Ch. 1051..1060

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1051

“What’s wrong?! What happened?!” When Cooper heard Carmen crying, he flew into her room in a hurry. Then, he saw Sophia throwing Carmen’s favorite pink little bowl to the ground with a lot of force. It frightened Carmen so much that she started wailing again. However, Sophia did not comfort her child and screamed at Annabel instead.

“No wonder Carmen has been suffering from diarrhea ever since you returned! She couldn’t get well no matter what she ate; it’s all because you’ve been secretly feeding her this stuff! You knew Carmen has a frail constitution; how could you feed her something like this?! Is this something a child can eat?! She’s your granddaughter! I warned you about this the last time you fed her an expired jelly you bought from outside! What the h*ll are you thinking?! Are you trying to kill her?!” Although she had an aggressive air around her, her voice was tearful, and she couldn’t stop the tears from flowing down her face.

On the other hand, Annabel shrank back into a corner and sobbed as she was being berated. Once in a while, she whimpered. “I’m sorry, Sophia. I only wanted Carmen to get better faster. This home remedy works very well. Whenever the children back home get sick, they will take this—”

“Shut up!” Sophia’s eyes were shining bright red; she felt aggrieved yet furious at the same time. “I’ve warned you so many times! I’ve told you again and again not to feed Carmen any of this! Why?! Why won’t you listen?!”

Cooper noticed that some sort of black, unidentified object remained in the small bowl Sophia had thrown to the ground. Moreover, the corners of Carmen’s mouth were stained by something black. Looking back at Sophia, who was so furious that she seemed like an angry lioness, as well as Annabel, who was weeping quietly in a corner, he more or less understood what had happened. He heard from Annabel last night that she knew of a good home remedy that would surely cure children of their illnesses. It was concocted from a mix of incense ash, soot, and water. I can’t believe she actually made that home remedy! At the end of the day, it’s still nothing but a bowl of ashes!

Afterward, Sophia tenderly picked Carmen up. Wiping away her tears, she simultaneously used a wet cloth to dab away the soot residue at the corners of Carmen’s mouth. How dare Annabel dismiss the servants and secretly feed this home remedy to Carmen. If I was one step slower, Carmen would have finished that entire bowl…

Just two days ago, Annabel had bought a jelly for Carmen to eat from some random sundry shop. That jelly was nearly past its expiry date, and the plastic packaging was covered in dust. Despite that, she fed it to Carmen, who was not yet four years old, in large chunks with great gusto. Sophia had told Annabel off nicely at the time, so she had not expected that Annabel would feed Carmen something like that today.

Annabel was feeling extremely wronged. Walking over to Carmen and Sophia, she seemed like she wanted to apologize. She took several steps forward and came to a sudden stop before she could even touch Carmen; she was frightened by Sophia’s sudden shout. “Don’t come over!”

Sophia glared at Annabel warily while hugging Carmen tightly. In response, Annabel felt so wronged that her tears flowed freely. Looking up at Cooper, she sobbingly said, “Coop, I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

After saying that, she ran out of the room in a hurry. Following that spectacle, Cooper glanced at Sophia, then at Carmen, who was crying in her arms. He chidingly said, “Sophia, she is your mother. Although her methods are wrong, she did it for both your and Carmen’s sake.”

Sophia held Carmen in her arms and stared at him incredulously; it was as if she didn’t recognize the man standing in front of her. On the other hand, he hurriedly rushed out of the room to chase after Annabel.

For a moment, she simply stared blankly in the direction he had left, tears spilling from her red-rimmed eyes again. I can’t believe Cooper said that to me. He has changed. Ever since Annabel came back, he has changed.

Her chest heaved up and down violently; the rage in her heart was converted into the fiery tears that spilled out of her eyes. However, Carmen was still crying in her arms. The sound of Carmen’s sobs seemed to wake Sophia out of her daze, and she loosened her grip on Carmen. “Quickly! Start inducing vomiting!”

The family doctor, who had been on standby for a long time, quickly started to induce vomiting in Carmen. After some effort, Carmen threw up some black, unidentifiable stuff. She cried so hard that her voice became hoarse. Meanwhile, Sophia was so sad that her tears kept flowing. Wiping her tears away determinedly, she turned around and contacted the people at The Imperial.

On the other side, Cooper finally calmed Annabel down after much effort. Annabel was feeling very guilty, but he did not blame her. She had suffered too much pain over the years. Now that she finally had an easy life, the living conditions at the Edwards Residence were so different from what she experienced in her past that she couldn’t fit in well. Thus, she constantly butted heads with Sophia over differences in opinions.

She could not understand Michael and Sophia’s mentality of spending almost a million on Carmen. She could not understand why Sophia, with her children in tow, was staying with her natal family despite being married. She could not understand why Cooper’s vast business was being passed down to Sophia. In her opinion, Sophia should only help to manage it for several years at most. She believed that once Sophia gave birth to a son, she should step down to give way to her younger brother. Alternatively, she believed that Sophia should hand the business over to her elder brother once he returned.

In spite of that, Cooper understood Annabel.

At this moment, Annabel was crying while packing her bags to leave. By the time Cooper managed to calm her down, he turned around only to discover that Sophia’s room was empty. After questioning Roger, he learned that Sophia had taken Carmen with her and returned to The Imperial. Moreover, she left a message before she left, saying that she would never return again since she was a married daughter that no longer belonged to the family.

Additionally, Celine went with her too. Despite trying to call her again and again, his calls never went through. He was about to go and talk to her himself when he heard Annabel calling him from behind. “Coop—”

Pondering it briefly, he decided against going after Sophia. She is furious right now. Once her anger fades after several days, she will surely return. Although he did not agree with most of Annabel’s views, he agreed on one point—a married daughter no longer belonged to the family. All this while, he had interfered in her marriage affairs. He forced her to get a divorce and break off with Michael. However, he felt as if his outlook on life had expanded now that Annabel was back. Besides, Sophia was an adult who had her own family—she could not remain as his precious child forever.

After leaving the Edwards Residence in a hurry, Sophia tried to call Michael while sitting in the car. Unfortunately, there was no signal on the other end, and her calls could not get through.

On the other hand, Carmen had just been forced to vomit. Her throat hurt, and she was still crying. At this moment, she lay in Sophia’s arms while sobbing softly. Reaching out her tiny hands, she wiped at her tears and pouted aggrievedly.

Unable to contact Michael, Sophia felt anxious and sad. She nearly couldn’t stop her tears from falling, but she forced them back again—Carmen was here. Hanging up the phone, she put her phone aside, hugged Carmen, and asked in a gentle voice, “Baby, does your tummy still hurt?”

Carmen had been suffering from diarrhea for the past two days. No matter what she ate, it would come back out. So, she had been wearing diapers all day long. Her entire being seemed to have shriveled, and her limbs were weak and soft. Moreover, she had been fed a bowl of soot today. Although she had been forced to vomit it up, Sophia was still worried.

Carmen pouted and said aggrievedly, “My tummy says it’ll be fine once Daddy comes home.”

At that moment, Sophia nearly couldn’t hold back her tears. She hugged Carmen tightly and said, “Oh, darling… eat your medicine properly, okay? When your daddy comes back, he will bring you with him to film ‘Where Are We Going, Dad?’.”

Nodding obediently, Carmen’s small hands gripped Sophia’s shoulders. The backs of her hands still had traces of the needle marks from the intravenous drip.

Soon, they arrived at Villa No. 8, The Imperial. Sophia stared at the house that looked like a castle and sighed. I can’t believe I’m back here again. She stayed here for a long time previously, but she no longer had any recollections of her time here. This house belongs to Michael and me. This is my true home! In the future, I will stay here, lest people talk sh*t about me!

 

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1052

When the butler of Villa No. 8 heard that Sophia was about to return, he happily cleaned up the rooms to welcome her back.

Sophia had no plans of returning after moving out this time. Not only did she bring Carmen, her medical team, and her team of professional educators, but she also brought all her cats, dogs, alpacas, and eels along with her. She even dug out her favorite plants and brought them along with her.

Linus had been busy with the matters involving Sophia’s banquet all day long. To his surprise, he received a phone call from Sophia’s assistant, saying that the banquet was postponed. Only then did he learn about the events that had occurred today. Thus, he anxiously rushed back to The Imperial.

