Ch. 21..30

Chapter 21 Addicted

Taking the rope, Harvey approached Queenie.

“What are you doing, Harvey?”

Queenie never thought Harvey would tie her up for real.

“Don’t listen to Sophie. We’re related!”

“We’re merely cousins,” responded Harvey coldly.

“Harvey.” I didn’t expect he’d listen to Sophie.

Just like that, Queenie was tied to a chair.

“Let me go, Harvey! Hurry and let me go!”

As her voice annoyed him, Harvey slapped her.

“Shut up.”

Queenie stared at her cousin in disbelief. Is he out of his mind?

Turning around, Harvey stared at Sophie nervously.

“I really like you, Sophie. I’ll listen to everything you say, as long as we can be together. If Queenie dares to hurt you, I’ll beat her up for you.” Harvey immediately pledged his loyalty to Sophie.

“Release my friend,” demanded Sophie in an icy tone.

“What are you waiting for?” Harvey questioned his subordinate.

Heeding his order, the subordinate instantly did as told.

Ysabelle did not expect Sophie would come to her rescue alone, and it moved her to tears.

Why is Soph so charming?

Once she was released, Ysabelle ran to Sophie.

“Soph!”

Scanning Ysabelle all over, Sophie noticed the former’s red cheek.

“Who did this?”

Upon hearing her question, Harvey’s subordinate shuddered.

Even Boss listens to what she says. She’s scary.

Sophie need not see anything else to know he was the one who did that to Ysabelle.

Slowly, she approached the tall man.

“Which hand?”

Frightened by the eighteen-year-old girl, the thug took a step back.

“Not saying anything, huh? I’ll break both hands, then.”

Without saying anything else, Sophie immediately went into action, successfully breaking the man’s hands.

Her movement was fast and precise.

Having just had his hands crippled, the man rolled on the ground in pain.

As the others witnessed the scene, they all went pale as a ghost.

Even after what happened to his subordinate, Harvey was still smiling as if nothing had transpired. “I came here to see you, Sophie. Now that you’ve vented your anger, you’re not mad anymore, right?”

“You’re with them, aren’t you?” Sophie disregarded him, unwilling to let the thugs go just like that.

Harvey’s expression changed at her words.

“I’m being nice to you, Sophie. Don’t waste it.”

Ignoring Harvey’s nonsense, Sophie kicked the man’s stomach, making him land on the floor.

“How does a weakling like you have the confidence to join the underworld? Don’t you find it embarrassing?”

“Grab her! If I don’t teach her a lesson today, she’ll think—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Sophie delivered another kick to his face.

The impact was so hard that Harvey vomited blood, and two of his teeth fell out.

Seeing that, his subordinates immediately fled.

That girl is not a human! She’s a demon straight from hell!

Meanwhile, Queenie had the shock of her life as she watched everything from the side.

Since when did Sophie become this impressive?

Queenie wanted to step back upon seeing Sophie walking toward her.

However, she could not move even an inch, as she was tied to a chair.

Patting Queenie’s cheek, Sophie uttered, “Haven’t I warned you before, Queenie?”

“What are you trying to do, Sophie? Killing is a crime!”

At her words, Sophie could not help but let out a chuckle.

“What are you laughing for?” At this point, Queenie panicked even more.

“Killing? Why would I dirty my hands just for you?”

Suddenly, Sophie punched Queenie’s nose, breaking the latter’s nasal bone. Queenie had spent so much to get her nose done.

“Sophie—”

“If there’s a next time, I’ll not be this easy on you.”

With that, Sophie turned and sauntered toward Ysabelle.

“Are you all right?”

Ysabelle nodded.

Seeing the two on their way to leave the factory, Queenie bellowed in panic, “Sophie, let me go!”

She was in the wilderness. There was no way she would want to be alone here.

As if she did not hear Queenie, Sophie did not look back as she left the rundown factory.

Scared, Queenie bawled her eyes.

Who’s going to save me?

Ysabelle twisted her ankle on the way to the factory earlier, so she was limping now.

Noticing that, Sophie held her.

“I’m fine,” reassured Ysabelle, not wanting her friend to worry.

However, Sophie carried her up instead, which stunned Ysabelle.

She’s so strong!

“Can I marry you, Soph? I want to marry you.”

“Stop it. I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Noticing that Sophie was not in the mood to joke around, Ysabelle stuck her tongue out.

“I’m fine, Soph. Really. I only just got slapped and twisted my ankle.”

Despite what she said, Sophie did not listen to her as they continued their journey to the hospital.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Ysabelle gave Tristan a call.

“Uncle Tristan, I’m not coming home tonight. I’m at the hospital. If Grandpa asks for me, can you tell him I’m with you?”

The hospital again…

Tristan was having a dinner appointment when he received Ysabelle’s call. Immediately, he drove to the hospital.

Once he saw Ysabelle’s swollen cheek, Tristan’s face darkened.

“What happened?” Who is daring enough to do this to a Lombard?

Ysabelle then relayed everything that had happened to Tristan.

“You have no idea how charming Sophie is, Uncle Tristan,” praised Ysabelle.

