Ch. 1071..1080

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1071

“Dad, these are all Mom’s belongings,” Sophia complained as she picked up the photos. All of a sudden, Cooper lit up a lighter and threw it to the floor in an attempt to burn all the photos.

All the items on the floor, which were soaked in alcohol, started flaming immediately. A short moment later, all Annabel’s belongings were burned to ashes.

Sophia was flabbergasted by the flames in the room. Fortunately, the housekeeping robot immediately sprayed out powder to put out the fire.

In the burning room, Cooper started laughing hysterically. “Hahaha, it’s all fake. It’s all fake! Anna doesn’t love me. She doesn’t love me…”

Sophia avoided the fire and ran over to restrain her father, who was swinging his hands madly in the air. “Dad! Are you okay?”

Having lost his mind, Cooper started bawling and cursing. He had been an indifferent man for all his life, but it turned out that the only woman he loved was just an undercover to destroy him.

Hearing the noise, Linus and Michael rushed over to the room, only to see that the place was ablaze, and Cooper was throwing a tantrum. Michael was stunned because he had never seen his father-in-law so wildly drunk before.

To everyone’s shock, Cooper then shoved his daughter away. “All of you, go away!”

Sophia fell backward from the impact, and her head hit the desk with a loud thud, which caused Michael to be heartbroken. “Sophia!” Michael lunged forward and helped her up.

Placing her hand on her head, Sophia stared at her father in disbelief. Did he just tell me to go away? Gazing at her father in a daze, she then felt some warm liquid on her head. When she lowered her hand and took a look, she realized that her hand was covered in blood.

Meanwhile, Cooper was still making a scene. Linus tried to put him under control, but he was also shoved aside.

While Sophia was rooted to the spot, Michael’s expression suddenly turned grave as he carried her up and stepped out of the Edwards Residence. After that, he told someone to send Carmen home.

Sophia was traumatized by the fact that her father had told her to go away. For that instant, she recalled what the imposter said before her death. “He could kill my child in an unfeeling manner, so he will also kill you and your brother coldly!”

I was born to be my mother’s tool. Will Cooper kill Linus and me if he finds it necessary to do so? With her head spinning and buzzing, Sophia slumped into Michael’s embrace.

When she awakened once again, she realized that she was in a hospital. Her head was wounded from the crash on the desk. The X-ray results showed that she suffered from a mild concussion, so the doctor advised that she should be hospitalized for two days.

Inside the ward, she curled up on the bed and spaced out. Her eyes had lost their luster, looking all hollow. She was still sorrowful that her father had told her to go away.

Now, she recalled that time after she regained consciousness in Africa, Cooper found her and started doting on her. At that time, she felt that she was the happiest person on earth. But…

Curled up under the quilt, she said in a weakened voice, “Hubby, I feel cold.”

Michael had been staying with her to keep her company. At the moment, he was working on his laptop. Hearing what she said, he rose from the chair and took a seat beside her. Holding her hands, he said gently, “Should I raise the temperature in the room? Your hands feel cold.” Covering her hands with his palms, he was trying to give her warmth.

However, rather than feeling cold physically, what she truly felt was that her heart was frozen all over.

In the past, she would jump at every chance to look for her father, but she would always be disappointed eventually. She was like a beautiful flower that bloomed to face the sunshine, but it slowly withered after countless disappointments.

Her head was bandaged. Although her injury wasn’t serious, she seemed to have lost her soul. It was her heart, rather than her body, that pained her.

She craved familial bond, but after she reunited with her family members, she realized that her family was built on lies. Worse still, her father might kill her at any moment. How was she supposed to accept this? Having gone through all of these, she had become exhausted.

Although Michael was busy with work, he would never leave her because he knew that she needed him for the time being. Holding her hand with one palm, he covered her body with a quilt with his other hand as he asked, “What do you want for dinner? I’ll buy it for you later.”

Although Sophia had lost her appetite, she understood that she had to take care of her body. “I want some steak and sashimi.”

Michael replied, “Alright. I’ll order the food for you. Take a rest now. When you wake up, we’ll have dinner together.”

Sophia nodded. After Michael adjusted the quilt for her, he rose from the chair and left the room to place the order. Before he closed the door, he took a look at the sleeping Sophia and the dog lying beside the bed.

Then, he headed for the office of the chief neurologist of the hospital. On this day, many famous neurologists and psychiatrists in Bayside City had gathered up. After examining the X-rays of Sophia’s brain, they started their analysis and discussion.

Eventually, one of them announced in a sympathetic tone, “Mr. Fletcher, I’m sorry to inform you that your wife lost her memory because of permanent nerve damage, so her memory can never be restored.”

Michael wasn’t surprised to hear that.

Since Sophia’s head was injured earlier, he decided to have her brain examined by neurologists as well in an attempt to restore her memories so that she could compensate for her regrets. She didn’t have a father for the past twenty plus years, so it shouldn’t be hard for her to accept the fact that she might lose her father again. But…

Exhausted, Michael waved his hand. “Thanks, gentlemen. You may leave now.”

After the doctors left the room, he went to the corner and called Quinton. After the call was connected, he asked, “Is there really no hope to restore Sophia’s memory?”

Startled for a moment, Quinton then replied in a solemn manner, “My master is the second generation of the Phantom Wolf. Since young, he had been trained by the Yard Family to become a secret agent. After he left the Yard Family, he also brought with him a lot of useful information. Previously, the Yards were a royal family. They were so cruel that they had invented all sorts of torture methods to destroy their enemies. During this process, they discovered that when a person was suffering from immense pain, he would lose part of and even all his memory. My master then delved deeper into the research and even came up with a theory with the help of modern technology. When he left the Yards, he also brought his research with him. I had read the ancient books my master took from the Yard Residence and learned that this is a kind of permanent damage. No person in history has ever had their memory restored before… I’m sorry to break this to you.”

Upon hearing his explanation, Michael let out a long breath. It seems that there’s no other way to help her. Suddenly, he thought of something and said, “Tell me about Anna Yard and the Yard twins. I want to know all the details.”

Sophia told him before that the Yard twins were test tube babies. At the thought of this, he recalled that the imposter said that she was a surrogate mother for Annabel.

Ronney City, test tube babies… What’s the link between all these clues? Unfortunately, the last time I went to the Yard Residence, I couldn’t make out the face of Anna Yard…

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1072

Although Quinton had no idea why Michael would want to find out about Anna Yard and the Yard twins, he still told him what he knew. “The main Yard Family was almost destroyed by the Fletchers, so only a few of them survived. My master was a servant to those surviving Yards, but due to an internal strife in the Yard Family later on, he was forced to flee. Then, he unexpectedly found a Yard Family member, who was in exile, and he sent her back to the Yards as his last favor for them. Anna Yard was the Yard Family member my master stumbled upon, but it was later found out that she was infertile, so she begat a pair of twins through IVF and eventually strengthened her position in the family.”

Michael’s breathing stopped when he heard this. At that instant, he finally understood why the last message the imposter’s master sent to her was to tell her to kill the twins—it was because only twins were eligible to be the heirs to the Imperial Yard Family. Apparently, the existence of Sophia and Linus, who were also twins, was a threat to some people’s claim to the throne.

Then, Michael asked, “Who is the father of Callum and Cade Yard?”

Quinton replied, “No one knows for sure.”

Hearing this, Michael lit up a cigarette and then puffed out some smoke. Things are getting more complicated. When he was almost done with smoking the cigarette, he put it out and asked, “Tell me more about Anna Yard. What is she like?” As the one who had saved Anna, Quinton’s master would surely know some secrets that most people didn’t.

“Anna Yard can only be described as ruthless and unfeeling. I heard that during the internal strife of the Yard Family, the twins were captured by those from the branch family. They demanded that Anna should give up her shares and her position as the leader of the Yard Group. Otherwise, they’d kill the twins in front of her. However, Anna decided to give up her children simply for the sake of holding on to her power. She’s really something.”

Recalling what the imposter said previously, Michael had a better understanding of the whole picture now. “Alright. See you soon.”

However, the more he had figured out, the heavier his heart grew, for he wasn’t sure how to explain this to Sophia. Anna Yard has to be Annabel Johnson. She had met Sophia before, but she never revealed her identity to her. Maybe she has lost her memory, since the Phantom Wolf’s skill to erase a person’s memory comes from the Imperial Yard Family. Or maybe, she just doesn’t want to reunite with Sophia and Cooper. Whatever the case, it is going to be hard for Sophia to accept the truth.

Gritting his teeth, Michael decided to hide this revelation from Sophia because he couldn’t bear to see her get hurt again, even if they had to sever ties with Cooper. To hell with Cooper and Annabel! Since Sophia wants a family, I will build one for her! In this family, Carmen and I are good enough for her!

