first one to buy it. !Ali22: Hey, what¡¯s the nearest branch to you? Let¡¯s go together. Letitia couldn¡¯t bear to scroll any further. She was already trembling with rage. Just a few seconds ago, she had been beaming with pride as she approached sess! Now, she had been thrown down into hell from the gates of heaven. Everything had happened so quickly that she hadn¡¯t even had the time to react. ¡°What do we do? What now?¡± Letitia asked, tugging at her manager¡¯s hand. ¡°Only you can help me now!¡± The manager pulled her hand out from Letitia¡¯s grip. ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t think I can help you now.¡± Suddenly, a few men dressed in police uniforms walked into the room, causing Letitia to turn even paler. ¡°Ms. Gatrell, you have been arrested for your involvement in cases of ckmail, cheating and three other crimes. You will now be taken in for further investigation.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± Letitia tried to run, but the policemen didn¡¯t even give her a chance. She was brought away by them and the reporters who had rushed over only managed to get shots of the police cars¡¯ tail lights. Back at the Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ productunch, there were now a lot more reporters after the huge scandal. Even the hundreds of bodyguards stationed at the location weren¡¯t enough for the sheer number of reporters that hade by. Rachel had already prepared everything for their press conference, but there wasn¡¯t a single reporter at their event. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Rachel said with a frown on her face. ¡°Have all of you gone deaf? I just asked you what is going on! What the hell is a press conference without the press?¡± ¡°You might want to take a look at this, Ms. Summers.¡± One of her subordinates passed her a phone. After watching the video of Letitia, Rachel¡¯s face turned bright red. No wonder all the reporters are gone! ¡°What do we do now, Ms. Summers?¡± They had prepared so much stock on theirtest products for the press conference, but if that didn¡¯t happen, what should they do with all the extra stock? Thepany would lose so much money. Lorelei had finally reached the so-called press conference only to see nobody there. She took off the sunsses on the bridge of her nose. ¡°What¡¯s going on? I spent three hours on my makeup and no one is here to even get one picture of me?¡± Rachel was clearly not in the mood to entertain Lorelei. ¡°Go take a look.¡± She wanted to see exactly what Transfix Cosmetics was up to. Wilma had finally heaved a sigh of relief back at Transfix Cosmetics. She couldn¡¯t help but look at Sophie in awe. That girl is really something. It was barely two hours since the incident happened but she had managed to turn the table. Wilma couldn¡¯t believe how lucky she was. She had learned a lot from being around someone so talented. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the rest to you, Ms. Lineker. I know you can do it.¡± Sophie had always trusted Wilma. Wilma was all energized at the sound of Sophie¡¯s encouragement. ¡°I won¡¯t disappoint you, Ms. Tanner.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t disappoint you either!¡± Cecelia suddenly showed up and announced. She would not want to miss out on Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ new productunch. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Daring And Overbearing! ¡°Ms. Tanner, would you like to share a few wordster on?¡± She hadn¡¯t been sure whether Sophie would have made it, but now that she was there, it seemed like a good opportunity. ¡°No, that¡¯s alright.¡± She had never enjoyed the feeling of lights shing in her eyes. ¡­ In Lombard Group, Felix had already nned out how he was about to get back at Letitia. However, he did not expect Sophie to have already settled everything herself. ¡°Mr. Tristan, Ms. Sophie is truly amazing!¡± She had singlehandedly created an uproar. It was like he could already see Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ sess before his very eyes. Tristan was silently agreeing. I knew my Sophie would do just fine. She had probably never seen Letitia as a rival, and she was right for doing so. After all, Letitia could neverpete against someone like Sophie. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to take a look?¡± Felix asked in confusion. If he were in Tristan¡¯s ce, he would have been there in a sh. ¡°I can just watch the live stream.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. He knew she would do well, so all he had to do was sit back and watch. No matter what she wanted to do, he was going to stand firmly behind her. No matter what consequences she ended up facing, he would shoulder them for her. The productunch had already started. Wilma hosted the whole thing personally. First, she thanked the reporters for attending theunch before swiftly summarizing everything that Transfix Cosmetics had done recently. ¡°Basically, we have received tremendous support from everyone since we started this brand. The incident that happened with Letitia Gatrell made us even more confident in our brand. We will continue to work harder toe up with even more products that everyone can enjoy. Now, we¡¯ll present our latest products through this exclusive advertisement!¡± Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ newest advertisements began to y. Everyone inhaled in shock when Cecelia appeared onscreen. Most people had assumed that Transfix Cosmetics was already done for, but here they were having Cecelia as an ambassador. They couldn¡¯t believe that she would ept such an endorsement when Transfix Cosmetics was caught up in its¡¯ scandals. ¡°Wow! Cecelia Lance really is their ambassador!¡± ¡°They¡¯ll definitely make it this time!¡± ¡°Man, I still can¡¯t believe my eyes.¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t Cecelia always been really cautious about the type of products she endorses? She has barely done any.¡± Rachel clenched her fists, not even caring about her nails digging into her palms. She really thought Wilma was done for this time. In the end, she was the one leaving Rachel behind in the dust. She suddenly began to feel lightheaded. ¡°Are you alright, Ms. Summers?¡± Rachel nodded. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡± They still had Dream Cosmetics, after all. They wouldn¡¯t lose to Transfix Cosmetics. The advertisement, whichmunicated passion and enthusiasm, finished ying. ¡°Do you all know that Cecelia isn¡¯t wearing any makeup in this advertisement?¡± ¡°I know! Her skin is so smooth.¡± ¡°After using Transfix Cosmetics, her image haspletely changed. It really is effective.¡± Wilma reappeared onstage. ¡°Next, we would like to invite the ambassador of Transfix Cosmetics, Cecelia Lance.¡± Cecelia walked onstage in a blinding flurry of lights. No one was able to look away from her. ¡°Good afternoon, everybody. I am Cecelia Lance and I am extremely honored to have been given this opportunity by Transfix Cosmetics.¡± ¡°Ms. Lance, Transfix Cosmetics has recently been caught up in a lot of scandals. What made you ept their invitation to be an ambassador?¡± One reporter asked the question that was on everybody¡¯s minds. Cecelia nced over at the reporter¡¯s direction. ¡°Many of you might have given up on Transfix Cosmetics due to their previous scandals with Ms. Gatrell, but I have never once doubted this brand. Once thepany contacted me, I agreed without a second thought.¡± The advertisement for Transfix Cosmetics¡¯test products had been released on the inte concurrently with theunch. There had already been so many people spreading positive hashtags for Transfix Cosmetics after the surveince footage of Letitia had been released. However, after seeing Cecelia in their advertisement, Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ supporters had increased tenfold. Rachel returned to Dream Cosmetics¡¯ conference area which was empty. There was not a single reporter in the space. ¡°What do we do, Ms. Summers? We prepared so much stock and if we don¡¯t sell it, thepany-¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Rachel wasn¡¯t in the mood for stupid questions. She wanted to know what to do too, for God¡¯s sake. Who is going to answer my questions? She had nothing left up her sleeve. She kept making guarantees that the products would be a hit and that was why she order such a huge batch to be manufactured. At that point, she wouldn¡¯t be able to pay it all back even if she sold herself. ¡­ The productunch had already ended and Wilma and Cecelia had both returned to the break room. Sophie was scrolling on Twitter. The trending searches and hashtags were all about Transfix Cosmetics. Sophie was rather pleased with the results. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Cecelia squeezed in next to Sophie. ¡°You are really amazing, Sophie! How did youe up with these ideas? I think your brain must be built differently.¡± Sophie simply ignored her. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m d we¡¯re friends. I must say I pity your enemies, though.¡± Sophie waspletely ruthless toward her enemies, but she was just as kind and caring to those she considered her friends despite her aloof appearance. ¡°They deserve it. If they weren¡¯t so scheming, they wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this.¡± Wilma had be one of Sophie¡¯s biggest fans and knew she could do no wrong. ¡°That¡¯s true. Letitia really deserves it.¡± She should have stuck to acting. It was her fault for trying to use Transfix Cosmetics to get to her goal. ¡°Ms. Lineker, I¡¯ll pass the remaining jobs to you. Cecelia and I will be leaving now.¡± ¡°Okay! Our new products will definitely be a sess, Ms. Tanner,¡± Wilma said enthusiastically. Sophie nodded nonchntly. ¡°You guys have all worked hard. I don¡¯t really care about the results anymore.¡± Besides, nothing would truly bring them down with her there. ¡°Okay.¡± Sophie walked out with Cecelia. ¡°Sophie, do you know how cool you are? Honestly, you would totally kick me off the charts if you ever joined the entertainment industry. You have the looks and the charisma. You would definitely be sessful if you joined.¡± Sophie was attractive in many different faces and Cecelia knew she would be a hit among audiences of different age groups. ¡°I¡¯m not interested. I hate being followed around by reporters.¡± She hated the idea of the public knowing her private life like an open book. ¡°Wait, but there are a lot of reporters outside right now.¡± Cecelia was used to even the most ludicrously huge lens that those reporters could shove in her face. But Sophie hated them. Suddenly, Sophie¡¯s phone rang. She answered and heard Tristan¡¯s voice. ¡°Come up to the rooftop.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t ask any further and simply walked into the elevator with Cecelia before pressing the button for the highest floor. ¡°What¡¯s up? Where are we going?¡± Cecelia thought they were about to leave. ¡°Are you worried because of the reporters? I¡¯m right here! I can distract them.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Sophie replied. ¡°But you hate reporters getting in your face, right? I don¡¯t mind dealing with them for you.¡± After all, she was a famous actress. Hence, she didn¡¯t mind her photos being taken at all. Sophie simply continued walking to the rooftop with Cecelia. ¡°Come on, Sophie. It¡¯s not the end of the world!¡± Cecelia said jokingly. Suddenly, a helicopternded in front of them. Cecelia stared with her mouth wide open. What the hell is going on? The reporters that had been waiting outside the building were all staring dumbfoundedly as well. Who is that? How daring and overbearing! Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Chapter 88 The Grand Gesture The helicopter hovered above Sophie and Cecelia as a ropedder was dropped. Sophie looked at Cecelia. ¡°Can you manage?¡± she asked. ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t get to be an award-winning actress if can¡¯t even do my own stunts.¡± Cecelia had also been practicing Taekwondo for several years. Without saying another word, she grabbed hold of the ropedder and ascended with some difficulty. When she was nearing the top, somebody reached out for her hand and pulled her on board the helicopter. Gazing up in dumbstruck awe, Cecelia could not find the words to describe Tristan¡¯s overwhelming good looks. He would be an A-list celebrity if he joined the entertainment industry. However, Tristan did not even look at Cecelia. Cecelia could not stop herself from being intrigued by him. This guy is pretty good for not many men can resist my beauty. Below, Sophie climbed the ropedder with ease. Felix reached out with the intent of pulling Sophie on board. ¡°Step aside.¡± Startled, Felix touched his nose at the sound of Tristan¡¯s voice and stood aside. Mr. Tristan¡¯s possessiveness can be quite frightening! Taking Tristan¡¯s hand, Sophie hopped on board the helicopter easily. The reporters below watched the helicopter depart with their jaws dropped. The helicopter must be here for Cecelia! It is not unusual for an award-winning actress like her to have such vast resources at her disposal. After recovering from their initial shock, their excitement began to grow. With this scoop, our sry this month is going to swell several times over! After several moments of silence within the helicopter, Cecelia nced at Sophie and Tristan. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to introduce us, Sophie?¡± ¡°This is Tristan Lombard, and that is Felix Northley.¡± ¡°Tristan Lombard? Mr. Tristan of Lombard Group?¡± Sophie nodded. Cecelia¡¯s coolness began to fall apart. It really is him! How is Sophie acquainted with these influential and powerful people? ¡°This is Cecelia Lance, a friend of mine.¡± Tristan nodded at Cecelia by way of greeting, who had by then regained herposure. Having met all kinds of women before, it¡¯s no wonder Mr. Tristan is hardly taken with my beauty. He only has eyes for Sophie. Cecelia noted to herself that Tristan was indeed fond of her friend. He has good looks, money, power, and loyalty. Wow, lucky Sophie. ¡°I¡¯m in awe of you, Sophie.¡± This way of escaping from the press conference was beautifully done! Felix could not refrain from gushing his praise. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Felix.¡± Sophie red at him. Felix fell silent reluctantly. Being a prominent figure in Jipsdale, he could not believe how he was dissed. Cecelia could not help but giggle. Sophie has not changed over the years. Felix stared at Cecelia. Though he dared not talk back to Sophie, he did not have the same regard for an actress. ¡°He¡¯s looking at me threateningly, Sophie,¡± Ceceliained. ¡°You-¡± Felix was furious that Sophie caught him in the act. His gaze was indeed frightening. ¡°I did not, Mr. Tristan.¡± Felix was not about to back down. So what if Cecelia has her backer, and so do I! However, Tristan did not pay him any mind. ¡°My apologies,¡± Felix muttered, not expecting such a predicament to befall him. Seeing that, Cecelia became smug. This is how powerful my backer is. Josiah was pleased to see Cecelia when the group arrived at the hospital. As Sophie and Cecelia were old friends, thetter had been a frequent visitor to the Tanner residence. ¡°Is that you, Cecelia? It¡¯s been a long time since you paid me a visit. Have you forgotten all about me?¡± Cecelia grinned. She cut some fruits for Josiah and then poured him a ss of water. ¡°You¡¯re like my grandfather, Grandpa. How could I forget you? I haven¡¯t visited the Tanner residence because I was upset that Soph had been banished to Horington.¡± Well, I was still young five years ago and had no power to help Sophie. ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s all in the past now. Soph turned out just as well in Horington.¡± ¡°That is true. Sophie excels wherever she goes.¡± As Cecelia had a program to shoot that night, her agent came and picked her up. Sophie and Tristan were still in the ward. The former began a conversation with Josiah. Yale arrived at the hospitalter that night and frowned upon seeing Tristan who was standing next to Sophie. ¡°Who is he?¡± The sales of Transfix Cosmetics must be doing well, given its current state. He never believed Sophie was capable of something like that and could not help but wonder if the man had anything to do with Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ sess. What is he after? Does he have intentions toward Tanner Group? Josiah was displeased with Yale¡¯s attitude. ¡°Who he is is none of your business. What do you want to tell us this time? Sophie has taken concrete steps to disprove your im of her being incapable. What else do you have to say?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just concerned for her, Dad. I am her father. Why would I harm her?¡± Yale sensed that there was more to that man than met the eyes. ¡°Send Sophie home, will you, Tanny?¡± Josiah felt ashamed to have a son like him. ¡°We¡¯ll make a move, Grandpa. See you soon.¡± Tristan was displeased with the neer¡¯s disrespect for Josiah and attitude toward Sophie. As he is Sophie¡¯s father, it¡¯s not my ce to say anything. ¡°Who is the hell is he, Dad? Sophie is still young and na?ve. What are his intentions for being close to her?¡± ¡°Are you worried that he would threaten your position within Tanner Group, Yale? When have you ever cared about Sophie like that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair, Dad. Isn¡¯t all that I do for the benefit of our family? Is the change in ownership of Tanner Group what you want?¡± Josiah grew tired of arguing with his son. With the conversation ending in a huff, Yale left the hospital and lit a cigarette as soon as he got in the car. ¡°I want you to find out about the man with Sophie today.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Tanner,¡± said Lionel respectfully, who had been waiting in the car the entire time. ¡°Do you think the man apanying Ms. Sophie today is the mastermind behind Transfix Cosmetics, Mr. Tanner?¡± he continued after a thoughtful pause. ¡°I can already foresee what a hit Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ new products will be. At this rate, there¡¯s a high possibility of Ms. Sophie stepping up as CEO.¡± Lionel refused to believe that an eighteen-year-old girl possessed such business acumen. ¡°That is why I¡¯m sending you to investigate! You are my trusted aid. How do you think you will fare if I¡¯m no longer CEO? I¡¯m telling you, this daughter of mine can really hold a grudge. She will not make it easy on you.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Yale became irritable at the mention of that problem. ¡°What if Ms. Sophie emerges victorious, Mr. Tanner? Are you really going to let her take over as CEO?¡± ¡°No way in hell.¡± ¡°At this point, I think you have to acknowledge the possibility of that happening, Mr. Tanner.¡± ¡°If this is where we stand, I¡¯m afraid more drastic measures have to be taken.¡± Lionel did not answer. He heaved a sigh of relief at his employer¡¯s words. Yale has always been ruthless. He would never allow others to touch his share of the pie. Sophie received a call from Wilma the following morning as soon as she woke up. ¡°We did it, Ms. Sophie! Our products had sold out the moment they came online.¡± Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Chapter 89 The Great Boss Sophie put her phone in speaker mode and stretched out before doing a split in the living room. ¡°Haven¡¯t we foreseen all of this, Ms. Lineker? You¡¯ll have a lot more to do in the uing days. Once we get past this stretch, you and the team will be sent to holiday abroad.¡± They have been highly strung ofte. It¡¯s about time they rxed. ¡°Please take me under your wing, Ms. Sophie.¡± At that moment, Wilma felt so content and spoiled. How generous of Ms. Sophie to give us a holiday abroad. ¡°Is there anywhere you would like to go? Tell me if there is, and I will make the arrangements for you.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Wilma epted the gesture graciously. As her team had been fraught with worry over theunch, she naturally leaped at the opportunity to take them out for a break. ¡°Is there a budget?¡± she added as an afterthought. Transfix Cosmetics has been making a loss until yesterday, after all. Though we have had an explosive start, it wouldn¡¯t do to go overboard. ¡°There is no limit.¡± Since I have made them that offer, I¡¯m more than happy to pay for everything. On the other end, Wilma covered her phone to seek suggestions from the rest. ¡°Ms. Sophie wants to treat us to a trip abroad, girls. Is there any ce you have in mind?¡± ¡°What? All expenses covered?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t misheard, have I? Is it a holiday oversea?¡± ¡°Excellent! Let¡¯s go to Jinrich Ind!¡± ¡°Jinrich Ind it is, then!¡± ¡°Would Jinrich Ind be too expensive, though? We aren¡¯t exactly raking in the profits yet.¡± Wilma felt the need to modte their excitement. ¡°You¡¯re right. Why don¡¯t we go to Jinrich Ind after Transfix Cosmetics makes big money?¡± ¡°Ms. Lineker.¡± Wilma removed her hand at Sophie¡¯s voice. ¡°I¡¯d heard your conversation. Just go to Jinrich Ind.¡± ¡°Ms. Sophie-¡± ¡°Hang on a couple more days. Leave the arrangements for the trip to me.¡± ¡°I can do it, Ms. Sophie. There is no need for you to do it personally.¡± Ms. Sophie is a busy woman with sses to attend. ¡°It¡¯s no problem. I can easily book the tickets and hotel rooms online. We¡¯ll talk soon as I have to head to school.¡± ¡°All right, Ms. Tanner. Talk to youter.¡± Wilma hung up and gazed at the faces alight with excitement. ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to Jinrich Ind,¡± Wilma announced with a smile. I¡¯m grateful to have chosen the right employer. Though Ms. Sophie may look cold, she is kind to those loyal to her. ¡°We¡¯re going to Jinrich Ind!¡± ¡°We are! It¡¯s a pleasure to go on holiday with all of you.¡± Gazing at the group¡¯s excitement, Wilma felt that all their hard work was worth it. Cecelia heard the news of Transfix Cosmetics¡¯pany trip to Jinrich Ind and gazed at Sophie glumly. ¡°I yed a part in Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ sess too, Sophie! If your staff can go on holiday, what about me?¡± Sophie gazed at her. ¡°Haven¡¯t you been to Jinrich Ind many times before?¡± ¡°So what if I have? Are you that reluctant to part with your money?¡± ¡°Fine, you cane too.¡± Cecelia was satisfied. ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± Meanwhile, Ysabelle also caught wind of the trip to Jinrich Ind and gazed at Sophie withrge, expectant eyes. After being subjected to such intense scrutiny for half an hour, Sophie could not bear it any longer. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Are you nning a trip to Jinrich Ind, Soph?¡± Ysabelle asked as she twiddled her fingers. Sophie¡¯s gaze shifted from the anatomy chart on her book to her friend¡¯s face. ¡°Yes?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I would like to join you.¡± I want to join her on her vacation. Otherwise, it feels like she has abandoned me. ¡°You may.¡± Geez, she could have just told me. Why did she have to stare at me like that? Upon hearing from Ysabelle that she was going to Jinrich Ind, Felix immediately ryed the news to Tristan. ¡°How are you this calm, Mr. Tristan? Jinrich Ind is the perfect ce to develop a romantic rtionship. Are you really not going?¡± ¡°You are the one who wants to go, aren¡¯t you?¡± Tristan retorted. Since Felix found out that Ysabelle was going to Jinrich Ind, he had not stopped talking about it. ¡°You¡¯re right. I admit that I badly want to go. It¡¯s meaningless to be working all the time! What¡¯s the point of earning so much money if I don¡¯t enjoy myself? Going on a trip with someone you like is a good opportunity to develop a romance.¡± ¡°Usually,¡± he added sagely, ¡°a romantic spark is not found in familiar ces, and going somece new might just bring out the romance in a different light.¡± Being almost neen, Ysabelle is no longer a child. It is an impressionable age when girls fall in love easily. If Mr. Tristan did not take advantage of his niece¡¯spany when he still could, he would regret it when Ysabelle found someone she loved. ¡°We should join them, Mr. Tristan.¡± Ysabelle would not agree if I went alone. ¡°Mr. Tristan?¡± Felix was annoyed at how transparent his thoughts werepared to his employer¡¯s. I can never fathom Mr. Tristan¡¯s thoughts¡­ The sale of Transfix Cosmetics¡¯ new products had been skyrocketing. By that point, it was almost impossible to obtain any ready stock. Wilma had the factory work three extra shifts to produce the new stock. The new products of Transfix Cosmetics only took three days to be the most popr series out of thepany¡¯s entire catalog. As the date of their trip to Jinrich Ind drew closer, Wilma handed her tasks on hand to her trusted aide before heading to Jinrich Ind with the rest. Having agreed to meet at the airport, the girls were already there when Wilma arrived. ¡°Over here, Ms. Lineker.¡± One of them saw Wilma from a distance and waved at once. Wilma soon gathered with her team. ¡°Will Ms. Sophie being with us, Ms. Lineker?¡± ¡°Yes, she will.¡± ¡°Wonderful! Come, let¡¯s take a picture!¡± Photography was a popr activity for girls on an outing. The girls huddled together for a selfie which one of them posted on Instagram. The caption wrote: Throughout all the choices I have to make in life, I have never regretted choosing Transfix Cosmetics. Though I expressed doubts back then, I have be more certain about my choice to work for Ms. Sophie. She¡¯s taking us on a trip! It pays well to have an employer like Ms. Sophie. The other girls supported her view by liking that post. On the other side of town, the girls who had followed Rachel to found Dream Cosmetics were close to tears. The staff scheduled another press conference topensate for the pathetic end of the first one. Though they had extended the invitation to many reporters to y safe, the response was tepid at best. And now we¡¯re working overtime every single day. After finding the time to catch up on her social media, the first thing the girl saw was the post about her ex-colleagues going on a tour abroad. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± asked another one of the girls as she leaned over. She, too, became depressed after viewing that post. ¡°How nice it would be if we never left Transfix Cosmetics.¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote to regret that now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If it were not for Ms. Summers, we wouldn¡¯t have left Transfix Cosmetics.¡± Walking in at that exact moment, Rachel heard them. ¡°Ms. Summers,¡± one of them eximed upon catching sight of her employer. Dropping her gaze in terror, she dared not say another word. Rachel scowled. ¡°Do you think it is degrading to be working for me? Look at how jealous you are getting over a trip abroad!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what we meant, Ms. Summers.¡± ¡°Then what exactly do you mean? You are free to leave if you think Dream Cosmetics is holding you back.¡± Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Put Up With Him When Sophie and Ysabelle arrived at the airport, Wilma took their passports to obtain their tickets. The other girls followed her to get the tickets. ¡°What¡¯s going on? My ticket is first-ss.¡± ¡°Mine too.¡± ¡°Oh God.¡± The three tickets Wilma obtained were all first-ss seats. Even if they were sent on business trips at their old jobs, they always flew economy ss. ¡°Did the airline make a mistake?¡± ¡°Could their system be faulty?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so; Ms. Sophie is that generous. It sure feels good to be pampered.¡± It was a sentiment the girls shared. Wilma led the girls back to Sophie and handed her and Ysabelle the tickets. ¡°Economy ss suits us fine, Ms. Sophie. There¡¯s no need for you to spend thisvishly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not much.¡± Sophie honestly did not think it was a lot of money. It was not meant to be an ostentatious gesture. The girls under her employment gazed at her with gratitude. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Sophie. I will work hard after the trip.¡± ¡°Me too! I will make back what you spent on my first-ss seat.¡± It¡¯s rewarding being Ms. Sophie¡¯s employee. We will work hard and not let her down. ¡°Go on, then.¡± Though Sophie did not mean to buy them off, she did not object to the effect her gesture created. The girls were excited as it was their first time passing the VIP security check. ¡°Take me under your wing too, Sophie! There are so many of them, and all their seats are first-ss!¡± ¡°They¡¯re worth it.¡± I have witnessed how hard they work. ¡°How nice it must be working for you.¡± After the security check, the group had some time to spare before boarding and waited in the VIP lounge. Felix suddenly called Ysabelle. ¡°What?¡± she asked rather irritably upon picking up. ¡°You¡¯re rather mean to me ofte, Belle,¡± Felixined. ¡°So? What do you want? We¡¯re about to board.¡± ¡°Nothing. I just want to tell you to have a safe trip.¡± Ysabelle did not know what to say, so she hung up abruptly. ¡°Does Felix have nothing better to do?¡± she asked in annoyance. ¡°He¡¯s actually pretty busy, yet he finds time for you.¡± It is impossible for the heir of the Northley family to have that much free time to spare. The group of about a dozen girls got up and walked across when the notice to board sounded from the speakers. The pleasant sight of a dozen excited, pretty girls made quite an impression on the other travelers. Ysabelle was stunned when they ran into Tristan and Felix at the boarding gate. ¡°What are you doing here, Uncle Tristan?¡± she asked suspiciously. ¡°I have matters to attend to in Koandria.¡± ¡°What a coincidence!¡± Ysabelle gave a bitterugh. It¡¯s not often that I get to go on a holiday. Can¡¯t he cut me some ck? Having never met Tristan and Felix, Wilma nodded to them as a form of greeting. Felix seated himself next to Ysabelle upon boarding the ne, to her chagrin. ¡°What are you doing? I want to sit with Sophie.¡± ¡°Are you sure, Belle?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very sure.¡± ¡°Mr. Tristan, Ysabelle says she wants to-¡± Ysabelle pped a hand over Felix¡¯s mouth and red at him fiercely. Tristan looked over. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Ysabelle said hastily as she concealed her annoyance. How am I going to rebel against my uncle? ¡°Look. I don¡¯t want to sit with you, either. I¡¯m afraid of Mr. Tristan. You are no better, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ysabelle was struck dumb. Lamenting her fate, she was careful to keep her voice down as she did so. ¡°Have you had lunch?¡± Tristan asked Sophie. It¡¯s now one in the afternoon. I wonder if she has eaten. ¡°I have.¡± She and Ysabelle hade over after lunch. ¡°I¡¯m d you did.¡± Sophie took out her phone and put on her earphones. ¡°What are you listening to?¡± Sophie gave him the other earbud. Tristan took it and put it in his ear. It was a very catchy Ustranasion song. Tristan took out his own phone and searched for the song. After setting it as his ringtone, he closed his eyes for a nap. He spent the entire night dealing with the matters of Lombard Group for the next couple of days. After a meeting earlier that morning, he came with Felix to the airport after taking care of his work. Noticing how exhausted he looked, Sophie was careful not to bother him. Instead, she read a book on anatomy. Arius had expressed his desire for her to join the medical association. She agreed as she was genuinely interested in that field. Sophie¡¯s resolve to study medicine strengthened significantly after the incident with her grandfather. I will join the medical association after settling the issues within Tanner Group. Sophie was so engrossed in reading her book that she did not notice Tristan waking up. Surprised to find her with a book, Tristan gazed curiously for a while. When he saw that she was reading an original version of a textbook on anatomy, Tristan became even more convinced of Sophie¡¯s medical prowess. She wouldn¡¯t tell me anything if I asked her right now. However, it does not matter. I don¡¯t care how many secrets she has. I will unravel them one by time. Sophie turned around and saw Tristan¡¯s eyes fixed thoughtfully on the book in her hand. ¡°Would you like to take a look?¡± Sophie offered while handing it over. ¡°I can lend it to you if you find it interesting.¡± Tristan shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a tall order for me to start learning medicine at my age. I¡¯m just curious about what you¡¯re reading, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s never toote to start learning something as long as you have the passion.¡± Sophie did not continue her conversation with him. Instead, she turned her attention back to her book. It is rare for young people to sit quietly with a book in hand these days. Tristan¡¯s fondness for Sophie increased yet again. After over two hours of flying, the ne finallynded at Jinrich International Airport. The group descended the aircraft after the flight attendant¡¯s announcement. The cars sent by the hotel were already lining up in wait outside the airport. Even Wilma, who had witnessed high-profile travelers in her day, was stunned at the sight of the three extra-long Lincoln limousines parked by the road. What sort of a hotel has Ms. Sophie arranged for us? ¡°Come on, get in!¡± Sophie gestured. The girls seemed intimidated by the grandeur of their reception. ¡°We can all squeeze into one.¡± Sophie frowned. ¡°That would be too cramped.¡± ¡°Not at all, Ms. Sophie.¡± ¡°All right. They will take you to the hotel, and you can go wherever you please after checking in.¡± They do not appear at ease in my presence. ¡°All right, Ms. Sophie. Enjoy yourself.¡± Tristan and Felix were already waiting for them at the side of thest Lincoln when Sophie and Ysabelle went over. ¡°Aren¡¯t you here on business? What do you want now?¡± Felix opened the car door in response while Tristan stood aside for Sophie and Ysabelle to enter. ¡°Why do I get the feeling that they followed us here, Soph?¡± The rubbish about being in Koandria for business is obviously a lie. Sophie nced at her. ¡°Are you using your uncle of something?¡± Ysabelle was horrified. How did she know? I must be mad to do that! Her family was not aware that she had taken leave to travel abroad. If word slips from Uncle Tristan, I am finished. That is why I have to put up with him. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Ysabelle hurriedly vacated the seat next to Sophie when Tristan entered the car. He sat next to Sophie as if it was the most natural thing to do. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Chapter 91 If Only They Could Take Me Down The Lincoln they traveled in was taking them to the hotel. Throughout the journey, Sophie coughed several times. Tristan took out a sk, unscrewed the cap, and passed it to her. ¡°Here. Drink some warm water.¡± Sophie did not know how to react as she had never shared another person¡¯s cup before! ¡°Drink some warm water, Soph! You¡¯re not down with flu, are you?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a new cup, don¡¯t worry,¡± Tristan assured her. Once again, Sophie was at a loss for words. It¡¯s not that I mind. It was just a matter of habit. ¡°Yeah! Don¡¯t worry, Soph. My uncle is not sick!¡± Upon hearing that, Tristan shot daggers at Ysabelle. Is she trying to step on my toes on purpose? Ysabelle immediately zipped her mouth. Under Tristan¡¯s watchful eyes, Sophie epted the cup and took a sip. The man continued staring at her, leaving her with no choice but to take another sip. When their Lincoln car arrived at the hotel, Felix got down the vehicle and opened the door. He reached out his hands to help Ysabelle get out of the car, but thetter ignored him and hopped down from her seat. Tristan also extended his hand to Sophie. Sophie did not turn down his offer. She held his hand and came out of the car. A handsome gentleman and a beauty getting out of the car was quite a sight to behold. The passersby standing by the road and observing their interaction were all fangirling and screaming internally. ¡°Thank you.¡± The moment they stepped into the hotel, the manager came out to greet them, ¡°Are you Mr. Tristan?¡± Tristan nodded and responded with a deep grunt. ¡°We¡¯ve prepared two presidential suites for you, and they¡¯re ready for check-in.¡± Meanwhile, Sophie went to the front-desk counter with Ysabelle to check in. ¡°I want to share a room with you, Soph.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. Isn¡¯t Cecelia joining us too? Why isn¡¯t she here?¡± Ysabelle liked Cecelia very much because they were about the same age. She also looked up to Cecelia because she was an award-winning actress. ¡°She can¡¯t make it because she¡¯s busy with filming.¡± The achievements Cecelia attained were not results of an overnight sess. She had always been a professional actress who worked hard in all her films. Throughout her career, she had never hired a stunt double. She would pour her heart and soul into a project as long as she found the script inspiring. That was why Cecelia was a breath of fresh air when the entertainment industry was full of snobbish and arrogant celebrities. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s such a pity! I thought of asking her for her autograph.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get a chance to do so. She¡¯ll be releasing hertest film soon. I¡¯ll take you to the premiere.¡± Before this, Sophie had promised Cecelia she would attend her premiere but did not get a chance to do so. Now that they were in Jipsdale, she had no reason to turn down her invitation again. ¡°Mr. Tristan, what should we do since the girls have decided to share a room?¡± ¡°You have a problem with that? Do you want to share a room with Ysabelle? How dare you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I had in mind, Mr. Tristan!¡± Felix immediately denied it. What did I do to make him think I¡¯m a pervert? ¡°Mr. Tristan, I¡¯m just a little curious. Ms. Tanner is such a gorgeousdy. Don¡¯t you have any thoughts about her?¡± Tristan shot a murderous re at Felix, forcing him to shut his mouth. After checking into the hotel rooms and changing into fresh clothes, Sophie heard a knock on their door. She opened the door and saw Tristan standing outside. ¡°Yes, Mr. Tristan? How can I help you?¡± Sophie was still wearing the hotel¡¯s bathrobe. She probably had juste out of the shower since her hair was still wet. Her rosy cheeks were exceptionally seductive. ¡°I just want to give you this.¡± Tristan then gave her a bag. Sophie looked into the bag and saw bottles of pills in it. ¡°I don¡¯t need this. I¡¯m not ill.¡± Why should I take these medicines? Can¡¯t he see I¡¯m not sick? ¡°Didn¡¯t you have a sore throat? These pills can relieve your difort. Well, they¡¯re not exactly medicines but lozenges.¡± Sophie eventually epted the bag. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Nope. Let¡¯s have dinner togetherter!¡± ¡°Sure, but Ysabelle is still in the shower. I¡¯ll text you when she¡¯s ready.¡± Sophie did not allow Tristan to enter their room. She thought it was inappropriate for him toe in when Ysabelle was still in the bathroom. It¡¯s just not right for him to be around even though they were rted. Tristan could not help but chuckle at how hard-hearted she was when shutting him out. Soon, Ysabelle got out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body. ¡°Who was it? Ms. Lineker? I¡¯ll be ready in a minute.¡± Ysabelle was thrilled as she had looked forward to this trip. ¡°Take your time, don¡¯t worry.¡± Ysabelle started putting on makeup. As a neen-year-old, she was particr about her looks. She could do anything she wanted to unt her beauty since she was away from school. While she went to the restroom to do her makeup, Sophie lolled on the couch in the hotel room, even though her hair was still wet. Her phone rang, and she answered the call. ¡°Phantom, are you in Koandria? Please do me a favor.¡± Butterfly sounded irritated. ¡°What is it?¡± Sophie was annoyed by the call. Lately, she had not been enthusiastic about anything. ¡°Wings of Light has recently epted a project, but we¡¯re at our wits¡¯ end. We¡¯re wondering if you could help us out.¡± ¡°You mean all of you can¡¯t settle the project?¡± As the founder of Wings of Light, Sophie was responsible for ensuring the sess of the projects they epted. ¡°All right.¡± Butterfly might be twenty-five years old, but when she was with Sophie, who was only in her teenage years, Butterfly behaved like an elementary school pupil. ¡°Got it. Email me the details, and I¡¯ll take it from there.¡± ¡°Phantom, I know you¡¯re confident in yourself, but you ought to be careful. They¡¯re not easy to deal with.¡± Wings of Light was a legendary organization, and many people had the utmost respect for it. But some people also wanted Wings of Light to fall from grace. Many hackers were eager to expose Phantom¡¯s identity. By doing so, they could be the world¡¯s number one. That was why whenever Phantom epted a project, countless hackers would try to get through her firewalls, hoping they could expose her identity. ¡°You worry too much.¡± I¡¯ve yet to identify a worthy opponent. ¡°Phantom, I know you¡¯ve great skills, and nobody can defeat you. But now, the hackers in Anndur have formed an alliance to find out who you are.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be more than willing to kneel before them and concede defeat if they could take me down,¡± Sophie uttered condescendingly. Butterfly sighed. Despite knowing Phantom was invincible, Butterfly was still worried about her. After all, hackers were not civic-minded andw-abiding citizens. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Meanwhile, Ysabelle, who hadpleted her makeup, had changed into a beautiful purple skirt. When she saw Sophie was still wearing the bathrobe, she pulled her over. ¡°Excuse me, Ms. Tanner! Why are you still in your bathrobe? We¡¯re leaving soon! Quick, get changed. I¡¯ll help you with makeup.¡± It would have been a waste if Soph didn¡¯t doll herself up. She¡¯s such a beauty! ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I¡¯ll just change into something casual.¡± ¡°Nope. I bought this same dress for you. Since I¡¯m wearing it, you have to wear it too.¡± Sophie nced at Ysabelle¡¯s purple skirt and was not a big fan of it. It¡¯s so inconvenient to walk in that skirt! ¡°Please, Soph? We¡¯re besties, right?¡± ¡°All right. Fine!¡± Ysabelle gave Sophie a big hug. Yay! Soph¡¯s the best! Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Chapter 92 I Want To Have Meat Too The dress that Ysabelle bought Sophie was from the same brand as her own, but it gave off a different vibe. The dress Ysabelle wore made her look like a princess in a fairy tale, whereas Sophie¡¯s made her look like a celebrity. Sophie looked so great in the dress that even Ysabelle whistled when she saw her. ¡°Wow! You look really pretty!¡± Sophie simply shrugged and shed her a smile in response. This dress does indeed look nice and suits my style really well, but it¡¯s really inconvenient. I have to be careful when I sit down or I might expose myself without even realizing it! ¡°Come here, Soph! I¡¯ll help you with your makeup!¡± Ysabelle had recently gotten into makeup and even bought some from Transfix Cosmetics. ¡°No, thanks. I don¡¯t like that stuff on my face.¡± ¡°Ms. Tanner, have you forgotten that you are now selling cosmetics? How will the customers have faith in the product if you don¡¯t use it?¡± ¡°They can just not use it.¡± Applying makeup is a real hassle and takes way too much time. Don¡¯t even get me started on how troublesome the makeup removal process is¡­ ¡°Come on, Soph! Let me give it a shot! You know how I¡¯ve gotten into makeuptely!¡± Jeez¡­ I have got to choose my friends more carefully¡­ ¡°Ms. Lombard, is it possible for me to end our friendship?¡± ¡°Sorry, but it¡¯s toote for that now!¡± Realizing that she had given her consent, Ysabelle quickly sat her down at the dressing table and went to town on her face. Thanks to Sophie¡¯s naturally beautiful face and Ysabelle¡¯s amazing skills, Ysabelle got the makeup done in less than ten minutes. Using the same technique she saw in videos and tutorials, Ysabelle then braided Sophie¡¯s hair and said, ¡°See? You look even prettier than Cecelia!¡± She¡¯s clearly very proud of her handiwork¡­ ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go for dinner,¡± Sophie urged her as it was already six in the evening. ¡°Okay!¡± Ysabelle replied with a smile. Both Tristan¡¯s and Felix¡¯s eyes lit up when the two girls showed up in front of them. ¡°Well? What do you think? I might actually consider bing a stylist in the future,¡± Ysabelle asked with her head held high. Felix was still in awe as he looked at her from head to toe. ¡°You look beautiful, Belle!¡± Due to him being a blunt and dense guy, ¡°beautiful¡± was the onlypliment he knew. Ysabelle let out a proud snort and said, ¡°I know, right? I think I look amazing too!¡± ¡°Sophie looks better,¡± Tristanmented. It¡¯s no secret that Sophie looks extremely beautiful. She stunned me with her appearance once at Ysabelle¡¯s birthday party, but this evening gown gives her a different kind of charm! Ysabelle fell speechless when she heard what he said. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you say about Sophie. I think Ysabelle looks way better!¡± Felix said. ¡°We¡¯re going out for dinner, aren¡¯t we? Come on, let¡¯s get going! I¡¯m starving!¡± Sophie quickly ended the topic. Tristan nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The two of them then walked out the door together. ¡°You really want to be a stylist?¡± Felix asked while fiddling with Ysabelle¡¯s braid. He was well aware of her recent interest in makeup. ¡°Do you think I have the talent for it?¡± ¡°I think you do, but it¡¯s way too much work.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s continue this conversation some other time. I¡¯m not too sure about it myself just yet.¡± The four of them then made their way into a Koandrian barbecue restaurant and sat down at arge table. My goodness¡­ I never knew Tristan could make something as mundane as grilling meat look so good! Felix thought to himself in shock when he saw Tristan work the barbecue. Tristan added some vegetables to the meat when grilling it, which resulted in a really appetizing combination. When the meat was thoroughly cooked, Tristan ced it on a piece of lettuce and asked Sophie, ¡°Anything else you would like to add?¡± ¡°I can help myself to the food, so you don¡¯t have to worry about serving me,¡± Sophie replied while grabbing her own lettuce. Tristan simply kept quiet as he dipped it in some sauce and held it up to her mouth. Dozens of girls in the restaurant were looking at them at that time. Sophie shot Tristan an annoyed nce but opened her mouth anyway. Tristan fed her the perfectly grilled, bite-sized piece of meat that he had wrapped in the lettuce. ¡°Well? What do you think? Not too bad, huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s really good.¡± A satisfied smile formed on Tristan¡¯s face when he heard that. The girls¡¯ eyes were filled with admiration and envy as they watched from their tables. ¡°That¡¯s Ms. Sophie¡¯s boyfriend, right? He¡¯s such a sweet guy!¡± ¡°I know, right? Not only does he look ridiculously good, but he also treats her so well!¡± ¡°D*mn¡­ I want him to be my boyfriend!¡± ¡°You? Forget it! Those two are a perfect match for each other!¡± Tristan and Sophie looked great together in terms of both their appearance and the aura they exuded. Ysabelle shifted her gaze between the meat that Tristan and Felix grilled. ¡°Hey, Felix! You¡¯ve been hanging out with Uncle Tristan for a really long time, so why haven¡¯t you learned anything from him?¡± Felix, too, wrapped a chunk of grilled meat in a piece of lettuce and held it up to her mouth. ¡°Here you go.¡± ¡°Forget it!¡± Ysabelle wrapped another chunk of meat and ate it herself instead. Tristan was so focused on feeding Sophie that he didn¡¯t really eat much himself. Is he not hungry? I¡¯m almost finished with my portion here! With that in mind, Sophie wrapped a chunk of meat in a piece of lettuce and held it up to his mouth. ¡°You should eat some too.¡± Tristan was not expecting her to feed him at all, so he got a little too excited and bit her finger by ident when she shoved it into his mouth. The two of them exchanged nces for the briefest of moments before Sophie pulled her hand back. Despite her maintaining a calm expression, she felt a strange sensation building up inside her chest. The finger that he identally bit felt numb as though it had been shocked by electricity. That was when Tristan realized he was more interested in having her instead of grilled meat. When they were almost done eating, Wilma poured herself a ss of wine and stood up as she said, ¡°I really want to thank you for what you did today, Ms. Sophie! Honestly, I would¡¯ve given up on Transfix Cosmetics if it weren¡¯t for you. Now, I know I will never think about giving up ever again! I¡¯ll be sure to work harder from now on!¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Wilma then downed the entire ss in one go after that. Sophie, too, poured herself a ss of wine and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, Ms. Lineker. I should be the one thanking you instead. Cheers, everyone!¡± She stood up and chugged her drink down in one go as well. Felix couldn¡¯t help but wince at the sight of that. What has happened to girls nowadays? Are they all that hardcore? The dozens of girls stood up with their sses raised and filled to the brim. ¡°We¡¯re not good with words, but we promise to work just as hard! Thank you for everything, Ms. Sophie! With you on our side, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be able to afford to eat meat like this every day!¡± Felix fell speechless after hearing that. What the heck? Did Sophie be their CEO or something? Sophie smiled at how adorable their behavior was. ¡°Very well! I will do my best to help you all out!¡± It was already eight in the evening by the time they were done with dinner. Seeing as everyone was a little tired, Sophie decided to have them head back and get some rest. The barbecue ce wasn¡¯t far from the hotel, so they walked back instead of hailing taxis, as it would help with digesting the heavy meal. Tristan and Sophie were walking in the back of the group at that time. ¡°I¡¯d like to have some meat too, Ms. Sophie,¡± he said all of a sudden. Sophie paused in her tracks. Wait¡­ What did I just hear? ¡°I want to have meat too. Will you help me out with that?¡± Sophie found herself blushing when she heard that. Is this guy flirting with me right now? ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you can afford to have meat anytime you want, Mr. Tristan,¡± Sophie replied and carried on walking forward. ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about.¡± She¡¯s a smart girl, so there¡¯s no way she doesn¡¯t get what I mean! Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Chapter 93 I Look Amazing Without Clothes Later that night, Sophie waited till Ysabelle had fallen asleep before helping Butterfly and the others solve their problem. Since she had a phone call with Arius thatsted over an hour after that, she only managed to get four hours of sleep. As such, Sophie looked incredibly tired when the group had breakfast at the hotel dining hall the next morning. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sophie? Are you feeling unwell? Do you want to go back to your room and get some rest?¡± Ysabelle asked worriedly. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just didn¡¯t sleep well, that¡¯s all,¡± Sophie replied. She grabbed some random food items and a ss of warm milk before returning to her seat. Tristan sat down in front of her with his breakfast and asked, ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Why is everyone asking me the same thing? Worried that she could be starving, Tristan transferred a lot of his food onto her te. He had been doing stuff like that so often that Sophie had gotten used to it at that point. ¡°You should eat more.¡± Since she wasn¡¯t a model, he couldn¡¯t stand seeing her being skinnier than actual models out there. ¡°Do you have a problem with my figure, Mr. Tristan?¡± Sophie askedzily. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re a little too skinny.¡± ¡°Oh, please! I only look skinny because of the clothes that I wear! I¡¯ll have you know that I look amazing without them!¡± Tristan kept quiet and stared at her chest before nodding in agreement. It wasn¡¯t until a few secondster that Sophie realized what she had said and blushed really hard. What the f*ck? I can¡¯t believe I actually said that to a guy! ¡°You can prove it to me when we have the time,¡± Tristan whispered suggestively. I would dly verify that statement of hers myself! Their little intimate moment was interrupted when Ysabelle came over and asked, ¡°What are you two talking about? Your face looks really red, Soph! Are you actually feeling unwell?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Sophie mumbled as she shoved a grape into her mouth. ¡°Oh, by the way, what were you doing on theputerst night?¡± Ysabelle asked. She had gotten up in the middle of the night and seen Sophie working on herputer. Thinking that she was probably busy with something, Ysabelle didn¡¯t want to disturb her and went back to sleep. ¡°I was gaming.¡± ¡°That sounds fun! I want to join you the next time you y!¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Phantom has struck against night, Mr. Tristan,¡± Felix whispered with a depressed look on his face. Being a huge fan of Phantom, he had always wanted to know who Phantom was but never had the chance to find out. ¡°Got it.¡± Tristan was equally curious about Phantom¡¯s identity. He wanted to recruit a talented individual like that. Sophie shot them a nce when she heard them talking about Phantom, but she carried on eating as if she didn¡¯t know anything about it. After finishing her food, Sophie was about to put the te away when Tristan stopped her. ¡°Leave it here. I¡¯ll take care of it along with my own teter.¡± As Sophie was having a stomachache at that time, she did as told and ran off to use the bathroom. The group had nned on having a fun day at the beachter, so Wilma and the others were going to get their stuff from their hotel rooms. That was when Wendy identally bumped into a woman dressed in fancy clothes, knocking her handbag to the floor in the process. ¡°Are you blind or what? Why don¡¯t you watch where you¡¯re going?¡± the woman yelled angrily while shoving Wendy off her. Upon noticing the branded stuff the woman had on, Wendy apologized as she knew she couldn¡¯t afford to mess with her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! It was an ident!¡± ¡°Saying sorry isn¡¯t going to help! Do you have any idea how much this handbag costs? Someone like you couldn¡¯t possibly afford it!¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry!¡± The woman¡¯s temper red when she heard her apologize again. She pped Wendy so hard that blood came out of the corner of her lips. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. As Wilma was walking in the front of the group, she didn¡¯t realize the trouble Wendy had gotten herself into until she heard the p. ¡°Hey, Ma¡¯am! I don¡¯t know what happened, but you shouldn¡¯t have hit her like that!¡± Wilma got angry when she saw the woman bullying her subordinate. ¡°She should consider herself lucky that a p is all she got! Do you even know how much this handbag costs? It¡¯s a limited-edition item!¡± the woman snapped back at her. It pained Wilma to see Wendy¡¯s face all swollen up. ¡°Wendy, are you okay?¡± Despite how aggrieved she felt, Wendy didn¡¯t want to cause Wilma any trouble, as they were in Koandria. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Ms. Lineker¡­¡± she mumbled. ¡°Apologize to me properly andpensate me for my handbag! Until then, none of you are leaving Jinrich Ind!¡± Koandrians like her often looked down upon Chanaeans. I really want to tear this woman a new one, but we can¡¯t afford to cause trouble now that we¡¯re in a foreign country¡­ With that in mind, Wilma asked, ¡°How much do you want?¡± ¡°Ten million!¡± the woman replied shamelessly. ¡°I don¡¯t have that much money, Ms. Lineker!¡± Wendy was on the verge of crying. ¡°Ma¡¯am, your bag fell on the floor. How can that possibly cost ten million?¡± Wilma tried to reason with her. ¡°My bag is dirty now, so I don¡¯t want it anymore,¡± the woman replied arrogantly. Everyone in the hotel knew she was the wife of the local business conglomerate, so nobody dared intervene at all. ¡°You¡­¡± Sophie had just returned from the bathroom when she saw them being surrounded. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± she asked as she made her way over. ¡°Ms. Sophie!¡± Wendy burst into tears the moment she saw her savior. Wilma gave her a brief summary of the situation, and Sophie narrowed her eyes after hearing her exnation. Those who were close to Sophie knew that look meant she was about to screw someone over, but the woman was still mouthing off at them. ¡°How about this? Since you¡¯re all so poor, I¡¯ll be kind enough to let you all off the hook if you all apologize to me sincerely.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Wilma was on the verge of exploding with anger at that point. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Ms. Sophie!¡± Wendy said as she didn¡¯t want to get them all in trouble. ¡°How much did you say this handbag is worth?¡± Sophie asked. As no one had ever dared stand up to her, the woman waspletely fearless even when faced with someone like Sophie. ¡°Ten million.¡± ¡°All right. Fetch me a pair of scissors.¡± Fearing that she would offend the woman further, Wilma tried to talk her out of it. ¡°Ms. Sophie¡ª¡± ¡°I said, fetch me a pair of scissors,¡± Sophie repeated herself. Wilma had no choice but to do as told and returned with a pair of scissors in hand. Sophie then handed the scissors over to Wendy without saying a word, much to her confusion. ¡°What are you girls nning on doing, huh? You¡¯re in Koandria right now! Do you even know who I am?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Sophie shot her a cold re, causing the woman to go silent instantly. She turned toward Wendy as she continued, ¡°This handbag is worth a lot of money, right? Cut it.¡± This handbag is worth ten million, though! Are we seriously going to cut it? Wendy nced at Wilma with an uncertain look in her eyes. ¡°Just do it!¡± With trembling hands, Wendy knelt down and began cutting the handbag in front of everyone. The woman was livid with rage when she saw that. It was really hard for me to get my hands on that handbag! I had to pull so many strings just to get it, and these people are just cutting it to pieces? She got so mad that she wanted to kill them all on the spot. ¡°You b*tches¡ª¡± ¡°While we can afford to pay you ten million for destroying your handbag, it¡¯s clearly a fake worth only ten thousand. Wilma, pay her ten thousand,¡± Sophie said with her arms crossed. Wilma did as told and handed the woman ten thousand in cash. ¡°Bullsh*t! Don¡¯t give me that cr*p!¡± The woman refused to believe that she had spent ten million on a counterfeit handbag. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Chapter 94 A Truly Swollen Face Sophie didn¡¯t want to waste any more of her time and energy on that woman. ¡°We¡¯ll know for sure by having someone appraise it. You may not know whether your handbag is authentic, but you did p my colleague across the face.¡± The woman fell silent instantly. ¡°Tell me, how much do you think you should pay us for the p?¡± Sophie pressed on. ¡°Heh¡­ I knew it! You lot are trying to con me of my money! Have you Chanaeans forgotten where you are right now? How dare you try to con me in my own country?¡± ¡°I think you should forget about it, Miss. She¡¯s the wife of a business conglomerate.¡± Unlike in other countries, business conglomerates were incredibly powerful in Koandria. ¡°I am not going to let this slide!¡± Sophie insisted. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . The woman pulled out a ten thousand note from her purse and threw it at Wendy. ¡°There, is that good enough for you? That¡¯s ten thousand for a p!¡± Sophie got so angry that she actually felt a little amused. This woman sure is something else! I can¡¯t believe she actually managed to anger me! ¡°Oh¡­ A p is only worth ten thousand to you, huh? Since you like hitting people so much, I¡¯ll y a little game with you!¡± She stepped forward and pped the woman repeatedly across the face. Those ps were so hard that they left the woman stunned with her ears ringing. It took her every ounce of strength she had just to remain on her feet. ¡°How many times did I hit her?¡± Sophie asked. ¡°Ten times,¡± Wilma replied. Sophie took the purse from Wilma and threw ny thousand at the woman¡¯s face. ¡°You want to make more money? I¡¯d be happy to keep oblige if you do, but my hands are a little tired, so I¡¯ll pay someone else to do it for me.¡± ¡°You¡­ Just you all wait and see!¡± the woman spat those words out before fleeing the scene. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay to do that, Ms. Sophie? Business conglomerates hold a great amount of power here!¡± Although it was incredibly satisfying to put that woman in her ce, they were still worried about the potential repercussions of their actions. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯m here with all of you!¡± Sophie reassured them. I wouldn¡¯t have done that if I were afraid of the consequences! Besides, a business conglomerate from Jinrich Ind is nothingpared to me! Tristan, Felix, and Ysabelle came running over when they noticed themotion. ¡°What happened?¡± Ysabelle asked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Some idiot just tried to bully us, that¡¯s all.¡± Sophie refused to let anyone make a fool of her. Fearing that Sophie would get into trouble because of her, Wendy said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Sophie! I really didn¡¯t mean for this to happen!¡± Tristan nced at Wendy¡¯s face and said, ¡°Felix, get a doctor over here.¡± ¡°On it!¡± After hearing that Sophie had pped someone ten times, Tristan held her hand and examined it as he asked, ¡°Does your hand hurt?¡± ording to thew of action and reaction, it would make perfect sense for her hand to be hurting after hitting someone that many times. Honestly, she shouldn¡¯t even have to get her hands dirty like this. Sophie and everyone else fell silent upon seeing his behavior. ¡°Next time, let me do the hitting.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Everyone else then returned to their rooms while a doctor tended to Wendy¡¯s injury. After hearing the doctor dere that she was all right, they headed over to the beach as they had originally nned. The girls were quick to forget the unpleasant incident from earlier the moment they saw how beautiful the scenery was. However, it wasn¡¯t in Tristan¡¯s nature to forgive and forget like that. ¡°There is no longer any reason for that woman to exist now that she has offended me. Have Sean take care of this.¡± ¡°You sure are protective of Sophie, Mr. Tristan!¡± ¡°Of course. She¡¯s mine, and I¡¯m not about to let anyone bully her.¡± Felix fell speechless upon hearing that. Given how powerful Sophie is, I highly doubt anyone has what it takes to bully her! As Ysabelle found Wilma pleasant to hang out with, she decided to befriend her and said, ¡°Let¡¯s add each other on WhatsApp, Ms. Lineker! From now on, you may feel free to contact me if you ever need anything. I may not be as powerful as Soph, but I might just be able to help out!¡± Naturally, Wilma was well aware of Ysabelle¡¯s capabilities. Having taken a liking to her personality as well, Wilma agreed to her suggestion readily, ¡°Sure thing!¡± Since the weather was great that day, Sophie decided to get off the chair and go for a stroll. She took her shoes off and walked along the beach with her feet in the water. ¡°I believe I¡¯ve made myself clear enough, yes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Tristan! Just leave it to me!