Ch. 1031..1040

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1031

The child of around two to three years of age leaned pitifully in Sophia’s arms. She was scared, anxious, was too afraid to speak, and had her lips pressed together tightly. Despite having suffered, she did not dare to say a word. Michael was a father himself and did not have the heart to turn the child away.

“Okay. If you like her, we will buy her.”

After they paid for the child, Sophia stopped going in further and went to a rest area with the child in her arms instead.

She knew that she was not fit to go in there. She feared that she would not be able to control herself and end up buying all the children in the market.

Meanwhile, Michael and Quinton went into the specialized area where they were selling children and asked around for a while before they got a definite answer—the Yard Family had bought the child.

“D*mmit! It had to be the Yard Family!” Michael cursed.

After finding out that it was the Yard Family, he thought it was fortunate but also a pain.

At least, the child was not sold into the pornographic industry or a killer organization. She was not sold to gruff old men as a plaything either. It was the most fortunate outcome in that wretched place.

The Yard Family was of imperial descent and they still carried on the imperial family’s traditions. Every year, they took in children of unknown origins and trained them to become bodyguards from a young age. They were similar to shadow guards in ancient times.

But, why did it have to be the Yard Family?

The Fletcher Family turned them from a flourishing entity to being left with only one son for generations. It was going to be a lot of work to bring that child back.

Suddenly, a frown appeared on Michael’s forehead and he ran out of the specialized area toward the rest area. When he got there, however, he did not see Sophia but only Hale with five to six children. Hale looked at Michael helplessly with his palms in the air in front of him.

Not long after, Sophia came back with two more children. Now, there were eight of them in total.

Both Michael and Quinton gaped at her.

I knew I shouldn’t have brought her here! She is going to buy all the children in the market at this rate!

The eight children were all around the same age as Carmen. Each one of them looked pitiful. Michael felt his head start to ache at the sight.

If that had been eight cats or eight dogs, or even eight alpacas, it would have been better. These were eight children!

While other people splurged on bags, she splurged on children.

His wife did have a very peculiar way of squandering their family fortune.

“Hubby—”

Sophia knew that he was mad. She simply looked at him pitifully with a child in her arms.

Giving in to her, he quickly paid for the children and left that precarious place.

Once they brought all the children back to the hotel, Sophia had people buy bags of necessities for the children.

The children should have been at an age where they were lively, adorable, and cheeky, but none of them uttered a single word. They listened to everything Sophia said without making a sound or crying. How much did they suffer to become so traumatized?

When she bought the children, she was completely furious and could not bear to see them in misery. Who knew what they would go through after today?

Looking at them, they all seemed healthy. They probably had parents who adored them but were somehow sold off to a place like that.

The children were all of different races—Caucasian, Black, and Asian. If Sophia wanted to find their parents, she would have to search the entire world, which did not seem possible. It looked like she would have to take them all in, but she did not regret it.

It did not matter if she had to take them all in. She wanted to find them adoptive families once they returned home. If no one adopted them, then she would raise them.

At the same time, Michael and Quinton were having a discussion in the study.

“We have to get the child. Let me do it instead. It won’t be good for you to show up there. I’ll make a deal with them as a member of the Phantom Wolf and bring the child back. The animosity between the Fletcher and Yard Families runs too deep. You shouldn’t go there. I’ve made a deal with the Yards before. They paid me to kill one of their enemies. I have had some history with them.”

After a moment of hesitation, Michael decided to entrust Quinton with the matter. Even though he did not trust him completely, he felt like he could, at least, trust Quinton on this.

“Okay, but I want to come along.”

…

The following day, after their visit to the black market, the two men went to the Yard Residence to find the child.

Sophia did not go with them this time. She felt like she would ruin things if she went with them again. She did not go anywhere and only stayed in the hotel to care for the children.

She was looking after eight children by herself. If that had been eight Carmens, she would have been exhausted, but these eight children were unusually obedient. They ate as they were told, slept as they were told, and did not speak a word. That, in turn, left her emotionally drained.

Even though she did not know the experiences they had prior to this, she knew that it had left them scarred for life.

She planned to bring the children back to the country. Trying to find their biological parents did not seem possible now, so she might as well find a reliable family to adopt them. She also wanted to adopt one of them too.

Last month, she went for another medical checkup at the hospital, took a lot of medicine, got multiple shots, and went through a lot of suffering. Yet, she was unable to conceive. She had almost given up completely. Because Carmen seemed lonely by herself, however, Sophia wanted a second child. If she could not conceive on her own, then she could adopt!

After Michael and Quinton left to go to the Yard Residence, Sophia brought the children out to eat. There was a Crimson House branch in the area and she walked in without a second thought; she ordered children's meal sets and since there were no private rooms, they had to sit in the main dining area. But since she had the V-card, the place they sat at was also quiet.

The part of the restaurant next to the windows only had two tables.

She and several bodyguards sat with the children at one table while the other was occupied by a charming Cethosian lady in her thirties. She was wearing a jade ring, and her black hair was pulled back behind her head. The traditional Cethosian dress she wore complemented her very well. She was currently reading the newspaper. There was a slight hook on her chin and her swan-like neckline was very elegant.

Indeed, she was a charismatic and beautiful lady.

Sophia sat down with a child in her arms and said gently, “We’re going to eat soon. Aren’t you all excited?”

Silence was all she got in return.

The eight children were still afraid to speak or even cry. They simply had frozen expressions on their faces.

Sophia felt saddened. Letting out a sigh, she held the youngest girl in her arms and spoke to her.

Suddenly, the lady at the next table put down the newspaper and looked over. “Excuse me, ma’am. You bought those children, didn’t you?”

Sophia had eight children with her, but none of them made a sound. If she wasn’t a seller, then she was someone who had just bought from a seller. However, sellers did not usually bring children to these places where the rich wasted money or dress them in high-quality clothes.

Sophia knew that she could not hide where the children had come from. Moreover, they still had the imprint on their wrists from where the wristband used to be. It would not disappear in such a short amount of time.

But still, she did not know who that lady was, and she did not want to reveal too much, so she denied it. “No.”

The Cethosian lady did not refute but simply gave her a warm smile. “That is not a place a woman should go to.”

It seemed like she had seen through everything.

Sophia did not say anything else and silently fed the child in her arms.

After a while, the charming Cethosian lady put down the newspaper, picked up her bag, and left the restaurant.

Suddenly, her bodyguard turned back halfway and presented a name card with both hands to Sophia. “Ma’am, the lady of the house is very fond of you. If you have some time, you can come see her for a chat.”

Sophia took a look at the card and saw an extremely eye-catching word printed clearly on it—Ronney.

 

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1032

The lady’s identity was revealed on the card—Anna Yard, president of the Ronney Group.

This can’t be right. Did I really bump into such a significant person while having a meal? No, she must be a swindler.

How was it possible that the lady Sophia had met on a casual day out was also a member of the Yard Family? Not to mention, the president of the Ronney Group?

Before Michael went to the Yard Residence, he repeatedly reminded her not to let her guard down and not to trust strangers so easily, especially the Cethosians.

Many Cethosians who had traveled a long distance away from home could not help but feel a sense of familiarity with other Cethosians they met here and would willingly believe everything they said.

But in actuality, those swindlers were only taking advantage of this sense of familiarity to swindle Cethosians.

Some of the Cethosians in this place were atrocious. They had originally followed the Yard Family over centuries ago and were now foreigners in disguise as Cethosians. Nonetheless, they were still against mainland Cethosians.

It was possible that the numerous Cethosian children at the black market were taken from their parents by those people.

While Sophia carefully fed the child in her arms, she was also thinking of a way to bring these children back to their parents.

Michael did not want to get the police involved as the police force here was also heavily corrupt and might also be part of this dark industry. If they made a report, it could ruin the business and lead those people to seek revenge for destroying their wealth.

Michael and Sophia were foreigners here. They had no power in someone else’s territory, so they were better off laying low.

Moreover, it might not be helpful to report these children here since their parents were probably no longer in the country. The local underworld was quite reasonable. They did not attract the attention of tourists and consumers. Hence, these children were probably sent in from somewhere else.

Essentially, finding their parents was like finding a needle in a haystack.

They could only take the children back to Cethos for now and worry about other things later.

Michael and Quinton returned at night.