At that, Tristan’s face dimmed even more.

When they were alone, Tristan blocked Sophie and pinned her against the wall.

Raising her head, Sophie met the man’s angry eyes.

“Why didn’t you call me?”

“Because I could handle it.” They’re mere thugs, anyway. To me, they’re nothing.

Upon hearing that, Tristan felt helpless. Seriously, this girl will melt anyone’s heart.

“Are you hurt?”

“No.”

Tristan pulled her into his embrace. Although he knew she was fine and that she was skilled in fighting, he was still worried.

“If you encounter anything like that again, tell me, okay?” Tristan’s deep voice sounded sexy and enticing.

The man tightened his hold around her.

Sophie noticed how easy it was for him to put her in a daze, especially with that aura of his.

“Did you hear me? I want to be your backup.”

“Tristan…”

“Hmm?”

“Can you let go of me?”

She felt suffocated, and his action also made her feel a bit embarrassed.

Pleased with her expression, the man placed a kiss on her forehead before easing up his grip on her. He never planned to release her, though.

Now that she was this close to him, Tristan realized how addicted he was to her—he could not bring himself to let go of her at all.

“You haven’t answered me yet.”

“Tristan, I’m not the kind of girl you think I am.”

“Which kind?”

“The kind that—”

“You are you. I don’t label you with anything. You can do whatever you want, and I won’t force you to join Lombard Group if you don’t want to.”

“I—”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take it slow with you, but now, let me hold on to you for a little longer.”

Having no reason to reject him, Sophie gently leaned into his embrace. He’s so warm… I’m addicted.

 

Chapter 22 Lodging A Report

Given Ysabelle could not return home due to her condition, Tristan sent both the girls to Wisteria Apartments.

As Ysabelle could spend more time with Sophie, she was immensely delighted.

Even though she was drained, she happily rolled around in her bed until she finally fell asleep.

“Let me handle Queenie,” uttered Tristan.

“How?” He made it sound like he was dealing with the trash.

“You don’t have to concern yourself with that.” I’ll also deal with those thugs, lest they trouble her again in the future.

“You can handle the thugs, but let me deal with Queenie. I’m the one she has a problem with.”

“But—”

“Don’t interfere in girls’ problems, Mr. Tristan. Don’t you have faith that I can handle it?”

“Of course I have.”

“Okay, I’ll go to bed, then.”

When Sophie was about to go to her bedroom, Tristan stopped her.

“If things don’t go well. Let me know. I don’t want what happened today to repeat.”

“It will go well.”

It was not until the next morning that someone from the nearby residential area noticed Queenie.

Once she spotted a person, Queenie burst into tears.

A woman in her fifties exclaimed, “Goodness! Why are you tied up here?”

The woman quickly untied Queenie.

“Let me take you to the hospital, young lady.”

“No need. Take me to the police station instead. I want to lodge a report,” replied Queenie, completely forgetting who kidnapped who first.

In the meantime, Tristan did not allow Ysabelle to go to school because of her injury.

“I’m fine, Uncle Tristan. With Sophie by my side, no one would dare bully me.”

I’ll be happy to have Sophie with me.

“Your leg’s injured, Ysabelle. It’s better for you to stay at home.”

“All right, then.”

Her answer made Tristan frown. Since when is she this obedient? Also, why is she looking at Sophie like that? It isn’t normal.

“Sophie is a girl, Ysabelle. Keep that in mind.”

“I know that!” Ysabelle stared at her uncle strangely.

Just then, Sophie cleared her throat and took her bag, ready to go to school.

“Rest well. Someone will be here and make breakfast for you shortly,” said Tristan.

“Why am I home alone?” Ysabelle complained grumpily, only to be ignored by her uncle.

In no time, Tristan caught up with Sophie.

“I’ll drive you to school.”

“No need. I’ll just have breakfast outside and walk to school after that.”

It’s just a few minutes’ journey. I don’t need him to drive me.

“Then let’s have breakfast together!”

“Are you sure?”

I’m going to a nearby simple outlet. Is he even used to such food?

“Yup.”

Of course I’m sure. I still have time.

After they entered a clean breakfast outlet, Sophie told him she wanted a bagel and a cup of coffee.

“What about you?”

“Same as you.”

Hence, Sophie ended up ordering two sets of her order.

By the time she returned, Tristan had already used tissue papers to wipe the chair and table for her.

Seeing that, Sophie could not help but smile. Huh, I didn’t think he’d do this for anyone.

When their orders were served shortly after, Sophie dipped her bagel in the coffee. She liked to eat it this way.

Tristan then mirrored her action.

“Try it. I like to eat like this.”

Tristan gave it a try. It’s quite good.

“It’s yummy.”

“Good to hear that.”

After breakfast, Tristan drove Sophie to the school before heading toward Lombard Group.

Early in the morning, Felix was asked to go to the company through a phone call.

“What’s the matter, Mr. Tristan? It’s only eight.”

“Have you ever heard of Sage Dragon Gang?”

