Ch. 721..730

My Baby’s Daddy Chapter 721

“Could you give me a shout next time instead of blocking my path?” Sophia grumbled.

“Are you in such a hurry to see me?” Arthur asked with a smile as his eyes narrowed.

Sophia blushed slightly. Turning her pretty face away, she replied, “Who said that? I‘m not.”

“Have you made a reservation at a restaurant?”

She nodded. “Uh–huh. I‘ve got to get back to work in the afternoon, so let‘s eat at a nearby restaurant.”

“Right, let‘s go!” Arthur suddenly stretched out his hand and grabbed her wrist before taking her out of the building

Sophia‘s heart pounded for a moment. Why is this guy taking me by the hand? There are a lot of my colleagues here. I don‘t want anyone to get the wrong idea about me!

In the restaurant, she said to the man across from her on behalf of her father, “Mr. Weiss, I‘d like to thank you on my dad‘s behalf for returning the company to him.”

Seeing the sincere expression on her pretty face, Arthur replied with a smile, “Is that all you have to say?”

She pursed her lips. “What kind of thanks do you want, then?”

Seeing how tender and bouncy her rosy lips were as she sank her teeth into them, he somehow felt his body tense up. He gave a gulp, saying, “Why bite your lips for no reason? Aren‘t you afraid of biting through your lips?”

Sophia had a habit of biting her lower lip when she felt uneasy. When she heard Arthur‘s words, her crescent–shaped eyes curved in a smile. “I‘m not stupid. Why would I bite my own lips?”

Arthur chided with a serious expression, “Don‘t keep biting your lip in front of a guy from now on. Do you know what kind of cue it is to a man?”

Understanding what he meant, Sophia instantly blushed. “I–I‘m not trying to seduce anyone. I only do that out of habit,” she explained.

“Get out of the habit,” ordered the man across from her overbearingly.

Sophia nodded obediently. “Okay. I‘ll get out of this habit starting from today.”

Seeing how obedient she looked, Arthur somehow felt incredibly delighted. His lips curved in a smile as he praised her, saying, “What a good girl.”

She instantly went red in the face again. What is this guy taking me for?

After the food was served, Sophia talked about her current job. Knowing that she was actually working under Anastasia, he was somewhat reassured. He said, “She‘ll take care of you.”

Sophia nodded. “That‘s right. President Tillman really takes good care of me.”

“If you come across anything that‘s hard to deal with in the future, you can ask me for help,” Arthur said.

However, Sophia shook her head resolutely. “Thanks, but it‘s not necessary.” She would sever all contact with him after this meal; this was what she had promised Martha.

Before they realized it, it was already past 1:00 PM. After checking the time, she promptly said, “I should get back to work already.” She went to pay the bill whereas he looked out of the window while losing himself in thought.

After they left the restaurant, Sophia waved to him. “I‘m going back to work.” She had wanted to say “see you again,” but she thought they would never meet again from now on. Every step she took toward the Presgrave Group was resolute, albeit with a hint of reluctance.

Arthur followed her with his gaze. She was dressed in a well–fitting suit, and her long hair bounced slightly in the midday sunshine. There were many attractive and charming urban beauties around her, but his eyes were glued to her slim figure.

Martha was away when he returned to the villa. As soon as he returned to his study his bodyguard knocked on the door, wanting to come in. “Come in,” he said.

“Young Master Weiss, we‘ve issued reward notices along the route on which Miss Goodwin lost the necklace. If there is any news, they‘ll inform me immediately.”

“Pay attention to the secondhand market as well. Perhaps someone will list it on the market.”

“Young Master Weiss, is Miss Goodwin sure that she lost the necklace? Can we talk to her to learn more information so that it‘s easier for us to search for the necklace?”

“Don‘t disturb her. There‘s no hurry.” Having a headache, Arthur sank into the sofa while propping his head with his hand.

“Yes, Young Master Weiss,” the bodyguard replied. As he left the room, he suddenly noticed a figure trotting away. It was none other than Emily.

At this moment, she had returned to her room. Pressing her back against the door, she patted her chest somewhat nervously. What did I overhear just now?

My Baby’s Daddy Chapter 722

The Weiss Family‘s priceless heirloom is lost? And it‘s Sophia who lost it? Oh, my God! That heirloom is supposed to be worn around my neck! To think that Sophia—that b*tch–has lost it! Damn it! I‘ve got to tell Old Madam Weiss about this! At the thought of this, she took out her cell phone and dialed Martha‘s number.

“Hello, Emily. Is something the matter?”

“Grandma, I‘ve got to tell you a big piece of bad news. The family heirloom you gave to Artie is lost, and it‘s Sophia who lost it.”

As she had expected, Martha sounded shocked on the other end of the line. “What?”

“It‘s true. I just heard that Artie was anxiously searching for it, but it seems that it couldn‘t be found anymore.”

“Okay, I‘ll come back right away.”