¡± After all, making a mere business conglomerate go missing was a piece of cake for them. When Tristan shifted his gaze toward the sea, he found himself mesmerized by how beautiful Sophie looked ying in the water. While making his way toward her, he paused in his tracks and took a picture of her on his phone. A boundless blue ocean in the background, and a beautiful goddess with long hair that blows freely in the wind¡­ This picture is perfect! Satisfied with how great the picture turned out, Tristan put the phone away and continued making his way toward her. Instead of walking alongside her, Tristan simply followed behind her and admired the view. Sophie paused in her tracks and turned around to face him all of a sudden, but Tristan just kept walking toward her without breaking his stride. He didn¡¯t do or say anything strange in particr, but Sophie found her heart beating faster as he got closer to her. Tristan came to a halt when he was about a step away from her. Despite having so much power at his fingertips, he chose not to abuse it by forcing himself on her. Instead, he believed that she would someday take that step toward him of her own ord. ¡°Hey, Felix¡­ I think I might be homosexual¡­ I don¡¯t know why, but seeing Uncle Tristan together with Sophie makes me sad. Do you think I might¡¯ve fallen in love with her?¡± Ysabelle mumbled as she observed their interaction from afar. ¡°Ysabelle, are you serious right now?¡± Felix couldn¡¯t believe his ears. Don¡¯t tell me my rival in love is a woman¡­ ¡°But they look so good together!¡± Ysabelle protested. Felix nced in their direction and saw what she meant. It¡¯s true that those two look great together. In fact, it¡¯s such a beautiful sight that I feel like I¡¯m watching some romantic Koandrian drama. However, it wouldn¡¯t be as beautiful if one of them turned out to be my love rival! Unable to withstand her boredom any longer, Ysabelle ran up to them and grabbed Sophie by the arm. ¡°Let¡¯s have apetition!¡± ¡°What kind ofpetition?¡± Tristan asked. Since he was rarely open to such suggestions, Ysabelle wasn¡¯t about to let such an opportunity slip her by. ¡°Since we¡¯re at a beach, it only makes sense that we y a game of beach volleyball! What do you think?¡± ¡°I think that sounds great. Come here, Belle! You and I are on the same team!¡± Felix pulled Ysabelle aside. Naturally, Sophie and Tristan were teamed up with each other. Wilma and the girls gathered around after seeing what they were doing. ¡°You can do it, Ms. Sophie!¡± the girls chanted in unison to cheer her on. ¡°You sure have a lot of fans.¡± ¡°Eh, it¡¯s all right.¡± Hmm¡­ Looks like I still have a long way to go if I am to be the only one who matters to her. ¡°Since this is apetition, we should have a wager to keep things interesting! Wouldn¡¯t you agree, Mr. Tristan?¡± Felix suggested. Tristan arched an eyebrow at him in response. Does Felix think he can beat me? Isn¡¯t he overestimating himself a little too much here? With that in mind, he asked, ¡°Do you really think you can win?¡± ¡°Everypetition will have winners and losers. Besides, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m bound to lose!¡± Felix replied with a chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. You¡¯re guaranteed to lose if youpete against me.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Felix was irritated by Tristan¡¯s unbelievable arrogance, but there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it. ¡°How about this? If I win, I¡¯ll trade ces with Sophie!¡± He was truly going all out at that point. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Go To My Room Thinking she had misheard him, Ysabelle dug at her ear and asked calmly, ¡°What did you say? Can you repeat that?¡± ¡°I said, I want to share a room with you!¡± Felix was determined to spend more time with her at all costs. ¡°You hear that, Uncle Tristan? Your friend here wants to bed me!¡± Ysabelle said. Felix fell silent upon hearing that. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Wait¡­ Did she get the wrong idea or something? I said I wanted to share a room with her, not share a bed with her! Noticing that Tristan had narrowed his eyes menacingly, Felix raised his arms in a surrendering motion and eximed, ¡°That¡¯s not true, Mr. Tristan! I¡¯ve never thought about that at all!¡± Sophie picked up the volleyball and stepped forward as she said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ysabelle! He can¡¯t possibly win!¡± ¡°Hey, Mr. Tristan! Your girlfriend is bullying me!¡± Felix eximed. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll help her bully you in a bit!¡± Tristan replied with a smile. Just like that, what should¡¯ve been a fair volleyball match ended with the three of them ganging up on Felix. Unhappy with his loss, Felix grumbled when he was alone with Tristan, ¡°Hey, Mr. Tristan! Don¡¯t you want to be in the same room with Sophie? I actually thought you were going to help me out earlier!¡± ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Felix. Ysabelle is still very young!¡± What the f*ck? Does he really see me as a heartless pervert? ¡°I just wanted to spend more time with her, d*mn it! Why must you all bully me like this? You¡¯re such a meanie, Mr. Tristan!¡± Felixmented. ¡°I won¡¯t stop you once Ysabelle turns twenty, so stop your whining.¡± What? I have to wait till she¡¯s twenty? There are tons of kids out there who start dating as early as the age of ten! ¡°Twenty? A-Are you going to wait till Sophie turns twenty too?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Felix had never thought he would hear that reply from Tristan. What the¡­ Since when did Mr. Tristan be such a gentleman? Wilma had always assumed that Tristan was some kind of unreasonable thug that would abuse his powers. Being a huge fan of photography, she had taken a picture of him and Sophie with an instant camera when they were standing next to each other earlier. Noticing that Tristan was standing by himself, she walked up to him and handed him the photo she had taken. ¡°You must really like Ms. Sophie, huh? You two look so perfect together!¡± Tristan couldn¡¯t help but admire how great the photo looked. He and Sophie were looking at each other with the former lowering his head and thetter raising hers slightly. Her skirt was billowing in the wind, and the boundless blue sea made a perfect background for the two of them. ¡°Thanks. Feel free toe to me if you ever need anything,¡± Tristan said. Felix saw him staring at the photo when he came back. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked as he tried to get a peek, but Tristan put it away before he could see anything. Oh,e on! It¡¯s just a photo! Would it kill him to let me have a look? Sophie was feeling a little tired due to theck of sleep, but she didn¡¯t want to stop Wilma and the others from having a great time. After giving it some thought, she decided to just text them the location for dinner instead. As Ysabelle and Felix were nowhere to be found, she went back to the hotel with Tristan. Upon arriving outside her room door, Sophie realized she had forgotten her keycard. She was about to go back and get it when Tristan grabbed hold of her arm. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to my room instead?¡± Sophie arched an eyebrow at him in response. ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting anything, okay? I just think it¡¯s too much of a hassle to go all the way back there for a keycard. Besides, you¡¯re tired, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Sophie mumbled as she followed him to his presidential suite. ¡°Go ahead and take a nap. I¡¯ll wake you up when it¡¯s time for dinner.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As she had only slept for four hours the night before, Sophie soon drifted off into a very deep sleep. Tristan decided to get some work done on hisputer outside to kill time. The general manager of Lombard Group started whining the moment Tristan answered his video call. ¡°When will you being back, Mr. Tristan? Pleasee back as soon as you can!¡± My goodness¡­ Our CEO sure is something else! How on earth does he get so much work done so effortlessly? I can barely get a few hours of sleep every day! Tristan frowned, as he had only been gone for a few days. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Just keep up the good work. I¡¯m sure you can handle it.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± The general manager was on the verge of crying at that point. D*mn¡­ I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s out there enjoying his vacation while I¡¯m working my a*s off here every single day! ¡°Is there anything else you wish to report? If not, I¡¯m going to hang up and go take a nap. I¡¯m a little tired after ying volleyball all morning.¡± The general manager could only sigh at his fate as he reluctantly got back to work. Tristan quietly returned to the room after ending the video call. Sophie was lying on the huge, white bed with the nket covering her from the waist down. Her long, brown hair was spread across the bed, and her skin looked even fairer in contrast to the dark bed sheet. Tristan sat down on the floor and rested his head on the bed as he stared at her. Sophie looked so pure and vulnerable when she was asleep that he felt like protecting her in his embrace forever. Due to her staying up sote, she was still asleep by the time Ysabelle and the others returned. Ysabelle went looking for Sophie in her room when it was time for dinner but found no one inside. ¡°Sophie isn¡¯t in her room, Felix.¡± ¡°Hmph! In that case, she must be in Mr. Tristan¡¯s room!¡± Unbelievable! He¡¯s such a jerk for practicing double standards! ¡°Are you serious? I can¡¯t believe Uncle Tristan would go for it so soon!¡± Although she liked Sophie a lot too, she found it a little more eptable if it was her uncle who dated Sophie. Felix headed over to Tristan¡¯s room with Ysabelle and knocked on the door. Tristan frowned when he opened the door and saw the two of them standing outside. ¡°It¡¯s time for dinner, Mr. Tristan!¡± ¡°You two go on ahead. Sophie is still asleep, so I¡¯ll stay here with her. Tell Wilma and the others that she won¡¯t be joining them and that they can eat whatever they want because it¡¯s on me.¡± Ysabelle gasped in shock. ¡°She¡¯s still sleeping? Uncle Tristan, Soph is still very young! How could you¡­¡± I knew it! Men are all sc*mbags! She was going to continue yelling at him, but Felix had dragged her away before she could do so. Tristan simply ignored her and shut the door after they left. ¡°Why did you stop me, Felix? Can¡¯t you see that my uncle has gone too far?¡± ¡°She¡¯s just sleeping¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! How could you say such a thing?¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not the one who slept with her, Belle! Why are you taking it out on me?¡± What? Does he want to sleep with Sophie too? Ysabelle shot him a fierce re and asked, ¡°You want me to go tell my uncle about that?¡± Felix quickly grabbed her by the arm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, okay? I didn¡¯t mean it like that! Are you trying to get me killed?¡± Mr. Tristan will have my head on a silver tter if he finds out about this! Meanwhile, Sophie had woken up ande out of the room to pour herself a ss of water. Noticing that she was walking barefooted, Tristan came over and scooped her into his arms. ¡°Mr. Tristan, I think you¡¯re getting a little too used to carrying metely,¡± Sophiemented with an eyebrow arched. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you put some slippers on?¡± Tristan asked as he set her down on the bed. I know that the presidential suite has a carpet on the floor, but it¡¯s still quite chilly! She should at least put some slippers on! ¡°I got thirsty.¡± Tristan got up and poured her a warm ss of water when he heard that. ¡°Ysabelle and the others must¡¯ve returned by now, right? It¡¯s about time we head out for dinner.¡± As Sophie had just woken up, she had azy vibe about her when she spoke. Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Chapter 96 I Cannot Wait ¡°They left after they came back and saw you sleeping,¡± Tristan uttered calmly. ¡°Oh.¡± Sophie made nothing out of it. Since they¡¯ve already left, I guess I¡¯ll just eat with him alone. ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯ll wash up, and we¡¯ll have dinner together.¡± Tristan was ted when he heard her say ¡°we.¡± Sophie went to the bathroom and washed up. After wiping her face dry, she tied her hair up into a ponytail before going out. Tristan got up from the couch right away when he saw hering out. The two then went out for dinner. By the time they were done with dinner, one hour had passed. The moment she got back into her room, Ysabelle dashed toward her. ¡°Soph, Uncle Tristan is a¡­¡± Ysabelle opened her mouth to speak, but she hesitated. Uncle Tristan is a monster! Do I even have words to describe him? ¡°What¡¯s up with your uncle?¡± Sophie didn¡¯t know what Ysabelle was trying to say. ¡°Soph, I¡¯m sorry. You wouldn¡¯t have known Uncle Tristan if it had not been for me.¡± Ysabelle was filled with guilt. ¡°Why are you apologizing to me?¡± Ultimately, Ysabelle asked, ¡°Soph, did Uncle Tristan take advantage of you?¡± Despite being a calm and collected person, Sophie couldn¡¯t help but feel surprised. As a result, she kept quiet for a while. ¡°See! I knew it! Since you guys were already sleeping together, there¡¯s no way Uncle Tristan could keep his hands off you. This is all Felix¡¯s fault. If I hadn¡¯t gone out with him, you wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± Ysabelle was on the verge of crying. ¡°Ysabelle, your imagination has run wild, hasn¡¯t it? I forgot to bring my keycard out with me, so I slept in your uncle¡¯s room. That¡¯s all,¡± Sophie answered. Who would¡¯ve thought Ysabelle would have these dirty thoughts in her mind? She seems so innocent! ¡°Are you sure?¡± Ysabelle wasn¡¯t convinced. Sophie nodded, and she couldn¡¯t be bothered if Ysabelle believed her or not. ¡°That¡¯s good, then. I was so scared.¡± Sophie was rendered speechless. What¡¯s so scary? The trip to Koandriasted for three days and two nights. Since Sophie and Ysabelle were still students, they had only applied for three days¡¯ leave of absence. Although they were reluctant and wished to stay longer, they had to pack up and leave. While they were waiting at the airport, Wendy approached Sophie with a present in her hands. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Sophie asked. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Sophie.¡± Wendy gave her the present. Wendy was very grateful to Sophie because Sophie stood up for her. At that time, Wendy was utterly frightened. Hence, she felt touched when she saw Sophie defending her bravely. Sophie received the present with both hands. ¡°Thank you.¡± Upon hearing that, Wendy blushed. Ms. Sophie is awesome! She then cheerily went to sit with Wilma and the others. ¡°Mr. Tristan, it seems like you have anotherpetitor! Ms. Sophie is capable of charming both males and females!¡± ¡°Of course! Sophie is that appealing,¡± Ysabelle chimed in. Tristan was rendered speechless. Sophie proceeded to keep the present Wendy had given to her in her luggage. ¡°Wendy, what did you give Ms. Sophie? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve fallen for her.¡± ¡°Stop speaking nonsense, you guys!¡± Wendy blushed. Wilma just shook her head upon hearing the conversation. Well, Ms. Sophie is very capable of making people fall for her. By the time they arrived at Jipsdale, it was already past eleven at night, and Tristan personally sent her back to Wisteria Apartments. ¡°Go to sleep early tonight,¡± he said. ¡°Okay.¡± In fact, Tristan was reluctant to leave. Although we¡¯ve spent the past three days together, I want more. If only I could have known her a few years earlier. ¡°Goodnight.¡± With that, Sophie was about to head inside. Tristan reached out and held her hand. When she turned around, he pulled her into his embrace. ¡°Sophie, I can¡¯t wait for you to grow up.¡± The next day, at noon, Sophie hailed a taxi and went to the hospital after school. However, she found out that Josiah wasn¡¯t in the ward anymore. Upon asking around, she was told that Josiah had already gone home. Sophie was feeling utterly helpless. This old man doesn¡¯t listen, does he? Sophie then hailed a taxi to go to the Tanner residence. When Charmaine saw here home, she immediately got the housekeeper to pour Sophie a ss of water. ¡°You¡¯re back, Soph! Drink some water first. Your grandpa is in the study!¡± Due to how well Transfix Cosmetics was doing, there was a big possibility that Sophie would end up bing the CEO of Tanner Group. Hence, Charmaine¡¯s attitude toward Sophie changed drastically. No matter what, Sophie was still her daughter. If Tanner Group were to end up in Sophie¡¯s hands, Charmaine would still need Sophie¡¯s help in the future. ¡°I¡¯m not thirsty.¡± Sophie went straight to the study, only to find Josiah practicing calligraphy. Upon seeing her, Josiah put his pen aside and asked concernedly, ¡°You¡¯re back! Have you eaten?¡± ¡°Grandpa, why didn¡¯t you listen to me? Didn¡¯t I tell you to stay in the hospital? I¡¯ve just been away for three days, and you went home all by yourself.¡± Sophie was displeased. Still smiling, Josiah replied, ¡°Calm down, Soph. I¡¯m fine, really. I¡¯m doing fine.¡± Sophie was speechless because she didn¡¯t know how to handle Josiah. ¡°By the way, Transfix Cosmetics is doing well, right? Keep an eye on your dad, okay? It seems like he has not given up yet.¡± ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯ve said it before. Since you¡¯ve already decided to let me manage Transfix Cosmetics, you should leave it to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you. It¡¯s just that your dad¡­ He¡¯s¡­¡± Josiah was upset when he mentioned his only son. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a few bodyguards,¡± he added. Of course, he did not hope anything happened to Sophie that might require the bodyguards¡¯ help, but they could keep her safe if Yale were to do something to her. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Sophie was also well aware of what the despicable Yale was capable of doing. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa! I can take care of myself.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it, Soph. Do you me me? If it were not for me, you wouldn¡¯t be in danger.¡± Indeed, it was selfish of him to let an eighteen-year-old girl deal with such matters. ¡°Grandpa, I would never me you.¡± After lunch, the driver sent Sophie and Willow back to school. ¡°You¡¯re happy now, aren¡¯t you, Sophie?¡± Since there were only the three of them in the car, Willow didn¡¯t bother putting up an innocent front. Besides, she knew the driver was on her side. Sophie had her eyes shut and ignored her. ¡°Sophie, do you hear me? So what if you¡¯ve saved Transfix Cosmetics? What¡¯s so impressive about that? If someone were to give me an opportunity like that, I can also achieve what you¡¯ve achieved,¡± Willow added. Finally, Sophie opened her eyes, and she shot Willow a look casually. ¡°You should request to manage a company that¡¯s on the verge of bankruptcy, then. That way, you¡¯ll stopining.¡± In response, Willow scoffed and retorted, ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that? It¡¯s just that I¡¯m never given such an opportunity. Grandpa doesn¡¯t even want to hand anything down to me.¡± ¡°In that case, perhaps you should stop whining in front of me. Do you know how pathetic you look when you do that?¡± ¡°You!¡± Sophie never liked to argue. However, Willow was no match for her once Sophie took the fight seriously. No matter what Sophie does, she¡¯ll never be able to marry Mason. Suddenly, Willow chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re feeling smug, aren¡¯t you? Let¡¯s see how long that willst. Mason ising back soon. The moment he arrives, we¡¯re going to get engaged.¡± ¡°Mason?¡± Sophie hadn¡¯t heard that name in ages. In fact, she had almost forgotten about that person. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Chapter 98 Mason Is Mine On Sunday, the Laird family and the Tanner family were meeting at Pegasus Pavilion. Yale had already brought his family there early in the morning. Josiah wasn¡¯t feeling well that day, so he stayed at home. Seeing that the Laird family wasn¡¯t there yet, Yale reminded, ¡°Wi, take full advantage of this opportunity, okay? With the Laird family¡¯s support, we will surely gain control of Tanner Group.¡± Considering how well Transfix Cosmetics was doing, Yale was really worried that he could lose everything. ¡°I know, Dad.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go! The Laird family should be here soon. Let¡¯s go out and wee them.¡± Yale had always been trying to get on the Lairds¡¯ good side. Upon hearing that, Charmaine and Willow followed him out. The moment they got out, Mason and Constance arrived. Yale immediately went to wee Constance when he saw her. When Constance saw them waiting outside, she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°What are you guys doing outside? Since you guys have arrived first, just wait for us inside.¡± ¡°We got bored, so we came out to see if you guys have arrived! Mason is looking even more dashing now,¡± Yale praised, buttering Mason up. Mason kept a straight face and behaved coldly. In fact, that was how he had always treated the Tanner family. ¡°Mason, why are you not greeting Mr. Tanner? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Constance wasn¡¯t happy with Mason¡¯s attitude. ¡°Where¡¯s Sophie? Is she not here?¡± When Mason decided to speak, the first person he asked about was Sophie. All of a sudden, it felt as if the surrounding air had turned colder. Even Yale had no idea how to respond to that question. ¡°I thought I heard Sophie is back? What¡¯s going on? Is she not a part of the Tanner family?¡± Mason queried. ¡°Mason, you¡¯re aware of Soph¡¯s temper, right? We asked her to join us, but she didn¡¯t want to.¡± Despite how upsetting it was for Willow, she didn¡¯t dare to express her feelings in front of Mason. ¡°Oh, I see!¡± Mason stopped pursuing that subject and walked right in. Upon seeing that, the others breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Wi, don¡¯t mind him, okay? That¡¯s just how he is. I like you the most,¡± Constance uttered. Willow smiled and answered, ¡°Mrs. Laird, I didn¡¯t take it to heart. That¡¯s just how Mason is. He¡¯s so nice to everyone.¡± Constance was satisfied with Willow¡¯s magnanimity. That¡¯s how the futuredy of the house should behave. Mason was cold and distant throughout the meal, and it seemed that he wasn¡¯t interested in anything at all. However, he couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brows when he heard Constance and Willow¡¯s parents talking about the engagement. Finally, he responded, ¡°Engagement?¡± ¡°Yes! Aren¡¯t you and Wi a couple? Now that you¡¯re back, you guys should get engaged!¡± Willow stared at Mason nervously. Did he recall something? Otherwise, why would he be treating me coldly? ¡°Mrs. Laird, perhaps we should take things slowly. If Mason doesn¡¯t want to get engaged, it¡¯s all right,¡± Willow said. ¡°What are you on about, Wi? Mason and you are definitely getting engaged!¡± Yale immediately stopped Willow from saying anything further. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°No buts! I¡¯ll get someone to set the date. I¡¯m definitely having you as my daughter-inw,¡± Constance voiced assertively. Mason merely scoffed in response and said nothing. Hearing that, Willow felt relieved. However, she couldn¡¯t understand Mason. Why does he look like he doesn¡¯t want to get engaged to me? After the meal, both the families got out of the private room and bumped into Sophie on the way out. Willow instinctively took a step backward when she saw Sophie there. Why is she here? Is she still not giving up on Mason? Yale frowned when he saw Sophie. F*ck. What is Sophie doing here? At the same time, Constance also frowned slightly when she saw Sophie. Charmaine immediately walked up to Sophie and whispered, ¡°What are you doing here? Soph, it¡¯s your sister¡¯s important day today. Don¡¯t cause any trouble, okay?¡± At that, Sophie couldn¡¯t help chuckling. Does Pegasus Pavilion belong to the Laird family? Why can¡¯t I be here? ¡°Soph¡ª¡± Charmaine was just about to distract her. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you guys are doing here today, so you should just leave me alone as well,¡± Sophie interrupted. With that, she ignored Charmaine and strode forward. Tristan and the rest were just in a private room nearby. When she walked past Mason, he reached out and grabbed her hand. ¡°I was told that you don¡¯t wish to see me. Is that right?¡± Mason¡¯s tone was indifferent, but there was a hint of warmth in his gaze. Willow¡¯s heart sank when she saw that. Sophie raised her brows. What does he mean? Who does he think he is? ¡°Is there a need for me to see you?¡± Willow heaved a sigh of relief when she heard Sophie¡¯s words. However, Mason uttered in the next second, ¡°Don¡¯t be so willful, Sophie. What¡¯s your phone number?¡± He was going to contact her in the future. ¡°Mason, let go of Soph.¡± Willow walked up to Mason. I am his girlfriend, not Sophie. Sophie pulled her hand away from his. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me again! Otherwise, you¡¯ll regret it!¡± Upon seeing Sophie¡¯s reaction, Mason furrowed his brows. She wasn¡¯t like this before. ¡°Mason!¡± Constance gritted her teeth and yelled. She was furious because what Mason was doing was embarrassing her and the Tanner family. ¡°I¡¯ll look for you tomorrow.¡± With so many people around, Mason didn¡¯t want to dwell on the matter further. He then left the scene with Constance. ¡°Sophie, I¡¯m warning you. Mason belongs to Wi. Don¡¯t you dare harbor any funny thoughts!¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Sophie was speechless. Do I look like I want Mason? At the same time, Willow was also ring at Sophie in jealousy. ¡°Sophie, I can let you have everything but Mason. No matter what, I¡¯m keeping Mason for myself.¡± ¡°Ms. Tanner, may I know what you mean by that? What are you giving me?¡± Sophie was amazed by Willow¡¯s shamelessness. ¡°I can give you everything that belongs to the Tanner family, but I¡¯m not letting you have Mason,¡± Willow answered. Those who didn¡¯t know better would probably think that Willow loved Mason deeply, and they might point an using finger at Sophie. ¡°First, everything that belongs to the Tanner family isn¡¯t yours to give, and I don¡¯t need you to go easy on me as well. Second, I don¡¯t care about Mason. If you want him so much, go get him. I have nothing to do with that. Hence, don¡¯t try to stir up trouble.¡± With that said, Sophie went straight into the private room. ¡°Mom, do you see what she did?¡± Willow looked at Charmaine with a pitiful expression. Charmaine caressed her face. ¡°There, there. Mrs. Laird has already made up her mind, and she wants you. All you need to do now is make Mason feel the same way toward you. The Laird family is not going to ept Sophie who has an unspeakable past.¡± The upper-ss society cared about their reputation a lot. ¡°Let¡¯s go send Mrs. Laird out.¡± Right then, Yale couldn¡¯t help but look in the direction Sophie had gone to. I wonder who Sophie is mingling with. There are only so many people allowed in that particr private room in Pegasus Pavilion. ¡°Mason, things are not going to work out between you and Sophie. Wi is the girl meant for you.¡± Constance was certain that Mason and Willow would make a good couple. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Mason Is Mine On Sunday, the Laird family and the Tanner family were meeting at Pegasus Pavilion. Yale had already brought his family there early in the morning. Josiah wasn¡¯t feeling well that day, so he stayed at home. Seeing that the Laird family wasn¡¯t there yet, Yale reminded, ¡°Wi, take full advantage of this opportunity, okay? With the Laird family¡¯s support, we will surely gain control of Tanner Group.¡± Considering how well Transfix Cosmetics was doing, Yale was really worried that he could lose everything. ¡°I know, Dad.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go! The Laird family should be here soon. Let¡¯s go out and wee them.¡± Yale had always been trying to get on the Lairds¡¯ good side. Upon hearing that, Charmaine and Willow followed him out. The moment they got out, Mason and Constance arrived. Yale immediately went to wee Constance when he saw her. When Constance saw them waiting outside, she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°What are you guys doing outside? Since you guys have arrived first, just wait for us inside.¡± ¡°We got bored, so we came out to see if you guys have arrived! Mason is looking even more dashing now,¡± Yale praised, buttering Mason up. Mason kept a straight face and behaved coldly. In fact, that was how he had always treated the Tanner family. ¡°Mason, why are you not greeting Mr. Tanner? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Constance wasn¡¯t happy with Mason¡¯s attitude. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Where¡¯s Sophie? Is she not here?¡± When Mason decided to speak, the first person he asked about was Sophie. All of a sudden, it felt as if the surrounding air had turned colder. Even Yale had no idea how to respond to that question. ¡°I thought I heard Sophie is back? What¡¯s going on? Is she not a part of the Tanner family?¡± Mason queried. ¡°Mason, you¡¯re aware of Soph¡¯s temper, right? We asked her to join us, but she didn¡¯t want to.¡± Despite how upsetting it was for Willow, she didn¡¯t dare to express her feelings in front of Mason. ¡°Oh, I see!¡± Mason stopped pursuing that subject and walked right in. Upon seeing that, the others breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Wi, don¡¯t mind him, okay? That¡¯s just how he is. I like you the most,¡± Constance uttered. Willow smiled and answered, ¡°Mrs. Laird, I didn¡¯t take it to heart. That¡¯s just how Mason is. He¡¯s so nice to everyone.¡± Constance was satisfied with Willow¡¯s magnanimity. That¡¯s how the futuredy of the house should behave. Mason was cold and distant throughout the meal, and it seemed that he wasn¡¯t interested in anything at all. However, he couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brows when he heard Constance and Willow¡¯s parents talking about the engagement. Finally, he responded, ¡°Engagement?¡± ¡°Yes! Aren¡¯t you and Wi a couple? Now that you¡¯re back, you guys should get engaged!¡± Willow stared at Mason nervously. Did he recall something? Otherwise, why would he be treating me coldly? ¡°Mrs. Laird, perhaps we should take things slowly. If Mason doesn¡¯t want to get engaged, it¡¯s all right,¡± Willow said. ¡°What are you on about, Wi? Mason and you are definitely getting engaged!¡± Yale immediately stopped Willow from saying anything further. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°No buts! I¡¯ll get someone to set the date. I¡¯m definitely having you as my daughter-inw,¡± Constance voiced assertively. Mason merely scoffed in response and said nothing. Hearing that, Willow felt relieved. However, she couldn¡¯t understand Mason. Why does he look like he doesn¡¯t want to get engaged to me? After the meal, both the families got out of the private room and bumped into Sophie on the way out. Willow instinctively took a step backward when she saw Sophie there. Why is she here? Is she still not giving up on Mason? Yale frowned when he saw Sophie. F*ck. What is Sophie doing here? At the same time, Constance also frowned slightly when she saw Sophie. Charmaine immediately walked up to Sophie and whispered, ¡°What are you doing here? Soph, it¡¯s your sister¡¯s important day today. Don¡¯t cause any trouble, okay?¡± At that, Sophie couldn¡¯t help chuckling. Does Pegasus Pavilion belong to the Laird family? Why can¡¯t I be here? ¡°Soph¡ª¡± Charmaine was just about to distract her. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you guys are doing here today, so you should just leave me alone as well,¡± Sophie interrupted. With that, she ignored Charmaine and strode forward. Tristan and the rest were just in a private room nearby. When she walked past Mason, he reached out and grabbed her hand. ¡°I was told that you don¡¯t wish to see me. Is that right?¡± Mason¡¯s tone was indifferent, but there was a hint of warmth in his gaze. Willow¡¯s heart sank when she saw that. Sophie raised her brows. What does he mean? Who does he think he is? ¡°Is there a need for me to see you?¡± Willow heaved a sigh of relief when she heard Sophie¡¯s words. However, Mason uttered in the next second, ¡°Don¡¯t be so willful, Sophie. What¡¯s your phone number?¡± He was going to contact her in the future. ¡°Mason, let go of Soph.¡± Willow walked up to Mason. I am his girlfriend, not Sophie. Sophie pulled her hand away from his. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me again! Otherwise, you¡¯ll regret it!¡± Upon seeing Sophie¡¯s reaction, Mason furrowed his brows. She wasn¡¯t like this before. ¡°Mason!¡± Constance gritted her teeth and yelled. She was furious because what Mason was doing was embarrassing her and the Tanner family. ¡°I¡¯ll look for you tomorrow.¡± With so many people around, Mason didn¡¯t want to dwell on the matter further. He then left the scene with Constance. ¡°Sophie, I¡¯m warning you. Mason belongs to Wi. Don¡¯t you dare harbor any funny thoughts!¡± Sophie was speechless. Do I look like I want Mason? At the same time, Willow was also ring at Sophie in jealousy. ¡°Sophie, I can let you have everything but Mason. No matter what, I¡¯m keeping Mason for myself.¡± ¡°Ms. Tanner, may I know what you mean by that? What are you giving me?¡± Sophie was amazed by Willow¡¯s shamelessness. ¡°I can give you everything that belongs to the Tanner family, but I¡¯m not letting you have Mason,¡± Willow answered. Those who didn¡¯t know better would probably think that Willow loved Mason deeply, and they might point an using finger at Sophie. ¡°First, everything that belongs to the Tanner family isn¡¯t yours to give, and I don¡¯t need you to go easy on me as well. Second, I don¡¯t care about Mason. If you want him so much, go get him. I have nothing to do with that. Hence, don¡¯t try to stir up trouble.¡± With that said, Sophie went straight into the private room. ¡°Mom, do you see what she did?¡± Willow looked at Charmaine with a pitiful expression. Charmaine caressed her face. ¡°There, there. Mrs. Laird has already made up her mind, and she wants you. All you need to do now is make Mason feel the same way toward you. The Laird family is not going to ept Sophie who has an unspeakable past.¡± The upper-ss society cared about their reputation a lot. ¡°Let¡¯s go send Mrs. Laird out.¡± Right then, Yale couldn¡¯t help but look in the direction Sophie had gone to. I wonder who Sophie is mingling with. There are only so many people allowed in that particr private room in Pegasus Pavilion. ¡°Mason, things are not going to work out between you and Sophie. Wi is the girl meant for you.¡± Constance was certain that Mason and Willow would make a good couple. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Look Into Him ¡°Mom, don¡¯t meddle in my personal matters,¡± Mason retorted coldly. Constance was enraged. ¡°I¡¯m your mother! If not yours, whose private matters am I supposed to meddle in? Don¡¯t you know about Sophie¡¯s bad reputation? I¡¯m warning you. Stay away from Sophie. Otherwise, I¡¯ll donate everything the Laird family owns and leave nothing for you.¡± Mason knew all along how much his mother hated Sophie. ¡°Okay. I have things to attend to. Find your own ride home.¡± Mason still wanted to have a private talk with Sophie. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare look for Sophie! Otherwise, you¡¯ll be surprised by what I¡¯m capable of.¡± Constance had resorted to threatening Mason. ¡°Mason, where are you going? I can keep youpany.¡± When Willow came out, she heard Mason saying that he was leaving. Right away, she offered to apany him. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. Go home!¡± Willow then queried indignantly, ¡°Mason, did I do anything wrong? Why are you giving me the cold shoulder?¡± ¡°You did nothing wrong.¡± Mason was annoyed when he saw her expression. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Wi.¡± Constance wanted her to leave because she didn¡¯t want to see Willow getting mistreated. When Sophie got back to the private room, she sat in her initial seat. ¡°Is everything okay? Why were you gone for so long, Soph?¡± Ysabelle was just about to go look for her. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t want to reveal much. Dissatisfied, Felix asked, ¡°Belle, are you serious? Sophie had only gone to the restroom. Why would you want to follow her there?¡± ¡°What does it have to do with you? It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Felix was hurt. What do you mean it¡¯s none of my business? I¡¯m concerned about everything you do! After the meal, they left the private room. Sophie and Ysabelle were standing by the roadside while waiting for Tristan and Felix to bring their cars around. ¡°Soph, the final exam ising up. What are your ns after the final exam?¡± Ysabelle asked. Although it¡¯s just a short break, it¡¯s better than none! ¡°I¡¯m going back to Horington.¡± Sophie had unfinished business in Horington. I¡¯ve promised to pay Wings of Light a visit, and I haven¡¯t done that yet. Come to think of it, I still have a lot of things to attend to over there. ¡°What are you going to do in Horington? Can I tag along?¡± Even though the winter break would only last for less than a fortnight, Ysabelle was unwilling to separate from Sophie. ¡°Sophie, we need to talk.¡± Suddenly, Mason showed up. Sophie couldn¡¯t help but frown when she heard his voice. Why is he still here? Ysabelle looked at Mason curiously. This man is quite good-looking. Upon a closer look, he looks quite simr to Uncle Tristan. However, they possess different auras. This man is gentle and elegant, while Uncle Tristan is domineering and ruthless. ¡°Mason, we don¡¯t have anything to talk about,¡± Sophie said. We should just let bygones be bygones. ¡°Sophie!¡± Mason thought Sophie was just throwing a tantrum. Right then, Tristan arrived in his car, and he shot a nce at Mason. ¡°Soph, Uncle Tristan is here,¡± Ysabelle uttered. ¡°Okay.¡± Mason saw Tristan in the car, and he kept sizing Tristan up. Who¡¯s this man? What¡¯s his rtionship with Sophie? ¡°Sophie, we need to have a talk in private,¡± Mason repeated. ¡°Mason, I have nothing to do with you, so there¡¯s nothing to talk about. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Sophie opened the car door and was about to hop in. All of a sudden, Mason grabbed her hand and refused to let her leave. Tristan was infuriated when he saw that. He wants to lose his hand, doesn¡¯t he? ¡°Must you do this? No matter what, we¡¯re still friends, aren¡¯t we?¡± Mason asked. ¡°I¡¯m your friend? I¡¯m not worthy of being your friend, Mr. Mason Laird.¡± Sophie pulled her hand away from him aggressively. ¡°Don¡¯t ever look for me again! You¡¯re disgusting!¡± After saying those vicious words, Sophie got into the car and closed the car door. By then, Felix had also arrived, so Ysabelle got into his car as well. After that, both the cars drove past Mason and left. Upon seeing that, Mason narrowed his eyes. Indeed, five years ago, I wavered because of the rumors about her, but I regret it now. Throughout my three years in Anndur, there wasn¡¯t a single day gone by that I didn¡¯t think of her. In fact, the memories seemed even clearer as time goes by. That was why he came back, and he was determined to hold on to her this time around. However, how can I forget about how unforgiving Sophie is? Surely, she¡¯s not going to just ept me so easily. Also, I need time to deal with my rtionship with Willow. Basically, this time around, I¡¯m not going to believe a word anyone says. I¡¯ll stand by Sophie¡¯s side and not let anyone hurt her. Sophie was silent as they drove back. Meanwhile, Tristan was also focused on the road, and neither of them said a word to each other throughout the journey back. When they finally arrived at Wisteria Apartments, Tristan refused to leave. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sophie spoke at longst. ¡°May I go in and have a ss of water?¡± Tristan knew howme his excuse was, but he couldn¡¯t be bothered. Since she hasn¡¯t agreed to be my girl, I can¡¯t ask her to tell me anything if she doesn¡¯t want to do that. Nheless, he was still reluctant to leave. He simply wanted to stay by her side. Sophie scanned her fingerprint, and the door opened. As she was walking in, Tristan was following closely behind. Tristan never thought he would be acting so cautiously in front of a girl. Sophie then poured him a ss of hot water. ¡°Here.¡± Tristan took the ss and took a sip. ¡°Isn¡¯t the water hot?¡± she asked puzzledly when she saw him drinking it right away. ¡°It¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°Mr. Tristan, are you all right?¡± That was the first time she had seen him being so absent-minded. ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡± Tristan put the ss on the coffee table and said, ¡°Go to sleep early tonight, okay? Your final exam is around the corner. Study hard.¡± In the end, Tristan left Wisteria Apartments without asking her anything. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Sophie wasn¡¯t fazed by Mason¡¯s appearance at all. After surfing the inte for a while, she went to bed to sleep. The moment she got into bed, she received a text from Ysabelle. Ysabelle: Soph, who¡¯s the man we saw earlier today? Sophie: He¡¯s an ex-ssmate. Ysabelle: Is that all he is? It doesn¡¯t seem like it, though! Ysabelle¡¯s interest was piqued. Sophie: I¡¯m not saying anything anymore. I¡¯m going to sleep. Ysabelle: Soph! Satisfy my curiosity, will you? That man is quite an eye candy! Were you guys romantically involved with each other? It seemed that she wasn¡¯t going to get any sleep if she failed to get answers from Sophie. Unfortunately, no matter how many times she texted Sophie, Sophie left her text messages unread. That was because Sophie had already put her phone aside and gone to sleep. That night, Felix asked Tristan doubtfully, ¡°Are you okay, Mr. Tristan?¡± Tristan took a sip of his whiskey and slowly put his ss aside. ¡°Think of it this way, Mr. Tristan. That guy from the Laird family is neither more handsome, richer, nor taller than you. There¡¯s no way Soph is going to fall for him.¡± ¡°That guy from the Laird family? Mason Laird?¡± Charles had heard of that name before. ¡°Should we look into him?¡± Sean questioned. What¡¯s the fuss about? We¡¯ll know everything about him after we¡¯ve looked into him. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Take Off Your Clothes ¡°No need to do that. Don¡¯t look into it!¡± That was Sophie¡¯s private matter, and if she did not want to talk about it, he would not look into it. ¡°Why, Mr. Tristan!¡± The man was baffled. It was something that could be easily solved, but Tristan had chosen to drink away his sorrows instead. ¡°It¡¯s basic respect. I don¡¯t want to learn about her past from anyone else but her. I want her to tell me about it herself.¡± If I can¡¯t even earn her trust, what right do I have to be with her? ¡°Okay. Anyway, I won¡¯t be able to hold myself back if Belle has someone else in her heart.¡± At that, Charles said, ¡°Did you think that you¡¯re the same as Mr. Tristan?¡± Sean replied, ¡°Absolutely not.¡± ¡°Sh*t, you¡¯re all bullying me. Am I that easy of a target?¡± Felix was speechless. He wanted to leave them¡ªhe wanted to leave that group of people who were all mean to him. Meanwhile, Yale brought Willow to the Laird residence, hoping that Mason would be able to help him take back everything that belonged to him. ¡°Mason, I¡¯ve onlye because I¡¯ve run out of options. The shareholders¡¯ meeting is about to start. I hope you can help me out.¡± After hearing his exnation, Mason finally realized what was happening. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Tanner. I know what you mean. I have something to settle right now, so I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± The etiquettes that had been instilled in Mason since young made him a gentleman, and he was polite to everyone he talked to. Upon hearing Mason¡¯s reassurance, Yale became at ease. ¡°Mason, I knew that you¡¯d help me out. All right, go ahead. I won¡¯t disturb you any further,¡± Yale replied smilingly. When Willow saw Mason heading out, she hurried over to him. ¡°Thank you, Mason.¡± Willow felt that Mason had agreed to her father¡¯s request because of her. However, Mason did not even spare her a nce. ¡°Is something else the matter?¡± At that, Willow gripped the hem of her skirt, unsure of what to say to him. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be off now.¡± Mason walked off, leaving Willow with tearful eyes. All of a sudden, Willow felt discouraged. Will Mason really get engaged with me? At Jipsdale Premier High, Willow went to look for Sophie after ss. The moment Ysabelle saw Willow, she turned sullen. Why is she appearing in our line of sight again? ¡°Willow, don¡¯t you know when to quit? Soph doesn¡¯t want to entertain you, so scram aside!¡± There are always people who keeping back despite the obvious signs of rejection. They¡¯re maddening! ¡°Sophie, Mason, he¡­¡± ¡°Willow, you¡¯re really annoying. Didn¡¯t I tell you to stay out of my sight? Whatever happens to you and Mason is your business and yours alone. It has nothing to do with me, and I¡¯m not at all curious about what is happening between the two of you.¡± Sophie decided to make herself clear onest time to stop Willow froming to her again. ¡°Is that so? I hope that¡¯s the case. Sophie, don¡¯t be a b*tch and appear anywhere near Mason.¡± Hearing that, Ysabelle could not hold herself back anymore. ¡°Willow, you better filter your words before you say them, or else you¡¯re going to get it from me,¡± Ysabelle snarled as she stood in front of Sophie and shielded her. Willow sneered. ¡°You look stupid,¡± Willow insulted. Ysabelle only became angrier. ¡°Willow, believe it or not, but I¡¯m going to tear that mouth off your face,¡± Ysabelle snapped, about to go mad because of Willow. ¡°No one¡¯s stupider than you, Willow. You¡¯re here talking nonsense to me because you¡¯re not confident about winning Mason over. You¡¯re scared that he won¡¯t love you. That¡¯s why you¡¯vee to me.¡± Sophie had hit the nail on the head, and it infuriated Willow. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you still hoping to return to Mason¡¯s side?¡± Willow bellowed. Mason¡¯s mine, and no one can take him away from me! ¡°Am I going to steal him from you?¡± Sophieughed, a tinge of nonchnce and slyness apparent in her voice. ¡°Do I need to steal him from you? I don¡¯t even need to do anything, but Mason will do everything he can to get my forgiveness.¡± At that, Willow turned so furious she could not evene up with a response. That was how it was in the past too. Sophie could easily gain everyone¡¯s attention without needing to do anything. On the other hand, no matter how hard Willow tried, she would still end up with nothing. Life was simply unfair. ¡°Take a deep breath, but don¡¯t choke and die. You won¡¯t even be able to hold me ountable for that.¡± Sophie had initially wanted to ignore her, but Willow just kepting to her. In that case, Sophie saw no need for holding herself back anymore. Meanwhile, Ysabelle had a look of admiration on her face. Soph just destroyed her with just a few sentences! As expected of my dear Sophie. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Sophie then walked away from Willow, and Ysabelle hastily followed Sophie. Finally, Willow could not keep control of her emotions anymore. She dashed toward Sophie and tried to push her. ¡°Soph, watch out!¡± Sophie was walking down the stairs, and if Willow seeded in pushing her, the consequences would be dire. Desperate, Ysabelle sped over to shield Sophie. ¡°Ah!¡± In the end, Ysabelle was the one who was pushed down the stairs. The moment Sophie saw Ysabelle landing at the end of the stairs, fury overcame her. ¡°Willow, you¡¯re f*cking asking for it!¡± However, Willow remained standing in the same spot as she looked condescendingly at the two other young women. ¡°Remember this. Don¡¯t cross me. I¡¯m not someone you could afford to mess with.¡± Sophie was still seething in rage, but she ran toward Ysabelle to check on her. It was then she realized that Ysabelle had several red marks on her. ¡°Ugh, it hurts so much!¡± Ysabelle was terrified of pain, and her eyes had turned red-rimmed by then. ¡°Soph, my leg hurts!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here.¡± Sophie then lifted Ysabelle up like how a prince would carry a princess before running toward the school¡¯s infirmary, ignoring the gazes of the other students. Bailey spotted them on his way up the stairs, and he instantly went after them. ¡°What happened? What¡¯s going on?¡± he anxiously asked. Sophie ignored him. ¡°Sophie, let me carry her instead!¡± Bailey offered. She¡¯s a girl. It must be tiring for her to carry another girl! ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Sophie brought Ysabelle straight to the infirmary without breaking a sweat. ¡°Leave,¡± Sophie coldly ordered when she realized Bailey was still around. ¡°I can help you out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m about to give her a body checkup. Are you going to stay and watch?¡± At that, Bailey rubbed his nose and slunk out. Sophie then locked the door. ¡°Take off your clothes.¡± Even though they were both girls, Ysabelle could not help but blush in embarrassment at Sophie¡¯s flirtatious-sounding words. ¡°Soph, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just a few scrapes.¡± Nevertheless, Sophie remained silent as she stared at her friend. Left without a choice at the intense stare, Ysabelle took off her school uniform. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Then, Sophie briefly checked her body and found a few spots with severe grazes. Once Sophie was done finding all the spots, she went to the cab to grab a few bottles of medication. After studying them for a while, she finally applied them to Ysabelle¡¯s wounds. ¡°Soph, I¡¯m really fine. Let¡¯s go back to the ssroom.¡± Frankly, Ysabelle was happy. Sophie had always been the one to take care of her, but she was finally able to do something for her friend in return. ¡°I¡¯ll get Mr. Tristan to bring you to a checkup.¡± Although Ysabelle seemed fine, Sophie still wished that the former would be able to undergo a thorough body checkup. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m really fine. Soph, Willow¡¯s so scary. You really have to stay away from her in the future.¡± ¡°Okay. Ysabelle, don¡¯t intervene if a simr thing happens again. She¡¯s no match for me.¡± ¡°Soph, I just want to help you out. Although I¡¯m a little hurt, I¡¯m fine as long as you¡¯re fine.¡± Anything For Her Chapter 101 Anything For Her Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Teach Her A LessonYsabelle¡¯s thoughts were simple.¡°But as your friend, I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt because of me.¡±Sophie did not like how that felt.She tried hard to make herself stronger because she did not want the people around her to be hurt.¡°Soph, I really am fine.¡±¡°This time, yes, but who can be sure that nothing will happen to you the next time?¡±Ysabelle fell silent, but she did not regret her action at all. If this were to happen again, she was still going to do the same thing.Sophie called Tristan.There was no way she was not going to tell Tristan about what had happened to Ysabelle.Both Tristan and Felix immediately drove to Jipsdale Premier High.Right after they got down from the car, they rushed to the infirmary.¡°Belle, are you okay?¡± Felix instantly checked on her upon entering the infirmary.¡°I¡¯m fine! I really am. Look, don¡¯t I look fine? You really don¡¯t need to be this nervous.¡±Tristan nced at Ysabelle to make sure she was actually fine, but he did not say anything else.¡°What about you? Are you hurt?¡±Sophie shook her head.¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±No one could hurt her easily anymore.¡°Come on. Bring Ysabelle to the hospital for a checkup.¡±After all, Ysabelle had fallen down the stairs. Having her undergo a checkup would put the others at ease.Ysabelle then climbed down from the bed. She knew that the three of them would not let her go if she did not go to the hospital, so she had no choice but to agree to it.When Felix realized that Ysabelle was about to walk to the car on her own, he quickly stopped her.¡°I¡¯ll carry you.¡±Ysabelle rolled her eyes at him.I¡¯m not crippled. I don¡¯t need anyone to carry me! Unfortunately, Felix did not give her a chance to reject him as he swiftly scooped her up in his arms.Tristan heard that Ysabelle was hurt, so he only drove a car over.After Felix carried Ysabelle into that car, Tristan had no choice but to open the door to the front passenger seat for Sophie before sitting in the driver¡¯s seat.¡°Don¡¯t worry. Ysabelle¡¯s fine,¡± Tristan consoled Sophie.¡°Mr. Tristan, the one who¡¯s hurt is your niece,¡± Sophie said. He should¡¯ve taken the matter more seriously, shouldn¡¯t he?¡°I¡¯m d that you weren¡¯t the one hurt,¡± Tristan said it naturally.Sophie did not know how to respond to that.Unlike her, Felix cried out, ¡°Mr. Tristan, that¡¯s too much! We can¡¯t have Belle hurt either!¡±¡°Uncle Tristan, do you recently have an issue with me?¡±Bailey had been outside the entire time, so when he saw them entering the car, he ran over and asked, ¡°Sophie, how¡¯s Ysabelle?¡±¡°She¡¯s fine. We¡¯re going to the hospital so she could get a checkup.¡±¡°Is there anything I can help out with?¡±Bailey felt that his presence there was unnecessary, but he, too, wanted to help out.¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±¡°Are we going to leave yet?¡± Tristan asked, shooting Bailey an impatient look.He vaguely remembered the other young man.¡°Yes.¡±Tristan then drove off after Sophie gave a nod.Even after they were long gone, Bailey was still staring in the direction the Lamborghini had headed.¡°Who is he? Why is he here?¡± Felix asked warily. He can¡¯t be one of Belle¡¯s suitors, right?¡°He¡¯s Bailey Dixon. He¡¯s a smart student,¡± Ysabelle replied, quite impressed by Bailey.Tristan ignored the two in the backseat.Once they reached the hospital, Felix bought Ysabelle for a checkup.In the meantime, Tristan and Sophie waited by the chairs in the waiting area.Both were individuals of few words.Tristan had tons of questions bubbling in his mind, but since Sophie was saying nothing, he decided not to ask anything.¡°Mr. Tristan, Ysabelle was hurt because of me. But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll deal with this.¡± Sophie would rather settle her own affairs by herself than have others intervene in the matter.¡°Sophie, what am I to you?¡±¡°Mr. Tristan?¡± Sophie frowned, wondering what he was trying to tell her.¡°You¡¯re always insisting on dealing with your personal matters on your own and never letting me help you out. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve ever thought of me as someone you can rely on. Am I right?¡±After a pause, he muttered, ¡°Sorry. I shouldn¡¯t say these things to you.¡±Tristan had never lost hisposure like that before.He was a merciless and efficient man in the corporate world.Yet, he was losing control of his emotions around Sophie.¡°I¡­¡±What had happened five years ago had made Sophie aware that the only person she could rely on at all times was herself.That was why she had been brought to the hell-like training camp after meeting Arius at Horington.There, she hade into contact with many unbelievable matters.By the time she gained all those abilities, Sophie was already used to relying on herself.Tristan sighed.¡°What am I going to do about you?¡±Two hourster, Ysabelle was done with her checkup.¡°Mr. Tristan, Willow must have a death wish. I can¡¯t believe she tried to push Sophie down the stairs!¡± At that moment, Felix wanted nothing more than to tear Willow from limb to limb.¡°You don¡¯t need to concern yourself with that anymore.¡±¡°Mr. Tristan, what do you mean? She hurt Belle!¡±One look from Tristan made Felix instantly shut up.¡°Soph, I think we should teach Willow a lesson too. Who knows what she¡¯s going to do next?¡±¡°Mm, don¡¯t worry. Now that I know you¡¯re fine, I¡¯m in the mood to y this game with her.¡±Sophie had both old and new grudges against Willow, and she was not going to let her off easily.As Ysabelle was hurt, she did not attend the night self-study session.Tristan had applied for leave on behalf of Ysabelle and Sophie.Ysabelle did not want her family to find out that she had fallen down the stairs, so she went to stay over at Wisteria Apartments.¡°Belle,e to my ce! There are only you and Sophie here. No one will be able to take care of you.¡±¡°I don¡¯t want to. I want to stay here with Soph!¡± Ysabelle said in determination.¡°Then I¡¯ll stay too.¡±¡°Why are you staying here? There¡¯s no room for you.¡± The units at Wisteria Apartments were lofts of over two hundred square meters, but there were only three bedrooms in them.¡°I don¡¯t mind! I can sleep on the couch.¡± Felix really did not mind.¡°Mr. Tristan, let me stay and keep Belle company!¡±¡°She doesn¡¯t need you to take care of her,¡± Tristan rejected.Felix let out a sigh.At that very second, he felt as if he was at the lowest level of the food chain.In the end, Felix shamelessly stayed at Wisteria Apartments.After dinner, Sophie received a call from Josiah.¡°Soph, that boy from the Laird family is back. Are you okay?¡± the elderly man worriedly asked.¡°Grandpa, nothing happened between Mason and me. You don¡¯t need to worry about me. He won¡¯t affect me.¡±¡°Yes, of course. Tanny is way better than that Laird boy in every way,¡± Josiah remarked.The boy from the Laird family had not chosen to stand on Soph¡¯s side during the incident five years ago, so he has lost the chance to do so now.¡°Grandpa.¡±Sophie felt helpless. Why did he bring up Tristan?¡°Drink some water.¡± Tristan brought a ss of water to Sophie.When Josiah heard Tristan¡¯s voice, he excitedly cried out, ¡°Soph, Tristan¡¯s right beside you, right? Let him answer the phone! I want to talk to him for a bit!¡±Sophie was speechless at that.¡°What can you possibly talk to him about, Grandpa?¡±Ysabelle thought, The two of them have only met each other for a few times, haven¡¯t they?¡°Just hand him the phone.¡±Sophie had always gone along with Josiah¡¯s requests as long as they were not ridiculous, so she handed the phone to Tristan.¡°My grandpa wants to have a word with you.¡±Tristan took the phone from her.¡°Hello, this is Tanny. It¡¯s been a while.¡± Tristan did not lower himself that much, but the hint of respect in his tone was audible.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Anything For Her Chapter 102 Anything For Her Chapter 102 Chapter 102 No Match For You¡°Tanny?¡± Felix could not believe that he had just heard Tristan call himself that.Ysabelle thought, It seems like Uncle Tristan is quite serious about his rtionship with Sophie. It¡¯s my first time seeing Uncle Tristan being so polite with someone. He¡¯s not even like that when talking to his own grandpa!¡°Tanny,e and visit me with Soph when you¡¯re free.¡± Josiah truly liked Tristan, and he felt that Tristan would be able to protect Sophie well.¡°Okay, Old Mr. Tanner. I¡¯ll definitely visit you with Sophie when I get the chance to.¡±¡°Okay. Do take care of Soph.¡±Josiah talked to Tristan for a dozen minutes before asking thetter to return the phone to Sophie.¡°Soph, I think Tanny¡¯s not a bad choice. He¡¯s a hundred times better than Mason.¡±¡°Grandpa, he¡¯s more than a hundred times better than Mason,¡± Sophie replied. In fact, Mr. Tristan and Mason aren¡¯t even on the same level. There¡¯s no need to even use the same standards topare them.¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re right!¡± Josiah was at ease to hear Sophie say that.Regardless of how things were between Mason and Willow, Mason was no longer associated with Sophie.Moreover, Josiah could see that Tristan was treating Sophie sincerely, and that was enough for him.¡°Remember toe and visit me when you¡¯re free.¡±¡°Okay, I¡¯lle and visit you in a few days.¡± Arius had not returned from Anndur yet. Once Arius was back, Sophie nned to find a chance to get her grandfather to go for a full-body checkup.He still had to undergo the surgery, and Sophie was confident in Arius.Once the call ended, Sophie sat down beside Ysabelle.¡°Does it still hurt?¡±Ysabelle chuckled. ¡°Soph, I¡¯m fine. It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡±Although Ysabelle tended to act like a spoiled princess, the pain she felt was ovee by her desire to protect Sophie from harm.¡°Tsk. I wonder who was the one shedding tears when their wounds were getting treated earlier,¡± Felix pointed out mercilessly.Ysabelle kicked his waist.¡°D*mn it, Felix. Are you trying to embarrass me?¡±¡°Look at how lively she is. She¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t need to worry about her,¡± Tristan said nonchntly.Ysabelle was speechless.Fine. I no longer exist in Uncle Tristan¡¯s heart as long as Sophie¡¯s around, then I guess I shouldn¡¯t embarrass myself further.¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go to sleep if there¡¯s nothing else.¡±Sophie then stood up to return to her room.¡°Mr. Tristan, I¡¯ve never seen you being so humble and polite with anyone else. It seems like you¡¯re really nning to get Sophie.¡±Tristan ignored him.At that, Felix scratched his nose awkwardly.¡°To be honest, Sophie isn¡¯t aContentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! match for you in terms of background.¡±It was highly likely that William would disapprove of them if the two of them were to get together.However, Ysabelle was the first to voice her disagreement.¡°Felix, what are you trying to say? Which part of Soph isn¡¯t a match for Uncle Tristan? Even if one of them isn¡¯t a match for the other, it would be Uncle Tristan not being a good match for Soph. He¡¯s ten years older than her!¡± Ysabelle cried out agitatedly.Then, she btedly realized that her uncle was staring at her, looking as if he was about to murder her.Instantly, Ysabelle hid behind Felix.¡°Uncle Tristan, that isn¡¯t what I mean. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± she exined to her uncle.This is all Felix¡¯s fault! Uncle Tristan looks so scary right now! What am I going to do? Sophie¡¯s already back in her room, so no one can save me!¡°Felix, don¡¯t say something like this again. I¡¯m the one with the final say, and if I think she¡¯s a match for me, then she¡¯s a match for me.¡± No one else¡¯s words were going to change Tristan¡¯s mind.¡°Okay, I got it.¡±Felix had been working for Tristan for over a decade. How could he possibly not know Tristan¡¯s character?Unlike most people, the angrier Tristan was, the calmer he appeared to be.At that moment, Tristan was livid, and it was because Felix said that Sophie was not a match for him.¡°Go to bed.¡±¡°Okay.¡±Upon receiving Tristan¡¯s order, Ysabelle leaped from the couch and rushed to her room.Oh, thank god! Thank god Uncle Tristan didn¡¯t seem to mind what I said.When the two men were the only ones left, Tristan asked in a nonchnt tone, ¡°Felix, am I old?¡±¡°Holy sh*t!¡± Felix was stumped. What¡¯s the matter with Mr. Tristan? Can he stop scaring me? ¡±Mr. Tristan, you¡¯re only twenty- eight! You¡¯re at the peak of your youth; you¡¯re at the prime years of a man¡¯s life!¡±¡°Peak of my youth?¡±¡°That isn¡¯t important; what¡¯s important is that, Mr. Tristan, do you know how many women are after you? I can¡¯t believe you just said that you¡¯re old. Please stop scaring me!¡±¡°What¡¯s the point of having many women after me? I just want one.¡±Felix fell silent.If Jipsdale¡¯s female socialites hear what he just said, I wonder how many would choose to jump off buildings. It¡¯s only now that I know Mr. Tristan is such a faithful and devoted man despite the fact that I¡¯ve worked for him for so many years.¡°Mr. Tristan, don¡¯t you think that you¡¯ve fallen for her too quickly? Could it be that you¡¯re only feeling this way because she saved you?¡±¡°Am I you? Am I someone who doesn¡¯t even know whether or not I love someone?¡±Felix widened his eyes. Did I offend him in any way? All I did was fall for Ysabelle! Forget it. I don¡¯t dare to retort him.The next morning, Sophie woke up and went to get a ss of water. Just as she stepped out of the room, she encountered Tristan.Sophie had just woken up, so she had a rxed look on her face. As the cor of her nightgown was too loose, the gown was nted to one side, revealing her smooth shoulder to all.Her pretty corbones were a deadly attraction to Tristan.Upon seeing the man in front of her, Sophie was abruptly reminded of how her house had two men staying in it.Just as she was about to return to her room to change her clothes, Tristan pinned her against the wall behind her.When she was locked in ce, Sophie lifted her beautiful eyes to look at the man, who clearly just woke up as well.