“Sage Dragon Gang?” Felix thought hard about it, but the name did not ring a bell. “No. Is it famous?”

“I want it destroyed.”

“Why? Did the members offend you?” What kind of idiots would dare to offend Mr. Tristan?

All Tristan did was give Felix a look for the latter to nod in understanding.

“Okay, I’ll handle them.” It’s just a gang. Destroying it is but a mere game for me.

Meanwhile, Harvey ran to the Sage Dragon Gang’s place early in the morning.

That darned Sophie. How dare she beat me to this point? I’ll never let her off the hook.

Harvey planned to ask his master, who was a skilled fighter, to teach Sophie a lesson. I’ll make sure she beg for mercy.

As soon as he opened the door, the sight of the members kneeling on the ground greeted him, which stunned him.

What the hell is going on? Who did they offend?

He wanted to retreat in secret, but the main door had been closed.

“Are you Harvey?”

Scared, Harvey replied, “No.”

“He is,” intervened Harvey’s master.

Harvey was about to flee when somebody kicked him, resulting in him kneeling on the floor.

“You’re bold, aren’t you? How dare you kidnap our lady?”

“I—”

He was not even given a chance to talk when he was immediately beaten to a pulp.

“From now on, Sage Dragon Gang is no more. If I hear of this gang involved in anything else, I’ll blow your place to pieces,” uttered Felix in a cold tone.

Normally, there was no need for him to get entangled in such a trivial matter in person, but since he had been bored out of his mind recently, he did.

With that, he left with his men. “Let’s go.”

After they left, the gang leader of Sage Dragon Gang glared at Harvey, obviously furious.

“Harvey, you scum! Beat him!”

At his order, Harvey received another round of beating from the other members; his master was no exception.

In the end, Harvey had to crawl back home. D*mn it! This must be Sophie’s doing. Who the hell is backing her up? Why is she so powerful?

On the other side, Queenie arrived at the police station.

“Officer, I want to lodge a report, and I want to have my injury checked.” I’ll make sure Sophie is expel from school this time.

Seeing her in that state, the officer immediately took her to the hospital to have her injury examined for forensic purposes.

They came out with the result of her having a broken nose.

“You have to help me, officer. My life is in danger,” Queenie sobbed.

“Come with us to give your statement, Miss. Don’t worry. We’ll definitely help you.” Whoever did this to her must be held accountable.

Back at the police station, Queenie turned on the waterworks and recounted Sophie’s evil deeds in great detail while watching the officer jot the situation.

“I’m so scared, officer. I don’t want to go back to school.”

“Worry not, Ms. Lane. We’ll bring Sophie here today. You’ll hear from us in no time.”

When the police officers arrived at the school, they were in the middle of physics class.

Upon seeing the officers, Carrie was momentarily stunned.

“Can I help you?” queried Carrie politely.

“Yes, can you call Sophie out here?”

“Sophie? See, I knew this school shouldn’t have accepted a student like her. Even the police are here now.” Since Carrie was loud, the whole class heard her.

The students in the class started murmuring among themselves.

“What’s going on?”

“No idea.”

“Sophie is truly so problematic!”

“Come out here, Sophie!” Carrie bellowed.

It’s so embarrassing to have a student like her.

“Seriously, what’s going on with you, Sophie? Not only do you have a bad grade, but you always cause trouble,” Carrie scolded.

 

Chapter 23 Evidence

“Ma’am, we’re just going to bring her in for questioning.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary. All she does is cause problems.”

I really can’t stand Sophie.

“You should go back to the class, Mrs. Fletcher,” uttered Sophie coldly.

She’s not even qualified to become a teacher.

As she followed the police officers downstairs, Willow was coincidentally ascending the stairs, but Sophie did not even bother to glance at her.

However, Willow halted her steps, a frown on her face.

“Just what exactly did Sophie do that the police are here for her?”

“Don’t know.”

Willow could not bear to listen to the students’ gossips.

If the news of Sophie being arrested spread around, will Grandpa still give her the shares?

Bearing that thought in mind, she quickly gave Charmaine a call.

“Mom, the police took Sophie in from the school. I don’t know for what. Just wanted to inform you in case you and Grandpa want to check on her.”

On the other side, Charmaine was enraged after she received the news.

That darned Sophie! Why didn’t she just die in Horington! Is it not enough for her to embarrass us five years ago? Why is she still causing trouble!

Josiah seemed to take notice of her fury as he queried, “What’s wrong?”

“Dad, Sophie is arrested. I don’t know what happened, but I’ll go to the police station now.” No matter what, she’s still a Tanner. I can’t neglect her.

“What?”

“Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll go check on her.”

“Wait, I’ll go with you.”

On the flip side, Sophie could not help but sneer upon noticing Queenie at the police station.

Hmm. How dare she continue with her act here? Seems like what I did to her is not enough.

“Do you know who she is?” asked an officer to Sophie.

“Yes.”

“Have a look at this statement. Do you have anything to say regarding Ms. Queenie’s charges?”

Queenie smirked. Let’s see how you’ll remain smug this time, Sophie.