Emily hung up the phone with a flicker of delight in her eyes. Now that the family heirloom was lost, Sophia would be in big trouble.

Martha arrived home just half an hour later. She said to a bodyguard standing guard at the entrance, “Come in after me.”

The bodyguard followed her into the living room before entering the small garden outside the drawing room.

“Let me ask you this–did Artie lose his necklace?”

The bodyguard‘s face froze. He immediately buttoned his lip; Arthur had told them not to go around telling anyone about this.

“What‘s the matter? Not even I can get you to talk, huh?” Martha asked in a commanding voice. “Is the necklace lost? Out with it!”

n Weise The bodyguard dared not defy her. “Yes, it is, Old Madam Weiss.”

a

“Who lost it?”

The bodyguard hesitated to answer. “It‘s...”

Martha looked as black as thunder. “Is it lost at the hands of Sophia?”

The bodyguard was stunned for a few seconds. “You know all about it?”

Martha was inwardly exasperated. Not only had her grandson given their family

heirloom to a young lady without her permission, but the young lady even lost it!

Arthur was adjusting his cuffs while coming downstairs when he saw the bodyguard coming over in a hurry from the garden. Upon seeing him, the bodyguard immediately came over and apologized to him in fear. “Young Master Weiss, I–I‘m sorry.”

Before Arthur could realize what had happened, a stern and commanding female voice sounded. “Come over here, Artie!”

Hearing Martha‘s voice, Arthur immediately sensed that something was wrong. After darting a look at the bodyguard who left in a hurry, he went to the garden.

Martha‘s eyes were blazing with fury as she sat on the sofa in the garden‘s glass house while watching Arthur coming in. Not only that, but she had a serious expression that he had rarely seen on her face.

“Grandma.” Arthur sat down across from her while waiting for her to question him.

“Where is the family heirloom your mom gave you? Where is it now?” Martha asked · straightforwardly.

Arthur instantly realized what this was about. But how did Grandma learn about the loss of the family heirloom? “Grandma, you know all about it?” Not knowing how much Martha knew about it, he had no choice but to sound her out first.

“Why did you privately give our family heirloom to a young lady without consulting us first? Not only that, but you even let her lose it carelessly!” Martha questioned angrily.

Arthur‘s pupils dilated in shock. Did the bodyguard betray me and tell her about Sophia? He could only take the blame by lying first, saying, “Grandma, I‘m the one who lost it, not her.”

Martha was dumbfounded. Artie‘s trying to protect that girl! Why? Have I underestimated his feelings for her? This immediately put her on the alert. “Artie, let me say this first. You‘ve got to recover our family heirloom and stay away from that Miss Goodwin,” she said while looking at Arthur.

Just then, Emily‘s figure showed up nearby in the garden. Shifting her gaze toward her, Martha added, “In what way is Emily incomparable with that Miss Goodwin? She grew up near our place and is a better match for you than Sophia Goodwin in terms of family background.”

“Grandma, I can do whatever you say, but I can‘t obey you when it comes to my choice of lover. Sorry about that,” Arthur retorted in a deep voice.

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“I don‘t mean to impose myself on you, but you‘ve got to think about our family. And besides, is it really good for someone as naive as Miss Goodwin to live in our family?” Martha argued calmly. “Our family has a complicated background and an extensive network of influence. If you let a lady who knows nothing be the lady of the house, she‘ll panic!”

“You‘re overthinking it, Grandma. She and I have yet to reach that point in our relationship,” Arthur said, comforting her. “I‘ve got something else to deal with, so I gotta go.”

After leaving through the door, Arthur crooked his finger at the bodyguard from earlier, who immediately came over with his head down, saying, “Young Master Weiss.”

Arthur‘s good–looking face clouded over instantly. “Who allowed you to betray me?!”

“I‘m sorry, Young Master Weiss, but I didn‘t betray you. I saw someone when I came out of your study.”

“Who is it?”

“Miss Jennings has eavesdropped on our conversation.” The bodyguard wouldn‘t take the blame in place of someone else either.

Arthur trusted his bodyguard, so he turned to walk toward the garden, where Emily was sitting by the swimming pool and chatting with a friend over the phone. Hearing the footsteps behind her, she looked back and hung up the phone before walking up to him happily. “Artie.”

“Did you tell my grandma about Sophia losing my family heirloom?” Arthur asked in a calm voice.

Emily‘s face instantly turned crimson. Biting her lower lip, she said, “Sorry, Artie, but it‘s such a big deal that I had to tell Grandma about it.”

Arthur‘s eyes turned frosty in an instant. He warned, “There will be no next time.”

Emily‘s heart clenched for an instant. Only then did she realize the gravity of the situation. “Sorry, Artie. I‘m really sorry, but Sophia Goodwin is the most doggone person for losing such a valuable thing of yours! She‘s got no idea how valuable the family heirloom is.”

“Don‘t let me hear you vilify Sophia ever again, or get out of my home,” Arthur said before turning around to leave.