¡°Mr. Tristan¡­¡± Sophie voiced, and she was surprised to hear her own voice. It was not that she was doing it deliberately.However, there was already a fire burning in Tristan¡¯s eyes. Sophie¡¯s morning voice sounded soothing and soft.Hearing that made the lower part of his abdomen tighten as another part of his body awakened.¡°Ahem.¡± Sophie averted her eyes, not daring to meet his eyes anymore.Tristan then lowered his head and nted a kiss on her forehead.Sophie bit her bottom lip, wondering, Is he trying to add fuel to the fire?When the man saw the young woman bit on her pink lower lip, he felt as if he had been electrified.Then, as he supported himself with one hand against the wall, he used his other hand to pull her nightgown¡¯s cor together.Sophie¡¯s heart was beating quicker and quicker as he adjusted the cor for her.¡°Put on your clothes properly. I¡¯m not as much as a gentleman you think I am.¡± The truth was that Tristan had been holding himself back with great difficulty.After a moment of silence, she replied, ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ve slept my mind away and forgotten that you and Felix are here.¡±Sophie had been staying in that house alone recently, and since she had had a good night¡¯s sleep the night before, she hadpletely forgotten that there were two men staying in her house.Tristan then pressed a kiss on her lips as punishment.¡°Am I someone you¡¯ll forget that easily?¡±Sophie was rendered speechless. Fine! Mr. Tristan¡¯s quite petty. I did say I¡¯m still groggy.Right then, Ysabelle came out of her room and happened to see her uncle kissing Sophie as he pinned her against the wall. Instantly, she panicked.What am I going to do now? Do I get back into my room, or should I greet them as if nothing has happened? Nevertheless, before she coulde to a decision, Sophie spotted her. Anything For Her Chapter 103 Anything For Her Chapter 103 Chapter 103 The Terrifying SophieFollowing Sophie¡¯s gaze, Tristan turned around and saw Ysabelle.¡°Ah! I didn¡¯t see anything. Really, I saw nothing at all!¡± Ysabelle dered as she covered her eyes.Will he kill me to bury the secret? The look in Uncle Tristan¡¯s eyes is really terrifying.¡°Both of you should head down first, while I take a shower,¡± Tristan suggested before returning to his room.Sophie was speechless.Ysabelle defended herself, ¡°Soph, I really didn¡¯t see anything. Please beg Uncle Tristan on my behalf to let me live.¡±¡°Way to go.¡±¡°Boohoo¡­ Don¡¯t you love me anymore? Are you just going to stand idly by? And to think that I have always been worried about you.¡± Ysabelle was depressed.¡°There, there. Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll be fine, as I¡¯m here for you.¡±Sophie¡¯s words finally eased Ysabelle¡¯s concerns.¡°You¡¯re still the best, Soph. I love you,¡± Ysabelle confessed brazenly.Felix, who had gone out to get breakfast for everyone, walked in on the intimate scene upon his return.F*ck, have I been cheated on?¡°What are both of you doing?¡± A long while passed before Felix managed to find his voice.Ysabelle released Sophie before shooting him a re.¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±¡°D*mn it, Ysabelle. Why are you being snarky to me recently? What have I done to deserve such treatment?¡±¡°Your existence itself is a mistake.¡±Felix responded with silence while standing rooted to his spot. In that instant, the dejection in his eyes was obvious to Ysabelle.For a second, she regretted her action, and she realized that she shouldn¡¯t have said such harsh words to him.Just when she wanted to apologize, Felix told them to head downstairs for breakfast and left after dropping his words.Ysabelle could feel a squeeze in her heart.What¡¯s wrong with me recently? Why am I always getting on Felix¡¯s nerves? He isn¡¯t a short-tempered man. But this time, it seems that I¡¯ve really hurt him.¡°Let¡¯s go down and have breakfast,¡± Sophie said. Who knows how long Tristan will take to shower? Besides, we still have to go to school.¡°Mmm-hmm!¡± Ysabelle followed Sophie downstairs.When he saw theming, Felixid out the breakfast he bought on the table.¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Tristan? Is he not taking his breakfast?¡± Felix couldn¡¯t help but ask.Given that he was hurt by Ysabelle¡¯s harsh words, he needed Tristan to heal that wounded soul of his.¡°Uncle Tristan has gone back to his room to take a shower.¡± Ysabelle took the initiative to answer, hoping to salvage the situation.Even though she had spoken politely, Felix simply grunted in acknowledgment.When Ysabelle looked to Sophie for help, thetter, as someone who wasN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. no different from a brute, was equally clueless as to how she should console Felix.After being insulted that way by someone he likes, he must be devastated.¡°Anyway, I need to go first, as I have something to do. Please inform Mr. Tristan on my behalf.¡± Felix picked up a bagel and took a bite but still couldn¡¯t bring himself to swallow it. Getting to his feet, he prepared to leave.¡°Felix¡­¡± Ysabelle called out to him. He¡¯s really pissed now. What should I do?¡°I¡¯m fine. I won¡¯t disturb you today. You should focus on your studies.¡±Just as Felix spoke, he grabbed his jacket and left.Ysabelle, too, put down the bagel in her hand.¡°Eat it! Why aren¡¯t you eating it?¡± Sophie questioned. So what if he¡¯s furious? I bet he will come crawling back to Ysabelle before the day ends.¡°I¡¯m not hungry. You eat. Soph, do you think what I said just now was too much? I¡¯ve hurt him, haven¡¯t I?¡±¡°Ysabelle, he¡¯s definitely hurt. However, if you¡¯re asking me for advice, I honestly have no idea.¡±After all, she barely had any experience when it came to dealing with a romantic rtionship.She just felt that Mason was a good guy, but both of them never really got together.Therefore, she truly didn¡¯t have an answer to Ysabelle¡¯s question.¡°Forget it. Asking you is a waste of time.¡± Just like her, Sophie was a greenhorn when it came to rtionships. Hence, Ysabelle knew that it was pointless to seek her opinion.Sophie continued chewing on her bagel.When Tristan came down and didn¡¯t see Felix, he asked curiously, ¡°Where¡¯s Felix?¡±¡°He left after I got on his nerves.¡±¡°Oh, let him be then.¡± Tristan didn¡¯t want to get involved in matters between them. After all, no one should interfere when it came to matters regarding love.Even though he was of the opinion that both of them were made for each other, he wouldn¡¯t poke his nose into their business.Tristan picked up the coffeepot and poured some for Sophie who didn¡¯t decline, as it was one of her favorite drinks.Once breakfast was over, Tristan cleaned the table before going downstairs with them.¡°Uncle Tristan, I¡­¡±Ysabelle felt that she would be tormented the entire day if she didn¡¯t resolve things with Felix.¡°What is it?¡± Tristan could read her mind. Nevertheless, he felt that she deserved a lesson, for he, too, couldn¡¯t tolerate her recent treatment of Felix.¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±In the end, she chose to swallow her words.Whatever. Felix and I aren¡¯t a good match for each other anyway. I¡¯m not going to give it any more thought.After her misdeeds the previous day, Willow was really afraid of running into Sophie, for she was familiar with Sophie¡¯s ways of handling things. Therefore, she tried her best to hide in ss and not go out.Unfortunately, she was still human at the end of the day. Unable to hold her pee in any longer, she headed to the restroom.In the end, she ran into the one person she was avoiding. Murphy¡¯s law was truly at y.Willow straightened her back. There¡¯s nothing to fear, as we¡¯re in school. Sophie won¡¯t dare to do anything to me here. Besides, there are still a lot of people around.Nheless, Sophie continued to follow her from behind without saying a word.The longer she continued to do so, the more anxious Willow became.Unable to withstand it any longer, she walked to a corner with no one around.¡°Sophie, what are you trying to do? Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re at school.¡±¡°So what? Do you think I wouldn¡¯t dare touch you just because we¡¯re at school? Willow, I must admit that you¡¯re so na?ve that it¡¯s actuallyughable.¡±She hurt Ysabelle, and she¡¯s not going to get away with it.Given Sophie¡¯s character, Willow knew that revenge would definitely be served.¡°What do you want to do? Other than some grazes, Ysabelle is fine. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to kill me.¡±Willow would never believe that Sophie was capable of murder.¡°Sophie, let me warn you. The school corridors are monitored by surveince cameras. Come at me if you dare.¡± Truth be told, Willow was terrified. Nevertheless, she remained defiant when facing Sophie.No matter what, she was one of the proud daughters of the Tanner family too.As Sophie approached her step by step, she reached out and grabbed Willow by the neck.¡°Kill? Willow, do you think I¡¯ve not killed before? I¡¯ve already warned you to stay away from me if you value your life. However, you just don¡¯t get it, do you? I¡¯ve yet to hold you ountable for what happened five years ago. And now, you¡¯re desperately trying to get on my nerves? What¡¯s wrong with you? Are you really not afraid of death?¡±As the breaths Willow took grew increasingly smaller, the horror of suffocation took over her being. In that instant, she saw death looking right in her face.Taken aback by Sophie¡¯s brazenness to attack her in school, Willow was stricken by fear.iling her arms hysterically, she desperately tried to free herself from Sophie¡¯s death grip.She¡¯s terrifying! Sophie is just too terrifying! Anything For Her Chapter 104 Anything For Her Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Bridal Carry Just when Willow thought she was done for, Sophie finally released her grip on the former¡¯s neck.¡°Remember, stay out of my way. If you see Ysabelle, run. Otherwise, I won¡¯t show you any more mercy.¡±Sophie shoved her to the ground when she finished speaking.Willow gasped for air desperately, her face pale as a sheet. There was no doubt in her mind that she would have met her maker in less than a minute if Sophie had not released her grip.Enveloped by a sense of fear and asphyxia, Willow took out her phone and gave Mason a call.When thetter saw it was her, he ended the call and continued going through his documents.In spite of that, his phone rang again the next second.In the end, Mason relented, for Willow had saved his life once, obligating him to help her to the best of his abilities.¡°Mason, save me. I¡¯m about to die.¡± Willow¡¯s sobbing voice rang out the moment the call was connected.Mason¡¯s brows furrowed.¡°What happened? Where are you? Don¡¯t panic. I¡¯ll head over right now.¡±Mason drove straight to Jipsdale Premier High where the guard at the entrance forbade him from driving in. Left without a choice, he got out of his car and entered the school on foot.His gaze darkened when he saw Willow copsed by the stairs.As for Willow, she burst into tears at the sight of him.¡°Mason, I thought that I would never see you again. Death was knocking on my door just now.¡± Willow was trembling all over, for the fear she felt was real.Mason wrinkled his brows.¡°Willow, tell me what happened.¡± As they were on the school grounds, the school administration had to take responsibility in the event a student was hurt.¡°Mason, I¡¯m really scared. I thought I would really die.¡±His heart softened when he saw how violently Willow was shaking. Mason then carried her in his arms.¡°I¡¯ll send you to the hospital first. We¡¯ll talk about it after you get examined.¡±As Willow wrapped her arms around his neck, Mason brought her downstairs.¡°Mason, don¡¯t leave me. I¡¯m afraid when I¡¯m alone.¡±Mason didn¡¯t answer, as he could never give her what she truly desired.When the students saw the dashing Mason carry Willow away, they gossiped amongst themselves.¡°Oh my God! He¡¯s really handsome!¡±¡°Don¡¯t you know? He used to be a legend in Jipsdale Premier High. I heard that he and Willow are a couple!¡±¡°Mmm-hmm. I was told of it too. I even heard that Sophie also fancies Mason.¡±¡°Sophie must be dreaming. He¡¯s out of her league!¡±¡°Precisely. Mason and Willow are a match made in heaven!¡±¡°I¡¯m so envious of her bridal carry! I wish I was the one in his arms.¡±¡°Say, why would Willow get hurt? Could it be that Sophie hurt her? Sophie has been jealous of her, hasn¡¯t she?¡±¡°I think Sophie must be the one who hurt her. Just a while ago, you missed how terrified Willow looked.¡±¡°Sophie is really wicked. Who does she think she is?¡±¡°All of you should shut up. I¡¯ll smack whoever that makes another sound.¡±Ysabelle could no longer tolerate the harshments.Who the f*ck is Mason? There¡¯s no way Soph is interested in him. Uncle Tristan is way better than him!¡°Ysabelle, you had better stay away from her. Look, she even dares to strike her own sister.¡±¡°Shut your trap.¡±Ysabelle was ipetent at verbal insults. Hence, that was the best she could manage out of her limited vocabry.Meanwhile, Sophie came over and swept a calm gaze across the girls.¡°Mason? Not my cup of tea.¡± With that, she held Ysabelle¡¯s arm and left.¡°Soph, don¡¯t mind their words.¡± Ysabelle was worried that the snide remarks would hurt her.Even though Sophie had nerves of steel, Ysabelle still sympathized with her upon hearing thements.¡°Mmm-hmm. I¡¯m not bothered by them. Besides, they were not wrong. I was the one who roughed up Willow,¡± she bravely admitted.¡°It was because of me, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Ysabelle, too, felt that Willow had iting.¡°I just can¡¯t bear the sight of her. Anyway, let¡¯s get back to ss.¡± After Sophie helped Ysabelle back to the ssroom, the fourth period began.Upon hearing the news of Willow being hurt, Yale and Charmaine rushed over.Both of them heaved a sigh of relief at the sight of Mason.Ever since Mason returned, his attitude toward Willow was colder than before, causing them to worry that their rtionship had taken a turn for the worse.But now that he was by Willow¡¯s side, it was a sign that he still cared for her.¡°Thank you, Mason.¡±Mason merely nodded before making way for them.¡°Wi, what happened? How did you get hurt?¡±¡°Mom, it¡¯s Soph. I have no idea why she did this to me.¡±¡°What? Sophie? That¡¯s audacious of her!¡± Yale bellowed. ¡°What in the world is she trying to do?¡±¡°Dad, I¡¯m as clueless as you are!¡±Willow put on an innocent look as she sneaked a nce in Mason¡¯s direction, hoping to learn his thoughts about the matter.However, all she could see was a frown on his face.¡°Willow, I¡¯m sure there must be a misunderstanding. I know Sophie isn¡¯t capable of such a thing.¡±¡°Mason, why don¡¯t you believe me? Are you saying that I¡¯m making false usations against her?¡± Willow was on the brink of tears. How can he not trust me?¡°I just think that she¡¯s not a bad person.¡±¡°In that case, are you saying that I¡¯m the oneN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. that¡¯s bad?¡±Willow summoned her tears at will to cement her pitiable look.¡°All right. I¡¯ll get to the bottom of the matter. You should rest at home for the next few days instead of going to school.¡±Feeling annoyed, Mason was in no mood to continue the topic.¡°Mason¡­¡±Willow felt indignant. Even though I have ended up in the hospital, he still refuses to stay by my side.¡°Wi, Mason has just returned to the country and probably has a lot on his te. So, you shouldn¡¯t get in his way.¡±Just as Yale spoke, he stood up to walk Mason out, leaving Charmaine and Willow in the ward.¡°Wi, was it really Soph?¡±Willow gave her mother a pained look. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s that supposed to mean? Do you also think that I¡¯m framing Sophie?¡±¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I just don¡¯t want both of you to ruin your rtionship over a man.¡±¡°I¡¯m not!¡± Willow was infuriated. Even my own mother doesn¡¯t believe me.¡°Fine. Let¡¯s just forget it. Going forward, don¡¯t step on Sophie¡¯s toes. Instead, focus your efforts on staying by Mason¡¯s side.¡±Speechless, Willow was further outraged by her mother¡¯s words. Still, she wouldn¡¯t dare get on Sophie¡¯s nerves anymore.Recalling the fearless look on Sophie¡¯s face, Willow believed that the former would really carry out her threats to kill her.By the time Mason returned to his office, he had lost the mood to work.He then drove aimlessly around Jipsdale until it was five. Eventually, he still failed to keep control of himself and headed toward Jipsdale Premier High.He waited inside the car, feeling the need to have a proper talk with Sophie, as they didn¡¯t have the opportunity to do so thest time.Finally, after threeplex experiments, Aaron dismissed Bailey and Sophie from ss.When both of them came out for dinner, Mason¡¯s car was right in front of them.¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Bailey couldn¡¯t help but ask when Sophie stopped in her tracks. Anything For Her Chapter 105 Anything For Her Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Tristan Has No Interest In Girls N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. At the sight of her, Mason quickly alighted and approached her.¡°Sophie, let¡¯s have dinner together.¡± There were certain words that he needed to say to her in person.Bailey scrutinized the man in front of him. Isn¡¯t he Willow¡¯s boyfriend? Why is he here to see Sophie at a time like this?¡°You must be here to question me about hitting Willow, right? There¡¯s no need to do it over a meal, as I can give you an answer straight away. I wanted to teach her a lesson just because I don¡¯t like her face. How about that? Are you happy with the answer? If you are, you can get out of my way now.¡±All this while, my words never matter to him, so why even bother? Since he didn¡¯t believe me five years ago, it¡¯s meaningless for him to say anything now.¡°Sophie, I really have something to tell you. Can you listen to me for once? Are things between us so bad that we can¡¯t even have a meal together?¡±¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the sight of you makes me lose my appetite.¡±Mason was at a loss for words as he felt a squeeze in his heart.Has our rtionship deteriorated to such an extent?¡°I know you¡¯re not able to get over what happened five years ago. But don¡¯t you worry. I¡¯ll make sure you get the justice you deserve.¡±¡°Mason, I don¡¯t need you to interfere in my affairs. And what¡¯s this talk about seeking justice for me? Do you think you¡¯re some kind of superhero?¡±¡°Sophie, let¡¯s go. We still have to attend a self-study session at night,¡± Bailey reminded, as they had yet to have their dinner.Sophie nodded before leaving with him.After being spurned by Sophie, Mason leaned against the car door. Regardless of what he said, she refused to listen to him.Meanwhile, Willow¡¯s friends sent her a message when they coincidentally spotted Mason meeting with Sophie.After that, they walked up to him.¡°Mr. Laird, you¡¯re back. You must stand up for Wi. Sophie is just too much. She always acts as if she owns the ce.¡±¡°That¡¯s right! All she does is bully Wi. I bet she¡¯s jealous of both of you being together.¡±¡°Mmm-hmm, Mr. Laird, Sophie is a terrible person.¡±When he heard how they disparaged Sophie, an excruciating pain surged in his heart.All these years, she has suffered a tremendous amount of insults alone. And yet, I chose to leave her behind after that incident and let her carry the burden by herself.¡°Going forward, don¡¯t ever let me hear you badmouth Sophie. Also, Willow and I are not in a rtionship.¡±¡°Mr. Laird¡­¡±The girls couldn¡¯t believe their ears.¡°What do you mean? Are you dumping Wi?¡±¡°Yea! How can you do that? Wi waited for you for five years. Now that you¡¯re finally back, how can you just abandon her?¡±Willow¡¯s friends felt bad for her.Having no intention to waste time arguing with a bunch of girls, Mason turned around in exasperation and returned to his car.Upon receiving the message, Willow flung her phone at the wall, causing its screen to shatter when it dropped to the floor.¡°Sophie!¡± Willow clenched her teeth. Why does she always mess up my life? Why didn¡¯t she just die in Horington?Willow¡¯s pretty face contorted in anger, as the urge to tear Sophie to pieces swelled within her.The next day in school, Ysabelle pulled Sophie aside, causing thetter to cock her brows.What is she up to?¡°Soph, apany me to Lombard Group this afternoon.¡±¡°Why?¡± Sophie was puzzled.¡°I¡¯m bringing Uncle Tristan and the others lunch.¡± Felix had ignored her for two days. Realizing the folly of her actions, she nned to tell him that she was sorry.¡°The others? Do you mean Felix?¡±Sophie knew what Ysabelle was up to. I bet she wants to apologize to him.¡°Mmm-hmm.¡±¡°All right then.¡±During the noon break, Sophie and Ysabelle picked up the food from Pegasus Pavilion before hailing a taxi to Lombard Group.As it was Ysabelle¡¯s first time there, both of them were stopped by the receptionist because she didn¡¯t recognize them.¡°I¡¯m Ysabelle Lombard. Tristan is my uncle, so let me in.¡± Ysabelle felt helpless. It was understandable that the receptionist didn¡¯t know her, but no matter how much time she spent exining, the former just refused to believe her.Sophie watched them argue for a while before finally giving Tristan a call.When Tristan picked up, he and Felix were already having lunch outside.Nheless, he was not only surprised to receive her call but also delighted by it.¡°Mr. Tristan, where are you? Ysabelle and I are in the lobby of Lombard Group. Are you here?¡±¡°What?¡±¡°We brought you food,¡± Sophie patiently exined.¡°Food? All right. Just stay there. I¡¯ming back right away.¡±After ending the call, Tristan grabbed his suit jacket and prepared to leave.¡°Mr. Tristan, where are you going? We haven¡¯t even started eating.¡± Felix got to his feet and hurried after Tristan.¡°You guys should continue. I need to head back to the office.¡±Charles asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is Lombard Group going bankrupt?¡±Sean added, ¡°You think? It definitely has something to do with Ms. Sophie.¡±Only that girl possesses such a hold on him.Felix was rendered speechless.Forget it. After all, I¡¯m just someone who¡¯s being resented. Despite all my efforts, Ysabelle doesn¡¯t appreciate me at all.In the meantime, Ysabelle was disheartened by the fact that she was barred from entering Lombard Group even though she was a Lombard.¡°Let¡¯s just sit over there. I¡¯ve called Mr. Tristan toe and pick us up.¡±Sophie dragged Ysabelle to the lounge of the lobby.¡°Girls, Lombard Group isn¡¯t the ce for you to mess around. Can both of you please leave?¡±If management sees the two students here, we¡¯ll lose our jobs!¡°You had better not go too far! Didn¡¯t I tell you that I¡¯m here to see Mr. Tristan?¡± Ysabelle raged.¡°I know that Mr. Tristan is the epitome of a man and is irresistibly charming. However, he has no interest in women at all, so please leave!¡±Ysabelle snapped, ¡°Does my uncle know that you think of him that way?¡±Having no interest in women? Is she really talking about Uncle Tristan?Sophie was speechless.Tristan isn¡¯t interested in women? In that case, was it a phantom that hit on me?¡°It¡¯s true. There has never been a woman by Mr. Tristan¡¯s side. Both of you should just give up.¡±Tristan, who had just returned, was walking up to the girls when he overheard the receptionist¡¯sments.How can she say something like that in front of the girl I fancy? Tristan¡¯s face turned grim.¡°Mr. Tristan?¡±Not expecting Tristan toe back at that time, the receptionist was shocked to the core.¡°Mr. Tristan, these two girls insist on seeing you. I¡¯m in the midst of getting them to leave.¡± The receptionist finally found her voice.¡°There is no need to. Come, let¡¯s go up to the nieth floor.¡± Tristan took over the food the two girls brought. ¡°This is Ms. Tanner. When shees to see me next time, please escort her straight to my office on the nieth floor.¡±The receptionist was dumbstruck, as Sophie was the first ever girl allowed to do that. Anything For Her Chapter 106 Anything For Her Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Mesmerizing Beauty¡°Who is that girl? Why does Mr. Tristan allow her direct ess to the nieth floor?¡±¡°Exactly! Even his mother has to call him before she¡¯s allowed to go up.¡±¡°Given her age, can she be Mr. Tristan¡¯s niece?¡±¡°How is that possible? How would his niece have Tanner as a surname?¡±¡°So? Is she supposed to be his girlfriend? But I have never heard that he has one. Don¡¯t you dare give me a shock like that.¡±Ysabelle and Sophie followed Tristan into the CEO¡¯s private elevator. Ysabelle was disappointed because she didn¡¯t see Felix around.¡°Uncle Tristan, where¡¯s Felix? Isn¡¯t he with you?¡± Ysabelle finally got the burning question off her chest.¡°Oh, he didn¡¯te to the office today.¡± Even though Felix stayed by his side to gain experience, there were many times the former had to deal with the Northley family¡¯s affairs.¡°Really?¡± Ysabelle expressed her doubt. ¡°So be it. I want to see how long he can stay angry for.¡±After she had painstakingly made the decision toe here, he ended up being absent.With that, Ysabelle decided she couldn¡¯t be bothered anymore.¡°Soph, I¡¯m not feeling well, and I¡¯ll head back first. You should stay for lunch.¡± The moment they came out of the elevator, Ysabelle decided to go back.¡°What? Weren¡¯t you fine just a moment ago? Why are you feeling under the weather all of a sudden? In that case, I had better go with you.¡±It would be so weird for me to eat with Tristan here alone.¡°You should have lunch with Uncle Tristan. I¡¯m taking my leave.¡± Before Sophie could react, Ysabelle reentered the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby.Subsequently, the elevator doors closed in front of her.So, what¡¯s going to happen now?¡°Let¡¯s eat,¡± Tristan suggested, leaving Sophie no choice but to follow him.After leading her to his private suite, Tristanid the food she brought out on the table.As Ysabelle had bought enough food for four, Sophie and Tristan were shocked to see how much there was.¡°Let¡¯s dig in. After that, you can even take a nap,¡± Tristan said. No matter how busy senior year is, an afternoon nap is still important.After taking her seat, Sophie began to eat.Nevertheless, there was no way they were able to finish the huge amount of food in front of them.At the same time, Tristan obviously knew that the food was from Pegasus Pavilion after tasting it.Once they were done with lunch, Sophie wanted to leave, as she had no idea what she was even doing there.Tristan then handed her a ss of water after clearing the table.Meanwhile, Sophie felt tired and sluggish after having spent the entire night helping Butterfly resolve an issue.When he saw how sleepy she was, Tristan suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you get some sleep? I¡¯ll wake you at two.¡±¡°I think I should go.¡±¡°Just take a nap. I¡¯ll send you backter.¡±Without protesting any further, Sophie easily found her way to the bedroom andy down on Tristan¡¯s bed.The room was designed with a minimalistic theme, while the bed sheets were jet ck in color. Upon lying down, Sophie could instantly feel how comfortable the luxurious fabric was.For some inexplicable reason, she felt that the ck sheets were part of Tristan¡¯s unique taste.Before she knew it, she had gradually fallen into a deep sleep on Tristan¡¯s bed.When he entered the room and saw how soundly she was sleeping, Tristan was filled with a sudden sense of satisfaction.At that moment, Sophie was curled up in bed without her school jacket on. She had taken off her jacket before she napped.When he saw the grimace on her face, Tristan furrowed his brows. What¡¯s she dreaming about?Walking over, Tristan kneeled by the bed and held her hand.With his other hand, he gently patted her on the shoulder.Sophie, who was having a nightmare, gradually calmed down. The painful look on her face was then reced by a blissful smile.Tristan stayed by her side for a long while.It wasn¡¯t until he was sure she was sleeping better that he got up from the bed and observed her.In that instant, he was filled with an overwhelming sense of contentment just from watching her sleep.Sophie, too, didn¡¯t expect that she was able to sleep that soundly.By the time she was awake, it was already half-past three. Walking out of the bedroom, she saw Tristan working in the living room.Given how engrossed he was with work, Sophie didn¡¯t feel like disturbing him and nned to slip out quietly. In the end, he looked up before she could even take two steps.¡°Come here.¡±For some inexplicable reason, Sophie had never liked to be ordered around.Nevertheless, she quietly obeyed his words at that very moment.When Tristan extended his hand toward her, she gave him a baffled look, which elicited a delightful smile from him.Before she knew it, he pulled her over to sit by his side.¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already applied for leave on your behalf. There¡¯s no need for you to return to ss in the afternoon.¡±¡°Didn¡¯t you promise to wake me? Why didn¡¯t you?¡± Sophie had just woken up from a nap. Hernguid voice was tinged with sensuality.Tristan couldn¡¯t help but pull her into his embrace and nt a kiss on her cheek.¡°You¡¯re so irresistible.¡±When Sophie looked up at him, he could feel his being gravitate toward her.Pulling her closer, he gave her lips a kiss.By the time Sophie gathered her senses, she stared at him in surprise.¡°Mr. Tristan.¡±¡°Don¡¯t let other men touch you, for itContent ? N?velDrama.Org. will drive me mad.¡±He had initially wanted to give her more time, but whatever self-control he had would always falter in front of her.Sophie blushed, her cheeks and ears turning as red as a tomato.Enchanted by her coy response, Tristan was delighted.Sophie gave him a look before wanting to get off him.Whoeveres in and sees us will definitely get the wrong idea!¡°Let go of me.¡±Sophie began to worry, cognizant of Tristan¡¯s naughty intentions.In spite of that, he had always treated her with respect, causing her to forget that there was an upromising beast underneath that facade of the man.Tristan kept her locked in his embrace.¡°Do you hear me? I have no desire to wait any longer, as there are just too many men around you.¡±With so many men coveting her, he was worried about losing her to someone else.¡°No. What gives you the right to demand something like that from me?¡±Her response intensified his refusal to release her.¡°Sophie¡­¡±Nheless, all he could do was sigh in the face of her defiance.After all, he couldn¡¯t even bring himself to raise his voice at her. Left without a choice, he personally walked her out.As it was still within office hours, the office was filled with staff coming and going. The sight of Tristan escorting a girl in a school uniform in a protective manner triggered mass envy among the female employees of thepany.Coincidentally, Charles, with Winter in tow, had arrived at Lombard Group to hand a document over to Tristan. Much to their surprise, they ran into Sophie and Tristan, who were on their way out.When Winter saw that both of them hade down from the nieth floor, her expression drastically changed.Even I have never set foot in there. And yet, Sophie gets to ess it with such ease?¡°No wonder you left even though the dishes had already been served. I knew it had to be because of Sophie.¡± Charles couldn¡¯t resist teasing him. Anything For Her Chapter 107 Anything For Her Chapter 107 Chapter 107 What Is Her Rtionship To Him ¡°That¡¯s right. Who else could it be, aside from her?¡± Tristan was totally unabashed about his favoritism toward Sophie.Hearing him say that gave Winter a feeling of tightness in her chest. It was as though she was suffocating from being throttled.¡°It¡¯s been a while, Mr. Tristan.¡±Winter finally regained her own voice. No matter. It¡¯s not toote so long as they are yet to marry.Tristan merely acknowledge her with a nod.¡°Let¡¯s go and get this document signed then. A good thing that I got here in time too, as I wouldn¡¯t know where else I¡¯d be able to find you otherwise.¡±¡°Stick around for a bit. I¡¯ll drive you over later.¡± Tristan reiterated as he did not want her to leave on her own.Only after he saw Sophie signal her agreement did Tristan take Charles upstairs. His personal seal had still been left on the nieth floor.That left Winter and Sophie inside the lobby.Not the chatty sort, to begin with, Sophie was not that fond of Winter either. Hence, she had no inclination to interact with thetter and simply sat there in silence while she waited.That made Winter feel indignant.A real snobbish one, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re only getting to remain by Mr. Tristan¡¯s side temporarily, and that¡¯s it. What¡¯s there for you to be so stuck up about?¡°I heard that Transfix Cosmetics are making real progress under your stewardship, so congrats!¡± said Winter while she absentmindedly tousled her own hair.Sophie merely grunted and made no attempt to build on the conversation.¡°You¡¯ve seen for yourself, Sophie. Mr. Tristan and you aren¡¯t in the same league, no matter how much effort you put in. We ought to be aware of our own limitations so as not to make life any more difficult for ourselves than it needs to be.¡±Hearing that elicited a chuckle from Sophie.¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth? Given your reputation, never mind the Lombard family, even the Laird family might not think much of you. Being as young as you are, you may not understand where I¡¯m coming from, but I¡¯m only saying this for your own good.¡±¡°For my own good?¡± Sophie could not stifle a laugh. ¡°Is it because you think that I¡¯m young and impressionable, Ms. Quigley, or because you think I¡¯m a moron? Aren¡¯t you telling me these just to make me leave Mr. Tristan?¡±That yielded a frown from Winter that the exquisite makeup on her face was unable to mask.Yet, an instantter, she got that smile back up on her face.¡°No. Sincerely, I only hope that you may be able to appreciate the reality of the situation for yourself.¡±¡°Mr. Tristan, huh? Perhaps others may think that I¡¯m unfit for him, but I, Sophie Tanner, am definitely good enough if that¡¯s what I desire.¡±Did she seriously believe that I¡¯m some ignorant girl who could be brainwashed that easily?¡°Don¡¯t you know that there are many things in this world that are immutable andpletely beyond your control, Ms. Tanner? Like, the status quo that you¡¯re born into!¡±¡°Ha!¡± replied Sophie with a sneer. ¡°Are you thatcking in self-confidence? Having to bring in your family background to back you up even in matters of love?¡±¡°Self-confidence? Do you believe that the people in high society do not care about these things? You did not strike me as such a na?ve person, Ms. Tanner!¡±A fling is something else, but when ites to the question of marriage and having to spend the rest of your lives together, it will no longer be the concern of two individuals; It¡¯s the business of two families.¡°The Lombards are a family that you Tanners can never hope to get in with. Besides, you¡¯re the notorious Ms. Sophie, an outcast even to your own family.¡±¡°I see! It looks like I¡¯m really not good enough for Mr. Tristan.¡± Sophie nodded as though in agreement. ¡°But would you dare repeat what you¡¯ve just said to Mr. Tristan? Why don¡¯t you tell him that, and ask him to stop pestering me? To be honest, I¡¯m still very undecided about whether I want to be with him! Now that you¡¯ve mentioned it, it got me thinking whether I should seriously consider our possibilities.¡±¡°Haha. Mr. Tristan, pestering you? I¡¯m genuinely shocked, Sophie, by how far you¡¯d go in making such outrageous ims.¡±Sophie was generally unenthused about continuing with this exchange.¡°You should know better than anyone whether there¡¯s any truth to it. Have you ever been up to the nieth floor? It was Mr. Tristan who brought me there himself. Do you know theyout there?¡±Initially, she did not want to bother with her, but thetter¡¯s relentless prodding made her decide to pile onto her counterpart¡¯s misery.¡°You¡ª¡±That had Winter practically shaking with rage.Sophie then firmly disengaged. When the receptionist who knew Sophie to be an important associate of Tristan saw that they were still there, she immediately brought her a ss of warm water.¡°Have some water, Ms. Tanner.¡±¡°Thank you.¡±¡°I really wasn¡¯t aware that you are Mr. Tristan¡¯s girlfriend, Ms. Tanner, so please do not take it personally if I¡¯d offended you in any way today.¡± Thedy from the front desk looked at her in concern, for it was a well- paying job that she could not afford to lose.¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Putting herself in her counterpart¡¯s shoes, she understood that the receptionist was only doing her job, and thus she was not going to be petty about it.¡°Then I shan¡¯t continue to disturb you.¡± Hearing her response did much to set the receptionist¡¯s mind at ease. ¡°Oh, would you mind putting in a good word on my behalf in front of Mr. Tristan as well? I really didn¡¯t mean to badmouth him.¡± Seeing that Sophie was being more approachable, the receptionist made yet another overture.She thought she must have been out of her mind today, dering that Tristan was not interested in women, and in front of his girlfriend, at that.Sophie was thoroughly taken aback by that request.¡°I¡¯m not his girlfriend, actually.¡± Concerning that, Sophie thought it better to rify.The receptionist was baffled. Why would Mr. Tristan bring her up to the nieth floor if they weren¡¯t dating?¡°They¡¯re not together,¡± Winter chimed in immediately when she heard her counterpart say so. So, Mr. Tristan has never regarded Sophie as his girlfriend.What Sophie said came to her as some relief.¡°Ms. Quigley¡ª¡± The receptionist certainly recognized Winter but was also aware that Tristan did not regard thetter in any exceptional way.At that moment, Tristan stepped out of the elevator alongside Charles.¡°You don¡¯t have to concern yourself with this matter anymore. I¡¯d take care of it,¡± said Charles as he walked. ¡°Winter¡¯s really fond of you, Mr. Tristan. Though I know that you don¡¯t feel the same way about her, I just hope that you¡¯d be able to let things slide on my ount, no matter what she might attempt to do in the future,¡± said Charles in disquietude when he saw how Winter and Sophie were, standing next to each other.¡°We¡¯re buddies, Charles, so there¡¯s no need to say such things between us. I¡¯d turn a blind eye, so long as she does not try to harm Sophie.¡±Having grown up together with Charles, he had few qualms about agreeing to such a request, conditional to Winter not wishing ill upon Sophie.¡°Of course.¡±Charles remained uneasy even with such verbal assurances, as Winter was persistent and had proved unreceptive to his own repeated warnings.¡°All right. Let¡¯s go!¡± Tristan sounded a little different from usual when he came up beside Sophie, being much more gentle in his tone when he spoke to her.That did not sit well with Winter who was quietly infuriated.¡°I think we should be taking our leave as well.¡±She had insisted on apanying me to the Lombard Group only to catch a glimpse of Tristan, so that ought to make her give up now!¡°Charles, I¡­¡±Winter felt profoundly aggrieved. All the effort I had put in was for the sake of keeping up with him. Sleeping no more than a few hours a day and working hard to get myself into a top university; all that was to make myself good enough for him. But what of him? Not once had he recognized the sacrifices that I had made.¡°You can¡¯t force love, Winter, so you ought to just give itContent ? N?velDrama.Org. up.¡± With the exception of Sophie, Mr. Tristan has never brought any woman up to the nieth floor. Doesn¡¯t this make the issue obvious? Anything For Her Chapter 108 Anything For Her Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Is Someone On Her Tail Winter was truly and adamantly indignant about this state of affairs, but there was little she could do about it under the circumstances.Old Mr. Lombard, though, would never be able to ept Sophie for her background, especially when Sophie herself is consistently dogged by a bad rep.¡°Whatever the case, steer clear of Sophie, or even I would not be able to protect you.¡±Though the Quigley family was considered among the four major families, there was still a considerable gap in the influence they wielded whenpared to the Lombard family.Under Tristan¡¯s leadership, the Lombard family had already left the other three familiesgging far behind, making Tristan someone not to be trifled with in the here and now.¡°Okay. Got it. I won¡¯t try to mess with her.¡± So long as I¡¯m not the one moving against her directly, nobody can hold me responsible if someone else decided to do otherwise, could they?She was certainly nobody¡¯s fool.Winter had always thought herself to be exceptional, and not once had she considered herself to be Sophie¡¯s lesser.Tristan opened the door for Sophie to get inside the car.¡°To the Wisteria Apartments?¡± That¡¯s going to make mete for school, wouldn¡¯t it?¡°Yeah!¡±They only just got in the car when a call came in from Bailey. Sophie took one nce but still choose to pick up.¡°Why aren¡¯t you in school today? Are you not feeling well?¡± Bailey asked in concern. He had grown ustomed to paying attention to Sophie¡¯s every move without even realizing it himself.¡°No. I took the day off because I had some stuff to see to. What¡¯s up?¡±¡°Nothing, really. I just wanted to ask if you¡¯d being into theb after ss.¡± He was missing her a little despite only not seeing her for one afternoon.¡°Nah. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be headed there today.¡± Sophie considered that she might not be able to squeeze in the time after her visit to the Wings of Light.¡°Do you have anything else for me?¡±¡°No. That¡¯s it.¡±The dead tone on the phone left Bailey a little despondent.Nevertheless, he still turned around and made his way to the medicalboratory, for it was only there that he would be able to avoid thinking about her.¡°Who was that?¡±As the volume on Sophie¡¯s phone was turned up pretty high, Tristan was able to hear the male voiceing from the other end.¡°Just a schoolmate.¡±¡°A guy?¡± Tristan¡¯s fingers tightened around the steering wheel. She really is too attractive.¡°Yeah. Our physics teacher is sending us forpetition together, so we¡¯ve been doing experiments together quite often,¡± said Sophie in a casual manner as she did not think too much of that call from Bailey.¡°Is he interested in you?¡± Tristan had not realized how much his words reeked of envy.Sophie¡¯s brows perked up.¡°I wouldn¡¯t know that.¡± Sophie was never one to ce too much attention on people who were not important to her.That yielded no response from the bbergasted Tristan, who thought he might be contending with one rival too many.The car arrived at Wisteria Apartments, but Tristan did not see her upstairs as he had other matters that needed his attention.After getting in, Sophie changed out of her uniform into a ck hoodie and a pair of light blue jeans before grabbing a ride down to Wings of Light.Wings of Light was situated along the most bustling street in Jipsdale. Real estate was at a premium here, but Wings of Light itself upied a standalone building consisting of eight floors. Though shabby on the exterior, stepping inside would reveal that there was more to it than meets the eye.Having not been around for some time, she was refused entry by the elderly gentleman guarding the entrance because he did not recognize her.¡°Have you lost your way,ss? Go on and turn around. This ce is for employees only!¡±¡°Actually, I¡¯m looking for Neveah, sir.¡± Wings of Light did not have as many staff on board in its infancy, and it was only after Butterfly took the reins that they started to hire more support personnel. That woman was never one to mistreat herself. The people she often brought on board, though, tend to be much more advanced in age, giving the ce an appearance of a shelter for elderly folk from the outside. In spite of that, none of them were ordinary in any regard.¡°Ms. Sekelsky, eh? Hang on. Let me make a call.¡± The gentleman then phoned Butterfly.From his description, Butterfly was able to infer that it was Sophie because very few could boast of thetter¡¯s bewitching looks.Butterfly came down personally to receive her. With the other members kept upied these past few days, only she remained stationed in Wings of Light.¡°Finally. Hadn¡¯t you promised me before? Took you a really long time to get here, it did,¡± Butterfly could not help but gripe. ¡°Come on then, let¡¯s head on up!¡±An eight-story building would not usuallye with an elevator, so Butterfly had one specially retrofitted when she first bought the ce. She took Sophie up to the eighth floor where the interiors were rather impressively done.¡°I¡¯ve reserved an office for you! Would you like to go check it out and see whether it is to your liking?¡± Butterfly then ushered her toward the furthermost office.That got Sophie¡¯s eyebrow raised. She had been pretty much hands-off since handing the keys to Wings of Light over to Butterfly,Content ? N?velDrama.Org. and had not expected thetter to have an office renovated for her.Pushing past the door, Butterfly led Sophie inside a space with a rather indie vibe before she turned to thetter in anticipation.¡°So, how do you find it? Do you like it? If you do, would you mind dropping in more often whenever you are free? It could get a little lonely being here by myself sometimes!¡±¡°It¡¯s all right, I guess!¡± It was not hard to tell that Butterfly had invested quite a bit into fixing up the ce, but she still preferred to answer to the beckoning of freedom. ¡°Isn¡¯t Wings of Light doing very well at the moment? I think you¡¯re well suited to run things here, so why don¡¯t you just continue on?¡±Butterfly was rendered speechless.Plonking herself down on the swivel chair, Sophie then pressed a switch to activate it.Less than ten seconds afterward, theputer had fully booted up.The speed of theputer¡¯s operations was very much to Sophie¡¯s satisfaction.¡°Oh, Phantom! Wings of Light is your baby. Don¡¯t you have any feelings toward it at all?¡±¡°None whatsoever.¡± Sophie was extremely indifferent.That got Butterfly reeling once more.Well, fine! Why am I even trying to talk emotions with Phantom? This girl is nothing if not heartless.From her pocket, Sophie fished out a piece of gum which she unwrapped before she popped it into her own mouth. Then with a tug of the chair, she brought herself in front of theputer.While her fingers danced over the keyboards, strings of code zed across the screen, one line after the other.Even if she matched Butterfly for pace, one could not help but behold the manner of her operations; it was clear that there was a stark difference between them.It was just that effortless for some people to crush thepetition, and Sophie was exactly of that sort.¡°Rx. My firewalls are solid! No one will be able to get past them.¡± Sophie was supremely confident about her own skills. ¡°I could still bolster them if you don¡¯t feel secure, though.¡±As it was already past eight in the evening when she left Wings of Light, Sophie decided to pass on attending the self-study session.Pulling the hood over her head, Sophie plugged in her earphones and walked along the street. She did not get too far before she discovered someone on her tail.Her lips curled up into a smirk. These people just won¡¯t quit.At that moment, her phone started to ring. Sophie hit the button to put the call through.¡°Where are you?¡± Tristan sounded rather anxious.¡°Outside. Why?¡±¡°Send me your location. I¡¯ming over to pick you up right away.¡± Knowing that those people were after Sophie, there was no way he could sit idle.¡°It¡¯s cool. I can handle them myself.¡± Sophie then thought about hanging up. It¡¯s been a while since I got to stretch my limbs, so I might as well give myself a good workout today.¡°Sophie.¡± There was a hint of anger to Tristan¡¯s tone.¡°What?¡± Why would I want to bother him with something I can resolve on my own? Anything For Her Chapter 109 Anything For Her Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Beaten To A Pulp Tristan was worried, as those were professional mercenaries who were vastly different from ordinary thugs.He couldn¡¯t control his temper, as he was extremely anxious.However, he had no choice but to tamp his temper down after hearing her question.¡°Soph, be good. Stay in the crowd instead of going somewhere deste. I¡¯lle to you now.¡± His men had tracked her location down, and he was on his way to her.Sophie was rendered speechless.¡°Mr. Tristan, I can handle them.¡± His voice was soft; she couldn¡¯t bring herself to be harsh on him. After all, he was only concerned about her.¡°Be good and don¡¯t move. Wait for me,¡± Tristan implored, his tone contrary to his usual arrogant voice.¡°All right.¡± Sophie caved in. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to say no or reject Tristan mercilessly like how she used to reject other men.Yet, Sophie could not wait for any longer after realizing the men were armed.She was currently in the most bustling area in Jipsdale. The streets were crowded, so the consequences would be unimaginable if they were to use their guns in public.Sophie unlocked her phone and clicked on the map. She observed the map for around one minute before strolling toward a deste area calmly.The men d in casual clothes immediately shared a look and strode after her.ying with the wire of her earphone, Sophie strolled into a quiet alley.¡°Get her!¡±Sophie came to a stop at the end of the alley and turned to look at the men.¡°You have nowhere to escape now, huh?¡± one man sneered as his gaze gleamed with malice. ¡°Surrender without putting up a fight, so you won¡¯t have to suffer as much.¡±¡°Escape?¡± Sophie repeated mockingly. ¡°You¡¯re nothing but trash. Why do I need to escape?¡±¡°Ha!¡± The leader let out a mirthlessugh. She¡¯s confident, huh? ¡±Take her away!¡±The mercenaries stepped forward menacingly, but Sophie was still fiddling with the wire of her earphone.Before they could reach her, she pulled out a piece of gum and unwrapped it before tossing it into her mouth.Chewing on her gum, she observed the men carefully.Finally, the mercenaries stopped in front of her. Sophie darted out of their way before they could take action against her.Leaping into the air, she kicked one man¡¯s crotch forcefully.Sophie didn¡¯t like beating around the bush. These were deadly mercenaries, so she didn¡¯t hold back and attacked them mercilessly.The mercenaries copsed to the ground one by one.The leader of the mercenaries was scowling by now. His subordinates were skilled but got defeated by the youngdy easily.¡°You¡¯re the only one left. Come on!¡± Sophie said arrogantly.¡°You must be sick of living!¡± the leader growled. He shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it aside, then strode toward Sophie ominously.Without wasting time, he pulled his gun out and aimed for Sophie¡¯s head.¡°We never wanted to kill you. Juste with us,¡± the manmanded.¡°No.¡± There was no way she¡¯d leave with them easily.At that moment, Tristan¡¯s car rolled to a stop before the alley.His heart clenched up anxiously when he thought of Sophie entering the quiet alley instead of listening to his words.The alley was eerily silent, and for a moment, Tristan dared not walk into it.Bang!A loud gunshot rang out, prompting Tristan to dash in.To his shock, he saw over ten mercenaries moaning in anguish on the ground.One man¡¯s wrist was bleeding, as he had been shot.Sophie, however, had over ten guns with her.She arched a brow at the sight of him.Tristan hurried over to her and only rxed after making sure she was all right.¡°Who sent you here?¡± Tristan went to the leader.However, the leader merely red at him and refused to spill a word.¡°You won¡¯t say anything, huh? Never mind. I¡¯ll make you regret what you have done today.¡±Right after he said that, Felix appeared with over a dozen of men in ck.Tristan ordered, ¡°Bring them back, but don¡¯t let them die.¡±He wanted to question them personally after sending Sophie back home.Felix noticed the mercenaries rolling in pain on the ground and cast Sophie a look.Despite knowing Sophie wasn¡¯t someone to be trifled with, he had no idea she was capable of beating the mercenaries to a pulp.He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how many secrets she had.I don¡¯t think I can defeat the mercenaries alone.The alley was silent once again.Tristan stood silently in his spot. He was obviously upset at her.Sophie spat her gum into a piece of tissue before going to him.¡°Mr. Tristan, are you mad at me?¡± Sophie asked.¡°Why didn¡¯t you listen to me?¡± Tristan¡¯s entire being was still shaking in fear. He couldn¡¯t imagine what he would do if something were to happen to her.¡°I wanted to listen to you, but they were armed. So¡ª¡±¡°You came here knowing that they had guns? Sophie, you did that on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡± Tristan interjected, a wave of fury crashing through him.Sophie was befuddled by his anger.In her opinion, she was just trying to prevent a gunfight in Jipsdale.¡°The street was crowded, and I didn¡¯t want¡ª¡±¡°Those people have nothing to do with me. Why would I bother about their safety? Your safety is my priority,¡± Tristan cut in.His words might sound selfish, but he was telling the truth. No one else but her life mattered to him.Sophie was astonished toContent ? N?velDrama.Org. learn how possessive he could be. She had no idea Tristan was this concerned about her.¡°Mr. Tristan, I ¡ª¡±Refusing to hear her exnation, Tristan pulled her into her arms and bit the corner of her lips as a form of punishment.¡°Why won¡¯t you listen to me?¡± he whispered in her ear.Sophie wrapped her arms around him and leaned against his chest.Her action calmed him down instantly.¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to make you worry.¡±Tristan sighed out loud. He was hopelessly in love with her.Without saying anything else, he gave her a ride back to Wisteria Apartments.¡°Can I see those men?¡± She was curious why those men wanted to abduct her.¡°Mm, no problem,¡± Tristan agreed readily.He would make the arrangements for her if she wanted to see them.¡°They wanted to abduct you so they could use you to threaten me into submission.¡± Tristan had rushed over the moment he received the news, but he didn¡¯t make it here in time. In the end, she had to solve the matter alone.¡°No one can abduct me easily. Mr. Tristan, don¡¯t let others use me to threaten you into submission.¡± Sophie wanted to help him instead of being his Achilles¡¯ heel.¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let anyone get the chance to hurt you.¡± Tristan¡¯s eyes zed dangerously. He wasn¡¯t even this mad when his enemies had tried to harm him. Anything For Her Chapter 110 Anything For Her Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Causing An Unwanted Misunderstanding N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Felix had no idea Tristan would bring Sophie to the dungeon.Everyone who was tortured and questioned here would definitely spill the truth.Sophie was in a daze after she entered the dungeon.It did not ur to her that Tristan would bring the men here and that such a ce existed in Jipsdale.¡°Mr. Tristan,¡± Felix greeted. He had just arrived a while ago and didn¡¯t have the chance to question the mercenaries yet.¡°I¡¯ll bring you around,¡± Tristan said to Sophie, who nodded in agreement.Despite priding herself on her rich experience, she couldn¡¯t stop a chill from going down her spine at the horrible-looking devices used to torture the prisoners kept captive here.¡°Mr. Tristan, do your rivals often try to assassinate you?¡±Is he only the CEO of Lombard Group? Why do so many people want him dead?¡°Why?¡± Tristan led her deeper into the dungeon. Everything Sophie saw here gave her a new perspective of what Tristan was capable of.¡°Why do you need to establish a dungeon like this?¡± The police might not be able to get the answers they wanted, but the prisoners here¡ªincluding ruthless mercenaries¡ªwould definitely spill everything after being tortured by the highly advanced devices. There was simply no chance of fighting back.¡°Indeed. After I took over Lombard Group, many wanted me dead,¡± came Tristan¡¯s answer.Hearing that, Sophie felt bad for him.No matter how mentally resilient he was, he must be annoyed by those constant assassinations!Tristan took in her expression and went to her.Taking her hand, he said, ¡°But they don¡¯t have what it takes to kill me. I¡¯m still healthy and alive.¡±He wouldn¡¯t have created a dungeon if it wasn¡¯t necessary.¡°You shouldn¡¯t have brought me here,¡± Sophie said.This ce was very important to him. If someone else discovered the existence of this ce and sent the evidence to the relevant authorities, he would be greatly affected.¡°Sophie, you¡¯re different from others. You mean a lot to me.¡±He would allow her to do anything she wanted in his territory.In fact, he could take over any territory that wasn¡¯t his as long as she wanted him to.His gaze was too affectionate, and Sophie had no idea how to respond. Without a word, she went deeper into the dungeon.¡°The technology here is really advanced. I¡¯m sure no one can refuse to talk.¡± No matter how strong one¡¯s willpower was, one couldn¡¯t resist for long.¡°Yes.¡±He had spent a lot to build this dungeon, so it was undeniably effective.After their tour ended, Felix had already pried the information from the mercenaries¡¯ lips.¡°Mr. Tristan, the Zaleses sent them, just likest time in Horington,¡± Felix reported.The Zaleses had always been jealous of the Lombards and had been trying to wipe them out in secret.¡°yton Zales.¡± Tristan¡¯s guess was right.The only person who dared to pull this feat in Jipsdale could only be yton.¡°Mr. Tristan, what should we do about them?¡± Felix asked, for there were over ten mercenaries here.¡°Hand them to Eustace. He¡¯s been trying to capture them, hasn¡¯t he?¡±Sophie blinked after hearing Eustace¡¯s name.¡°Sure.¡±They were doing Eustace a big favor.¡°I¡¯ll handle the rest. It¡¯ste. You and Sophie should go home and rest.¡± Deep down, Felix was still afraid of Sophie. She¡¯s not someone to be messed with. I need to show her more respect or risk invoking her wrath.Sophie yawned loudly. She was indeed exhausted after the fight. ¡°If you¡¯re busy, I can head home myself.¡±In an attempt to butter up to her, Felix immediately replied, ¡°You are the most important person here. I can handle the rest, so don¡¯t worry!¡±¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Tristan uttered.Hisrge hand wrapped around her tiny one and warmed her hand up.Sophie fell into a momentary daze.The moment Tristan left with Sophie, Felix ordered his men to tie the mercenaries up.¡°Mr. Northley, what should we do with them?¡±¡°Drag them to the door of the SWAT team and leave them in the hands of Eustace. He has dealt with simr matters plenty of times.¡±The mercenaries had assassinated several important government officials, so Eustace would be rewarded for his outstanding service if he were to arrest them.That was the exact reason why Felix was terrified. The mercenaries were known to be ruthless, but Sophie had managed to defeat them easily. It was really mind-blowing.These few days, Eustace had been busy with a case. He didn¡¯t get to sleep well.He had just fallen asleep that day when he received a call from his team.¡°What is it?¡± Eustace pinched his nose bridge in an attempt to wake up.¡°Captain Sheppard, come to the station now!¡±Eustace¡¯s brows snapped together.¡°What happened?¡± he asked. His team members from the SWAT team had been working alongside him for some time and were experienced, so it was the first time he had seen them this flustered.¡°You¡¯ll find out when you arrive. Even if I exin everything to you now, you won¡¯t trust me.¡±Eustace drove to the SWAT team at once. When he saw that over ten mercenaries were all bundled up inside, he promptly lost his cool.The leader of the group of mercenaries was an internationally wanted fugitive. His team had been finding the whereabouts of these mercenaries but to no avail.Who is capable enough of capturing them before sending them here?¡°Contact Interpol.¡± Eustace kept his cool and made the arrangements. The leader of the mercenaries hadmitted many grave crimes, so no matter who captured him, he or she had done a good deed.¡°Also, find out who sent them here.¡±¡°Captain Sheppard, what a stroke of good fortune! You managed to arrest an internationally wanted fugitive when you were sleeping at home.¡±Eustace rubbed his nose. That¡¯s true. I¡¯ve cracked a few important cases after I met Sophie. Hmm, it¡¯s time for me to go see her. She¡¯s a high school student, but not an ordinary being. Previously, she was involved in defusing the bomb. Was it also her this time?The next morning, Eustace drove to Jipsdale Premier High.He stared at the gate intently until he saw a youngdy d in uniform heading toward the gate with two buns in her hand. Without hesitation, he got out of his car.Eustace was wearing his police uniform, which looked great on him. In fact, he looked dashing in his uniform.Thus, he immediately attracted the female students¡¯ attention.sses were going to begin soon, but they refused to head in.¡°Wow, he¡¯s a hunk!¡±¡°Yeah! I used to think that Bailey¡¯s hot, but he¡¯s not as handsome as this man.¡±¡°You¡¯re right. Oh, how I wish I can marry a police officer.¡±Sophie nced at Eustace as she took a bite of the bun.She chewed on it slowly before swallowing it.¡°Captain Sheppard, you¡¯ll cause a misunderstanding if you show up at my school in your uniform to look for me.¡±¡°What kind of misunderstanding?¡± Eustace didn¡¯t understand what she was talking about. ¡°I¡¯m here to ask a few questions.¡±¡°What is it?¡± Sophie asked airily. Anything For Her Chapter 111 Anything For Her Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Loved By Everyone Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What? The officer is here to talk to Sophie?¡±¡°Seriously? Oh, my idol¡­¡±¡°Sophie is really despicable. Aren¡¯t Bailey and Mason enough for her? Why is she seducing this officer now? What a promiscuous woman!¡± someone muttered angrily.¡°But they are so handsome.¡±As the students were all gathered at the entrance and refused toe in, Rhett grabbed his cane and strode over to them.¡°Aren¡¯t you all coming in? The reminder bell has rung a while ago. What are you all doing here?¡± he demanded.The girls were reluctant to head in even after Rhett had shown up.They couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the officer¡¯s name was and where his office was. They hoped to see him again, too.¡°You¡¯re all getting demerits if you don¡¯t head in now!¡± Rhett warned angrily. Why are the students getting more difficult nowadays?He was about to teach the culprit who attracted their attention a lesson when he noticed Eustace¡¯s uniform. At once, his furious expression turned into a weing smile.¡°Sir, may I know the reason for your visit?¡± he asked politely.¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing important. You should get back to work. I¡¯d like to have a word with Sophie,¡± Eustace responded civilly.¡°Oh, I see. Sophie, answer the officer¡¯s questions properly. You don¡¯t have to hurry back to ss. I¡¯ll help you ask for a leave from Mr. Hayes,¡± Rhett said.Sophie was rendered speechless.Did I say I want to take a leave?Eustace was observing her all the while and knew she was upset. He immediately said, ¡°Please go back to work. I¡¯ll just talk to Sophie here. It won¡¯t take long, so there¡¯s no need for you to be concerned.¡±¡°Sure. Go ahead.¡± Rhett then brought the students into the school grounds.Silence ensued. The autumn sun shone on them warmly as Sophie turned to look at Eustace.Eustace was wearing his police uniform, and she was d in her school uniform.Strangely, they both looked pleasing to the eye.Bailey had something up today and arrived at schoolter than usual. The sight of Sophie and Eustace together at the school gate made him frown in displeasure.In the end, Sophie got into Eustace¡¯s Land Rover.¡°What do you want to talk about?¡±¡°Over ten mercenaries were sent to the SWAT teamst night. Were you behind this?¡±Wow. So Felix really did send those men to the SWAT team.¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Sophie feigned nonchnce.