Glancing at Queenie, Sophie still seemed smug.

“Yes,” the latter responded nonchalantly.

“What is it?”

“I am indeed the one who broke her nose.”

Just as she said that, Charmaine walked in, and the latter was infuriated.

“Sophie, I shouldn’t have let you return to Jipsdale!” she hollered. Why do I have a daughter like her? All she does is get into trouble!

At this time, Queenie’s mother also arrived.

Since the Lane family had some sort of business in Jipsdale, Queenie’s mother could not bear to see her daughter in this state.

“Why are you so evil at such a young age? What did my Queenie do to you that you did this to her?”

Seeing her mother, Queenie ran into her embrace.

“Mom, I’m scared. I don’t want to go to school anymore.”

“Don’t be scared, Queenie. I believe the police will help us,” replied Cynthia Lane, Queenie’s mother.

“We’re at fault here, so if you need anything, we’ll surely give it to you,” said Charmaine. This matter can’t travel out. Otherwise, our family will be embarrassed once again.

“Really? Then break your daughter’s nose. Our family doesn’t need any more money.”

“We’re really sorry, Mrs. Lane. Sophie’s still young. Please let her off the hook this time. What are you waiting for, Sophie? Apologize!”

Seeing Charmaine behaving like this, Josiah spoke up. “Hold on.” Why is she blaming Sophie when she doesn’t know the full story yet?

“Dad, you don’t have to get involved in this. I’ll handle it.” Knowing Josiah’s temper, Charmaine was afraid that he would make things worse.

“Get to the side, Charmaine.” Josiah did not wish to continue watching Charmaine slandering his granddaughter like this.

“Dad—”

“Grandpa, it’s okay. Trust me. I’ll get this dealt with.”

How would a kid like her deal with this matter? ”Soph—”

“Dad, let’s just use money to resolve this issue.”

“Money? Do you think our family lacks money? Officer, you’ve seen so yourself how this family behaves. I’ve had enough. I’m not going to accept anything they offer. I want to press charges against her.”

Hearing that, Charmaine panicked. “You better shut the hell up, Sophie.”

“Mrs. Tanner, my problem has nothing to do with you. Please go home.”

Why would someone who doesn’t even listen to me help me, anyway?

“Queenie, I did hit you,” Sophie stated.

Her words rendered everyone else speechless. Why does she look proud of it?

“But that’s only because you deserved it. You told everyone I broke your nose. Why don’t you tell them why I did it?”

“Are you trying to justify yourself? What kind of behavior is this? You’re already eighteen. You have to bear the consequences of your own actions,” retorted Cynthia.

“Why did Sophie hit you?” questioned Josiah, siding with Sophie.

“How would I know why you hit me, Sophie? Didn’t you get expelled from the school in Horington because of fighting? You, of all people, should know what kind of person you are.”

I’m sure she doesn’t have any proof that I kidnapped Ysabelle.

“Hmm, seems you still refuse to give up.”

With that, Sophie fished out her phone, giving a recording to the police officer.

When the officer pressed play, the voice of Queenie threatening Sophie was heard.

Instantly, Queenie’s face went pale, as she did not expect Sophie would record the phone call.

Simultaneously, Cynthia stared at her daughter in disbelief.

“I rescued my friend while Queenie kidnapped and hurt her. I suppose the police know who’s right and who’s wrong here.”

“Mom, I didn’t.”

After that, Sophie handed a flash drive to the police officer.

“The evidence is all there.”

The officer did not imagine the matter to take such a drastic turn.

“Queenie, if you have anything to say, just tell the officer. I’ll not be accepting any offer from you as well.”

When the officer confirmed the evidence, the way he treated Sophie changed.

“I apologize, Ms. Tanner.”

“It’s all right. Queenie, if you have any questions, you can speak to my lawyer,” said Sophie as she gave Queenie a name card.

Turning to the officer, Sophie asked politely, “If there’s nothing else, may I take my leave?”

“Yes. Thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Tanner.”

Approaching her grandfather, Sophie supported him. “Let me send you home, Grandpa.”

“Thank you, officers,” uttered Josiah.

Meanwhile, Queenie was on the verge of tears. “What are we going to do, Mom?”

Cynthia gave her daughter a slap.

“Queenie, are you stupid! How could you act as if you were in the right when you were the one at fault!” There’s even evidence!

“Isn’t Uncle Jason a lawyer, Mom? I don’t want to go to jail!”

Uncle Jason is extremely famous in his field. It’s still uncertain who’ll end up in jail.

 

Chapter 24 Are You Angry

Cynthia brought Queenie to her younger brother, Jason’s law firm.

“You must help me, Uncle Jason. I can’t go to prison! I have plans to join the national team.” I would have even less of a chance with Cyro if I were in prison.

Jason asked for a brief understanding of the situation.

“All right,” he said with brisk confidence when she was done, “I think I got it. I’m a pretty famous lawyer, you know. You won’t be going to prison.”

Having founded his law firm after graduating from university, Jason had been unbeatable ever since.

He did not take an insignificant conflict between high school students seriously.