Emily held onto his arm in panic. “Forgive me, Artie! Forgive me, please, okay?”

Arthur pulled his arm out of her grasp in disgust. “Don‘t touch me.”

Emily looked at his ruthless figure from behind in disbelief before a surge of resentment swept over her. What has Sophia done to cause my relationship with Artie to become like this?

Sophia gave a loud sneeze in the office. Startled, she mumbled, “Who‘s swearing at

me?”

Just then, her cell phone rang, and she picked it up. Seeing that it was an incoming call from an unfamiliar number, she answered it, saying, “Hello. May I ask who this

is?”

“Sophia, I‘m Emily Jennings. Let‘s meet up!” Emily‘s voice sounded.

Sophia was stunned for a moment. Then, she replied politely, “I‘m sorry, Miss Jennings, but I‘m working.”

“Did you lose the Weiss Family‘s heirloom? Sophia Goodwin, you have no idea how important the heirloom is to Artie. It‘s been passed down in their family for 200 years; it‘s even more important than your life!” Emily‘s furious voice sounded on the other end of the line. “Sophia, do you know that the family heirloom is mine? It‘s what I‘m supposed to pass down to Artie and my children! Get it back for me–now!”

Sophia was stunned by Emily‘s shrill and deafening voice.

“If you can‘t find it, then stay away and stop latching onto my Artie. You‘re not qualified to marry him. He‘s out of your league!” Emily said before hanging up.

Sophia inhaled softly. Little did she think she had lost something so valuable that belonged to Arthur. Although she didn‘t mean it, she was now overwhelmed with a strong sense of self–reproach.

Just then, Grace knocked on the door and came in to bring her a cup of coffee. “Sophia, the funeral will be held tomorrow. Dress in black. We‘ll see Old Madam Presgrave off for one last time with President Tillman.”

“Okay!” Sophia nodded.

Candles were lit in the Presgrave Residence‘s living room, where a photo of Harriet was placed on the altar for the visitors to pay their last respects. The candlelight illuminated her smile and her benign features. The arrangements had been made so that she would be escorted to her final resting place tomorrow.

My Baby’s Daddy Chapter 724

It was early morning, and the sky had just cleared for a while before becoming overcast, immediately after which it began to drizzle. Today was the day Harriet would be laid to rest. At about 9:00 AM, everyone who came to see her off on her last journey arrived at the cemetery on time.

Anastasia was wearing a black dress with a white flower on her chest. With a dignified and graceful expression, she stood next to Elliot, whereas her two assistants stood one meter behind her. Sophia and Grace were both dressed in black while standing and holding umbrellas.

The Presgraves came one after another. The first ones to arrive were Liam and Kendra, who came with their daughter Lorelai and their son Lewis. As the husband and wife spoke a few words to Elliot with profound grief, Lorelai turned her gaze to the latter with sympathy. Seems like the past few days have been tough on him, she thought.

Elliot‘s expression had a hint of grief and unconcealed weariness to it.

Inwardly, Lorelai still loved him. After studying his face for quite a while, she sensed a gaze upon her, which alerted her at once. It was Anastasia, though she looked amicable without warning her too much. “Thank you for coming, Lorelai,” she said to her.

Lorelai nodded before walking toward Liam. Soon after that, another faction in the Presgrave Family arrived as well. Coming with their two sons–Jacob, their eldest son, and their ten–year–old youngest son–Nolan and his wife were followed by his supporters, who were all branch members of the family.

“Sorry for your loss, Elliot.”

“Thank you, Uncle Nolan.” Elliot nodded.

Seeing Sophia at a glance with his sharp eyes, Jacob was astounded for a few seconds; he never expected to see the woman he liked at the funeral.

Sophia saw him, too, and she gave him a look out of courtesy as their eyes met briefly.

Jacob didn‘t like the funeral at first, but he suddenly found it interesting after seeing that Sophia was present. Little did he think he would meet this pretty and adorable junior again.

The next ones to arrive were Harriet‘s friends, all four of whom were old and had to sit on wheelchairs and be wheeled here by their families. Elliot and Anastasia voluntarily came up to them and chatted with them.

Just then, a black SUV stopped by the side of the road nearby, upon which a man holding a black umbrella stepped out of the vehicle with a bouquet of white flowers in his arms. He looked lean and slender in the drizzling rain. Then, his umbrella was raised slightly, revealing his young and handsome features. It was Arthur.

Elliot came up to Arthur and greeted him before the two buddies gave each other a wordless hug.

Sophia seemed both surprised and unsurprised to see Arthur here.

Jacob felt incredibly restless when he turned his head and saw Arthur. Why is this Weiss guy everywhere?

Lorelai also noticed the young man standing next to Elliot. His aura, which was similar to Elliot‘s, and his equally handsome appearance caused her to wonder about his identity. I think I met him last time at the wedding, too.

Arthur came to Anastasia‘s side and greeted her, saying, “Hi, Anastasia.”