¡°Oh¡­¡±Eustace observed Sophie carefully but couldn¡¯t tell anything from her expression.He was great at investigation, but his skills were rendered useless before Sophie.¡°Right. There¡¯s no way you get to encounter those internationally renowned mercenaries.¡±¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I shall go back to ss now.¡±After Sophie got out of his car, Eustace gave her a bag.Sophie didn¡¯t take it from him.¡°What is this?¡±¡°I bought some breakfast for you.¡± He had visited The Crown early in the morning to buy breakfast for her.Sophie nced at her bun that was no longer piping hot and epted the bag from him.¡°Thanks!¡±The first self-study session was about to end by the time Sophie returned to the ssroom.Aaron told her to return to her desk without asking any questions.Once the session ended, a girl ran to Sophie.¡°Sophie, who was that hunk at the gate this morning? What is his name? Do you have his phone number?¡±Sophie¡¯s brows snapped together impatiently.¡°Noment.¡±Eustace¡¯s job was pretty sensitive, so there was no way she¡¯d divulge his information to her ssmates.The girl lost her cool and demanded, ¡°Sophie, why are you so arrogant? So what if you¡¯re prettier than us? You seduce every man youe across. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re disgusting?¡±¡°Yeah, how disgusting. What a b*tch.¡±Bailey had just arrived at Senior ss 8 to talk to Sophie when he heard the girls insult her.¡°Shut up!¡±There was a hint of fury in his voice.Bailey had always behaved like Prince Charming who came straight out of a fairy tale, so the girls had never heard him talk that way.¡°Bailey, you¡ª¡±¡°If I hear anyone speak badly about Sophie again, don¡¯t me me for taking action,¡± Bailey warned.It didn¡¯t matter what others said. He only believed what he saw.Ysabelle was already fuming aside, but Bailey had stood up for Sophie before she could say anything.¡°Bailey, have you fallen in love with Sophie?¡±Many girls had a crush on Bailey. They were filled with resentment toward amon enemy after seeing Bailey defend Sophie.¡°Who I like is none of your business.¡± Bailey refused to spill anything.Seeing his reaction, the girls fell silent and red at Sophie.Sophie gave the breakfast Eustace bought to Ysabelle.¡°Breakfast from The Crown? Who gave this to you?¡±¡°Eustace.¡±¡°Oh.¡±Ysabelle had had breakfast this morning, but she still ate some as it was from The Crown.¡°Sophie, I ran into a problem in my physics experiment and failed to solve it. Could you help me out?¡± Bailey piped up.Sophie nodded and followed him to the physicsb.The girls fumed at the sight of them leaving together.¡°Am I going to get my heart broken even before I start dating him?¡±¡°Has Bailey fallen in love with Sophie? What a seductress!¡±¡°Shut up! It was Bailey who came to Soph! Soph is loved by many. Are you jealous of her?¡± Ysabelle retorted as she chomped on her breakfast.¡°Ysabelle, stop acting all high and mighty! Sophie only spends time with you because you¡¯re uglier than her!¡±Ysabelle might be pretty, but she wasn¡¯t as pretty as Sophie.Ysabelle snorted. ¡°Sowing discord, huh? Do you think it¡¯s that easy to sow discord between me and Sophie? Dream on!¡±She ignored them.After all, Sophie was her best friend, and she knew Sophie well.Sophie and Bailey arrived at the physicsb so she could help him check his experiment out.Sophie immediately realized what was wrong after he showed her the steps once.Bailey watched as Sophie carried out the experiment again. His favorable impression of Sophie grew even more.¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Sophiepleted the experiment and sat down.¡°Let me try.¡± When Bailey was busy with the experiment, Sophie sprawled on a table and soon fell asleep.Afterpleting the experiment, Bailey turned around to see that she was sound asleep. He shrugged out of his jacket and draped it over her.He then took a seat across from her and observed her silently without doing anything.Willow had noticed Sophie and Bailey entering theb and had sneaked in after them.She had been hiding in a corner and had taken a few photos of Bailey shrugging out of his jacket.As Sophie and Bailey were alone in theb, Willow had taken the photos at a suggestive angle that would cause everyone to misunderstand his action.She nced at the photos on her phone and shed a smug grin.Without hesitation, she sent the photos to a ssmate who had a crush on Bailey and hinted to her to post the photos on their school forum.The girl didn¡¯t disappoint her. Willow scrolled the page on the forum with the photos and chuckled evilly. Anything For Her Chapter 112 Anything For Her Chapter 112 hapter 112 Rumors By the time Sophie woke up, it was half past ten. The second period had begun.Thus, she did another experiment in theb and waited until the third period ended before returning to her ss.The students were busy scrolling through the forum. Sophie and Bailey had caused an uproar after the photos were posted.Once Sophie showed up, the rest began whispering among themselves.¡°Seriously? How shameless of them to do this in school!¡±¡°Yes! What an unsightly scene! This isn¡¯t the Bailey I know!¡±¡°This isn¡¯t Bailey¡¯s fault! Sophie must¡¯ve seduced him. That¡¯s right. She seduced him.¡±Ysabelle had been searching around for Sophie. When thetter came back, she immediately dragged her out.¡°Soph, let¡¯s go.¡±Sophie regarded her dubiously. What¡¯s wrong?¡°You want to skip sses again?¡±¡°Yes, yes.¡± Ysabelle thought that skipping sses was a great idea.The photos that were posted online had made Sophie the talk of the town, and many horriblements had been posted.¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Sophie rejected. She wasn¡¯t one who would escape from problems.¡°Soph,¡± Ysabelle pleaded worriedly.¡°What happened?¡± Sophie kept her cool.Under Sophie¡¯s sharp gaze, Ysabelle finally gave her phone to Sophie.After seeing the photos and the title of the post on the forum, Sophie shed a smile.However, her smile struck Ysabelle as horrifying.¡°Soph, are you okay? Someone is obviously trying to bring you down. You¡­¡± Ysabelle was at a loss for words.The photos were taken at an angle that seemed to suggest they were doing something improper in the lab.No one would believe Sophie no matter what she said.¡°Soph, don¡¯t scare me. I trust you no matter what. I¡¯ll always be on your side,¡± Ysabelle vowed.¡°Mm, I know.¡± This person took photos of us in the physicsb. Everyone else is in ss, so who followed us all the way there and took these photos?¡°We can track the person who posted these photos and ask him or her to delete them.¡± Anyone with a brain wouldn¡¯t believe this rumor. It was useless to exin things now, and time would prove everything.¡°No worries. I¡¯ll teach the person who posted this a lesson. I can delete the post myself, but there¡¯s no hurry,¡± Sophie said.Meanwhile, Bailey had just stepped into his ss when a few boys blocked his path.¡°Bailey, you look aloof. I had no idea you¡¯d do that in school!¡±¡°Yeah! You¡¯re quite bold, huh? Even if we wanted to f*ck, we¡¯d bring our partner to a motel.¡±¡°I can¡¯t believe you dare to f*ck someone as filthy as Sophie. Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting infected with STDs?¡±¡°Stop it, Woody. It was Sophie who ignored you. Otherwise, you would¡¯ve slept with her!¡±¡°Right. I¡¯d risk getting STDs to f*ck someone as gorgeous as Sophie,¡± Woody Shaw responded with a sleazy grin.Bailey¡¯s expression turned as dark as thunder.¡°Forget it. Bailey, stop acting all prude. Tell us how it feels to f*ck Sophie,¡± Woody urged.¡°Hey!¡± Bailey grabbed Woody¡¯s cor. ¡°You¡¯d better watch your tongue instead of spreading baseless rumors, Woody!¡±Woody chuckled.¡°Why? You slept with her, right? Why do you look all pent up? Didn¡¯t Sophie satisfy you?¡± Woody wasn¡¯t afraid of Bailey, for he was also a bigshot in Jipsdale Premier High.Without warning, Bailey gave Woody¡¯s nose a punch.Woody only regained hisposure when blood trickled down his nostrils.¡°F*ck you! How dare you hit me, Bailey?¡±A fight promptly broke out between both of them.Bailey might be a top student, but he was also good at fighting.Seeing that, the other boys tried to separate them.¡°What are you doing? There¡¯s no need to fight over a girl!¡±¡°Yes! You¡¯ll get expelled for fighting in Jipsdale Premier High!¡±Even if the boys wanted to fight, they would do it outside the school.¡°Let me go! If I don¡¯t teach him a lesson today, he¡¯ll assume he¡¯s a hunk adored by many!¡± Woody yelled.His nose was still bleeding, and he couldn¡¯t stop the fury from surging through his entire being.He didn¡¯t mind getting expelled as long as he got to beat Bailey up.Bailey¡¯s eyes were red. ¡°If I hear you say Sophie¡¯s name again, I swear I¡¯ll beat you to a pulp!¡±He couldn¡¯t be bothered about the wounds he had sustained in the fight.This was the first time the girls had seen Bailey fighting. Their adoration for him promptly grew.¡°Oh, dear. I never realized Bailey could be this manly!¡±¡°Yes! Woody is skilled at fighting, but he managed to defeat Woody! Oh, I love him!¡±¡°A pity that he showed his manly side to defend Sophie from Senior ss 8. What¡¯s so good about her?¡±¡°I know, right? She isn¡¯t even that pretty.¡±¡°She¡¯s nothing but a b*tch who loves seducing men. What a wretched young woman!¡±¡°Willow, didn¡¯t she seduce your boyfriend, Mason?¡±¡°Yeah, she¡¯s so despicable. Remember how she seduced Mason when you were in the hospital?¡±Willow snorted. ¡°Mason and I are deeply in love. We¡¯re going to get engaged soon, so I believe he won¡¯t fall in love with someone else.¡±¡°Really? Willow, you¡¯re only neen! Are you seriously going to get engaged this soon?¡±¡°I¡¯ve been in love with Mason since middle school. He¡¯s the only man I¡¯ll marry, so it¡¯s fine for us to get engaged this early,¡± Willow said blissfully.Thus, everyone assumed Sophie was the one who tried to break them up andN?velDrama.Org owns ? this. continued insulting Sophie.¡°Wi, you¡¯re so lucky to have met someone you love at this age. Most importantly, he loves you, too. You guys are such a perfect couple. Congrattion!¡±¡°Thanks. I have absolute trust in Mason. He won¡¯t budge no matter who tries to seduce him,¡± Willow responded proudly.¡°Of course. You¡¯re pretty and smart, an all-rounder. He won¡¯t fall for someone else unless he¡¯s blind.¡±¡°I trust Mason. Thanks!¡± Willow shed a gentle smile. Deep down, she wanted nothing more than for them to continue insulting Sophie.When Bailey found Sophie and Ysabelle, he couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Sophie was lying on the field, basking in the sun idly.No girls would be as calm as her if they were in her shoes! Anything For Her Chapter 113 Anything For Her Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Feeling Smug ¡°Sophie, are you all right? I¡¯m sorry. It was all my fault. If I hadn¡¯t asked you to carry out the experiment at theb, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±Bailey felt a pang of guilt. However, there was no use wallowing in guilt, as he could not change what had happened.Sophie sat up. The sun was so bright that she squinted in response.¡°You¡¯ve done nothing wrong. This has nothing to do with you. Don¡¯t worry. No matter what they demand, you still have me around to back you up.¡±Bailey was surprised. He was there to soothe Sophie, and he certainly did not expect that she would say something like that. He could not help but wonder if the girl had somehow mistaken her role in the matter.¡°Bailey, I would really like to ask you a question now. Why did you remove your jacket? You were only doing an experiment in theboratory anyway. Do you know you¡¯re confusing other people that way?¡± Even though Bailey was handsome, Ysabelle was not charmed, as he had been a nuisance to Sophie.Sophie only wishes to live an uneventful and normal high school life. Is that really too much to ask? Why do these people keep hounding her?¡°I¡­¡± Bailey found himself suddenly at a loss for words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±That was the only sentence that he could bring himself to say right then.¡°I¡¯ve said that you have nothing to do with this. What¡¯s with the injuries on your body?¡±She reckoned that not many would dare to provoke Bailey at Jipsdale Premier High.¡°Yeah. Why are you hurt?¡± Ysabelle chimed in.¡°Nothing. I just taught a few guys a lesson for not watching their tongue.¡±Ysabelle felt her hostility toward Bailey melting away as he said that.¡°You¡¯ve got some guts, Bailey. I really wanted to beat them up when I heard them badmouthing Sophie like that, but I held the urge in the end. You¡¯re the man.¡±Bailey shed Ysabelle a bitter smile.¡°Bailey, I think it¡¯s time for you to stop interfering in this matter. I will deal with the rest.¡±¡°Sophie, things have only taken this turn because of me. I will not just sit idly by and shrug it off. I will see that the post is deleted, find out who¡¯s responsible for this, and demand the culprit apologize to you.¡±Bailey left as soon as he said that.¡°I¡¯ve always thought he¡¯s quite a dashing man. Now that I¡¯ve seen him defending you like that, he¡¯s even more charming now,¡± Ysabelle said. ¡°But, Soph, no matter how dashing he is, he¡¯s never going to surpass Uncle Tristan. He really likes you.¡±Sophie was rendered speechless.¡°I¡¯m serious. Do you think I should tell Uncle Tristan about this?¡±¡°No. It¡¯s just a small fightProperty ? of N?velDrama.Org. between ssmates. Why bother him with such trivial matters?¡±¡°Oh, please, as long as it concerns you, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s no trivial matter to Uncle Tristan.¡±¡°I said, do not tell him,¡± Sophie snapped.¡°Soph, Uncle Tristan is not like the other shallow-minded people. He believes in you. I¡¯m sure he will believe whatever you say, just like I do. What other people say will never make us doubt you.¡±Ysabelle thought it was best for her to put in a few good words for her uncle. Otherwise, she thought Sophie might really get snitched by the outstanding men swarming around her.When they were having lunch in the cafeteria, Ysabelle identally bumped into Willow. What a small world.Willow¡¯s tray was knocked to the ground.¡°Are you blind?¡± the girl beside Willow yelled.¡°Are you all right, Wi? Were you scalded? They did this on purpose! Did you guys see her? She¡¯s doing this because she couldn¡¯t get Mason!¡±¡°How are you so shameless, Sophie?¡±¡°How is it possible that he asked you to do something like that at school? How shameless can she be?¡±¡°Jipsdale Premier High is a renowned school. How could we have students like her? This is so humiliating.¡±All girls in the cafeteria gesticted at Sophie right then as they desperately wished they could throw her out.Ysabelle was stumped, for Sophie had done nothing wrong.In fact, Ysabelle was the one who had bumped into Sophie. However, nobody cared, and they put all the me on her as they chastised her.¡°You¡¯d better go see an ophthalmologist at the hospital if your eyesight is so terrible. I could sponsor the fees,¡± Ysabelle retorted. She could not stand them ndering Sophie. ¡°I was the one who bumped into Willow. Why are you guys hounding her? Why, are you guys not satisfied with being keyboard warriors on the forum? Come to think of it, I really do believe that you guys were the ones who posted those posts on the forum.¡±¡°Does it matter who posted them? It¡¯s the truth anyway.¡±¡°You guys will know if it matters once I find out who the culprit is.¡± Sophie snickered. These people really think they can leave unscathed after getting on my nerves.In the past, she could not be bothered by them as she had thought that they were beneath her.However, it was apparent that they had reckoned that she was the type to just suffer in silence. You guys are dead wrong. Sophie found the shallow-minded people amusing.Willow¡¯s lips curled into a mocking grin. Is she still not going to give up even after this? Her reputation is down in the dumps. Who¡¯s willing to be associated with her right now?Sophie nced at Willow.Look at that smug smile on her face. Does Willow really think I can do nothing about her? Does she still think I am still the gullible and weak Sophie from five years ago?Willow instinctively retreated a few steps back when she locked eyes with Sophie. She found thetter¡¯s gaze oddly intimidating. Sophie had done nothing, and yet Willow felt a chill down her spine.However, at the thought that no one could trace any posts on the forum back to her, Willow regained herposure. What can Sophie do to me anyway?She had nothing to fear because she had taken no part in anything that had happened. She was merely an observer.¡°Sophie, why are you looking at Willow like that? You¡¯vemitted such a disgraceful act, and yet you have the cheek to re at her. Who do you think you are? Are you trying to pick a fight?¡± Willow did not have to say anything, as there would be others who would speak up for her. She only had to stand graciously aside and put on an innocent look. This had always been Willow¡¯s tactic.¡°Even if fifty more people were toe, I don¡¯t think all of youbined would be able to rival me. But I don¡¯t wish to dirty my hands by hitting the lot of you,¡± Sophie spat out. She sounded arrogant, yet no one doubted her ability.Ysabelle had a look of admiration on her face.That¡¯s my girl. So what if they¡¯re trying to nder Sophie with those photos on the forum? They can never put her down.¡°Get out of my way.¡±The people blocking Sophie¡¯s way fanned out right away.Sophie went to take her food.Then she turned around and approached Willow.¡°Feeling smug, are you? You¡¯re the only one who is capable ofing up with a cheap trick like this.¡± Sophie sat down at a table by the window after saying that. Anything For Her Chapter 114 Anything For Her Chapter 114 Chapter 114 We Are Not Meant For Each Other Willow, who was still lining up at that time, looked awful upon hearing that.¡°Wi, what did she whisper to you? Did she threaten you? Don¡¯t be afraid. You have our support. We won¡¯t let her bully you.¡±Willow forced a smile and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t join you guys for lunch. I¡¯m going back first.¡±Noticing the fear on Willow¡¯s face, the other girls put all the me on Sophie.¡°Wi, you don¡¯t have to be afraid. Many of us are here to support you.¡±Willow shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well. You guys enjoy your meal.¡±With that, she walked out of the cafeteria.Meanwhile, Ysabelle sat in front of Sophie after receiving her lunch set. Then she took out a piece of tissue and wiped her spoon.¡°Soph, have you identified who it was? We have to find and teach the person a lesson. Otherwise, many people will think we are easy prey.¡±¡°Who else would scheme against me at all costs other than Willow?¡±¡°D*mn it. What¡¯s wrong with Willow? She can devote herself to bing Mrs. Laird. What does it have to do with you?¡± Ysabelle was exasperated because of Willow. ¡°Why does she always have to show up in front of you? Has she no shame?¡±¡°All right, eat up. I¡¯ll handle it. I won¡¯t let Willow off the hook.¡±Ysabelle was relieved upon hearing Sophie¡¯s words.The driver dropped Willow off at the Laird residence after school in the evening.Constance¡¯s lips curled into a smile when she saw Willow.¡°Wi, you haven¡¯t come here to see me for many days. Did Mason bully you? If he ever bullies you, you must let me know. I¡¯ll surely teach him a lesson for you.¡±Willow came up to Constance and held her arm to go inside.¡°He didn¡¯t! Why would Mason bully me? He¡¯s been treating me well. I was busy because of the final exam. Mrs. Laird, you don¡¯t mind that, do you?¡± Willow was always well-behaved before Constance.¡°The final exam is important, but your health is even more so. Mason has just returned. You should spend more time with him. Honestly, I¡¯m fond of you and hope you two can get together in the future.¡± Constance was worried that Mason would look for Sophie. ¡°Mason wille home for dinner later. Try your best to impress him, okay?¡±¡°Thank you, Mrs. Laird.¡± Willow was excited when she heard that Mason would be here for dinner.As expected, Mason came home at six o¡¯clock in the evening. However, he merely nodded at Willow.The three of them sat at the dining table, and Willow kept putting food on Mason¡¯s te.Momentster, Mason put his fork down.¡°Mason, what¡¯s wrong? Aren¡¯t theseText content ? N?velDrama.Org. your favorite dishes?¡±¡°Willow, I¡¯m not a kid. You don¡¯t have to take care of me like this. I can pick up any food I want. This is my home.¡±Deep down, Mason thought he had to be clear with Willow or he would waste her time.Willow¡¯s expression turned grim, and her hand froze after Mason rejected her kindness. She gazed at Constance helplessly, unsure of what to do.Constance could only shake her head.But the next moment, she helped Willow ease the tension. ¡°Just ignore him, Wi. He¡¯s learned a lot of bad habits from overseas.¡±The meal ended on an unhappy note.When Willow wanted to help the housekeeper do the dishes, Mason stopped her.¡°Willow, you¡¯re our guest here. How can you do something like this? Let¡¯s go out for a chat.¡±Willow¡¯s face turned paler when she heard that.What does he want to say to me?Slowly, they headed toward the courtyard outside.Looking at Willow, whose head was lowered, Mason felt slightly hesitant to speak his mind.However, once Sophie shed through his mind, he thought he had to be cold-hearted. After all, everything would have turned out differently if he had been cold-hearted five years ago.¡°Mason, what do you want to tell me?¡± Deep down, Willow didn¡¯t wish to face the truth. Fear overwhelmed her when she saw Mason¡¯s expression. ¡°Ever since you went abroad, I¡¯ve been waiting for your return. Now that you¡¯re back, I think we can finally be together, right? Mason, I love you from the bottom of my heart. I don¡¯t mind even if some might think I¡¯ve lost my self- esteem because of it. Nothing else matters as long as I can be with you,¡± Willow confessed before Mason could speak.She then went closer and hugged him tightly.¡°Mason, I love you!¡± Willow eventually burst into tears. She had a bad omen that what Mason had said earlier was to foreshadow his intention to break up with her.Mason pushed her hands away and took a step back to maintain a distance between them.Deep down, he knew that Willow loved him. However, love is never about a person¡¯s feelings.¡°Willow, I¡¯m sorry. For all these years, I only treat you like my sister. Now, I¡¯ve finally realized that I always love Sophie. I was too weak five years ago.¡±Willow couldn¡¯t say a word. Mason had broken her heart no matter how hard she had tried to salvage their rtionship. Sophie was the only one he loved.¡°No matter what, I¡¯ve failed you. I didn¡¯t make it clear to you. I¡¯m grateful to you for saving me. I wouldn¡¯t have be who I am today without you. But loving someone is not about being thankful.¡±Willow hated Sophie deeply.Why? Sophie can get everything I work hard to obtain without doing anything. All I want is Mason. Is it an excessive demand?¡°Mason, I love you so much. Please don¡¯t be so cruel to me.¡±¡°Willow, I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t give you the love you want. I might sound irresponsible, but I believe you will meet someone who deeply loves you someday.¡±After Mason finished, Willow snickered and took a few steps back.Mason couldn¡¯t help but frown upon seeing her reaction.¡°Willow¡ª¡±¡°Why? Mason, why must you do this to me? You agreed to be my boyfriend. Everyone knows you¡¯re my boyfriend and we¡¯re going to get engaged soon. How am I going to face them if you want to break up with me now?¡±Willow continued to shuffle backward.When she moved closer to the artificialke behind her, Mason could not help but furrow his brows.¡°Willow, calm down. Stop moving backward. It¡¯s dangerous.¡±¡°What¡¯s the point of living if you abandon me? I might as well die.¡±¡°Willow!¡± Mason called out in a quavering voice.¡°Mason, you still care about me, don¡¯t you? You¡¯re worried about me!¡±The next moment, Willow lost her bnce and fell into the icy coldke after letting out a scream.¡°Willow!¡± Mason immediately rushed forward, jumped into theke, and swam toward her. Anything For Her Chapter 115 Anything For Her Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Kick Her Out The December air in Jipsdale was chilly. Willow felt as though every inch of her body had frozen.Mason swam toward her and pulled her up to the ground.Willow coughed nonstop, her face as white as a sheet.Constance came out at once when she heard the noise. At the sight of their sorry state, she eximed, ¡°What happened? You two looked fine just a while ago. How did you end up like this? Mason, how could you have the heart to hurt a girl who is deeply in love with you?¡±Willow tilted her head to puke up a few mouthfuls ofke water before she turned to look at Constance piteously. ¡°Mrs. Laird, I¡¯m fine. It was only an ident. Don¡¯t be mad at Mason. It has nothing to do with him.¡±¡°Poor girl, why are you still speaking up for him? I really don¡¯t know what to say.¡± Constance then turned to glower at Mason. ¡°Why are you still standing there? Hurry up, and carry her to your room. She needs a hot bath so she won¡¯t catch a cold.¡±Without uttering any words, Mason carried Willow and headed to his room.The housekeeper had already prepared hot water for Willow to take a hot bath.¡°Mr. Dixon, I can see that Ms. Tanner really likes you. She was the one keeping Mrs. Lairdpany when you were not around for the past five years. If not for her, Mrs. Laird would have been lonely. Now that you¡¯re back, you should treat her nicely. How could you cause her to fall into theke?¡± the Laird family¡¯s butler said earnestly. He dared speak his mind, as he had watched Mason grow up.¡°Take good care of her. I have to go now,¡± Mason said, then turned to step out of the room. He did not expect that Willow would suddenly get all worked up.After taking a hot bath, Willow felt a lot better.Since she was alone in Mason¡¯s room, she whipped out her phone andy on his bed to take a few pictures. After editing them with the software on her phone, she sent them to Sophie.At that moment, Sophie had just returned from dinner with Ysabelle. She scrolled her phone after the message notification sounded and saw a picture sent by Willow.Ysabelle drew closer to her inquisitively and could not help rolling her eyes at the picture. ¡°Soph, your sister is ridiculous. How could she have the cheek to send you this kind of picture? Isn¡¯t she worried that you might post them on the forum to take revenge on her?¡± How could she send her indecent pictures to others? I¡¯ve nevere across anyone as shameless as her!¡°There is nothing in this world that she can¡¯t do. She only wants to show off to me that she¡¯s together with Mason.¡±Sophie continued to browse through all the other pictures sent by Willow.¡°Tch! I bet she¡¯s the only one who thinks highly of Mason Laird. Anyway, Soph, I mustment that you used to have really bad taste. How could he end up being in a rtionship with her? Truly, birds of a feather flock together.¡±Regardless of what had happened, it was an indisputable fact that Mason had been in a rtionship with Willow.¡°I¡¯ve never mentioned that I like him, have I?¡±Ysabelle¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Really? So you¡¯ve never fallen in love with him? I was right, then. I knew your taste wasn¡¯t so bad!¡±Sophie had managed to track down the culprit who posted those pictures on the forum. Before her self-study session, she headed straight to Senior ss 1.At the sight of Sophie entering their ss, the students began to whisper among themselves.¡°Why is she here again? What is she trying to do?¡±¡°Yeah! Willow is not attending the self-study session tonight. Did she do something again?¡±¡°Angie, a word, please,¡± Sophie drawled.It never came across Angie¡¯s mind that Sophie would drop by and look for her. I uploaded the pictures with my alternate ount. Why is she here to see me?¡°Why are you looking for me? We¡¯ve never crossed paths with each other, have we? What are you up to?¡± Angie looked wary. She had overheard those rumors about Sophie. If they were to get into a fight, she was certain that she was no match for Sophie.¡°Yeah! How could you look down on us, Sophie? How dare you make a scene here! What do you want?¡±¡°Do you think your family owns Jipsdale Premier High and you can behave however you like here?¡±¡°Do you really not want to take this elsewhere? Or perhaps you prefer that I make things clear here?¡± Sophie asked impatiently.Angie had no choice but to get to her feet and step out of the ssroom.¡°I know you were the one who posted the pictures on the forum.¡± Sophie cut to the chase.Angie grasped the hem of her uniform anxiously.¡°What do you want? I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡±She was convinced that Sophie was confronting her personally, as she did not have any evidence in her hands.Since she doesn¡¯t have any evidence, why should I admit it? If Bailey knew I was the one who posted the pictures, he wouldn¡¯t forgive me! No way! I can¡¯t let that happen! I like him so much!¡°Well, since I¡¯m here, it means that I have evidence in my hands. I¡¯m giving you a chance to set everything straight on the forum. If not, you only have yourself to me when things get ugly.¡±With that, Sophie walked toward Ysabelle, who was waiting for her at the side.¡°Was it really her? No wonder there¡¯s a saying that you should never judge a book by its cover. She has always been aN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. demure youngdy. Who would have thought that she had the guts to do so?¡±¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time for the self-study session.¡±¡°Huh? Are you going to let her off just like that? Don¡¯t you know that everyone in Jipsdale Premier High is talking behind your back? And it¡¯s not anything nice? How I wish I could p them to teach them a lesson!¡±¡°Willow is not here yet, isn¡¯t she? I won¡¯t leave her out, of course. I¡¯ll settle the score with them when she¡¯s back.¡±When Angie returned to the ssroom, all the other girls gathered around.¡°Angie, are you all right? Did Sophie bully you? If she did so, you mustn¡¯t hesitate to tell us. We¡¯ll report to our teachers. We can even write a petition and request the management to expel her from the school.¡±¡°Exactly. Sophie has tarnished the reputation of our school. Let¡¯s get her expelled!¡±¡°Don¡¯t do that. She didn¡¯t bully me.¡± Angie was on the verge of tears. Now that Sophie had evidence, she presumed she would have to pay for the price if things were to blow up.¡°Angie, you¡¯re just too timid. You don¡¯t have to be afraid.¡±Without a second thought, the students listed all of Sophie¡¯s so-called wrong deeds on a piece of paper and signed on it.¡°I think we should get the others from other sses to sign on it too. They surely have something against her. After all, many in our school are falling heads over heels for Bailey.¡±¡°You¡¯re right. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll look for the others from the other sses after the self-study session. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be able to kick her out of Jipsdale Premier High this time!¡±Angie became all the more uneasy. The situation was getting out of control, and she was at her wits¡¯ end.Nheless, she had to admit that she could barely wait for Sophie to be expelled from the school. Anything For Her Chapter 116 Anything For Her Chapter 116 Chapter 116 I Will Wait For You To Grow Up ¡°Have you heard, Soph? Everyone¡¯s signing a petition to have you expelled.¡±Ysabelle had heard about this from other girls during a restroom break.She was so livid that she nearly started a fight with them.¡°Oh?¡± Sophie continued to work on her math question while acting as though she had heard nothing.Seeing that, Ysabelle snatched her pen away.¡°Now isn¡¯t the time to be focusing on math! What are you going to do? With so many people hoping to kick you out, the school¡¯s going to have to consider it for real! Not only that, but the authorities are already furious about whatever happened on the school forums!¡±Ysabelle was frantic by now, and yet Sophie appeared as calm as usual.¡°What are you doing, Sophie? I¡¯m talking to you about something really important! Can¡¯t you take this more seriously? Wait, how about this? I¡¯ll get Uncle Tristan to donate a library to the school. That way, they¡¯ll stop bothering you.¡±Ysabelle figured this was a good idea.There¡¯s no problem money can¡¯t solve.If the problem is not resolved, that¡¯s just because the money wasn¡¯t enough.Fortunately, money was never an issue for the Lombards.¡°I can take care of the situation,¡± Sophie replied. Since they keeping after me, I¡¯m only going to look like a coward if I don¡¯t get back at them.As the self-study session concluded, Tristan¡¯s car could be seen parked right outside the school building.¡°I¡¯m guessing my uncle already knows what happened, but I swear I didn¡¯t tell him about it. Why are you looking at me like that? I really didn¡¯t tell him anything!¡±¡°What are you getting all nervous about? If you didn¡¯t tell him about it, then you didn¡¯t.¡± Sophie was amused by Ysabelle¡¯s behavior.¡°Okay. Well, I¡¯ll be heading back now,¡± Ysabelle concluded but then stopped to turn around, still feeling worried about Sophie. ¡°I think you should give Uncle Tristan some reassurance, though. No guy would ever be happy to see the girl he likes getting caught up in a rumor with another boy.¡±Uncle Tristan gets real scary when he¡¯s upset.Sophie couldn¡¯t help butugh when she saw how concerned Ysabelle looked.Thetter red at her.¡°Hey, Sophie! You¡¯re going too far! How could you stillugh when I¡¯m so worried about you?¡±¡°Get home safe and have a good rest. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡±Ysabelle reluctantly entered her car. She would have really wanted to spend the night with Sophie if it wasn¡¯t for her fear of that uncle of hers.She probably needspany at times like these.After Ysabelle left, Sophie walkedN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. toward a silver Lamborghini, opened the door, and hopped in.The creases between Tristan¡¯s brows instantly faded when he saw her enter his car of her own ord.¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be in Frosa?¡± It¡¯s only been a few days. Has he taken care of everything there? How is he back so soon?¡°You sound like you don¡¯t want to see me.¡± The prior look of dismay Tristan had on his face quickly returned.¡°That¡¯s not true! Why wouldn¡¯t I want to see you?¡±¡°Did you miss me? I already started missing you just after being away for a few days.¡±¡°Mr. Tristan¡­¡±Did I miss him? I don¡¯t think so! I¡¯ve been too busy to even think about him.Judging from her expression, Tristan knew he had expected too much from her. There was no way this heartless girl would miss him. Even if he were to leave this net for a long while, she probably wouldn¡¯t even remember that there was once such a brilliant man who had stood by her.Seeing the disappointment on his face, Sophie didn¡¯t know what to do.The atmosphere inside the car suddenly turned cold.When they finally arrived at Wisteria Apartments, Tristan could no longer contain himself. He pinned the woman against the wall and gave her a long kiss.It was only when she nearly lost her breath that he let go of her.¡°What about now?¡± Do I not have any effect on her at all? There has to be something, whether it¡¯s good or bad!Sophie¡¯s chest continued to heave, and she gazed up at him upon hearing his words.Thoserge, charming eyes of hers only served to enchant Tristan further.Unable to control his own thoughts, the man lowered his head to kiss her again.In response, Sophie wrapped her arms around his waist subconsciously.Her heart began to race as their bodies pressed against one another.This was a feeling she had never felt before. It was all too foreign, but she didn¡¯t seem to hate it.Tristan locked her in an embrace as he rested his chin on her shoulder, breathing heavily. He was on the verge of losing his mind. Seeing Sophie like this was akin to having a spell cast on him; he was absolutely entranced.¡°Mr. Tristan ¡ª¡±Upon realizing how hoarse her voice sounded, Sophie immediately stopped talking.Tristan couldn¡¯t help but smile at that. It turned out he did affect her in some way.As a reward, he gave her a peck on the forehead.¡°Good girl. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll wait for you to grow up.¡±Sophie was still young.So no matter how tormenting it felt for him, he didn¡¯t want to sully her.¡°Get some rest and don¡¯t think about anything else. Leave whatever¡¯s happening in school to me.¡±The young woman became displeased as she heard that. What does he mean? Is he going to take care of things for me?¡°I can take care of it by myself, Mr. Tristan. You don¡¯t have to interfere.¡±Tristan furrowed his brows. Is she that against me trying to help her?He certainly didn¡¯t feel good being shut out of her world like that.He liked her so much that he wanted to be a part of everything she did and experienced, and yet, she had never wanted him to be involved from the start.Despite feeling his anger, Sophie remained unfazed. When it came to matters rted to her principles, she would never be willing topromise.The two were at a standoff until Tristan eventually ceded. There was nothing he could do. He was the one who had fallen for her first, after all.¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now. Get some rest.¡± The man released his grasp on her before turning to leave.There was a hint of dejection in his eyes, and his silhouette looked especially lonesome.Did I go too far?Just as Sophie wondered that, she received a phone call from Mason. Thetter¡¯s phone number had stayed the same for the past five years, so even if Sophie had long deleted his contact, she could still easily recognize these eleven digits.The woman rejected the call instantly. There was really nothing for them to talk about at this point.Mason felt as though his heart was being grappled tightly when he heard the beeping noiseing from his phone.She still hasn¡¯t forgiven me. That¡¯s why she¡¯s not picking up.Tristan walked out of Wisteria Apartments at that very moment, and Mason balled his hands into fists at the sight of that.So, she was with another guy?Tristan had also noticed Mason while walking out of the apartment area.Is he still not giving up? Anything For Her Chapter 117 Anything For Her Chapter 117 Chapter 117 His Childishness Tristan entered his car but didn¡¯t drive away at once.Instead, he took a cigarette out of the box, lit it, and puffed on it in intervals.Mason continued to phone Sophie, but she still didn¡¯t pick up.And in his next attempt after that, he realized she had already blocked his number.The man smiled bitterly. She¡¯s the same as always, never leaving any room for mercy.¡°Are you really that heartless, Sophie? Are you not going to forgive me no matter what I do?¡±Mason returned to his vehicle, but instead of driving off, he remained outside the apartment building for the rest of the night.He waited all night and finally alighted his vehicle after seeing Sophie appear at the entrance to the building early the next morning.¡°Soph, why didn¡¯t you pick up? Can¡¯t we stay in contact as regr friends?¡±Having to see him first thing in the morning put Sophie in a bad mood.¡°I don¡¯t think we can even be friends at this point, so drop it. You have no right to talk to me in that using tone.¡±Just as the woman was about to leave, Mason hastily grabbed her by the wrist.¡°I¡¯ve already broken up with Willow. Let¡¯s stop harping over what happened five years ago, okay? Can we just start over?¡± Mason asked pleadingly.He was so helpless before her and just couldn¡¯t forget her even after five years had passed.Sophie was usually grumpy in the morning, and hearing this man¡¯s nonsense really made her seethe that she tackled him to the ground.¡°I told you not to tell me about your disgusting love affairs with Willow. I¡¯m not interested. You can deal with whatever happens between you guys on your own. Why bothering to me?¡±Just like Mason, Tristan naturally hadn¡¯t left sincest night either.Seeing what was happening, thetter broke into a genuine smile while inside his car.That¡¯s just like her. She¡¯s always so full of energy.Mason got back on his feet.¡°Are you still mad at me, Soph? I admit I was wrong for not taking your side five years ago.¡±¡°Mad at you? I have no need to feel that way. Don¡¯t assume everyone has as much free time on their hands as you do! I have plenty of other things to worry about, so leave me alone.¡±Seeing there was no way to get through to her, Mason figured he would make better progress with his actions.But at that moment, Sophie noticed Tristan standing behind Mason and called out, ¡°Are you done watching? Let¡¯s go get breakfast.¡±Tristan stopped smiling.¡°Sure.¡± He was clearly in a good mood today and wouldn¡¯t get upset no matter what Sophie said. Seeing her torment his rival in love like this made him feel as if he was on cloud nine.Mason quickly went after them.¡°Who is he, Sophie? Do you know who this guy is?¡± he asked, not wanting to give up.¡°Who he is has nothing to do with you,¡± Sophie retorted. ¡°Just watch yourself and make sure Willow doesn¡¯t cause me any trouble.¡±She then took Tristan to her favorite ce to get breakfast pies.The woman ordered two pies and gave one to him.¡°Here. It¡¯s really good.¡± She had discovered this dish by chance.Costing only five each, it was filling and tasted unbelievable.Tristan took the pie from her and sat on a chair ced on the sidewalk.He then picked up the disposable cutlery and began to eat next to her.Both of them were especially good- looking that despite only sitting there and enjoying some breakfast pies, they slowly attracted the gazes of many passersby.¡°Isn¡¯t that Sophie Tanner? How did shend herself such a hot guy?¡±¡°I wonder too. He¡¯s so handsome. He looks like a prince who walked out of a TV screen. Everything about him seems so noble.¡±¡°Knock it off. What kind of prince would eat a breakfast pie at the side of a road like that?¡±¡°You¡¯re right, but I love how he looks.¡±¡°Oh, please. Anyone who hangs around with Sophie has to be just as trashy as she is.¡±A man who had been listening in all the while couldn¡¯t help but chime in, ¡°You¡¯re all clearly jealous. Every guy Sophie hangs out with always looks exceptional.¡± Sophie didn¡¯t have much of a good reputation, but there was no denying how stunning she looked.Tristan could naturally hear the conversation too.Having finished his breakfast pie, he threw the disposable box and cutlery into the trash can nearby.Then, seeing him stare at her the whole time, Sophie gave him the rest of her pie.¡°Was it not enough for you? I¡¯ll buy you a bigger one next time.¡±Tristan didn¡¯t know how to respond.He was actually full, but nevertheless, he took her remaining food and finished it.¡°Now that we¡¯ve had breakfast, I think it¡¯s time you head back.¡± She still had a lot to deal with at school. Today is not a good day for me.¡°Okay. Remember, you can call me if there¡¯s anything you can¡¯t handle on your own. I¡¯ll be right there no matter what it is.¡±Since she didn¡¯t want him to interfere with her affairs, he decided to let her have her freedom. But if the end result wasn¡¯t something he wanted, he would step in without fail.¡°Okay,¡± Sophie answered frostily.Tristan didn¡¯t know what to do with her.He felt slightly better after caressing her hair and leaving it in a mess.Sophie stared at the man in frustration. It was her first time seeing such a childish side of him.¡°Go on. I¡¯ll leave after watching you enter.¡±The young woman walked past him.Ultimately, he couldn¡¯t resist grabbing onto her arm and pulling her into aText content ? N?velDrama.Org. hug.He then kissed her on the forehead.Sophie was furious, but seeing her in that state made Tristan happy.She was always so cold toward everyone, like a robot. That was why the man always wanted to aggravate her. Watching her grow infuriated made him feel as if he was different from everyone else.Mason had been following them the whole time, and he found himself unable to breathe at the sight of the way they interacted with one another.She actually let him kiss her?He was so envious that he nearly went mad.When Sophie arrived at the ssroom, all the students stared at her gloatingly.However, the young woman paid no attention to those jealous eyes.Not long after, the principal¡¯s secretary dropped by. ¡°Sophie Tanner, Mr. Langston wants to see you,¡± he announced, sounding much more amicable than before.The girls who heard that began to whisper among themselves.¡°She won¡¯t be able to get away this time.¡±¡°I think so too. I heard Bailey¡¯s mom is here. You know she¡¯s the school director. The fact that even she has to make an appearance shows what a big deal the situation has be.¡±¡°I¡¯ve met Bailey¡¯s mom once. She¡¯s super terrifying. Sophie¡¯s done for this time.¡± Anything For Her Chapter 118 Anything For Her Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Only One Spot Sophie walked freely into the principal¡¯s office as though she owned the ce.Inside, Andy, Bailey¡¯s mother, Whitlea Dixon, and Derrick, the homeroom teacher of Senior ss 8, were all present.Andy¡¯s face scrunched up when he saw that it was Sophie again. Even though Sophie got into the school because of Felix, her results were outstanding¡ªperhaps even better than the other students.It was just that he had no idea how to deal with the matter since Bailey was involved in it this time.¡°Sophie, can you exin what happened at the physicsb?¡± The uploaded photos had caused a stir on the school forum for the past few days. It caught the attention of many parents as a result.Essentially, they deemed school as the ce for students to acquire knowledge. It was unquestionable why they would have such violent reactions after the school was involved in a matter like this.Fixing her gaze on Sophie, Whitlea realized that the former was a beauty with immensely charming and delicate facial features.Nheless, that was the kind of physical appearance she hated the most.Sophie whipped her head around toward the couch, where Whitlea was seated. That must be Bailey¡¯s mother. They share an uncanny resemnce. She indifferently answered, ¡°Mr. Langston, what else can I do in the lab other than experiments?¡±¡°My purpose of asking you over today is no other than hearing your perspective about the situation at theb when the incident urred. You should know that the photos on the forum have created a negative impact. Many parents and students are highly concerned about the incident. If we don¡¯t handle things well, it¡¯ll do no good to you and Bailey.¡±Andy was tactful with his words because he knew Felix was one of Tristan¡¯s men, and no one dared to get on the nerves of anyone from the four prominent families in the entire Jipsdale.¡°Mm.¡± Sophie remained nonchnt, and her attitude gave off a vibe that she was not the least bit worried about the current situation.Right at that moment, a door knock sounded.Andy instinctively furrowed his brows. Who would it be at a time like this? I¡¯ve got so many matters yet to handle. Who¡¯s here to cause trouble?Still, he let the people outside in.¡°Mr. Langston, we¡¯re the student representatives of the incident this time. A notorious student with bad conduct like Sophie is unworthy to be a student at our school. We¡¯re petitioning for you to expel her.¡±There were several girls outside the door, holding a petition in their hands.At once, the grimace on Andy¡¯s face became more pronounced.¡°You all should head back first. The school will handle this matter and give everyone a satisfactory answer in due course.¡±¡°Mr. Langston, we believe you¡¯ll give us the answer we want. If the school continues to condone Sophie¡¯s behaviors, the students who put in their hard work to study like us will be utterly disappointed.¡± Those girls red at Sophie in disdain as they rified their stand.After the principal¡¯s assistant sent them out, the atmosphere in the office instantly turned heavy with tension.Derrick had been quietly standing at the side, as he did not know what to say. Deep down, he still believed Sophie.¡°Mr. Langston, there must be some misunderstanding. I believe in Sophie¡¯s character. She isn¡¯t someone who would do such a thing.¡±Whitlea, who had stayed silent, stood up from the couch and walked up to Sophie.Looking at the nicely dressed woman before her, Sophie remained unfazed. There was not a tinge of fear in her gaze.¡°What else is left to say? It¡¯ll only cause adverse effects for the school if you continue to let her stay! Besides, this student has a bad record, right? I¡¯d say the easiest way is to expel her, Mr. Langston. She¡¯s nothing but a student with a bad reputation. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a need to call for a director¡¯s meeting to expel her!¡±¡°Mdm. Dixon, we haven¡¯t gotten to the bottom of the matter. Rashly expelling a student doesn¡¯t sound like a reasonable n.¡± Andy dared not take too big of a risk to make such a decision.¡°What other details are there to establish? How¡¯s Bay¡¯s performance in school? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still unclear, Mr. Langston. Very well, let me set things straight. I don¡¯t care if anything has happened between them, but this matter has indeed affected Bay,¡± Whitlea snapped. ¡°Her expulsion is the only way to alleviate the impacts caused to the school and Bay. He still wants to get into Jipsdale University and the research institute too! Is that more than enough? What about her? So what if she¡¯s the second in the entire school?¡± She was ready to eradicate anything that stood in her son¡¯s way.¡°Mdm. Dixon.¡± Andy knew he was in no ce to disobey the member of the board of directors. Nheless, he dared not hastily decide since Felix was behind Sophie¡¯s admission to the school.¡°Mr. Langston, have you been staying in your position for too long? Do you wish to change to another position instead?¡± Whitlea was growing impatient. She¡¯s nothing but trash. Can¡¯t they make the decision and get rid of her? There¡¯s no need to waste so much time on her!Anger and annoyance were building up within Andy. However, there was nothing he could do, as she was the director. All he could do at that point was put a smile on his face.¡°I know Mr. Dixon is a brilliant student, Mdm. Dixon. But Sophie isn¡¯t too inferior either. If they both take part in the physicspetition this time, perhaps they¡¯ll both¡ª¡±¡°Jipsdale Premier High only has one spot for the physicspetition, Mr. Langston. What are you trying to imply?¡± Whitlea was so unhappy that she wanted nothing more than to give a forceful kick to Andy¡¯s mouth.What ensued was a moment of dead silence.¡°Since there¡¯s only one spot, the best way is for them topete fairly for it if they wish to participate in the physicspetition.¡± Derrick was unable to tolerate it any longer. Does she mean that only Bailey has the right to participate in the competition?¡°Who are you? Do you think you¡¯re in a position to speak up?¡± An ugly scowl crept up to Whitlea¡¯s face. ¡°Let me repeat myself again. Bailey must participate in the uing physics competition. How can a student who got expelled represent Jipsdale Premier High? You must be kidding, right?¡±Right then, Bailey barged into the principal¡¯s office, and Whitlea¡¯s expression changed.¡°Why are you here? No matter what the problem is, I will settle it for you. Get out of here now.¡±¡°I¡¯m of legal age. I hope I can make my own decisions on matters that concern me. Can you not interfere?¡±Finishing his words, Bailey approached Sophie and pulled her arm, preparing to head outside.¡°Sophie, don¡¯t worry about this matter. I¡¯ll shoulder all responsibilities. I was the one who asked you to go to theb. This has nothing to do with you.¡±No matter what the consequences are, I will face them by myself. Even if it means expulsion, I should be the one bearing this punishment. Besides, nothing happened between us in the physicsb.¡°Bailey Dixon, do you still acknowledge me as your mother?¡± Whitlea was seething with anger. ¡°Are you treating me this way because of this little wretch? I¡¯ve been nning everything for you, but what about you? You¡¯re only messing around in school! You are nothing but an embarrassment to the Dixon family!¡±Sophie frowned.Bailey¡¯s mother is honestly too much. She doesn¡¯t listen to Bailey at all. Does she think the decisions she made for him are always the best?¡°Mom, don¡¯t put her in a tight spot. This matter has nothing to do with her. I¡¯ll put in extra effort for the physicspetition and make sure I won¡¯t disappoint you. But please don¡¯t hurt her.¡± Bailey sounded especially despondent.Whitlea pinning all her unfulfilled dreams on him had undoubtedly caused him to experience burnout.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Anything For Her Chapter 119 Anything For Her Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Standing Up For Her Hearing that, Whitlea stepped forward and pulled Bailey over.¡°Bailey! How could you say those words to me just because of a girl like her?¡± Her eyes reddened with fury.Helplessness and plea shed in Bailey¡¯s eyes.¡°Mom, please. I promise I will fulfill all of your demands. The only exception is her. Do not touch her.¡± The girl his mother wanted to deal with was his crush and the only gleam of hope and light in his dull world.¡°No way. She can¡¯t be studying in the same school as you. So long as something affects you, even for the slightest bit, I will notpromise.¡± Whitlea was very assertive with her stand. She wanted to prove to that man and make him regret his decision for abandoning Bailey and her.¡°Mr. Langston, you shall decide if you want to expel her now or if you want me to arrange a director¡¯s meeting and fire you from your position because of your disobedience.¡±The dominance of Whitlea was so overpowering it left the crowd feeling disgusted.Andy felt his head throbbing so badly that he felt as if it was on the brink of exploding. Given Whitlea¡¯s character, he was clear she would do as she said if things did not go her way.¡°Mdm. Dixon, I made no mistakes. What right do you have to expel me?¡± Sophie finally broke her silence. Is she trying to use her authority on me? Well, that also depends if she does have enough power to do so.¡°How dare you talk to me so disrespectfully even at this point? Do you think the Tanner family will defend you?¡± Whitlea said coldly.¡°I don¡¯t need the Tanner family to defend me. I am the victim of this entire incident. Even if the school wants to expel someone, that person won¡¯t be me.¡±Seeing her rebellious countenance, Whitlea let out a sneer.¡°Are girls your age so na?ve nowadays?¡±¡°Mom!¡± A stinging pang rose within Bailey¡¯s heart. He knew he would not be able to face the girl he had good feelings for the same way again after implicating her and causing so much trouble for her.¡°Shut up. You¡¯d better not interfere with this matter. Otherwise, I will make sure that girl disappears from Jipsdale,¡± Whitlea threatened despite the many people around.¡°You¡¯re making it sound like your family owns the school, Mdm. Dixon.¡± Sophie was full of contempt. She¡¯s one arrogant woman, huh? It¡¯s a pity she still doesn¡¯t have that much capability to act so snobbishly.¡°Don¡¯t go on anymore, Sophie.¡± Derrick looked at her concernedly. In truth, almost everyone was aware that Whitlea¡¯s father was part of the underworld. Although he had since steered away, the mere thought of it still freaked Derrick out. ¡°I believe this matter is truly a misunderstanding, Mdm. Dixon. It was Mr. Elswick who arranged for them to participate in the physicspetition together. If you¡¯re bothered by it, I¡¯ll make sure she doesn¡¯t appear together with Bailey in the future. She¡¯s still young. I hope you¡¯ll let her off this time.¡±Derrick was a genuinely responsible teacher who cared a lot about his students. Knowing that Sophie would have a bright future, he did not want her to suffer any harm or grievance because of the matter. He adored her as a student.¡°Mr. Hayes, do you think you¡¯re qualified to speak when you¡¯ve taught someone to be so shameless?¡± Whitlea spared no consideration for Derrick.¡°Don¡¯t bother yourself with this matter, Mr. Hayes. I won¡¯t leave Jipsdale Premier High.¡±¡°Mr. Langston!¡± Whitlea felt that the entire discussion was a waste of time.In the end, Andy still picked Felix¡¯s side. After all, thetter was someone he could not afford to offend.¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mdm. Dixon. Before we get to the bottom of this matter, I can¡¯t just expel Sophie.¡± It was probably the first time Andy had been so firm.Derrick could not help but sneak a nce at Andy in awe.As expected, Mr. Langston does have the bearing of a principal. He doesn¡¯t bow down to power or authority.Likewise, Sophie also turned to look at Andy. In fact, she could very well understand even if he chose to expel her from school at that point.¡°Very well. I guess I¡¯ll have to hold a director¡¯s meeting, then.¡± Rage hadpletely consumed Whitlea. She could not believe that Andy would make such a decision when he had been polite toward her all along.Whitlea stormed out and mmed the door shut.The rest in the principal¡¯s office exchanged a look.¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Bailey apologized on behalf of his mother.Seeing him that way, Sophie was unsure how tofort him.Bailey is indeed a poor thing. Everyone is full of envy for him, yet no one expects him to be in such a pathetic state.¡°Bailey, you don¡¯t have anything to do with this matter. Someone is targeting me, and it just so happened that you were there.¡±¡°Don¡¯t give me that look.¡± Truth be told, Bailey did not like their gazes at all.He left the principal¡¯s office, thinking that there was a need to have a good chat with Whitlea.I can¡¯t just let things end here.¡°You should head back first, Sophie. I will think of something.¡± Andy believed he had to report the matter to Felix. ¡°Mr. Hayes, you too. Go for your sses.¡±After their departure, he immediately gave Felix a call.It was because of the incidentst time that he had Felix¡¯s contact number.At that moment, Felix was in the midst of a meeting when he received the call from Andy.The former had simrly saved Andy¡¯s number in his contact from the other time since Ysabelle was also studying at Jipsdale Premier High.Seeing that it was Andy on the caller ID, he immediately called a stop to the meeting and headed outside to answer the call.¡°Mr. Northley, I am Andy of Jipsdale Premier High. Mdm. Dixon of the board of directors strongly requests to expel Sophie. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to fight against her power any longer.¡±¡°What? Mdm. Dixon? Who the heck is that?¡± Felix furrowed his brows.Andy then ryed everything that had happened in the past few days to Felix.¡°All right, I got it now. Don¡¯t let anyone hurt Sophie, or you won¡¯t be able to face the consequences.¡±Upon concluding the call with Andy, Felix immediately gave Tristan a call.¡°Mr. Tristan, you should¡¯ve heard about everything that happened to Sophie, right? Bailey¡¯s mother, Whitlea Dixon, brutally humiliated Sophie today!¡± Even though Sophie had retorted, Felix thought they should not just let the matter slide when the other party had provoked them.¡°Mm.¡±¡°Mm? Why do you sound so cold? Did you and Sophie get into an argument?¡±¡°Felix!¡± Tristan called out warningly.¡°It¡¯s a more than reasonable suspicion, no? But are you intending not to do anything about that? I thought this was a good chance.¡± Felix scratched his nose awkwardly. Aren¡¯t girls all soft-hearted beings? If he appears to help Sophie in such a difficult situation, I¡¯m sure she will be very touched!¡°She isn¡¯t like other girls.¡± Of course, Tristan would love to help her resolve all the problems she encountered, but he could do nothing if she did not give him the opportunity.¡°All right. If that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t say more. I¡¯m still in the midst of a meeting. I¡¯m hanging up.¡±After ending the call, Tristan could not help but think about her.I wonder what she is doing now. Is she thinking of me? With those thoughts in mind, Tristan made another call.Sophie¡¯s phone rang as she walked out of the principal¡¯s office with Derrick.¡°Mr. Hayes, you should go back first. I need to answer a call,¡± Sophie said as she pulled out her phone.¡°Sophie, as much as I believe you, it isn¡¯t a good thing that everybody keeps criticizing you like this. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±¡°Mr. Hayes, go ahead and speak your mind.¡± Sophie thought Derrick was a cute teacher who would unconditionally defend and protect his students.Noticing that Derrick still had something to say, Sophie declined the call.On the other side, Tristan had been waiting for her to answer the call for a long time. Sadly, not only did she not pick up, but she even rejected his call. His face darkened.Thinking of me, my a*s! She even declined my call.Tristan stood up, intending to head down to Jipsdale Premier High directly to look for her.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Anything For Her Chapter 120 Anything For Her Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Just Like A Pest ¡°Sophie, I know you¡¯re multi-talented, and I really hope that you can take part in the physics competition. But I think you should withdraw from it since Bailey¡¯s mom really wishes for him to take part. The Dixon family has a lot of influence in our school, and I don¡¯t want anything bad to happen to you because of this,¡± Derrick said with a worried expression on his face.Taking a pause, he continued, ¡°You¡¯re a very talented kid. I really don¡¯t want¡ª¡±¡°Mr. Hayes, I really appreciate your advice,¡± Sophie interrupted. She knew that her teacher wanted the best for her, and she had always held him in high regard. ¡°Indeed, I was not keen on participating in the physicspetition previously. But I think I will have to take part in it now.¡±She did not like Bailey¡¯s mother¡¯s attitude and wanted to teach her a lesson.¡°Sophie! You¡ª¡± Derrick eximed, his brows knitted together.¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Hayes! Trust me, I can handle this. Just leave it to me.¡±Yet, Derrick could not help but worry. How is she intending to handle it? She¡¯s just a student!Even so, he did not press on and returned to his office.Just then, Sophie received a call from Tristan.She answered the phone after walking to the corridor.¡°I¡¯m at your school entrance now,¡± the man said.Sophie froze when she heard that. What is he doing here? sses are still ongoing. ¡±Mr. Tristan, what¡¯s the matter? ss is starting soon.¡±Didn¡¯t we just part ways this morning? Did something serious happen that he has toe here now?¡°It¡¯s nothing. I tried calling you just now, but you didn¡¯t pick up. I was worried that something might have happened to you so I came here to check on you.¡±Compared to Sophie¡¯sposure, Tristan suddenly found himself rather ridiculous.¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± To give the man some reassurance, Sophie repeated, ¡°Mr. Tristan, I¡¯m really all right.¡±¡°I¡¯m d to know that. I¡¯m leaving, then.¡±¡°Wait.¡± Since Tristan had already traveled all the way there, Sophie felt that she should at least meet him for a while.While she was walking down the stairs, she overhead Angie talking to Willow on the phone at the corner of the stairs.¡°Willow, what¡¯s the n now? You were the one who sent the photos to me. What should we do now that the matter has blown up?¡±Angie was terrified. She had only posted the photos on the spur of the moment, as she was clouded with anger.She felt extremely unsettled at the thought of how scary Sophie was.¡°Angie, although I sent you the photos, I didn¡¯t ask you to post them on the forum, did I? Besides, nothing has happened yet. Why are you worrying in advance?¡± Willow was still running a fever after falling into the lake. However, she perked up at once when she heard about Sophie¡¯s situation at school.Almost bursting into tears, Angie eximed, ¡°You don¡¯t know how scary Sophie is!¡±¡°That¡¯s enough. Just rx.¡± Willow hung up after saying that.The moment Angie turned around, she saw Sophie standing on the stairs, staring at her.She dropped her phone in shock as the color drained from her face.¡°S-Sophie¡­ Don¡¯te over!¡± Angie shouted, a horrified expression on her face.Sophie was speechless. What did I do? She looked as if she had just seen a ghost!Angie turned around and dashed off at once. However, she tripped and fell on the stairs, as she was too flustered.Even though she could feel a sharp pain in her knees, she ignored it and continued running.Sophie ran after her.