When Michael returned to the ward and saw Cooper peering into the room through the window, he never uttered a word.

Hearing the footsteps, Cooper turned to face Michael and placed a finger on his lips. Then, he motioned for him to enter the adjacent room with him.

Seeing that, Michael followed him into the room and occupied the ward that was previously empty.

Standing by the window, Cooper gazed out at the fallen leaves and withered flowers, his eyes brimming with melancholy. He remained the ruthless Cooper Mitchell, as though he wasn’t the one who got drunk and threw a tantrum on the previous day. A long while later, he asked, “Sophia… Is she alright?”

Michael replied mockingly, “Oh, she’s fine. Thanks to you, she’s only suffered a mild concussion.”

In the past, Cooper would fight back even if he was in the wrong, but on this day, he only mumbled, “I’m relieved that she’s fine…” He sounded so pitiful, like he had realized that he was nothing but a father who had failed his daughter.

At that instant, his expression appeared to be desolate, which aroused Michael’s sympathy. Before this, he had thought about how to give Cooper a piece of his mind, but for that moment, he couldn’t utter any of that.

Gazing at the view outside the window, the two of them remained silent, so the atmosphere was rather awkward.

After giving it a thought, Michael asked probingly, “Why don’t you apologize to Sophia?”

In Cethosian tradition, parents were superior beings, so even if they were in the wrong, there was no way they would apologize to their children. Therefore, Michael said this just to mock Cooper and never expected him to agree to it. To his surprise, Cooper then said yes without hesitation, as though he was looking forward to this.

Turning around, Cooper said, “Lead the way.”

For that instant, Michael couldn’t believe his ears, because he didn’t think a man like Cooper would apologize to anyone. Nevertheless, he still brought Cooper to Sophia’s ward.

The steak and sashimi he ordered had been delivered and placed on the table. Carmen was also sent to this place after school. Currently, she was having rice cereal from her favorite bowl.

Sophia had awakened and was feeding the rice cereal to Carmen. Meanwhile, Linus was there as well, and his dog wagged its tail under the table when it saw Cooper.

Shocked to see her father here, Sophia rose from the chair and asked, “Dad, why are you here?”

Seeing the bandage that was wrapped around her head, Cooper was heartbroken. He stretched out his hand in an attempt to touch her wound, but he suddenly recalled that he had hurt her accidentally last night, so he immediately retracted his hand. On this day, the usually confident man stammered, “D-Do you still feel hurt? A-Are you alright?”

Sensing the anxiety in his voice, Sophia felt something welling up within her as her eyes became teary. Shaking her head, she replied softly, “I’m alright. It was no big deal.”

Hearing that, Cooper was relieved and he gazed at his daughter, who had endured hardship in her younger days. For that moment, he was gripped by a sense of guilt, and he was feeling sorry for his daughter.

Last night, he had lost his mind and pushed his daughter away. When he learned what he had done the next morning, he blamed himself for his insanity. “Sophia, I’m so sorry. I was wrong to overdrink and push you away. Will you forgive me?”

The humility in Cooper’s voice stunned Michael, for he never expected that his powerful, haughty, ruthless and young-looking father-in-law would ever apologize to anyone. At that moment, he felt that he never really understood Cooper. Is he really the indifferent and proud Cooper I know?

Seeing that her father had apologized to her, Sophia tipped her head back as her tears streamed down her face. In a choking voice, she wailed, “Dad, I feel so painful!”

Last night, she seriously thought that her father would kill her just like how he killed the imposter’s child.

Hearing what his daughter said, Cooper’s eyes became teary as he began to cry as well. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten myself drunk and pushed you away. You’re my daughter, so how would I have the heart to hurt you?”

Unable to hold it back anymore, Sophia lunged forward and crashed into his arms. “Dad… Dad…”

With his eyes soaked in tears, Cooper knew what his daughter was worried about because he had heard her conversation with the imposter after the housekeeping robot sent the footage to his laptop.

“You’re my child. No matter how ruthless I am, I will never hurt you. I’m not so cruel…” Then, he let go of her and explained in a serious manner, “I had never slept with the imposter before, so there’s no way she was impregnated with my child. Even if her child was mine, I would never hurt the child. Linus and you are my kids, so I will never harm the two of you.”

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1073

Bringing Linus over, Cooper grabbed the brother and sister by the hands, looked at them, and solemnly said, “No matter who your mother was and no matter what she had done, all of it has nothing to do with you. No matter what happens, you are my kids and are far more important than my life.”

He added, “Even if someone brings the entire world before me and wishes to exchange it with you, I won’t agree to that.”

Tears fell from Sophia’s eyes as she nodded again and again.

Linus was also very agitated. He grew up with Cooper and thus understood his character.

No matter what, he would never hurt them.

Michael stood aside and suddenly realized that this young-looking father-in-law of his was quite adorable.

When he was callous, he was absolutely callous; he treated both his enemies and himself in the same inhumanly callous way. But someone as strong as him held his dignity above everything except for his own kids. When facing his own daughter, he was just an ordinary old father. He could have people beaten into pulp, and he could also lower himself and admit to his mistakes.

How could he harm his own kids?

“Darling, go to Grandpa. See, Grandpa is crying. Hurry up and make him feel better.”

Michael placed Carmen into Cooper’s arms. Carmen was the best at making people feel better, and she successfully made Cooper laugh in just a short while.

Sophia felt that she had become the happiest girl in the world again!

“By the way… about Ms. Anna—” Michael couldn’t help but put in a reminder.

Cooper, who was still holding Carmen, interrupted him, “No need to look for her. It’s already a great miracle for me to be able to locate my two kids. As for Anna… Well, just assume that she died twenty-eight years ago.”

At that moment, Cooper seemed to have turned into the ruthless God-like figure again.

Cooper held Carmen and looked at his two kids with eyes that were filled with happiness. He had put in so much effort for half his life, and he had obtained all the glory that could be obtained. Now, he was happy with these three treasures around.

He was already extremely satisfied with their presence and had no other desires.

It might be better to let things go.

Thirty years of love had seeped into his bones and became one with him. Surely it would be tough for him to let go.

But he was Cooper Mitchell. Since when had there been something that he couldn’t let go of?

The difference between the strong and the weak was that the strong treated themselves more harshly than anyone else. Even if it had assimilated into his bone marrow, he would break his bones to get rid of it!

Annabel’s tomb was quickly moved away. Cooper had chosen a burial spot for her and himself just outside of the city. He buried everything Annabel had in it and constructed a burial mound.

Looking at the lonely grave, Cooper stood facing the tombstone for a long time.

His first love was buried there.

From then on, the girl named Annabel Johnson remained nineteen years old forever. She loved Cooper and was a kindhearted girl…

Cooper stood there for about ten minutes, and when he finally turned around, there was no emotion in his eyes, only the calmness that came with having gone through the vicissitudes of life.

The thirty years’ worth of feelings had come to an end today. Wherever the real Annabel Johnson was had nothing more to do with him, and he refused to investigate anything related to her. The person he loved had died.

After getting in the car, Cooper suddenly said to Michael, “Take me to meet your mother. Anna enjoyed watching your mother’s movies back then, but unfortunately, they didn’t have the chance to meet each other.”

Cooper sighed. Michael’s mother, Elizabeth Murray, was truly an unparalleled beauty to behold. Even if she had passed away for 40 years, the legends about her were still very much alive around the world. In the past, the tickets to her movies sold for peanuts, but the box office could rack up to 100 million. She was that astounding!

Up until now, she remained the number one Cethosian superstar in the eyes of the Cethosians living overseas. She was the pioneer of the Cethosian global trend, and even her son, Taylor Murray, could not replace her extraordinary position in the entertainment world.

Michael agreed, and everyone went over to the Fletcher Family Cemetery, where Michael’s mother, Elizabeth, was buried.

Sophia followed Michael to help clear the weeds around the graves of Elizabeth Murray and Theo Fletcher. They had also brought flowers and a paper-made USB flash drive.

Since the incident of Sophia burning the USB flash drive at the grave was exposed, people had started to pick up on the trend, and the funeral services nearby had begun to sell paper-made USB flash drives and computers.

Holding a bunch of chrysanthemums in his hand, Cooper came to the tomb where Elizabeth Murray and Theo Fletcher were buried together. He bent forward and placed the chrysanthemums down, then looked at the magnificent black-and-white photo on the tombstone. His voice was a little heavy as he said earnestly, “It’s a pity that I didn’t live in your era, but who knew that in the end, we would still become in-laws.”

Hearing this, Michael frowned a little.

Does this mean Cooper has given his blessing in a roundabout way?

It seemed that Elizabeth’s identity had given quite many brownie points to Michael. After all, Cooper was also one of Elizabeth’s fans.