Anastasia nodded slightly before looking back and saying to Sophia, “Sophia, come over here and show Young Master Weiss the way.”

Upon being called, Sophia was startled for a moment. While she was in a fluster, she met Arthur‘s gaze; he didn‘t expect her to be here as well. She had no choice but to

close her umbrella and come to his side, saying, “Young Master Weiss, this way, please.”

Seeing her come over, Arthur naturally moved his umbrella to shelter her from the drizzle, causing his shoulder to be wet by the light rain. As a result, it was hard to tell which of them was the guest of honor here.

When Sophia realized this, she said in a whisper, “Let me hold the umbrella for you.”

However, Arthur responded with a smile. “I‘ll do it.”

Sophia had no choice but to stand side by side with him.

Just then, Jacob came up to them with an umbrella. “It‘s been a while, Sophia.”

“Hi, Jacob,” Sophia said, greeting him.

Arthur was very annoyed with Jacob. Suddenly, he stretched out his arm and swept Sophia into his embrace, causing the latter‘s breathing to quicken slightly. Then, he shot a warning look at Jacob.

My Baby’s Daddy Chapter 725

Jacob walked away and rejoined his father. However, he decided on a whim that he would steal Sophia from Arthur as he wanted to win against Arthur at least once.

A while later, Brenda and her family arrived at the funeral. Among them was Nigel holding Jared in his arms. Jared was wearing a black suit adorned with a white flower for today‘s occasion.

Francis was the one who arrived soon after them. Then, he walked over to offer Elliot some words of condolences before looking for Jared in the crowd.

Brenda came and spoke to Elliot. He could see her red eyes set off by her pale look. As they ended their conversation, she walked away and joined the elders.

When Nigel came over to greet them, Elliot reminded him, “You have to take care of your mother.”

“I tried, but she hasn‘t had any appetite recently. Dad and I couldn‘t change her mind.” Nigel shook his head in regret.

As the tombstone was set and the urn storing Harriet‘s ashes was buried, it was now time for the deceased‘s relatives and friends to take turns placing flowers and paying respects at her grave.

Elliot, Anastasia, and Jared were the first ones to pay their last respects to Harriet. When Jared placed a bouquet of flowers beside the gravestone, he took a look at Harriet‘s photo. He had been holding back his tears until Anastasia gave him a gentle pat. At that, he couldn‘t hold himself back anymore as he threw himself in his mother‘s arms and wept on her shoulder.

Anastasia‘s red eyes indicated she was also grieving. As she gave him a soothing kiss on his forehead, they stepped aside to make room for other mourners. Others behind them began to stand in a line to place flowers. Among them was Arthur waiting for his turn while holding Sophia‘s hand in his. When they came to the front, she helped him to place the flowers.

Lorelai was staring at Elliot with admiration and longing under the umbrella from time to time. She watched him as he held his wife and son in his arms, then at the tenderness and sadness in his eyes. His state left Lorelai heartbroken as she was feeling sympathetic toward him, even though she wasn‘t in the position.

Once the mourning ceremony ended, the guests other than Arthur left one after another. Anastasia stood beside Elliot from the beginning as they saw the guests olf. Later, she found Elliot lingering in front of Harriet‘s gravestone. Holding his hand in hers, she accompanied him for a few minutes in his silent mourning.

Arthur stopped Sophia before all of them left for home and asked her to share a car with him.

She rejected, “Nope. I‘m going with President Tillman.”

However, Anastasia was having a different thought as she suggested gently, “Sophia, that‘s all for today. You can go with Young Master Weiss.”

Since he received permission from Anastasia, he grasped Sophia‘s wrist and dragged her all the way to his car without another word.

As Elliot and Anastasia made it back to the villa, Jared had been playing with the Legos in his room as he didn‘t want to bother his parents who were in dire need of rest now.

Anastasia urged Elliot to take a shower before he went to sleep as he had been struggling to sleep properly for the last couple of days. Sometimes, he was interrupted in his sleep by incoming matters; sometimes, he couldn‘t even fall asleep due to the negative emotions.

Listening to her words, he went for a quick shower before she dragged him onto the bed. She settled in his arms and watched him sleep.

After a while, she was certain that he had fallen asleep as she could hear his breathing turning slow and deep. She tucked him in bed, then joined Jared and his toys in his room.

The deceased was now in peace while the living had to continue with their lives. She was full of determination to take on the oncoming obstacles for her responsibilities.

Arthur brought Sophia downtown, but he eventually stopped at a high–end cafe instead of his villa.

Sitting opposite him, Sophia maintained the stance she had on their way to the cafe as she tried once again. “Young Master Weiss, please let me see your grandma. Let‘s explain how I lost your family heirloom to her, shall we?”

She had been worrying about him since Emily‘s call.

Arthur took note of Sophia‘s worried look. She isn‘t letting me take the blame. Doesn‘t it mean she likes me?

“Sophia, stop worrying about me.” Arthur held the cup of coffee up elegantly. “I‘m not in big trouble at all because Grandma is fond of me.”