Celine and Sean relocated along with Sophia, lest Annabel said something hurtful again.

“How is Carmen?” Linus hastily rushed over but lowered his voice as if he was worried about disturbing Carmen.

Then, Sophia led him to Carmen’s room. Now that Carmen had returned to the place she grew up in, she seemed to be in a good mood. Unfortunately, she was still feeling sick and snuggled in her bed, refusing to move. When she saw Linus entering her room, she softly called out, “Uncle Linus…”

Upon hearing her calling him ‘Uncle Linus’ softly, his heart melted. He sat by her bed and stroked her hair. He gently said, “Good girl. But, you should be calling me Grand-uncle Linus!”

She pursed her lips. “No. Daddy said that when Grandpa isn’t around, I should call you Uncle Linus.”

He smiled and teased her, “Then, did you eat your medicine properly when I’m not around?”

Cheering up, she said, “I did! Mommy fed me a lot!”

Afterward, he revealed the toys he had brought for her. He had personally gone to his studio to retrieve them. Contrary to his expectations, he discovered that Sophia had moved out as soon as he arrived home. Handing the gifts over to her, he said, “Look! I prepared a new royal sweetheart cup! As well as a royal sweetheart bowl! Don’t forget; there’s also the stamp you designed yourself! And, your Royal Sweetheart Alpaca doll!”

Carmen happily accepted the toys from Linus. Michael treasured her very much—so much so that even the small bowls and spoons she used daily were unique items. They even had the logo she designed herself on them. Sophia had smashed her royal sweetheart bowl in a rage today, and she was still feeling sad over it. So, she was pleasantly surprised to see the new bowl. However, the sight of her sickly smiling face made Sophia feel very sad.

Upon learning that Carmen was sick, Lorelei & Co. quickly gathered at her house to accompany her. Similarly, Nathan also joined them. However, Stanley came and brought Sean and Maisie home with him when the afternoon rolled around. The words Annabel casually uttered had probably saddened Sean too—she claimed that it was inappropriate for outsiders like Sean and Celine to be staying in their house.

Meanwhile, Sophia was busy settling the issues over her sudden relocation and her work. Carmen’s illness and the fight with Cooper had also left her exhausted. She worked until late at night before she could rest. Fortunately, Linus was with her, and Sarah also came over to help her. Otherwise, she would have driven herself nuts.

Recently, the atmosphere at the Edwards Residence was rather strange. Annabel seemed quite critical of Linus’ presence. She believed that it was inappropriate for Cooper to let an outsider manage his assets. She believed that it should have been left to their son. Hence, Linus took advantage of the turmoil today to move back into Villa No. 2 and became neighbors with Sophia.

It was very late when Linus finally left Villa No. 8 after putting Carmen to bed. Sophia saw him off. Along the way, she took the chance to go out and walk her dogs. She wanted to get some air. Too many things had happened today, and she needed some time alone.

“Linus, thank you. It’s too bad that Carmen isn’t feeling well. The banquet might need to be postponed for several days.” She felt very apologetic.

It was the first time she fought with Cooper. She felt like she had fallen from heaven to hell, all in one day, upon discovering that she and Carmen meant so little to him. Although she couldn’t bear the difference in treatment, she had to remain strong and firm. Luckily, I have Linus with me. It makes me feel slightly better. But, I really don’t have the mood to attend the banquet in my current state.

“No problem. Carmen’s health is more important. You should spend some time with her over the next few days. It’s not a problem if the banquet is postponed for a bit.”

Sophia was filled with gratitude. Linus had been busy helping her with the banquet during this period. Thus, she felt bad for canceling it. “Don’t worry. I will not forget about the marriage agreement. Having promised you, I will definitely help you with it.”

It was getting late. Therefore, Linus urged her to go back and rest. Walking Lucky, he headed back to Villa No. 2. Before he left, he said to her, “It’s inevitable for the younger generation and the older generation to have some conflicts in opinion. It’s best if you resolve the misunderstanding. It’s not like your mother planned to harm Carmen. So, you should try to be a little considerate of her perspective.”

She did not respond to his words. Enjoying the cool night breeze blowing outside, she calmed down and reflected on what happened. The words Annabel had said were unpleasant, but she is still my mother. She gave birth to me despite the tremendous pressure she suffered back then, so she must love me. At the end of the day, it’s because of our generational gap. Besides, Cooper waited for more than 20 years for Annabel to return. I shouldn’t have done that to them.

Taking a deep breath, she decided to call Cooper and admit to her mistakes. Cooper immediately answered on the first ring. Most likely, he had been waiting for her to call. He worriedly asked as soon as the call connected, “Darling, have you settled your relocation arrangements? I heard Carmen didn’t eat much for dinner. How is she feeling? Has she gone to sleep?”

Listening to his voice nearly made her burst into tears. He still cares for me! Hence, she calmed down and answered all his questions.

After listening to her answers, he finally felt relieved. He fell silent for a moment before saying. “Your mother’s views are somewhat more conservative than most. Don’t take her words to heart. Her intentions are good, but her approach is wrong. Allow me to apologize to you on her behalf. You should know that she cried all day long out of guilt today.”

She sniffed, suddenly feeling extremely delighted. All the unhappiness she felt before miraculously disappeared. “No, it was my fault. I should be the one apologizing.”

With that, the matter was resolved.

Cooper sighed heavily and said in a solemn voice, “Your mother reminded me that you are an adult now. I can’t keep holding on to a daughter that has married into another family. I shouldn’t have interfered with your marriage and your life. Allow me to apologize for my stubbornness and the arbitrary decisions I made in the past. I’m sorry, my daughter. From now on, I will not interfere in the affairs between you and that guy. Live a good life after moving out, okay? If he bullies you, come back and let me know. My doors are always open for you.”

Upon hearing those words, Sophia felt unbelievably happy—she was the world’s most blessed child again. She lowered her head; her face was wet with tears. Then, she wiped her tears away and said, “Thanks, Dad. Please tell Mom that I’m sorry. Also, you have to come to my banquet.”

…

After Cooper finished talking on the phone, he felt very happy that he managed to resolve the issue with Sophia. Turning around, he saw that Annabel had fallen asleep. So, he quietly entered his study. He had been worrying about his wife and daughter all day long, and there were some work matters that he had not dealt with yet.

The moment the door closed behind him, Annabel, who was ‘sleeping’, slowly opened her eyes without making a sound…

Ten days later, Sophia’s first banquet since returning to Bayside City was taking place as scheduled. The event could be described as a gathering of celebrities and prominent figures, which fully demonstrated her powerful network and connections. The attendees included Harry Winston of the Winston Family, Joel Fletcher of the Fletcher Family and his dogs, the vice president of the Michel Group, Linus Michel, and the prominent members of the Yard Family. Last but not least, the person Sophia had been wanting to meet—Jordan Edwards—was here too.

 

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1053

Cooper, Linus, and Sophia had drawn up the invitation list for the banquet together. It practically covered all the prominent figures in Bayside City. Even Alex Mitchell of the Mitchell Family had received an invitation. The Four Great Families of Bayside City, as well as the Yard Family with whom Sophia had been cooperating, had all sent representatives to attend the banquet. Among them was Jordan Edwards.

Sophia had met Jordan before, but she had lost her memories of that time. Since returning to Bayside City, she had yet to meet him. He seemed to be rather mysterious and rarely showed his face; he was probably similar to Cooper—an extreme recluse. Nowadays, almost everything involving the Edwards Family was managed by Lucy, Ian, Sam, and several others.

Several people from the entertainment industry attended too. The second season of ‘Where Are We Going, Dad?’ was about to start filming in September. There were five fathers on the show, and the other four, except Michael, were here.

Unfortunately, Michael could not be contacted. Even though the banquet was pushed back by ten days, he still couldn’t make it to the banquet. That was the thing about filming—the filming schedule was never certain. A small incident could affect the entire filming schedule. Therefore, it was common for delays to occur before they finished filming. Although she felt somewhat regretful, she understood his circumstances.

The banquet went on as scheduled, and an amazing performance had been prepared. The special performing guests were all internationally renowned singers that had been invited using Michael’s reputation. It was a star-studded cast; even most domestic A-list celebrities were not eligible to be invited.