“How did it go? Did you find the child?”

Sophia rushed out excitedly to ask them. Unfortunately, both of them came back empty-handed; not even a strand of a child’s hair was seen.

As expected, they did not manage to bring the child back.

How could it be that easy to convince the Yard Family to surrender one of their people? Even though Quinton had killed someone for them before, it was not much use.

Quinton’s mentor, the former Phantom Wolf, was once a security guard for the Yard Family.

No, he was not just a security guard. The Yard Family came from an imperial background. The former Phantom Wolf was probably an armed guard in the palace or the chief of the palace guards.

After that, for various reasons, he left the Yard Family and became a first-generation Phantom Wolf disciple; he became an assassin.

To the Yard Family, however, that friendship was completely worthless. To them, Quinton and his mentor were no more than dogs.

Michael was also a bit worn out. After coming in and taking off his coat, he asked, “Where are the children?”

Simultaneously, he went to open the bedroom door and found eight new small beds laid out with eight small children lying on each one.

Bubbles and Snowball were also sleeping inside the room. There was also a Ragdoll in the cat cage. The cat was a model Sophia had brought with her when she planned to work with the Ronney Group to launch a series of pet luxury goods. Since she was not looking to work with them anymore, the cat was used to keep watch on the children.

Looking at each of the children sleeping soundly, Michael felt satisfied and fulfilled.

Since they had already bought those children, they might as well find them a good home.

Later, Quinton stayed and the three of them had a drink and a midnight snack on the balcony. They also thought over ways to bring the child back.

Sophia was grilling some meat on the barbecue in the enclosed balcony where there was an air circulation system.

Quinton took a sip of beer and said, “I want to find a way to meet the head of the Yard Family, Anna Yard. My mentor saved her life before; perhaps she will help us out.”

Anna Yard?

Sophia recalled the name card she received today.

Was she the president of the Ronney Group or the head of the Yard Family?

Michael ate a piece of meat on a skewer. The meat skewers in Ronney lacked slightly in flavor compared to those in Bayside City. They are probably still adhering to the taste of the Yard Dynasty. It tastes awful. He inquired, “What connection does your mentor and Anna share?”

Quinton was getting a bit tipsy. After he put down the beer bottle, he looked at Sophia who was staring at him with her big round eyes and waiting to hear the story. “I think the Fletcher Family is still to blame for this.”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Quinton chuckled. “That year, our ancestors led troops to attack the Yard Family’s mail boat. They killed the foreigners and the Imperial Yard Family!”

He was probably a bit drunk to talk about their ancestor’s feat all those years ago, but it showed that he still had some pride for being a Fletcher.

“That night, the Imperial Yard Family’s ministers and generals held a court on the mail boat to settle state affairs. Their emperor, empress, princess, and crown prince were all present. They were planning on setting off to Bayside City under the protection of the foreigners and enter the imperial palace there to make their comeback. But, the Fletcher Family rushed in unexpectedly and killed all of them.”

“That battle was truly horrendous. The Fletchers wiped out the Yard Family’s direct line of descent, only letting a group of women and children go. In the end, they only had one son in their family for generations. Now, Anna Yard is the only one left. But, the branch families were growing steadily, so of course, those extended families plotted something.”

“The Yard Family had internal strife. Anna was being hunted and my mentor was the one who saved her. She has secured her place in the Yard Family and even has two capable sons. But, without my mentor, she would have been dead by now.”

Sophia and Michael finished hearing the whole story and could not help but feel astonished. They did not know that she had such a history.

If Quinton could meet Anna, there was bound to be a solution. The problem was that he could not meet her.

They could not even meet her sons, much less Anna, who was constantly attending to important matters every day.

“I can meet her!” Sophia was eating meat skewers at the side and listening to them when she interrupted, “The reason I came here was to meet the Ronney’s twin representatives and get a chance to work with them. The appointment is tomorrow. I can go and talk to them!”

The two representatives of the Yard Family were twins and they turned out to be Anna’s sons!

Quinton and Michael thought that it was a good idea. Since they could not have a private meeting, Sophia could go and meet them under the pretense of discussing a business deal.

The three of them talked late into the night before Quinton finally went back to rest. He had a good conversation with Michael and even had a lot to drink. He was not walking straight anymore by the time he left.

That was the first time the two brothers drank together.

They were actually very much alike since they shared the same genes.

The next day, Sophia set off to the Ronney Group. Michael and Quinton also followed along inside the car. As they drove in the city center, Sophia admired the busy streets outside. “The Ronney Group has made this place into the capital. Look over here and over there—these are all ancient imperial city plans.”

“If this were ancient times, who would dare plan a city like this? Their whole clan would be implicated!”

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1033

The Ronney Group headquarters was on the northern side of Ronney City. Once they got there, Sophia did not see modern skyscrapers, but a stretch of bright yellow palatial buildings.

‘Stretching over 150 kilometers, it covered the sun in the sky. From the north of Mount Abbey, it meandered west, reaching all the way to Islesbury. The two rivers flowing gently penetrated the palace walls. At every five steps there stood a storeyed building, and at each ten, there stood a pavilion with corridors winding like waving silk and projecting eaves turning up like birdsʼ bills. Each of the structures possessed its vantage above the ground, but they were all brilliantly interlocked together, or set against one another.’ This ancient passage popped up in Sophia’s mind.

A moat, vermilion red palace walls, and an endless stretch of palatial buildings. This is basically a palace! It was even bigger than the Imperial Palace Museum that used to be next to their house. No, it was way bigger. But, this was not an imperial palace because it did not get destroyed during the war. In fact, it had incorporated the essence of ancient traditional buildings and modern technology. This structure was huge!

It looked like the Yard Family was still scheming. Were they getting ready to stage their comeback?

If it were not for the cars coming in and out of the palace entrance and those busy workers of Ronney Group, Sophia would have thought that she had traveled through time.

Outside the palace walls, there were several subway stations and several tourists taking photos.

Centuries ago, the Yard Family declared that they were the legitimate Cethosians. They even brought Cethos into the United Nations. After that, however, Cethos became more developed and slowly grew in power. Eventually, they forced the Yard Family out of the United Nations.

Dressed up as a bodyguard, Michael had a pair of sunglasses on and a dog in his arms. When he saw the imperial palace that stretched on endlessly, he scoffed, “The Yard Family… They were abandoned by Cethos like a rat on the street then they rushed to pack up all their valuables and jewelry to escape to this place. How dare they call themselves legitimate?”

Even though he had passed the age of an angry youth, Michael, as a fellow soldier, could not stop himself from disparaging the Yard Family.

“They are the biggest Cethosian conglomerate in the world. Their influence on the international front is big, but they have never thought about using it to help the social position of Cethosians abroad. In fact, they colluded with foreigners to suppress Cethosians. In what way are they considered legitimate?”

Four centuries ago, the Yard Family was a debauched monarch while the Fletcher Family was a loyal servant. When the Fletchers saw how reckless the Yards were getting, they overturned the imperial court and became rebels, chasing the Yard Family out of Cethos.

A century ago, the Yard Family became traitors who colluded with foreign entities. At the time, the Fletchers were warlords. While the Yard Family was attempting to stage their comeback, they were completely wiped out by the Fletcher Family.

In the present day, Cethos and the Yard Family were working together again. The Fletchers and the Yards could not kill each other at first sight like they used to anymore, but they were undoubtedly unhappy about that.

They drove over the moat and through the opened palace entrance. Sophia was even more amazed to see the more distinct palace buildings inside.

“Wow! It’s even bigger than the house we had in Africa. Look at this city gate—the Michel Military Enterprise built it! Look at how they’ve made it!”

“Look over there; they even have eunuchs. Wow! Palace maids in ancient clothing. They’re still adhering to the style of the Yard Dynasty!” Sophia exclaimed while taking pictures on her phone.

In fact, Michael had been there before. He was not like Sophia who was taking in everything for the first time, but he also could not help himself from looking around.

It was funny. To prove that they were the imperial family and preserve their sense of superiority, they still maintained the ancient dynasty’s ritualism and solemnity.

The previous dynasty fell a century ago, and the imperial court was now a museum. Paying fifty for a ticket would allow people to walk for a whole day inside. With another fifty, they could even put on the imperial robe and take pictures on the throne. Not to mention, students paid half to enter! What were the Yards trying to do?