Sophia was listening to his explanation while sipping her coffee. As she raised her head casually, she was taken aback by Emily walking toward them in feigned elegance with her handbag.

“Miss Jennings.” Sophia placed the coffee cup on the table before she stood to greet Emily.

Emily shot daggers at her before turning to Arthur. “Artie, Grandma is looking for you everywhere. Let‘s go home together!”

My Baby’s Daddy Chapter 726

Emily found her way to the cafe as she had asked Arthur‘s bodyguards for his whereabouts, but she didn‘t expect to find Sophia with him.

Arthur frowned as he saw her standing before them, while Sophia had already gotten up from her seat. “Miss Jennings, you can join Young Master Weiss. I shall be going.”

“I’ll see you off.” Emily faked a smile and wrapped her arm around Sophia as they walked out of the cafe. Sophia was forced to reciprocate the feigned intimacy as she walked beside Emily nervously.

Once they went out of the cafe, Emily‘s expression changed into one of detest as she shoved Sophia forward and warned, “Sophia, stop harassing Artie, or else I‘ll make you pay.”

The truth was far from what Emily said. Sophia never planned to cling to Arthur, and it was a mere coincidence that Arthur and she met at the funeral.

Therefore, she answered calmly, “Don‘t worry. I‘m not harassing him or anything. Even more, I don‘t plan to”

“I’m not going to trust any of your words. Have you ever wondered how influential his family is? Your life is a far cry from his!” Emily was staring at Sophia with folded arms; she didn‘t even bother to hide her disdain. “It‘s only your wishful thinking for him to fall in love with you! Furthermore, don‘t try your luck. You‘ll only suffer.”

Sophia looked into her eyes and replied, “First of all, I won‘t categorize people into particular groups based on their background. Even though you‘re born with a silver spoon, you need to respect others.”

“You—” Emily‘s words were cut short as she didn‘t expect a comeback from Sophia.

Sophia continued, “Sorting out the relationship is a matter which needs to be settled between Mr. Weiss and me. You‘ve no right to meddle in our business.” Her eyes were icy cold as Emily‘s superior attitude irritated her.

“You!” Emily tried, but no words came out either. It was just like last time.

“If you have feelings for Young Master Weiss, you‘re free to pursue him. As for the result, it depends on you. Don‘t take it out on me.” As if she didn‘t notice Emily’s condition, Sophia continued.

Emily‘s cheeks reddened at her words. Is she trying to imply I’ll not succeed?

She glared at Sophia. “If it wasn‘t for your interference, I would have become his girlfriend sooner.”

Sophia chuckled. “You‘ve always thought lowly of me. If so, there aren‘t many things I can do to catch his attention, unless he‘s a fool to fall for me easily.”

“How dare you call Artie a fool!” Emily was so enraged she raised her hand, about to slap Sophia.

At that moment, Arthur stepped out of the cafe and strode toward them. He had been listening to their conversation for a while and decided to step forward to prevent any further conflict. As he settled into a stance, he glared at Emily. “Emily, stop it.”

When she saw him showing up, the first thought that appeared in Sophia‘s mind was to look for an escape route. I can‘t believe he‘s right behind us! How long has he been eavesdropping?

As she turned on her heels to make an escape for the elevator, Arthur‘s voice echoed behind her. “Stop right there.”

He was reconsidering his opinion about Sophia. Seeing the other side of her was a surprise to him and he found it amusing as he walked toward her. “You‘re running away after you called me a fool?”

Sophia had no choice but to turn around and face him. As she looked into his deep eyes, she explained, “I–I didn‘t mean to call you a fool.”

“You did!” Seeing an opportunity, Emily joined in.

“Miss Jennings, you don‘t understand. I‘m saying that Young Master Weiss would be a fool to fall for me.” At that, she gloated over her wise comeback and asked for Arthur‘s opinion. “Young Master Weiss, you‘re not interested in me, right?”

“Of course, I‘m not,” he answered between gritted teeth.

Sophia cast a glance at Emily with a blooming victorious smile on her face. “Did you hear him? He doesn‘t like me!”

Emily stared at her speechlessly as she had the feeling that it was a perfunctory act.

Looking straight into Arthur‘s eyes, Sophia reminded him, “Young Master Weiss, please clarify that there is nothing between us, or else your pursuer–Miss Jennings will misunderstand.”

Even though the odd feeling still lingered within Emily, she was deprived of the chance to talk back as Sophia stepped into the elevator. She turned to Arthur involuntarily and saw him stare at the shut elevator door with mixed feelings.

“How rude of her!” In the end, Emily could only harrumph a response.

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After Sophia left the cafe, she took a taxi to get home. Enjoying the breezy evening wind swaying her face, she was concurrently searching for an answer in her blank mind.

He agreed that he‘s not interested in me. That‘s impossible to be a lie, she thought.

At that moment, her cell phone notified her of a new message. She checked her phone to read it and found a message from Arthur with only two words.