Still, the most important guests of today were none other than the Yard Family. Although they were added to the invitation list at the last minute, they magnanimously and respectfully sent their twin presidents to attend the banquet as their representatives.

The venue was bustling. Everybody was dressed glamorously, and the decorations Linus had prepared within the venue were extremely gorgeous. The theme tonight was fairy palace. Therefore, the entire venue was stunningly furnished like a scene from a fairytale, and the visual effects were breathtaking. It made Sophia feel very proud.

Meanwhile, the siblings, Callum and Cade Yard, sat down at the area where the sofas were arranged into a square. They were more or less dressed identically, and their faces were two peas in a pod. Even their movements were similar—the act of slightly loosening their tie after sitting down was graceful and in sync. The elegant and aristocratic aura they exuded was exactly the same too. Every movement, down to their gazes, was done in unison.

The twins were rumored to be test-tube babies. After choosing from the best sperm and egg collected from their parents, they were the final results formed through a series of scientific selection and careful cultivation. Needless to say, a person born with the ideal genetic traits and raised with the best education available was bound to be extraordinary, to say the least. For some, they were already leagues above their peers at the embryonic stage.

The two of them had just taken a seat and were about to order something to drink when they noticed that another person had sat down on the sofa opposite. Moreover, that person was staring straight at them. At the same time, a wave of exclamations rang out around them.

“F*ck, it’s the Yard Family!”

“It’s the legendary Yard Family!”

“The Yard Family that nearly went extinct after our ancestors wiped them out!”

It only took several seconds for more than a dozen young men, who looked like they were created from the same mold, to sit down on the opposite sofa. They sported the same buzz cut, dressed in identical outfits, sat in similar postures, and had uniform, straightforward expressions. It felt like ten huskies were surrounding and eyeing two kittens hungrily. Among them, the leader of the group, Stanley, stood out fiercely with his thick eyebrows.

Callum and Cade frowned in response. Sweeping their gazes across the group of Fletchers that looked like a bunch of vicious dogs, they singled out the leader, Stanley, and glared back at him. Callum and Cade’s gazes seemed to say: ‘Hmph, descendants of rebels!’ On the other hand, Stanley and the Fletchers’ gazes seemed to say: ‘Descendants of evil tyrants; traitors of the country!’

While they were having a staring contest with each other, Sophia came over. “Hey, move out of the way. These are my distinguished guests; please don’t scare them away.” She forced Stanley to the side, then sat directly opposite Callum and Cade. Smiling, she looked at the twins and said, “I’m honored that you came today. Please order whatever you like. We have several rare bottles of liquor in stock today.” Although she didn’t quite like the Yard Family, they were her business partners. For that reason, she was quite happy they could come.

A moment later, the serving staff came over with the drinks menu. Callum and Cade ordered something, then snapped their fingers to call their assistant over while saying, “We have our own tableware.”

Sophia watched as their assistant took out two boxes. Each box contained a complete set of tableware in almost the same style and color. Furthermore, the tableware had their respective names written on them. Do they have their own ‘royal sweetheart cups’ too?

Soon, the items they ordered came. Callum and Cade reached out at the same time and accurately picked up their ‘royal sweetheart cups’ from the tray. Gracefully holding the cups between their fingers, they daintily took several sips. After they finished drinking, they used their ‘personal’ handkerchiefs to wipe their mouths and their hands. Every action they took was sophisticated and graceful. The image they gave off was probably that of the royal family during ancient times.

While speaking to them, Sophia subconsciously adopted a graceful attitude. In contrast, Stanley couldn’t stand watching them anymore. He slapped his palm down on the coffee table and said, “Waiter, bring me a bottle of the French Cheval-Blanc hidden in the cellar!”

The serving staff quickly brought over a bottle of French Cheval-Blanc and placed several dozen glasses on the table. After that, the members of the Fletcher Family gulped down the alcohol with great vigor. The aura they gave off was impressively valiant. It was a stark contrast to the Yard siblings, who seemed rather feminine in comparison. It made the twins look like two ladies in suits—even a eunuch was manlier than them!

The two groups couldn’t stand each other; they cursed and insulted each other’s ancestors several times. Even so, the Yard siblings continued chatting and smiling under the imposing glares of the Fletchers.

There was a hidden agenda to the banquet tonight, and that was to set up a blind date with Cooper’s daughter. Therefore, the number of outstanding bachelors attending the banquet was particularly high. Everybody was ready to make a move on the radiant and beautiful Sophia, especially since Michael was not around. It seemed to cement the fact that Sophia and Michael were divorced. Thus, the bachelors were even more excited than before.

Unfortunately, Sophia was constantly surrounded by Stanley and a group of men from the Fletcher Family. On the surface, they were acting as her bodyguards. They were afraid that somebody like Blade would appear to harm her again. However, Stanley had his own personal scheme. Nobody was allowed to lay their hands on a member of the Fletcher Family! Even if Sophia wanted to cheat, she was only allowed to cheat with him!

Meanwhile, Cooper formally introduced Annabel to the public as he went around announcing her existence by introducing her to his acquaintances.

Linus was attending the banquet too. However, his relationship with Cooper was still a secret. So, he was attending as a normal guest. As soon as he appeared, his gaze was drawn to the most beautiful figure in the venue. He subconsciously headed toward Sophia, but he was caught by Sandra before he could take more than a few steps.

“I lost all my money and my house… My initial estimate of my losses amounts to several hundred million!” Sandra sobbingly recounted the process of how she was deceived by a fake Lucile. Wailing about how miserable she was, she nearly cried so hard that she couldn’t breathe as she leaned against him weakly.

Despite feeling impatient and irritable, the fake Lucile was actually a member of the Michel Family, and he couldn’t stay quiet. Hence, he had no choice but to entertain her.

The atmosphere of the banquet was very lively. All of a sudden, Sophia, who was chatting with Callum and Cade, saw Cooper enthusiastically shaking hands with a person while chatting away happily. They were so friendly with each other that they were hugging and slapping each other’s backs like old friends that had not met for many years. When the man turned in her direction, she saw his face—he had a conspicuous hooked nose.

 

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1054

The man looked like he was slightly older than Cooper. His face was filled with the wisdom and shrewdness of the elderly, and his hooked nose seemed to have lost its sharpness over time.

Sophia held her wine glass as she walked over to Cooper. Then, Cooper happily introduced her to the middle-aged man. “Jordan, this is my daughter, Sophia Edwards. She takes after her mother, doesn’t she?”

As I suspected… “Nice to meet you, Mr. Edwards. My name is Sophia.” She greeted Jordan. He seemed like just another run-of-the-mill ordinary middle-aged man—there was nothing special about him. He was completely different from the man Cooper had described; he was also different from the person she saw in the documents.

“Haha, my niece has certainly inherited your temperament, Cooper! You two sure look alike!” The two men acted like friends who had not met each other for many years, drinking with each other as they chatted. However, when Cooper turned around after finishing his greetings, the smile on his face vanished immediately. Sure enough; it was a façade. Although he had not seen Jordan for more than 20 years, he was certain the moment he laid eyes on this man—he was not Jordan Edwards.

On the other side, Sandra bugged Linus for a bit and finally succeeded in adding him as a contact on Messenger. He also promised to take responsibility for the matter regarding Abbie and the fake Lucile. Thus, she walked away contentedly. Compensation was not her main target; her main target was adding him as a contact on Messenger.

After that, she immediately started uploading some flirty selfies and photos of herself that were very sexy and revealing on her IG Stories. It was set so that only he could view them. However, she did not realize that he had blocked her on Messenger as soon as he turned around. She felt like she was reaching the pinnacle of her life upon adding him as a contact on Messenger. Therefore, she happily played with her phone, dreaming about countless romantic encounters with him. Contrary to her expectations, she immediately caught sight of Sophia, who was talking to Lucy, the moment she looked up from her phone.

The last time she made a blunder, Sophia had exposed a series of information on various shady contracts, tax evasion, and tax fraud incidents. As a result, she lost her position as the primary distributor of the Serpent mobile phones. She initially thought she was going to die, but Lucy unexpectedly stepped up rapidly to settle the entire incident for her and allowed her to walk away safely.