A fallen imperial family; it was funny and sad at the same time.

Michael felt his rebel intentions stir up. If he could destroy the Imperial Yard Family one day just like his ancestors did, he would rent this place out as a filming site or sell tickets for people to visit the place. And, he would ask for a ticket price of 150 at least.

On the other hand, Sophia was so excited that it looked like it was the first time she had entered a city. Who knew Ronney City had such scenery?

Once they got out of the car, she was still taking pictures on her phone. Michael and Quinton were both dressed up as bodyguards and had their hands full with dogs and cats as they followed along quietly.

Judging by how much fun she was having, she probably had forgotten that they were there to look for the child.

The meeting location was at the Ronney Group’s lobby which was also where the Imperial Yard Family once dealt with state affairs—the Exalos Hall.

Sophia had rushed to learn more about the Imperial Yard Family recently. The Yard Family had a distinct feature that set them apart from the other dynasties. Normally, if an imperial family had twins, it was seen as inauspicious, and one of the two was gotten rid of in secret. The Yard Family, however, was different. Because their founding emperor was a set of twins, they viewed twins as the chosen ones.

Therefore, twins gained the right to inherit the throne. The Yard Family had passed on the throne for generations, and they always had twins succeeding it. They excelled in literary and martial arts. They supervised and helped one another. During the last emperor’s reign, the twins also killed each other and led to the downfall of the Yard Family.

Now, the Ronney Group’s representatives were also a set of twins, and Sophia was scheduled to meet with one of them.

She was excited. If this were in ancient times, I would be meeting with the emperor!

Once Sophia entered the place called the Exalos Hall, she saw two golden dragon chairs placed inside. She then went to sit where the ministers sat. This doesn’t feel too bad.

While waiting for the Ronney Group’s representative to come, she wondered, Do they still have to hold a court regularly? When the emperor—no, the representative comes, do I have to kneel down?

The palace was actually quite modern. They even had high-speed Wi-Fi. When they walked in, they noticed the Ronney Group’s workers all dressed in modern clothing. They got to work and got off work conscientiously. It was convenient that they could go straight to the subway station after getting out of the company. This palace was just an office that was built a bit bigger. The main hall was used as a place for them to work, while the Rear Palace was used as the Yard Family’s private living quarters.

The Michel Family’s old nest in Africa was a bit bigger than this, but it was almost on the same scale.

Once Sophia sat down, her eyes darted all over the place. Meanwhile, Michael and Quinton were hiding among the other bodyguards. When the assistant secretary instructed them to stand behind Sophia, over a dozen people went over.

Finally, the representative arrived.

Surrounded by a crowd of assistants and bodyguards, a man dressed in a black suit strode over. He still had an Eastern appearance. Though, if he did not, he would not have been able to inherit the Yard Family.

After living in a foreign environment for an extended period, however, it would undoubtedly influence a person’s demeanor. This man might have an Eastern face, but he carried the mysterious and foreign mannerisms of a Western man.

He was truly of imperial descent. Even though his family was no longer in power, he still had an unparalleled honorable presence and charisma.

Sophia and the man exchanged greetings. “Mr. Ronney, I’ve been looking forward to meeting you!”

The person who came to meet Sophia today was Callum Yard, the vice president in charge of the luxury goods business at the Ronney Group.

Besides luxury goods, the Ronney Group also had other businesses in military arms, mineral deposits, and so on that were being taken care of by the other twin.

“Oh, come on. Your reputation precedes you.” He spoke so fluently, that Sophia even thought that he was going to speak in old Cethosian.

Once they sat down and exchanged greetings, they started to talk a bit about their collaboration.

Pet luxury goods was a newly emerging industry, but the Ronney Group had yet to enter the market. They probably looked down on the profit margins for that small niche, but pet luxury goods had been steadily growing over the years and they could not afford to ignore this industry any longer.

Sophia talked about her business seriously. She wanted to bring up the child once she was done, but, ten minutes later, someone came in from outside and said, “Mrs. Yard has invited Miss Edwards to the Royal Garden for some tea.”

Royal… Garden? Her eyes exuded reluctance and shock.

 

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1034

Royal Garden… Who do they think they are? They really think they live in the imperial palace now just because they have a big company! Such peculiar people!

When Callum was informed, he put down the collaboration plan in his hand and said, “Since it’s my mother’s invitation, please come to the Royal Garden, Miss Edwards.”

She had no choice but to agree now that they had invited her. When she stood up to leave, she looked back at Michael and saw him motion for her to stay calm.

Following them out of the Exalos Hall, she went to meet Mrs. Anna Yard. No, she should be the empress dowager, or the empress herself. Callum and his brother are only princes now.

Why did Anna want to meet me?

She doesn’t even know me.

Unless the Cethosian lady at the restaurant yesterday was really Anna Yard?

…

Once they were out of the Exalos Hall, a limousine arrived before them. Callum let her in the car first then went in after her.

Michael, Quinton, and the interpreter went in a different car. Several cars began moving toward the Yard Family’s living quarters—the legendary Rear Palace.

The Ronney Group was enormous. They did not have skyscrapers like the Michel Group did—where there were elevators to take them to the dining hall. All the buildings here were no more than ten storeys high, and the functional departments were probably all separated.

They passed by several palace doors and drove for ten minutes from the office to the Yards’ living quarters before arriving at the Royal Garden; it was the Yard Family’s private garden that mimicked the ancient imperial family’s landscape design. Sophia also had a garden like that, but it was not as big.

Michael and Quinton were kept out of the garden while Sophia went in with Callum and an assistant. In the gazebo in the middle of the pond, several girls who looked like servants were waiting on a noble lady drinking tea.

The servants’ clothes still had the allure of the previous dynasty, but they had been modified to adapt to modern life. Unless there was an important imperial festival, the Yard Family still kept to modern-day clothes and lifestyles.

When Sophia entered the gazebo, she recognized the Cethosian lady she saw at the restaurant the day before.

It really was Anna Yard!

Anna was drinking tea with a young man. The young man looked so much like Callum that they were almost indiscernible.

That must have been the other vice president of the Yard Group, Cade Yard.

“You’re here. Please have a seat.”

Anna looked up at Sophia and motioned for her to sit in the seat across.

Sophia greeted them and proceeded to sit down.

The four people sat at the square tea table.

Sophia was feeling very nervous. After taking a sip of tea to clear her mind, she looked briefly at Michael who was being kept outside of the garden before bringing her attention back.

Anna spoke in such a gentle tone that it was not apparent that she was the head of the Yard Family. But, Sophia knew that this woman was not as harmless as she seemed on the surface.

“The Crimson House in Cethos sells western food, but the one in Ronney City sells authentic Cethosian cuisine. It fits my taste. I go there at least once a week.”

Sophia added, “The best Cethosian dish at the Crimson House is probably the steamed garlic prawns. It’s been their bestseller for over thirty years. I highly recommend that dish.”

“Yes, I once sought the recipe of that dish, but the cooks in the palace just couldn’t replicate the same taste.” Anna also seemed enthralled by that dish. The two of them quickly found a common talking point.

Sophia and Anna began to discuss the delicacies of the Crimson House. Anna was also eager to continue the conversation now that they had found a shared interest. They seemed to be having an amiable conversation, but as for how they truly felt, only they knew the answer to that.

Anna had high emotional intelligence. She knew what Sophia wanted to say beforehand and quickly found common topics to talk about.

Once they finished talking about one thing, they started talking about something else.

After taking a sip of the aromatic tea, Anna put down the cup and looked intently at Sophia. “Does Mr. Taylor Murray have any upcoming movies?”

As expected, Sophia and Michael’s relationship could not stay hidden. After all, he was a global celebrity.

Sophia answered, “He’s been working on a science fiction movie recently. It’s not complete yet.”

Anna laughed. “Not complete yet? Then, shouldn’t he be busy filming now? Why do I see him and his brother holding a dog on a leash and waiting for you outside the garden?”

Crap!

She noticed!

Both Michael and Quinton were in disguise, but it was no use. Perhaps they had already seen through their act from the start.

This was Ronney City, the Yard Family’s territory.