Cooper happened to live during the peak of Elizabeth’s career. Despite the fact that Elizabeth was already dead at that time, her work was still broadcasted widely and frequently on TV, and her influence lasted more than ten years before it slowly receded. So, it was not surprising that Cooper was also a fan of Elizabeth.

Having visited the study where Cooper lived when he was a child, Michael had noticed that there were many tapes and DVDs about Elizabeth in his drawers.

Cooper seemed to want to say a few more words to Elizabeth. After all, this was the first meeting with his in-laws, and it was an important and serious day.

Therefore, he requested, “Go back to the car and enjoy the air conditioning for a while. I’m gonna have a few words with my in-laws.”

Michael took Sophia’s hand and turned to leave. Frowning, Sophia muttered, “What’s there to talk about?”

Cooper suddenly became stern. “Kids should be seen and not heard.”

Sophia pouted and allowed Michael to take her away. The latter commented, “The adults have important things to say, so us ‘kids’ should not intrude on them.”

Linus grinned to one side but left as well.

After the ‘kids’ all left, Cooper plopped down in front of the grave and took off his sunglasses. Staring at the grave, he let out a sigh. “Unfortunately, I do not have the opportunity to live in the same era with both of you, but I’ve heard a lot about you and your accomplishments since I was young.”

He added, “I came here specially to visit the two of you today. It isn’t my intention to disturb your peace, but I just want to say that…”

Cooper looked at the tombstone, and an unprecedented smile graced the corner of his mouth as he continued, “Your son is a fine man, and I’m very satisfied with him. Although he is a little older than I would’ve liked, it’s alright… Anyway, we’ll be in-laws from now on. Today is our first meeting with each other. We still need to carry out the traditional procedures. According to tradition, the boy’s parents should visit the girl’s family to discuss the wedding, but clearly, it is impossible for you to visit me. So, I’ve come here by myself. Since the situation is a little unusual, it’s not possible to follow tradition to a tee. In any case, I’ve prepared some gifts for you, and I hope the two of you will like them. I also brought tea and alcohol with me. I’ll burn the offerings for you first, and we can have a chat as I burn them.”

…

After Sophia had some watermelon in Michael’s RV, she turned to watch the movements over at Fletcher’s ancestral grave through the car window and asked doubtfully, “What is my dad doing?”

Michael glanced outside before replying, “He’s probably talking about ‘adult matters’ with my parents, so as kids, we should not care too much.”

Sophia was left speechless.

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1074

For the past thirty years, Cooper had led a low-key life. Now that he had let go of that, his entire being seemed to be different all at once. He had even started to go on some social activities occasionally. Moreover, he would listen to music at home and even chose a big black dog to accompany him for a walk every night. Along the way, he would grab some supper before returning home.

Sometimes, he attended photography exhibitions, went to see the opera, and even took the dog to Sophia’s shop and bought something for it there.

He owned more than 20 black dogs, and he was one of Sophia’s biggest spending customers in the pet industry. Almost half of the sales of the Riverdale branch were credited to him alone.

It was obvious that he had forgiven himself and found a new way of life, for he no longer monitored his daughter as strictly as before too.

Sophia had moved to The Imperial to live with Michael, but she still went back to her family occasionally to check in with Cooper. On the other hand, Cooper also occasionally walked his dog over half of Bayside City just to visit her.

Seeing how her father spent most of his time with animals, Sophia felt that she should begin to look around for a suitable candidate to take the role of her stepmother.

I think it wouldn’t do for Dad to continue living like this and spend the rest of his life with a bunch of black dogs!

However, Michael felt that his young-looking father-in-law’s current situation couldn’t be better. It would be even more perfect if Cooper could bring a flask of wolfberry water to the park every morning and do Tai Chi there, then join the older ladies in their dance aerobics classes in tight-fitting workout pants at night.

In that way, he would no longer be able to pay much attention to Michael’s family of three, and Michael would be able to concentrate on asking Sophia for a second child.

It was September soon, and Michael had already obtained leave from the kindergarten as Carmen was slated to shoot the TV show ‘Where Are We Going, Dad?’ with Michael. She was so excited that she kept running around like a joyful puppy every day.

Celine had given birth, and Sarah from next door had given birth too. The births of their babies were just a few days apart, and they were now all in confinement.

Sarah was very disappointed that she had given birth to another son whose skin was even darker than that of her firstborn. But Harry felt that it was all the same to him, whether the baby was a boy or a girl. Besides, they also had an adopted kid, Poppy. He was happy enough with the three kids.

Grinning from ear to ear, Justin carried his newly acquired chubby baby daughter. He was elated that he had both a son and a daughter now.

Nathan came to visit his little sister early in the morning. He was followed by two other kids, Lorelei and Drew Fletcher.

“Lola, Drew, you guys came!”

Sophia happily welcomed Drew and Lorelei in.

When Drew was mentioned, Nathan looked impatient and frustrated. Drew was so clingy that he followed Nathan wherever he went as long as the latter was at the Fletcher Residence.

He didn’t seem to have inherited his father’s aloofness and wisdom at all.

On the contrary, he was just like Stanley. Stanley had been this attached to Michael back then.

Lorelei had arrived here for some time now. Although she was still rather distant, she obviously looked more cheerful this time. As expected, the Fletcher Residence was the most suitable place for her. She had become friends with the other kids at the Fletcher Residence and could even speak simple words in the Cethosian language.

Lorelei happily rushed off to see her sister. Celine, who was still in confinement, tenderly looked at her little daughter, who was sleeping in the crib, and then glanced at Lorelei. For some reason, she had always felt that this girl was rather different.

Since the birth of Celine’s daughter, Justin had been keeping watch over her by the side. After all, Celine had given birth at an older age, and so she needed much rest. Justin had been taking care of her all the time without taking a break. Right now, he was sitting by the bedside and naturally saw Lorelei coming in.

The expression on his face when he saw her was extremely complicated. It was not possible for him to wholly accept Lorelei, but he could not find it in him to harbor hatred for such an innocent kid either.

With a sigh, he picked up his baby daughter and said to Celine, who was in bed, “This is Lorelei from Joel’s family. She’s also known as Lola. If you like her, feel free to ask her to come and visit you often.”

Celine smiled. “Sure, sure.”

Lorelei was eating the jelly given by Sophia. Her dark eyes were fixed on Celine as a nonchalant smile graced her lips…

Since the birth of Celine’s daughter, there had been waves after waves of visitors from the Fletcher Family and the Mitchell Family. Sophia was overwhelmed by having so much on her plate; she had to entertain guests while working from home at the same time. It was extremely tiring for her.

A few days before Michael went over to the set for the reality show, Sophia was curled up in bed one morning, trying to catch some much-needed sleep. There would be no guests for the day, so it was an exceptionally pleasant day for her. Besides, Carmen had also been sent to attend cram school, so she hurriedly took advantage of the peace and quiet to get some sleep. In her drowsy state, she heard Michael say, “I’m going out to meet a fan, so don’t wait for me for dinner. I’ll be back later at night.”

Sophia turned over in bed; her bare thighs were stretched out as she continued to sleep under the quilt, only responding to him with a mumble.

It wasn’t until Michael went out and closed the door gently after him did Sophia suddenly remember something and leaped up from bed.

What? Michael is going to meet a fan?

When it came to the issue of meeting fans, Sophia subconsciously thought of female fans who were barely 20 years old, with figures that she would kill for, and all were looking beautiful and sultry.

She immediately rolled out of bed and drew the curtains. Downstairs, Michael, who was dressed to the nines, was accompanied by Hale and others as they went to the garage and then drove out. His styling team was here too, and after finishing their jobs, they also left in their cars.

What the hell?

He usually wears shorts at home and doesn’t even bother to shave his beard. How dare he call over his personal styling team just for a meeting with a fan?

He only dresses up like this when attending important events, such as the movie premieres and the New Year Dinner Gala.

Even when he visited his young-looking father-in-law, I never saw him make such a fuss either!

Who exactly is this fan?

After Michael left, Sophia was feeling so jumpy that she appeared distracted when she went to look for Sarah next door.

“Look, Sour Face is really super big for his age. There won’t be another boy like him! If you don’t seal the deal now, I’ll pair him up with that girl Maisie from Stan’s family.”

Sarah held Sour Face and pushed him vigorously toward Sophia, trying to get the latter to be interested in him.

Sour Face’s expression remained dark as usual.

Thanks to his mother’s forceful marketing efforts, the celebrities with kids in the entire Bayside City all knew about how big he was.

Sophia tried her best to refuse. “No, no, Carmen is still young. Let’s talk more about it after she grows up.”

Suddenly, Carmen’s soft and adorable voice came from one side. “Godmother, Sour Face is not my type. Just give up!”