“Miss Edwards, it looks like you and Miss Mitchell are close friends.” Sophia secretly made fun of Lucy. She did not understand why Lucy had taken such a huge risk to save an idiot like Sandra.

Lucy knew what Sophia was referring to. However, she did not wish to delve further into that topic. Changing the subject, she said, “Congratulations. The sales of the Dragon Eye mobile phones are doing really well in Cethos. If you work harder, the day you obtain the distribution rights to the high-end phones will be just around the corner.”

Sophia pursed her lips in a smile. “You flatter me. It can hardly compare to how much profit the Serpent mobile phones are raking in.”

The two of them clinked their glasses together, drinking and chatting as if they had a good relationship. In some ways, Sophia admired Lucy greatly. Not only was Lucy very intelligent, but she was also extremely capable.

All of a sudden, Sandra walked over proudly. “Hey, you’re all here!”

She sashayed over to them in her eight-centimeter-high stilettos. After adding Linus on Messenger, it wasn’t too much to say that it was equivalent to her sleeping with him. Therefore, her confidence soared as high as the Himalayan peaks, and she looked down on everybody else. Raising her eyebrow slightly, she walked over to them with a wine glass in her hand. “I’m sorry. I was busy chatting with Linus and didn’t have the time to join you girls for a toast.”

Her words were incredibly smug. She already subconsciously regarded herself as Linus’ girlfriend. In the past, Lucy had courted him and failed whereas Sophia had eagerly invited him to the banquet tonight. She was certain that Sophia was trying to find an opportunity to approach him. But, I beat them to it! These two losers! I’m the one that got Linus in the end!

Sophia’s eyes twitched slightly in annoyance. Even so, she decided to be a bigger person. Let’s not pick a fight with Sandra today. She lazily touched her glass to Sandra’s and said, “Please watch your behavior. I’m older than you. Moreover, I’m technically your grand-aunt.”

In response, Sandra snorted without replying. As soon as Sophia turned away, Lucy heard her softly ridiculing Sophia, “Old hag; Linus isn’t interested in you at all…”

Lucy said nothing as the corners of her lips lifted into a mocking smile. Lifting her wine glass to take a sip, she used that action to cover up the subtle change in her expression.

On the other hand, Sandra seemed oblivious to the scorn Lucy felt. She even took out a mirror, studied her reflection, and dolled herself up. Touching up her lipstick, she used her fingertips to wipe off the excess. Then, she said to Lucy in a discourteous tone, “Linus and I had a pleasant conversation together. In the future, I want you to help me out. It will benefit you greatly if I marry him.”

Lucy remained silent. Instead, she turned around and left without saying anything.

Sandra looked at Lucy’s arrogant back and curled her lips with a look of self-satisfaction in her eyes. She was holding onto one of Lucy’s weaknesses, thus, Lucy did not dare to disobey her. With Lucy’s help, as well as her status and reputation, she believed that Linus was as good as hers. Soon, the Mitchell Family will be tied in marriage to the Michel Family. Cooper, what are you going to use against the Michel Family?! When that time comes, I’m going to make Sophia, that old hag, kneel and beg for mercy! Contrary to all her expectations, Linus not only blocked her on social media, but he was also bringing Sophia around to meet the Michel Family.

Linus introduced Sophia to every member of the family. Unfortunately, she couldn’t recognize any of them. To this day, she could not tell the Westerners apart. She could only recognize Linus and completely relied on their clothes to differentiate one from the other. Since she was going to rejoin the Michel Family sooner or later, she worked hard to create a good impression in front of several elders. Using fluent English, she described her work and its performance recently. As a result, the elders seemed satisfied with her and frequently nodded affably.

The one good thing about the Michel Family was that they did not discriminate against those with mixed blood. Even if Cooper and Sophia were of mixed races, they were treated equally. If it were a family like the Yard Family, which did not tolerate the addition of foreign blood into their bloodline, those with mixed blood would forever be excluded from the center of power. Only the purest Cethosian bloodline could inherit the ‘throne’ of the Yard Family.

After their short chat, the elders broached the topic of Sophia and Linus’ marriage. When it came to this topic, Sophia immediately felt slightly uncomfortable. She kept silent; she was afraid that her stiff expression would give her away. Thus, she left all the talking to Linus.

Linus sat next to her and held her hand with a smile. He truly looked like a happy man that was about to get married as he said, “Lucile and I are planning to get married in the near future. But, the wedding might be held later.”

She felt extremely uncomfortable when he held her hand. Smiling awkwardly, her entire body was covered with goosebumps. Even so, she had to pretend to be loving and affectionate with him. This feeling… is very hard to describe… Forget it; I’m only doing this to fool the Michel Family.

The people of the Michel Family looked upon their marriage favorably. When Linus first entered the Michel Family back then, they only agreed to include Linus in the genealogy record book because Fass promised that Linus would marry somebody from the family in the future. Now that Fass’ long-lost daughter had been found, Linus’ standing in the family would soon change from being an adopted son to a son-in-law. Therefore, their marriage could not be more opportune.

The people of the Michel Family also asked about the details of their marriage. Things such as the marriage certificate, the wedding ceremony, and the issue of children were questioned in detail. However, Linus answered all their questions with aplomb. It was as if he was really going to get married and had planned everything already.

Finally, the conversation with the members of the Michel Family ended. As soon as it was over, Sophia ran to the toilet to relieve herself. When she went back to the banquet venue, she let out a long sigh of relief and tried to make the goosebumps all over her body disappear. That experience was nerve-racking! I hope there won’t be a second time!

 

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1055

The moment she appeared, someone came up from behind her in a fit of anger. “Sophia Edwards! Where do you think you’re going?”

She turned around to see Stanley storming toward her with a large group of Fletchers who all surrounded her.

Stunned and confused, she looked at Stanley who was raging with anger in front of her. He came up to her and immediately jolted her by the arms like a doll. “I can’t believe you’re getting married to Linus!”

Her eyes widened in shock, and she noticed the people at the banquet glancing her way with perplexed looks on their faces.

Feeling guilty, she quickly muttered, “Keep your voice down! Who told you that?”

Stanley’s eyes turned red from the anger. There was alcohol in his breath as he spat, “Your mother is telling everyone she meets! Just look for yourself. Look!”

He pointed to where Annabel was yapping away joyfully with a group of ladies. It turned out that she was telling them about Sophia and Linus’ engagement.

Crap!

Sophia was in shock.

She forgot to inform Annabel!

Stanley kept shaking her. “I’m telling you. I firmly oppose this marriage. If you dare to marry Linus, I will turn your wedding into a bloodbath. I won’t spare a single person! Try me, if you dare!”

She was lost for words and completely dumbfounded.

Originally, she planned to lie low and just register her marriage with Linus. Who would have thought that this would happen?

All of a sudden, she broke out of Stanley’s grip and sprinted toward Annabel.

Annabel was also a main character at the banquet. She was currently talking about her daughter with the group of ladies.

“Sophia’s dad likes Linus too. Linus is living at our house now. I feel very optimistic about those two!”

“Sophia and her ex-husband have been divorced for so long now. The assets have all pretty much been divided. It was an amicable break-up. Our Sophia is such a good child. Wherever she goes, she’s just loved by everyone.”

Sophia never would have imagined that Annabel was telling people all of that. She quickly ran out and pressed, “Mom! Don’t talk about things that aren’t certain yet. How can that happen between me and Linus?”

At that moment, Annabel realized that she had misspoken and her hand quickly flew to her mouth. She faced the group of people and said awkwardly, “Look at me and my big mouth, talking about things that I shouldn’t. Please don’t believe what I said. Just take it as a joke.”

The ladies laughed half-heartedly, but they all had their own thoughts.

Cooper and the Michel Family were uniting through marriage!

No wonder they saw so many members of the Michel Family there. Aside from Linus, several representatives of the Michel Family also showed up.

However, Annabel’s words had left her mouth and spread throughout the whole banquet in a short amount of time. Numerous gazes looked in Sophia and Linus’ direction. The different parties who found out showed different reactions.

The big names in Bayside City were making their way over to curry favor with Cooper.