But, Sophia did not expect Anna to know that Quinton was also one of the Fletchers. Thinking about it, the second-generation Phantom Wolf saved her life once, so perhaps they already had a strong friendship—finding out Quinton’s information was probably not a difficult task.

Sophia did not act flustered from being exposed. Instead, she smiled calmly and said, “He’s a public figure. Every move he makes must be kept secret. If he acts hastily, it will attract the attention of fans. Things will get complicated if a mass incident were to happen.”

Anna seemed to believe her. “You’re right.”

Just like that, the subject was dropped.

Even though the Ronneys would not do anything to Michael, it was not going to be that easy to ask for the child back.

Sophia was thinking of a way to bring up the child when Anna asked, “To my knowledge, the child you’re looking for is a killer’s child. How is she related to you guys?”

While she spoke, she filled Sophia’s teacup with more water.

Sophia’s mind was racing again as she tried to think of an answer.

Should I hide it? Should I come clean?

Having a conversation with the Yards was mentally draining.

After pondering for a while, Sophia decided to answer honestly.

“That child is a descendant of the Fletcher Family.”

It was evident that they had not discovered this. When they found out that the child was the descendant of the Fletcher rebels, Anna and her two sons showed looks of detest and unease.

The Fletchers were a clan of rebels who killed countless members of the Yard Family. How could they bear to have one of the Fletchers’ descendants in their security team?

Nonetheless, they would not harm the child. The Fletchers and the Yards did not impose on one another now. If they were to harm the child, then they would be declaring war.

This step might have been risky, but it also provided more chances.

After a brief moment of shock, Anna returned to her easygoing nature and picked up her teacup.

“I see. It’s no wonder you guys came all the way here to look for her.”

But, Anna was unwilling to give the child up so easily. “I heard that the child has good genes and will do great things in the future. We chose her very meticulously. She did not come at a cheap price. You can take her back if you want, but you have to give something in return.”

“What would that be?” Sophia looked calm, but she was already panicking on the inside.

Anna took another sip of the aromatic tea, then put the teacup down with poise. “You can have her in exchange for the eight children you just bought. How does that sound?

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1035

In exchange for those children? Sophia started to frown. Isn’t that rather unreasonable?

The Yard Family bought that child because of her good genes, but it was clear that Sophia did not buy those eight children for the same reason.

The price of the eight of them did not amount to that one child; the Yard Family was suffering a loss.

Sophia’s eyes shifted, then she let out a smile. “Mrs. Yard, you should know how much that child is worth. She will prove to be very useful in the future if you keep her. However, even if you doubled the total worth of the eight children that I bought, it is still lower than hers. Why don’t we settle this in a more direct manner? I’ll give any amount you want for the child.”

At the mention of money, the Yards started to laugh.

Money was no more than a number to them.

They had long passed the stage of looking at price tags.

Anna pinched the teacup in her hand and admired its exquisite jade pattern. Her long eyelashes were elegant beyond comparison. Callum and Cade looked around the same age as Sophia, but Anna still looked very young. She should be the same age as Cooper!

“Miss Edwards, I think you’ve misunderstood. I don’t want money. I just need you to make a choice. What if I insist that you give me those eight children in return for the one?”

Her gaze fell on Sophia’s face. Those bright eyes looked like they were piercing through Sophia’s body and looking into her soul, making her feel tormented.

Sophia lowered her head and did not make a choice right away.

She bought those eight children and promised to find them a home. The Yard Family might look lavish and magnificent, but they were the biggest financial backer of the human trafficking ring in Ronney! If I put those eight children in their hands, who knows what will happen to them?

But, I must get Katrina and Blade’s child back!

Sophia was stuck between those two options. Seeing her hesitation seemed to please Anna. With a smile, she mocked, “Isn’t it hard to choose? One is your guilty conscience and the other is the Fletchers’ child. Do you want to stand for your conscience and justice or do you want the child of the Fletchers? I think you already know the answer.”

“In your heart, the Fletchers’ child is more important, isn’t that right? If you leave those eight children behind, I will put them back in the human trafficking market immediately where they can find new buyers. Meanwhile, the Fletchers’ child will be able to go back to the Fletcher Family with you. Those eight children have nothing to do with you. Naturally, blood is thicker than water. As for your supposed conscience, how much is it really worth?”

Anna seemed very proud of herself as though she had managed to destroy Sophia’s hypocritical altruism with just a flick of her finger. It proved that she was no different from those people who trafficked children.

Was there anyone out there who wasn’t selfish? Those who fought for justice were hypocritical for the most part. They were born as predators, yet they insisted on wearing a mask of good-naturedness. If they were to encounter a favorable situation for themselves, they could just as easily suppress any kindness and conscience they had in the back of their minds.

Anna had personally come across many ‘kind’ people like Sophia.

Suddenly, Sophia looked up and stared back at Anna with a sharp and unwavering gaze.

Neither one wanted to give way.

A smirk appeared on Sophia’s face and a ferocity grew in her amicable eyes.

“I did save those eight children out of the kindness of my heart. As a mother, I couldn’t watch a girl around the same age as my own child get sold off to the pornography industry and become a sex slave from such a young age.”

She made herself clear. “I’m not a philanthropist. But, since I have bought those eight children, I will give them a perfect home. I will also bring home the child that belongs to our Fletcher Family! If you want to prove my true nature with this one choice, then you’re sorely mistaken, Mrs. Yard. I won’t choose.”

The surface of the tea in the teacup that she was holding trembled lightly. With scorn in her eyes, she said, “Mrs. Yard, don’t you think that your question isn’t any different from the idiotic questions that an ignorant hag teases children with in the marketplaces in Cethos?”

Anna’s brows raised up, but she did not respond right away and continued to listen.

Sophia continued, “There are people who ask my child this question too—if either one of your parents must die, and you can only save one, who would you save? I didn’t think a gracious entity like yourself would be the same as those ill-informed housewives to be able to ask such a distasteful and ignorant ‘either/or question’. Looks like I’ve really overestimated you.”

As soon as she said that, the twins slammed the table and stood up at the same time. “Miss Edwards, please watch your words.”

They had the exact same movements, expressions, and words. Indeed, they were twins.

On the other hand, Anna was not angry. She asked the twins to sit back down and posed a question for Sophia. “How would your child answer?”

Sophia scoffed. “I will tell my child that it isn’t her fault whoever she chooses. No matter who she picks, the other will die, but it isn’t her fault. The culprit is the person who forced her to make that choice and killed her parents. When she grows up and becomes capable, she must kill that person in return!”

Sophia’s outburst left Anna dumbfounded.

That was the first time she had heard such a pointed answer. Sophia might have looked young, but she had an exceptional sense of moral integrity. It did not match her delicate and weak outer appearance.

Sophia stood up and gave a biting remark. “Mrs. Yard, I don’t have time to be answering these silly and crude either/or questions, but there is something I must say before I go.” Her hand was pressed against the table. “If something happens to the Fletchers’ child under the Yards’ jurisdiction, they will come for you. They won’t come for me, their daughter-in-law who didn’t exchange those eight children for one. I hope you get the picture now.”

Anna slowly looked up at Sophia with the same smirk on her face. “You should know that because of your rash behavior, I might send that child back to the black market. Her future will be much worse than being a guard for the Yard Family. Aren’t you afraid of being condemned for it?”

“Condemned? Huh! If it doesn’t hurt the conscience of the great Mrs. Yard that brutally pushed her into that hell pit, then why should I be afraid?” Sophia had gathered all her things and bid a merciless farewell. “The Yard Family should be aware of the Fletcher Family’s power in Cethos. It has only been a few years since Ronney’s brand entered the country. The market has just opened up with high prospects. If you don’t want sales to rely solely on surrogate buyers in the future, then you better not make an issue with the child.”

With that, she stormed off.

The Yard Family did not want to let the child go so easily. It was no use to try to be nice; they should have been brutal from the start.

Once Sophia was far off into the distance, Anna stood up and casually watched them leave from the gazebo.

Looking at Sophia dressed in exquisite business attire from behind, she suddenly let out a smile that reached all the way to her eyes. It was a smile that came from a genuine sense of admiration.

“Mom—” Callum suddenly called. He could see that Anna was very fond of Sophia.