Sarah was extremely disappointed that she had failed to market her son again…

Seeing that Sophia had been frowning quite a lot today, Sarah asked her if something was up. Only did Sophia stammer, “It’s about M-Michael. H-He said that he’s gonna meet a fan? D-Does Harry often go out to meet fans all dressed up?”

“What?” Sarah’s voice was so loud that the roof almost blew off. She sprang up and shouted, “He went out all dressed up to meet a fan? How can such a thing happen? Let’s go and destroy him right now!”

Rushing upstairs, she changed her clothes and came down. Then, she pulled Sophia along and hurried out of the house. “I’m telling you, men will start taking things easy after they get a woman. You see, it hasn’t been long since your dad agreed for you two to be together. Yet now he has overstepped his boundaries by going to meet a fan! Come, let’s go and catch him red-handed. We’ll see if he dares to meet any more fans in the future!”

Sophia hesitated. Michael would definitely not wrong her, but she also wanted to know what kind of fan he had gone to meet!

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1075

Although Sophia kept saying ‘Let’s not do that’ and ‘It’s not appropriate’, in the end, she still left quickly with Sarah and got into the car with the driver. She managed to obtain Michael’s location and found that he was at the Audistin clubhouse.

Audistin was a chain brand involved in many sectors. Other than fitness, dance, yoga, and spa, it was also involved in hunting, shooting, karaoke and bar. In fact, it covered almost all types of luxury entertainment the rich enjoyed and was Harry Winston and Mr. Nobody’s territory.

Sophia was apprehensive, but Sarah was all fired up. The latter almost grabbed the former into Audistin and went straight to the private room.

“How bold of him. Does he think you’re a pushover just because you don’t find fault with him all the time? How dare he meet a fan!”

Sarah was more agitated than Sophia as she cursed all the way. As for Sophia, she didn’t say a word but nervously followed Sarah closely.

Her heart pounded fast as she wondered what kind of fan Michael was meeting.

They finally arrived in front of Michael’s private room. There were two people guarding the door. Sarah commanded her bodyguards to suppress the two men while she kicked the door open and yelled, “Michael Fletcher! How dare you meet a fan!”

Sophia also hurried into the private room to take a look. On hearing the noise, a dozen bodyguards in black looked up, slid their hands into the pockets of their clothes, and lifted their guns simultaneously. Only when they recognized it was Sophia and Sarah did they put their guns away.

The room was decorated in an old and elegant style, and a harpist was playing the harp to the side. In the center of the room were a table, a chessboard, and two people sitting on both sides of the chessboard. One of them was naturally Michael all dressed up, while the other one was an old man with a young appearance, despite the white hair on his head.

The old man’s face was soft and kind. His all-white beard was so long that it was tied into a pigtail and drooped in front of him.

The atmosphere turned awkward all of a sudden as everyone looked at Sophia and Sarah, who had barged in.

Sophia looked at the old man across from Michael incredulously—this was that ‘sultry-looking fan with a figure that she would kill for’?

Things seemed to be completely different from what she had imagined.

Sarah was also extremely mortified. After standing there in a daze for two seconds, her attitude suddenly changed, and she hurriedly said to Sophia, “I knew it. Michael is definitely not that kind of person! We really made a blunder, didn’t we? Ah… Uh… I’m not feeling well, so I’ll go back first.”

With that, she took her own men and hurried away, leaving Sophia to face the people in this room alone.

Sophia looked at Michael with embarrassment.

Should I smile or pretend to get mad at him? Wait! I think I should decide if I stay or leave now. Oh Lord!

Michael looked at the two people who had suddenly appeared. As he stared at Sarah, who had left because she suddenly wasn’t feeling well, he was startled for a second before seemingly understanding what was going on. Finally, he couldn’t help but lower his head and smile to himself.

He beckoned to Sophia. “Come here, chica. What are you standing there for?”

Sophia went over to him hesitatingly, blushing with embarrassment.

In order to ‘catch him red-handed’ more easily, she had deliberately worn light clothing. She was only clad in a blouse and jeans with a pair of sneakers on her feet. Her figure was petite, her look was youthful, and her skin was fair. With her adorable features that were currently trying to look as innocent as possible after doing something wrong, she looked completely like a teenage girl.

When she came up, the old man opposite Michael lifted his reading glasses and looked Sophia up and down. Then, he tsked, saying, “Your daughter is all grown up now. I’m afraid it’s a bit late for her to join the ‘Where Are We Going, Dad?’ show.”

Sophia was dumbfounded at his words, after which Michael smiled and said, “This is my wife.”

Realization dawned on the old man as he exclaimed, “Oh, the ex-wife whom you divorced… I know that.”

Michael patiently explained, “My father-in-law did not approve of our relationship before, so we got a divorce temporarily to make him happy. Now that he has approved of us, we plan to remarry some other day.”

The old man became very angry. “How could there be such a father-in-law! Who does he like if he doesn’t like such a great son-in-law as you!”

But as soon as he finished speaking, he remembered that Sophia was still there, and immediately said to her with a pleasant expression and a calm tone, “Don’t think too much. I’m not talking about you.”

The two continued to play chess. Hale brought a chair for Sophia, so she sat next to Michael and watched them play chess.

The two chatted while playing chess; all they talked about was Michael’s recent schedule and projects.

“When are you shooting ‘Where Are We Going, Dad?’? When will it be aired on TV? How many episodes are you planning to air?”

“You’re done filming ‘Doctor Invincible 2’? What are you filming next?”

“The Dragon Eye mobile phone you endorsed is really easy to use. My family only uses phones of this brand now. Oh, and the stainless steel washbasin you endorsed is of good quality!”

…

It was obvious that he was a true fan of Michael’s.

Michael asked Sophia in a low voice when he was playing chess, “Why did you suddenly come?”

Being called out of her behavior, Sophia was embarrassed. How could she say that she had come over to catch him red-handed with some woman?

After thinking about it, she gave a foolproof yet very wholesome answer. “I miss you.”

Michael’s slender fingers were holding a chess piece. Hearing this, he couldn’t help but pause in his movement. After gently putting down the chess piece, he turned to look at Sophia with a gentle smile.

“Then sit here with me to accompany Mr. Osborne.”

He added, “This is an old acquaintance of mine, Mr. Osborne. He’s the world’s most famous master of traditional Cethosian art. He also has many accomplishments in calligraphy. Mr. Osborne has lived abroad for decades, and it’s a rare occasion that he’s here in Cethos with us today.”

After being reminded by Michael, Sophia suddenly remembered the name, Louis Osborne.

The most well-known master of Cethosian art among the overseas Cethosians was not only a master of Cethosian art, but he was also renowned at home and abroad in his calligraphy. Recently, he was holding a private art exhibition in Bayside City. Cooper had, with much difficulty, obtained a ticket, and the exhibition would be launched in two days.

Unexpectedly, the master himself was here.

Cooper also liked Cethosian calligraphy very much. His own work was stunning and powerful, but the quality of his work was still far behind compared to Mr. Osborne’s. In fact, he had always admired Louis Osborne very much.

But who knew that Louis Osborne was actually Michael’s fan!

After the two of them played chess, Louis ordered someone to lay out the paper so that he could write a few words for Michael as a gift.

Certainly, Master Osborne’s writing was exceptional; it was priceless!

Thus, Sophia also rushed forward with a reverent look.

“Grandpa, your brush.” The girl playing the harp stepped up. She had already prepared the ink for Louis.

She turned out to be none other than Louis’s granddaughter.

As soon as Sophia entered the door, she noticed the girl, who looked delicate and very beautiful. She appeared to be about twenty years old and had very slender fingers. Sophia had thought she was a musician hired by Audistin, but who knew the girl was someone this important?

Today, Louis happily wrote piece after piece of calligraphy for Michael, who also specially asked for a copy of ‘Beyond the Border’ for his young-looking father-in-law.

After finishing his writing, Louis took out a couple of posters and a bunch of original collector’s edition DVDs, then piled them in front of Michael. “Come, sign here, and here too…”

Michael picked up his signing pen and signed everywhere that Louis had pointed out. Sitting to the side, Louis stroked his beard and smiled fatuously.

He was thinking to himself, Oh my God, how can there be such an amazing young man in this world!

The more I look at him, the more I like him! How I wish to kidnap him and lock him up so that I can look at him every day!

No, the one rule of any fandom is to stay close to the idol’s works and stay away from his personal life!

I need to restrain myself!

After the signing and gifting, Louis saw that Sophia was still empty-handed and felt guilty. He thought that he should give a little something to her as well. Looking around him, he saw that harp.

“Anne, give the harp to Sophia as a gift.”