Meanwhile, The Yard brothers did not show much of a reaction after hearing the news.

After drinking two shots of French Cheval-Blanc, Stanley staggered around the venue to chase Linus down. He also wanted to call Michael and have him come back to punish Sophia.

But, it suddenly occurred to him that Michael was filming a movie, and he was unable to reach him. He did not know where Justin had gone to slack off, but he could not find him anywhere. Sean was recuperating at home, so he did not attend the banquet. Harry was also absent because he was taking care of the baby with Sarah.

Fearing that Stanley would do something foolish, Joel quickly brought him to the lounge area to sober up.

Joel looked at Sophia with concern.

Is she really going to marry Linus?

He could not forget how Linus helped the Phantom Wolf kidnap Mark back then.

That person might look harmless on the outside, but he has many hidden intentions.

Is Sophia really doing the right thing in marrying him?

The person who was most in shock was none other than Sandra. After speaking to Linus briefly earlier, she added him on Messenger and started acting as though she was his girlfriend as she showed off to a group of ladies who were way below Linus’ league. But, little did she know that she would soon find out about Linus and Sophia’s engagement.

While reapplying her lipstick, the force she had in her hand broke the lipstick in half. Her shaking hands also made it hard for her to hold the lipstick properly.

What? Sophia is getting married to Linus? Who does she think she is? Wench!

The group of ladies who were displeased with Sandra’s arrogant behavior was now extremely content after she was humiliated on the spot. They were chortling away, leaving Sandra to fume with anger by herself.

It almost seemed like there was a fire burning in Sandra’s eyes. When she looked over at Linus and Sophia who were being surrounded and congratulated by the crowd, sparks shot out of her eyes.

On the other side, Sophia had wanted to talk to Linus when they were abruptly surrounded by people.

“Congratulations! You make an excellent pair. You look perfect together!”

“Truly a match made in heaven. You’re so lucky, Linus!”

Sophia felt extremely awkward and uncomfortable. She could only force an awkward smile because she did not know how to answer them.

Michael was still a celebrity. As the ex-wife of the Academy Award winner, she was also under the spotlight, and the news about her engagement with Linus was probably all over the globe by now.

After she attended to the people in the crowd, she quickly looked for Cooper to discuss a countermeasure.

In the lounge area, Annabel was standing on one side with her head hung low and a repentant look on her face, but Cooper did not blame her for it. He fell silent for a while, then turned to Sophia and Linus. “Since word is out now, let’s just make it public. We can make this banquet into an engagement banquet too. Anything that happens after this we will deal with when the time comes.”

Sophia looked at Linus with a troubled expression, but he could only look back at her helplessly.

News had gotten out. If she denied it now, how was Linus going to answer to the Michel Family?

Since things turned out this way, Sophia let out a sigh and said, “Let’s make it public then. Besides, celebrities get married and divorced all the time. Michael already knows about this, so he will understand.”

Linus let out a sigh of relief. A slight smirk appeared at the corner of his lips; he was satisfied and happy.

The banquet was still going on, but beneath the extravagance and indulgence was a threatening undercurrent. Sandra was currently hiding in a corner after getting humiliated in front of everyone. She looked at the blinding smiles on the faces of the people in the crowd and felt as though they were all laughing at her for overestimating herself.

Sophia, that unfaithful hag. What right does she have to marry Linus? Linus must have been possessed to have fallen for her! He is mine. Don’t even think about taking him away!

Sandra decided that, no matter what, she was going to interfere in this engagement today!

In the lounge area, Stanley had his phone out and was dialing a number. Miraculously, he was able to reach Michael.

“Stupid dog.” Michael’s calm and attractive voice came through the phone.

Finally being able to hear Michael’s voice and not the static sound of an unstable connection, Stanley cried, “Uncle Michael, Aunt is getting married to Linus. You have to come back now. Your wife is getting taken away!”

That voice still remained calm and composed. “I know.”

“You should come back and stop them now! Where are you?” Stanley wiped away his tears.

Michael seemed like he was in a hurry. A moment later, he replied, “At the door.”

 

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1056

At the banquet venue, Sophia was listening to Cooper and Linus talk about announcing their engagement and turning the banquet into their engagement banquet as well. After all, they were all present and members of the Michel Family had also come tonight.

Furthermore, marriage and divorce among celebrities were a common occurrence. For the time being, Sophia would be engaged to Linus. After some time, when the opportunity came, they could break off their engagement, and she and Michael could remarry. It was all the same. In the end, she would only have two marriage certificates.

As for Linus, this marriage was his chance to become a real member of the Michel Family.

When she watched Cooper and Linus discuss the details, however, she was suddenly seized with terror.

Is marrying Linus this publicly the right thing to do? How are we going to have fun eating skewers and playing mahjong together from now on?

She would have felt less burdened if they had just signed the papers, but they were making their engagement public now. It was not the same anymore!

She was the main subject at the banquet tonight. Those that came today were all people that she invited and a lot of them were business partners she met through Michael.

She felt so ashamed.

People were whispering and giving strange looks from every corner of the venue. Sophia took a look around and saw that everyone was pointing at her.

With the Michel Family present, however, she could not oppose on the spot and could only force a smile.

What should I do? What should I do?

They were going to make the announcement soon, but she still felt conflicted.

No! I can’t do this!

She wanted to take it back.

Having a fake marriage was fine, but making it public was not!

After making her decision, she slipped away quietly. I have to stop Cooper and Linus from making the announcement!

At the same time, she could not let Linus find out that she was unwilling to make it public. They had a close relationship, so it was harder to reject him.

She snuck off toward the lounge room where she saw Joel bring Stanley earlier.

Close the door and let the stupid dog out so he can ruin this engagement banquet!

But, before she reached the lounge area, she saw a spiteful pair of eyes glaring at her from the corner.

She looked in that direction and found Sandra sitting there. Her cold and deadly eyes were staring at Sophia, blatantly expressing her jealousy and anger. She looked like she was just itching to pounce on Sophia.

Sophia came to a halt and a light flashed across her eyes. Shortly after, she was smiling brightly and skipping over to Sandra with an air of confidence.

“Miss Mitchell, what are you doing here by yourself? I’m going to announce my engagement with Linus soon. Aren’t you going to watch?”

She hugged her arms and lifted her chin slightly with a smug smile on her face.

Sandra tightened her grip on the wine glass so much that the red wine inside of it started to form ripples from the quiver in her hand. Her threatening eyes were red, making her look like a mad beast. Her teeth were clenched and she looked like she wanted to drink Sophia’s blood.

Once Sophia was done flaunting, she intentionally swayed as she left and even seductively twisted her small waist. She could not get any more arrogant.

Sandra’s burning jealousy had taken over her rationality.

Why does she get to be engaged to Linus? He’s mine!

Linus can only belong to me.

Marrying Linus was not just marrying him alone. It was getting the power and influence of the Michel Family too. Linus was the Vice President of the Michel Group. If nothing out of the ordinary happened, he would be the sole head of the Michel Family and Michel Group!

All of that would belong to Sandra. She was not going to allow Sophia to take away everything that belonged to her!

The tears in her eyes quivered as she clenched her teeth.

I can’t let Sophia and Linus get engaged! I have to stop this engagement banquet!

Suddenly, she thought of an idea. Standing up without making a sound, she grabbed a bottle of wine and walked toward the lounge.

Seeing Sandra come in, Sophia smiled. She went into the restroom and did not come out for a long time, waiting for Sandra to make a move.

On the other side, Linus and Cooper had finished discussing the details for the engagement banquet. This was supposed to be a celebratory banquet, but now it was changed into an engagement banquet. Hence, they did not have a lot of things prepared. Fortunately, the hotel management was experienced in that aspect, and they quickly prepared everything. They also found engagement rings in time. They rushed to get it prepared then used what they had. After all, it was just a formality.

Once Linus got everything in order, however, the whole venue was suddenly filled with smoke. The fire alarm rang, and the waiters ran out in a panic. “Fire! Fire! Someone is stuck in the hotel room!”

There was a commotion in the venue when they heard that a fire had broken out. Cooper was busy directing people to control the venue and evacuate the guests to the swimming pool while he went to check on the situation.