She gaped at the message. Damn! He sent me a message only to scold me!

‘Mr. Weiss. Please remember you‘re a decent man, she replied to him immediately.

Arthur then sent a reply message. ‘You don‘t have any conscience!

‘You‘re right, I don‘t. You‘ve seen through my disguise and shall stop seeing people like me from now on. Sophia had given up on saving her image.

He asked again, ‘Do you think falling for you is what a fool would do?‘

Meanwhile, Emily was gazing at the scenery outside in the car heading back to the villa. Beside her was Arthur typing messages on his phone. The corners of his lips turned up from time to time to indicate his good mood, even though his fingers betrayed that he was terrible at replying to text messages.

“Artie?” When she turned and found him smiling, she asked, “Who are you chatting with?”

“A friend.” His answer was simple.

Emily noticed a hint of amusement in Arthur‘s expression as if he was having fun from the interaction, so she mustered her courage and asked for further information. “Who is your friend?”

“You don‘t know them,” he answered as he checked the phone and broke into a wide smile at the message content.

Sophia‘s reply read, ‘I said the wrong thing just now. Please forgive me.

Sophia was riding in a taxi; the sunset view could no longer catch her attention as she felt nervous waiting to receive his response. What‘s wrong with me? Am I having fun now?

‘I‘m home. Gotta go. She typed on her phone and sent the message before shoving her cell phone back into her bag.

However, her determination only lasted for a while. When she heard a message notification, she looked for her cell phone in the bag and checked the message.

‘It isn‘t a bad thing to become likable. At least be honored by it!

Sophia was taken aback. What does he mean? Does he have feelings for me?

Deciding that it was a wise choice to let the topic end here, she replied with a message. ‘I‘m home.‘

Arthur stopped sending her any messages, so she paid for the ride and got out of the taxi. As she walked home while staring at her phone, someone halted her.

“Miss Goodwin, Old Madam Weiss would like to see you.” Sophia raised her head and found the middle–aged bodyguard from the last time addressing her. She hid her phone behind her involuntarily when she heard Martha was looking for her.

“Sure.” Sophia nodded and followed him into the car. It was when they eventually arrived at a nearby cafe that he let her off.

As usual, Martha was waiting for her in a private room. The moment she saw Martha, the guilt washed over her as she had been spending time with Arthur not long ago.

Sophia greeted her politely, “Old Madam Weiss.“,

“Take a seat.” Martha gestured at the sofa.

As she took a seat, Martha asked her without mincing her words. “I heard that you lost our family heirloom that Artie gifted to you?”

Sophia nodded. “Yes, I lost it. He didn‘t give it to me, though. I‘m the one who snatched it from his neck accidentally and lost it later.”

“Arthur didn‘t give it to you as a gift?” Martha asked in surprise.

Sophia explained in detail how she had the necklace in the first place, brought the necklace with her to a foreign country, and lost it on a return trip home. Lastly, she apologized, “Old Madam Weiss, I‘m sorry about what happened. Please don‘t blame Mr. Weiss for it. He‘s trying to retrieve the necklace too.”

“He took over your father‘s company to force you to return to the country. That‘s so him.” After hearing her explanation, Martha remarked with mixed emotions.

“Indeed. Mr. Weiss now has returned my father‘s company and I‘ll help him to look for the lost necklace.” Sophia revealed everything to Martha with full honesty.

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Martha was well–experienced and perceptive. She saw through the facade of Arthur asking Sophia‘s help to look for the necklace and understood his purpose. Truth be told, he was using it as an excuse to keep Sophia at his side.

“Miss Goodwin, I‘ll keep an eye on the secondhand market for the necklace. For now, I only need your help for one thing. I need you to leave Artie.” She was brisk at handling things as a full plan was formed in her mind and she spoke it immediately. “I have an idea. Do as I say.”

“Old Madam Weiss.” Sophia gaped at the elder woman dressed in a refined outfit and luxurious pieces of jewelry. “What do you want me to do?”

“You‘ll need to bring a guy you know to see Artie and tell him in person that you love the guy. If Artie‘s feelings for you don‘t waver, then the two of you will get engaged. Besides, I‘ll compensate for your loss because I promised to treat you with care.” Martha was hoping Arthur could make a firm decision on his love life as she knew Sophia wasn‘t the best suitor for him.

Sophia stared at the phone on the table with hesitation. Martha‘s words hurt Sophia badly as if it stung her heart. However, she agreed with Martha‘s plan eventually. “All right. I‘ll follow your plan.”

“I hope you can put on your best acting because Artie is very observant. Beware not to let him find out anything.”

“I will,” Sophia answered with a nod meekly as she lowered her eyes.

At that time, she received a message on her phone. She took a quick glance at the message that appeared on the screen.“

‘What are you doing right now?‘ The sender stated Arthur‘s name.

“That‘s all for today. I won‘t blame you for losing our family heirloom.” Martha waved in dismissal. “It‘s not your fault at all. You can go now.”