Sophia and the others were long gone, but Anna remained standing there without moving as she looked at the scenery. The wind blew through her white chiffon blouse, making it flutter in the air. As she admired the beauty of the garden before her, she turned back to Callum and Cade and said, “When you two were younger, you were once kidnapped by the extended members of the Yard Family. I went to ask them to return you, but they humiliated me. They forced me to choose between the both of you and said the other would be dropped right in front of me.

 

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1036

At the mention of that period in their lives, Callum and Cade fell silent. There were too many incidents like that in their memories.

When they were born, Anna’s position in the Yard Family was still insecure and many were out to kill the three of them.

“How did you make your choice, Mom?” Cade asked.

She smiled bitterly.

“They wanted me to choose one and they were going to kill the other. Even if I saved one of you, I would have spent the rest of my life in grief and self-blame for the death of the other! They wanted to torment me and make me feel like I was better off dead!”

That kind and gentle gaze suddenly turned icy. “My choice… Tsk. I didn’t make a choice. Your father and I teamed up and shot the person who was going to kill you guys! Who were they to kill my child and make me suffer from the guilt afterward? They were the ones who deserved to die! Even if they were torn to pieces, they deserved it!”

Cade and Callum were shocked.

Anna glowered at the view before her. Hidden beneath that image of an honorable and delicate noble lady was a raging tyrannical soul.

Over the years, they killed countless relatives and children out of wedlock to secure the Yard Family for themselves. Their resolute mindset brought them to where they were today.

Standing on her thin diamond high heels, she slowly started to walk away. Before she left, she said, “I like that girl.”

Callum and Cade looked at each other as Anna walked off.

What did that mean?

Was she going to let the child go?

Outside, Sophia hurriedly left the place with her people. The group of them were heading toward the parking lot.

F*cking obsolete imperial family! They won’t provide us with a ride now because the talks went completely south!

Sophia had to walk from the Royal Garden all the way to the parking lot in her eight-centimeter high heels and even got lost along the way. Her tender feet were now rubbed raw.

Since Michael’s identity was already exposed, he dropped the act and took off his sunglasses, revealing his handsome face. He carried Sophia on his back and the both of them slowly made their way back.

With her fair and slender arms wrapped around his neck, Sophia kept spitting criticisms next to his ear about the conversation that took place at the Royal Garden earlier. “I saw Anna at the Crimson House yesterday. I thought she was some kind of extraordinary figure, but I was wrong!”

“She wants me to trade the children!”

“I told her that in the future, the Ronney Group will only be able to rely on surrogate buyers to get their products into Cethos!”

“That obsolete imperial family; just because they have that dirty money on their hands, they think they can stick their noses up in the air! The estate we have in Northern Europe is way bigger than their whole palace!”

“The previous dynasty has already crumbled. This is a new era. If they want to silence me, I will stand up stronger and fill them with rage!”

“Did you see the place where they welcomed visitors? In a place like that, did they want me to bow my head before we started talking about business? Bah!”

Michael played along to appease her. “The Yards still believe they’re an imperial family! They’re such an embarrassment! It’s time they got off their high horse! If the ruler wants the minister dead, then the minister will kill the ruler first!”

Michael was impressed by Sophia’s courage to talk to the president of the Yard Group in that manner. If she had actually humiliated them, then the child would be in real danger.

But, on the other hand, it also put pressure on the Ronney Group. No one could mess around with the Fletchers’ child so easily.

Now that the Fletcher Family was aware of the child’s existence, they were going to do everything they could to bring her home.

They might not have as big a fortune as the Yards did, but they were not to be taken lightly either.

Sophia kept criticizing them the whole way. Once they reached the parking lot, however, they found Callum standing there with a child beside him.

Michael and Sophia turned serious when they saw the child. She quickly got off Michael’s back and walked in Callum’s direction.

Callum said, “We have rules in our family, and that is to not have a Fletcher work for us. So, you can take this child back.”

Since finding out that a member of the Fletcher Family was in their domain, they did not want to keep her anymore.

After saying that, Callum headed into the car with an unsatisfied look.

As the car started to move, Callum lowered the car window all of a sudden and said to Sophia, “We might be an ‘obsolete imperial family’, but we’re still an imperial family. If we want the minister dead, and the minister doesn’t want to die, then we will have to personally kill them.”

Sophia was lost for words.

Meanwhile, Michael was delighted. Who would have thought that Sophia’s strategy would be so effective?

He hurried over to the child and kneeled. “Hello, are you Lola? I’m your uncle. You can call me Michael. I’ve been in films before.”

Lola had the same cold expression as she did in the photograph. Currently, she had a numb and blank look on her face. Her eyes showed that she was on high alert toward every person in the world. She looked completely different from the easygoing child in the photographs that her adoptive parents had shown them.

She was missing for a month. Who knew what she could have gone through during this time?

Michael felt an ache in his chest. When he reached out to hold her hand, she quickly pushed him away and he spotted the bandage wrapped around her small hand. He figured that she must have gotten it after undergoing high-intensity training.

In a warm tone, Sophia coaxed, “It’s okay, Lola. We will take you home. Okay?”

Eventually, she managed to get Lola into the car, but Lola still felt uneasy. She was on high alert throughout the car ride, keeping her eyes on everyone and not uttering a word.

Michael took a good look at the child. She was a mixed-race child who had already turned seven. Her eyes looked exactly the same as Celine’s, but her temperament was more similar to her father’s.

She grew up in an ordinary family and was completely oblivious about her birth parents’ identities. She did not have a murderous look, but despite being unaware of who her parents were, she still seemed to stand out.

Michael let out a sigh of relief now that they had found the child, but he was quickly met with another obstacle.

Lola definitely had to go back to the Fletcher Family, but what would happen after that?

It was only a matter of time before Justin found out about his wife’s child out of wedlock.

Moreover, her father was Blade, the most heinous killer!

Stanley and a bunch of Fletchers caused the death of her biological father in a gang fight. Her mother had no idea about her existence. If the other members of the family found out about her, how would they treat her?

Nonetheless, Quinton still believed that getting her back was better than anything else.

All that mattered was that she could return to the Fletcher Family.

They departed the following day and returned to the small town that Lola grew up in.

Noticing the familiar scenery outside the car window, Lola went from keeping silent to suddenly becoming excited and her stoic little face could not stop looking out.

When they finally arrived at their destination, that pleasant small home appeared before them. Lola raced out as soon as Michael opened the car door and spoke for the first time.

“Daddy! Mommy!”

Upon hearing her voice, her adoptive parents came out and were ecstatic to see her. While they hugged each other, Lola began to sob as she was finally able to let go of all the fear and desperation she felt.

Sophia could not hold back her tears either when she heard the little child’s cries.

It looked like she had lived a good life in this place. Sophia also wanted Lola to continue living here, but since her identity as Blade’s daughter had been exposed, those people could come back to take her again.

Blade killed many people in his lifetime and made countless enemies. Now that he was gone, his enemies would take revenge on Lola; leaving her here would put that family in danger.

But, seeing how happy Lola was, Sophia could not bear to tear them apart. Lola had spent seven years of her life here—this place was her home!

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1037

“Let Lola stay here for the night with her family before we do anything else.” Michael did not really have a choice.

That night, Lola’s adoptive parents cordially invited Sophia and Michael to stay at their house, and they also prepared a big feast for them.

Lola looked a lot happier and was completely different from when they first found her. She had a smile on her stoic face as she played happily with her adoptive parents’ two children.

Sophia was leaning in Michael’s embrace and admiring all of it.

This family of five looks so happy.

“Why are you so quiet?” Michael pulled her in gently and placed a kiss on her forehead.

She snuggled up to him and said, “I miss Carmen.”

Holding her in his arms, he murmured, “We’ll be home soon.”

…

The next day, Michael was about to take Lola away.

Her adoptive parents were reluctant, but they also understood the severity of the situation. They knew that they could not protect Lola. Moreover, they had two children of their own and did not dare to take the risk. The place that Lola would be taken to was a lot more well-off than they were. She was going to have a better life from now on, so they could only send off her while holding back tears.

Lola’s sullen little face was covered in tears. She kept a tight grip on her adoptive father’s hand and took one heavy step after the other. Her adoptive mother was busy telling Sophia about her daily routine and the like while Sophia nodded along as she took a mental note of everything.