He saw that on the second floor of the hotel where the banquet was being held, there was smoke coming out and a fire had started. The people staying there that night were all guests who had come to participate in the banquet. The hotel immediately evacuated the guests and sent people into the room that was on fire to save Sandra who was stuck inside.

Sandra was in great shock. The moment she was saved, she started to weep as she rushed into Linus’ arms.

“Linus, I was scared to death… I thought I was going to die!”

She looked pitiful as she shivered from head to toe in his arms. She had a death grip on his clothes. He tried to tear her away from him, but she wouldn’t budge. She just cried in a miserable and aggrieved state.

Under the audiences’ gazes, Linus could not just kick her away, so he could only let her hug him for now.

When Linus did not reject Sandra, everyone grew curious. They whispered among themselves, making guesses about their relationship. Meanwhile, Sophia, Linus’ soon-to-be fiancée, was just watching everything from the side without saying anything.

The three people’s relationship was slightly unusual.

Leaning in Linus’ arms, Sandra looked in Sophia’s direction. Her tear-filled eyes hid a smug look.

Sophia smiled, then turned to leave.

The sudden fire led to a temporary pause in the banquet’s processions. Nonetheless, they were a trained seven-star hotel. They quickly put out the fire and returned order back to the banquet, but the announcement was still on pause for now.

They were just delaying it for a moment. By the time Cooper was done settling everything, he was going to return and continue the affair with the engagement.

Sophia looked around and found Cooper. “Dad, I checked the calendar and it’s not a good day to get engaged today. Look; something bad will happen. Let’s change to a different day.”

Cooper looked at the fortune-telling app that he had created. It could even find an auspicious date.

Today was not a good day for an engagement. Rather, it was an exceptionally good day for finding his son.

“Okay. Everyone was quite shocked today. We can do it another day,” he said.

But, Annabel immediately said, “It’s only a small matter. That fire shows that today is a fiery day! Since we already have the banquet, it would be a waste not to get engaged now. How troublesome would it be to have to find another date to have their engagement banquet.

Annabel still did not know that it was a fake wedding, so she kept egging them on.

Cooper pondered on it. Since it was a fake wedding, they could set any date they wanted. Hence, he decided to continue.

Sophia was in a panic, and her mind was searching for a solution. Suddenly, she turned around and saw the people in an uproar.

She looked over at the source of the commotion. Unexpectedly, she saw a face that she knew like the back of her hand.

Hale and Justin escorted Michael over with haste. He was still dressed in his black suit. The pure white shirt on the inside and the black color created a shocking contrast. He looked cool and ravishing. Every step he took with his long legs was firm and strong, and he was enveloped in an ambiguous fragrance. He came in from a distance and appeared before Sophia in a blink of an eye.

“I’m back.”

The color drained from Linus’ face when he saw Michael and Justin appear at the same time.

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1057

The moment Michael appeared, Sophia started to cry.

He was only gone for a month, but it felt like a lifetime had passed.

During this month, she did not hear any news from him as communication was completely cut off at his filming location. Carmen fell ill, and a multitude of other things also happened. Seeing him appear in front of her now made her feel like she had her pillar again. The strong front that she put up crumbled down in an instant.

Lifting the hem of her dress, she ran straight into his arms. A pair of big hands caught her, then precisely and skillfully brought her into his embrace.

He came dressed up tonight in his formal attire which made him look smart, elegant, and gentlemanly. His outfit today matched hers perfectly, easily making them the most dazzling pair in the crowd.

As she sobbed in his arms, the exhaustion on his face was instantly masked over by a look of affection. He murmured next to her ear, “There, there. I’m back now. You’re the star of the show tonight. You can’t be crying.”

Just then, she pulled away from him and wiped all the happy tears off her face.

His return was better than anything else.

I can’t cry. That wench will laugh.

Sophia replaced her tears with a smile. Michael took out a pack of tissues from his pocket and pulled one out to lightly dab the tears on her cheeks. He did it carefully so as not to ruin her makeup.

A roar of soft murmurs sounded as the crowd watched the two of them act lovingly with each other in the middle of that big hall.

What’s happening now?

Aren’t they divorced?

Wasn’t she about to announce her engagement with Linus?

What’s the meaning of this?

A frown appeared on Cooper’s forehead, and he was able to figure it out from the get-go.

Perhaps Michael had gone back on his words.

However, the color drained from Linus’ face. What is Michael doing here?

According to this plan, Michael was not supposed to show up.

Justin, who was beside him, was not supposed to be here either.

Even though Michael was talking to Sophia with his head down, Linus could feel his gaze on him from time to time. Those eyes carried a sharpness that seemed to pierce right through a person and into their soul.

Thus, Linus knew that his plan had been exposed.

Breaking into a cold sweat, he remained stiff and frozen in place. He knew that he couldn’t hide it anymore, but he did not dare to look at Cooper or Sophia.

He knew that Michael was going to tear apart his act in the next moment.

Then, he would have to face a disappointed and angry Cooper and Sophia.

Feeling like the world was starting to spin, he could not even comprehend what the people next to him were saying and could only hear that extremely ear-piercing voice. It felt like he was being separated from the rest of the world by an invisible, formless membrane. He did not know anything anymore, and all he could hear was that ear-piercing yet unclear voice by his ear.

Sophia was holding Michael’s hand as she rushed toward Cooper and Annabel.

“Dad, Mikey is back! Mom, this is my hubby, Michael Fletcher. Hubby, this is my mom. Our family is finally reunited.”

When Annabel saw Michael, she was stunned for a moment and still had an awkward smile on her face. After all, she did just brag about Linus being her son-in-law without expecting that her actual old son-in-law would return that quickly. She let out a dry laugh then said, “It’s good to have you back.”

Despite being unhappy that Michael went missing for a month, Cooper did not treat him coldly for it was Sophia’s big day. “Since you’re here, you should greet your mother-in-law.”

Michael’s eyes went back and forth between Cooper and Annabel, then his eyes shifted slightly. Immediately putting up a shameless smile, he said, “Hello, Mom. I’m Michael. I didn’t know what to get you for our first meeting. This is some local jewelry piece that I bought when I was filming overseas. I hope you’ll like it.”

Simultaneously, Justin took out an exquisite-looking box from behind him and opened it to reveal a full set of head accessories, including a pair of hairpins, a pair of earrings, and a ring. It was carefully made with choice materials. It even had the logo for the Yard Family’s luxury goods.

The sight of the Yard Family’s logo showed that it was not an ordinary piece of jewelry.

Annabel was overjoyed and was impressed with their old son-in-law. She praised, “You’re a good son-in-law, Mikey!”

The family of four looked happy and harmonious together. Standing a distance away, Linus looked like an outsider.

He stood there by himself with a glass of wine and did not make a sound for a long time. His eyes did not dare stumble upon that perfect family of four as it only made his heart ache.

How he wished that he was the one standing in Michael’s place.

With one arm around Sophia, he would stand before Cooper in a dignified manner and call him ‘Dad’.

That way, he could become a family with Fass and Sophia. As a true member of the Michel Family, he did not have to worry about being given up on by Cooper when he was no longer good enough or the best, resulting in everything he had worked hard to gain being taken away by someone else.

Ever since Cooper brought him back to the Michel Family, he lived in a way that did not disappoint Cooper. He worked harder and was better than others by a thousand-fold. Cooper found him adoptive parents and let him live a secure and happy life. He lived up to Cooper’s expectations and became Michel Group’s brilliant genius.

He knew, however, that he was adopted and that he could never be a real member of the family. He did not share their blood. Growing up, he always had the same nightmare of Cooper sending him away.

He loved Sophia. He wanted to marry her, protect her until the end, adore her, and gain true status as a member of the Michel Family. He figured that if he and Sophia got married, Cooper wouldn’t chase him out so easily even if he disappointed him.

Today, he missed by just one step.

He blocked Michael’s connection and even created fake videos and calls to bluff Sophia with.

He used the issue with Lorelei to get Justin out of the picture.

Once again, he lied to Sophia and took advantage of her good nature and kindness toward him.

He knew that he was unworthy of Cooper’s trust.

Linus sat alone in the corner. His eyes were lifeless. He took a sip of the red wine, but it all tasted bitter.