¡°Sophie, why are you chasing me?¡± Angie yelled.¡°Willow won¡¯t be able to help you,¡± Sophie said before she turned and walked away.Angie slumped to the ground. Why does she look so horrifying? What should I do now? Sophie sneaked out by scaling the wall. When Tristan saw her jumping down from the wall, his heart skipped a beat.This girl! Why does she have to climb over the wall when she can just walk through the gate?Tristan was smoking a cigarette next to his car while waiting for Sophie. When he saw her, he snuffed out his half-smoked cigarette at once and tossed it into the bin.After she walked up to him, Tristan opened the car door for her. She hopped into the passenger seat and closed her eyes.She had wanted to see him when she received his call earlier on. However, she realized that she had nothing to talk to him about and decided to take a quick nap in his car instead.¡°Did you not sleep wellst night?¡± Was it because of Mason? That guy had stayed outside Sophie¡¯s apartment for the entire night.¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who didn¡¯t sleep well instead?¡±From Sophie¡¯s words, it was apparent that she was aware that he did not go back the night before.Seeing that Sophie had fallen asleep, Tristan took off his suit jacket and draped it over her.Willow arrived at the school in the afternoon.A few of her closest friends ran up to her when they saw her and said, ¡°Wi, it looks like Sophie will be expelled from the school for sure. In the future, no one will dare to snatch Mr. Laird away from you anymore.¡±¡°I know you girls care about me, but no matter what, Sophie is still my sister. I really don¡¯t want that to happen to her,¡± Willow said, looking sad.¡°Wi, although you genuinely care for her, she has never treated you as her sister. If she had, she would never have tried to snatch your man away.¡±¡°Exactly! Don¡¯t let others take advantage of your kindness.¡±When Angie heard what the other girls said, she could not help but shudder with disgust.Those girls were unaware of Willow¡¯s true character and enjoyed hanging out with her. However, Angie found the situation extremely ridiculous after knowing what she was really like.Angie approached Willow after the other girls had left.¡°Willow, everything happened because of you. Are you really going to stand idly by?¡±The smile on Willow¡¯s facepletely disappeared when she saw Angie.Frowning, she replied, ¡°Angie, you should get things straight. You did that because you have a crush on Bailey. If he knew about it, what would he think? Besides, don¡¯t forget who his mom is. If she finds out what you have done, you can forget about staying at Jipsdale Premier High. Anyway, Sophie doesn¡¯t know that it was you who posted those photos. Nothing will happen if you don¡¯t say anything.¡±Angie grimaced when she heard that.Sophie doesn¡¯t know about it? Obviously, she knows! She just hasn¡¯t told Bailey yet.Angie did not dare to think about how Bailey would react if he knew she was the one who did it. She was sure that he would loathe her forever.Angie deeply regretted what she had done. If she had remained rational and not acted on impulse, she wouldn¡¯t have to live every day in fear.Willow let out a cold snort before shooting Angie a nce.Look at how scared she is although nothing has happened yet! It¡¯s no surprise that she¡¯s always been bullied. Serves her right that no one likes her, and she can only admire her crush secretly.While heading toward the ssroom, Willow bumped into Sophie at the stairwell.As there were only the two of them, the corners of Willow¡¯s lips curled into a smug smile.¡°Sophie, you should just leave Jipsdale! This ce is not for you. See, even though you¡¯ve been here for just a while, you¡¯ve already created so much trouble. You¡¯ve even be themon enemy of all the girls in school. Everyone is hoping that you¡¯ll be expelled.¡±To the others, Sophie was just like a pest that they were trying to chase away.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Anything For Her Chapter 121 Anything For Her Chapter 121 Chapter 121 EvidenceSophie arched a brow and stared at Willow as she taunted, ¡°Do you truly fear me, Willow? I bet you haven¡¯t had any peaceful sleep since I came back!¡±¡°You!¡± Willow could not believe that she was still so stubborn. Suppressing her rage, she tried to put up a gracious front. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your own good. You may have a better life after leaving this ce.¡±Sophie merely retorted, ¡°No one needs your concern. I can have a great life in Jipsdale as well.¡±Her defiance infuriated Willow to no end.The thought of Mason¡¯s request to break up exacerbated Willow¡¯s dislike for her sister. She spat, ¡°Oh? If you¡¯re so determined to live in Jipsdale, I can only wish you good luck.¡±She hated that everything had changed since Sophie¡¯s return.As Willow turned to leave, Sophie suddenly said, ¡°Willow! Did you have a fun time when I became the school¡¯smon enemy?¡±Willow clenched her fists wordlessly in response.A whileter, she said, ¡°Why would I? Why does it matter if you dislike me? You¡¯re my younger sister, after all, and a member of the Tanner family. Of course, I won¡¯t deny that I¡¯m unhappy about what you did.¡±¡°Hmph.¡± Sophie could not help but scoff. She added, ¡°I despise people like you. If you were bolder and confronted me head-on, I would¡¯ve hated you less.¡±Willow would never admit to that, so she replied, ¡°You¡¯re really mistaken, Sophie. That incident had nothing to do with me.¡±¡°Whatever you say!¡± Sophie ignored her and headed upstairs, leaving her elder sister staring after her with a face contorted with fury.Willow muttered to herself, ¡°Why are you so smug, Sophie? Did you think you could ever be Whitlea¡¯s match?¡±She thought of Whitlea¡¯s background and was confident that Sophie was doomed.After their sses ended that afternoon, Ysabelle apanied Sophie back to Wisteria Apartments.She watched as Sophie ced herptop on the coffee table and started it up before getting a ss of water.Concerned, Ysabelle asked, ¡°Are you really not nning to take down that post, Sophie?¡± The scandalous post using Sophie of seducing Bailey had significantly impacted the former¡¯s reputation.Sophie leisurely poured them both sses of water before settling on the couch.Then, she promptly hacked Willow¡¯s phone and retrieved several unedited photos and a short video.¡°Come here,¡± she said while beckoning Ysabelle over with a finger. Willow is super determined to frame me, huh?After watching the video, Ysabelle cursed before she could stop herself, ¡°F*ck! It was her!¡±Sophie calmly sipped her water as Ysabelle added, ¡°I¡¯m going to beat that b*tch up!¡±It turned out that the photos had been Photoshopped to cause a misunderstanding, but the short video revealed the truth.Sophie was only sleeping while Bailey draped his shirt over her.However, the edited photos told a vastly different story and spoke volumes about Willow¡¯s viciousness.Suddenly, Ysabellemented, ¡°There¡¯s another problem, Soph. You can clearly see the tenderness in his eyes while he¡¯s draping the shirt over you.¡±It was clear that the young man had romantic feelings for her.Sophie remained silent. She did not deny what she saw in his gaze, but it did not change the fact that she had not done anything to Bailey.¡°Soph, your poprity with the boys is a little troublesome, huh?¡± Ysabelle knew Tristan would go mad with jealousy if he chanced upon the video.Nheless, Ysabelle continued, ¡°To h*ll with it! Let¡¯s share the video now. No one will dare to nder you again.¡±I want to see their expressions when they see this video!To her surprise, Sophie said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little more. The time is not yet ripe.¡±Despite her impatience, Ysabelle replied, ¡°Fine! You¡¯re the boss! I¡¯ll follow your lead!¡± Oh man! I wish I could punch those b*tches in their faces!Meanwhile, Mason had somehow made his way to Jipsdale Premier High, and he was immediately osted by Willow¡¯s clique when they spotted him.¡°Mr. Laird, are you here to see Willow? She¡¯s not around now. You¡ª¡±¡°I¡¯m not looking for her.¡±His reply instantly angered the girls.One of them spat, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re here to see Sophie. Mr. Laird, she¡¯s absolutely horrid and goes around seducing other men. Don¡¯t fall for her tricks.¡±Mason¡¯s expression darkened in response as he warned, ¡°I¡¯d advise you to watch your words.¡±Undeterred, one of the girls took out her phone and showed him a post. She exined, ¡°We¡¯re telling the truth, Mr. Laird. If you don¡¯t believe us, you can see this yourself. How could she be an innocent angel when she¡¯s already messing around in school?¡±After reading the title of the post, Mason¡¯s expression became even grimmer.Willow¡¯s clique grew smug, and one of them chimed in, ¡°We¡¯re only saying this for yours and Willow¡¯s sake, Mr. Laird! Willow is such a nice girl! Sophie¡¯s fooling around with other people¡¯s feelings just because she¡¯s pretty. How can she ever compare to our dear Willow?¡±Mason returned the phone to the group and remained silent.They don¡¯t deserve to make things up about Sophie¡¯s character.His reaction frightened the girls into silence, and they quickly walked into the school.When Willow arrived at the ssroomter, her clique immediately swarmed her.¡°Willow, Mason came to Jipsdale Premier High today, but he wasn¡¯t looking for you. He must¡¯ve been looking for that b*tch, Sophie! But it¡¯s okay. We¡¯ve avenged you and showed him that post.¡±¡°Yeah! I¡¯m sure Mason will see Sophie¡¯s true colors now.¡±¡°What?¡± Willow was shocked.¡°What¡¯s wrong? I¡¯m sure Mason¡¯s only temporarily besotted with Sophie. He¡¯ll be keeping a far distance from her after seeing those photos.¡±¡°You¡ª¡± Willow did not want Mason to know about the photos at all. What will he do after learning about this?Her friends were confused by her reaction, for they only wanted to stick up for her earlier. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Willow?¡±Willow swiftly suppressed her rage and lied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m not feeling too well today. Could you girls help me get excused from tonight¡¯s revision session?¡±¡°Are you really okay, Willow?¡± Her clique remained concerned.¡°Yup! I¡¯m totally fine.¡±Then, she left the school and called Mason.The line rang for a long time, but nobody answered, and Willow¡¯s anxiety ballooned.She dialed his number repeatedly until he eventually picked up.¡°Where are you, Mason?¡±He replied curtly, ¡°Nocturnal!¡±After ending the call, Willow hailed a cab to the bar. There, she was barred by a security guard from entering the premises because of her school uniform.She could only call Mason again. Thetter frowned when he saw a shivering Willow outside the bar.¡°What is it?¡± He always seemed exceptionally aloof when interacting with Willow.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Anything For Her Chapter 122 Anything For Her Chapter 122 Chapter 122 What A Bummer ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve been to Jipsdale Premier High today, Mason.¡±Unable to stand watching Willow shiver incessantly, Mason removed his coat and wrapped it around her.His warmth still lingered on the inside. Willow could not help but raise her eyes to regard him.You still care for me, don¡¯t you? It¡¯s not like you no longer feel anything for me anymore!¡°Mason!¡± Willow felt profoundly aggrieved, for everything she had done was only motivated by her desire to be with him.¡°This isn¡¯t the sort of ce where you should be, so hurry up and go home!¡±When Mason turned back toward Nocturnal, Willow rushed to him and hugged him from behind.¡°You¡¯re only treating me this way because of Sophie, aren¡¯t you, Mason?¡±¡°Willow!¡± Mason¡¯s inflection carried with it a tone of warning.¡°I¡¯m as saddened by what happened to Sophie as you are, Mason, but this isn¡¯t something that¡¯s within our control! Won¡¯t you please just stop being like this?¡±Enraged, Mason shoved Willow off, sending her staggering back several paces.That got her staring at him in disbelief.¡°Sophie isn¡¯t that sort of person, so someone must be messing with her behind her back.¡± Convinced that it was hisck of trust in Sophie five years ago that led to the present-day circumstances, he thus decided that five yearster on this very day, he was going to stand by her no matter what.Hearing that from him only left Willow even more infuriated.Does he really trust her that much?Ignoring her, Mason continued into Nocturnal.As much as Willow wanted to follow, she found herself stopped at the door by the security.¡°No entry without a valid ID card, miss.¡±¡°I¡¯m of legal age.¡± Willow was actually older than Sophie by a year and only had to take a year off from school because of poor health. That meant that she was already neen.¡°Sorry. You¡¯re in uniform, so without the proper documentation to ascertain your age, we cannot allow you in.¡±Willow was irate, but since she was unable to do anything about them, she could only keep standing there.By the time Mason exited Nocturnal, it was already two past midnight.Owing to having one drink too many, he opted not to drive and hailed a ride over to Wisteria Apartments instead.The minute he got on, Willow, too, hired a car in pursuit, as seeing how drunk he was got her concerned that he might wind up in a sticky situation.What she had not expected was that his destination turned out to be Wisteria Apartments.After standing below the apartments for the entire night, Willow took ill the next day.WhenProperty ? of N?velDrama.Org. Charmaine saw the state her daughter was in, she poured a ss of warm water and also brought her some medicine.¡°Where were youst night? I know that Mason¡¯s back, and the two of you want to be together, but you should also be mindful of your own reputation. Are you even listening, Wi?¡± Charmaine furrowed. What¡¯s gotten into hertely?Throwing her arms around Charmaine, Willow then broke down in tears.¡°Why? What¡¯s the matter? I wasn¡¯t scolding you, silly girl. I¡¯m just concerned! You¡¯re to be married to Mason in the future, you know!¡±That got Willow bawling even more loudly.¡°What¡¯s this about? Did Mason mistreat you?¡±¡°Would I really get to marry Mason, Mom?¡± She was not at all optimistic about this prospect at the moment.¡°Isn¡¯t it why you¡¯ve been working so hard all these years? To be married to Mason? Seeing how fond Mrs. Laird is of you, he surely must marry you.¡±Willow was not as confident of this. What would all the preparations she put together count for, with everything else that had gone down?In the end, the decision stillid with Mason himself.In order to get Sophie expelled, Whitlea purposefully called for a board meeting.It had been a while since such a meeting had been convened in Jipsdale Premier High, and even less expectedly, for the purpose of expelling a student.A dozen directors had already arrived inside the conference room.¡°All this over a case of expulsion, Mr. Langston? What¡¯s the point of making such a big deal of it, really? Why don¡¯t you just go ahead yourself and get it over with?¡±¡°Yeah! You should know well that we¡¯re all very busy people.¡±¡°How would any of our opinions matter if Mr. Langston himself has already had his own mind made up?¡± said Whitlea mockingly.Andy wiped the sweat off the top of his own head.¡°My fellow directors, as the details of this case have yet to be established, I think¡ª¡±¡°Yet to be established? What¡¯s there left to establish? Bailey has always topped his grade. How could you not know that, considering that you¡¯re someone who had watched Bailey grow up yourself? Also, I was told that you were the one who had admitted Sophie. That makes you the very reason why something like this has taken ce inside this school. It makes me wonder whether you could have epted something from her in exchange.¡±Transferring to Jipsdale Premier High in her senior year? Isn¡¯t it obvious that some manner of bribery must be involved?That yielded a frown from Andy.¡°Isn¡¯t it a normal thing for students to change schools, Mdm. Dixon? Does having this take ce within your jurisdiction mean that I must necessarily be on the take?¡± said Andy as he stood to his feet.¡°Just look and see for yourselves Mr. Langston¡¯s attitude.¡± Whitlea was positively livid.¡°Isn¡¯t it true that the school won¡¯t be able to continue operating without us, Mr. Langston?¡±The moment Sophie arrived at school, she found herself mobbed by a group of girls.¡°You have some gall showing your face around here again, Sophie.¡±¡°Yeah! How shameless could you possibly get? If something simr were to happen to me, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to continue living.¡±¡°Do you figure that everyone must give a d*mn about that?¡±Pulling the hood back from her head, Sophie cast a cold stare that made the observers shudder.A couple of girls who dared not trifle with Sophie in the mood she was in automatically stepped aside and cleared a path for her.Sophie let out a sneer.¡°Was she taunting us just now?¡±¡°D*mn right, she was! How could that woman be so thick-skinned?¡±¡°The school has already called for a board meeting to get her expelled, so let¡¯s see how much longer she could continue to be cocky.¡±¡°Yeah! What¡¯s she being so smug about? She¡¯s just a sl*t.¡±It took only Sophie turning and shooting them a look to cause the lot of them to stumble back in fear.Pulling out her phone, Sophie went on to post that unedited clip into the forum before she made her way directly to the school¡¯s conference room.The school¡¯s forum was thrown into a state of pandemonium once more ten minutester, and the server itself almost crashed as a result.¡°Good lord! What the hell is this? Never could have seen a twist like thising!¡±¡°Heavens! Bailey¡¯s being so affectionate! Could he be the one who fancies her?¡±¡°What a bummer! Still insisting that Sophie was seducing Bailey. This is going to make Mdm. Dixon look really bad!¡±Those girls who had been heckling Sophie for days were momentarily stumped, for all along the photograph revealed nothing. Everything that went around had wholly been of their own fabrication.Apart from uploading a video, Sophie did not have to issue any kind of response, and what a resounding response that turned out to be.The color drained from Angie¡¯s face after she saw that clip.Where did thise from? What am I to do now? This Sophie Tanner is too scary. How did she even get her hands on this video?When Sophie reached the conference room, she pushed her way through the doors without even knocking, and the ensuing noise had all the directors turning their attention toward the entrance.There, they saw a teenager shrouded in a ck hoodie, standing with the light cast from behind her. She had her head covered and both hands tucked inside her pockets.Whitlea had an awful expression on her face upon seeing Sophie.¡°Do you all not see? She¡¯s still as arrogant as ever, even now.¡± Whitlea could not wait to get Sophie kicked out of the school right away.Andy went over immediately, as he had not expected Sophie to show up there and then either.¡°You should head back first, Sophie. I¡¯d have this whole thing sorted out for you in due time.¡± Anything For Her Chapter 123 Anything For Her Chapter 123 Chapter 123 A Drastic Turn¡°Mr. Langston, since I¡¯m the victim of this incident, I think I have the right to be here,¡± Sophie stated resolutely. No doubt, she was well aware that Andy was very concerned about her. However, she would not chicken out when Whitlea insisted on putting her in a tight spot.¡°Sophie¡­¡± Andy could not help but heave a sigh. Good gracious! Why is this youngdy unusually stubborn?¡°Andy, enough of that. Since you¡¯re determined to take her side, how about you leave Jipsdale Premier High too? From what I can see, Mr. Carlson is ratherpetent too. He can be promoted to take over your position,¡± Whitlea uttered authoritatively.They needed a submissive person in charge and not one with a mind of his own, like Andy.Hearing that, Franky Carlson, the vice principal, was all over the moon. ¡°Mdm. Dixon, I¡¯ve reminded Mr. Langston right from the beginning that we shouldn¡¯t ept Sophie Tanner. I emphasized that such a problematic student would only ruin Jipsdale Premier High¡¯s reputation, but he paid no heed to my advice and insisted on epting her. I couldn¡¯t help wondering if he had been obtaining any benefits from that.¡±In actuality, Franky and Andy had been on bad terms long ago. Franky loathed thetter for surpassing him in managing the school throughout the years. Hence, he was tickled pink when he finally had the opportunity to prove himself to the board.¡°Mr. Carlson!¡± Andy shot Franky a warning nce, gritting his teeth. D*mn it! He¡¯s really good at buttering others up!¡°What do you think about this?¡± Whitlea turned to look at the other directors, who then nodded fervently in unison.¡°If that¡¯s the case, Andy, leave with this student and we can avoid burning all bridges. Let¡¯s resolve this peacefully so it won¡¯t be awkward when we cross paths with each other in the future.¡±Franky was grinning ear to ear. He could barely wait for Andy to be sacked. As the vice principal, I have no choice but to bow to him for more than a decade. Ha! Now it¡¯s finally my turn to be the principal!¡°Wait a minute! You can¡¯t expel me from the school. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± Sophie piped up and advanced toward theputer in the conference room. She turned it on and plugged a sh drive into the USB port.¡°Sophie Tanner, you¡¯ve been expelled from the school. If you insist on stirring up trouble, I¡¯ll lodge a police report right away!¡±Whitlea was irked by the fearless Sophie. What on earth is she trying to do?¡°Lodge a police report? Great! I¡¯m more than happy if you do that. Now that you¡¯re ndering me, I believe the police will seek justice for me. What are you still waiting for? Don¡¯t you know how to lodge one? Or perhaps you need me to guide you on that?¡±Whitlea blew a fuse, her entire body trembling uncontrobly. ¡°Where are your manners? Don¡¯t you know the young ones like you have to be respectful to the elders?¡±¡°Elders? Boy, you have the cheek to proim yourself as my elder. Why should I be respectful of you? Do you deserve my respect? Who do you think you are?¡± Sophie scoffed. Once provoked, she would not think twice about retaliating relentlessly. ¡°You will know if you¡¯ve ndered me after watching this video clip. As an adult, I hope you can reflect on the mistake you¡¯vemitted and apologize to meter!¡±¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? How dare a lowly student like you request we adults to apologize to you? You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± Franky stood in front of Whitlea, fending off Sophie¡¯s words.Sophie snorted coldly. Is that how an adult should behave? How ridiculous!Without hesitation, she yed the video clip.Itsted barely twenty minutes, but it was enough to let everyone have a grasp of the situation. Sophie was undoubtedly the victim as she did nothing and was oblivious to everything throughout the time.Whitlea¡¯s face fell in an instant. Even though the video had proved that Sophie did notmit a wrong deed, she considered thetter to have gone against her by ying the video clip in front of everyone.How could my son gaze at a delinquent in such a way? She could not ept the fact that her son had fallen for Sophie instead of demure youngdies from prominent families she had shortlisted for him.Andy approached Sophie and said, ¡°Everyone, it¡¯s merely a misunderstanding this time. Sophie is really talented. Mr. Elswick is even nning to let her take part in the physicspetition this time. I¡¯m convinced she¡¯ll be able to make us proud.¡±¡°Andy!¡± Whitlea almost burst a blood vessel. Doesn¡¯t he know I¡¯m nning to let Bailey take part in the physicspetition?Sophie asked indifferently, ¡°So, are you still lodging a police report? I¡¯ve uploaded this video clip on the school forum. I wonder what those students who can¡¯t seem to distinguish between right and wrong will say again!¡±¡°Mdm. Dixon, why not put everything to an end? After all, the top management is extremely displeased with this hup. If the situation esctes, Jipsdale Premier High¡¯s reputation will be ruined.¡± One of the directors tried to talk Whitlea into changing her mind.¡°I agree with him. What¡¯s important now is that we should try to resolve this matter as soon as possible so it won¡¯t tarnish the image of our school. Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid it will affect the new intake of students next year,¡± another director chimed in.Unequivocally, the students¡¯ backgrounds yed a major part. Instead of relying on the teachers to y their roles well in educating them, it was rtively important to ensure the students enrolled in their school were of virtue.¡°Wait a minute! Someone has obviously set Sophie up and instigated the others to go against her,¡± Andy pointed out. What are the culprit¡¯s ulterior motives for editing the photos? Did Sophie step on anyone¡¯s toes?¡°Sophie, do you know who posted these photos?¡± Andy asked.¡°I do.¡±¡°Sophie is obviously the victim in this matter. In my opinion, the school should seek justice for her.¡±¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll settle the issue with my own method.¡± I¡¯m not a crybaby who will only grumble to the teachers whenever I encounter any problems!¡°Let¡¯s put an end to this. Mdm. Dixon, since it¡¯s Bay¡¯s mistake, we¡¯d better not go overboard.¡± The other directors did not wish to blow things out of proportion too.No words could describe Whitlea¡¯s resentment. She vowed to expel Sophie from the school despite anything.However, the other directors had stood up and stepped out of the conference room.Franky cast his head down sheepishly and could not help despising himself for getting on Andy¡¯s nerves. Oh my! He¡¯ll unleash his wrath on meter.¡°Sophie, let¡¯s go!¡± Andy was worried stiff that Whitlea would strike against Sophie. Hence, he had been waiting for her and was reluctant to follow suit when the others left the conference room.¡°Mr. Langston, I wish to have a few words with Mdm. Dixon. You don¡¯t have to wait for me.¡± Sophie pulled a chair to sit down.Andy remained in the same spot, fearing that Whitlea would pick on her.Whitlea shot daggers at Andy, but he pretended to be oblivious to it. He had to ensure nobody couldy a finger on Sophie on his turf. Otherwise, he would not know how to exin to Felix if anything urred.¡°Mr. Langston, let¡¯s go!¡± Franky urged him. He still made up his mind to take Whitlea¡¯s side.¡°Go ahead yourself. Why bother about me?¡± Andy snapped at him.¡°Get out!¡± Whitlea bellowed. She was utterly ashamed because of the video clip.Sophie threw Andy a meaningful nce. Thetter had no choice but to step out.With that, only Whitlea and Sophie were left in the conference room. Sophie remained seated, resting her elbows on the conference table.¡°Mdm. Dixon, is there anything else you want to tell me?¡± Sophie asked.¡°You can continue studying at Jipsdale Premier High if you wish to. But you mustn¡¯t take part in the physicspetition this time.¡± Whitlea sounded as if she was being sympathetic.Sophie snorted. She still hasn¡¯t learned her lesson. Bailey is unlucky indeed to have such a mother.¡°Stay away from Bailey from today onward. I¡¯ve made the perfect arrangements forN?velDrama.Org owns ? this. his future, and you have no ce in it,¡± Whitlea reminded Sophie arrogantly. The assertive mother only hoped that her son would not go against her will. Anything For Her Chapter 124 Anything For Her Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Leave Jipsdale Premier High ¡°I¡¯ll definitely join the physicspetition. As for you, I advise you to practice kindness.¡±Sophie didn¡¯t bother giving her any quarter.¡°How dare you? Do you really think that I can¡¯t do anything about you?¡± Whitlea never expected her to be such an obstinate person.Right then, her innate intransigence was bared in its entirety.However, Sophie merely shrugged with a nonchnt expression on her face.¡°Try it, then. We shall see whether I¡¯m the one to scram or you¡¯re the one who ends up doing so.¡± Getting to her feet, she remarked, ¡°Honestly speaking, Bailey has truly rotten lucky to have a mother like you.¡±Bailey is really a pretty great person, and I also believe that he¡¯ll have some remarkable achievements in the physics field in the future.Whitlea smashed everything that could be destroyed in the conference room.She¡¯s simply too insolent! No, she¡¯d only be a ticking time bomb if she were allowed to stay in Jipsdale Premier High. I must get her kicked out!Meanwhile, Willow only learned about the development on the forum when she came to school in the afternoon.¡°Wi, who do you think is sabotaging Sophie behind the scenes?¡±Initially, they were all convinced that it must have been Sophie who seduced Bailey. Unexpectedly, they ended up proven wrong.¡°Exactly! The person even had someone photoshop the pictures! Who hates her that much?¡±¡°Who cares? Anyway, I just don¡¯t like her!¡±¡°That¡¯s true. She has tons of enemies, so who knows the identity of the culprit? It¡¯s just a pity that the board of directors will now decide not to expel her anymore.¡±Willow logged in to the forum. The instant she saw the video, her expression changed.I didn¡¯t send this video to Angie, and my phone has been with me all this while. Therefore, how did it appear on the forum?Unprecedented fear struck Willow.If Mason were to learn that this incident was my doing, what would he do?She didn¡¯t even dare imagine the consequences.¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Wi? Did you not hear us?¡±¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t worry, Wi. Plenty of people detest someone like Sophie, so it¡¯s only a matter of time before she¡¯s booted out of Jipsdale Premier High!¡±¡°I¡¯m going to the washroom for a while.¡± After saying that, Willow stood up and left right away.¡°What¡¯s the matter with her now? Wasn¡¯t she just fine earlier?¡±¡°I don¡¯t know. It must be because of Sophie. Ever since she returned, she has been acting really strange.¡±Willow found Angie on the field. Angie had been there for a long time, not daring to return to ss. She was afraid that herN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ssmates would learn about everything she did.Most importantly, she was worried that she would be ostracized.¡°Angie!¡± Willow called out to her.Hearing her name, Angie nced over her shoulder. As soon as she spotted Willow, her eyes brimmed with resentment.¡°This is all on you, Willow! If it weren¡¯t because of you, I wouldn¡¯t have ended up in such a state right now. Yet, you still have the audacity to appear before me!¡±At that, Willow¡¯s brows furrowed.¡°What does this have to do with me, Angie? Was I the one who photoshopped the pictures? Was it me who told you to publish them on the forum and ordered you to write all those remarks? You did everything yourself, so what has it got to do with me?¡± At that moment, all she wanted to do was disassociate herself from it all.I can¡¯t have anything to do with this matter!The urge to rip her into pieces gripped Angie. ¡°How devious of you! You must be utterly smug now, huh? I¡¯ll wait and see how long you can remain triumphant! Do you think that Sophie is genuinely ignorant of everything when she could get her hands on that video? Do you really think that everyone is a fool?¡±¡°Leave Jipsdale Premier High, Angie. It won¡¯t do you any good to stay here.¡± Willow reckoned that no one would know the so-called truth as long as she left Jipsdale Premier High.¡°Why should I? The university entrance exam is just around the corner. Where could I go after leaving Jipsdale Premier High? Willow, go and urge Sophie to show me some mercy!¡±Sophie didn¡¯t do anything, but Angie lived in fear every day, terrified that she would see something about herself on the forum in the next second.¡°Leave Jipsdale Premier High and take responsibility for everything. I¡¯ll solve the rest of the problems for you. I¡¯ll help you, both in looking for another school and financially. I promise you all this as long as you leave this ce.¡±The only way Willow could think of then was to have Angie leave. When she has left, I can shove all the me onto her. Consequently, this matter will have nothing to do with me.¡°What do you mean by that? Does this matter have nothing to do with you? Yet, you now want to shift all the responsibility onto me! Willow, I really never expected you to be such a person!¡±How smart of her toy all the me on me! Then, she can remain innocent in this matter!¡°Consider it yourself. If you don¡¯t leave Jipsdale Premier High and continue staying here, are you sure you can pass the university entrance exam in your current state? Do you really want to give up on your future?¡±After wavering for a long time, Angie still nodded in acquiescence. She¡¯s right. Every single second is a torment to me as I stay in Jipsdale Premier High now. In such a condition, I really won¡¯t be able to get into my ideal university.¡°Okay, help me make the arrangements!¡±¡°All right. In that case, you don¡¯t need to stay in school today.¡± Right then, Willow only wanted her to leave. With Angie gone, it¡¯d be easy to settle everything else.¡°Have you heard the rumor? It was Angie who published that forum post!¡±¡°I really didn¡¯t expect it! She looks docile and quiet usually, but she committed such a major mistake this time!¡±Ysabelle parked herself in the seat before Sophie and turned back to speak to her.¡°Soph, now that Angie has left, Willow shifted all the me on her. How underhanded of her!¡±At that moment, Sophie was doing a physics question. She looked at the question for a while before jotting down the steps to solve it on paper.¡°I¡¯m talking to you, Soph! Can you please listen to me seriously?¡± Chagrin swamped Ysabelle. What¡¯s so interesting about a physics question?¡°I heard you.¡± Pushing her hand away, Sophie wrote down the two final steps.Then, she murmured in absolute calmness, ¡°Just let her be.¡±After school in the afternoon, Sophie and Ysabelle bumped into Willow, who was ascending the stairs, while they descended the stairs.At the sight of her, Ysabelle snorted.Willow, on the other hand, didn¡¯t dare confront Sophie directly this time. Instead, she merely treated her like thin air. The few girls with her likewise experienced a change in attitude due to that matter and didn¡¯t dare provoke Sophie either.¡°Weren¡¯t the bunch of you smug previously? You must have written a lot of lies on the forum and ndered Soph! Now that the truth hase to light, don¡¯t you all owe her an apology?¡±¡°An apology? Why should we apologize? She offended someone herself, so we¡¯re also victims, okay?¡±¡°Never mind, let¡¯s go!¡± Willow didn¡¯t want to stay there further, for she hoped the matter would end there.¡°This matter isn¡¯t over yet, Willow! Do you think everything is fine just because Angie has left?¡± In truth, Angie was merely manipted into doing it.Willow halted in her steps as she ascended the stairs. In fact, she didn¡¯t even dare turn back.¡°You¡¯re going too far, Sophie! It was Angie who perpetrated this matter! What has it got to do with Wi?¡± The girls with Willow shielded the latter behind them once again.¡°What morons!¡± Seeing that, Ysabelle couldn¡¯t help cursing them out. Anything For Her Chapter 125 Anything For Her Chapter 125 Chapter 125 First Love Is Always Unforgettable Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Who the hell are you calling a moron?¡± Following the criticism, the few girls promptly blew up.¡°Whoever answers to it!¡± Ysabelle sneered.¡°How dare you?¡±Snapping, the few girls geared up to charge at her.However, Willow held them back.¡°We¡¯re at school, so forget about it. Fighting at school will result in a demerit.¡± Willow was worried that they would anger Sophie. Hence, she immediately stopped them from doing anything rash.¡°Hmph! Do you see that? Even your pretentious b*tch doesn¡¯t dare go against Sophie. Hurry up and scram!¡±¡°How dare you?¡±The few girls were livid, but they couldn¡¯t do anything to her and could only leave in a fit of pique.Only when they had gone back to the ssroom did they snarl furiously, ¡°Da*n it! Ysabelle was really asking for it! How I wish I could m into her the wall and kill her right then and there!¡±¡°Forget it. Don¡¯t provoke Sophie these days.¡± Willow was still very much uneasy. Verily, she couldn¡¯t afford to offend Sophie at present.¡°What exactly is wrong with you, Wi? Why are you afraid of her?¡±¡°Yeah! You¡¯re bing all the more different, Wi. You¡¯ve really changed ever since Sophie returned.¡±Frustration inundated Willow, but she couldn¡¯t tell anyone about the matter. Thus, she could only bottle it up within herself.As it was raining that day, the exercise period was called off. All the students studied in the ssroom instead.Bailey went to Senior ss 8 and stood at the door. A few girls caught sight of him and started whispering among themselves.Ysabelle saw him as well. She walked over to Sophie¡¯s desk.¡°Soph, Bailey is here.¡±Sprawled on her desk while taking a nap, Sophie cast her gaze out the window when she heard that. At once, she spotted Bailey standing outside the window.He seemed to have something to say yet was hesitant to speak.Sophie got up and strolled over to him.¡°Is something the matter?¡± she queried. That matter had nothing to do with him. As such, she had never held him responsible.¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sophie.¡± Because of me, she was put through the wringer.Gazing out at the autumn rain, Sophie stood there silently without saying a single word.Bailey tilted his head, only to see her hair fluttering in the wind. As the desire to smoothen her hair rose within him, he lifted his hand.s, she canted her head, leaving his hand suspended in the air. Subsequently, he lowered it in embarrassment.¡°I like you, Sophie!¡± At longst, he gave voice to his thoughts.No matter what, this is the first time I¡¯ve got a crush on a girl! Even if it ends in disappointment, I still want to say it!Even after hearing his confession, Sophie remained as calm as ever.¡°We can only be friends, Bailey.¡±She was the kind of person who made things clear when it came to matters of the heart. She didn¡¯t like ambiguous rtionships.¡°Oh¡­¡±Well, I knew long ago that she¡¯d turn me down, no? Nheless, he still felt dejected upon hearing her rejection with his own ears.¡°Work hard, Bailey! You¡¯re really talented in physics. Let¡¯spete fairly in the physicspetition!¡±Sophie would be doing her best, for it was a form of respect toward him.In response, Bailey nodded.¡°Got it.¡±The girls in the ss were all green with envy to see them both standing together.¡°Oh my God, if we¡¯re just speaking about looks, they¡¯re really a match made in heaven!¡±¡°Hear, hear! One ced first, and the other second. They¡¯re a perfect match in all aspects!¡±¡°B*llshit! How¡¯s Sophie worthy of my first crush?¡± After all, Bailey was the first crush of many girls in Jipsdale Premier High.¡°Exactly! Ah, my idol! How could he fancy someone like her?¡±All this while, Ysabelle had also been observing the situation outside.Crap! What should I do? Every other man seems to make a perfect couple with Soph!As soon as Sophie returned to the ssroom, she rushed over to her.¡°Why did Baileye to see you?¡±¡°Why are you so curious?¡±Sophie didn¡¯t answer that question, for they were nothing more than ships passing in the night. She had no feelings for Bailey, but neither did she want him to suffer criticism because of her.¡°I¡¯m just curious! Listen to me, Soph. Although he¡¯s handsome, my uncle is still better-looking than him!¡±¡°ss ismencing soon,¡± Sophie reminded, signaling Ysabelle to return to her seat.At night, Tristan came to Jipsdale Premier High to pick Sophie up. After receiving a call from the man, she left the school building with Ysabelle.Bailey bumped into them at the school gates. He wanted to bid them farewell, but Sophie had already gotten into the car.Just then, Willow came out and witnessed that scene as well.She reflexively took out her phone to snap a photo. But recalling that video, she put her phone away.Instead, she swiftly hailed a taxi and ordered the driver to follow Tristan¡¯s car.Tristan brought Sophie and Ysabelle to Blossom Garden to meet up with Felix and the others.Upon seeing Sophie entering Blossom Garden with the man, Willow gave Mason a call right away.¡°I¡¯ve got something to tell you, Mason. I¡¯m now at Blossom Garden. Can youe over? It¡¯s really something important. It has to do with Sophie.¡±Mason initially didn¡¯t want to entertain her, but he relented when he heard that it was about Sophie.It was Christmas Eve that day, so Felix gathered everyone there.When he saw that Ysabelle had arrived, he instantly pulled out a chair for her and prompted her to have a seat.Meanwhile, Winter¡¯s heart clenched at the sight of Tristan¡¯s attentiveness toward Sophie.If only he¡¯d also treat me in the same manner someday!Tristan personally poured Sophie a ss of hot water. It was rather cold that day, especially since it rained.Cradling the ss in her hand, Sophie took a sip of hot water. At once, her entire body felt much warmer.When all the dishes were served, Felix personally opened a bottle of sherry.¡°Today is the first time we¡¯re spending Christmas Eve together. Here¡¯s to peace and good health to us all henceforth! This bottle of sherry is a hundred years old!¡± he eximed joyfully.¡°This is my first time spending Christmas Eve with all of you, so it¡¯s my treat tonight!¡± Sophie¡¯s voice was cold and indifferent, but she was really pretty happy that she could be with them.¡°Your treat? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ve got to order a few more dishes!¡± Felix joked.¡°Are you a pig? How much can you eat? Since Soph is treating us to dinner, let¡¯s not eat meat tonight!¡± Ysabelle retorted in jest.Then, she murmured, ¡°I was merely joking. Are you mad for real?¡± Things had been like that ever since thest time. It seemed that something had really changed between her and Felix.¡°Nope. How would I dare get mad at you?¡± After saying that, Felix didn¡¯t continue speaking on that subject but turned and discussed business with Charles.That had Ysabelle at a total loss.¡°Sophie, I heard that the top scorer in your school likes you. Besides, I saw those few photos. He¡¯s close to you in age, so the two of you must have a lot in common!¡± Having been silent for such a long time, Winter finally couldn¡¯t hold herself back anymore.¡°It looks like you¡¯re very concerned about me that you even know what happened at my school, Ms. Quigley,¡± Sophie replied unhurriedly.¡°Hah!¡± Disdain flooded Winter. ¡°I only heard someone mentioning it, so I brought it up with you. I really envy your tender age. First love is always unforgettable.¡±She deliberately linked Bailey and Sophie together. Anything For Her Chapter 126 Anything For Her Chapter 126 Chapter 126 The Distinction Between Men And Women ¡°First love? I¡¯ve never dated, so I don¡¯t know whether it¡¯s unforgettable or otherwise,¡± Sophie countered bluntly.¡°Oh, really?¡± How pretentious! Does she think others are entirely ignorant about her past? Yet, she has the audacity to say that she has never dated! Winter seethed internally.Contrarily, Tristan was over the moon to hear that.He was the kind of person who kept his feelings under wraps, but right then, everyone present could sense the change in his mood.At that, Winter grew all the more upset.What¡¯s so great about that? She¡¯s just feigning innocence! How could people nowadays not have dated a few times when they reach her age?¡°Considering your looks, Ms. Tanner, you must have many suitors. How could you possibly not have dated?¡± she riposted sourly. Indeed, it was a fact that Sophie had a stunningly beautiful countenance.That was also a sore spot of hers. In fact, she wondered whether Tristan fell in love with Sophie¡¯s looks. Otherwise, she really couldn¡¯t see anything special about her.¡°Don¡¯t tell me I must like the person in return just because he likes me?¡±It¡¯s true that plenty of people like me since young because my looks are indeed very much attractive. However, it¡¯s not obligatory for me to respond to all of them, is it?Winter was left without a retort.Tristan, on the other hand, was even happier after hearing that.Exactly! Not everyone is worthy of her. I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s worthy of her!¡°Keep your focus on eating, Winter. Why are you running your mouth?¡± Charles was worried that Tristan would fly into a rage, so he stopped Winter from speaking further.¡°There are also tons of people who like you, Winter. You must have dated plenty, yes?¡± Ysabelle definitely sided with Sophie, so she couldn¡¯t help reposting Winter when thetter kept targeting and setting Sophie up.Winter nced at Tristan, her gaze speaking volumes. I¡¯ve only loved Tristan since young. How could I possibly take an interest in other men?Tristan took a piece of barbecue rib for Sophie.¡°Don¡¯t just talk. Here, eat this.¡±Unbidden, goosebumps rose over everyone else there. Never had they seen him so gentle.He didn¡¯t even have to do anything that constituted a public disy of affection, for he had been keeping an eye on everything about Sophie.All of a sudden, Winter lost her appetite.¡°You guys continue eating. I¡¯m going out for a while.¡±Charles breathed a sigh of relief at her departure.Verily, I don¡¯t know what will happen if she continues staying here. She can never conceal her feelings in front of Tristan. Because of her love for him, she always can¡¯t help hurting others. Never mind if it¡¯s some other girl, but this is Sophie, the girl Tristan likes. Therefore, no one is allowed to offend her.¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Sophie. If Winter said anything that upset you, I apologize on her behalf. I hope you don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± He raised his ss. No matter what, Winter was his sister, so he had to do something about it.Sophie shed him a smile.¡°I¡¯m not a petty person, so I¡¯m not that easily offended, Mr. Quigley. Don¡¯t worry.¡±When Charles heard that, relief suffused him.¡°No matter what, I still need to toast you.¡±Sophie raised her wine ss and took a tiny sip.Throughout the entire meal, Tristan kept feeding Sophie.When they were almost done eating, he snagged two pieces of tissue for her.Sophie wiped her mouth before crumpling the tissues into a wad and tossing it into the trash can at the side.¡°Soph, where would you like to go as this is the first time we¡¯re spending Christmas Eve together? How about going to the karaoke bar?¡± Ysabelle proposed excitedly. It had been a long time since she visited a karaoke bar. Ever since her senior year, her family started getting strict with her. But today, it¡¯s probably fine since I¡¯m with Uncle Tristan!¡°You¡¯d like to go to a karaoke bar?¡± Sophie actually wasn¡¯t fond of such a ce, but she didn¡¯t mind going to have some fun if Ysabelle liked it.¡°Yeah! I haven¡¯t been to a karaoke bar since my senior year. I¡¯m craving to go and sing my heart out. It¡¯s good to release some tension.¡±¡°Are you that stressed? You seem pretty rxed to me every day.¡±Pouting, Ysabelle acted cute.¡°How am I rxed? You have no idea how high my parents¡¯ expectations of me are! They¡¯ll definitely force me to study another year if I fail to make it into Jipsdale University. I really don¡¯t want to do that. If possible, I want to go far away. Would I have it easier if I weren¡¯t the daughter of the Lombard family?¡±Everyone envies me for being the daughter of the Lombard family, having almost everything my heart wishes. But then, no one asked me about my choice. I, too, want to live freely!Sophie gazed at her in sympathy. Oh, poor thing!¡°Where are we going now? To Nocturnal for a drink?¡±In truth, they never celebrated Christmas Eve in the past.They were all surprised when Tristan suggested that they celebrate the festival together. But on second thought, that made sense since the man¡¯s girlfriend was a high schooler.After all, such a festival was a favorite celebration among high schoolers.¡°Let¡¯s go for a karaoke session!¡±At Sophie¡¯s suggestion, Ysabelle looked at her gratefully. Sure enough, she¡¯s my idol! She never lets me down!¡°A karaoke session? Mr. Tristan doesn¡¯t like it, so why don¡¯t we do something else?¡±Winter heard Sophie¡¯s proposal the moment she stepped in, and she couldn¡¯t help saying that.Everyone swung their gazes at Tristan, who had a hand draped over Sophie¡¯s chair.¡°It¡¯s okay. Since they want to go for a karaoke session, we¡¯ll all go together. You can pass if you don¡¯t want to go.¡± He was a very democratic person and would never force someone into anything.Felix and Charles exchanged a look. Sure enough, his principles are only for show when ites to Sophie!¡°Yay! That¡¯s great! I can finally go for a karaoke session! Let me tell you something, Soph. I love singing, and my dream was even to be a singer in the past!¡±Ysabelle really loved singing, but her father forbade her from entering the entertainment industry. Thus, she could only suppress her hobby.Seeing her sheer delight, Sophie felt that it was no big deal for her to put up with the noise despite positively loathing loud ces.¡°Actually, you don¡¯t need to amodate her so much,¡± Tristan whispered into her ear.She doesn¡¯t need to amodate anyone. All she needs to do is to do whatever she likes. I¡¯m here for everything else, so it¡¯s not a problem!¡°What if I say I want to hear you sing?¡± Considering his character, he probably never sang in front of others, right?At that, Tristan went silent for a long moment.Meanwhile, Winter sneered upon hearing that. She doesn¡¯t understand him at all. How could he possibly sing in front of others? Since he doesn¡¯t like such ces, he probably hasn¡¯t even been to a karaoke bar!¡°I¡¯d like to hear you sing as well, Mr. Tristan.¡± Felix imitated Ysabelle, acting coy.¡°Buzz off!¡± Tristan snapped.Sure enough, his reaction is entirely different. Is this the distinction between men and women?¡°Are you opposed to that idea?¡±Noticing Sophie¡¯s expression, Tristan shook his head adamantly. ¡°Of course not!¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Anything For Her Chapter 127 Anything For Her Chapter 127 Chapter 127 It Is Time You Give Up Ysabelle was so shocked that her jaw almost hit the ground. Uncle Tristan actually promised to sing for Sophie!Casting her mind back, she seemingly couldn¡¯t remember ever hearing Tristan sing.¡°Don¡¯t force yourself, Uncle Tristan.¡± She felt utterly petrified.Hearing that, Tristan swept a gaze over her. What does she mean by that? Am I not allowed to sing?¡°All right, in that case, I¡¯ll book a private room for us!¡± Felix volunteered himself for that task.He knew that Ysabelle had always loved to sing.Honestly, he was exceedingly supportive of that. No matter what she did, he would support her. s, her parents didn¡¯t think the same.¡°Winter, go home first if you don¡¯t want to go. Else, I can drive you home first before making a trip back,¡± Charles murmured thoughtfully. Why must she do this to herself? She¡¯s downright asking for it!¡°No, I¡¯ll go with you all! I don¡¯t want to be alone, Charles!¡± Winter was willing to go anywhere as long as she could stay a while longer with Tristan. Hence, she couldn¡¯t possibly bear to leave first.¡°In that case, let¡¯s go!¡±When they went out to foot the bill, Tristan handed his ck card to Sophie.Sophie was stunned for a moment as she stared at the card in her hand. What is he doing?¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this? I don¡¯t quite get it.¡± Could it be because my IQ had dropped recently?¡°Didn¡¯t you say that it¡¯s your treat tonight?¡± The meal today must have cost quite a huge sum, no?At once, Sophie¡¯s eyes went wide. Don¡¯t tell me I can¡¯t even afford to treat them to a meal in his eyes? It turns out that I¡¯m so pitiful to him, huh?Naturally, Winter noticed Tristan¡¯s action and couldn¡¯t help snickering.Hah! If she doesn¡¯t have the money, she shouldn¡¯t have boasted! All of us here can afford to pay for this meal!¡°How about I foot the bill instead?¡± She went over to the counter and whipped out her card.Immediately, Tristan frowned. What¡¯s the meaning of her doing this?Sophie walked over as well, taking out her card and handing it to the cashier directly.Seeing that, Winter grew impatient.¡°I¡¯m aware of the Tanner family¡¯s current situation, Ms. Tanner.¡± In other words, she was saying that Sophie couldn¡¯t afford to pay for that meal.¡°Winter!¡± Ysabelle couldn¡¯t bring herself to listen any further. Indeed, the Quigley family is one of the four prominent families. But still, she can¡¯t look down on others like this!However, Winter merely shrugged.¡°I don¡¯t mean anything. I merely hope that Ms. Tanner doesn¡¯t need to lower her standard of living because of us. That wouldn¡¯t be good. Am I notN?velDrama.Org owns ? this. right?¡±¡°How could you say that?¡± Ysabelle saw red. How could she say that about Sophie?¡°A person¡¯s value is created by herself. I don¡¯t want to rely on the Tanner family. I can obtain everything I want through my own efforts. I¡¯m different from you, Ms. Quigley.¡±Actually, she really didn¡¯t want to say that, but Winter forced her hand.¡°That¡¯s enough! I think you should go home first, Winter!¡± Charles interjected swiftly. She has really gone too far this time, so I can¡¯t help her either.¡°Charles, I didn¡¯t say anything, did I? I¡¯m just doing this for her good. Verily, there¡¯s no need for her to satisfy her vanity by passing off as something she¡¯s not.¡± Simply put, Winter looked down on the Tanner family.Displeasure deluged Tristan. No matter the reason, he didn¡¯t want to hear anyone putting Sophie down in that manner.¡°In your eyes, Winter, is the Lombard family not worthy of dining with you? And are you saying that my girlfriend can¡¯t even afford to treat you to a meal?¡±Never had Winter expected him to tear into her like that because of Sophie.¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything, Mr. Tristan.¡± Despite feeling aggrieved, she still apologized since she wanted to join them instead of going back alone.By then, the cashier was done collecting the payment and handed Sophie¡¯s card back to her.¡°Drive Winter home first, Charles. Since she doesn¡¯t like to be with us, she doesn¡¯t need to join us anymore in the future.¡± Ultimately, Tristan still sentenced Winter for her misdeed.¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Tristan.¡± Winter instantly apologized. No matter how dissatisfied she was, she didn¡¯t dare to challenge the man.¡°Send her back, Charles!¡± Tristan didn¡¯t want to waste any more time on her.In a trice, Winter¡¯s eyes turned red-rimmed. She was a strong career woman in the outside world, but before him, she was merely a weak woman who adored him.All her perseverance and facade were only for the sake of being with him.Helplessness swamped Charles. I have already told her not to provoke Sophie, but she just wouldn¡¯t listen!At the sight of Winter on the verge of tears, Ysabelle¡¯s heart softened. After all, they always hung out together in the past.¡°Let Winter tag along with us, Uncle Tristan! It¡¯ll be more fun with more people!¡± she implored on Winter¡¯s behalf.¡°Let¡¯s bring her along!¡± Sean seconded.Even with so many of them speaking up for Winter, Tristan still looked at Sophie. If she doesn¡¯t agree, no amount of pleading will work!Upon seeing that everyone was looking at her, Sophie shrugged nonchntly.¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± It didn¡¯t matter to her whether Winter went with them, for she was inconsequential in her eyes.¡°This is your only chance.¡± Tristan didn¡¯t even bother to spare Winter a single nce.¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Meanwhile, Charles was wholly speechless. Once a woman falls in love, she bes foolish no matter how intelligent and capable she is!Winter trailed behind the man quietly.¡°Charles, I¡ª¡±¡°Don¡¯t say anything. Remember my words¡ª do not provoke Sophie.¡± That is enough. As for the rest, I can¡¯t be bothered anymore.Winter¡¯s hands balled into fists.In the past, they only brought me along when they came out. I¡¯d always thought I was special to Tristan, but I never expected myself to be no one of significance to him. That little slut is really adept at bewitching others!Felix and Sean went ahead with Ysabelle, leaving only Tristan with Sophie in the end.¡°Mr. Tristan, you didn¡¯t have to do that because of me.¡±¡°It was necessary. No matter who it is, no one can pick on you.¡±Furthermore, it was just Winter. I¡¯m never bothered about her.When they went out, they saw Mason and Willow, who had been waiting outside.Sophie¡¯s brows knitted together. Truly, she didn¡¯t believe that it was a coincidence.So, what¡¯s her motive in doing everything possible to get him here?The instant Willow spotted Sophieing out with the man, glee filled her.With things havinge to this point, Mason will likely give up, yes? Witnessing Sophie with another man, Mason couldn¡¯t help eyeing Willow.Did she call me over just to have me watch this scene?At the look in his eyes, Willow inexorably defended herself. ¡°Mason, I had no idea that Sophie is here as well. How would I have such great capability to know that she¡¯s also here?¡±Tristan swept his gaze over the man across from them, but he said nothing.¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±Ysabelle and the others had all left. Is there any need for us to tarry here because of two insignificant people?¡°Okay.¡±He was rtively satisfied with her response.This is precisely what we should do! In the face of an inconsequential person, we should just ignore them.Watching as Sophie walked right past him, Mason felt utterly wretched.It wasn¡¯t until she had gotten into the car that he gathered his wits about him.Noticing that he wanted to leave, Willow promptly grabbed his hand.¡°It¡¯s time you give up, Mason! There¡¯s no longer a ce for you by her side.¡± Anything For Her Chapter 128 Anything For Her Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Green With Envy The moment Mason heard that, understanding dawned upon him. Is there no longer a ce for me?¡°That has nothing to do with you. Go back first.¡±¡°Go back with me, Mason! I beg you! Can we not be together happily?¡± Willow sounded exceedingly pathetic. Really, all I want is to be with him. Is that too much to ask?However, Mason didn¡¯t pay her words any heed. Instead, he got into his car.Unwilling to go home, Willow pulled open the car door and climbed into the car as well. Never would she allow him to go after Sophie alone.At that, Mason couldn¡¯t help jerking his head back and glowering at her.¡°What are you doing? Did you not hear me telling you to go back? Why are you following me? I¡¯ve already made things clear to you. There¡¯s no future between us!¡± He didn¡¯t leave any room for negotiation.When Willow heard that, the urge to cry seized her.¡°There are many of them, yet you want to follow them? What are you nning to do? I¡¯m worried about you.¡±¡°I don¡¯t need your concern.¡±No matter what Mason said, Willow refused to get out of the car, adamant that she wanted to go with him.In truth, she did not want Mason to be with Sophie alone. I¡¯ll never give them such a chance!As Tristan drove, he peered at the luxurious car tailing him through the rear view mirror.The corners of his mouth curved into a smirk. This man really doesn¡¯t give up.¡°Mr. Laird is following behind us.¡±He didn¡¯t make an arbitrary decision but asked Sophie for her opinion. After all, the man was following them because of her.Therefore, only she had the right to deal with it.Sophie nced at the rear view mirror. Sure enough, she caught sight of Mason¡¯s car. Her brows inexorably creased. What is he trying to do? Hadn¡¯t I made things clear? Could it be that he has aprehension problem?¡°Just ignore him. I have nothing to do with him.¡±The car drove straight to Ducat Karaoke Bar. As Tristan wasn¡¯t fond of visiting such ces in the past, no one knew him there.¡°How many persons, sir?¡±¡°Haven¡¯t Felix and the others arrived?¡±¡°Oh, you¡¯re with Mr. Northley! This way, please.¡±The employee led them to the private room where Felix and the others were.He pushed open the door and allowed Sophie to enter first. As soon as Ysabelle saw that Sophie had arrived, she immediately made space beside her.¡°Over here, Soph!¡±Sophie went over to Ysabelle and sat down beside her.¡°Why did it take you so long to arrive? Weren¡¯t you both right behind us? Spit it out. Where did you and my uncle go?¡±Hearing that, WinterN?velDrama.Org owns ? this. likewise perked up her ears to catch their answer.¡°Nowhere.¡±Truth be told, Sophie was puzzled herself. Tristan¡¯s driving skills were superb, but he drove exceptionally slow that day.Unbeknownst to them, the man did it on purpose. He simply wanted to spend more time with her.sses abounded on the table in the karaoke bar. Many of them were filled with wine.¡°Let¡¯s drink to our heart¡¯s content today!¡± Felix dered domineeringly. Everyone is happy today, so it doesn¡¯t matter even if we imbibe a bit more.Ysabelle wasn¡¯t interested in drinking. She went over to the screen and selected a few songs.Then, she asked Sophie, ¡°Is there any song you¡¯d like to sing, Soph? We can sing together.¡±However, Sophie shook her head in demurral. ¡°You go ahead. I¡¯ll just listen as you sing.¡±¡°No way, Soph! You¡¯ve got to sing when you¡¯re at the karaoke bar! Besides, I noticed that you were truly in sync with Mark back then. As such, your singing must be really melodious!¡±¡°Hear, hear! Sophie¡¯s voice is sweet in the first ce, so her singing must be music to the ears!¡± Felix couldn¡¯t help echoing. No matter what Ysabelle said, he agreed with it all.¡°I really am sorry, Mr. Tristan.¡± Holding a ss of wine in hand, Winter downed it in a single go before Tristan.Tristan picked up a ss of whiskey and took a sip without saying anything.Winter didn¡¯t dare speak further, so she could only shrink back and sit down beside Charles.¡°All right, don¡¯t harbor any more inappropriate thoughts. Mr. Tristan isn¡¯t someone you can dream about.¡±All Charles could do wasfort her. She isn¡¯t malicious in nature. She merely loves him too much.Nevertheless, Winter¡¯s gaze remained fixated on Tristan.He¡¯s too good to Sophie, meticulous to a fault. I¡¯ve never imagined that he would treat someone this tenderly.¡°Let¡¯s sing together, Soph!¡± Ysabelle handed the microphone to Sophie.Sophie took the microphone, but she ced it on the table in front of her.¡°You go ahead. I don¡¯t like to sing.¡±¡°Okay, then. In that case, I¡¯ll be singing! Just tell Felix if you need anything.¡±Ysabelle¡¯s singing was really incredible. Her voice was sweet, so it was perfect for her to sing such gentle love songs.She was exceedingly focused when she sang, rendering her very much attractive. Felix sat in the corner and gazed at her. She was all he saw.After finishing one song, Ysabelle continued singing another song. This time, it was an extremely popr Ustranasion song recently. Still, it suited her perfectly.Winter got up and went over to the screen. Selecting a song, she shifted it to the top.When Ysabelle was done singing, it would be that song of hers.She stood there leaning against the wall. From that angle, she could perceive all of Tristan¡¯s reactions.It was a song about a confession of love, of which the lyrics spoke of the girl¡¯s feelings and her love for the man. The astringent feeling from it would make one feel anguished.It was clear as day that she was directing that song to Tristan. Regretfully, she was the only one who felt touched after the entire song.In the meantime, Tristan had already sat down beside Sophie. The two of them merely sat there without exchanging a word. However, they looked incredibly harmonious.Sophie lifted her hand and picked up a ss of whiskey.Seeing that, Tristan promptly grabbed her hand. He brought it before him and drank the whiskey in her ss as he maneuvered her hand.¡°Drink at home if you want to drink. Don¡¯t drink in front of them.¡± He wasn¡¯t willing to allow Charles and the others to see her sloshed.Sophie arched a brow. Well, well, well¡­ He¡¯s really possessive.By then, Winter had finished singing. s, Tristan never once paid her any mind.She felt devastated, but she couldn¡¯t do anything about it.All she could do was sit in the corner as though she didn¡¯t exist.Just then, Tristan selected a song.It was an Ustranasion duet song. It wasn¡¯t a very popr song, but he really liked it a lot.Upon seeing that her uncle was truly going to sing, Ysabelle quickly handed him two microphones.