 

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1076

When Louis spoke of that harp, Sophia subconsciously turned to look at it. The harp looked unique and sounded very pleasing to the ears as well.

But no matter how beautiful it was, it belonged to somebody else. So, she hurriedly refused. “No need. I don’t know how to play the harp either. This young lady here should keep it instead.”

While they were talking about the harp, the girl named Anne nervously glanced at her harp. It was clear that she didn’t want to lose her favorite instrument, and Sophia did not know how to play the harp either, so giving it to her would be pointless.

Anne glanced at Sophia with resentment in her eyes, as if Sophia was the one who had deliberately snatched her harp away from her. It made Sophia fidget around fretfully.

But then Louis insisted again and again, “It’s just a harp. There are so many of them in our house. I’ve decided to give it to you, so you shouldn’t refuse! If you refuse, it means you look down on me.”

Getting up, he took the brush and, with a flourish, wrote ‘Sophia Edwards’ on the harp, signifying that it was hers from now on.

At this very moment, Sophia could no longer refuse since her name was already written on it.

“Grandpa, this is a Phoenix Harp that is priceless…” Anne bit her lower lip. She was obviously filled with hatred, but she couldn’t express any of it.

How can such a precious thing be given away! And to a random person to boot!

This Sophia Edwards… She is not worthy enough to own this harp! This Phoenix Harp has such an extraordinary history that she’ll probably be shocked to death.

Louis knew the value of this harp, and it was precisely because he knew it that he wanted to give it away.

“It’s just a harp. You have so many harps, so you won’t miss this one anyway,” said Louis as he put away his brush.

Besides, most of these harps were not Anne’s. Instead, they were part of Louis’s collection, so he was free to give them to anyone he pleased.

Since her name was already written, Sophia had no choice but to accept. She said, “Thank you, Mr. Osborne.”

Louis smiled and stroked his white beard, looking very satisfied.

Michael spent time with his elderly fan in Audistin for the whole day and only left after dinner.

When he left, he also had that harp packed up and taken away.

In Louis’s car, Anne remained depressed and did not speak.

Louis knew that she was angry, but the harp had never been hers in the first place. It was obtained by Louis from Anne’s aunt and had been in his showroom all this time. Since Anne loved to play the harp, she had been excited about seeing this particular one and had borrowed it to play.

For this visit to Cethos, apart from holding a private art exhibition, Louis had another motive too. Knowing that his idol was divorced, he had quickly brought his young and beautiful granddaughter on the trip. He thought that if he was lucky, he would be able to become a family with his idol through his granddaughter’s marriage.

Unexpectedly, Michael didn’t get divorced, and his wife even showed up, so Louis’s idea of becoming a family with his idol through his granddaughter’s marriage was a complete flop.

Anne was good at playing the harp. At a young age, she was already much accomplished. Initially, Louis was very confident in her, but now, he was completely powerless to do anything.

“Okay, don’t be angry. There are many good men in Cethos. I’ll introduce you to better ones someday,” Louis comforted. He had bragged about Michael before and praised his little idol to high heavens before Anne. So, the girl was also looking forward to meeting Michael, but unexpectedly…

Although Anne was angry, she couldn’t help but be intoxicated by the thought of Michael’s gorgeous looks.

She had fallen in love with Michael at first sight. The man in real life was more charming than on screen. It was like a subject in a spectacular painting coming to life or a prince right out of a fairytale. He was both domineering yet tender, gentle yet strong. She especially liked his role as Leporello and was fascinated by his acting. In fact, she did not expect the real man to be more charming than the role he played on screen.

But unexpectedly, he didn’t get a divorce…

How could that pleb Sophia Edwards be worthy of him! Sophia looked like a halfie b*stard. That woman could never match up to Anne herself, who had such an elegant charm and sweetness about her. For Sophia to be with Michael was an outrage.

A man like Michael deserved to be matched with a gentle and elegant beauty like Anne herself. She had an artistic temperament and came from a great family. Together, they were a perfect match made in heaven.

But now, everything was gone. Even her favorite harp was gone.

However, she also knew that it was not her own harp, so Louis had the final say. She could do nothing about it other than being upset!

…

On the same day at the Fletcher Residence.

Linus stood outside the military compound, looking at the main entrance that was heavily guarded. He stopped in his tracks without going forward any further.

“Linus, why aren’t you moving?”

Today, Cooper had officially brought his son Linus to visit Mark Fletcher.

However, Linus stood outside the military compound without entering. So, Cooper had hurriedly asked him why.

“Dad, you go in. I’ll wait for you in the car.” With that, Linus turned around and got back into the car.

Cooper knew why his son didn’t want to go in. He sighed and said, “Then you wait for me in the car for a while. If you can’t wait, go to your sister’s house first.”

He had planned to bring Linus to see Mark, then go to Sophia’s place to have dinner and spend the night before returning to Riverdale tomorrow morning.

After all, he hadn’t seen his little sweetheart for about three or four days now, and he really missed her!

Since Linus didn’t want to go in, Cooper didn’t force him to and went in by himself.

The military compound was still the same as before with its extremely tight security. Even the black dogs brought by Cooper had to be checked several times. There was a persistent fear that someone would attempt to steal military secrets given the chance. After all, this was a military powerhouse.

But what they didn’t know was that Linus had sent in his high-tech equipment before and stole some secrets of the Fletcher Family from within.

That was why he was too ashamed to see Mark.

In the car, Linus handled his work using a laptop, while Lucky lay by his feet obediently.

Lucky was a stray dog ​​that Linus had picked up when he went to a farm just outside the city to pick strawberries. It was a big and yellow dog which Linus liked very much. He even had Lucky styled by a groomer and made several beautiful collars for it.

Lucky was also brilliant; it was actually the smartest dog in their family. Even the most mischievous Judge did not dare to bully Lucky. If it offended Lucky, it would only meet a tragic end.

Right now, Lucky seemed to sense its owner’s dejection and placed its head on Linus’s lap, then raised its eyes to look at him.

Linus touched Lucky’s head and smiled slightly.

I shouldn’t have done all those in the past…

Back then, he was too young and didn’t know much. He was in his early twenties and eager for quick success and instant gratification. Indeed, he lacked control and judgment while doing things back then.

Linus didn’t expect that things would develop this way. He turned out to be Cooper’s son and now had to face Mark with a different identity.

Unfortunately, what was done was done, and there was no use crying over spilled milk.

To his surprise, Linus suddenly heard Cooper calling his name outside. He raised his head and saw Cooper and Mark walking side by side. Mark was very old and was on crutches, but he was still very energetic.

“Little muffin, if you won’t come to see me, then I’ll have to come to see you!”

Mark was very enthusiastic. No wonder the young man next to Cooper has always looked very pleasing to the eye! Turns out that he’s Sophia’s twin brother.

Such a fate!

“Old Master Fletcher…”

Linus was rather startled, for he didn’t expect that Old Master Fletcher would come out personally to meet him. Flattered, he hurriedly got out of the car to greet him.

At this moment, he felt even more guilty for what he had done.

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1077

Mark was very nervous. “Hurry, let’s get in the car. I’m already ‘dead’, so I can’t be seen walking around out here.”

The group hurriedly got into the car and drove to Sophia’s home, The Imperial. Although Sophia and Michael had eaten dinner with Louis today, they didn’t eat much because they had already received a call saying that Cooper and Linus were coming over. Sophia hurried home and prepared for their visit; she needed to eat with them too.

When they got home, Michael had already prepared a glass case and put the harp in the living room as a decoration. Sophia could not play it, but such a rare item could not be hidden away. So, it was only right that he placed it in the living room as a decoration. There was also Louis’ autograph on it, which made the harp even more impressive than it already was.

The glass case that contained the harp was thick, dust-proof, moisture-proof, bullet-proof, and most importantly, anti-orange-cat. If the harp was left out in the open, it would be completely ruined by the orange cats at home within one day. Even if the orange cats didn’t ruin it, Richie Edwards would try its hardest to scratch it.

As Michael watched the harp being placed down in the living room, he glanced around and saw the big fat cats in the room had already begun to stare at it. Frowning, he asked Sophia, “Chica, why do I feel that there are more and more cats around?” He had neutered and given away most of them last year, keeping only those personally remembered, such as Chrysanthemum, Simba, Scorchy, Garfield, and that grassland cat Leapy. Sunset and its babies were also taken away by Stanley. All the rest were given away to adoptive families, so only seven or eight cats were left. But today, he could count at least thirty cats in the house!

There were orange cats, black cats, tabby cats, calico cats… He didn’t remember that there were so many cats in his house. Could it be that the neutering was not thorough enough? Or has Sophia started collecting cats behind my back again? Oh my God, we’re back to square one!