“You’re the best, Uncle Jason.” Queenie hugged him coyly.

“I have work to do,” Jason announced, too busy to chat with them. “It would be best if you go home first. Let me handle it.”

When the women emerged from the office, Queenie threw the card given to her by Sophie into the trash.

“I don’t care who Sophie hires,” she declared haughtily, “nobody will do anything to me with my uncle here.”

Who does Sophie think she is? Other than Josiah, none of the Tanners treat her as family. I have pull in Horington and can hire any lawyer I want. Does she think that I am so easily intimidated?

Sophie personally sent Josiah back to the Tanner residence.

“I want you to tell me no matter what happens to you, Soph,” Josiah said distressedly. “Do you understand? I can’t bear the thought of you facing it all alone.”

How has my poor Soph suffered in my absence!

“I won’t allow myself to be stepped on, Grandpa. I have been too foolish in the past, and I won’t be allowing anybody to hurt me again.”

Josiah felt another twinge of pain at her words and pulled her close to him.

“Let me find you somebody you can lean on, Soph.” I know I don’t have much longer to live. What will happen to her when I die?

“Don’t worry about me, Grandpa. I can take care of myself. Your well-being is more important to me.”

Grandpa has grown so old. His hair is all white now.

“You shall have my shares, Soph. It’s the only thing that I can give you.” He had initially planned to hand the Tanner family over to Soph as she was his only worthy heir.

“Hold on to them, Grandpa. I don’t need them yet.” Her reason for those words was to deny Willow satisfaction. She had her own money; it was not something she lacked.

“Come back often to see me, won’t you?” He dared not allude to his mortality lest he upset her.

“I will come back often to spend time with you,” Sophie promised with a sweetness she reserved only for Josiah.

“How is your lawyer, by the way? Would you like me to find you a better one?” Her reassurances did not convince Josiah. He was worried as the Lane family was one of the most influential in Jipsdale.

“Don’t worry, Grandpa. I have faith in my representation. I won’t embarrass you.”

If this is how Queenie wants to pick a fight, I won’t back down. I’m not afraid of her.

Sophie stayed behind at noon for lunch with Josiah and took a cab to school when he took his siesta.

Ysabelle arrived later that afternoon. She pulled Sophie aside when she saw the latter heading for the classroom.

“I heard the police are here looking for you, Soph. This has nothing to do with you. I’ll have Uncle Tristan deal with it.”

Queenie is too much. Being the one at fault, how dare she turn it around?

“There’s no need to tell your uncle. I can handle this.”

By then, Queenie arrived at school as well.

“Do you know who my uncle is, Sophie?” Queenie was beside herself with glee.

Sophie did not deign to spare her a glance. What does her uncle’s identity have to do with me?

“Have you heard of Jason Chandler? He is the best lawyer in Jipsdale. Just wait and see.”

“Jason Chandler?”

“Now you’re afraid, aren’t you? Just wait. I will put you in prison this time.”

“Is this Jason Chandler a good lawyer?” Sophie turned to Ysabelle.

Ysabelle shook her head. “Never heard of him.”

She was not lying. The name was new to her.

Queenie chuckled coldly at their ignorance.

“Look at you two idiots. It’s fine if you haven’t heard of him. You will get to know him very well when the trial starts.”

Jason Chandler was a newcomer to the legal industry and the most gifted member of his family. He was also Queenie’s uncle.

“Have you never heard of Jason?” asked an acquaintance of Ysabelle’s. “My father says he’s excellent and on a hot streak with some prickly cases recently.”

They, too, heard that the police had come for Sophie. What’s more, Queenie has gotten herself such a good lawyer.

“Is he really that good?” Ysabelle was considering hiring a better lawyer.

“Why don’t you apologize to Queenie, Sophie?” the acquaintance suggested. “We’re all classmates, after all. There’s no need to make a scene.”

Ysabelle bristled. “Apologize to her? You must be joking.” I have been too nice that everybody now thinks I’m a pushover. ”She kidnapped me. Why should Soph apologize?” Ysabelle was so angry she laughed in disbelief.

“Jason is not one you should pick a fight with!”

“Enough, girls. We should go in. Class is about to start.” Sophie was not in the least bothered about what Queenie said about Jason.

She was interested to see how true it was for herself.

It’s such an obvious case. How is he going to fight us?

Queenie ran into Willow after their lesson, who sneered at her swollen nose inwardly but put on a show of concern.

“Are you all right, Queenie? How are you so badly injured? What did the doctor say?”

“My nose is broken. I’m not going to forgive Sophie for this.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why should you apologize, Willa? This has nothing to do with you. It’s all the little b*tch’s fault. I’m not going to let her off the hook.”

“Sophie has always been a troublemaker.”

“She is! Stay away from her, Willa. Sophie is not the same as she was five years ago. She’s much crueler now.”

“I know.”

With a simpleton like Queenie acting on my behalf, I don’t even need to lift a finger.

Tristan was approached by his niece upon his return to Wisteria Apartments that night.

“Help me hire a lawyer, Uncle Tristan.” Ysabelle was incensed by the mere thought of Queenie’s triumphant expression.