Sophia picked up the phone from the table and headed toward the exit. Once she went out, the bodyguard who had been waiting offered to send her home, but she rejected it nonetheless.

This time, she was walking to get home. Staring at Arthur‘s messages, she had lost the mood to reply long since the conversation between Martha and her.

Taking a deep breath, she then dialed someone‘s number.

The person on the other side of the phone answered with a clear voice. “Hey, girl! Do

you already miss me?”

Sophia saw no point in beating around the bush. “Can I ask you a favor?”

“Sure! What can I help you with?”

“Pretend to be my boyfriend.”

“No problem! I‘m the best at doing this kind of thing! Are you having an obstinate pursuer?”

“Don‘t ask. I‘ll tell you the details tomorrow.”

“All right. I‘ll wait for your call.”

After the call ended, Sophia took and let out another deep breath. The man whom she sought help from earlier was her childhood friend, the son of her father‘s friend, and one of her good friends.

The phone then notified her that a new message had been received. Taking a quick • glance at it, she wasn‘t surprised to see it was from Arthur again. He asked, ‘Why aren‘t you replying?”

Thinking that he was enjoying their interaction since he found exchanging messages interesting, she didn‘t bother to reply. When he didn‘t get her response, he decided to call her instead. Soon, her phone rang.

Sophia took a look at the caller ID and pressed the “mute” button eventually. Sinking back onto the park bench, she watched the phone vibrate with a heavy heart.

Finally, the ringtone stopped when she left it unattended. But soon, it rang again.

Sophia wasn‘t expecting him to keep calling her without knowing to take a break. Is he worrying about me?

The incoming call stopped sharply just as she was pondering and not answering it. This time, Arthur sent her a message instead. ‘Why are you not answering the phone? What happened to you?‘

Before this, she had never been cruel to anyone she had met. Even a new friend wouldn‘t receive such cold treatment from her. However, she had promised Martha earlier to keep her distance from Arthur.

I‘m sorry, Arthur.

She was aware that Arthur and she never belonged together. For instance, even though she only stayed in the atelier for a few days, she could still recognize from the pictures she had gone through that the jewelry pieces Martha wore were worth more

than 10 million per piece.

Sophia could never wish for attention from a noble man like him.

Not to mention, they were in the early stage as Arthur was only having affection for her so far. The kisses were merely affected by the dopamine and didn‘t matter his feelings for her. She couldn‘t reciprocate his feelings if he was looking for a short term relationship

Finally, Arthur stopped sending her any messages.

It seems like he isn‘t that interested in me, Sophia thought.

My Baby’s Daddy Chapter 729

Anastasia woke up early in the morning at 8:00 AM in Elliot‘s villa. However. Elliot was nowhere to be found beside her.

Thinking that he had been grieving recently, she gotout of bed without a second thought to look for him and eventually found him in the kitchen.

He was wearing a gray shirt today with an apron tied around his waist to make breakfast for his family.

Anastasia was moved by the sight. Even though she was still in her pajamas, she walked toward Elliot, who was stirring the porridge in the pot, and embraced him from behind.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Even though there was silence hanging between them, he could feel her unspoken love. He intertwined his fingers with hers as he said, “Go wake Jared up; it‘s breakfast time soon.”

“Okay. I‘ll go wake him up,” Anastasia answered, but she was reluctant to move from her spot. She wanted to enjoy the warmth of his back a little longer.

Elliot turned around and pressed a kiss on her hair. Just when he moved down for her lips, she avoided him. “I haven‘t brushed my teeth.”

“I don‘t mind.” At that, he tried to close their distance.

Anastasia ran out of the kitchen with a giggle and headed upstairs. After she had woken up Jared, she cleaned up herself and returned downstairs.

As she showed up once again in the kitchen, she wrapped her arms around Elliot and tiptoed to give him a kiss precisely on the lips.

He put an arm around her waist as he reciprocated her kiss. At that moment, the determination to protect his family was built within him. Even though he was still grieving for Harriet deep down, he wouldn‘t hesitate to show his love for the people around him.

After a hearty breakfast, the three went to a horse ranch nearby. Jared had a pony that belonged to him there. He was practicing alone on the ranch while his parents were watching him from the cafe. They had a great time bonding with each other.

Meanwhile, in the Presgrave Hospital, a chief physician had fallen into distress as if his life was at stake after he received a call. Climbing to the rooftop, he took out a cigarette and smoked it.

At that moment, his phone rang and he answered, “Hello?”

“Have you decided?”

“The old madam has just passed away. I don‘t think it‘s a wise decision to do it now”

“I want to see the result before 3:00 PM. Or else, you‘ll lose your freedom and stay in jail for years.”

“Don‘t! Fine, I‘ll do it.”

“Good. I‘ll be waiting.” The man on the other side ended the call once he finished his words.

The chief physician lit another cigarette with shaking hands as he finished the previous one. Then, he took a deep inhale and wiped away the sweat glued to his forehead.