With some effort, Carmen picked up an overweight calico cat and said, “Daddy, this is Royal Sweetheart Aristocat!”

Sophia was pouring cat food into bowls, which instantly caused all the cats to charge toward her in a stampede. After feeding the cats, she stroked each of them and took their pictures. “These are the cats from our next-door neighbor. There are more than 300 cats there! It’s amazing! They are all Internet superstars, and they often come over to play.”

Michael was taken aback. Which ‘next-door neighbor’ of theirs had such a wealth of money? Three hundred cats! No matter how wealthy they were, they would become poor instantly. He glanced down at the cat’s collar and suddenly understood which neighbor it was—the ancient Imperial Palace next door.

There were many wooden buildings in the ancient Imperial Palace Museum, which were precious historical sites. However, there were many rats in the ancient Imperial Palace. Just one nibble from the rats would cause distress to the archaeologists for years. Therefore, the ancient Imperial Palace raised many cats to catch the rats, and the cats were numbered. Most of those cats were descended from the favorite pet cats of the emperors and concubines of the ancient Imperial Palace, so the title ‘Royal Sweetheart Aristocat’ was really apt.

Sure enough, their house attracted cats. No, it should be Sophia who attracted cats. Maybe it was because she couldn’t give birth anymore that had caused her to be unable to resist little animals and kids.

Michael squatted down and stroked the cat with her. Sophia grabbed his hand and placed it on a cat’s head, then said, “Touch this one. Its fur feels very comfortable to the touch.”

Michael touched it for a few seconds before suddenly holding her hand instead. “Nothing feels more comfortable to the touch than you.”

“Such a flir you are…”

When it was getting dark, the night shift security guard of the ancient Imperial Palace came to get the cats to go back to work. How could the cats stay over at their neighbor’s house for food at night when rats were most rampant? That was simply outrageous.

The night security guard was familiar with the area. He entered The Imperial and went straight to No. 8 as he knew that all the cats were there for the delicious food.

The night security guard was a middle-aged man rehired after retirement. He had worked in the ancient Imperial Palace all his life. Nowadays, he wore a security uniform with a flashlight on his waist and pushed a cart to catch the cats and bring them back.

Sophia was always a kind-hearted lady. Seeing that he was getting older, she helped him catch the cats, put them into cages one by one, and pushed them away with the cart. She also gave away a lot of homemade cat food.

Unexpectedly, after the security guard took the cats, he caught a glimpse of the harp in the living room. Shocked, he quickly stepped forward, took out his flashlight, and illuminated the harp closely, his eyes full of amazement and disbelief. After scrutinizing it, he turned his head, looking astounded. “This is the harp? The Phoenix Harp? Where did you get it?”

Currently, Michael was helping to cram the last stubborn calico cat into the cage. He was so busy that he was sweating profusely. On hearing the security guard’s words, he recalled that Louis’ granddaughter seemed to have mentioned the harp’s name today, so he replied, “A friend gave it to us as a gift. I think it is indeed the Phoenix Harp.”

Sophia had always known that this security guard was competent. He had worked in the ancient Imperial Palace Museum all his life and dealt with cultural relics every day. Even if he did not have a professional background, his knowledge was definitely better than ordinary archaeological experts. In any case, he knew at a glance which ones in Sophia’s family’s antique collection were authentic and which ones were fake, as well as their worth. He was superhuman in this field.

“Yeah, it seems to be the Phoenix Harp. What about it?”

The security guard was so in awe that he kept taking videos and photos of it. As he did so, he introduced with excitement, “This is not an ordinary harp but the Phoenix Harp that has been lost for hundreds of years! The harp is not a musical instrument that originated from Cethos. It was introduced to our country from Vestia. Later, it was favored among the royalty, and then slowly, it was made available to the masses. However, due to various factors such as wars, many types of harps had been lost in time, including this Phoenix Harp.”

He continued, “There are ancient records of it in our museum, but no one has ever seen the real thing, nor has anyone successfully recovered the real thing. The Phoenix Harp made its way abroad in the past, as there are relevant records and fragments displayed in the museums of Japan and other Asian countries, but the real thing has never surfaced once all over the world! I’ve looked and looked at it, and this is the Phoenix Harp! I didn’t expect someone to recover the real thing! It’s amazing!”

Sophia was completely befuddled by his introduction, but she did grasp the important bit—this harp was valuable. No wonder that Anne girl was so unwilling to give it up! It turns out to be such an amazing object!

But Michael discovered another key point: the Phoenix Harp was long lost and was exclusive to the royal family. It had been lost for hundreds of years, but through a Cethosian living abroad, it came back to Cethos again. At once, he thought of the Yard Family. When the Imperial Yard Family fled abroad hundreds of years ago, they brought away countless craftsmen. They still retained some long-lost Cethosian skills, so most likely, they still retained the Phoenix Harp. So, how did the Phoenix Harp fall into Louis’ hands?

Michael had never heard of any connection between Louis and the Yard Family. Although they were all Cethosians who lived abroad, they had never met. Interesting…

Michael had known Louis for decades, and he was not the kind of person who interacted with the likes of the Yard Family. Although Louis lived abroad, he was generally warm-hearted and scholarly. Therefore, he would certainly despise the very existence of the Yard Family.

Michael looked at that harp with a complicated expression. He had a feeling that this harp must have something to do with the Yard Family. The Yard Family is really everywhere!

 

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1078

Meanwhile, Sophia was still listening to the ancient Imperial Palace’s night guards as they spoke of the history of Phoenix Harp. “The harp is a musical instrument of Cethos, but most were lost later. The harp we speak of in the modern days is actually the lyre that came in from abroad, a Western musical instrument. Never had I expected that I’d have the opportunity to see Phoenix Harp with my own eyes in this lifetime! It’s truly stunning!”

“Look! The craftsmanship of this Phoenix Harp is perfect! It’s simply flawless! No matter the material and the craftsmanship, everything is just superior! It’s worthy to be a national treasure!”

“It’s truly the same as written in the ancient records in our museum! Everything is the same! My life hasn’t been in vain since I’ve gotten to see such a perfect instrument in person during my lifetime!”

And so they continued waxing lyrical about the harp, but Sophia was skeptical. A national treasure? Isn’t that too much?

The night guards then insisted on borrowing the harp to study it. Sophia couldn’t manage to dissuade them, so she agreed. Subsequently, they then ordered a few enthusiastic people to transport the harp and even issued a borrower’s form from the ancient Imperial Palace museum.

Upon seeing the infinite care and caution the Imperial Palace employees took to the point of even wearing gloves, Sophia’s heart pounded. Stark regret assailed her for allowing the guards to see her harp. What if… it becomes a national property instead of my personal property once it’s taken away? All at once, she quickly pulled Michael over, placing him front and center. “Be careful!” she urged anxiously. “This is our family’s harp, given by a friend of Taylor’s, so there’s just this one! And his fans are all aware that this harp belongs to us. Remember that…”

Earlier, Michael asked Justin about the harp. As Justin was well-read over the years, he knew quite a bit about the harp and agreed that this harp was no ordinary harp. I wonder how Sophia is so lucky to have gotten her hands on Phoenix Harp that has been lost for centuries. The last time Phoenix Harp was ever seen was probably during the last years of the previous dynasty when battle raged to combat foreign invasion. The Imperial seal was stolen then, alongside a large number of national treasures, and among them was the final pristine Phoenix Harp in the palace.

Taylor had also once hired a composer who specialized in history as an advisor when he was to film ‘The National Treasury Action.’ The expert had duplicated a harp perfectly and even asked the ancient Imperial Palace museum to duplicate a Phoenix Harp as prop, but it was not as exquisite as this harp before his eyes. Back then, the Phoenix Harp suffered a tragic end, for it was burned by invaders before it could be transported away. What a pity!

“Tsk-tsk. If this is truly the Phoenix Harp, then it’s truly priceless! It’ll fetch a king’s ransom. Buddy, your fan is truly something else!” Justin lamented while carrying his daughter, smelling like baby powder.

After putting away the harp, a senior guard came over with an ingratiating expression on his face. Rubbing his hands, he said to Michael, “This… well… you once donated the Imperial seal, Mr. Murray, so why don’t you donate this harp now?”

Sophia instantly panicked and blinked at Michael vigorously. Her eyes were flashing so swiftly that Michael was almost blinded.

Noticing that she liked this harp very much, Michael schooled his face into a serious expression and answered, “This is different from the Imperial seal. I obtained the seal for the country, but this harp is my wife’s private collection. Master Louis Osborne has even worked on it, so we’re reluctant to part with it for the time being. However, you can take it back for study and duplication.”