“Why?”

“That b*tch Queenie has hired a famous one. She intends to put Soph behind bars.”

“Haven’t I told you before, Ysabelle?” Sophie interjected. “I’ve got this handled.” It’s a simple task of hiring a lawyer. I think I can handle it.

“This isn’t just your battle, Soph. I was the one Queenie kidnapped.”

“I know. Rest assured, she is going to pay for it.”

There is no need to get Tristan involved as it’s a feud between us girls. Why should we bring out the big guns for something so trivial?

“I’d mention before to come to me if you need help, Sophie. You never seem to remember that.”

Tristan’s gaze was a little frightening. Even Ysabelle did not dare speak.

“I’ve got this handled,” Sophie repeated. It’s not a big deal.

“Are you mad at me?” she added uncertainly.

Chapter 25 Give Me A Wide Berth

“No.” Though Tristan’s tone was light, he did not look at her.

Sophie became even more certain of her hunch.

Ysabelle retired to her room for a shower after dinner and left Sophie and Tristan in the living room.

“Why are you upset?” Sophie asked, still puzzled.

“I want to be the first person you think of whenever you run into trouble.”

Being inexperienced in relationships, Sophie might never have known if he did not bring it up.

“I know,” she remarked noncommittedly. She was already used to solving her own problems.

Tristan did not know what else to do.

With a sudden movement, he reached forward and took her hands.

Feeling her tiny hands nestled within his vast and warm ones, Sophie felt her heartbeat race.

He made her feel very safe, as if he would be able to solve all her problems no matter what happened.

As the witness, Ysabelle accompanied Sophie to court on the day of the trial.

Upon arriving outside the court, they saw Queenie and her uncle.

The former scoffed at the sight of Sophie and Ysabelle.

“They’re the ones who have assaulted me, Uncle Jason. You must avenge me.”

Jason cast an eye on the two girls standing across him and found them both exceptional beauties.

“Relax. I’ve never lost a case.”

“I’ll see you inside, Uncle Jason.” Queenie sent her uncle in to prepare before walking over.

“I’m sure you saw all of that. That’s my uncle. You’re screwed today, Sophie.” I will put Sophie behind bars no matter how long it takes.

Sophie failed to suppress a snort.

“What’s the matter? Scared silly?” Queenie did not like the smile on her nemesis’ face. She found it nauseating.

“You’ve hurt Ysabelle, Queenie. I’m not letting you go for that. Enjoy being smug while you still can. I’m going to oblige you by putting you behind bars today.”

Some people seem to forget what pain feels like once the injury heals. She needs a scar that will never heal.

“Still in denial at this point.” Queenie strode briskly into the courtroom, leaving Sophie and Ysabelle to await their lawyer.

Jeffrey Goode saw Sophie as soon as he exited his car and hurried over.

“Apologies for being late.”

“Not at all. You’re just in time.”

The three of them entered together.

Queenie turned to Jason the moment she saw Sophie entering with her lawyer.

“Do you know Sophie’s lawyer, Uncle Jason?”

Jason looked up and saw Jeffrey by Sophie’s side.

“It’s him!” Jason’s hands that were going through the briefs froze.

“What’s wrong? Is he any good?” Queenie asked anxiously. I do not want to go to prison. My future is still filled with possibilities!

“Good? You underestimate your uncle, Queenie. Don’t worry. We’re winning this suit today.”

Jeffrey was the opposing counsel on more than one of Jason’s cases, and he had never won.

Jeffrey caught sight of Jason as well.

“We’re going up against Jason!”

“Do you know him?” Sophie seated herself, not sounding very interested.

“Let me find you a better lawyer, Sophie.”

“Why?”

“I’ve gone up against Jason several times before and have never won.”

His last remark was heard by Jason, who was coming over to greet them at that moment.

“You’re pretty self-aware, Jeffrey. Haven’t I told you before to stay down when you have a case against me? It wouldn’t help your reputation to be losing all the time.”

Jeffrey turned green and did not offer a refute.

He is right. I am a loser. Losers have no right to any dignity.

“Don’t worry, Jeff. The case is crystal clear. They will lose.”

Jason smirked. “The world is not all black and white, young lady. Many things aren’t as simple as you think.” I can turn anything into the truth.

“How can you call yourself a lawyer?” Sophie asked.

“It’s not your place to decide whether or not I’m worthy. Remember when you’re in there that everything that happens is caused by you hiring a second-rate attorney.”

The judge’s arrival signified that the court was in officially in session. Jason returned to his seat.

“What did you say to them, Uncle Jason?”

“Nothing.”

Jeffrey, on the other hand, was deathly pale.

“You’d better find someone else, Sophie.” I can’t do this. Sometimes, I even wonder if I’m suited to be a lawyer.

“I’ve said it once before,” she reiterated firmly, “you are my lawyer.” What is he afraid of? I’m the defendant, and I’m not even that nervous.

“We’ll find someone else if he can’t manage, Soph.” Ysabelle did not want to see her friend behind bars.