Someone had threatened him with a video featuring him and a married woman. The content of the video was enough of an evidence for adultery to imprison him.

At that moment, two nurses walked onto the rooftop. They greeted him when they saw him. “Mr. Campbell, are you okay?”

“Don‘t worry about me.” Once again, he wiped the sweat away and put the cigarette out before he left the rooftop.

On the other hand, Sophia took a day off from Bourgeois this morning. She got into her childhood friend‘s car at around 10:00 AM and headed to Arthur‘s villa.

She planned to seize the opportunity to pack up her things in Arthur‘s guest room.

Thus, she prayed for him to be at home right now. Then, she sent him a message on the road to confirm his whereabouts.

‘Mr. Weiss, are you home?‘

Arthur soon replied, ‘I am.

Seeing she was close to the destination, Sophia didn‘t bother to reply to him as she turned to the side and reminded, “James, you‘ll do as I say later, all right?”

“No problem! Leave it to me!” James Lennon smiled confidently. “I‘ll definitely break his heart for your sake.” At that, he brushed his hair to make the best look. He was all groomed up today for a handsome look.

She only nodded. However, as he drove the car toward the residential area, he began to panic. “Is that guy wealthy?”

My Baby’s Daddy Chapter 730

“He‘s very wealthy.”

“Is he as handsome as me?”

Sophia turned to him and consoled, “He‘s not as good–looking as you.”

“All right.” James chuckled at her while feeling that his confidence was boosted. “Or else, I‘d have nothing to compete against a wealthy and more handsome guy.”

At that moment, she received a message from Arthur. ‘Why didn‘t you answer my calls or reply to my messages last night?‘

She typed a reply and sent it. ‘I muted my phone and fell asleep. I‘m sorry!

Are you coming over to my house?‘

‘Yes, I‘m coming over to pack my things. I‘ll be there soon, she replied.

At the same time, Arthur took a break from his work in the study room and checked on his messages. As he read Sophia‘s reply, he knitted his brows and wondered, Is she not living here anymore?

Thinking that Sophia would arrive soon, he walked out of the study room and headed downstairs.

Five minutes later, the doorbell rang, so Arthur pressed a button to allow the visitor access. He saw that Sophia pushed the door to enter with a young man behind her.

The moment James landed his eyes on the man standing in the garden, he became dejected as his confidence had quickly dissipated.

How dare Sophia lie to me! Everyone can see the guy over there is the best among all! Not only is he handsome, but he even has a strong aura, good taste in picking outfits, a stunning look, a toned body, and an elegant temperament. That man has completely surpassed me in every aspect!

Sophia cleared her throat as she held his hand and led him toward Arthur nervously.

“Good morning, Mr. Weiss. I‘m here to pack my things.” She avoided looking into Arthur‘s eyes as she introduced James, “This is my boyfriend, James. He‘s here to help me with the packing.”

Arthur squinted his eyes and asked coldly, “Your boyfriend?”

“Nice to meet you. I‘m James. Sophia and I are childhood sweethearts.” James reached

out for a handshake.

However, Arthur only gave him a perfunctory glance before turning to Sophia immediately. “You never told me you‘re seeing someone.”

Sophia laughed at the remark. “You never asked.”

“Anyway, I‘m going to pack my things.” At that, she held James‘ arm intimately as she said, “Let‘s go, dear. I need your help.”

James reciprocated her act as both of them walked into the villa and made their way upstairs.

Arthur was the only one at home now as Emily accompanied Martha on a trip, so Sophia seized the convenient timing to pack her things. She was aware that their absence set her in comfort.

In the guest room, Sophia took out the suitcase and began packing her clothes. Beside her, James whispered, “Sophia, are you sure you aren‘t going to date a handsome man like him?”

Sophia shushed him to stop talking. Bored, James pulled open a drawer in her closet randomly and was stunned when he found her lingerie.

“Sophia, come pack these by yourself.”

She was embarrassed by the situation. At this moment, she heard steady footsteps outside the room–it belonged to none other than Arthur.

At that moment, an idea flashed across her mind and she raised her voice. “James, help me to store the lingerie in the suitcase.”

James stared at her in disbelief as he pointed at himself to confirm her thought.

Seeing Sophia nod without hesitation and gesturing at the door, he understood her intention immediately.

When he bowed to put her lingeries into the suitcase, he stumbled on a corner of it, resulting in him pushing Sophia onto the bed involuntarily.

Sophia shrieked at the sudden event. Seeing that they were in close proximity, she shot him a glare at his clumsiness. When she was about to push James away, she noticed someone pushing the door open.

She wrapped her arms around James‘ neck even though he didn‘t plan to maintain the position any longer. However, he was forced to lean forward and ended up pressing a kiss onto her forehead anyway.

At that exact moment, Arthur pushed the door open and found the two of them about to kiss on the bed.

He narrowed his eyes at the sight and asked in an unamused voice, “What are you doing?”