¡°Here, Uncle Tristan.¡± She wore a docile expression and acted cute.Taking the two microphones, Tristan handed one of them to Sophie.Sophie quirked a brow.¡°Let¡¯s sing together.¡± His voice was remarkably deep, very much seductive as it drifted into her ears.In response, Sophie nodded in agreement. All right! Since he¡¯s willing to apany me here, singing a song with him is perfectly within reason.Charles, Sean, and Felix grew up with Tristan, but even they had never heard the man sing.Of course, Winter went green with envy.Argh! The difference is too vast. I sang to him, confessing my love, but he didn¡¯t even bother listening. On the contrary, Sophie gets duet with him! Anything For Her Chapter 129 Anything For Her Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Sing A Duet The song started ying. This Ustranasion song is lovely and I really like the prelude. I didn¡¯t expect Tristan to pick this song. I have heard it before and loved it the first time I heard it.The male part started first. When Tristan opened his mouth, the audience was shocked. His deep baritone voice reverberated through the air.Just his voice alone was enough to send shivers down their spine.The song was about the singer expressing his feelings for the girl he loved in every word of the lyrics. Tristan managed to express and sing it well with his handsome looks and deep timbre voice.When it was the female¡¯s turn, Sophie lifted the microphone to her lips. Staying on the beat, she started singing. Her voice was on the colder side, but it suited the song.Tristan subconsciously held Sophie¡¯s hand at the chorus. The gaze he gave her was so gentle.The audience was full of envy at the two acting sweet. Life is short. It isn¡¯t easy to meet someone you love.Even after the song had ended, Tristan still had his gaze fixed on Sophie.The room fell into silence briefly before Ysabelle¡¯s apuse broke it.¡°You¡¯re amazing, Uncle Tristan. I thought I was good at singing and was confident that I could be an excellent singer. Now that I have heard your singing, I¡¯m ashamed of my skillspared to yours. Soph, your voice is so good! It suits the Ustranasion song. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be popr if you make a debut. You¡¯ll be even more famous than Mark.¡±Sophie set down the microphone and returned to her seat without saying anything.Even though she used to be in a band with Mark, she didn¡¯t like living under the scrutiny of others. She preferred to keep a low profile.¡°Mr. Tristan, you sounded so good when you sang,¡± Winter couldn¡¯t help but praise. The man I love is good at everything. It doesn¡¯t matter what he does. Even his singing is better than the others.¡°That¡¯s not very good of you, Mr. Tristan. I never knew you could sing so well. Why don¡¯t you form a band with Sophie and debut? Your album will be a st.¡±¡°I¡¯m not interested in the entertainment industry. Moreover, why would someone like me enter the entertainment industry?¡±That¡¯s true. A man like Tristan is more suited to being a leader.¡°Soph, let¡¯s sing a song together. I want to sing with you too. I really like your voice. I think our voices match well together.¡±¡°I don¡¯t want to sing anymore.¡± Sophie reached for the ss of milk and took a sip. Her brows furrowed when she tasted milk on her tongue.Does Tristan take me as a child? He actually ordered milk for me even at a ceN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. like the karaoke bar.¡°Come on, Soph. Just one song together!¡± Ysabelle pleaded.Seeing how she acted cute, Sophie nodded.¡°Fine. You pick a song. I¡¯m fine with anything.¡±Getting her permission, Ysabelle hurriedly went over to pick a song. The song she chose was a duet that suited girls.Finally, Sophie stood on the stage and sang a duet with Ysabelle.Sophie might look independent, but she was surprisingly good when singing a duet with others.She wouldn¡¯t try to show off and merely harmonized with Ysabelle.Felix couldn¡¯t keep his hands to himself and pulled out his phone to record the scene of Sophie and Ysabelle singing.He took a short video.Singing is her dream. I hope I can help her.Once he was done recording, Felix lowered himself to his seat and drafted the description before uploading it to the trendiest video-sharing tform.His actions had unknowingly changed Ysabelle¡¯s life completely.When the song ended, Sophie got up and went to the restroom, feeling difort in her belly.Tristan was right behind her the minute she stepped out of the room.Sophie merely wanted to catch some air but saw Mason standing up ahead.She was not even the slightest bit curious about his reason for being there, so she decided to feign ignorance.Despite her obvious negligence, Mason still ran over to her when he spotted her.¡°Soph, I have something to tell you.¡±At his approach, Sophie instantly turned around to leave.¡°We used to be friends. Can¡¯t I even have a conversation with you anymore?¡± he pleaded. He only wanted to talk with her.Sophie finally stopped in her tracks and looked over her shoulder at Mason.¡°There¡¯s nothing more to say between us. I¡¯ve repeated the same thing so many times already. Don¡¯t you get annoyed by it? Whatever happens between you and Willow is just between the two of you. It has nothing to do with me. Can you just let me go?¡±Sophie had no interest in getting involved in a love triangle.Mason grabbed her wrist and said, ¡°I already broke up with Willow. I left Jipsdale five years ago because I was shocked when I found out about that incident. You knew that. Nothing is going on between her and me anymore. It was all her wishful thinking.¡±Willow was trailing after Mason the whole time. His cruel words pierced her heart.She rushed out from her hiding ce and grasped Sophie¡¯s wrist. ¡°Sophie, how could you be so shameless? You even stooped so low as to hit on my boyfriend? Do you even believe him? I¡¯m about to get engaged to him. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s funny when he said nothing is happening between us? Sophie, you¡¯ve never liked Mason. Am I right? Especially now. I know you won¡¯t give him another chance. If that¡¯s the case, why are you not telling him?¡± Willow shouted.Willow was all frustrated when she found out that her love for Mason meant nothing to him.Sophie got very annoyed. I already knew a love triangle is messy, and it¡¯s just as I expected.¡°Sophie, she¡¯s lying. There¡¯s no engagement. I won¡¯t be engaged to her. My mom was the one who arranged everything. I¡¯m not going to listen to her this time. You have to trust me.¡±His words sent Willow into a state of panic. She grabbed onto Mason frantically.¡°Mason, can¡¯t you give me a chance? I love you so much. I¡¯m already putting myself down for you. I can do anything to be with you. Why do you treat me this way?¡±Why can¡¯t Ipare to Sophie no matter what I do?¡°Willow, you can¡¯t force someone¡¯s feelings. Even if you love me, what¡¯s the point of that? I only have her in my heart.¡±¡°Sophie, is this your revenge? You don¡¯t even like him. Why not just tell him straight? What do you want?¡± Willow didn¡¯t dare to me Mason, so she turned to Sophie instead.¡°Is your brain working? What did I even do? Why do I care about what¡¯s happening between the two of you?¡±Tristan went to Sophie¡¯s side and pulled her into his embrace.¡°She¡¯s right. What¡¯s between the two of you has nothing to do with her. She¡¯s mine.¡± Anything For Her Chapter 130 Anything For Her Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Kneel In Repentance Mason was gripped with envy after seeing how Tristan wrapped Sophie in his arms.¡°Soph, don¡¯t make a hasty decision just because you hate me.¡±Sophie let Tristan¡¯s arms circle her waist and sneer at Mason.¡°Mason, you¡¯re so full of yourself.¡± Refusing to continue the conversation further, Sophie turned on her heel and tugged Tristan with her to leave.This is the first time she¡¯s holding my hand.Tristan stared at the hands sped together for a while before he covered her small hand with his.Mason was furious at their departure. I finally worked up the courage to owe up to my mistake from five years ago. Why wouldn¡¯t she forgive me?¡°Sophie, what can I do to get you to forgive me?¡±All he wanted was a chance.Sophie¡¯s steps didn¡¯t falter. She didn¡¯t like anyone or anything clinging to her. Since the situation was already like that, words were meaningless at that point.Cheat on me once, and I¡¯m never taking you back. That¡¯s my principle, and nothing can change that. Hence, Mason¡¯s words mean nothing to me.Seeing her leaving with another man without the slightest hesitation, Mason fell to his knees with a loud thud.Willow stared at Mason with disbelief. How can he do this? Is he still the proud Mason? Why is he acting like this whenever Sophie is around?¡°Get up, Mason! What are you doing? Are you still a man? How could you kneel at her?¡±Tristan looked over his shoulder and saw his rival kneeling on the floor.He really likes Sophie. Well, due to his past betrayal, he doesn¡¯t deserve any sympathy no matter what he does now or how much he likes her.Sophie turned her head and saw Mason kneeling on the ground. The expression on her face looked colder at the unseemly sight.¡°Is this necessary, Mason?¡± Well, I¡¯m not going to stop him since he wants to do it. Honestly, I don¡¯t care what he does.¡°Soph, I was wrong. I should¡¯ve trusted you. I shouldn¡¯t have left you. I regret it now. Do you know I would dream of you every night for the past five years? You have always been on my mind. I can¡¯t forget you. Can you please give me another chance? We can leave this city and start a new life somewhere else. Would you like that? I don¡¯t mind doing anything as long as I¡¯m with you.¡±¡°Sorry, you might want that but not me. Why would I leave this city? The one in the wrong was never me in the first ce.¡± Sophie turned to Tristan. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back to the room anymore. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±Tristan removed his coat and slid it over her shoulder as he led her to the exit.He said I could goText content ? N?velDrama.Org. wherever I wanted. However, no one can force me to do anything I don¡¯t want to.Mason was still on his knee even after Tristan and Sophie had left.Willow went over to help him up, but no matter how hard she pulled, he refused to stand.¡°Mason, let me send you back.¡± Willow pleaded, ¡°Please don¡¯t do this. Sophie doesn¡¯t want you, but you still have me. I always have my eyes on you. Can¡¯t we just be together?¡±¡°I¡¯ve wronged her. I refused to listen to her exnation and just took off when she needed me the most. What do you even see in someone like me?¡±Mason got up to his feet and left the karaoke bar looking absent-minded.He wasn¡¯t paying attention when he crossed the road, and a car crashed into him.Willow had been right behind him all the while. When she saw the car hit him, she raced over to his side.Her hands were covered with blood when she touched him.¡°Don¡¯t scare me, Mason! Mason, what¡¯s wrong? Are you okay?¡± Willow almost cried her eyes out.However, Mason merely mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sophie.¡±Tristan drove to Breakwater Port. The ce was deserted, except for the two of them.Silence hung heavy in the car.I have no idea what Mason means to her, but does he really mean nothing to her?Tristan was annoyed at the long silence.¡°Am I too heartless?¡± Sophie asked.Tristan reached for her hand tofort her. His heart ached for everything she had to face in the past.If I had met her earlier, then she wouldn¡¯t have had to face everything alone. She was probably only thirteen to fourteen years old at that time.¡°No. I agree with every decision you make no matter what you do.¡± None of those who have hurt her can ask for her forgiveness.Sophie nodded.¡°I think so too.¡±¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± It¡¯s gettingte, and she still has things to do tomorrow.Sophie nodded.Tristan pulled up in front of the Wisteria Apartments. When Sophie got out of the car, Tristan followed suit.¡°You can go back.¡± It¡¯s already sote. He should go back and rest.After taking out an exquisite box from the trunk, Tristan walked over to her.¡°Merry Christmas!¡±Sophie took the box from his hand and looked up at him.¡°Thank you, but I didn¡¯t prepare any gifts for you.¡±¡°It¡¯s fine. Meeting you is the best present.¡±That was how Tristan truly felt.Sophie¡¯s ears warmed at the sweet wordsing out of his mouth.¡°I¡¯ll head up then.¡±I have always thought I¡¯m strong enough now, but I can¡¯t believe I have a soft side in front of him.After watching the elevator door close, Tristan whirled around and left.Sophie¡¯s phone started ringing the minute she got back to her room.¡°Soph, where are you?¡± The call was from Josiah. It¡¯s already sote into the night. I¡¯m shocked that he¡¯s still up.¡°What¡¯s wrong, Grandpa? It¡¯s already thiste. Why aren¡¯t you asleep?¡± She could hear something serious had happened from his tone.¡°Mason met with a car ident.¡± Josiah did like Mason in the past, but he preferred Tanny now.Even though she felt nothing for Mason, Sophie didn¡¯t know how to react to that piece of news.¡°It¡¯ste, Grandpa. Rest well. This matter has nothing to do with you, so ignore it.¡±After all, Sophie couldn¡¯t just pretend nothing had happened after hearing about the boy she was once fond of getting into an ident.Meanwhile, Mason was still in the ICU at the hospital. Willow¡¯s whole body was shaking like a leaf as she sat on the bench alone.Constance arrived at the hospital after getting a call. She spotted Willow sitting on the bench all covered in blood.She raced over to Willow and pulled her up.¡°Willow, what happened? Didn¡¯t I ask you to take good care of Mason? How did things turn out like this?¡±¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Laird. I didn¡¯t know this would happen. I should¡¯ve stopped Mason. I shouldn¡¯t let him meet with Sophie, or he wouldn¡¯t end up like this. I¡¯m really sorry. I really didn¡¯t know what to do. If Mason is gone, I won¡¯t let him go alone.¡± Anything For Her Chapter 131 Anything For Her Chapter 131 Chapter 131 She Will Not Go Back To Her Ex ¡°Why does it alwayse back to Sophie?¡± Constance was so angry that she was trembling.Yale and Charmaine showed up at that moment.They both jumped in fear when they saw the blood on Willow.¡°Willow, are you okay? Are you hurt?¡± asked Charmaine in a concerned tone. When Willow replied by shaking her head, Charmaine asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Mason? What¡¯s the situation now?¡±¡°I don¡¯t know. I honestly have no idea what is going on. Mason went to look for Sophie, and I couldn¡¯t stop him, even though I tried. I don¡¯t know what Sophie told him, but he acted as though he had gone insane.¡±¡°Sophie¡­ ugh, why is she always making a mess? Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Laird. I will not let Sophie get away with this if anything were to happen to Mason,¡± growled Yale. If he could, he would strangle Sophie then and there.¡°Do you really think I will let Sophie go now that things have progressed to this extent?¡±What does he mean by ¡°if¡±? Mason has been sent to the hospital! Something has already happened!The surgery took hours, and the sun had already risen by the time it was over.When the doctor exited the operating theatre, Constance went to him right away and asked, ¡°How is my son?¡±Willow was staring nervously at the doctor as well.¡°The surgery was a sess, but we don¡¯t know if there will be anyplications yet. We¡¯ll have to further observe his condition. His legs are severely injured, though, so he might have trouble walking in the future,¡± replied the doctor. He had already done everything he could, and all that was left was for the patient to fight for himself.¡°What? He might have trouble walking¡­ Oh no, Doctor, please. You have to save him. He is my only son, and I can¡¯t let anything bad happen to him.¡± Constance could not ept the news of her son being crippled. Mason had always been her pride and joy, so she would not let anything bad happen to him. ¡°Please, you have to help him. I will pay you however much you want.¡±¡°We¡¯ve done everything we can. He will have to work hard during rehab. Only then can we determine how things will turn out.¡±At that stage, no one could guarantee what would happen in the end.It was already two in the afternoon when Mason woke up.Constance, Willow, Yale, and Charmaine had been staying guard beside him the entire time.They didn¡¯t sigh a breath of relief until they saw him waking up.¡°Mason, how do you feel? Does it hurt anywhere? I¡¯ll go get the doctor for you right away,¡± said Willow in a worried tone.Mason didn¡¯tContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. reply. He looked as though he was at peace.¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mason? Are you hurt? Talk to me,¡± requested Constance who was teary-eyed at that moment.¡°Just leave. I want to be alone.¡±Mason wasn¡¯t in the mood to listen to what others had to say. The only person he wanted to see was Sophie, but there was no way she¡¯d show up.Charmaine could tell that Constance was on the verge of losing her temper, so she quickly dragged her away. ¡°Mrs. Laird, let¡¯s leave for now. Mason needs to rest.¡±Yale shot a look at Mason.The former kept thinking about what the doctor said earlier. Does that mean Mason won¡¯t be able to walk properly in the future? If that is the case, what will happen to Willow?That night, Willow returned to school. When she saw Sophie acting as though nothing had happened, her fury overwhelmed her.Willow ran to Sophie. She no longer feared anything anymore.¡°Sophie Tanner, you jinx. You¡¯re the reason Mason is lying in the hospital bed right now. He might never be able to walk again! People like you should be dead. You should¡¯ve died in Horington and nevere back,¡± roared Willow. Her emotions were running wildly at that time.She didn¡¯t know if she would still want to marry him if he became a cripple.Sophie shot a look at Willow.¡°What does his injury have to do with me? What do you mean when you say I¡¯m the reason this is happening? It¡¯s not as though I am the driver who hit him,¡± replied Sophie before she mercilessly dissed. ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t you say that you love him no matter what? Isn¡¯t this perfect for you? You can prove your love to him now.¡±¡°You¡­¡± growled Willow. She was infuriated. ¡°What are you so happy about? Do you really think the Laird family will let you get away with this now that he is hurt?¡±The Laird family of Jipsdale was ridiculously powerful, both in terms of economic prowess and political influence. They were much more powerful than the Tanner family.¡°They don¡¯t have what it takes to make me pay.¡±¡°You¡­¡± growled Willow. She didn¡¯t expect Sophie to be that arrogant.Sophie was too busy to deal with Willow, so she turned around to leave right away. How she swirl her hair, the way she moved¡­. everything about her was cool.¡°Mr. Mason of the Laird family got into a car ident yesterday, Mr. Tristan.¡±Felix came rushing as soon as he heard the news.¡°Okay,¡± replied Tristan. What does that have to do with me, though? Countless people get into idents every day.¡°Do you think Soph will feel bad for him?¡± asked Felix. Women are always self-sacrificing and tend to be too nice.¡°What are you saying?¡±¡°Nothing! It¡¯s just¡­ Mr. Mason has always liked Soph. Do you think they¡¯d end up¡­?¡±¡°No,¡± replied Tristan. He was quick to interrupt Felix.¡°You¡¯re that confident, huh?¡± said Felix. It was obvious he didn¡¯t think that anyone could be certain of anything when it came to love.¡°I trust Sophie, and there is no way she¡¯d get back to her ex.¡±Tristan believed that whatever happened between Sophie and Mason was in the past, and they couldn¡¯t go back anymore.¡°Okay, if you say so,¡± replied Felix. I envy Mr. Tristan so much. He is always so certain and confident. I wish I can be that confident, even when things between Ysabelle and me are still uncertain.Mason¡¯s mood had been unstable over the next few days. When he realized that he couldn¡¯t move his legs, he became terrified.At first, Constance assumed that the doctor was just a pessimist. She was certain that her son¡¯s legs would recover.As time passed, however, she realized just how grave the situation was.She was also heartbroken to see how devastated Mason was about his injuries.¡°Don¡¯t give up, Mason. We¡¯ll go overseas and hire the best doctor there is for you. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll recover by then,¡± cooed Constance.Truth was, she didn¡¯t even want to imagine how bleak his future would be if he became a cripple.¡°Mom, I want to talk to Sophie.¡±When Mason finally calmed down, he made one request.Constance turned pale immediately, and she looked so angry that it was as though her face had distorted.¡°You won¡¯t be in this state if it weren¡¯t for her! Mason, why do you remain stubborn despite the situation? Sophie is nothing but a jinx, and I will never let her get close to you ever again!¡± roared Constance. If she could, she would kill Sophie right then and there. None of this would¡¯ve happened if Sophie never returned from Horington.¡°Mom, I have never asked for anything from you in the past. I¡¯m begging you for once. Please help me.¡±Constance had no choice but to back down when Mason said it that way.¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go and get her.¡±That woman has never shown up even though it has been a while since Mason was in the hospital. Geez, she might be young, but her heartlessness knows no bounds.Constance waited right outside Jipsdale Premier High for Sophie. She had to wait until the ss was over before she saw Sophie.¡°Go grab her for me. Do whatever is necessary if she refuses toe willingly,¡± ordered Constance. She didn¡¯t care how it happened. All she cared about was getting what she wanted.¡°Understood.¡± Two bodyguards made their way to Sophie and blocked her path.Ysabelle stepped forward as soon as she saw those two burly bodyguards. She sounded as though she had her guard up when she asked, ¡°Who are you two? What do you want?¡±¡°Ms. Tanner, pleasee with us.¡± Anything For Her Chapter 132 Anything For Her Chapter 132 Chapter 132 DisobedienceSophie didn¡¯t want to get into a fight because she was right outside her school.¡°It¡¯s fine, Ysabelle. Go have lunch without me. I¡¯ll catch up with youter.¡±¡°No, Soph. I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± There was no way Ysabelle would let Sophie go alone when neither of them knew who those men were.¡°Our employer wishes to talk to Ms. Tanner.¡±Ysabelle rolled up her sleeves and seemed ready to get into an argument.¡°Who the hell do you think you are? Why should we go to your employer just because she wants to talk to Sophie? We¡¯re not going! What are you gonna do about it, huh?¡± replied Ysabelle angrily. She stood in front of Sophie and shielded thetter like a mother hen.¡°Our employer is waiting for you, Ms. Tanner.¡±¡°Ysabelle, go wait for me at the restaurant. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡±¡°Soph, I don¡¯t know who their employer is. However, if she is someone who is capable of sending two bodyguards to ry a message, this is definitely not a simple matter; so I can¡¯t let you go with them.¡±Sophie was Ysabelle¡¯s BFF, so thetter refused to let anything bad happen to the former.Sophie was really touched and genuinely appreciated how sweet and protective Ysabelle was.Hence, she stroked Ysabelle¡¯s head so much that she messed up her hair.¡°Awh, Ysabelle, you are too cute, and that level of sweetness should be illegal. Just go on without me. I promise that no one can hurt me, okay?¡± said Sophie. She was no longer the helpless girl she used to be.Ysabelle panicked when she saw Sophie following the men and left, so she called Tristan right away.It only took a few seconds for the line to be connected, but Ysabelle felt as though an eternity had passed. What is up with Uncle Tristan? Why hasn¡¯t he picked up his phone? It¡¯s been ringing forever. Ugh, he is so annoying.The second Tristan answered the call, Ysabelleined, ¡°Uncle Tristan, why did it take you so long to pick up your phone? Someone came for Sophie and took her away. I don¡¯t know who they are, and I¡¯m very worried now. What do we do?¡±¡°What are the men like?¡± asked Tristan. He frowned the instant he heard what Ysabelle said. Which bloody idiot is it? How dare theye after the woman I love?¡°I don¡¯t know. I won¡¯t be panicking if I actually know who the culprit is. Are you busy now? Can you drop by and look into the matter?¡±¡°Okay, I¡¯ll head over right away.¡±Tristan was supposed to have lunch with a business partner that day, but Ysabelle¡¯s words made him lost his appetite.¡°Mr. Tristan, I thought we are going to have lunch together. Where are you going?¡±The one who spoke was the daughter of hisN?velDrama.Org owns ? this. business partner. Her name was Nancy Longbottom. She fell for Tristan at first sight, and he was all she could think about, so she made her way to the office after learning that her dad would have lunch with Tristan.¡°I¡¯m so sorry, but please tell your father that I have to deal with an emergency right now and won¡¯t be able to have lunch with him. Let¡¯s do that some other time.¡±As far as Tristan was concerned, nothing on Earth was more important than Sophie.It was true that he knew just how skilled Sophie was as a fighter, and he realized that only a handful of people could actually hurt her. However, hearing news like that still worried him. It simply hit too close to home.Nancy stood up and stopped him.¡°Mr. Tristan, the dishes are about to be served, and my dad left to make a phone call. It¡¯s not appropriate for you to leave right now.¡±She came all the way just to have lunch with him, but they ended up spending less than two minutes together. They didn¡¯t even get to talk before he excused himself, so it was understandable that she was disappointed.¡°Sorry about that. I will treat your father to another meal to make up for this, but I really have to go now.¡±Tristan was already being ridiculously courteous by saying as much as he did. Even Nancy¡¯s father couldn¡¯t do anything to stop Tristan from leaving.Nancy had more to say, but the secretary grabbed her wrist.¡°That¡¯s enough. Stop talking. It¡¯s not like you are unaware of what Mr. Tristan¡¯s temper is like. We had to beg to have the opportunity to coborate with hispany, so you cannot offend Mr. Tristan. If you do, your father will never forgive you.¡±Hundreds of people in Chanaea would kill to work with Tristan, so the secretary couldn¡¯t risk letting her ruin the business deal.Nancy was upset.¡°How can someone be so ridiculously good- looking?¡± murmured Nancy as her eyes glowed with admiration and lust. She was in love with his looks.The secretary was speechless.Yep, she is definitely an immature woman who knows nothing. I can¡¯t believe she judges someone based only on their looks. Mr. Tristan is so much more than that. His reputation alone is worth a fortune.Sophie made her way to the luxurious car that the bodyguards led her to. They opened the door, and she hopped right in.She wasn¡¯t surprised to see Constance sitting in there.Thetter had always favored Willow, even before any of the drama had unfolded. Hence, Constance had been mean to Sophie since the beginning.¡°Mason wants to talk to you, so go to him,¡± said Constance. Even at a time like that, she showed no humility and was bossing Sophie around.She was used to being at the top, so she never learned the proper way to ask for help. She didn¡¯t think she needed to do so either.¡°Why should I go to him? There is nothing between him and me, so there is no need for me to go to him.¡±Constance fumed when she heard those words. What the hell does that mean? How does she not have anything to do with this?¡°Sophie Tanner, do you not know how grave the situation is now? I am only here to tell you that Mason wishes to talk to you. You don¡¯t get to choose whether you want to go to him,¡± replied Constance. Everyone had only ever tried to butter her up, so she was as arrogant as she could be.Sophie couldn¡¯t resist chuckling.¡°That is so funny. I have no obligation to visit him, so what makes you think I have no choice? As far as I am concerned, no one can force me to do what I don¡¯t want to do.¡±Why should I go to Mason now? I¡¯ve already made things clear, haven¡¯t I?¡°Don¡¯t push your luck, Sophie. You¡¯re the reason Mason is in the hospital now, so how can you say that there is no need for you to go to him? Do you realize how bad the situation is now? He might have trouble walking in the future! Given his condition, how can you say that you are innocent of all crimes? How shameless can you get?¡±Mason wouldn¡¯t have been hurt if it weren¡¯t for her, so she is the culprit. I can¡¯t believe she said she¡¯s innocent.¡°Not my problem.¡±Sophie¡¯s patience was running low, and she didn¡¯t want to waste her time anymore.Constance had the driver lock the doors when she noticed that Sophie was trying to leave.¡°I¡¯ve made things clear. Mason wants to talk to you, and you have to go to him.¡±Constance had the driver start driving right away.Sophie sneered.¡°What is the meaning of this, Mrs. Laird?¡± By then, the car had already left the school.Constance ignored Sophie entirely.At the end of the day, the former still favored Willow, who had always been obedient and did what was told. Sophie had always been opinionated and rarely listened to what others said. Constance hated people like that because she couldn¡¯t control them.¡°Stop the car!¡± ordered Sophie as she turned her attention to the driver.Unfortunately, the driver refused to listen to her and kept driving.Mrs. Laird was the one who hired him, so he would only obey her instruction.¡°Shut up.¡± Mrs. Laird¡¯s temper had been terribletely. Anyone would be upset to see their son injured in such a terrible ident, so it was understandable that Constance found Sophie¡¯s voice irritating.Sophie, however, was not having any of it. She was truly exasperated that day.¡°I guess I have no choice but to do things my way,¡± said Sophie. Well, if she¡¯s too barbaric to behave, then I won¡¯t waste my breath talking to her either. Anything For Her Chapter 133 Anything For Her Chapter 133 Chapter 133 We Need Your Talent ¡°What are you doing, Sophie? Are you incapable of behaving just a little? All I ask is that you go talk to Mason. Didn¡¯t you use to love him? Why are you not willing to visit him now that he has been in an ident?¡±¡°I have always hated it when others force my hands. I will never ept that.¡±If Constance had asked nicely, Sophie might have considered visiting Mason. However, the former decided to be barbaric, so thetter wouldn¡¯t bother being nice either.It only took an instant. Sophie moved from the back seat to the front seat and grabbed the steering wheel.The driver was so surprised that his jaw almost dropped. This woman is too agile. How did she move so quickly from the backseat?¡°Calm down, youngdy. It¡¯s too dangerous for us to fight for control of the steering wheel,¡± said the driver whose voice had trembled.¡°I gave you a chance and told you to stop the car, but you refuse to listen to me, so I have to resort to doing things my way.¡±Constance didn¡¯t expect Sophie to do something like that either.Thetter moved so quickly before anyone could react.¡°Stop the car, you lunatic.¡± Both Constance and the driver were so angry that they were shaking.The car stopped short, and Sophie opened the door before hopping right out.¡°Don¡¯t bothering for me again. I will not go to him.¡±She didn¡¯t like any member of the Laird family.After mming the door mercilessly, she walked on the sidewalk. That was when her phone rang.¡°Where are you now?¡± asked Tristan. His low and masculine voice came from the other end of the line.¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did Ysabelle call you? I¡¯m okay,¡± replied Sophie. Ysabelle must¡¯ve been scared mindless after witnessing something like that.¡°Just tell me where you are now.¡±Sophie sent her GPS location to him, then sat on a bench to wait for Tristan.He showed up three minutester in his car.All he saw was her sitting quietly on the bench. She was still wearing her uniform and was ying a game on her phone while having her earphones on.When he saw her sitting safely there, his thumping heart finally settled down. Everything was right with the world again.He slowly made his way to her and sat beside her.Sophie tilted her head up to look at him when she sensed his presence.¡°Don¡¯t you have to work today? I can handle minor issues like these, so there really is no need for you toe here for me.¡±Tristan pulled her and made her rest her head on his shoulder.¡°There is no such thing as a minor issue when the matter involves you. Thedy of the Laird family is famous for being cruel, so I was worried.¡±Sophie was speechless.She didn¡¯t think she would live to see the day she heard the merciless Mr. Tristan describing someone else as cruel¡­A man in a jacket was with a youngdy, who was still wearing her school uniform.Anyone who saw the two of them sitting together and being close like that would misread the situation.Sophie truly was tired, so she closed her eyes as she rested on his shoulder.The soothing music drifted into her ears. She would lose control of her emotions when she was annoyed, so she needed to listen to some music to calm her nerves.The two of them ended up staying there for about thirty minutes until Sophie was hungry and opened her eyes.¡°I haven¡¯t eaten yet, so as a thank you, I will treat you to a meal,¡± offered Sophie as she sat up.Just then, her phone rang once more.She picked the call up as soon as she read the caller ID.¡°Sophie, it¡¯s me. I¡¯m back,¡± said Arius. His voice was rxed but seemed to be brimming with sincerity as well.¡°Where are you now?¡± Sophie had been waiting for Arius to get in touch with her ever since they exchanged contact details. She was surprised to learn that he was back so soon, though.¡°I¡¯m at Cloud Nine Hotel. Come over now. I haven¡¯t had my lunch yet.¡±Arius never told her when he¡¯d be back because he wanted to surprise her.¡°Okay, I¡¯ll head over right away.¡± The matter regarding her grandfather bothered her, so Sophie needed to deal with it as soon as possible.¡°Great.¡±Arius took off his shirt, and his eight packs revealed themselves. He went into the showers because he wanted to see her at his best.After Sophie hung up the call, she realized that Tristan was still waiting for her. She had just invited him to a meal, but it seemed that was no longer possible.¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tristan, but I have something important to deal with, so I can¡¯t have lunch with you today.¡±¡°Are you meeting someone? Can I tag along?¡±He overheard bits and pieces of the conversation, so he knew that a guy asked Sophie to have lunch together.Sophie seemed troubled when she looked at him. In the end, she shook her head.¡°My friend is a little weird and doesn¡¯t like meeting strangers.¡±Tristan didn¡¯t reply to that.Oh, so that so-called friend is more important than me, huh?Tristan felt as though his heart was gripped instantly.He had always assumed that she saw him as something more, so he never thought that someone else could be more important to her.Who the hell is this mysterious man?¡°I have to go now, Tristan. Bye,¡± said Sophie as she hailed a cab and left.Tristan felt¡­. strange.He got into his car and sat behind the steering wheel, but he never started the engine.He wanted to tail her cab, but he didn¡¯t doText content ? N?velDrama.Org. anything in the end.Sophie made her way right to Arius¡¯ room because he gave her the room number.He answered the door as soon as he heard her knocking.¡°That was fast. It¡¯s been a while since west met, so tell me. Did you miss me?¡±Sophie sat on the couch and looked right into his eyes before shaking her head.¡°Not at all.¡±¡°Oof, you are so heartless. I knew it. Women like you are really mean.¡±Arius sat down beside her.¡°How is your grandpa?¡± asked Arius. He hadn¡¯t forgotten what his main mission for meeting her was.¡°He¡¯s stable now, but he refused to stay in the hospital and has gone home.¡±¡°I see¡­ Well, I can¡¯t exactly go to your ce to examine him,¡± replied Arius. Even if he could magically be the best doctor in the world, he¡¯d still need his patient to cooperate. At that moment, it was crucial that Josiah had a full body check-up.¡°Tomorrow. I¡¯ll make him to go the hospital tomorrow and do a check-up. You can examine him then.¡±Sophie didn¡¯t want to waste any time since Arius was rarely in the country.¡°Okay, I will free up the entire day tomorrow. Call me after you take him to the hospital.¡±¡°No problem.¡±¡°It¡¯s been over a year since west met. Do you really have nothing to say to me?¡± flirted Arius. He couldn¡¯t help teasing her a little.Sophie tossed him a look.¡°What is there to say? Okay, let¡¯s not talk anymore. Let¡¯s go and eat.¡±He was finally back in Jipsdale, so Sophie thought it was only normal that he¡¯d want to enjoy the local cuisine.Arius suddenly inched closer to her.¡°Sophie, I¡­¡±Sophie remained unmoved even as that unearthly handsome face suddenly closed in on hers. What does he want now?¡°Have you thought about what I offered? Will youe with me this time?¡± She is too gifted, and I am sure she will be a legend in the medical association.¡°This again?¡±ined Sophie as she gestured for him to stop. ¡°Does the medical association really need that much manpower?¡±¡°Oh, we have plenty of manpower. In fact, we receive countless applications every year. What weck is a talent like yours.¡± Anything For Her Chapter 134 Anything For Her Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Going To A Hotel With Another Man Arius and Sophie went to the most popr barbecue restaurant in Jipsdale.Arius had missed everything about Jipsdale since he had been away for quite a long period of time.The barbecue shop was extremely famous. It was frequently visited by the rich and famous.If it was not for a contact of Arius, he would not be able to get a private room to dine in.While he was reading the menu, Sophie was ying games on her phone nonchntly.¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for ages. Is that the right attitude for weing me home? By ignoring mepletely?¡± he grumbled. Even when we were far apart, I have always been missing her in Anndur. Look at her! I bet she has totally forgotten about my existence. How heartless!¡°What do you mean? Am I not having a meal with you the moment I know that you¡¯re back? Do you know how many people in Jipsdale could only dream about having this honor?¡± Sophie disagreed.Instinctively, Arius twitched the corner of his lip and snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that I don¡¯t know the only reason you¡¯re being nice to me is because Old Mr. Tanner is unwell.¡± He came back from abroad several times and went all the way to Horington to see her, but she gave him the cold shoulder.¡°Is everything okay with you, Sophie?¡± No matter what happened between them, he was most worried about her health.¡°Absolutely! I couldn¡¯t be any better. Can¡¯t you tell? The world still needs to tolerate a troublemaker like me for at least a thousand years,¡± she replied casually.¡°Sophie, I disliked the way you described yourself. How could you say that you¡¯re a troublemaker? You¡¯re the rare gem of Chanaea, do you know that? There¡¯s hardly a handful of people like you in this world!¡±A few foreign universities had been inquiring about her and contacted her multiple times, but Sophie remained unfazed.Momentster, the waiter served the dishes. Sophie had only a few mouthfuls before focusing on her phone again. Ysabelle sent her a couple of voice messages, and she switched them all to texts for convenience¡¯s sake.¡°I see that you don¡¯t have a good appetite. Why don¡¯t youe over to the hospital tomorrow and get yourself a thorough check-up?¡± Arius stared at her with concern.During those years she spent in Horington, she had acquired many skills and attained a lot of things. At the same time, her health was alsopromised.¡°I¡¯m fine, so I don¡¯t need a check-up. I know my condition very well.¡± The priority now is Grandpa. Everything else doesn¡¯t really matter.Arius looked at herText content ? N?velDrama.Org. disapprovingly.¡°Why don¡¯t you listen to me, Sophie? I know you¡¯re in the pink of health, but your appetite is bad. Isn¡¯t this a recurring issue?¡± He did note back often. This time, he was not nning on giving up persuading her.Sophie furrowed her brows and repeated, ¡°I said I¡¯m fine.¡±I can single-handedly defeat more than ten mercenaries at any one time. What problem can my body have?¡°Listen to me, won¡¯t you? Or else, don¡¯t me me for taking you home forcefully.¡± Arius regretted his decision to bring her to the training camp back then.¡°Dream on! Do you think that I will follow you home so easily? No one can make me do anything I refuse to do,¡± she dered confidently.Well, well, well¡­ What should I do with you, Sophie?¡°I know there¡¯s no way I can change your mind. Anyhow, that¡¯s your body. You ought to love yourself more.¡± I can¡¯t imagine what would happen to her next if she continues to live like this.¡°All right, I got it. I know that you care. Come on, dig in! Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯ve missed this barbecue terribly?¡±Arius knew that she would turn a deaf ear to him. As such, he could only let her be.Is there no one else on earth who could control this youngdy?He truly hoped that there was someone else whom she feared, even if it involved another man.After the meal, Sophie walked Arius back to Cloud Nine Hotel where she ran into Winter.Seeing that Sophie was entering the hotel with another man, Winter smiled scornfully.She is going into the hotel with a man when the sun is still out? What a slut!The twodies¡¯ met each other¡¯s eyes. Sophie chuckled when she saw the expression on Winter¡¯s face.Why does this woman keep showing up everywhere?Arius saw Winter too. Why does she keep staring at Sophie like that?¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Arius was dying to find out about the woman¡¯s identity because she kept scrutinizing them.¡°A nobody.¡± Sophie could not be bothered.¡°Really? From the way she looks at you, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s someone irrelevant. Perhaps¡­ your love enemy?¡±Darn it, Arius! ¡±Love enemy? Are you kidding me? She doesn¡¯t stand a chance to be one.¡± Although Winter kept showing up in front of her, Sophie had never taken her seriously.¡°Let¡¯s go. Aren¡¯t you tired after a long ne ride? Why are you so interested in thatdy? Are you infatuated with her? Shall I introduce her to you then?¡± Sophie seldom showed her cheeky and chatty side, unless she was with a close friend.¡°What makes you think that she¡¯s up to my standards?¡± Arius withdrew his gaze from Winter.When thetter saw Sophie walking into the elevator with a man, she smiled delightfully.Why would Mr. Tristan fall for such a promiscuous girl? This is going to be interesting.¡°Who¡¯s that, Ms. Quigley?¡± the girl standing next to Winter asked, upon noticing her eyes were fixated on Sophie. ¡°She¡¯s not as pretty as you.¡±Hearing that, Winter¡¯s smile grew wider.¡°Who is she to be my match?¡± The arrogant Winter always thought that she was a ss above the rest, especially when it concerned Sophie.¡°Exactly! Is there anyone in Jipsdale who can be mentioned on equal terms with you? Only Mr. Tristan is worthy of you.¡±Then, Winter quickly gave Charles a call.¡°Charles, where are you guys now? I need to see you urgently.¡± Winter could not wait for another second to reveal the juicy news to Tristan.Coincidentally, Charles was with Tristan when his sister called.There were three of them apanying Tristan that night. However, none of them knew why thetter remained silent throughout.¡°If it¡¯s not something important, let¡¯s talk about it tomorrow.¡± With Mr. Tristan being in a terrible mood, the night isn¡¯t going to end well if someone identally steps on his toe. What if Winter raised a ruckus and offended him unknowingly? I¡¯d definitely not know how to pick up the mess, especially when she likes him so much.¡°Charles, I swear it¡¯s something super important!¡± Winter insisted.¡°Fine. We¡¯re at Nocturnal. You cane over now.¡±Charles¡¯ n was to meet Winter outside of the bar, to be safe.Unfortunately, things turned out the opposite of what he had anticipated. When Winter arrived at Nocturnal, she headed directly to the private room.Charles nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw her sister.¡°You¡¯re here for me, right? Let¡¯s talk outside.¡± He grabbed her hand and started dragging her outside with trepidation.¡°What¡¯s the matter with you, Charles?¡± Winter refused to leave the room. She strode forward and took a seat on the couch. Why is Mr. Tristan acting weird? Has he already found out about it? Anything For Her Chapter 135 Anything For Her Chapter 135 Chapter 135 She Is With Another Man Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯d better behave yourself today because Mr. Tristan isn¡¯t in a good mood.¡± Charles suppressed his anger, knowing that it was not appropriate to argue with Winter at that moment.¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why is he in a bad mood?¡± How is it possible that an insignificant slut could ruin Mr. Tristan¡¯s day? He¡¯s a prominent figure in Jipsdale! Who would dare to upset him? What gives, Sophie Tanner?Tristan took a sip of water and rose to his feet.¡°Where are you going, Mr. Tristan?¡± Winter called out to him and asked immediately. I just got here¡­¡°Winter!¡± Charles shot her a stern nce to warn her to stay out of trouble.She should mind her own business.¡°Mr. Tristan, Sophie isn¡¯t who you think she is. Did you know where I met her just now? She¡¯s in Cloud Nine Hotel with a very handsome man. Have you realized that you¡¯re not her only option? She has plenty to choose from,¡± Winter blurted everything she had in mind without any hesitation.He¡¯s too prideful to settle as a rebound.Charles quickly stopped Winter. Had I known this would happen, I wouldn¡¯t have revealed our location. Winter, you¡¯re great at messing things up!¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Tristan. I¡¯ll take her back now. I also guarantee that she won¡¯t ever show up in front of you again.¡± Charles got panicked.Felix and Sean were bbergasted.Winter is so brazen! Does she have a death wish?Tristan¡¯s face dimmed as fury burned in his dark eyes.¡°Mr. Tristan, you¡­¡± Felix did not know how else tofort him.Surely, no sane man could stay calm when he discovered that the woman he loved was in the arms of another man in a hotel!Sean had never seen an enraged Tristan before. Thetter looked as if he was capable of destroying the heavens and earth.¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a misunderstanding somewhere, Mr. Tristan. Why don¡¯t we find out the details first?¡± Sean finally found his voice.Mr. Tristan has never lost control like that before. He must have fallen head over heels for that youngdy!Tristan nced at Winter and said fiercely, ¡°Don¡¯t you ever appear in front of me, Winter, or you¡¯ll regret it.¡±With that, he left.Winter was horror-stricken. She did not expect such a terrifying response from Tristan despite him not saying a word about Sophie.Charles could not do anything but only shook his head.¡°Why must you go for the extreme, Winter? Is it so difficult to keep quiet? Is it necessary for you to get on his nerves?¡±After what seemed like an eternity, Winter said, ¡°I merely spoke the truth. Why was Mr. Tristan angry? Isn¡¯t it a good thing to see Sophie¡¯s true colors as early as now?¡±She was clueless about her mistake. ¡°I¡¯ve been around Mr. Tristan for so many years. Am I not any better than Sophie whom he has only known for several months?¡±She refused to ept the reality.¡°Charles, I¡¯m the only one worthy of Mr. Tristan.¡± Clearly, Winter had not realized what she had done wrong.Felix¡¯s expression changed at her words.He spent the most time with Sophiepared to the rest, so he was well aware of her character.¡°Winter, Sophie isn¡¯t so awful as how you perceived her to be. In fact, there¡¯s no one as good as her in the whole of Jipsdale.¡±¡°Felix, you¡­¡± Winter had never thought she would hear that reply from him.After taking a deep breath, she continued, ¡°Why are all of you reacting this way? What benefits has Sophie given you? Did she cast a spell on you?¡±Why aren¡¯t they on my side when I¡¯m the one who grew up with them?¡°Whatever. If you obstinately persist in going about things the wrong way, then I¡¯ve got nothing to say to you anymore.¡± Felix refused to argue with her and left.Mr. Tristan isn¡¯t in a good mood now. I shouldn¡¯t leave him alone. If anything untoward happens to him, no one can bear the consequences.By the time Felix walked out of the bar, Tristan had already driven off. Oh man, this is not good! He¡¯s just had quite a bit of alcohol.Immediately, he tried calling Sophie, but to no avail.¡°Shit!¡± Felix cursed. Why isn¡¯t she answering? She¡¯s the only one who could calm the infuriated man right now.Left with no choice, Felix called Ysabelle. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± thetter asked in annoyance. She had been ignoring Felix for the past few days.¡°Do you know where is Sophie?¡± he asked anxiously.Ysabelle was slightly disappointed since the call was not about her.¡°Nope. I¡¯m going to hang up now if there¡¯s nothing else.¡±I swear I won¡¯t entertain this man anymore! How dare he neglects me for so long?¡°Ysabelle, if you hear from Sophie, please ask her to call me at once, okay?¡±Frustrated, she promptly hung up and did not bother to listen to what Felix had to say.However, she could not help it when she thought about how panicked Felix sounded. Hence, she gave Sophie a call, but thetter did not pick up.That got her all worked up, so she kept dialing Sophie¡¯s number.Meanwhile, Sophie was in Arius¡¯ room at the hotel, discussing Josiah¡¯s surgery.¡°Soph, it¡¯s rather risky to perform this operation.¡± Even someone as brilliant as Arius was not confident about it.Sophie said nothing. She was well aware of the implication. Otherwise, she would not have invited him to travel all the way back.¡°Anyway, don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯ll take charge of it while you assist me in the operating theatre.¡±¡°Me?¡± Sophie asked hesitantly. If another person had asked her the same question, she would have agreed right away.However, the person they were going to operate on was her grandfather.While she hadplete faith in Arius, she doubted if she could maintain herposure and perform the surgery with him.¡°Soph, you¡¯ve got to believe in yourself. You¡¯re the one in whom my mentor sees potential. If he says that you have it, then you definitely can do it.¡±They were all extremely confident in her skills.Arius also had a hidden agenda. He wanted to use that experience to convince Sophie to join the medical association.¡°Okay, I got it.¡± She nced at the clock, only to realize that it had already passed midnight without them knowing. ¡°Go get some rest. I¡¯ll contact you again once I get Grandpa to the hospital.¡±¡°It¡¯s sote now. Why don¡¯t you spend the night here since the room is so big?¡±Sophie widened her eyes at him.¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I just feel bad that you have to take a cab home at this hour. Moreover, it¡¯s not safe for a girl to be on the street alone.¡±¡°Thanks for your concern.¡±Sophie took her bag and left.After the door was shut, Arius whipped out a case from his pocket and lit a cigarette.¡°What a heartless person!¡±She¡¯s always so carefree andckadaisical. Yet, everyone worries about her extensively.Regardless, Arius vowed to get her toplete a thorough body check-up; or else, he could not be at ease.Sophie took a cab back to Wisteria Apartments. By the time she got to her floor, she saw Tristan leaning against the wall outside of her unit. The strong sense of loneliness that lingered around him sent a cold chill down her spine. Anything For Her Chapter 136 Anything For Her Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Irresistible Passion ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going in?¡± Sophie approached him and asked softly.¡°You¡¯re finally home.¡± The one who was authoritative, high, and mighty seemed so pitiful at that instant.Tristan stretched out his right arm and pulled her into his embrace. He hugged her by the waist with another arm and rested his forehead on hers.Sophie¡¯s heart skipped a beat upon his sudden action.How long has he been standing here? Why are his body and breath so cold?¡°Mr. Tristan ¡ª¡±As soon as her words fell, the man moved and pinned her to the wall. Then, he began to kiss her.His kiss was swift and somewhat aggressive, to the extent that Sophie felt a stinging pain on her lips. Gradually, he slowed things down and kissed her gently.Then, he stopped and hugged her quietly.If only she was older¡­ He had to fight the desire from within to dismiss the thought ofunching a series of amorous advances toward her.He wanted to let her know how much he cared for her so badly.¡°Shall we go in now? It¡¯s cold out here.¡± The winter in Jipsdale was freezing cold even though it was just the beginning of the season.He touched her hands and felt the cold. Immediately, he covered both her palms with his and strode toward the apartment.Upon scanning his thumbprint, the door unlocked itself, and the heater was also automatically switched on.Sophie was a bit surprised that he was so quick to act and seemed very familiar with it.¡°What¡¯s wrong? Still feeling cold?¡± Tristan frowned as he seated her on hisp.The ambiguous position made Sophie blush.¡°Mr. Tristan, I¡ª¡±Without paying heed to what she was saying, he kept her locked in his arms as if she was his most treasured prize.¡°Where were you?¡±I bet the main reason why he¡¯s not his usual self is because I turned him down for a meal and met Arius instead.¡°Mr. Tristan, something urgent came up, and I had to meet an important person today. I promise to buy you a meal another day,¡± she tried to pacify him.¡°An important person? Is the person more important than me?¡± He was very particr about it.Sophie was rendered speechless.When Tristan heard that she was seen with a man at Cloud Nine Hotel, he was zing with rage.It was not because he did not trust her, but hecked confidence in himself.He felt like he was in no position to question her. Hence, at that moment, he wanted to destroy every single man on earth just to be with her forever.However, when he saw her walking out of the elevator after having waited outside the apartment for three long hours, hisN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. pent-up anger just faded away within seconds.¡°Quite important.¡± I wouldn¡¯t have been here if it was not for Arius¡ªthe man I met when I first came to Horington five years ago.Hearing her stating so, Tristan felt as though his heart was instantly torn apart, and the pain was unbearable.Sophie felt a little down when she noticed the disappointed look on his face.What¡¯s going on?¡°Mr. Tristan, I¡¯ll definitely treat you to a big meal one day. Just the two of us.¡± Can he stop staring at me like that?He pressed a kiss to her forehead.Do I really care about getting a free meal? What has got into her head to arrive at this conclusion?At first, Sophie wanted to call Josiah as soon as she arrived home. Now that Tristan was present, she could not make the phone call anymore.I guess I¡¯ll have to go pick Grandpa up personally from the Tanner residence tomorrow.That night, Tristan stayed at Wisteria Apartments for quite a while. Although he knew her bedtime, he refused to leave.¡°Mr. Tristan, I¡¯m getting sleepy.¡±¡°Go to bed, then.¡± Still, he did not seem like he was getting ready to go home.¡°Do you have something to say to me, Mr. Tristan?¡± Sophie sighed. This is so not him.¡°Nope! It¡¯ste, you should go and get some rest.¡± Tristan walked her to the bedroom and said, ¡°Get a hot shower, then sleep. ¡°Sophie stood behind the door. She could sense that he was going through emotional turmoil. However, she had no idea how to coax him or make him feel better.¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Tristan asked tenderly.Sophie shook her head.In the end, she decided to shut the door.Whatever. If he can¡¯t think things through, no one else can help him with it.Tristan went back to the living room, took a bottle of wine, and poured himself a ss.He was well aware that he should leave, but he just could not bring himself to do so, given the circumstance. The longer he stayed at Sophie¡¯s ce, the more secure he felt. At the very least, he could convince himself that he mattered more to herpared to anyone else.After taking a shower and getting changed, Sophie walked to the living room in her pajama. Just as expected, Tristan was still there. He seemed really lonely, standing by the French windows, drinking.Sophie approached him and poured herself a ss. Then, she took a tiny sip.Without saying a word, she kept himpany while looking out of the window at the hustle and bustle of the city.Momentster, Tristan put aside his wine ss and strode toward her. He hugged her from the back and buried his face in the curve of her neck.Sophie remained silent. She allowed him to embrace her as he wished.His hug was very warm and enchanting, to a point whereby she could not resist it. As a matter of fact, she enjoyed it.When the both of them had finished a bottle of wine, Tristannded a kiss on Sophie¡¯s forehead and left with a heavy heart.When Constance arrived at Jipsdale Hospital the following morning, she was greeted by a mess created by Mason.He hurled his breakfast all over the floor.It had been days since the surgery was done, but he still could not stand on his feet.No matter how many times he had attempted, he failed again and again.Looking across at the messy room, Constance heart ached.¡°Mason, I¡¯ll get the best doctor to treat you. So, please don¡¯t give up,¡± consoled Constance.¡°I want to see Sophie.¡±She had be his only hope.Constance furrowed her brows and said, ¡°Mason, I¡¯ve looked for Sophie many times. However, she refused to see you. Why are you still thinking about her?¡±She could not understand why was her son so stubborn.¡°I want to see Sophie! Get out of my room and leave me alone.¡±At that moment, Mason was no longer the dashing guy he used to be. Conversely, he looked rather disheveled and unkempt.It was the weekend. Willow requested the driver to take her to the hospital early in the morning. It turned out that those were the first few words she heard.I¡¯ve been taking care of Mason tirelessly for several days now. Yet, I don¡¯t even have a ce in his heart?She clenched her fists tightly, unwilling to ept the truth.Have I lost to Sophie? Do I really want to admit defeat?Constance exited the ward and saw Willow standing right there. Obviously, she overheard their conversation.¡°Wi, I can¡¯t let Mason continue living like this. Ask your mother to call Sophie and make here to the hospital.¡±¡°Mrs. Laird¡­¡± Willow thought that Constance was on her side all along. Never in a million years would she have imagined Constance to get so pushy.¡°Wi, I don¡¯t have a choice right now, except to make use of Sophie temporarily. Trust me, you¡¯ll be the only one who ends up by Mason¡¯s side.¡± Anything For Her Chapter 137 Anything For Her Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Does Not Matter To Me ¡°Fine. I¡¯m willing to do anything if it¡¯s for Mason¡¯s good.¡± Seeing how sensible Willow was, Constance became even more satisfied.¡°That¡¯s right. I like it when you¡¯re sensible.¡± Constance was very satisfied with Willow, especially for the past few days. That was because Willow had been taking care of the injured Mason so much that she had lost weight.Willow called Charmaine in front of both of them and ryed Mason¡¯s request.After Charmaine answered the call, her eyebrows furrowed. Why hasn¡¯t Mason been moved by Wi¡¯s effort to take care of him yet? And why does he want to meet Sophie? However, when she thought about how they still needed the Laird family¡¯s help, she called Sophie¡¯s number. After dialing the number a couple of times, Sophie still hadn¡¯t answered the call.Charmaine was worried Constance would me her, so she quickly asked her driver to send her to the hospital.Constance frowned when she saw Charmaine arrived without Sophie.¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t I make it clear that Mason wants to meet Sophie? It¡¯s just going to be a brief meeting. Why is it so hard for you to do that? Doesn¡¯t your family want our family¡¯s help? You lot have some nerve to ask for more help from us when you can¡¯t even do such a simple thing.¡± Constance had been very annoyed for the past few days due to what had happened to Mason. So, when she found out Charmaine had failed to carry out such a simple task, she immediately expressed her disappointment.Of course, Charmaine didn¡¯t feel good when she heard that. Since her family still required the Laird family¡¯s help, she had no choice but to swallow her pride and assured, ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Mrs. Laird. I¡¯ve been calling Sophie, but she hadn¡¯t answered any of my calls. There¡¯s nothing I can do about that. Don¡¯t worry, once I get in touch with her, I¡¯ll bring her here. Even if she doesn¡¯te, I¡¯ll tie her up and bring her to you.¡±¡°I hope you¡¯ll keep your word. She¡¯s the reason Mason got hurt.¡± Constance still felt sullen.It was then the doctor in charge came.He wanted to give Mason a check-up, but before he could go into the ward, Mason was already chasing him out.¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not willing to help, Mrs. Laird. It¡¯s just that there¡¯s nothing I can do. Even if I have better medical skills, I can¡¯t do anything to help him, as long as Mr. Laird refuses to cooperate,¡± the doctor said resignedly. In Jipsdale Hospital, he was considered a famous doctor. However, even after lowering himself to treat Mason, he was still kicked out of the ward.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. He was upset, of course, but he knew he couldn¡¯t afford to piss off the Laird family. So, he had no choice but to endure it.Charmaine furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°What¡¯s going on with Mason? How can he recover if he refuses to let the doctor treat him? He¡¯s going to be the future head of the Laird family. If he can¡¯t walk in the future, then¡ª¡±¡°What do you mean ¡®if he can¡¯t walk in the future,¡¯ Charmaine? You better watch your mouth! I¡¯m telling you, my son will walk again like before!¡± Constance eximed. It was an understandable reaction as no mother would remain calm after listening to other people talking about their son in such a manner.¡°That¡¯s right. How can you say that, Mom? Mason will walk again. Medical technology has gotten really advanced nowadays, so he definitely won¡¯t have a problem standing up again.¡± Willow wasn¡¯t sure if she was saying that tofort herself or others.I can¡¯t imagine what I¡¯ll do if he can¡¯t stand again. If he really can¡¯t walk like he used to, what should I do? I have spent all my youth on this man. If he bes a cripple, what will happen to my future?¡°I know Mason will recover, but the treatment requires his cooperation, too. If he isn¡¯t willing to work with the doctor, how can the doctor treat him? I really don¡¯t mean anything else, Mrs. Laird. You know how much Willow likes Mason, and I also hope that he¡¯ll be fine. I want to see the two of them together, too. Why would I hope for the worst for Mason!¡± Charmaine exined.When Constance heard that, her scowl became less intense. ¡°I know what kind of situation the Tanner family is in right now. If you can bring Sophie here, I¡¯ll give you what your family wants.¡±She knew Yale wanted to be Tanner Group¡¯s CEO. There¡¯s no way Sophie can win against my family if we decide to help Yale out!¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Laird. I¡¯ll give Sophie another call right away. No matter what happens, I¡¯ll bring her here today.¡± Charmaine was definitely going to do her best after hearing what Constance said. I have to do whatever it takes to bring Sophie here!When she turned around, she saw Sophie in front of her.Her expression immediately lit up with joy. What perfect timing!She promptly went to Sophie¡¯s side and spoke emotionally. ¡°You must be here to meet Mason, right, Sophie? I know where he is. I¡¯ll take you to him!