The moment they had to part ways, Lola kept wailing and was not willing to leave. Her adoptive father sent their Golden Retriever along with her, so she would not be alone and afraid in a new environment. It would make her feel better to have a familiar pet with her.

However, Lola still did not want to go and remained crying at the front door. Biting the bullet, her adoptive parents shut the door and did not come back out again. She continued to stand there and cry. No matter who tried to coax her, she wouldn’t move.

Michael, who was carrying Lola’s suitcase, was also in a tough spot.

If it were possible, he also wanted Lola to stay here. Growing up in a family like that was a blessing. Unfortunately, she could not stay there because only the Fletchers could protect her.

Eventually, Sophia managed to coax Lola into the car, and they quickly drove off.

Once the car started to move, Sophia saw, from the rearview mirror, that Lola’s adoptive parents had come out at some point and were watching them leave.

It had gotten very late when they returned to the hotel. As soon as the door opened, a little being flew out from inside and gripped onto Sophia’s leg—it was the youngest Cethosian girl.

That was the first time Sophia had seen her act so clingy.

Sophia had named her ‘Poppy’. When she picked her up, she heard her soft cries and consoled, “It’s okay, good girl. Don’t cry. I’m back now.”

Poppy continued to cry. Afraid that she would get beaten up for being too loud, she said in a small voice, “I want my mommy.”

When Sophia did not return last night, the children thought they were being sold off again. Now that she was back, those several pairs of eyes were trained on her.

Hearing the soft sobs, she couldn’t help but think of Carmen. When she was caught by Katrina and dragged upstairs to be thrown down, she also spoke very timidly.

“Don’t worry. I will take all of you to find your parents soon.”

Upon returning, Sophia was busy comforting and holding the children. Michael brought Lola inside. She was cold and distant. Even though she knew that Michael was not a bad person, she still had her guard up.

Looking at the place filled with nine children and a Golden Retriever, Michael felt the hairs stand on the back of his neck but also felt like there was not much he could do about it.

Gosh, I almost went broke when we had a house full of fat orange cats. After we’ve barely managed to send away a good number of them, we have a house full of children now.

He prayed that Sophia would not end up adopting all of them as he would have to take responsibility for everything.

After thinking over it, Sophia decided to let the children get adopted locally into families of the same race as them. In the end, they were left with three Cethosian children whom they brought home with them to look for adoptive families in Cethos.

On the day that they left, Quinton sent them to the airport. He did not have a reason to return to Cethos anymore. He only went back last time because he heard the news about Blade’s appearance and wanted to warn them.

He did not expect that it would drag into so many other problems. Fortunately, his deed was done now, and Lola had been found. It was also time for him to leave.

Quinton held Lola by the hand and sent her off into the plane. He was still feeling a bit reluctant.

He watched her board the plane and did not look away for a while.

Michael was holding the dog on a leash. Before he went in, he patted Quinton on the shoulder and said, “Goodbye. We will meet again someday.”

Quinton waved at him casually, then saw them off into the plane. He kept watching until their plane disappeared in the sky.

Turning to leave, his eyes were filled with desolation.

If the Fletcher Family had known about his existence back then, they would have done everything to find him just like they did for Lola.

Sadly, that did not happen.

Old Master Fletcher was extremely happy that they found the child and was urging them to hurry home so that he could meet the child. Regardless, that was still a child of the Fletcher Family. No matter how evil her parents were, it had nothing to do with her.

They took the four children on board and headed back to Cethos. The first place they went to was the Edwards Residence. As soon as they entered, Carmen climbed out of the swimming pool and was dumbfounded by the sight of Sophia and the four children.

She ran to look for Cooper.

“Grandpa! Look! Daddy and Mommy secretly had so many little sisters when I wasn’t around!”

Cooper was sunbathing next to the swimming pool. He was in a pair of swimming trunks while his rather fit upper body was exposed. When he saw the children alongside Michael and Sophia, his brows pulled together tightly, especially when he spotted Lola.

He automatically looked at Justin.

Justin still did not know what was happening, but Celine seemed to have realized something. Her eyes were fixed on one of the children that Michael had brought home as though a strong presence was calling out to her. He had brought home a total of four children, but she could not stop looking at that one child in particular.

“Something feels strange…” Celine mumbled.

Michael could feel Celine’s gaze on them. He knew that she was looking at Lola. Even though they had not met before, Celine could still feel something toward her.

He still did not know how to introduce the child. Putting it aside for the time being, he first went to make arrangements for her room, meals, and the like. Lola was nervous to be in a new environment. She kept holding her Golden Retriever and did not take a step away from it.

These days, both Sarah and Sean were at the Edwards Residence recovering from their injuries, so the house was crowded with people. When they heard that Sophia had come home, everyone immediately came out to see her. She even called Nicole on the phone to come over and said she had some gifts for everyone.

Sophia started by giving out the local goods she bought from Ronney—some bags, jewelry, and other luxury goods. Those were the majority of items that were sold there locally.

After she finished giving out the local goods, she started giving out the children.

“Sarah, I bought this baby from Ronney City just for you! She’s a girl; obedient and pretty! She even looks like you! You should adopt her, then Sour Face will have a younger sister. If you end up having another daughter, then it will be perfect!”

“Nicole, you should adopt a child!”

“Sean, it doesn’t look like you’re planning to get married any time soon. Why don’t you adopt a child?”

Sarah held the baby girl that Sophia shoved at her and asked after some hesitation, “Is this also one of the ‘local goods’ that you bought in Ronney?”

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1038

Local goods…

“I guess you can say that… ”

Sophia looked distressed. She felt like she should just take in all those three children herself.

Since she bought them, she had to raise them no matter what.

Raising a child was a big deal and something that needed to be discussed at length. It was different from raising kittens or puppies that she could hand over to anyone she saw fit.

Harry and Sarah discussed for a bit, then decided to adopt Poppy who would become a younger sister and friend to Sour Face. He could also learn how to become a good older brother.

At the same time, Hale also adopted one of them. A long time ago, Gwen suffered an injury while working as a secret agent. She was lucky to have given birth to Ashton as the doctor made it clear that she could not bear any more children. Hale wanted to have a daughter and was thinking of going to Nicole’s orphanage to adopt a child, but now that Sophia had brought those children home, it seemed like fate.

On the other hand, Nicole decided not to adopt. She and Sam had already adopted three to four children from their own orphanage. Moreover, she was pregnant now and did not have the energy to adopt any more children.

Sean, too, adopted a girl. He was not planning on getting married, so it was nice for him to have a daughter. There would have been some issues in the adoption process, but Sophia had taken care of everything for him, and all he had to do was take the child home.

The girl he adopted was a bit over the age of three. She was naïve, slightly fearful of people, and quiet. Since he was currently still bedridden and recuperating at the Edwards Residence, Stanley carried the child to the front of his bed.

“Sweetie, I’m your papa now! I will protect you from now on,” Sean said gently as he looked at the child in Stanley’s arms.

The child had also gone through many hardships before coming here. It was fate that he stumbled upon her. He was going to raise her with utmost dedication.

The girl looked at him timidly and did not dare to make a sound, but he did not force her. She was a newcomer and needed time to get used to everything.

Unexpectedly, Stanley rebuked, “Why are you the father? Ever since we were little, I’ve always been the father, and you’ve always been the mother! I can’t accept this. I want to be the father, and you can be the mother. Isn’t that right, my little baby?”

Stanley was trying to get used to the fact that he was already a father. He could no longer go back to his old ways for he had his own family now too. He watched Sophia give birth to Carmen, and Sarah give birth to Ashton, but he was still a bachelor.

It was nice to have a child.

Stanley adored the child in his arms.

Sean did not refute his words. With a tender look in his eyes, he said, “We’re adults now. We can’t play house anymore and I can’t be the mother either. If she calls you papa, then she can call me daddy instead.”

The both of them also decided on a name for her—Maisie Mitchell. Since Sean adopted her under his name, she would take after his family name. She was Maisie for short.

Sophia had Carmen, Sasha had Ashton, and now they had Maisie. Maisie also seemed to enjoy eating cornmeal mush. When they got home, she finished a big bowl of refined and nutritious cornmeal mush, even licking the bowl clean.

“Come, Maisie. Let’s go and meet the other members of the family.”

“This is Judge, and this is Sunset. You can pat them on the head.”