“It’ll be fine. There’s still me.”

Unable to refute those words, Jeffrey steeled himself and stepped forward for the opening statements.

Jason went first. “Your Honor, my client, Queenie Lane, has her nose broken by the defendant, Sophie Tanner. Here is the medical report. Furthermore, the defendant shows no remorse for her malicious assault. I believe the case is clear.”

The judge turned to Sophie.

“Do you have anything to say about the plaintiff’s version of events?”

“I did commit the assault,” Sophie admitted.

“Your Honor, the defendant has already exhibited such sadistic tendencies despite her tender age. I recommend teaching her a lesson lest she becomes a menace to society when she’s older.”

Sophie chortled at Jason’s words.

The judge’s eyes flicked to her at once. “Is the defense holding the court in contempt?”

“Your Honor, I only laughed because I find the plaintiff’s claim ridiculous. First and foremost, I do admit that I struck the plaintiff. However, the reason for my conduct has to be clarified. I will not be held responsible for the plaintiff’s damaging actions to society.”

Sophie cleared her throat. “At six-thirty on the twenty-third, I received a phone call from the plaintiff informing me that my friend, Ysabelle Lombard, was in her hands. If I did not make an appearance, she would hurt Ysabelle. Out of consideration for my classmate’s safety, I arrived at the designated location alone and saw that a dozen gangsters under Queenie’s employ had tied Ysabelle to a stool. There were visible bruises on Ysabelle’s face. To rescue the victim, I began to fight them. Though I did strike Queenie by accident, it was done entirely in self-defense.”

“The plaintiff, Queenie,” Sophie continued as she pointed, gathering steam, “has committed kidnapping in exchange for ransom. According to our statutes, kidnapping to extort or hold one hostage warrants a

minimum of ten years to life imprisonment and a fine or the confiscation of their assets.”

Sophie provided her own rebuttal before her lawyer even opened his mouth.

She then handed the surveillance footage of Queenie taking Ysabelle, the screenshot of the message sent by Harvey, and the voice recording of Queenie blackmailing Sophie to the judge.

Jason turned pale.

How was I not informed of the kidnapping?

“What is this, Queenie?” If she had told me earlier, I would still be able to prepare for it. How am I going to argue my way out of this now?

 

Chapter 26 Does It Hurt

“Aren’t you the best lawyer in Jipsdale, Uncle Jason? You must help me. I don’t want to go to prison.” Her faith in her uncle had never wavered.

“You-” Jason was too livid to complete his sentence.

Jeffrey had regained his composure by then.

“My client is only an eighteen-year-old student, Your Honor. The plaintiff had kidnapped my client’s classmate; she had only acted in self-defense. More importantly, the plaintiff had kidnapped her classmate and issued threats. What else would she be capable of in the future if she is not taught a lesson today?”

“The young lady can hold her own, Mr. Tristan.” The man who spoke was the best lawyer in Jipsdale, Sean Burton.

“It doesn’t look like your services would be needed. You may go.”

“Right. You’re the boss.” The case was very clear. “The girl is suited for a career in law.”

Tristan did not deign to respond.

Sophie has many facets. Her performance in court was better than many lawyers.

Besides, she was only an eighteen-year-old senior in school.

As the court adjourned, the jury went to the back to discuss the verdict.

Jeffrey gazed at Sophie in awe.

“Where are you planning to attend university, Sophie?”

“I don’t know yet.” Her future ahead was bright with possibilities.

“Be a lawyer! You will be the best lawyer there ever was.”

“You have it in you, Jeff. You’re just temporarily off your game. Don’t forget why you started this.” Having understood Jeffrey’s situation was the reason why she insisted that he be the one to represent her.

“I know. I won’t give up.” He was initially considering quitting. Without a foothold or a reputation in Jipsdale, he would not survive in the city.

The lawsuit today gave me a fresh perspective.

“Remember to come to me if you run into any trouble in the future.”

The jurors returned with the verdict. Queenie was sentenced to prison for five years for kidnapping and extortion.

Even after her wrists had been cuffed together, she remained in flat denial.

“Help me, Uncle Jason! I don’t want to go to prison.”

Jason was frozen to the spot, unable to believe his defeat. How the hell did Jeffrey beat me?

That’s not true. I’ve lost to a little girl who’s not even out of high school.

Queenie screamed in despair at the prospect of a prison sentence.

The courtroom only regained its silence after the police took her away.

“Have you studied law?” Jason could not repress his curiosity as he approached Sophie. His loss had hit him hard.

“I’ve flipped through a couple of books. I wouldn’t count it studying.”

Jason was dumbstruck in disbelief. Is that really true?

Sophie got to her feet and led Ysabelle out. It’s over, isn’t it?

“If you’re not satisfied with the verdict, you could put in an appeal.”

Ysabelle gazed in awe at Sophie once they were out of the courtroom.

“Are you sure you’re a terrible student, Soph?” Impossible! This is the rhythm of a prodigy!

“No. I dabbled out of interest.” Sophie did not mention that she had a photographic memory.

Jason had sabotaged himself this time. Being fond of publicity, he had preemptively tipped off the reporters.