At this, Sophia breathed a sigh of relief though her eyes remained anxiously fixed on the harp as she fretted. Upon seeing this, Michael couldn’t help stroking her hair and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “It’s fine. I’ll keep an eye on things. They won’t dare steal it. After all, who would dare steal from the winner of the Academy Award for Best Actor?” he murmured in a whisper.

While the harp was being transported, Cooper and Linus came with Mark after learning that a wealthy fan of Michael’s gave Sophia a Phoenix Harp. At a single glance, Linus who was rather famous in the collectors’ world made out the worth of this Phoenix Harp and hurriedly took a photo with it for keepsake before it was carried away. As he did so, he inwardly lamented, It sure is nice to have a famous husband!

After the harp had been taken away, they all sat down and chatted. Michael then took out ‘Beyond the Border’ which Cooper requested today and presented it earnestly to his young-looking father-in-law.

As soon as the scroll was opened, the majestic and bold words manifested before Cooper’s eyes—‘If the city generals were present, the barbarians’ horses would never have crossed the mountains.’ At the back was Louis Osborne’s signature. Cooper was wholly gratified. While he still maintained an aloof expression, his surreptitiously fluttering brows betrayed the excitement within him. He couldn’t reveal the slightest hint of softness before his old son-in-law, so he kept up his aloofness. The reason being, he probably felt that he could only intimidate this perverted old son-in-law of his if he were aloof and authoritative.

Mark loved Linus, holding his little muffin’s hand with his left hand and his good grandson’s hand with the other. Sophia grew green with envy as she looked on, but still, she ate dinner with Cooper, Mark, and the rest.

Mark only returned to Fletcher Residence late at night. Sophia then took a shower and was just about to go to bed when Maria came over and said, “Madam, there’s an extra cat in the house whose owner is unknown. The Imperial Palace said it isn’t theirs, and I’ve also asked around in the neighborhood, but no one came to collect it.”

An extra cat? Sophia went over to the cat bed to have a look. All at once, she saw an elegant and graceful Norwegian Forest cat with long fur among the orange cats. It was an exceedingly lovely cat that was truly a feast for the eyes. As she took it out, the cat meowed in hunger, so she put out some cat food for it. However, it then looked all disdainful after lowering its head for a sniff, refusing to eat it despite meowing in hunger. She then changed it out to a more high-end cat food that she only used during New Year, but it still continued meowing, disdaining it and refusing to eat. Hey! What a snob!

Chrysanthemum jumped up and slapped it on the ear before gobbling down the cat food. The Norwegian Forest cat meowed hungrily as it stared at Sophia.

Sophia then picked it up, glimpsing its intact collar. On a closer look, it was a foreign luxury pet collar that was sold by her biggest competitor, so she was aware of its price. This collar costs about 800 grand! This is a cat with a rich owner! Unfortunately, there was no contact number on the collar, merely its name in Cethosian language—General. It’s a bit odd for such a beautiful cat to have such a name.

She then hurriedly had someone take good care of the cat since it might be her client in the future. Thereafter, she promptly phoned the shop to check whether there was a record of General having been there.

General wasn’t as domineering as its name, for it was very much fastidious. It refused to eat anything and continued meowing incessantly while being even better dressed than Chrysanthemum. Irritated, Chrysanthemum again boxed its ear, whereupon it quietly went silent and hid in the corner to cry. As an aristocratic cat with an 800-grand collar, it had never suffered such aggrieve, so it cried for the entire night. In the end, it was Linus who took pity on it, giving it a bath before carrying it into the guest room to sleep.

The next day, the store reverted that a Norwegian Forest cat called ‘General’ had indeed been to the shop for grooming the day before. After comparing the photos, Sophia saw that the similarity was 99%, so she quickly had them contact the owner and said that she’d personally send the cat back. It’ll definitely be an excellent client!

The venue was set at Audistin. Since Michael hadn’t yet started filming, he went with Sophia. When they arrived at Audistin and pulled open the door of the designated private room, Sophia saw someone unexpected. “It’s you, Mrs. Anna Yard?”

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1079

As Michael, who accompanied Sophia, walked in the door, he saw a classy lady in the private room who seemed to be in her early 30s. She was extremely beautiful, so if she were a few years younger, she’d definitely be a veritable beauty, though she was also no slouch now. Judging from her aura, she was definitely from a wealthy family. Mrs. Anna Yard? And she even seems acquainted with Sophia. Anna… could it be what I’m thinking? It was exactly as he thought.

Never had Sophia expected that the person she saw the moment she opened the door would be Anna Yard, the person who held the real power in Yard Group and the mother of Cade and Callum Yard!

Upon seeing her, Anna put down the teacup in her hand and raised her head a fraction. “Have a seat,” she murmured elegantly.

Sophia was still flustered from astonishment, but a flurry of movements came from the cat carrier in the hands of Hale who came with them. As soon as the cat carrier was opened, General who was inside leaped out and flew into Anna’s arm, meowing loudly. Meow! The sound was long and piercing, carrying the joy of seeing its owner while also complaining at the same time—I was at a commoner’s house yesterday, and the cat food was horrible! They even had a litter of local breeds that batted me!

Cuddling the cat, Anna stroked it lovingly for a while before having her assistant take it away. As she did so, she smilingly said to Sophia, “I’m sorry, but this cat grew up in the Yard Family, so it only eats the cat food made from the recipe passed down during the imperial times of the Yard Dynasty.”

Sophia gave a dry chuckle before sitting down on the sofa across from Anna. “I didn’t know it’s your cat, Mrs. Yard. No wonder it’s so elegant.”

This is also a descendant of the Imperial cat? It’s very much different compared to the ancient Imperial Palace’s Imperial cat!

At this time, Michael quietly sat down beside Sophia as well. Then, he scrutinized the woman in front of him. So, she’s Anna Yard. He surreptitiously studied her face, but it was entirely different from the Annabel Johnson he imagined. No matter her countenance, aura, or temperament, they’re two entirely different people, and she never had cosmetic surgery.

The only picture left of Annabel Johnson is that of her at 18 or 19 years old. Meanwhile, a woman’s countenance is wholly different when she’s in her teens than when she’s 45 or 46 years old. There’s a 20 plus year gap, and the life experience throughout that time is sufficient to render one’s temperament and countenance completely different. So, is she Annabel Johnson? Unfortunately, I’ve never really interacted with that mother-in-law of mine, so Cooper may be the only who can tell.

But if she’s really Annabel Johnson, she already has another family. If I tell Sophia and Cooper about her, how would they be able to accept it? After mulling it over, Michael nixed the idea. If Anna Yard is truly Annabel Johnson, it’s fate that they met again. Fate is in God’s hands, so I don’t need to do anything deliberate. They’ll recognize the relationship between them when the time is right.

Anna personally poured Sophia a cup of tea, her long and slender fingers exceedingly delicate and lovely. As she did so, she remarked, “I brought General to the ancient Imperial Palace yesterday, but it unexpectedly got lost. I searched for an eternity.”

The Yard Family originated around the Lombardi River where their political power was also centralized. When their imperial power was later demolished, their palace was torched by the peasant army. The previous dynasty replicated the Yard Family’s palace to the current Bayside City, turning it to the ancient Imperial Palace today that still preserved some of the structure of the Yard Family back then. If it were a few hundred years ago, she could probably enter the ancient Imperial Palace freely, but she now needed an admission ticket, so she probably felt a tad resentful.

Sophia didn’t know what to say to that, so she chortled. “There are indeed a lot of people in the ancient Imperial Palace, so even a lost person would be difficult to find, let alone a cat.” Picking up the tea Anna slipped over to her, she lightly took a sip. It’s sweet and fragrant. It’s quality tea.

The two of them chatted as they drank tea, merely talking about cats, dogs, and the magnificent view in Bayside City instead of anything serious. Michael was merely an ornament, for he rarely said a word.

Anna seldom came to Cethos. This time, she was only accompanying her son here. The Yard Family had long since known that there was no hope in recovering their power, so they’d given up on that. As they merely wanted to make money, they’d long made peace with Cethos and forged a collaboration. The Yard Family now wanted to expand their business to Cethos, so both Callum and Cade had been in Bayside for some time, even having attended Sophia’s banquet.

“Are you planning to go all out in developing the Cethos market now, Mrs. Yard?” Sophia asked as she poured some tea for herself.

Although Anna put her cup down, her elegant countenance carried a hint of amiable smile. “While the Yard Group has always been abroad all these years, the Yard Family’s descendants have always known their origins. Hence, returning to Cethos has always been Yard Group’s desire. Despite having made some historical blunders in the past, it’s a culmination of our ancestors’ wish many years ago that we get to return peacefully now.”

Sophia nodded unceasingly though one couldn’t be certain whether she’d truly digested it or she was merely feigning understanding. “If so, the collaboration between us will definitely grow by leaps and bounds in the future,” she said.