Maisie knew that she was going into a new family, so she tried her best to get used to having two fathers.

The three children had now gone to their new families. Sophia was able to let out a sigh of relief. The only one left now is Lola.

Sophia and Michael brought her back to the Fletcher Residence stealthily without letting Justin find out.

He still did not know that the child was Celine’s.

Meanwhile, Old Master Fletcher absolutely adored the child and even gave her a name.

“She has nice features—even stronger than her mother’s. She’s going to become a public figure in the future. Why don’t we call her Lorelei? Lorelei Fletcher! That will be her name!”

Lola accepted her name with indifference and remained aloof and unresponsive.

After the meeting with Old Master Fletcher, Michael held Lorelei by the hand and brought her into the yard to look around. This would probably be her home from now on.

The both of them held onto each of Lola’s hands as they took her on a walk in the yard. They did not say a word—as though they each had something on their minds.

Alas, Sophia broke the silence.

“Hubby, I want—”

Michael’s steps stopped abruptly, and he finished her sentence for her.

“You want to adopt Lorelei.”

She stuck her tongue out in a cheeky manner. Looks like he saw right through me.

From the moment she saw Lorelei, she had come up with the idea. It did not seem to make a lot of sense to let Celine and Justin raise her. They could raise her instead.

Michael stretched his hand out to caress her head. “I had the same thought.”

He was also adopted into the Fletcher Family after both of his parents passed away. Even though Old Master Fletcher adored him, there were too many children in the family that they ended up competing against one another. A child’s mind was sensitive, and they did not speak up even if they were suffering. That environment might not be the best for Lola.

He felt like keeping Lorelei by his side was the better option too. If he and Sophia could no longer have a second child of their own, then it would not be bad to have Lorelei.

Lorelei grew up overseas and did not know how to speak Cethosian. She did not know what Sophia and Michael were saying, but she did not like the place very much either. There were too many people. She only wanted to go home and be with her Golden Retriever.

Suddenly, they made a turn and a wide patch of green appeared in front of her along with a rhythmic and sonorous sound.

“One. Two. Three. Four. One, two, three, four!”

The military troops were training!

The energy in those shouts seemed to make even the ground shake.

Lorelei’s eyes glimmered as she looked at the group of vigorous people.

When she started running toward the field, Michael and Sophia quickly chased after her.

Nathan was also undergoing summer military training at the Fletchers. He had spotted Sophia at the start. When the troops dispersed, he quickly ran over.

“Nate!”

Sophia happily went up to greet him.

It felt like he had grown taller in the few days that she did not see him.

Nathan had a cold expression on his face. After he saw Sophia, he immediately caught sight of Michael holding the hand of a little girl who also had the same cold expression.

The two people with similar-looking faces confronted each other.

Deep inside, he felt a strange sense of fear, but he did not know where it came from.

Michael introduced, “Nate, this is Lorelei; she’s also a member of our family. We just found her and brought her back from abroad. She doesn’t know how to speak Cethosian. Do look out for her in the future.”

Nathan nodded. When the whistle sounded for them to assemble, he turned around and walked away to carry on with his training. Lorelei did not seem to want to leave as she watched them from the side. She looked like she was itching to join them and tried her best to pull Michael to walk over to that side.

Michael noticed and asked, “All the children in our family have to start training like this from a young age. Do you want to join them too, Lola?”

She nodded eagerly.

Seeing that earnest look in her eyes, Michael could only give Sophia a look of resignation. Sophia was slightly dejected, but she complied with it in the end.

He caressed Lorelei’s head then said, “Go ahead.”

As soon as he let go, she ran toward the Fletchers who were doing their summer military training and seemed desperate to join their troop.

Sophia knew that she would not be able to raise Lorelei, and that the Fletchers were the best option.

Looking at the lively Lorelei on the field like a fish that had returned to the water, Michael hugged a dejected Sophia and comforted, “It’s okay. We will try our best to have another child. We will.”

 

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1039

Nonetheless, Michael was well aware of their situation. It would be very hard for them to conceive if they wanted a child.

Aside from Sophia, he also had a problem of his own.

That year, when Sophia got abducted by Quinton, he was stabbed by a killer with a poisoned knife. Even though he survived, there were some consequences.

But, since Sophia had returned, and Carmen was growing up healthily, what more could he ask for?

If they wanted a child, they could always adopt.

He did consider IVF treatments with Sophia, but it was too painful. How could he bear to let her suffer?

Moreover, they did not need to have a second child as Carmen was more than enough for them.

…

After sending off all the four children they brought home, Sophia was pleased with herself and felt at ease. Although she did have some regret for not being able to adopt Lorelei, Lorelei was better-suited to live with the Fletchers—she belonged with them.

In the end, Lorelei returned to the Fletcher Residence and was adopted by Joel and Maddie. The Fletchers settled all her legal documents—citizenship, family registry, name change, school admissions, and so forth. Since it was summer break now, she was spending her days at home and training with Nathan.

Lorelei had her mother’s vigorous energy that could tire out even a husky. She showed up on the field on time every day and exercised with the other Fletcher kids. It seemed like she was meant to be a soldier.

Her mother was certainly not ordinary, but her father also had an impressive background. Apparently, he was the descendant of an ancient European noble family and had come from generations of soldiers. Both of his parents were well-known figures in the military.

Unfortunately, he was abducted by a killer organization as a child. His family searched the whole world for him, but they could not find him. By the time they found him, he was already the most notorious cold-blooded killer, Blade.

There was no end to Blade’s killings. He knew that he could not return to his family, so he kept straying off. His family was extremely disappointed in him, so they never crossed paths.

There were many children like Blade who were the descendants of soldiers and were, subsequently, abducted by killer organizations. Once they were all grown up, they would not usually return home.

Blade died at the hands of the Fletcher Family in Cethos. When the news reached Europe, his family secretly came to ask for the return of his body. They could not acknowledge him while he was alive and could only ask for his corpse when he died.

It was a pity that Lorelei had already been put in the Fletchers’ family registry; they were not going to let her go. Left without a choice, Blade’s family could only take Blade’s body with them and leave.

…

When their military training ended, Nathan would often bring Lorelei back to Sophia’s to play.

It had gotten quite lively at the Edwards Residence in Riverdale. Sean and Sarah were recuperating there but had also brought along their whole family with them. With all the little children gathered together over summer break, the house looked like a kindergarten.

Amidst all of this, Sophia also miraculously secured a partnership with the Yard Family. The two families were going to produce a series of pet luxury goods and were currently in talks for their contract. Sales for the Dragon Eye mobile phones had also stabilized. Sophia was taking out time to spend with her child.

Meanwhile, the child that Hale adopted was named Audrey.

The four little girls and Lorelei could potentially take over the Edwards Residence together!

A few days before they teamed up, they almost rubbed the fur off all four of Sophia’s orange cats.

The most playful sled dogs also had to bow down before Lorelei & Co. and trembled with fear when they heard them coming.

In the past, Sophia’s orange cats, Cooper’s black dog, and the huskies were known as the ‘three devils’ of the Edwards Residence.

Now, there was an additional devil. The four devils of the Edwards Residence could make their scalps tingle.

Michael felt like Sophia and her father had too much money to spend. Because she liked orange cats, she always kept dozens of them at home. Cooper liked black dogs, so he would also bring them home by the dozens.

Because of Corrado, all of Bubbles’ and Snowball’s offspring were born with black fur. They had black Samoyeds and black poodles. Before they even realized it, the Edwards Residence was filled with more than a dozen black dogs.

With so many of them, Cooper could not bother with names anymore and started to call them Blackie #1, Blackie #2, Blackie #3, Blackie #4, all the way to Blackie #19.

These days, Michael was living with Sophia illegally and had even nearly moved in his entire house. Therefore, the Edwards Residence was getting expanded. Sophia wanted to build a place just for Michael to live in. For the time being, he set up an office in that small house of hers and went in and out of the Edwards Residence as he pleased. Every time he saw Cooper’s black dogs, he had an affectionate look on his face.

Today, Danny, Michael’s assistant from his film crew, came over once again.

The moment he entered the Edwards Residence, he saw Blackie #4.

Whenever Danny showed up, it meant that Michael was going away for a movie shoot again. The film crew was starting to pester him, so he had to get going.