The other people did not know what was going on. But, seeing Michael come back and a desolated Linus, they could guess what had happened. They were all trying to get some inside information.

Stanley was tipsy. He was leading a group of people and glaring at Linus.

He knew that he couldn’t change that easily.

Mountains were hard to move, and natural dispositions were hard to fix.

At that moment, Sandra was the happiest person there. Seeing the desolation on Linus’ face, and the fact that Sophia’s husband had returned, she knew that the engagement would fizzle out. She walked up to him and said, “Linus. Stop drinking now. Even though you can't marry her, you still have me.”

It was as though he did not hear a word that she said. He kept drinking glass after glass.

He knew that it was over.

Everything was exposed now.

Cooper and Sophia were disappointed in him once again.

Forcing a smile, a pain was stabbing at his heart.

He just wanted to stay by Cooper's side for the rest of his life. But, that was probably not possible now. He was just an adopted child, and Cooper also had his own biological son.

That son was going to return one day and replace not just his position at the Michel Group, but also his position as the receiver of Cooper’s attention and love.

Linus was nothing to them; he was completely worthless.

Suddenly, Justin was standing next to Linus with a blank expression. “Linus, Mr. Mitchell wants to see you.”

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1059

Linus was the child all along!

So, that was why he shared the same birthday with Sophia!

It explained why, from the very moment Cooper had laid eyes on the child, he had the strangest feeling that the child was different from others, and he felt compelled to adopt the child.

It also made sense as to why he had not been able to find anything on his son; he had given orders to wipe out everything that had even been remotely connected to Linus, thus effectively barring his own efforts to locate his son.

It turned out that Linus Michel was his son after all!

By the end of the video, Cooper’s hand was shaking so badly that the phone slipped and clattered to the floor.

Sophia hurriedly picked up the fallen phone and passed it back to Cooper. “What’s the matter, Dad?” she asked curiously.

However, Cooper stumbled backward, and if Justin had not reached out in time to steady him, he would have fallen over.

“Hahaha—”

Cooper burst into laughter before taking several steps back, then broke down into heaving sobs.

“My son, my son, my son…” he wailed.

He would never have known that he had children at all if Sophia hadn’t turned up two years ago.

Up to a year ago, he wouldn’t have even known that he had another child other than Sophia if Michael had never brought it up.

It was only today when the revelation came upon him that the person he had been taking care of these past 20 years—the person whom he’d thought of as his ‘younger brother’—was in fact his biological son all along!

What a complete twist of fate!

Everyone was shocked to see Cooper as anguished as he was now, and they began wondering if something had happened to his son.

Linus had rushed over at the first instance, thinking that Cooper had found out what he’d done.

He knew he had let him down again.

However, Cooper abruptly began pushing through the crowd surrounding him, and when he saw Linus by the sidelines, he reached out to grab hold of him. Linus had never seen this look on him before; when he tried to speak, he was so overwhelmed that he stammered.

“Linus…”

Linus stared at him blankly, unsure as to how he should respond.

Cooper was still gazing at him as he chuckled bitterly, then, unable to control himself, he began sobbing. He threw his arms around Linus; his voice was shaky and raspy as he cried out, “Linus… my son… You’re my son—you have been my son all along! Linus, I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry…”

Still looking dumbfounded, Linus was no longer able to comprehend what Cooper was saying.

Upon seeing how overwhelmed Cooper was as he embraced Linus, the dinner guests grew curious and were now coming forward to see what the commotion was.

Among all the sobbing and crying, Sandra, who had been standing next to Linus when Cooper had pushed her aside, somehow managed to pick out the most important piece of information of all.

What?

Linus Michel is Cooper Mitchell’s son?

Was Sophia not Cooper’s only child?

How did Linus end up as his son?

Seeing how his father-in-law was becoming unhinged, Michael placed a hand on Cooper’s shoulder, then leaned in to say, “Cooper, please keep it together; we’re at a dinner party and everybody’s watching—you must get ahold of yourself.”

Cooper was as shaken as he was on the day when Sophia had been resuscitated, but after Michael’s urging, he remembered that this was Sophia’s big day and he could not be seen like this. With that in mind, he hurried to the guest room.

The family gathered in the guest room.

“What? Uncle Linus is… my brother?”

No one was more astounded than Sophia.

Linus, with whom she had been about to fake a marriage announcement, was actually her brother—her fraternal twin brother!

Sophia felt numb with shock, and Linus was rendered speechless.

The next moment, he was pulled into Cooper’s arms again while the latter was overcome with emotions.

Cooper looked borderline insane as he laughed and cried at the same time.

All this while, the son he’d been searching for had been by his side… for the past twenty years!

How could the heavens be so cruel to him and his son?

The child had been through so much hardship, and had even been on the brink of death on more than one occasion!

For the past twenty years, he had dedicated himself to ensuring that the child could receive the best under his care, and yet it had eluded him that the same child had been his son all along!

Presently, Linus was finally coming to terms with this newfound—albeit groundbreaking—reality; he recollected himself as the numb and shock began to wear off.

I’m Cooper’s biological son?

Cooper is my father?

“D-Dad?” Linus called out, stupefied.

Cooper nodded ferociously. “Son, my son; my dear son…”

The novelty of the situation had presented itself without warning; Linus felt as though he was dreaming, but as his tears fell uncontrollably, he realized that all of this was happening in real-time.

“Dad! Dad!”

Linus pulled Cooper into a rough embrace, and the both of them began to sob painfully as they held onto each other.

This was more heart-wrenching than the time Cooper had first been reunited with Sophia. After all, for twenty long years, both father and son had been within each other’s orbits, but never knowing the truth. What a cruel twist of fate!

Shell-shocked, Sophia stared at the scene before her with a blank look on her face.

This sudden turn of events meant that Linus had been separated from her at birth, and had subsequently been given away; he had been sent abroad when Cooper had, by some inexplicable coincidence, come upon him and made the decision to adopt him.

This meant that Linus had been living with his own biological father without ever knowing the truth.

Sophia thought back to the time when she had asked Linus if he would try to track down his real family.

He had simply answered that he would never want to find out anything about his past.

He had gone on to explain how his past was a taboo—he’d struggled to earn his place in the Michel family, and even the slightest thought of trying to track down his past would cost him everything he’d worked for.

Who knew that he was actually Cooper’s son?

Michael saw how Sophia had gone still, and gently patted her shoulder. “Go; he’s your brother, after all,” he encouraged mildly.

Sophia remained unmoving until Cooper lifted his hand and beckoned her over, saying, “Sophie, come over here and meet your brother!”

Slowly, she felt her feet shift beneath her, and she somehow ended up standing before Linus. She regarded him with a pained look in her eyes, as it had only been moments ago when they had almost announced their engagement.

She could not believe that he had been her brother all along!

Linus gazed down at her as his tears spilled over.

He pulled Sophia into his arms, but no words came to him; it seemed as though the tears had drowned away whatever he had planned on saying, and he felt an overwhelming sense of guilt that threatened to suffocate him. How could he possibly explain the way he felt right now—it was as if someone had clenched their fist around his heart.

Sophia had been his younger sister all this time!

Looking back, it was no wonder that he felt a peculiar rush of familiarity when he first laid eyes on Sophia at the film studio. Back then, he thought that perhaps they’d met in their past lives, but all along, that sense of familiarity had been because they were fraternal twins who had, at one point, shared the same womb.

They shared the same parents—they had grown together within their mother’s womb as they waited to greet the world. Who could have predicted that they would be so cruelly separated from each other and that twenty long years would have passed before they could be reunited?

Fate might have brought them back together, but Sophia could not help but think of all the times Linus had hurt her, lied to her, and manipulated her for his own selfish gains.

Linus held her tightly as he apologized repeatedly in her ear, “I’m sorry; I’m so sorry…”

He was sorry that he had, once again, let her down.

He was sorry that he hadn’t lived up to the role of an older brother.

As she finally came to terms with the fact that Linus was her long-lost twin, Sophia allowed the floodgates to open and burst into tears of joy.

“My brother…” Sophia started to cry. “My brother—I finally have a brother!”

Cooper stood by the side as he watched his children, then, unable to help himself, he reached out and drew them both into his arms.

“Wonderful! How wonderful is it that I’ve found both my children?”