However, Anna was very much courteous in her reply. “No, no. If Yard Group truly wants to enter the Cethos market, we still need a lot of help from you, Madam Edwards.”

Michael had been listening quietly. He couldn’t join the conversation since the two women were talking, but he kept an eye on Anna’s expressions and movements. She seems extremely friendly without being distant at all when talking to Sophia, but it’s not because she has a pleasant attitude. Rather, she has a high EQ. She controls the entire Yard Family and is known for being cold and merciless, so she’s definitely not a simple person.

After drinking tea with Anna and adding each other on Messenger, Sophia left happily. Then, she posted it to her IG Stories. Ah, I’m the poorest of them all!

After having met Anna, Michael went about his own business, while Sophia went for a facial. Well, Anna Yard must be 40 or 50 years old at least, but she has beautiful hair, her hair plentiful, black, and lustrous. Even her skin is extremely supple without much wrinkles. If I could have her beauty at that age, I’d be willing to shave a few years off my life!

Unexpectedly, Sophia caught sight of someone she knew when she turned a corner. “Hey, Stan! You’re here for a blind date?” She saw Stanley at a single glance. This fella is dressed decently and classily with a white shirt, having even shaved his beard and wearing his precious, limited-edition L/K. Usually, he wears short pants littered with dog and cat fur at home, but there isn’t a single fur on him today! Judging from his dressing, he’s definitely here for a blind date!

Pleasant surprise filled Stanley’s face at the sight of her. “You’re here, Aunt? Please save me!” Pulling her into a corner, he solemnly admitted, “My father forced me here today for a blind date again. I asked Sean to come here with Maisie and mess things up, but he said he’s caught in traffic, so he might not make it. You must help me, Aunt!”

All the hairs on Sophia’s arms rose. “Help you? I’m not going to pretend to be your girlfriend. Your uncle is here, so he might just kill you!”

My Dreamy Old Husband Chapter 1080

Clasping his hands together, Stanley almost fell to his knees before Sophia as he pleaded, “Carmen is attending an acting class nearby, so it’ll just take her a few minutes to get here. I know that! Please help me, Aunt. Please.” It seemed that he was truly panicked.

Dad and Caleb came with me today. They’re all chatting happily now, so my impending marriage is about to be set in stone! I’m not Caleb’s match, so if no one barges in to mess things up, my life will truly be ruined! “I’ll kneel before you, Aunt! Sean said his cell phone died on his way here, so I can’t contact him. He probably won’t make it, so you must help me, Aunt!”

Sophia was caught between a rock and a hard place. Carmen had barged in several times when Stanley was on a blind date and messed things up. The Fletchers knew about this, but they didn’t say anything since she was the apple of Michael’s eye. But this time, Stan’s father came personally, so he’s probably taking this very seriously. Stanley was the same age as Sophia, both 28 years old. Although Stanley’s family had been pressuring him to get married, it’d never been this bad, nor had it even gone to the point where his father and brother came to keep an eye on the blind date. Perhaps the Fletchers are pressuring him so much because they heard some rumors. After all, he has recently moved in with Sean and adopted a child.

At long last, she relented. I can’t just look on as he unwillingly gets married, ruining both himself and the girl! Thus, she hurriedly made a phone call and had someone drive Carmen over.

Stanley then went back to deal with the situation first. Ten minutes later, Carmen arrived in a pink dress. She’d started being independent ever since young, so she was shouldering her own bag as she marched in with huge strides. Before Sophia could say anything, she blurted anxiously, “You don’t need to teach me, Mommy. I know what to do, so just lead the way.” She seemed very much skilled.

Back when Sophia first returned to Bayside City and had a blind date with Stanley, she’d witnessed how Carmen did her ‘job.’ At that time, even she was stunned by her performance.

When Stanley was forced into Bayside City’s blind date circle, he got acquainted with a group of men who were likewise disinterested in getting married yet forced to go on blind dates by their families. Thus, he often took Carmen out to earn some pocket money, barging in on other people’s blind dates and messing things up. An appearance cost one grand. Carmen’s skills were superb, so she even made a name for herself in that circle.

When Sophia had led Carmen to the private room in which Stanley was having his blind date, she spotted two men in green military uniform guarding the door. At this, the two of them hatched out a plan in hushed tones. “In a while, I’ll have someone restrain the men outside, and you seize the opportunity to rush in!”

Carmen nodded. In merely five seconds, she’d managed to force out some tears, her eyes filling with anguish. Sophia then had someone restrain the two guards at the door while she rushed into the private room with Carmen. Instantly spotting Stanley who sat right in the middle, Carmen let out an earth-splitting cry. “Daddy!”

She charged forward and hugged his leg, putting all her emotion into her brief yet powerful script with immense professionalism. “Why… Why are you going on a blind date, Daddy? Do you not want me anymore? You promised to take care of me and Mommy! I don’t want a stepmother!” she sniffled.

As expected, the atmosphere in the room stagnated for a moment before a livid woman slammed her hands on the table and sprang to her feet at once. Pointing at Stanley, she lambasted, “Y-You actually have a daughter this old? How dare you?” Then, she demanded, “Dad, Grandpa, let’s go!”

Sophia had been looking down at Carmen, once again shocked by her daughter’s acting. Sure enough, she’s destined to be an actress! However, she suddenly found the woman’s voice extremely familiar, so her head snapped up, only to be greeted by the sight of Stanley blinking at her, his eyes blinking so quickly that it was as though he’d pulled a muscle.

Hence, Sophia swept her gaze over the table. First, she saw Stanley’s furious father and forbidding brother, Caleb. Meanwhile, the woman who slammed her hands on the table and sprang up seemed vaguely familiar. It’s as though I’ve seen her somewhere… Isn’t she Anne Osborne? Anne Osborne is having a blind date with Stan? Moving her gaze past Anne, she saw her father, followed by her grandfather, Louis, then… Michael. She went speechless.

Michael was also struck dumb. Having seen Carmen on the job, he covered his face with his hands in utter embarrassment.

Sophia, on the other hand, was flushed bright red, and her brain whirred around for a way out.

Meanwhile, Stanley was still blinking his eyes at Sophia. Who the f*ck would’ve thought that Michael would make an appearance while I’d gone out to figure a way out of this mess on the pretext of going to the toilet? Only then did he discover that it was Michael who arranged this blind date! He set his own nephew up!

Thus, he inadvertently set Sophia and Carmen up. Furthermore, his cell phone was confiscated, so he had no way of telling Sophia about it. Hence, this situation now transpired.

The entire room went as silent as the tomb; the only sounds that remained were Carmen’s anguished wails. She wanted to take it even further, but the moment she lifted her head, she caught sight of her biological father who was sitting at the table. She first looked at Stanley who kept blinking in an effort to convey the situation before shifting her gaze to her father who had his hands over his face in embarrassment. All the while, her tear-stained face was filled with confusion.

She’d been doing this ‘job’ for many years and had scared off many blind dates. Stanley even gave her ‘jobs’ occasionally since he was acquainted with many men who didn’t want to get married, but this was the first time she’d ever bumped into her biological father while on the job. What should I do now? My performance today is going down the drain! However, her pride as the Best Actor’s daughter didn’t allow her to admit defeat. No matter how awkward the situation is, I’ve got to salvage it!

In the next moment, she released her hold on Stanley’s leg and slipped under the table, crawling on her hands and legs over to Michael who was on the opposite side. Then, she hugged his leg tightly and wailed loudly, “You’re here, Daddy! Why did you go on a blind date behind Mommy’s back? Have you really divorced Mommy? Do you not want me anymore? Everyone is saying that you two are divorced and that you don’t want me anymore!”

Yes! The plot has been seamlessly connected, and things are now good! Following Carmen’s lead, Sophia hurried over to Michael as well. “Don’t worry, baby. Daddy is only here to eat with his friends, not to go on a blind date. It’s Stanley who’s on a blind date.”

Tugging on Michael’s sleeve, she then shook it vigorously as she begged, “Michael, hurry up and explain things to her. She’s been crying ever since she heard that you went on a blind date!” I’ll hand things over to him next. He won’t possibly embarrass us, will he?

Michael was torn between crying and laughing, at a loss as to what he should do about his two precious babies. They even dare mess up the blind date I arranged. This is simply preposterous! Fortunately, I’m an Academy Award winner, else this would really end up in a farce. He could only go along with their script and put on the performance of his life.

Taking out his professionalism as an Academy Award winner, he scooped up his precious daughter who was about to pass out from crying. Wiping her tears and snot, he gently and touchingly reassured, “Don’t worry. I’m really not here to go on a blind date. I’m just here to supervise Stanley’s blind date. Alright, don’t cry anymore, baby. I swear I’m really not here for a blind date.”