He had packed everything and was getting ready to leave while Sophia sent him off reluctantly.

“I’ll be back in a month which just so happens to be in September. I’ll accompany Carmen to film ‘Where Are We Going, Dad?’ when the time comes. Carmen’s mom, I’ll leave her in your care for now.”

Before he left, Michael went on and on about Carmen. He also urged Sophia to wait for his return and not get lured by some strange casanova.

Being in his forties now, he was feeling a bit anxious.

If someone really came and took Sophia away one day, and he lost his fair, rich, and beautiful wife, and his adorable and loveable daughter, then he would lose everything.

Linus spent all day at home today. No one seemed to have seen him, but he kept watch in the dark.

He watched Michael leave in silence. His eyes were cold and unenthusiastic, but on the inside, he was going through a violent struggle.

Once Michael was gone and Sophia came back out from the parking lot with Carmen’s little hand in hers, he still remained standing where he was as though he had something to say but did not have the courage to.

At some point, Cooper arrived behind Linus and patted him on the shoulder with his big hand.

“Have some courage, Linus. I will help you with this.”

Even though he received Cooper’s support, he was still timid and unsure of how to start.

“Cooper, I…” he hesitated.

Cooper patted him on the shoulder a few more times. “Don’t be nervous. She will agree for sure.”

Picking up his courage, Linus took a deep breath and walked straight to Sophia.

Sophia came home with Carmen’s small hand in hers. Carmen could not rest for even a second. Once her father left, she acted up again and got up to mischief with Lorelei & Co.

She walked toward him and noticed a desperate look on his face. “Uncle Linus, what’s wrong?”

He hesitated for a long while before he said, “Sophia, someone from my hometown came to visit me a few days ago. They were hoping that I could find a girl to marry within the Michel Family.”

At that, Sophia suddenly recalled Linus’ life. He was an adopted son. Even though his capabilities gained everyone’s approval, blood relation and identity was still his weakness. If he did not have a solid identity, then he would not be able to inherit the position as family head.

Linus certainly did not want any obstacles in his way.

Marrying someone within the family and gaining the status of a son-in-law wasn’t too bad.

Sophia was also happy for him. “You found someone suitable? Congratulations, Uncle Linus!”

He nodded and looked at her sternly. “Yes… that person is you.”

 

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1040

Thinking that she had heard wrongly, Sophia simply laughed it off. “Uncle Linus, you must be mistaken. How can I be that person? You’re my uncle!”

He wants to marry me? This must be a joke. Not to mention, he’s bisexual. I heard he has a bunch of ex-boyfriends.

She had even seen drawings in Sarah’s pornography book of him doing various unimaginable things as the main lead like doing explicit things with an anthropomorphic Lucky.

Sarah called that “Cethos’ Mutt Violating a North European Noble”.

However, Linus was not joking. After hesitating briefly, he continued in a serious manner, “Sophia, you know I was adopted. In this family, it doesn’t matter how much more capable and outstanding I become, as I won’t be accepted by everyone. I need to marry a woman in the Michel Family and use my status as the Michel’s son-in-law to gain a foothold in the family. I came to look for you because you don’t have a foothold in the family yet either. If we get married, it will be beneficial for both of us.”

When Sophia realized that Linus was not joking, she turned serious.

However, after hearing what he said, she also fell silent.

Getting married to Linus was unthinkable.

Linus went on, “You and Mike are divorced and won’t be remarrying for the time being. We can get married now, and if you want to remarry him in the future, we will get a divorce right away. Through this marriage, I can at least become a true member of the Michel Family. It won’t affect your remarriage with Mike. I’ve been wanting to let you take over some business here, but the board of directors still doesn’t have an accurate evaluation of your capabilities yet, so it couldn’t happen. If you marry me, you will be able to take over as soon as possible.”

When he finished talking, he fell silent and lowered his head as though he was afraid to look at Sophia.

She was also serious and extremely hesitant. Lifting her heels, she started to walk toward the garden.

She had designed the garden herself and filled it with all her favorite flowers. Currently, they were all in full bloom, making the garden look like a dreamy labyrinth.

Walking inside, she went to sit down on the swing that was made of rattan.

She understood Linus’ intentions, and she knew that their marriage would not be for love, but for mutual benefit.

Even though she was approved by the Michel Family, her position was merely a symbolic family head. She was an honorable daughter in the family, but they only showed her respect because of her father. Her capabilities had yet to be recognized by the family. Hence, she was unable to take over any responsibilities at the company for now.

On the other hand, Linus was recognized for his capabilities, but he was also an adopted son. Cooper had already broken the rules when he adopted Linus back then. All these years, Linus tried hard to live up to Cooper’s expectations, but it did not change the fact that he was not a Michel and was discriminated against within the family.

If they could put up a fake marriage, then Linus would gain the approval of the family, and Sophia would gain some power. They were not related by blood, so there was no issue with them getting married.

Moreover, she and Michael were divorced now. A fake marriage would not be a big deal.

…

As the Edwards Residence was being expanded, Sophia tore down some of the houses surrounding them. She calculated the price of the land and compensated the original house owners. On average, each of them received around two to three million. She also subsidized an extra amount according to the number of households with a standard of 100,000 for every household.

In order to get more money from Sophia, the married couples who used to live in those torn-down houses got divorced and were able to get compensated 100,000 each, since a married couple only counted as one household. Instead of 100,000, Sophia had to pay double now.

Once they got the money, they got remarried, and the extra 100,000 was treated as extra income.

Perhaps marriage was not meant to be that strict, especially when it involved a great benefit. After all, a marriage certificate was just a piece of paper worth nine dollars.

Linus wanted to use this marriage to gain more approval, and Sophia wanted to use this marriage to gain more time and opportunity for herself and Michael.

She had already taken over the standard Dragon Eye mobile phone business. It was a step closer to success. If she married Linus, then she could easily step through that big door that she had been looking forward to!

However, she remained hesitant and eventually said, “I can’t make a decision yet. Let me think about it. I will give you an answer tomorrow.”

He gladly agreed.

That night, Sophia went to Cooper to ask for his opinion, and he gave his approval right away. He even advised, “Getting married to Linus will enable you to get more involved in the family business sooner. After all, you’re not planning on remarrying Michael any time soon.”

“Linus lacks status in the family, but he has status in the company. Whereas you have status in the family but lack status in the company. The both of you can be of help to each other. Besides, it’s a fake marriage; no more than a formal procedure. I am quite fond of Linus as well. Even though I’ve always been rooting for him, blood runs deep in the family. I planned to find someone within the family for Linus to marry when he came of age, but it’s been dragged out until now. To get recognized by the family, he has been down the wrong path before. He has suffered quite a bit over the years!”

Sophia was still hesitant, so she decided to give Michael a call. She needed to get his opinion on this sort of matter.

On the other side, Michael had just gotten off the plane and was probably on his way to the filming location in a mountainous region where the line was bad. If she did not call him now, then she might not be able to reach him anymore.

When he picked up, they exchanged greetings for a bit, then she prepared to tell him about her fake marriage with Linus.

She was decently keen to go ahead with the fake marriage. It was just a legal matter. When the opportunity came, she would divorce Linus and marry Michael again.

“Hubby, I think this fake marriage is worth considering. You and I can’t keep living in ambiguity for the rest of our lives. If I marry Uncle Linus now, he will gain the family’s approval, and I can use this opportunity to take on more responsibilities in the business. Once I get more authority in internal family affairs, I can fight for us. Hubby, don’t worry. Uncle Linus isn’t straight!”

…

It felt like Sophia was talking to herself the whole time while Michael remained quiet on the other end, but she could still hear the heaviness in his breathing.

He will probably be quite resistant to this fake marriage.

After staying silent for a while, the familiar clear and robust voice came through the phone. “Sure. We had a fake divorce once. What’s the big deal with a fake marriage?”

Letting out a sigh of relief, she did not think that Michael would agree so quickly. Nonetheless, he was a smart person and was able to see the underlying implications.

Meanwhile, in Linus’ room, Lucky was sprawled on the ground and looking up at Linus who was on the phone by his desk.

He had a wired telephone hooked up to his computer and some software opened on his screen.

With a blank expression on his face, he said into the microphone, “I’m on my way to the filming location. The line might be bad.”