¡±Five years ago, Charmaine already knew Sophie harbored feelings for Mason.She didn¡¯t believe Sophie, who once liked him, would forget about him that quickly; especially when he was all injured and lying in bed asking for her.Sophie furrowed her eyebrows. I just brought Grandpa here. I don¡¯t have time to waste talking nonsense with her.It was then Charmaine saw Josiah.¡°Did you also hear what happened to Mason, Dad? Is that why you¡¯re here with Sophie? To visit him? Mrs. Laird will be very happy to see the two of you!¡± She smiled.¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me if she¡¯s happy or not. We have other matters to attend to, so please step away.¡± Sophie was already feeling unhappy about wasting a few minutes of time talking to her mother.¡°Dad, Mason is lying in bed right now. You also watched him grow up since he was a kid. Are you really not going to visit him?¡± Charmaine could only ce her hope on Josiah since she knew he liked Mason a lot five years ago.He remained silent and turned to Sophie. I¡¯ll do what she wants. If she doesn¡¯t want to go, no one is allowed to force her.¡°I know Sophie listens to what you say, Dad. No matter what happens, she¡¯s the reason Mason was injured. You know the Laird family¡¯s status and influence in Jipsdale. If this matter isn¡¯t properly dealt with, Sophie will be hurt. You don¡¯t want to see her get hurt, do you?¡± When Charmaine saw Josiah remained unmoved, she decided to shift her strategy a little.It wasn¡¯t like she made that up. The Laird family did have a huge influence in the city, and she knew what kind of tricks Charmaine would pull.¡°How about you take a look at him, Soph? You grew up with Mason, after all. Now that he¡¯s injured, it¡¯s only fair that you pay him a visit,¡± Josiah persuaded.When Charmaine heard him say that, she calmed down. Everyone knows Sophie listens to her grandfather the most. Since he has said that, she¡¯ll obey him, right? Anything For Her Chapter 138 Anything For Her Chapter 138 Chapter 138 It Is Up To Fate ¡°Consider it a show of respect on my behalf, Soph. Please?¡± Josiah was really worried that the Laird family would hurt Sophie.Sophie felt annoyed. She didn¡¯t want to go because she didn¡¯t have any rtionship with Mason. I really don¡¯t know why Mason insists on meeting me. Why is it necessary? Ugh, fine. I suppose everyone thinks differently. Since he wants to meet me this badly, I¡¯ll go and meet him. It doesn¡¯t affect anything, anyway.When he saw her nod, he let out a sigh of relief. It¡¯s always better to make one less enemy.What he didn¡¯t know was that Sophie had gotten so powerful that even the Laird family wouldn¡¯t be able to go against her.Naturally, the happiest person to hear that response was Charmaine.She still remembered vividly what Constance promised her. Now I just need to bring Sophie to meet with Mason and Mrs. Laird will do the rest.Constance and Willow were still standing outside of the ward. When Constance saw Sophie, her expression brightened a little, but she still wasn¡¯t happy, because she didn¡¯t like Sophie. I really don¡¯t understand what my son is doing. Even if nothing happened five years ago, I still don¡¯t like her!Sophie ignored the two of them and went into the ward directly.¡°I don¡¯t know why you insisted on meeting me, but I really don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary at all. I already made my stance clear, no?¡± she blurted as she stared right into Mason¡¯s eyes.She really didn¡¯t have any feelings left for him.Even after he saw her acting and talking like that, he was still unwilling to ept the reality.¡°I knew what I did was wrong, Soph.¡± He didn¡¯t want to believe that, but there was no way to get some people back after they had missed the opportunity.¡°Since we went to school together before, I¡¯ll leave you with a few words of advice, Mason. This is your life, and so are your legs. It doesn¡¯t matter to me if you want to ept treatment because that¡¯s your decision. Don¡¯t keep dragging me into your affairs. You know what kind of person your mom is.¡± Sophie really felt that she had done her best.¡°No matter what you say, I¡¯ll never give up, Soph! Once my legs recover, I¡¯ll make up for everything I did wrong!¡± Mason suddenly felt confident. Yeah! How can I give her happiness when I¡¯m like this? I need to recover as soon as possible and return to how I was. Right now, I don¡¯t even deserve to stand beside her.¡°I told you already, whatever happens to you in the future has nothing to do with me. Why do you insist on involving me in your affairs?¡± Sophie really didn¡¯t understand why he wouldn¡¯t stop pestering her, despite everything she had said. If he turns out like this after spending a few years overseas, then what was the point of him going overseas at all?Unwilling to speak any further, she turned and left the room.Willow¡¯s expression appeared twisted when she saw Sophie walking out, but she didn¡¯t dare to say anything.Constance entered the room swiftly.¡°Mom! Ask the doctor toe here immediately. I want to stand up as soon as I can!¡± Mason looked like he was in a hurry to stand back up again.¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯ve finally thought things through, Mason. I always know you¡¯ll pick yourself up again.¡± Constance promptly asked people to call for the doctor in charge.The doctor gave Mason a full-body check-up.¡°How¡¯s the situation, doctor?¡± she asked worryingly.The doctor turned to them with a troubled expression.¡°The operation was a sess, but he just can¡¯t stand up. The situation is difficult to exin.¡± He had no idea what to do.Mason¡¯s expression changed when he heard that. ¡°What do you mean?¡±¡°I really did my best, Mr. Laird, but I¡¯ve never seen anything like your condition before.¡± The doctor didn¡¯t know what to do.Constance¡¯s expression shifted as she spoke with dissatisfaction. ¡°You¡¯re just finding an excuse for your ipetence!¡±The doctor couldn¡¯t figure out a way to treat Mason, but he couldn¡¯t piss the Laird family off either, so he just kept quiet.¡°Is there really no way to heal me?¡± Mason asked with despair. I can¡¯t stay like this!¡°The only person in Chanaea I can think of who can help you is the legendary doctor, Arius.¡± When the doctor mentioned Arius, there was an expression of admiration on his face.Arius was a Chanaean legend. He was the first and youngest person to enter the medical association.¡°The legendary doctor, Arius?¡± Constance heard that name before.In fact, many people did. However, only a few had met him before.¡°You can try to contact him, Mrs. Laird.¡± After the doctor gave his suggestion, he left.Constance immediately tried out different ways to contact Arius, but none of it worked.Concurrently, Sophie was taking Josiah to get a full-body check- up.She held on to his coat and cane as she waited outside.It would take over two hours for the check- up to conclude. Since it was the weekend, Ysabelle invited her to hang out, but she rejected it.¡°What are you busying about, Soph? Aren¡¯t we good friends?¡± Ysabelle was feeling bored being alone.¡°I¡¯m at the hospital,¡± Sophie replied.¡°What? The hospital? Why are you there? Are you sick? Why didn¡¯t you tell me you¡¯re sick?¡±¡°I¡¯m not sick. I took my grandpa to the hospital for a check-up.¡±¡°I see. In that case, I¡¯lle and see you after you¡¯re done.¡± The final exam was approaching, so Ysabelle wanted to studyText content ? N?velDrama.Org. with her friend.¡°Mhm. I still have things to do, so I¡¯ll hang up now.¡±When Tristan descended from upstairs, he saw Ysabelle sighing and shaking her head.¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why aren¡¯t you looking for Sophie?¡± He recalled she mentioned she wanted to meet with Sophie yesterday. It was why he was slightly confused as to why she was still in the house.¡°I don¡¯t know what Soph has been upied with. She doesn¡¯t have time to see me at all! Do you know why she is so busy, Uncle Tristan?¡± Ysabelle asked. She may be in the hospital today, but what about the past few days?¡°I also don¡¯t know what is up with her.¡±Both uncle and niece were feeling depressed because of the same person.Once the check-up was over, Sophie helped Josiah exit the room.¡°My body really is fine, Soph. There¡¯s no need for me to do so many check-ups.¡± Josiah didn¡¯t want her to worry.¡°It¡¯s just a routine check-up, Grandpa. You don¡¯t need to worry about it. I¡¯ll send you back now.¡± Sophie spoke.¡°The driver is downstairs. You should leave if you have something you need to do. I can go back by myself.¡± He knew she had things to do and didn¡¯t want to trouble her.He was right. She wanted to meet Arius as soon as possible to know the result.¡°I¡¯ll let the driver send you back first, Grandpa. I really do have something else I need to take care of, so I won¡¯t be going home with you.¡±Seeing Sophie like that made Josiah sad. Life and death are dictated by fate. There are many things that can¡¯t be changed even if we wanted to. I just hope she won¡¯t fall into a dead end.He wanted to tell her what he was thinking, but seeing how much effort she was putting into caring for him, he felt it would be inappropriate if he did. Thus, he just sighed resignedly.After she watched the driver leave with her grandfather, Sophie turned back to the hospital. Anything For Her Chapter 139 Anything For Her Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Am I Ranked Last Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Can you stop being so serious, Sophie? I¡¯ve never seen you look so serious before,¡± Arius uttered.He had obtained all the results.Things weren¡¯t looking good, but it wasn¡¯t hopeless either.¡°What¡¯s his situation now? Don¡¯t joke with me. I¡¯m not in the mood right now.¡± Sophie¡¯s expression darkened.Of course, Arius knew not to joke with her about her grandfather. He knew how important the old man was to her. ¡°Rx, I got it! I already sent the information to Dr. Smith.¡±He more or less knew what was going on, but there was one key question he needed an answer from his mentor.¡°Is it necessary to inform Dr. Smith about this?¡± Sophie¡¯s expression darkened further.Arius approached her and patted her shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you need to worry about with me around. Didn¡¯t I tell you it¡¯s not going to be a problem? I just want to make sure I didn¡¯t get anything wrong.¡±¡°I believe you.¡± She let out a small sigh. If Arius can¡¯t do it, then there¡¯s no other way.Since Arius had just returned, the director of the hospital wanted to see him. Thus, he didn¡¯t leave with her.Once she was out of the hospital, she saw Willow. I guess she has been waiting for me.When Willow saw that Sophie was out, the former blocked her path.Sophie furrowed her eyebrows.¡°Get out of my way,¡± she uttered mercilessly. I have no patience in dealing with her right now.¡°Tell me the truth, Sophie. Do you still like Mason?¡± Willow wasn¡¯t willing to ept the truth.She felt really bitter. I don¡¯t see how I¡¯m worse than Sophie. Why is it that Mason can only think about her even after so many years?¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Sophie directly pushed Willow away and prepared to leave in a taxi.¡°Hah.¡± It was then Willow hoped Mason¡¯s legs would never recover because that would mean he wouldn¡¯t be able to stay with Sophie.After leaving the hospital, Sophie contacted Ysabelle.Ysabelle was all happy and in a good form when she answered Sophie¡¯s call.¡°Have you finished with your matters, Sophie? Didn¡¯t you say you want to attend Cecelia¡¯s movie premiere? I think it¡¯s tonight. Do you have time to go?¡± She only paid attention to Cecelia¡¯s new movie because of Sophie.¡°Where are you right now? I¡¯lle and pick you up,¡± Sophie suggested.¡°I¡¯m at the Lombard residence right now. You don¡¯t need to pick me up. This ce is too remote, and it¡¯s hard to get a taxi here. I¡¯ll ask the driver to send me to Wisteria Apartments. You can just wait for me there.¡±Due to William, the Lombard residence was built on a spot halfway up the mountain. It really would be inconvenient for a taxi to drive up there.Ysabelle changed into a beautiful dress. Even though Jipsdale¡¯s winter was very cold, she still liked to wear dresses. She only wears a woolen jacket on top of her dress.Upon applying her makeup and casually tying her hair into a bun, she was ready to head to Sophie¡¯s ce.However, Tristan stopped Ysabelle before she could leave.¡°What are you doing, Uncle Tristan? Sophie is waiting for me to join her on an important matter. I need to leave now. If you have something to say, tell me about it after Ie back.¡± It had been days since she last saw Sophie, which was why she really missed her friend. After all, Sophie had been getting so wrapped up in her matters for the past few days that Ysabelle didn¡¯t even have a chance to meet her. Ysabelle couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of important matter was keeping her friend busy.¡°Can you stay home today? Your dad¡¯s heading back right now, and he asked me to tell you to wait for him at home. Are you sure you still want to leave?¡± Tristan kindly reminded.¡°What? No way. Why is my dad back today? Why does it have to be now? Do you have anything to do with this, Uncle Tristan? Isn¡¯t my dad really busy? Why would hee back home today when it¡¯s not Friday?¡± Her father usually only returned on Friday, which made her guess his decision toe home that day.Tristan gave her a scary look, so she spoke in a rather unhappy tone. ¡°What do I do now? I can¡¯t just let Soph attend Cecelia¡¯s movie premiere by herself. It¡¯s too pitiful to let her go there alone. Please, just let me go with her, Uncle Tristan. If my dad looks for me, please put a good word in for me. That way he will surely let me off. I beg you. Pretty please?¡±Ysabelle blinked as she gave him a pitiful look.¡°No! Your dad seems really angry this time, so you¡¯d better wait for him toe home and talk to him yourself. I don¡¯t know who posted the video of you and Sophie singing in the KTV on the inte, but it¡¯s trending right now.¡±Lincoln never wanted Ysabelle to enter the entertainment industry, so he was really surprised when his daughter became famous like that. That short video had umted over two million views.¡°Video? What video? I don¡¯t know anything about that,¡± Ysabelle was confused.Tristan was kind enough to show the video to her. ¡°You always said you want to be a singer, right? Perhaps this is a good start for you to talk to your dad about it. No matter what happens, you should at least try to fight for that chance. This way, you won¡¯t regret it in the future.¡±She was frustrated. Why did things turn out like this? Yes, I want to rebel and change things, but I didn¡¯t expect the opportunity woulde so soon. I still want to study at a university somewhere in the south after I graduate from high school. Once I leave Jipsdale, I¡¯ll be able to do whatever I want.¡°Will my dad listen to me, Uncle Tristan? You know how stubborn he is. All the men in the Lombard family are stubborn! They don¡¯t like to listen to anyone.¡±¡°That¡¯s your problem to solve. There are things I have to deal with, so I¡¯ll be leaving now,¡± Tristan said.¡°Soph is still waiting for me at Wisteria Apartments, Uncle Tristan! How about you apany her to attend Cecelia¡¯s movie premiere instead? I don¡¯t want her to go alone because I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll get bullied.¡±¡°I see! Since you want me to go there so badly, I¡¯ll head over there, then.¡±Ysabelle¡¯s heart was bleeding silently. She wanted to go too, but with her father returning soon, she didn¡¯t dare to leave the house.Sophie returned to Wisteria Apartments and opened the box Cecelia asked someone to send to her. Inside was a ck dress with a simple design. Nevertheless, anyone could tell it was very high quality with just one nce.There was also a note on the box that read: To Sophie. This is a dress I specially bought for you from overseas! You must wear it. Otherwise, our friendship is over!There was a doodle of a silly face behind the note.Sophie was quite speechless, but she still removed the dress from the box and changed into it. Then she let her hair down.Upon hearing a knocking sound on the door, she went to open it before she could tie her hair up because she thought Ysabelle had arrived.She didn¡¯t at all expect the person standing outside to be Tristan instead of Ysabelle. ¡°Why are you here, Tristan? I¡¯m sorry, but I already have a date with Ysabelle. I can¡¯t join you for dinner today.¡±He pressed his hands on the walls, basically locking her between his arms and the wall. ¡°Do I rankst among the people you know, Sophie?¡± Anything For Her Chapter 140 Anything For Her Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Battle On The Stage Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s obvious to me that you¡¯re overthinking it. How can you rankst?¡± Sophie said.¡°I hope I am overthinking it. You look beautiful today,¡± Tristanplimented.The topic changed so fast that her throat and lips suddenly went dry, especially when she was being stared at so intently by a handsome man.She licked her lips. ¡°Mr. Tristan¡ª¡±Before she could finish her sentence, she was pulled into his embrace. Once he caught her in his embrace, he lowered his head and kissed her on the lips. ¡°No matter what you wear, you¡¯ll always look alluring to me.¡±So is he ming me for his behavior? Sophie was speechless.¡°Ysabelle had something to take care of, so she can¡¯t apany you to the premiere, but I can.¡± It was pretty clear he wasn¡¯t going to take no for an answer.The premiere was about to start. However, the person Cecelia was waiting for still hadn¡¯t arrived, which put a frown on her face.Her manager didn¡¯t know how tofort her seeing her like that. ¡°Maybe Ms. Tanner has something to take care of, Cecelia. The premiere is about to start. We should go!¡±Everyone was waiting for Cecelia, so it wouldn¡¯t be ideal if she just waited there.¡°No,¡± Cecelia replied stubbornly.Her manager sighed resignedly. It was then the door to the lounge was opened and Sophie showed up.When Cecelia saw her friend show up in the dress she prepared, her eyes sparkled with joy.¡°You finally came, Soph! I thought you were going to stand me up again.¡± She stared at Sophie aggrievedly, like a pitiful puppy.The manager felt too embarrassed to watch. After staying by Cecelia¡¯s side for many years, she knew her temperament, and it wasn¡¯t anything good.Yet, when Sophie showed up, Cecelia would act like a pitiful puppy.¡°I have promised you that I will be here, so here I am. Last time was an ident,¡± Sophie replied. Can she stop acting pitiful like that?Cecelia immediately hugged her friend¡¯s neck, raised her head, and stared at her.Tristan¡¯s expression darkened when she saw Cecelia hugging his woman.Sensing his hostile stare, Cecelia intentionally stuck her tongue out toward him. Soph doesn¡¯t belong to him only. Why can¡¯t someone else hug her?He scoffed.¡°Time¡¯s up, Cecelia. We should go,¡± the manager reminded.It was then Cecelia let go of Sophie. ¡°I can go there with my assistant. You take Soph to the VIP seat.¡±¡°No need. I can go there by myself. She¡¯s your manager, so it¡¯s better if she follows you,¡± Sophie declined.She was just there as a member of the audience. It wasn¡¯t necessary for the manager to follow her.¡°In that case, please lead Ms. Tanner to her seat, Chrissy.¡± Cecelia was still worried. Soph is in my territory right now. I need to take good care of her.After Cecelia left with her manager, Tristan grabbed Sophie and pulled her into his embrace. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone else hug you in the future. I¡¯ll get upset.¡±If Cecelia was not Sophie¡¯s important friend, he would have chopped Cecelia¡¯s hands off.Sophie raised her eyebrow. ¡°Not even a woman?¡± He¡¯s so possessive!¡°No. I¡¯m the only one allowed to hug you like this.¡±It was Sophie¡¯s first time seeing him acting so childishly.In the end, she didn¡¯t answer Tristan and brought him to the hall instead.When Sophie arrived, Cecelia was already on the stage.A woman like Cecelia was born for the stage.She looked dazzling and was the center of attraction.The second female lead in the movie looked pale byparison.The host was the host of a television channel. He was a great showman, and a fan of Cecelia, so all his questions were focused on her.No matter what he asked, Cecelia was able to answer the questions without any issue.¡°You gave an amazing performance in this movie, Ms. Lance. I think everyone would agree that it felt very real. Do you have a friend like that in your life as well?¡± the host asked.¡°I do.¡± Cecelia subconsciously turned her gaze toward Sophie when she said that. ¡°I have a friend I treasure very much. I believe that we¡¯ll continue to stay best friends because I really like her.¡±Sophie stared at Cecelia. She has really grown up. A lot of sacrifices are required for someone to grow up, but I still can¡¯t help but feel touched when I see her being the shining star that she is right now.Tristan grabbed her hand. I didn¡¯t have the opportunity to participate in her life in the past, and many things had happened. However, I¡¯ll be sure to apany her for the rest of her life.The warmth she felt when he held her small hand made her feel really safe and secure.She felt she was really lucky to have a group of friends who treated her sincerely.The second female lead of the movie was the same person who epted to star in Dream¡¯s advertisementst time, Lorelei.Even though she was also a female lead in the movie, the host only paid attention to Cecelia, which made her feel very ufortable.It was then the other host finally changed the topic and directed some questions to her.¡°Ms. Crawford, I heard Mr. Zales booked a few showings for this movie for you. Does this mean you two are in a rtionship?¡± The host was referring to yton.Lorelei looked proud when yton was mentioned. So what if Cecelia is amazing? She doesn¡¯t have anyone backing her up, unlike me, who has yton supporting me. She brushed her hair to the side a little and smiled. ¡°Mr. Zales has really helped me a lot, but our rtionship isn¡¯t what you all think it is. I hope no one will misunderstand that.¡±¡°Haha, we know. The Zales family keeps a low profile. I sure do envy you, Ms. Crawford. Mr. Zales is a wealthy man!¡±While she didn¡¯t say it, she felt really proud.She couldn¡¯t help but nce at Cecelia.Of course, Cecelia knew what Lorelei was doing. yton had chased after her before, but she didn¡¯t like him, so she rejected him. I certainly didn¡¯t expect him to be with Lorelei, but this doesn¡¯t seem to have anything to do with me. What is she so proud of about him? Isn¡¯t it kind ofme for her topare something like this with me?The host spent the rest of the time on Lorelei, especially her rtionship with yton.It was the first time Cecelia felt what it was like to be brushed aside.When it was time for the reporters to ask questions, many of them were already bought out by Lorelei, so they kept asking questions about her.Suddenly, a reporter yelled, ¡°Oh god! An anonymous rich person just booked a bunch of showings for Ms. Lance, too!¡±¡°What? Who is it?¡±¡°No idea, but the person booked ten thousand showings. It said so on Twitter. Anyone who liked Cecelia will be able to watch her movie in the movie theater for free. The person will cover the tickets.¡±¡°What? You must be kidding me! Who¡¯s capable enough to book ten thousand showings? That will cost an astronomical amount of money! Even yton only booked ten for Lorelei!¡± Anything For Her Chapter 141 Anything For Her Chapter 141 Chapter 141 GratefulSuddenly, everyone shifted their attention back to Cecelia.They were wondering who was the rich person who booked ten thousand showings.¡°Who is this big shot, Ms. Lance?¡±¡°That¡¯s right! Do you have a new lover, Ms. Lance?¡±¡°Who are they? Can you give us a little info about them?¡±¡°Everyone, please calm down. Actually, I don¡¯t really want anyone to book showings for my movies. I just hope that those whoe to watch my movie at the cinema are the people who like it. My friend cares for me and treats me very well, which is why she did something like this. For that, I¡¯m very thankful for her,¡± Cecelia answered.¡°A friend? Are you two really just friends? What kind of friend would single-handedly book ten thousand showings for your movie? This is unprecedented!¡±¡°The best kind of friends, the type who stays with me forever.¡±Cecelia smiled. I really like Sophie, but I don¡¯t want her to spend so much money. I just want her to attend the movie premiere. The current me no longer needs her protection as I¡¯m capable of taking care of things now. In fact, I want it to be my turn to protect her and help her. Still, I¡¯m very touched that she¡¯s still looking out for me even now. I¡¯m very fortunate to have a friend like her.¡°Is your friend present in this hall right now, Ms. Lance? Can you invite her up the stage so she can share a few words with us?¡± the host asked.¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. She¡¯s someone who prefers to keep a low profile. So, please, I¡¯m asking everyone here to not bother her or try to dig out any information about her. However, I believe even if all the hackers in the world were toe out and try to find information about her, it¡¯s no guarantee that they¡¯ll seed.¡± Cecelia was absolutely confident in Sophie¡¯s ability.¡°Come on, Ms. Lance. We won¡¯t disturb her. We just want to ask her a few questions.¡±¡°I appreciate your care for me, but today¡¯s focus should be on the movie, no? I hope everyone will pay attention to the film because a lot of people worked hard on it, and I don¡¯t want their efforts to go unnoticed. Everyone knows the people who work the hardest on a movie are the crew, so please don¡¯t overlook the hard work they had poured into this project.¡±Tristan personally witnessed Sophie booking ten thousand showings for Cecelia and posting her message on Twitter. Seems like she cares a lot about Cecelia since she¡¯s doing her best to help her.What followed in the press conference were questions about Cecelia. Finally, it was time for everyone to watch the movie on the big screen. Sophie paid great attention to it.The story in the movie was really simr to their youth.When the movie ended, Sophie was in tears. Tristan pulled out a tissue paper from his pocket and gave it to her.¡°This movie is pretty good. Cecelia sure can act,¡± hemented.The ending theme was already ying. It was a very pleasant Chanaean song sung by a diva. Before it finished, Sophie stood and left the hall.When Sophie returned to the lounge, Cecelia threw herself into her embrace.She was basically hanging on Sophie¡¯s body.Her manager couldn¡¯t bear to look at that. Ms. Tanner appears to be a few kilos lighter than Cecelia. Doesn¡¯t she feel bad for hanging herself like a bear on Ms. Tanner?¡°Since you¡¯re so rich now, how about I stop acting and be your sugar baby instead? We¡¯ll go on a trip around the world!¡± Cecelia said emotionally.Aside from Sophie, no one would be willing to book ten thousand showings for her.When she finished speaking, she kissed Sophie on the cheek.Tristan¡¯s expression was just like a violent storm when he saw that.Upon seeing his expression, Sophie thought it was amusing. This man sure is possessive.In order to avoid pissing him off further, she gently pushed Cecelia away. ¡°That was a very good movie.¡±¡°Well, of course! My title isn¡¯t for show, you know.¡± Cecelia was very confident in her acting skills.Some actors worked hard, but because they didn¡¯t have the talent, they couldn¡¯t make a name.On the contrary, some actors had the talent, and if they worked hard just a little bit, they would be able to back various international awards home.Cecelia clearly belonged to the second type.She wanted to hug Sophie again. ¡°I really like acting, but it takes up so much of my time that I can¡¯t spend time with you, Soph.¡±When Sophie was at her lowest point in life back then, Cecelia went to Horington to visit her. However, before she could meet her, she was dragged away by her manager.She carried a pang of guilt toward Sophie because of that.Sophie held her delicate chin and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel guilty, Cecelia. I¡¯m doing fine right now, and you¡¯re perfect, too. This is the best achievement any of us can hope for.¡±Cecelia hugged Sophie tightly. ¡°Yeah! I always believe that you¡¯ll return. Jipsdale is your territory and Willow isn¡¯t your opponent at all. That¡¯s why I believe we¡¯ll meet again in Jipsdale.¡±At that moment, Tristan felt like he should just let them be. I guess I¡¯ll forgive Cecelia¡¯s extreme behavior earlier, considering how close she is to Sophie.Sophie then went to the restroom, leaving Tristan and Cecelia in the room.¡°I¡¯m warning you for thest time, Cecelia. If you kiss Sophie like that again, don¡¯t me me for what vicious things I¡¯ll do,¡± he warned.He never thought there woulde a day when he needed toAll content is ? N0velDrama.Org. threaten a woman.¡°Hmph!¡± Cecelia ignored him. I¡¯m not afraid of him when I have Sophie supporting me!¡°Cecelia Lance!¡± he eximed.¡°I know Sophie longer than you, so of course, our rtionship with each other is stronger than yours.¡± She stared at him fearlessly. ¡°The people in Jipsdale may be afraid of you, Mr. Tristan, but I¡¯m not. I¡¯m warning you, if you hurt Sophie even a tiny bit, I won¡¯t let you off even after I die!¡±She knew Sophie treated Tristan differently.After all, there was never a man by her side for many years¡ªTristan was the first one.From the looks of it, Sophie didn¡¯t seem to hate Tristan either.Cecelia felt sad to notice that because she believed Sophie deserved only the best the world can offer.However, Tristan was probably the best person anyone would think of in Jipsdale.Naturally, she would be happy if Sophie could find happiness.¡°Don¡¯t worry! I won¡¯t hurt her. Even if the person who hurts her ends up being me, I won¡¯t let myself off either!¡± Tristan promised.¡°I didn¡¯t expect the legendary Mr. Tristan from Jipsdale to be this loyal and dedicated,¡± Cecelia couldn¡¯t help but mock.As she still had a celebration party she needed to attend, she couldn¡¯t leave with Sophie.However, she personally saw Sophie out.There were a lot of reporters waiting outside, so Sophie stopped Cecelia. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Everyone is waiting for you!¡±She wanted to send Cecelia back first.¡°How about I just run away with you two?¡± That idea suddenly popped into Cecelia¡¯s mind.¡°Oh, my god! I am begging you now, Cecelia. The director is waiting for you!¡± Her manager immediately dragged her back the moment she heard that. Anything For Her Chapter 142 Anything For Her Chapter 142 Chapter 142 You Are Now MineAfter watching Cecelia leave, Sophie turned to look at Tristan, who seemed d. Is it because Cecelia was taken away?Tristan immediately held Sophie¡¯s hand and pulled her toward him.¡°What are you doing?¡± questioned Sophie, still looking at the man who had just locked her in his arms.Tristan had grown to enjoy holding Sophie like that.On the other hand, the young woman turned bright red because of how close they were.¡°Let go of me, Mr. Tristan.¡± Even some as cold as Sophie could not help but blush when Tristan flirted with her like that.He then tightened his arms around Sophie. ¡°Since they¡¯re all busy, you are all mine now.¡±Sophie immediately chuckled upon hearing that, for she never expected Tristan to say anything like that.¡°Let¡¯s go. I still owe you a meal, don¡¯t I?¡± Since there was not much else to do, Sophie decided to treat him to a meal.¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± Tristan was easily satisfied.Even though Sophie had promised to buy the young man a meal, she had no idea where to go.¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like?¡± inquired Sophie, tilting her head.Tristan was stunned for a moment as he stared at the young woman¡¯s soft pink lips. ¡°Yes.¡±¡°What is it?¡± Sophie was d she did not have to waste time figuring out where to go since Tristan already had something in mind.¡°You!¡±Sophie was dumbfounded once again when she heard Tristan¡¯s answer. What¡¯s wrong with this guy? Is he going to keep this up all day?Seeing the woman like that, Tristan immediately held her head to give her a wet kiss.Only after breathing a sigh of satisfaction did Tristan take Sophie to a fancy restaurant.The young woman could still taste Tristan on her lips when they reached the expensive- looking and exquisitely decorated restaurant.Most of the customers there were couples, so it was not surprising to see many of them kissing.Since the atmosphere at the restaurant was incredibly romantic, the couples were more passionate than usual.However, the scene was nothing but an eyesore to Sophie since she did not think the public disy of affection was appropriate.When she unconsciously nced at Tristan, the young man simply shrugged.¡°Just so you know, I didn¡¯t n for you to see this. It was Felix who rmended the ce.¡±Sophie pretended to be calm, but a gentleman beside her had already reached into his date¡¯s skirt.She had no choice but to calmly look away.¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to go somewhere else?¡± Sophie had lost her appetite already. This is just too much!¡°It¡¯s fine. I got us a room.¡± Tristan led Sophie to a private room, which the woman thought was much better than the rest of the ce.Since it was warm inside, Tristan helped Sophie take her jacket off so he could hang it up. He then pulled the chair out before beckoning Sophie over to sit.By then, a waitress had already arrived to show them the menu.¡°What can I get you, Mr. Tristan?¡± inquired the beautiful waitress after handing a tablet to Tristan.¡°What would you like?¡± The young man remained standing behind Sophie so they could share the tablet.Sophie was a little uneasy when Tristan leaned on her.¡°So?¡± The man had a deep and maic voice that sounded alluring, which made Sophie¡¯s heart race.At that point, she was convinced that Tristan enjoyed teasing her very much.After going through the menu, Sophie ordered steak and sd.When she turned around to ask what Tristan wanted, the man¡¯s lips brushed over her cheek.Sophie immediately froze like a statue.¡°I¡¯ll have whatever you¡¯re having,¡± Tristan whispered into Sophie¡¯s ear before taking the tablet from her.The young woman almost jumped to her feet when Tristan breathed into her ear because that was the most sensitive part of her body.After that, Tristan sat down beside Sophie so that it would be easier for him to take care of her.¡°So why isn¡¯t Ysabelleing?¡± Sophie was a little worried about Ysabelle because they had already agreed to meet, and her friend would never stand her up for no reason.In response, Tristan unlocked his phone to y a video before handing the device to Sophie.After watching the video, the young woman looked a little displeased.The video was shot from Ysabelle¡¯s front. Even though Sophie was also in it, she could only be seen from the side. On top of that, the dim lighting at the karaoke bar made it difficult for anyone unfamiliar with her to recognize her.¡°Your family don¡¯t want her to be a singer, right?¡± Sophie heard about it from Ysabelle, but she did not think the situation was that serious.¡°Yes. My brother has a deep-seated prejudice against the entertainment industry.¡±What will Ysabelle do now? Sophie then quickly took her phone out to call her friend.Meanwhile, Ysabelle was in a bad mood. When she received Sophie¡¯s call, she hurried into her room before answering.¡°I¡¯m sorry, Soph! Something came up. It was never my intention to bail on you.¡± Ysabelle hated being stood up and believed that her friend felt the same way.¡°It¡¯s fine. Are you okay?¡±Hearing how concerned Sophie was about her, Ysabelle immediately lightened up. ¡°I am. Don¡¯t worry,¡± assured Ysabelle with a smile.¡°Good. Do you need me to pick you up?¡± Sophie could figure something out if her friend still wanted to meet her.¡°No, Soph. I think I should stay home for the next two days. Even though I have no n to beText content ? N?velDrama.Org. an artist just yet, I¡¯m more determined to do so after seeing that video. I will be a singer no matter what my father thinks!¡± Ysabelle had made up her mind, so nobody could convince her otherwise.¡°You have my support.¡± Sophie agreed that Ysabelle should not give up. It¡¯s her dream to be a singer, and she has every right to pursue it!¡°Talk to youter. My grandfather¡¯sing.¡± Ysabelle knew her grandfather would be worried about her since she did not have dinner.Even after calling Ysabelle, Sophie was still worried about her friend.¡°Mr. Tristan, will you help Ysabelle?¡± The young woman was confident that the other Lombards would listen to Tristan because of his position in the family.The steak had already been served, and Tristan had thoughtfully cut it up for Sophie.¡°Soph, this is Ysabelle¡¯s fight. If she wants to be in the entertainment industry, the first thing she has to learn is how to stand up for herself. Unlike those in the industry, our family would never do anything to hurt her. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s fit to be an artist if she can¡¯t even handle our family.¡±Naturally, Sophie knew he had a point, but as Ysabelle¡¯s friend, she still wished that she could make her friend¡¯s path to pursue her dream easier.¡°That¡¯s enough chat about someone else. We don¡¯t always get to spend time together like this, you know?¡± Tristan hoped that Sophie would focus on him for the moment.¡°Ysabelle isn¡¯t ¡®someone else.¡¯ She¡¯s your niece!¡±¡°So am I the reason you¡¯re so nice to Ysabelle?¡± Tristan would consider talking to his brother if Sophie nodded.However, Sophie was never really good at sucking up to others. Instead of responding to Tristan the way he wanted, the woman started eating her steak.To that, Tristan let out a long sigh. I can tell that chasing after Sophie is not going to be easy. Hmm¡­ far from it! Anything For Her Chapter 143 Anything For Her Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Acting Skills Unworthy Of Awards Sophie took her time with her food. Looking at Tristan near her, she was in a good mood and felt comfortable about spending time alone with the man.After Sophie was done with the steak, the two walked out of the restaurant. While Tristan went to get the car, Sophie waited outside the restaurant, where she never expected to meet Lorelei.Lorelei did not know Sophie. She only nced at her a few times because she thought the young woman was exceptionally stunning.Lorelei only risked going out in public because she finally persuaded yton to take her to the fancy restaurant after much effort.Since she was quite popr then, Lorelei wore a hat and arge pair of sunsses to hide her face.Seeing how Tristan had been gone for a while, Sophie decided to take her phone out to call the man.However, before she could do that, the fashionably-dressed woman near her suddenly snatched her phone and violently threw it onto the ground.¡°Why were you taking pictures of me? Did somebody send you here to follow me?¡± questioned Lorelei rudely.After her terrible experience at the press conference that day, Lorelei never thought she would bump into a paparazzo there.Sophie¡¯s eyes turned icy cold as she stared at her phone lying on the floor.¡°Pick it up,¡± ordered Sophie, who was itching for a fight.Her voice was frightfully cold.¡°Are you serious? Do you know who I am?¡± asked Lorelei arrogantly. ¡°If you get out of my sight now, I¡¯ll pretend none of this has happened. Otherwise, my fans will give you hell.¡±The famous woman had fans who were quite crazy.In response to the threat, Sophie knitted her eyebrows tightly.¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? Pick it up.¡± repeated the young woman in a louder voice.Lorelei scoffed at Sophie before looking away. Why the heck would I listen to a paparazzo? I¡¯m the hottest artist there is right now, and I¡¯m not afraid of anyone!Then, passersby began to gather around them to see what was going on.Hence, Lorelei decided it was the perfect time to let people see that she was with yton and have her poprity bumped up even further.¡°I only requested that you delete the photos you took of me. There¡¯s no reason to get upset,¡± stated Lorelei calmly after removing her sunsses on purpose.As expected, the crowd grew even bigger right after Lorelei showed her face.¡°My goodness! What¡¯s going on? Hey, look! It¡¯s Lorelei Crawford!¡±¡°You¡¯re right. Wow, she looks stunning! It¡¯s almost unbelievable how beautiful she is.¡±¡°That¡¯s not the point! The pointContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. is she¡¯s at a restaurant where couples frequent. That must mean she¡¯s here with yton Zales!¡±¡°I think the woman beside Lorelei looks pretty too.¡±¡°I know, right? She¡¯s probably even prettier than some artists.¡±At first, Lorelei was happy with the praises she had received. However, after hearing about the crowd¡¯s admiration for Sophie, she got jealous.Lorelei could not deny that Sophie was good-looking, which was why she worried that yton would see the young womanter.The man¡¯s interest in her was waning, and she knew it.Lorelei always had to put in much effort just to have a meal with yton. She even tried to climb into the man¡¯s bed to be in his good graces but to no avail.¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I may be a public figure, but I value my privacy. I only did it because you kepting after me.¡± Lorelei then picked up Sophie¡¯s phone from the ground and handed it back to the woman. ¡°I think it¡¯s broken, so why don¡¯t you give me your number? I¡¯ll have my managerpensate you for your loss.¡±After listening to Lorelei, Sophie furrowed her eyebrows again.¡°With that level of acting skills, I doubt you¡¯ll ever win an award,¡± mocked Sophie, who found Lorelei¡¯s acting hrious.The actress¡¯ face immediately turned grim when she was humiliated, for she had always hated it when peoplemented on her poor acting skills.No matter how hard she tried, she still failed to surpass Cecelia. ¡°I can give you my autograph if you ask nicely, little girl. Your hostility waspletely uncalled for.¡±¡°Yeah! Artists are just like us. Just because you¡¯re a fan doesn¡¯t give you the right to disturb her.¡±¡°That¡¯s right! You¡¯re the worst kind of fan! You have nothing better to do than to harass them. It¡¯s disgusting!¡±When some of the people started sneering at Sophie, many followed suit. So what if she¡¯s got good looks? She¡¯s probably wicked on the inside.Naturally, Lorelei was pleased with herself when the crowd reacted the way she wanted. How¡¯s that for acting skills? I bet she regrets undermining my acting skills now.¡°I think we¡¯re done here, don¡¯t you? If I were you, I¡¯d leave right now. It¡¯s not like your phone¡¯s worth much anyway. Remember, it¡¯s a crime to take someone¡¯s photo without permission. Stop while you still can.¡±Lorelei thought Sophie was afraid of her since the young woman stayed silent, so she proudly held her head high. ¡°I know you¡¯re a fan, but you¡¯ve got to stop doing this, okay?¡±Scoffing, Sophie could not believe the words that came out of Lorelei¡¯s mouth. Now I know why Cecelia didn¡¯t seem to like her. ¡±I don¡¯t even know who you are, so why would I secretly take photos of you? What proof do you have?¡±¡°I just told you we¡¯re done here, so why do you insist on dragging this out? What¡¯s the point? I don¡¯t know what you have in mind, but I have more important things to do.¡± Lorelei did not wish to continue with the subject, so she turned around and was ready to leave.Immediately, Sophie grabbed Lorelei by the hair and pulled the woman back.Nobody expected that Sophie would be so bold as to pull Lorelei¡¯s hair. The actress stumbled a few steps backward when Sophie did that and felt as if the youngdy was about to pull her scalp off her skull.¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? This is out of line!¡± Lorelei was furious but dared not show it or retaliate, for she knew that wouldpromise her image in the entertainment industry.¡°I didn¡¯t take photos of you secretly, but you broke my phone. You even put on a show for the crowd, and you think you can just walk away?¡±Sophie was not about to let Lorelei get away scot-free after the actress had wrongly used her. If this is how she wants to y it, so be it. Nobody in Jipsdale can take advantage of me!¡°I¡¯m just told you that I¡¯m not pressing charges. What more do you want?¡±Lorelei wanted nothing more than to get out of the situation because of how embarrassing it was to get her hair pulled like that. At that moment, yton pulled up outside the restaurant.When the man saw Lorelei arguing with a youngdy, he got out of his car and went over. Anything For Her Chapter 144 Anything For Her Chapter 144 Chapter 144 He Is Not Worth My TimeLorelei began to panic when she saw yton walking toward them, for she knew he disliked how she always caused a scene in public. The fact that Lorelei got so much attention did not help with the situation she was in either.¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t I ask you to wait for me here? How did it end up like this?¡± With so many people surrounding them, yton realized that keeping a low profile was no longer an option.¡°yton, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. We¡¯re only arguing because she secretly took photos of me. Now she¡¯s pulling my hair and refusing to let me go,¡± exined Lorelei pitifully.¡°Are you guys seeing this? It¡¯s really yton! I knew he and Lorelei had a thing going on. Do you believe me now?¡±¡°It is him! I didn¡¯t trust the media before because they didn¡¯t have solid proof. Gosh, I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m seeing now! yton is a tycoon in the entertainment industry, and being with the man probably means a bright future awaiting Lorelei.¡±¡°You¡¯re right. If you ask me, the two are a match made in heaven!¡±Lorelei was more than d when she heard the discussion. I knew it! yton and I are meant for each other, and everybody seems to think so too.At that moment, yton could not help noticing how Sophie had raised her eyebrow when she looked at others. Even though the young woman did not do it deliberately, it was hard for anyone to ignore it.When Lorelei caught yton looking at Sophie, she quickly grabbed the man¡¯s hand.¡°What are you looking at?¡± questioned Lorelei jealously.¡°Missy, did you really take pictures of Lorelei? If so, delete them, and we¡¯ll call it even.¡± Although yton thought Sophie was outstandingly good-looking, he had better things to do and would rather not waste more of his time.¡°What makes you think I want to call it even? Ms. Crawford here not only ndered me but also broke my phone, so I believe you two owe me an exnation.¡±¡°How would you like to bepensated then? With a new phone?¡± inquired yton nonchntly.¡°Not just that. I want an apology from Ms. Crawford. Everybody here heard how she used me of secretly taking photos of her. Then, I must still have the pictures on my phone. If that¡¯s not the case, it¡¯s only right that she apologizes to me, no?¡±After listening to Sophie, yton immediately became more interested in the youngdy. It looks like she¡¯s not the kind who¡¯d go down without a fight.¡°What are you going on about? You¡¯re just trying to hook up with yton because he¡¯s rich and handsome. Trust me. You¡¯re not the first to try.¡± Lorelei despised Sophie because she thought she had the young woman all figured out.Sophie instinctively frowned at Lorelei after hearing that. Are all female artists this insufferable these days? Does she seriously think every woman in the world is out to steal her boyfriend? It¡¯s not like he¡¯s the most attractive man on earth.¡°I think Lorelei is right. This young woman is obviously trying to hook up with yton because of how rich and handsome he is.¡±¡°Are all young women this desperate these days?¡±¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯d say this young woman is a pretty crafty one. She knew she¡¯d be able to find yton by stalking Lorelei. That¡¯s really scary!¡±¡°Women these days are all the same. They¡¯ll dly spread their legs in bed as long as the other party is rich enough.¡±The crowd¡¯s discussion only served to boost Lorelei¡¯s confidence. It seems I¡¯m not the only one who thinks that way. Everybody here agrees with me.¡°I¡¯m tired, yton. Let¡¯s leave,¡± pleaded Lorelei with puppy-dog eyes because she would rather not give anyone a chance to get close to yton.¡°How can we leave when we haven¡¯t resolved this matter yet?¡± questioned yton rhetorically with his eyes still fixed on Sophie.¡°Come on, yton.¡± Lorelei started to get nervous again. Why is he even listening to a stranger? Has he fallen for her?yton went over to pick up the phone from the ground and intended to check if photos of Lorelei were on it. However, he could not turn on the device since it was already broken.yton shrugged helplessly before saying, ¡°I¡¯m not sure how we¡¯re going to prove your innocence since there¡¯s no way to turn on the phone. What do you say we call it even?¡±Then, Sophie approached the man to take her phone, and as he said, the device was no longer working.Seeing how things hade to that, Lorelei was relieved. She has no choice but to ept her fate now. ¡±As I said, I¡¯m not pressing charges, so we¡¯re done here. Let¡¯s go, yton. It¡¯s freezing out here.¡±¡°That¡¯s why Lorelei¡¯s so popr. What a forgiving person she is!¡±¡°That¡¯s true. The young woman is obviously at fault here, yet she had the audacity to raise her voice.¡±¡°Do you guys think she¡¯s trying to gain attention by causing a scene just because she knows she¡¯s pretty? After all, Lorelei is a celebrity who has the attention of countless people. She probably knew she was bound to be noticed if she got Lorelei involved.¡±¡°That has to be it. Who does this young woman think she is to bully Lorelei!¡±¡°Forget about it, yton. She¡¯s just a young woman, after all. Let¡¯s put this behind us.¡± Lorelei thought she did a pretty good job portraying herself as a forgiving person.¡°What a hypocrite!¡± cursed Sophie, which was not something she would do lightly.¡°How dare you¡­¡± Lorelei did not expect Sophie to call her that. She wanted to retaliate, but since the crowd was still around, she decided to swallow her words. Lorelei then gave yton a pitiful look before turning back to Sophie. ¡°I know you think yton¡¯s incredibly attractive, but you can¡¯t keep harassing us like this. I¡¯m the one he loves, so I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to find someone else.¡±When Lorelei finished speaking, she turned to look at yton. She was delighted that the man did not disagree with her. Even though he doesn¡¯t say it, I¡¯m sure he loves me. Otherwise, he would¡¯ve corrected me.¡°What makes you think I have any interest in him? He¡¯s not even worthy of my time.¡±¡°You can¡¯t be serious. Don¡¯t you know who he is? Just ask anybody here, and I bet they¡¯ll have no trouble telling you his name.¡± Lorelei was confident that everyone in Jipsdale knew who yton was.Immediately, the crowd began discussing among themselves again. They thought Sophie was shameless and could not believe that she did not know yton. The man is mentioned in the newspaper more frequently than any artist!At that moment, Tristan finally drove over and saw the crowd surrounding Sophie. After parking his car by the roadside, he approached the scene.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Anything For Her Chapter 145 Anything For Her Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Kneel And Beg Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. The crowd wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize Tristan because his existence in Jipsdale was rather mysterious. Although a lot of people had heard of his name and knew that Jipsdale was basically controlled by the Lombard family, no one from their social ss had ever seen him in person.When he saw how solemn she looked, he walked up to her and held her hand.Tristan¡¯s gaze turned grim when he spotted yton.At the same time, yton was surprised to see his archenemy there. What a coincidence! So, this young girl is with Tristan. Things are getting more interesting now.¡°What¡¯s going on? Are they bullying you?¡± Tristan lowered his head and asked.Upon seeing how Tristan was treating Sophie, yton¡¯s interest was piqued. It seems like they¡¯re quite close.¡°yton, who is he?¡± Lorelei didn¡¯t know Tristan, and she had never seen him in person. However, she was aware of how handsome Tristan was. He looks even more dashing than the young idols in the entertainment industry. Besides, that demeanor of his is frightening.¡°He¡¯s someone you¡¯ll never be able to interact with in your life,¡± yton replied truthfully. He hated Tristan a lot, and he had tried numerous times to get rid of Tristan. However, his attempts were futile.¡°What should we do now?¡± Lorelei asked.¡°What do you mean? Didn¡¯t you say that young girl was taking photos of you secretly?¡±Lorelei couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. Well, that young girl did point her phone at me. However, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve seen the photos on her phone. What if it was just a misunderstanding?The only reason she was acting brazenly earlier was because she thought Sophie was someone without any background.Things had changed, though. She could feel a chill running down her spine upon receiving a casual nce from Tristan.¡°They said I was trying to seduce Ms. Crawford¡¯s boyfriend, and that¡¯s why I¡¯ve been following them around and taking photos of them secretly.¡± As Sophie was telling Tristan what had happened, she couldn¡¯t help but feel amused. Who would¡¯ve thought that therees a day when I¡¯m used of taking photos of someone secretly? The funniest part is that my target is a low-grade star!¡°I¡¯m so sorry, but I think there must be a misunderstanding.¡±Because of how scary Tristan was, Lorelei apologized immediately. No matter what, we should just get this conflict sorted out.¡°Hey, young man. Your girlfriend did take photos of someone secretly. Just let it slide, okay? You know where the Zales family stands in Jipsdale, right? You¡¯ll be in trouble if you mess with them,¡± a kind-hearted man cautioned Tristan. I doubt they know what they¡¯re getting themselves into.That was the first time Tristan was told that he couldn¡¯t afford to mess with the Zales family.¡°Mr. Zales, how do you n on settling this conflict? Your woman crossed my girlfriend. We need to settle the score, no?¡± Tristan asked.Upon hearing that, everyone at the scene was taken aback. None of them had expected Tristan to have the balls to talk to yton that way. Who exactly is this young man?¡°Mr. Tristan, is this necessary? I bet this is all just a misunderstanding. Since no harm was done, perhaps we should just act as if nothing had happened.¡± Unlike everyone else, yton was well aware of who he was dealing with. He had always schemed from behind the scene and avoided facing Tristan head-on because he knew exactly how scary he was.¡°Mr. Tristan?¡± Lorelei¡¯s knees went weak immediately.Based on her identity, there was no way she would ever have a chance to see Tristan. Since yton said this man is Mr. Tristan, that must be him. He¡¯s a legend and a myth in Jipsdale. Not only is he ruthless, but he¡¯s also cold-hearted.Fortunately for her, she managed to grasp yton¡¯s shirt just in time. Otherwise, she would¡¯ve slumped to the ground.¡°Mr. Tristan, out of respect for me, would you be willing to let this slide?¡± Either way, yton had to protect Lorelei because she was his woman.¡°Out of respect for you?¡± Tristan thought he had just heard the funniest joke in the world. ¡°Mr. Zales, I barely know you. What kind of respect do you expect me to have for you?¡±Tristan took Sophie¡¯s phone from her hand and pressed a few buttons. Just like that, he managed to switch on the phone.There were a lot of people nearby, but no one said a word. They were all looking at Tristan and wondering about he was doing with the phone.After he switched the phone on, he pressed on the photo album.After looking through the photos, he tossed the phone to Lorelei. ¡°Ms. Crawford, please check if there¡¯s any photo of yours in there, will you?¡±Lorelei¡¯s hands were trembling at that point. Even if there were photos of her in there, she wouldn¡¯t dare to say it.However, she could not fine any.¡°I¡­¡± Lorelei couldn¡¯t even spit her words out. Most people in the entertainment industry would pay her the utmost respect. Hence, she had a false sense of superiority.That day, however, she had gotten herself into deep trouble, and there was nothing she could do to salvage the situation.¡°I¡¯m sorry. I must¡¯ve been w-wrong,¡± Lorelei stammered.¡°Well, why are you apologizing to me for? You¡¯ve got the wrong person.¡± Tristan crossed his arms and looked down at her.¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, little girl. I¡¯ve misunderstood you. Please forgive me, okay?¡± Lorelei apologized.The crowd was stunned. Who is this man? How did he make yton¡¯s girlfriend beg for forgiveness?¡°Now you¡¯re sorry? Where did your arrogance go?¡± Sophie scoffed. She despised people like Lorelei. Since she dared to act haughtily, she should just maintain it. She¡¯s apologizing just because Tristan showed up. She¡¯s just a disgusting coward.Lorelei¡¯s legs could barely support herself, and she dropped to her knees. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I get it now. I won¡¯t do such a thing again.¡±Despite always being an arrogant person, Lorelei had no choice but to kneel and beg for forgiveness in front of Tristan.While that was happening, yton merely stood beside her and kept quiet.¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Tristan was unhappy with himself. If I didn¡¯t answer the phone in the car just now, I wouldn¡¯t get caught up for so long, and she wouldn¡¯t have to endure everything on her own.She took the initiative and held his hand. It was as if she knew he was ming himself for what had happened. ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. I¡¯m not bothered by what they said.¡±For some unknown reason, the more time she spent with Tristan, the more she didn¡¯t like to see him ming himself.¡°yton, I¡ª¡± Lorelei knew how embarrassing that was, but that was the only thing she could do in Tristan¡¯s presence.yton interrupted her speech by saying, ¡°Lorelei, I think this is the end for us. Don¡¯te looking for me again.¡± With that, yton went to his car and drove away. Anything For Her Chapter 146 Anything For Her Chapter 146 Chapter 146 FinishedLorelei panicked because she never expected things to turn out that way. If she knew that would happen, she wouldn¡¯t dare to mess with Sophie.¡°yton, I know I was wrong.¡± Lorelei was on the verge of crying. What is my life going to be like now that I¡¯ve crossed Mr. Tristan? I¡¯ve already sacrificed so much to get to where I am today.¡°Well, you know who Tristan is, and what he¡¯s capable of. Yet, you went on to mess with his woman. You¡¯ve got balls, all right.¡± He wasn¡¯t scared of Tristan. However, he wasn¡¯t willing to make an enemy out of Tristan in public for a girl¡¯s sake.By then, the crowd was looking at her and murmuring among themselves. They were all talking about how yton had just dumped Lorelei.yton pushed through the crowd and left. She didn¡¯t dare to imagine how her life would be without yton by her side.Cecelia was livid when she saw the news that day.Unlike others, she knew who Lorelei was fighting with because she recognized Sophie at a nce. ¡°Lorelei is getting more and more ballsy, isn¡¯t she? Her bullying is getting out of hand!¡±I¡¯ve been busting my chops the whole afternoon because of the new movie, and Lorelei was busy bullying Sophie.¡°All right. Calm down, okay? Judging by the situation, I¡¯m sure Ms. Tanner has already taught her a lesson. Isn¡¯t that good enough?¡± Her agent tried to calm Cecelia down because it was foolish to cause trouble right after the release of the new movie.However, Cecelia couldn¡¯t let it slide. ¡°I know Soph is capable, but how could I not do anything knowing that she was bullied? I must do something for her as a friend.¡±Her agent was feeling rather helpless.¡°Give me my phone. I need to teach her a lesson so that she knows what not to do,¡± Cecelia uttered.Cecelia had never been involved in feuds in the entertainment industry. For Sophie¡¯s sake, however, she decided to have a go at it.Her agent was reluctant to pass Cecelia her phone. ¡°Cecelia, why don¡¯t we just focus on making movies? Why must you waste time having feuds with other celebrities? I don¡¯t see the point of it.¡±¡°Well, that¡¯s because I¡¯m doing it for Soph. Quick! Give me my phone.¡± Cecelia knew her agent was unaware of the rtionship she had with Sophie. Hence, Cecelia knew why the agent had advised her against doing so. However, it was something she was determined to do.Upon seeing how determined she was, the agent shook her head and passed Cecelia her phone. I hope this doesn¡¯t cause too big of a problem. The movie had just been released, and we have two of the main characters fighting against each other. I don¡¯t see how this will look good on any of them.Cecelia proceeded to upload a tweet on Lorelei¡¯s wall before giving her phone back to her agent.The agent¡¯s lips twitched when she saw what Cecelia tweeted. Wow! Cecelia knows what she¡¯s doing, doesn¡¯t she? Those are some nice words!Cecelia tweeted: Ms. Crawford said Soph was trying to take a photo of her secretly. Does she not know that Soph was the one who booked ten thousand showings in the afternoon? Considering that, would a person who had booked ten thousand showings take a photo of someone secretly? Who does Ms. Crawford think she is?A few moments after Cecelia tweeted, it was retweeted a hundred thousand times.All of a sudden, Lorelei was the talk of the town.When Lorelei finally arrived home, she saw her agent waiting for her with a grim expression.¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Lorelei didn¡¯t know what had happened on Twitter.¡°Lorelei, how famous do you think you are?¡± The agent was enraged. The movie was just released, and she had already done such a thing. Does she know how damaging this is?¡°What is it?¡± Lorelei thought she had already had enough bad news on her te. What else can happen?¡°See for yourself!¡± The agent passed Lorelei her phone. Lorelei¡¯s facial expression changed dramatically when she saw the tweet Cecelia had uploaded.¡°What should we do now? I didn¡¯t see thising! Hey, you¡¯ve helped me ever since I joined the entertainment industry. Will you help me deal with this now? I really don¡¯t know what to do. I didn¡¯t know that girl is associated with Mr. Tristan.¡±Upon hearing that, the agent finally realized how Sophie could book the showings from Cecelia. ¡°What? Mr. Tristan? Are you talking about the ¡®Mr. Tristan¡¯?¡±Initially, the agent thought she could weather the storm by organizing a press conference. However, she could only wave her hands in despair when she was told that Tristan was involved. ¡°Lorelei, do you remember what I told you the first day you entered the entertainment industry? I told you not to find trouble with Mr. Tristan, didn¡¯t I? You have the guts, all right. In that case, there¡¯s no need for a press conference. I think you should just pack up and leave.¡±¡°What? Are you really giving up on me? The movie had just been released, and things are going great! Help me, okay?¡± Lorelei couldn¡¯t just give up on her career after all the sacrifices she had made.Her agent stepped away from Lorelei and stared coldly at her. ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? You¡¯re finished. The reason you¡¯re breathing now is that Mr. Tristan had shown you mercy. However, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen to you if you don¡¯t leave now. Think about it, will you? Did Mr. Zales say anything on your behalf when things went south? IfN?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. even a person like Mr. Zales can¡¯t help you, what makes you think we can turn things around?¡±Lorelei slumped to the ground when she heard that. I¡¯ve struggled and fought for so long. Am I finished just because of a minor mistake?¡°Is there nothing we can do?¡± Lorelei couldn¡¯t bear to give up on her career. What¡¯s with my awful luck?The agent was unwilling to waste her time on the matter, so she turned around and left. Now, Lorelei is going to disappear from the entertainment industry for good.After getting home, Sophie went to take a shower and changed into her pajamas. That was when she received a call from Cecelia.¡°Are you okay, Sophie? I know what happened between you and Lorelei. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll teach her a lesson and make sure she ships out of the entertainment industry.¡± Ever since she joined the industry, Cecelia had never been involved in a feud. However, she couldn¡¯t help it this time around because Lorelei messed with Sophie.Sophie frowned when she heard those words. Has the matter been blown out of proportion?¡°It wasn¡¯t easy for you to build your name. I don¡¯t want you to tarnish it just because of something I¡¯ve done. Stay out of it, okay? This has nothing to do with you. I know what to do to punish her,¡± Sophie said.¡°Sophie, why would you say that? What do you mean it has nothing to do with me? It has everything to do with me. When someone tries to nder you, they¡¯re ndering me as well. How could I stand by and watch?¡± Anything For Her Chapter 147 Anything For Her Chapter 147 Chapter 147 EroticCecelia was angry. Prior to that, she had never cared about Lorelei. However, she just wanted Lorelei dead when she crossed her bottom line.¡°Oh, goodness!¡± Having grown up with Cecelia, Sophie was well aware of her temper. ¡°That¡¯s it, okay? It¡¯s just Lorelei. She¡¯s done for.¡±¡°Okay.¡± Cecelia knew Sophie would get annoyed if she were to carry on pursuing the matter.¡°As an actress, isn¡¯t the state of yourplexion important to you? Sleep early, okay?¡±¡°Hey, you¡¯re way more important to mepared to myplexion.¡± If Cecelia were a man, she would definitely be a sweet talker.The two of them talked on the phone for quite a while before Cecelia reluctantly hung up.When Sophie came out of her room, Tristan was still in the living room.¡°It¡¯s gettingte,¡± Sophie said.Tristan raised his gaze and nced at Sophie. She was standing there with her auburn hair over her shoulders, looking as beautiful as always.He beckoned her over with his finger.Upon seeing that, Sophie walked up to him and stood in front of him. ¡°What? Didn¡¯t I tell you I¡¯m fine? What makes you think I can¡¯t beat Lorelei?¡±Sophie wasn¡¯t one to get bullied.¡°I know you¡¯re very capable, Sophie. In fact, you can even fight off mercenaries. However, I¡¯m still not willing to see you in any form of danger. Even if your counterpart has nothing on you, I would still stand by your side because I¡¯m worried that you might get hurt. I don¡¯t think I can ever stay away from you. Do you know how I feel?¡±Indeed, once someone had fallen in love, they would do anything in their power to keep their significant other safe and sound.He then suddenly held her waist and pulled her downward. Just like that, she was sitting on hisp.Before that, Sophie was standing in front of him. She couldn¡¯t help but feel that the position she was in was a little too intimate for her liking.¡°Mr. Tristan!¡± Sophie eximed in surprise.To her surprise, Tristan merely rested his head on her shoulder.Right then, she was overwhelmed with uncertainties. She really didn¡¯t know what to say to make him feel better. All along, she preferred to take everything upon herself and protect the others.However, she was at a loss whenever she was with Tristan.Due to the uncertainties, she wasn¡¯t even sure where she would end up in the future. Hence, she couldn¡¯t promise Tristan anything.¡°You¡¯re so cruel, you know? I¡¯ve already said so much, but you¡¯re still unwilling tomit to me.¡± Tristan had never expected that he would end up wanting an eighteen-year- old girl to make amitment to him.¡°I¡­¡± At that point, she didn¡¯t know what to say.Tristan wrapped his arms around her neck and kissed her on her lips. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m not trying to put pressure on you when I said that. I just want you to know that you¡¯re the only person I want to be with.¡±After staying in that position for around ten minutes, he let go of her and let her sit on the couch. If he were to keep holding her in his arms, he could lose his cool and devour her whole.Knowing that she was still young, he had to be patient and have some self-control.¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I need to take a shower. If you¡¯re sleepy, you should just go to bed first. I¡¯ll leave after I¡¯m done showering,¡± Tristan uttered. Sophie smirked when she saw him trying to flee the scene.If some other men were to get turned on by her, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to end his manhood. However, since the man in question was Tristan, she found his reaction rather cute. At the same time, anticipation had grown in her.After taking a shower, Tristan couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly when he saw himself in the mirror. When did my willpower be so weak? Sophie was just sitting on myp. It¡¯s not like she was doing anything to me, so why couldn¡¯t I control my urge?¡°Tristan, are you really a monster? She¡¯s just an eighteen-year-old girl. What were you thinking?¡± he asked himself.The moment he thought about her soft lips and slender waist, his mind was instantly filled with lustful thoughts.After showering, Tristan came out with a bathrobe on. Sophie isn¡¯t in the living room anymore. She must be in bed already, right?Although his emotions were telling him to stay, his mind was telling him to get out of there. Hence, he quickly put on his clothes and fled.When Sophie heard the door close, she got out of her room and went to the living room. As expected, he had already left.A bright smile then appeared on her face when she recalled his actions and reactions earlier.Tristan sent Sophie a text when he arrived home.Tristan: I¡¯m home. Sleep early, okay? Sophie: Okay.Tristan wasn¡¯t happy when he received the one-word reply. This girl is so heartless. I thought I¡¯m a man with few words, butpared to her, it seems like I¡¯m such a talker. It¡¯s okay, though. All we have is time. I¡¯ll slowly involve myself in her life, and she¡¯ll get used to having me around.With those lustful thoughts in his mind, he ended up having wet dreams that night, and Sophie was in every one of those dreams.The next morning, Tristan was bewildered when he recalled those dreams he had. I didn¡¯t even have a wet dream when I was a teenager. Nheless, those were some sweet dreams.Tristan, the legend of Jipsdale, ended up needing a cold shower that morning to calm his thoughts.¡­ In the meantime, Willow spotted Angie the moment she arrived at Jipsdale Premier High, and she couldn¡¯t help but frown. Didn¡¯t I already get her to transfer to another school? Everything was arranged for her back then, so what is she doing here now?Willow grabbed Angie¡¯s hand and dragged her into an alley.Angie let her lead the way. Although she didn¡¯t know where Willow was going, she knew she had a lot of things to say to her.¡°Angie, I¡¯ve already arranged for you to transfer to another school, no? You could¡¯ve started a new life. What are you doing back here? You have nothing to do with Jipsdale Premier High anymore. Do you think you¡¯ll have a peaceful lifeing back here? Do you think Sophie is going to let you off the hook?¡± Willow was very emotional. As long as Angie doesn¡¯te back, no one will find out about that incident.¡°Willow, I can¡¯t stay in that school. The students there only greeted me with punches and kicks. I can¡¯t stay there. Please help me.¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Anything For Her Chapter 148 Anything For Her Chapter 148 Chapter 148 CompromiseAngie was holding onto Willow¡¯s hand so tight that it was as if she was holding onto herst hope.Willow wasn¡¯t pleased. What is she doing? Does she need to do this? Why should I clean up the mess she has made in another school?¡°Angie, I believe I¡¯ve done my part. Back then, you were the one who uploaded the photos on the forum, so it has nothing to do with me. I¡¯ve already helped you, no? Why are you taking advantage of my kindness?¡± Willow pulled her hand away from Angie and warned, ¡°I¡¯m warning you. Don¡¯t ever show up in front of me again. Otherwise, I¡¯m going to teach you a lesson. Also, watch your mouth. I¡¯m sure you know what not to say.¡±Angie stared at her in disbelief. If she didn¡¯t send those photos to me, how would everything happen?¡°Willow, if I¡¯m going down, I¡¯ll be sure to drag you down with me. You¡¯d better find another school for me. Otherwise, I¡¯m going toe after you. Mason doesn¡¯t know about your misdeeds, right? Do you think you would still have a chance with him if he finds out about this?¡± With that, Angie turned around and left.So, this is Willow¡¯s true self. She¡¯s such a disgusting woman.After Angie left, Willow leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. Now, Mason is already treating me with such a bad attitude. If he finds out I was involved in those incidents, he¡¯ll never forgive me.Jipsdale is a huge ce. I¡¯m sure the Tanner family has the ability to make a small fry like her vanish into thin air!A chilling re shed across Willow¡¯s eyes when she murmured to herself, ¡°Angie, you¡¯d better watch what you do. If not, I won¡¯t show you mercy.¡±Willow couldn¡¯t help but feel troubled when she thought about Mason¡¯s attitude toward her. That man¡¯s heart must be made of stone. How has he not softened up after all the time I¡¯ve spent with him? When Willow got out of the alley, she bumped into her followers.¡°Wi, what were you doing in the alley?¡± one of them asked. Apparently, that alley was the ce where most of the bullies in the school would settle their disagreements privately. What was she doing there alone?¡°It¡¯s nothing. Stop asking me about it,¡± Willow answered.¡°Wi, I saw Angie just now. What is she doing back here?¡±¡°How would I know? Do you think I have the time for that?¡± Willow didn¡¯t want the conversation to continue, and she just wanted to get out of there.When she arrived at the school¡¯s entrance, she saw Angie there, staring back at her.Willow¡¯s heart skipped a beat. F*ck! Why is she still here?Right then, Sophie and Ysabelle appeared at the entrance. Seeing that Angie was about to approach Sophie, Willow immediately ranAll content is ? N0velDrama.Org. toward Angie and grabbed her hand before dragging her out of there.¡°Wi?¡± Her followers were stumped. What just happened? Where did she go?After that, they started talking among themselves.¡°What¡¯s going on? Why did Angie look for Willow?¡±¡°I heard Angie was having a tough time at her new school. Not only was she constantly bullied by the other girls, but they had also stripped her naked in public.¡± In fact, Angie¡¯s life in her new school was far different from when she was in Jipsdale Premier High. There, the students would fight very often. Obviously, that wasn¡¯t an environment that a goody two shoes like Angie could survive.¡°Is it really that bad?¡±¡°Oh, yes. It¡¯s that bad. However, how does any of it have to do with Wi? Although Wi is a kind person, what can she do to help?¡±¡°Could it be that Angie is bullying Wi?¡±The conversation went on.Unsurprisingly, Sophie and Ysabelle had spotted Angie earlier on. Besides, they also heard the conversation Willow¡¯s followers were having.¡°Serves her right! That¡¯s what she gets for talking sh*t about you.¡± Ysabelle had no sympathy for Angie at all. Since she dared to hurt Soph, she deserves every bit of hardship she gets.Sophie, on the other hand, didn¡¯t have anything to say.That was because Angie was not anyone important to her. If she didn¡¯t show up in front of Sophie that day, Sophie would have already forgotten about her existence.¡°Angie transferred to Jipsdale High. That¡¯s the worst school in Jipsdale because most of the students there are gangsters,¡± Ysabelle added.¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡± Indeed, none of those so-called gangsters couldpare to Sophie.¡°All right. Let¡¯s just forget about her. Whatever it is, she deserves it. That¡¯s what she gets for getting into bed with Willow.¡± Ysabelle then went into the school with Sophie.¡°Ysabelle, are you all right?¡± Ysabelle didn¡¯t seem like her usual self that day, and she didn¡¯t eat much for dinner.¡°I¡¯m fine. Why wouldn¡¯t I be? Don¡¯t worry, okay?¡± Ysabelle didn¡¯t want Sophie to worry about her. Well, it¡¯s not like anyone can help me with what I¡¯m going through.Sophie walked up beside Ysabelle and put her arm over her shoulders.Suddenly, Ysabelle felt aggrieved. ¡°Soph, do you know that if I could choose my own destiny, I would rather be born into an ordinary family? In that case, I can do what I like.¡±Her father was livid because of the video taken in the karaoke bar. He thought she had done it on purpose.Sophie patted her shoulder and said, ¡°Even if you are a Lombard, you can still do what you like. You have my support.¡± No matter what the others had to say, she would still support Ysabelle.¡°Okay.¡± Ysabelle was touched.After the self-study session, Sophie received a call from Arius, and she wanted to look for him right away. However, she saw Tristan waiting for her outside the school when she was leaving.¡°Why are you here?¡± Since she was busy, she wouldn¡¯t leave with him even if he was there to fetch her.Upon hearing that, Tristan furrowed his brows. She doesn¡¯t seem like she wants me here. Otherwise, why would she have that expression on her face?¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you busy?¡± Judging by the look on her face, Tristan could tell that she wasn¡¯t nning on going back to Wisteria Apartments.¡°Yes. I need to pay someone a visit. Hence, whatever you came here for, could we leave it for tomorrow?¡± Sophie thought she had made herself clear.Felix didn¡¯t dare to utter a word after he saw the look in Tristan¡¯s eyes. Felix was there to apologize to Ysabelle because he was the reason the video went viral.However, he got a feeling that it was a mistake to go there.¡°Can I leave now?¡± Sophie nced at Tristan.Tristan nodded. What else can I say? She¡¯s always so busy, and she has a lot of people to meet. I bet I don¡¯t even matter much to her.Sophie felt bad when she saw the look on his face.That being said, she was dealing with something that concerned Josiah. Hence, it was very important.¡°How about this? Go over to Wisteria Apartments to wait for me, okay?¡± Sophie had done something she had never done in her life. She hadpromised because of how sad Tristan looked.¡°Okay. No matter what you¡¯re going to do, take care of yourself.¡± Tristan was happy with her suggestion. Anything For Her Chapter 149 Anything For Her Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Protecting What She Wants To ProtectEven though he hoped that he would be able to head there with her, he decided not to press on since she said nothing.Sophie knew that Tristan wanted to go with her, but Arius was no ordinary person. Without Arius¡¯ permission, no one, including Sophie, could reveal his location to anyone else.¡°Mr. Tristan, you can send her there.¡± Why let a young woman like her take a cab to who-knows-where sote at night?Tristan shot him a look in response. Do I look like I needed you to prompt me to do that? It¡¯s only because Sophie doesn¡¯t want me to do it. That¡¯s what I mind the most.Right then, Ysabelle came out and saw Felix and her uncle.¡°Are you all here to pick me up?¡± Clearly, Tristan was not. But where¡¯s Sophie? Did they not come across her?¡°Send her home safely, and don¡¯t let her linger around outside,¡± was all Tristan said to Felix before getting into the car, ready to head to Wisteria Apartments and wait for Sophie there.Ysabelle then turned to Felix and scoffed at the man. She did not forget that they were both giving each other the cold shoulder. Moreover, she had tried to initiate reconciliation, but he ignored her completely.¡°Ysabelle, I was the one who uploaded the video. Sorry.¡± Felix was overwhelmed with guilt. All he wanted was to help her out, but his action ended up trapping her in a situation like this.Ysabelle scoffed again.¡°Oh,¡± she tly said as if she waspletely unfazed by the matter. ¡°Is there something else you want to talk about? If not, it¡¯s time for me to head home. My dad has given me a curfew.¡±Felix pursed his lips, feeling helpless. I think I¡¯ve really made a mistake.¡°Belle, I really didn¡¯t mean to be so distant toward you. I just didn¡¯t know how to face you.¡±¡°Is that so? So, you know how to face me now?¡±Felix was silent.¡°If you don¡¯t, you might as well just give up. It¡¯s the best oue for all of us.¡± Then, without giving him a chance to respond, Ysabelle turned and got into the Lombard family¡¯s car.Felix remained rooted to his spot, thinking, Maybe I¡¯m really in the wrong. Perhaps we¡¯re not suitable for each other. Rtionships can¡¯t be forced, and it¡¯s time for me to sober up.Meanwhile, Sophie had taken a cab to Cloud Nine Hotel, where Arius was waiting for her.It only took Sophie a knock on the door before Arius opened it. He was wearing a white top with the two top buttons undone and a pair of ck cks.In those clothes, he looked like an intellectual, but there was also a tinge of slyness in his witty eyes.¡°Dress yourself properly,¡± Sophie huffed.¡°What¡¯s wrong? I¡¯ve already dressed decently, but you¡¯re still unhappy with my attire? If not for you, I wouldn¡¯t have even worn a shirt. Moreover, don¡¯t you know that many girls love the sight of my figure? You¡¯re full ofints despite getting a free show. Don¡¯t you think that you¡¯re too much?¡±Sophie was silent, pondering where he was getting his confidence from.Dressed properly? You¡¯re giving me the urge to wash my eyes with bleach.A beatter, Arius had no choice but to button up his shirt.¡°I¡¯d say you must have really low self- esteem. You¡¯re scared that you¡¯d fall for my beauty, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re so picky with my clothes.¡±Sophie did not know how to reply to that. He¡¯s so full of himself. I might as well let him wallow in his self-delusion.Arius then asked Sophie to take a seat on the couch before he filled a ss of warm water for her.¡°Here¡¯s the thing. The medical association is about to have a medical summit in a few days, so I have to rush back to attend it. Therefore, I will have to perform your grandpa¡¯s surgery before I go back. Is that fine with you?¡± Arius said without beating around the bush, knowing that Sophie was a busy young woman.¡°Hm,¡± she hummed as she tapped the desknguidly.Arius then sat down beside her and held her hand.¡°You¡¯d be at ease to hear that I¡¯ll be the primary attending surgeon for the surgery, right?¡± Arius knew how important Josiah was to Sophie, and that was why he had spent a long time preparing for the surgery to the best of his ability. He was trying hard to minimize all the risks involved.¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m worried about your skills.¡± After all, the one she was talking to was Arius Gullifer. How could she possibly not have trust in his skills as a surgeon? However, it was surgery at the end of the day, and surgery always came with risks.¡°Trust me, Sophie. If I was able to pull you away from the hands of the grim reaper four years ago, I¡¯d be able to save the one that matters the most to you four yearster too.¡±Sophie could only incline her head in response.¡°All right, make the arrangements for the surgery, and I¡¯ll talk to my grandpa.¡± Frankly, if Josiah did not undergo surgery, Sophie did not know how much longer he could hold out.The surgery was mandatory, and Arius was the most suitable one to be Josiah¡¯s primary attending surgeon.When Arius noticed the hesitant look on her face, he stood up and opened a bottle of red wine before giving her a ss of it. Then, when she was not paying attention to him, he added a little drug to it.¡°I don¡¯t feel like drinking,¡± Sophie said, shaking her head when she saw the ss he was handing to her.¡°Just a little. This red wine is really smooth. I spent three million to get it. You¡¯ve been too stressed outtely, and drinking a little alcohol will be good for you.¡±Sophie did not have her guard up around Arius at all; the only person she trusted most besides Josiah was Arius.Thus, she took the ss from him and drank everyst bit of the red wine.A few minutester, she fell asleep on the couch.¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sophie. I didn¡¯t want to do this to you, but I have to check you over.¡± If not for her stubbornness, he would not have resorted to drugging her.Arius then hunched over to lift Sophie from the couch and ced her on the bed before giving her a checkup. After making sure that she was physically fine, Arius let out a sigh of relief and tucked her in.¡°Good girl, rest well. I¡¯ll help you protect the people you care about the most.¡± At the very least, he was confident in his ability to do that.That night, Sophie had a long, long dream.Meanwhile, Tristan was getting more and more anxious as time ticked away.Sophie had asked him to wait for her at Wisteria Apartments, and that was why he had chosen to do nothing but trust her, believing that she would return.However, as time passed, Tristan was getting increasingly doubtful about his choice. Why? Where did she go? Did something happen to her?Unable to hold himself back anymore, Tristan called her. However, no one picked up his call.It was then that Tristan started panicking. He had never felt that kind of fear before.In the end, he sent his men to track her whereabouts, not because he had no trust in her but because he was worried about her.Nevertheless, once he found out that she was in Cloud Nine Hotel¡¯s presidential suite with an unfamiliar man, Tristan¡¯s expression darkened.Instantly, he sped off to Cloud Nine Hotel. He could not stand the thought of her being with another man, no matter who he was.After getting down from the car, he went straight to the presidential suite and knocked on the door.When Arius heard the sound, he opened the door, only to be greeted with the sight of the enraged Tristan.Arius frowned. Mr. Tristan? What¡¯s he doing here?¡°Mr. Tristan, how may I help you?¡± While Tristan did not know who Arius was, that did not mean Arius was clueless about the former too.N?velDrama.Org content. Anything For Her Chapter 150 Anything For Her Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Important To MeTristan immediately narrowed his eyes to study the man in front of him.¡°Who are you? What are you trying to do?¡±Tristan was only worried that the man would hurt Sophie.Arius could not hold back hisughter when he noticed how tense Tristan was.¡°Are you trying to ask what kind of rtionship Sophie has with me instead?¡±Tristan did not respond to him. Instead, his eyes flitted toward the bed behind Arius and realized that Sophie was indeed lying on it.Despite the loudmotion, Sophie was still asleep. At that, Tristan realized that something was amiss.¡°What have you done to her?¡± Tristan bellowed, his heart leaping to his throat.¡°Who are you, and what right do you have to ask all these questions?¡± So, is he the reason Sophie refused to join the medical association?At that point, Tristan did not want to waste any more of his breath on the man, so he began attacking Arius.Even though Arius was a medical student, he was quite skilled in fighting as well. A fight promptly broke out between the two of them.Nevertheless, no matter how good of a fighter Arius was, he was no match for Tristan. Soon, thetter had him sprawling on the floor.¡°Speak! What happened to Sophie?¡± Waves of anxiety were washing over Tristan¡¯s mind as he realized that Sophie was still not awake from the loud noises they made. He kept wondering what the man had done to her.Arius could not move an inch as Tristan kept him pinned on the floor, but he refused to admit defeat.¡°Why should I tell you anything? Aren¡¯t you worried about her? If so, find out what happened to her yourself.¡±Upon hearing Arius¡¯ stubborn words, Tristan kicked his abdomen.¡°Ah!¡± Arius cried out in pain. ¡°Sh*t, you f*cking¡ª¡±Before he was done cursing at Tristan, Tristan lifted his leg, about to give him another kick.¡°Stop it.¡±I know I¡¯m a doctor, but it still hurts when I get kicked!¡°Speak!¡±No one could keep their secrets if Tristan was the one interrogating them.¡°She¡¯s fine. She¡¯ll wake up in the morning. I¡¯m warning you now; don¡¯t do anything to me. Otherwise, Sophie won¡¯t let you off the hook when she wakes up.¡±With how close Sophie and I are, she won¡¯t let anyone bully me like this!Arius felt utterly ashamed for suffering aplete defeat.¡°Scram.¡± The fact that Sophie came all the way there herself meant the two of them were not merely associates.That was why he could not jump to a conclusion based on merely his own spections before Sophie regained consciousness.Nevertheless, once Sophie woke up and Tristan confirmed that the man had indeed harbored malicious intentions towardContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. her, he would destroy the man.Arius rubbed his nose and muttered, ¡°This is my room. Why do I have to leave? Even if one of us has to leave, shouldn¡¯t you be the one?¡±So what if he¡¯s the renowned Mr. Tristan? I, Arius Gullifer, am not an easy target either. Just a call from me, and the top assassin will come and kill him!Tristan shot him a re.Again, Arius scratched his nose awkwardly.¡°Fine. A good man knows when to retreat. Since no one can speak up for me while Sophie¡¯s asleep, I¡¯ll wait until she wakes up. Let¡¯s see if you¡¯re still going to be this haughty!¡±Arius then exited the presidential suite and booked a different room. After entering the new room, hey on the bed and slept.In the meantime, Tristan walked over to the bed to look at the sleeping woman. Then, he held her hand.¡°Girly, how could you make others worry about you this much?¡± I should¡¯ve ignored her decision ande with her. This wouldn¡¯t have happened otherwise.For the first time in his life, Tristan was feeling regretful.After he nted a kiss on her forehead, the anger in him dissipated.It was as if nothing mattered anymore as long as he knew that she was fine.Tristan felt that it was strange for him to be acting that way.When Sophie finally woke up, she noticed Tristan sprawling at the edge of the bed, asleep. She mused, He looks ufortable in that position.Then, she began recalling what had happened the night before. How did Tristan end uping here? Where is Arius? Where did he go?Sophie then tried to get off the bed to head to the bathroom, but just as she moved a little, Tristan was jolted awake. Instinctively, he grabbed her hand.Her somewhat groggy look made Tristan¡¯s heart skip a beat, and he could not help but pin her under him.¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to wait for you at Wisteria Apartments?¡± Tristan sounded a little resentful and piteous.Sophie scratched the back of her head as she, too, did not know how she ended up falling asleep there.¡°Sorry, I identally fell asleep here. I have no idea what¡¯s going on too. Have you seen my friend?¡± The two of them must have encountered, right?Seeing that Sophie was asking about her friend the moment she woke up, Tristan became upset. As a form of punishment, he bit the corner of her lips.¡°Is he more important than me? Why are you asking about him right after you wake up?¡± Tristan felt that it was no small matter, and he had to get an answer from Sophie.¡°Mr. Tristan¡­¡± Sophie never thought that the mature and collected Tristan would ask a question like that. This is unbelievable. He¡¯s making me change my impression of him!¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is that a difficult question to answer?¡± Tristan insisted.Sophie was still pinned under him, and they were in a truly awkward position.¡°Let me get up first. I need to use the bathroom.¡± Sophie was about to lose control of her dder soon.¡°No. You have to answer me first. Who¡¯s more important to you?¡±He¡¯s just like a kid. Am I supposed to console him?¡°He¡¯s important to me,¡± was what Sophie told him honestly.Hearing that, Tristan fell silent. Is that man really that important to her?Finally, he let go of her, and she sat up on the bed. When she noticed the sullen expression on his face, she scrambled for words to say to him. Why does he have such a look on his face?¡°Mr. Tristan, are you okay?¡±Tristan shook his head.¡°Not at all,¡± he told her. He wanted to be the one who mattered the most in her life.At his response, Sophie scratched her head in confusion. A momentter, she silently went to the bathroom to wash up.Right then, Arius returned, for he knew that she would wake up around that time.Once Tristan caught a glimpse of the man, he scowled.That was what Sophie saw when she came out of the bathroom¡ªa stand-off between two extremely handsome men.Then, she spotted the injury on Arius¡¯ face, and the corner of her lips twitched.So¡­ these two men have already fought, and Mr. Tristan emerged as the victor.When Arius realized that Sophie was out of the bathroom, he rushed to her side and pointed at Tristan. ¡°Soph, look. He¡¯s bullying me!¡±Tristan was speechless.How can this man be so childish and a tattletale?Still, Sophie pretended not to have heard his words. After all, the other man was Tristan. Even if he bullied Arius, there was nothing she could do about it.Arius was instantly despondent when he saw Sophie ignoring him.¡°You¡¯re too much, Sophie! How can you side with an outsider and not me? I¡¯m¡ª¡±Sophie shot a look at him, and he promptly mped his mouth shut. I¡¯m her senior, but what a sad life I lead!¡°Hmph! The two of you are so mean to me. I don¡¯t want to see you anymore. Leave!¡± Arius fumed.¡°Okay, I¡¯ll leave then,¡± Sophie said before turning around to actually leave.¡°Sophie, you¡¯re going too far!¡±¡°I¡¯m going too far? If you didn¡¯t drug me and make me sleep for so long, would I be oblivious to the two of you fighting here?¡± Anything For Her Chapter 151 Anything For Her Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Cheap Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Hearing that, Arius rubbed his nose in shame. Indeed, he was the one at fault, so he did not dare to say anything else.On the other hand, Tristan shot Arius a vicious re, and thetter flinched in terror.These two¡¯s demeanor are truly in sync! It¡¯s quite terrifying.Even after exiting the presidential suite and entering Tristan¡¯s car, Sophie said nothing to him to exin the situation.¡°Do you trust him a lot?¡± It seemed like Tristan was really bothered by the close tie between Sophie and Arius.¡°What do you mean?¡±¡°You¡¯re a cautious person. If you didn¡¯t have absolute trust in him, he wouldn¡¯t have had a chance to drug you.¡±Sophie continued staring straight ahead in silence.¡°Sophie, I don¡¯t care how important he is to you. If he hurts you, I won¡¯t let him off the hook.¡±¡°Mr. Tristan, he wasn¡¯t trying to hurt me.¡± There were many things Sophie still could not tell Tristan.Tristan was disappointed. Even now, she still can¡¯t bring herself to exin anything to me.¡°Send me to the Tanner residence, will you?¡± Arius had to return to the medical association, so the surgery had to proceed earlier than scheduled.¡°Are you not going to school today?¡±¡°I need to talk to my grandpa, so I won¡¯t be going to school today.¡± Regardless of everything, Sophie had made up her mind to convince her grandfather to agree to the surgery.At the end of the day, this surgery determines how much time Grandpa has left to stay by my side. No matter the cost, I have to get him to undergo this surgery.¡°What¡¯s going on? Soph, no matter what happens, I hope you won¡¯t keep it a secret from me. I want to face life head-on with you no matter rain or shine.¡±His words moved Sophie. Although they had technically only met by chance, he had been nice to her all this time, taking on all her problems as if they were his.Tristan was disappointed to see that Sophie remained secretive with him. Have I not done enough? Why won¡¯t she tell me anything? Nevertheless, Tristan sent her to the Tanner residence. Only after watching her enter the house did he turn to leave. However, before he could get into his car, Willow stopped him.¡°Hello, are you Sophie¡¯s boyfriend?¡± Willow¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she finally met the man again.Mason was now bed- bound, and no one could tell whether or not he would be able to stand on his two feet again. On the other hand, the man before her was healthy and elegant in all ways. He made her heart race.Nevertheless, Tristan waspletely uninterested in talking to Sophie¡¯s sister.Still, Willow persisted despite his obvious indifference and ran toward him. She had dressed up to her nines that day, and she was sure that no man would reject her.¡°Since you¡¯re here, why aren¡¯t you going in with Sophie?¡± Willow deliberately asked. ¡°Right, Sophie¡¯s always been like this. She¡¯s very wary of others. Maybe you don¡¯t matter to her, and that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t ask you toe in. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re aware of this or not, but she brought Mason home less than a month after meeting him five years ago. Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I think I¡¯ve run my mouth.¡±Willow was spilling the beans on purpose.Upon hearing her, Tristan drew his brows together.Is she trying to drive a wedge between us? Isn¡¯t that a cheap trick?¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t know who you are. Can you move aside now?¡±Whether or not he and Sophie were getting along was none of an outsider¡¯s business.Tristan¡¯s straightforward response made Willow grimace.After biting her lip, she decided to throw caution to the wind and uttered, ¡°I¡¯m just doing this for your sake. There are plenty of men around Sophie. I¡¯m hoping that you won¡¯t end up as one of her ythings.¡±At that, Tristan narrowed his eyes at her. That look from him sent chills down her spine.¡°I don¡¯t want to hear you talk about Sophie from now on. If I hear this again, don¡¯t me me for making you pay.¡±Willow never expected that the man would not heed a single word from her despite how she had to muster her courage to tell him those things.¡°I know better than you who Sophie is. A girl like you is asking to be taught a lesson,¡± Tristan added.By then, all the colors had drained from Willow¡¯s face.¡°This is just for your sake¡­¡± Willow tried to protest, but Tristan gave her no chance to do so as he went into his car.Overwhelmed with rage, she tightened her fists.What spell did Sophie cast on this man to make him so protective of her? Why?Jealousy was an emotion that could drive anyone mad.When Willow thought about the recent incidents that she had gone through, she felt the overwhelming urge to skin Sophie alive.After Tristan entered his car, he did not leave immediately; he intended to wait for Sophie in the car.When he saw Willow still standing rooted to her spot and fuming, he sneered.Disgusting.Tristan was no fool. The moment Willow walked over, he knew what she was about to do.When Charmaine saw Sophie return, she immediately paused her work and asked in concern, ¡°You¡¯re free today? Are you here to visit your grandpa?¡±Sophie did not even feel like responding to Charmaine¡¯s feigned concern.¡°I¡¯m going up to see Grandpa,¡± was all Sophie said before heading to the backyard.After all, she knew that Josiah was in the middle of tending to his garden at that moment.¡°This girl is so rude. Does she really think that she owns Tanner Group now?¡± Charmaine simply could not bring herself to like this daughter of hers.¡°Mrs. Tanner, Ms. Sophie is pushing her luck. Ms. Willow is still the more obedient and sensible one.¡±¡°That¡¯s right. Wi¡¯s more sensible and sweet. It¡¯s genuinely a pity that Mason is in this state now. I wonder if he¡¯ll ever recover.¡± Every time Charmaine thought about Mason¡¯s leg, she would feel troubled.If Mason could no longer walk, Willow would have a hard life, and Charmaine could not bear to let her suffer.After all, Willow was the daughter she had doted on since young.¡°Mrs. Tanner, Ms. Willow is such an outstanding person, so there isn¡¯t a need for her to stick to the Laird family. I heard from a rtive that the best families in Jipsdale right now are the four major families.¡°The four major families.¡± Charmaine knew that those four families were the best choices, but unfortunately, the Tanners had nothing to do with them at all.¡°Mrs. Tanner, since Ms. Willow is such a wonderful person, if she can get a chance to meet anyone from the four major families, she would be able to¡­¡±Charmaine was starting to grow haughty as she listened to the words of the housekeeper. If Mason¡¯s no longer a good choice, we can always opt for someone else as long as that person can give us what we want.¡°The four major families? Let me think about how we can approach these four major families¡­¡± She¡¯s right. All Willowcks is an opportunity.¡°My darling, you¡¯ve come! Hurry over to look at my orchid!¡± Josiah beckoned Sophie from inside the greenhouse.Sophie then walked over and crouched down beside Josiah to look at his beloved orchid.¡°How is it?¡± Josiah eagerly asked. Anything For Her Chapter 152 Anything For Her Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Good Luck Sophie gave Josiah¡¯s orchid a few more nces and realized that it was indeed of a rare species.¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll get someone to send a few more pots of this orchid to you,¡± was all Sophie said to him in response.She hade not to talk about orchids with Josiah but to convince the elderly man to undergo surgery.¡°Soph, is there something you want to talk to me about?¡± Josiah rarely saw her so hesitant to say anything.There was no point in hiding it anymore, so she said, ¡°Grandpa, I hope you¡¯ll agree to the surgery.¡±Josiah turned silent.Why is she suddenly talking about this? Though, it isn¡¯t actually that abrupt. Didn¡¯t she bring me to the hospital for a full-body checkup the other day?Josiah was contemting how he should reply to her. He was old and genuinely did not want to go through the hassle anymore.¡°Soph, I don¡¯t want to undergo the surgery. All I want for my final days is to see you happy. That¡¯s all I need.¡±If he did not agree to undergo surgery, he might have a little longer to live. However, if he agreed to it, there was a high chance that he would not even survive the operation as his body might not be able to handle the stress.Nevertheless, Josiah was moved.While Josiah was keeping his condition a secret, Sophie, who did not live with him, knew what was going on. On the other hand, Yale, Charmaine, and Willow, who all stayed under the same roof as Josiah, did not notice anything amiss about him. Who said that she¡¯s not caring?¡°Grandpa, trust me, okay? Please agree to the surgery.¡± Sophie leaned against his leg. He was thest bit of warmth she had in the world, and she did not wish for him to leave her so soon.¡°Soph, I don¡¯t want to part with you, and that¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to agree to this surgery.¡± No one was not afraid of death. Although elderly people were expected to be more epting of death, Josiah did not want to meet his demise yet.He still wanted to stay by Sophie¡¯s side.If he were to leave as well, she would be all alone in the world.¡°Grandpa, please trust me. I¡¯ve really sought help from the best doctor in the world, and I trust that he won¡¯t let me down. I¡¯ve never asked for anything from you, but please, do this for me.¡± The only time Sophie would act so lowly was when she was with Josiah.Josiah¡¯s heart ached to hear her words. How could I let her be in so much despair?Only then did Josiah begin mulling over his words.¡°Soph, I really can¡¯t stop worrying about you.¡± She isn¡¯t even of age yet. If I leave, she¡¯ll be all alone, and I can¡¯t rest in peace.¡°Grandpa,Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. you said that you want to watch me get married. Are you going to go back on your words?¡± she asked. It was an urgent matter, and this was the only way she could persuade him.¡°Soph¡­¡± What decision should I make? A beatter, Josiah said, ¡°Okay. In that case, I agree to the surgery. But Soph, you have to remember that I¡¯m the one who chose to do the surgery. Even if I don¡¯t leave the operation room alive, you¡¯re not allowed to be sad about that.¡±Sophie blinked quietly.Even now, he still has my best interests at heart.¡°Okay.¡±Josiah then gently patted Sophie¡¯s back.¡°You always do things discreetly, my child. Don¡¯t you know that¡¯s why you tend to suffer the most?¡±You should learn from Willow. Be more of a sweet talker, and others will feel bad for you. Isn¡¯t that better for you?As Josiah was going to undergo the surgery, he had to be admitted to the hospital for prior observation.Josiah summoned the butler and had thetter pack up for him.¡°Old Mr. Tanner, are you really going to undergo the surgery?¡± The only one who knew about Josiah¡¯s condition other than Sophie was the butler.¡°That¡¯s enough. You just need to know that I¡¯ll be undergoing the surgery. Pack up. We¡¯ll be going to the hospital with Sophie.¡±¡°The rate of sess for this surgery is too low.¡± The butler knew that he should not be saying those things to Josiah, but he could not bring himself to feign ignorance after working for Josiah for so many years.A minor mistake by the surgeon, and Josiah would die on the operating table. After all, he was no longer as sturdy as when he was younger.¡°As long as Soph¡¯s happy, I won¡¯t have any regrets even if I die.¡±The butler did not know how to respond to that. He knew that Josiah had always dotted on Sophie, but he never thought that Josiah would still heed Sophie even when it came to matters of life and death.After packing up, Josiah led the butler down the stairs while Sophie went into her room to get some things beforeing back out.When Charmaine saw the suitcase in Josiah¡¯s hands, she instantly stood up and asked, ¡°Dad, where are you going? Didn¡¯t the doctor ask you to stay at home?¡±¡°I¡¯ll be staying at one of myrades¡¯ ce for a while.¡± Josiah did not want to reveal too much about his surgery. He felt that it was better for them not to know about it.¡°Dad, where are you going? No matter where you want to go, you should wait for Yale toe back and send you. If you go out by yourself now, he¡¯ll surely me me once hees home.¡±Charmaine could not wrap her mind around what Sophie had said to Josiah to convince him to leave.¡°No need to. You just have to settle the matters at home. You don¡¯t need to intervene in my personal affairs.¡±If Yale finds out about this, he¡¯ll surely kick up a fuss.Josiah then went out with Sophie. When Tristan saw them, he quickly came out of the car.¡°You haven¡¯t left?¡±¡°No, I¡¯ve been waiting for you here. Old Mr. Tanner,e on into the car.¡± Frankly, Tristan did not even know where Sophie was taking Josiah, but he was going to help the elderly man into the car anyway.Josiah was visibly happy when he saw Tristan.¡°Tanny, didn¡¯t I ask you to visit me at the Tanner residence? Why didn¡¯t youe?¡± Josiah grumbled.Tristan did not excuse himself. Instead, he only smiled and replied, ¡°Sorry. I was too busy courting Sophie, so I didn¡¯t have time toe here and visit you. Old Mr. Tanner, please forgive me for that.¡±Then, he helped Josiah into the car.Josiah was smiling the entire way as he thought, Tanny seems like a decent guy. Maybe he¡¯ll be a suitable candidate to take care of Sophie if I¡¯m gone.¡°You¡¯ve been courting Soph since forever. I wish you all the best. I think you¡¯re good for her,¡± Josiah encouraged.¡°Okay, Old Mr. Tanner. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely do my best! I¡¯ll win over your dear granddaughter and make sure she won¡¯t ever feel upset.¡±Tristan was a smart man; he knew what Josiah wanted to hear. That was why he said those things to please the old man.¡°To the hospital.¡± Sophie climbed aboard and pretended not to have heard their conversation.Tristan then took on the role of the driver and sent them to the hospital. He knew about Josiah¡¯s condition too. Thus, he wondered, They¡¯re going to the hospital. Does that mean she has already made arrangements for the surgery?Once they were at the hospital, the hospital director made the arrangements for Josiah himself.Josiah could not help but turn to look at Tristan when the director came out to greet them. Anything For Her Chapter 153 Anything For Her Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Constance Insults Sophie¡°All the preparations areplete, Old Mr. Tanner. Don¡¯t you worry!¡± said the director as he personally escorted Josiah to the VIP ward.Josiah simply chuckled in response as he knew he had nothing to worry about.Tristan helped him get seated after the director left, and Sophie came over with Arius shortly after.¡°Hello, Old Mr. Tanner. I¡¯m Sophie¡¯s senior. My name is Arius Gullifer,¡± Arius greeted him with a friendly and easy-going smile.¡°Her senior, huh? Sophie, why didn¡¯t you tell me about having a senior like him? What happened in Horington?¡±Sophie shot Arius a re. D*mn it! Why would he bring up the one thing I dread talking about the most? What happened in Horington is in the past, so I don¡¯t want Grandpa to know about it! Besides, him finding out now won¡¯t change a thing anyway. If anything, it¡¯ll only make him worry even more!¡°Rx, Grandpa! I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡±Josiah fell silent. But¡­ I didn¡¯t say she did anything wrong¡­¡°Anyway, Arius is the doctor I found for you.¡±Josiah started freaking out when he heard that the young doctor in front of him was named Arius.Arius is a legend in the medical field! He¡¯s the pride of Chanaea!¡°You can just call him Ari, Grandpa.¡± Sophie wasn¡¯t nning on introducing him at first, but she did so because she knew what Josiah was worried about.Besides, Arius¡¯ reputation could reallye in handy.Arius Gullifer, the only Chanaean in the international medical association. Young, famous, and possesses peerless medical skills. How is someone like him Sophie¡¯s senior? How many more secrets are Sophie keeping from me? Also, she seems to be treating him a little differently. Are they really just senior and junior? Tristan thought to himself as he nced at Arius.After what seemed like forever, Josiah finally found his voice and said, ¡°Thank you very much, Dr. Gullifer!¡±Arius scratched his head awkwardly and replied with a smile, ¡°You can just call me ¡®Ari,¡¯ Old Mr. Tanner. Given my rtionship with Soph, her grandpa is as important as mine! You really don¡¯t have to be so formal with me.¡±¡°That¡¯s right, Grandpa! You can just call him ¡®Ari!¡¯ He¡¯ll be in charge of your surgery, and the director will give him his full cooperation. I¡¯ll keep youpany in the hospital throughout the next few days, so you have nothing to worry about!¡± Sophie added.Josiah frowned when he heard that.¡°Since the surgery hasn¡¯t started, you should all go do whatever it is you should be doing! What are you all standing here for? I have full faith in Ari¡¯s medical skills!¡± Earlier on, he was skeptical about the surgery¡¯s chances of sess but found aN?velDrama.Org content. glimmer of hope when he heard Arius would be performing the surgery. Maybe I will be able to see Soph get married and have kids, after all!¡°Thank you for your trust in me, Old Mr. Tanner. I won¡¯t let you down!¡± Arius promised.¡°Of course I trust you! You¡¯re the best medical practitioner in the world! Who else would I trust if not you?¡±Sophie held Josiah¡¯s hand with an anxious look in her eyes. Despite her usually being as cool as a cucumber, she found herself feeling uneasy when her grandfather¡¯s life was at risk.¡°I¡¯ll be here with him, Soph. You can go do your work ande back when you¡¯re free.¡± Arius didn¡¯t want her to stick around as he knew she had a lot of work to do.¡°What¡¯s wrong with me being here? Why are you all trying to get rid of me?¡± Sophie asked with a frown. Does my presence really make them that ufortable?¡°I can¡¯t help but feel like I¡¯m being supervised when you¡¯re around, which makes me feel really ufortable. Go on, run along now!¡± Arius replied.He was determined to give his best in performing the surgery anyway, so he really didn¡¯t need an extra pair of eyes monitoring him all the time.¡°All right, then. I¡¯ll go buy Grandpa some food ande backter,¡± Sophie said. I can¡¯t leave! Yale will surely be looking for Grandpa everywhere once he finds out that Grandpa isn¡¯t home. When that happens, I¡¯ll have one more problem to take care of¡­¡°I don¡¯t feel like eating anything, so you three can go ahead. Help me treat Ari to a nice meal, okay? I¡¯ll personally treat him to another meal when I get better!¡± Josiah wasn¡¯t sure how Sophie got him to help out, but he wanted to thank Arius properly.Arius held Josiah¡¯s hand and said with a chuckle, ¡°Sure thing, Old Mr. Tanner. I¡¯ll certainly im that meal when the timees!¡±Josiah felt especially at ease after hearing that.The butler waited until the three of them had left beforementing, ¡°Ms. Sophie sure is something else, isn¡¯t she? The people she knows are all big shots!¡±However, Josiah wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about that.¡°The fact that she knows these people means she must be one of them as well. I remember how Soph used to be such an innocent and adorable girl¡­ Honestly, I would very much prefer for her to remain that way. At the very least, she wouldn¡¯t have so many things to worry about!¡±It pained him just thinking about the hardships that Sophie must¡¯ve gone through to achieve that status.¡°You¡¯re overthinking it, Old Mr. Tanner. Besides, Sophie wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle all this on her own if she had remained the way she was,¡± the butler replied.Only through growth can a person hope to gain what he wants. I suppose we can¡¯t have everything our way, huh¡­Constance had just stepped out of Mason¡¯s ward when she saw Sophie walking in between two men. To make matters worse, the men both looked extremely handsome and were not the kind to be trifled with.Hmph¡­ No wonder she doesn¡¯t like Mason at all!With that in mind, Constance said disdainfully, ¡°Now I see why you wouldn¡¯t visit Mason, Sophie. You¡¯ve found yourself another man! Or should I make that two? You sure are something else for dating two guys at the same time!¡±Sophie decided to ignore Constance as she knew there was no point in talking to someone that unreasonable.However, Arius wasn¡¯t about to just let it slide.¡°What, are you jealous? Well, I suppose it makes sense. Given your appearance, I doubt any guy out there would even take an interest in you! You¡¯d probably be alone for the rest of your life if you weren¡¯t rich!¡±Constance was so angry that her fingers were trembling as she pointed at Arius. ¡°You¡­ Do you have any idea who I am? How dare you speak to me like that? I could have you disappear from Jipsdale if I so much as feel like it!¡±Arius quickly wrapped his arms around Sophie¡¯s and said sarcastically, ¡°Hey, Sophie! Did you hear that? She said she would make me disappear! I¡¯m so scared! What should I do?¡±Sophie burst outughing when she saw Arius acting like a child. ¡°Now, now¡­ That¡¯s quite enough, Arius.¡±She deemed Constance an unimportant person, so she didn¡¯t want to waste any more of their time on her.Arius let out a defiant snort and pointed at Tristan as he added, ¡°I could put you through a fate worse than death before you even make me disappear! Do you even know who he is?¡±Having recalled how powerful Tristan was, Arius decided to use his name instead.Sophie quickly stopped him when she realized what he was about to say next. ¡°We¡¯re going out for lunch, aren¡¯t we? Come on, quit wasting your time arguing with her!¡±Tristan simply stood there ring coldly at them as Sophie dragged Arius away by the arm.¡°See that? Sophie is the kind of woman who forgets her current boyfriend after finding someone new! She doesn¡¯t deserve to be loved at all!¡± Anything For Her Chapter 154 Anything For Her Chapter 154 Chapter 154 You Belong To Me¡°Mrs. Laird, was it? I¡¯m Tristan Lombard. Please keep in mind that there are some people you should never insult, and my woman is one of them.¡± There was no way he could tolerate someone insulting Sophie, let alone doing so multiple times in a row.The look on Constance¡¯s face changed the moment she heard him mention his name.How is this possible? Even the Laird family finds Sophie unworthy, so how could someone like Tristan be dating her? There¡¯s no way the great Lombard family would approve of her! On top of that, Tristan would never allow his woman to get so friendly with other guys!With that in mind, Constance protested, ¡°Are you kidding me? You can¡¯t possibly be Mr. Tristan! A man like him would never take an interest in a girl like Sophie!¡±Tristan simply snorted at her without saying anything, but that was more than enough to terrify her to the core.With Mason¡¯s fate still uncertain as hey on the hospital bed, the Laird family would be doomed if she offended Tristan.¡°Are you really Mr. Tristan?¡± Constance asked with an uncertain look in her eyes. She was clinging to thest shred of hope that the man standing in front of her wasn¡¯t actually Tristan.¡°What kind of woman did you say Sophie was?¡± Tristan asked with a sneer.Constance didn¡¯t dare say anything further after that.All it takes is an order from Mr. Tristan to destroy the Laird family completely!Noticing that Tristan was still standing there, Sophie had no choice but toe back for him.¡°Why are you still wasting your time on her?¡± she asked with a frown as she grabbed his hand and dragged him away.A smile formed on Tristan¡¯s face when he saw her holding his hand, and he kept his gaze fixated on their interlocked fingers the whole time.Sophie shook her head when she noticed what he was doing.¡°Oh,e on, Mr. Tristan! Are you serious right now?¡± Since when did he be so childish? Why must hepete with Arius over everything?¡°Yes, I am. I want everything that Arius gets. You belong to me, Sophie. Make sure you remember that, okay?¡±He could put up with everything else she did, but this was something he had to stand firm on.Sophie felt her heart race when she heard his confession-like statement. She tried pulling her hand back, but Tristan grabbed hold of it and refused to let go.¡°You¡¯ve chosen to hold my hand, so you mustn¡¯t let go for the rest of your life.¡± Despite being a man of few words, Tristan found himself saying a lot when he was with Sophie. He feared someone else would beat him to it if he didn¡¯t make a move sooner.The look on Arius¡¯ face turnedContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. gloomy when he saw the two of them holding hands.¡°That¡¯s unfair, Sophie! You need to treat us both equally!¡± he protested. She grabbed me by the wrist but went straight for his palm! There¡¯s a huge difference between the two!¡°Are you two quite done? If you don¡¯t want to have lunch, we can just go our separate ways right now!¡± Sophie¡¯s patience had run out at that point.Arius could only rub his nose and keep his feelings of indignation to himself.The three of them soon arrived at a nice restaurant, attracting a lot of attention due to their remarkable appearances.After all, a goddess-like beauty hanging out with two ridiculously handsome men wasn¡¯t exactly amon sight for most people.Even so, the three of them paid no heed to the strange looks they were getting as they sat down at a table.A waiter soon came over and handed them some menus so they could ce their order.Tristan was fine with having anything that Sophie was having, so he just set the menu aside without even looking.Arius, on the other hand, was determined to order the best dishes avable since it would be their treat.After bombarding the waiter with a barrage of orders, he ced the menu down and said, ¡°Hey, Sophie! I bet you must be really proud of yourself for being able to treat me to a meal, huh?¡±Due to his status in society, there were countless people in Jipsdale who would kill to treat him to a meal.Sophie simply ignored him and ordered a few additional dishes ording to Tristan¡¯s preferences before handing the menu over.Naturally, Tristan¡¯s mood improved significantly after she ced her order.When the food was served up, Tristan helped top up Sophie¡¯s te with all sorts of food. Not wanting to lose to him, Arius poured her a bowl of soup as well.Sophie red at them and shouted impatiently, ¡°Can¡¯t you two just have lunch normally?¡±She was already stressed out due to Josiah¡¯s uing surgery, and their childish behavior only worsened her mood even further.¡°It¡¯s all his fault, Sophie! I wouldn¡¯t have done something so childish if it weren¡¯t for him asserting his dominance! Fine! I¡¯m sorry, okay? I¡¯ll drink this soup myself!¡± Arius whined like a wimp.¡°You should eat more, Sophie. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure your grandpa will be all right,¡± Tristan reassured her as he knew she was concerned about him.¡°Sophie, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d trust me to get the job done? Do you not have faith in me?¡± Arius grumbled in displeasure.¡°This has nothing to do with you. I¡¯d still worry about him regardless of who performs the surgery.¡±There was no such thing as a surgery without risks, so she couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy no matter what.In order to offer her emotional support without overwhelming her, Tristan simply held Sophie¡¯s hand in silence.I bet Tristan would beat me to a pulp if I were to hold her hand right now¡­ Oh, woe is me¡­ Arius thought to himself with a wry smile when he saw the intimate interaction between them.After lunch, the three of them returned to the hospital together with nutritious food for Josiah. Surely enough, Sophie heard Yale¡¯s voice from outside the ward.¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Dad? Given your age, you probably don¡¯t have that many years left! Why would you put yourself through all this?¡± Yale had just found out about his condition. Despite his harsh words, he actually didn¡¯t want to see Josiah take such a huge risk.¡°I¡¯ve already made up my mind on this, Yale. There¡¯s no point in trying to talk me out of it!¡± Josiah replied stubbornly.¡°You¡¯ve been brainwashed by Sophie is more like it! I¡¯m your son, Dad! All I want is the best for you! Have you ever considered the risks of undergoing surgery at your age? What if it isn¡¯t sessful?¡± Yale absolutely refused to ept his decision.Josiah simply stared at him in silence.Frustrated, Yale went off at Sophie the moment he saw here in through the door.¡°I know you hate us for leaving you all by yourself in Horington five years ago, but that¡¯s all on me! If you want to get revenge, then it¡¯s me you shoulde after! Your grandpa is really old now, so he can¡¯t possibly handle such a surgery! Will you please spare him from such torment?¡±Sophie ignored himpletely and made her way toward the table with the lunchbox in hand. She was nning on feeding Josiah first before dealing with Yale. However, her actions angered him so much that he smacked the lunchbox out of her hand, spilling the food all over the floor.¡°Hey! I¡¯m talking to you! Are you deaf or what? I am your father, Sophie! Watch your d*mned attitude!¡±Sophie¡¯s expression turned incredibly gloomy as she looked up at him. ¡°Get the f*ck out of here right now if you value your life, Yale Tanner! Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you!¡±Yale had truly angered her to the core at that point. Anything For Her Chapter 155 Anything For Her Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Nothing To Do With YouWhat the h*ll? How dare she address me by my full name like that? I¡¯m her father, d*mn it! I¡¯ll teach her insolent a*s a lesson!¡°Looks like I¡¯ll have to teach you some manners, Sophie. Can¡¯t have you ruining the Tanner family name by going around causing trouble everywhere!¡± Yale shouted as he grabbed her arm and swung at her.Josiah sat bolt upright and yelled sternly, ¡°Stop it, Yale! How dare you hit Sophie in front of me? You¡¯ve gone way too far!¡±To their surprise, Sophie stopped the p by grabbing his iing hand by the wrist and flinging it aside with force.Angered by her act of resistance, Yale said stubbornly as the frown on his face deepened, ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that I will never agree to this surgery, Sophie!¡±Sophie¡¯s gaze was as cold as ice as she replied, ¡°And I¡¯ll have you know that the surgery will be performed whether you agree to it or not. I will bear the consequences myself, so it has nothing to do with you.¡±Seeing as she refused to back down, Yale raised his hand a second time.This time, Tristan caught him by the arm before Sophie could even react.¡°Who the heck are you? I¡¯m disciplining my daughter here, so let go of me! This is none of your d*mned business!¡±I¡¯ve been through a really rough day at work. As if that isn¡¯t bad enough, I now have to deal with my daughter¡¯s insolence and a random stranger? Who is this guy? How dare he grab me like this?¡°Who I am doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is the fact that you¡¯re messing with someone you can¡¯t afford to.¡±Tristan would nevery a finger on Sophie, so he wasn¡¯t about to let someone p her in front of him.Not wanting to see them continue fighting, Josiah said, ¡°Go home, Yale. My surgery is none of your business.¡±¡°Dad! I know you¡¯ve always let Sophie have her way and that you¡¯ve always looked down on me. However, I¡¯m truly doing this for your own good! Think about it, Dad! An old man like yourself undergoing surgery? How likely do you think you¡¯re going to survive it?¡± Yale protested.I¡¯m the head of this household, yet these people decided on this without even informing me about it! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually thest person to find out about this surgery!Josiah red at him coldly as he asked, ¡°We¡¯ve been living together for so many years, Yale. Since when have you ever cared about my well-being? You¡¯re my son, and yet you didn¡¯t even notice such a huge issue with my health. Do you really think you¡¯re in a position to object at all?¡±¡°I¡¯ve just been too busy with work, Dad. I really am concerned about you right now!¡±¡°That¡¯s enough. The surgery will take ce the day after tomorrow. Feel free to drop by if you like, and I won¡¯t me you for noting if you¡¯re too busy. Just don¡¯t cause any trouble if you decide toe over.¡±¡°Fine. I won¡¯t stop you if you¡¯re so determined to get that surgery done.¡± Yale then turned toward Sophie and continued, ¡°Your grandpa really loves you. I hope you don¡¯t repay his kindness with cruelty.¡±After that, he stormed out of the ward and mmed the door shut behind him.Seeing as none of them would listen to him, Yale deemed it pointless to say anything further. If anything, he felt more like an outsiderpared to Tristan.Josiah shook his head helplessly after Yale left. Sigh¡­ Yale and his hot temper¡­ How will he ever be able to handle problems in life if all he knows is to throw tantrums like that?Tristan went to get a mop from the restroom and began cleaning up the floor.¡°Please don¡¯t take your father¡¯s words to heart, Soph. This is my choice, so I don¡¯t want you feeling upset regardless of what the oue may be.¡±¡°Okay.¡±Sophie had been under a lot of stress ever since Josiah decided to undergo the surgery. She was really afraid of it being unsessful, but there was no backing out of it at that point.¡°I¡¯ll go buy you something to eat, Grandpa,¡± she said as the food that she had brought over earlier was all wasted.¡°All right, go on. Tanny, you can just let the janitor take care of the cleaning. Go keep Sophpany!¡±Josiah didn¡¯t want her going out by herself in her current state.Tristan nodded and set the mop aside before following Sophie out the door.¡°Everything will be fine,¡± he reassured her gently while wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Whatever happens, I¡¯ll always be her greatest source of support!Willow hade to visit Mason at the hospital, only to witness that intimate moment between Sophie and Tristan in the corridor.Sophie is seducing another man right after doing this to Mason? Does her shamelessness know no bounds?Her face contorted in rage at the thought of that, and she clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails were digging into the flesh of her palms.¡°Come on, let¡¯s go buy your grandpa something to eat,¡± Tristan said. He could¡¯ve just let his assistant do it for them, but he wanted to take her out for some fresh air.It wasn¡¯t until Constance came up to Willow and tapped her on the shoulder that thetter snapped out of her daze.¡°How is Mason doing, Mrs. Laird? I¡¯m sorry it took so long for me toe visit him. I¡¯ve been really busytely. I¡¯m really worried about his condition, so I tried asking around to see if I could find him a better doctor,¡± she said politely.Constance was originally displeased with Willow¡¯s absence throughout the past few days, but she felt her heart soften when she saw theAll content is ? N0velDrama.Org.