Moved by the sight of the family of four being reunited, at last, Michael felt his throat tighten.

It must have been difficult for his father-in-law to have gone through so much in one lifetime; now that the family was reunited once more, Cooper could finally put those days of turmoil behind him.

 

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1060

Presently, several members of the Michel family were waiting outside; when Linus had been revealed as Cooper’s long-lost son, the guests at the dinner party had descended into a frenzy, and the frantic discussions that spread through the vicinity had prompted the Michel family to enquire about the situation.

What wonderful news indeed if it was true!

Cooper wiped away his tears before hurriedly calling over those who were waiting outside; he wanted to make it clear to the whole Michel family that Linus was no adopted son, but the biological son of Fass Michel!

…

At the dinner party, the dinner guests were whispering furiously among themselves.

“Is Linus Michel—the Vice President of the Michel family’s conglomerate—really Cooper’s son?”

“If that’s the case, no… isn’t he actually the Michels’ adopted son?”

“So, if Linus decides to return to his family, won’t he be about to lose his place in the Michel Family and Michel Group?”

“What could that possibly entail?”

“Michel Group will undergo a whole internal restructuring!”

The dinner guests were growing restless as they continued to speculate, but among them, Linus’ current as well as prospective collaborators wore grim expressions as they thought about how this turn of events could affect them.

If the revelation turned out to be true, then it could only wreak havoc.

The Yard twins were seated on the sofa while holding their wine glasses; their movements were synchronized as they whispered to each other.

Meanwhile, the Fletcher children had huddled up and were talking in low voices.

“That son of a b*tch Linus is Uncle Cooper’s son? Are you kidding me? Weren’t they just about to announce their engagement?”

Equally invested in this whole affair were the Winstons, the Edwards, and the Mitchells—the latter group, in particular, was now engaged in a heated discussion.

As wonderful as it would be if Linus really did turn out to be part of the Mitchell family, the real issue here was whether Linus would be willing to return to his roots.

Where the atmosphere had been lively before, it now died down to hushed tones and careful whispers.

No one was more anxious than Sandra Mitchell.

Is Linus really Cooper’s son?

No, how could he be?

Even if he was, I’m sure he won’t acknowledge the Mitchells as his real family.

If he did, he would lose everything he had worked for in Michel Group; he wouldn’t be so stupid to throw it all away like that. I’m sure he would deny all family relations with Cooper and retain his place within the Michel family.

How could a man like Cooper even father someone as clever as Linus?

He doesn’t deserve to have Linus as a son!

The guests were still gossiping in earnest when they saw the Michels—who were noticeably agitated—hastily making their way to the exit. Without stopping, they boarded their cars and left the premises.

The crowd grew louder with speculation.

“Did the Michels seem furious to you?”

“Does this mean something else has happened?”

Before long, the hosts of the dinner party returned to the scene.

Sophia had carefully re-applied the make-up which had been ruined by all the crying, and Cooper had recollected himself from his outburst; there was only joy now where there had, only moments ago, been the bitter aftermath of the painful revelation.

As for Linus, he was beaming as he walked by Cooper’s side.

Just like that, the family had returned.

Everyone was on the edge of their seats as they watched in anticipation at what the Mitchells would do next.

That was because whatever was about to happen next would greatly affect the interests of many.

Cooper was all smiles as he brought his son and daughter to the performance stage; he cleared his throat, and when he spoke into the microphone, his solemn voice was thick with emotion. “I, Cooper Mitchell, would like to make an important announcement today.”

He paused for dramatic effect, then lifted Linus’s arm by the wrist. “After twenty years, my long-lost son has finally been found! My son was Linus all along!” he declared to the audience.

Linus remained composed despite the wave of emotions that crashed over him, but there was no hiding the joy written all over his face.

The guests turned to each other with meaningful looks; none of them could have seen this plot twist coming.

Just an hour ago, Mrs. Mitchell had been boasting about Linus becoming her son-in-law and now, an hour later, Linus was revealed to be Cooper’s long-lost son instead.

It all seemed too bizarre.

Nonetheless, applause and cheers filled the room as everyone gave their blessings, congratulating Cooper on being reunited with his long-lost son.

However, as soon as they turned away, the guests began to make phone calls and send out text messages; it was only a matter of time before the news would spread like wildfire.

A storm was brewing over the horizon.

In light of this groundbreaking news, everyone immediately thought about how the Michels looked nerve-wracked as they hurried away from the scene, and it wasn’t long before the crowd put two and two together.

If Linus decided to go back to his biological family, then he would have to give up his place in Michel Group and, by extension, leave the Michels.

How could someone as brilliant as Linus make such a foolish mistake?

Was his biological father, from whom he had technically been separated for twenty years, more important than the power he held as the vice president of Michel Group?

Sandra glowered at the Mitchells’ reunion and felt her insides knotting up in disgust; she was sickened, her lips curling as she felt the bile rise in her throat.

Linus is actually Cooper’s son!

Everything was so surreal; it was like a fairytale, but it was the prince who had turned into a toad instead!

However, Sandra knew there was no point in hating how this situation had unfolded. Linus had basically just announced that he would go back to his roots, and the Michels had already stormed off in fury—everything was a mess!

She had only just started to make her moves on Linus, but now, all she was left with was a toad who had given up his life as a prince.

How infuriating!

At once, Sandra took out her phone and blocked Linus on the spot.

She would retch if she had to take one more look at him.

Many among the guests today happened to be brilliant and distinguished businessmen; they were all left flustered by Linus’s decision to inherit the Mitchell family name. It was an insensible move, seeing as how the Mitchells couldn’t even begin to compete against the Michel Family.

When Cooper returned, he had been back at square one—it was difficult for him to match up to the Michel Family’s trajectory, and even if he did, he would not be more powerful than the Michels. In fact, even in his glory days, Cooper could not even measure up to Michel Group.

Everyone knew what Linus’ move entailed, and they’d seen how angry the Michels had been when they left.

It would only take a couple of days before the vice president of Michel Group would announce his resignation, which would inevitably lead to a massive drop in stock prices.

Michel Group was in charge of many enterprises, but those of which were listed on the stock market—including projects which involved the military, the insolvency department, and the hi-tech development—were all under Linus’ management. Once he left, the stock prices for all those enterprises would undoubtedly fall.

Everyone turned to look at Linus in disbelief and confusion.

Was it all worth it?

As of this moment, the Mitchells were basking in the joy of their reunion; they couldn’t care less about the stock market. The family was all that mattered now.

The Michels had gone in a hurry so that they could get started with rectifying Linus’ name in the registry.

How wonderful!

Linus was actually Fass’ biological son!

They no longer had to fear that Linus would run away!

There had been a time when the Michels had found themselves bottle-necked in their business development, and they watched helplessly as other families, such as the Yards, had begun to overtake them. If the regression had gone on, the Michels would have collapsed, but Cooper’s return had been the curveball that they needed in order to turn the tables around.

Seeing as Linus had been brought up by Cooper, the former had learned everything he needed to know from—and had grown into an even more refined version of—the latter. The Michels had thrived and peaked, but they had constantly been reminded of the fact that Linus was not their own. The Michel family had wanted to keep Linus, but at the same time, they were worried that Linus would leave them if he were to track down his biological father; if he had done that, it would have been a huge loss for both the family and the conglomerate.

But now, everything had turned out for the better!

The dinner party continued in full swing; when the dance segment came up, Cooper took hold of Annabel’s hand and guided her toward the dance floor; Sophia, on the other hand, had ditched her husband, who had rushed back to make it to the dinner party, and was now enthusiastically dancing with Linus.

When Michael had gotten off from his flight, he only had time to change into a new set of clothes before rushing over to the dinner party, and because this trip had been so last-minute, he had left a lot of things unattended. After resolving those at the first chance he could get, Michael had staked out a quiet corner and was now deep in conversation with Justin.

Stanley paced back and forth frantically. “Uncle, what happened?”

“Why did Linus want to marry Sophia all of a sudden?”

“How did Linus suddenly become Sophia’s brother?”

While answering their questions, Michael could not keep his eyes off of Cooper and Annabel.

The more he looked at them, the more acutely he felt the chills running down his spine.