The reporters were waiting outside at that moment.

They rushed forward to meet Sophie and her companions.

“You have established a pattern of defeat against Jason, Jeffrey. Do you plan to remain a lawyer?”

A lawyer who had never beaten Jason; even if he wanted to keep being a lawyer, nobody might want to hire him.

The reporter’s question was blunt. Before, Jeffrey would have turned and run.

At that moment, however, he was already calm.

“I always believe that justice is plain to all. I love my profession and will keep working hard to fight for those who have been wronged.”

“Are you Ms. Sophie Tanner, whose name has been dragged through the mud? Could you please-”

Before the reporter finished his question, a dozen bodyguards clad in identical suits blocked him.

“Get in, Ms. Tanner.”

Sophie brought the two of them over and saw Tristan seated in the silver Lamborghini.

“You’re coming with us in this other car, Mr. Goode. We’ll give you a ride home.”

Jeffrey was taken away.

Sophie and Ysabelle got in the car.

Back there, Jason was swarmed by the reporters as soon as he emerged.

“We have heard that the plaintiff is your niece, Mr. Chandler. What is the outcome of the trial?”

“That’s right. Against your old nemesis, Jeffrey, you must have won by a landslide, haven’t you?”

“Excuse me, no comment.” Jason looked a little pale. He could not bring himself to tell the reporters that his niece had been sentenced to five years in prison, and it would be akin to shooting himself in the foot.

“You couldn’t have lost, could you, Mr. Chandler?”

“How is that possible? Mr. Chandler could not lose.”

The reporters were tormenting him.

Jason shoved the reporters aside brusquely.

How can I tell Cynthia that Queenie has been put behind bars?

His mood worsened at the thought of that.

Before the Lamborghini departed, Ysabelle glanced back at Jason surrounded by reporters.

“Jason deserves it.” Despite being smug earlier, his cheeks must be smarting with embarrassment.

Sophie merely cast an indifferent glance.

Five years was the price Queenie was forced to pay for kidnapping and slapping Ysabelle.

As Ysabelle is part of my group now, to lay a finger on her means to declare war against me.

By the way, did Tristan come to court? What is he doing here?

Tristan departed after dropping them both at Wisteria Apartments.

“You must be exhausted, Soph,” Ysabelle said at once. “Let me give you a back rub.”

“I’m not tired.”

“You must be thirsty, then. I’ll get you a glass of water.”

Sophie found it amusing to watch her scramble all over the place.

Ysabelle’s adorable demeanor is really growing on me.

After an afternoon nap, Ysabelle awaited Sophie to head to school together.

Sophie shook her head.

“Why not? Are you unwell?” Ysabelle asked anxiously.

“Not at all. I have something to attend to this afternoon. Please explain my absence to Mr. Hayes.”

“What is it? Do you need me to come with you?”

“No need. I can go alone.”

“You’re not going to start another fight, are you, Soph? Bring me along!”

“This is a serious errand.” My task from Butterfly isn’t complete yet. It wouldn’t do to drag it out.

“All right then.”

Ysabelle headed to school while Sophie took a cab to the police station.

“Good day. I’m looking for Captain Sheppard.” Sophie walked to the young man on duty after getting out of her taxi.

“What business do you have with Captain Sheppard, miss? He’s a busy man.”

“It’s fine. I can wait.”

“Go on in, then. Captain Sheppard is out. I’ll let him know once he returns.” The young man on duty did not complicate things for Sophie.

Sophie entered the police station and seated herself.

She had been kept waiting for over two hours before the legendary captain showed himself.

“Are you looking for me?”

A handsome man in uniform arrived before Sophie.

“You are Eustace Sheppard?” Captain Sheppard is young! And very handsome too.

Chapter 27 Kneel

“Yes, I am. Who are you?”

This girl looks really pretty. There’s no way I would forget her if I had seen her before…

“My name is Sophie.”

Not wanting to waste too much time here nor reveal her identity to him, she stood up and continued nonchalantly, “You guys are tracking down Dr. Yarren’s whereabouts, right? I’ll give it a try.”

Eustace couldn’t help but frown when he heard that.

“Missy, you should get back to class if you’re bored. I’m really busy, so I don’t have time for your silly games!”

He had been so stressed out over Dr. Yarren’s case that he hadn’t slept well in a month, so he really wasn’t in the mood for games.

“I said, I can help you out, Captain Sheppard!” Sophie was starting to lose her patience.

“Missy—”

“You desperately need to find Dr. Yarren, don’t you? What harm is there in letting me have a shot?”

Eustace had assumed she was just another troublemaker at first, but changed his mind when he saw the determined look in her eyes.

“All right, then. Come with me!” Eustace said as he led her to the technical department.

The technicians had been working day and night for a month, but were still unable to track down Dr. Yarren.

“Captain Sheppard!” a few of them greeted Eustace upon seeing him before getting back to work.

As Dr. Yarren’s life could be in danger, it was of utmost importance that they find him as soon as possible.

“You there, get up,” Sophie told one of the technicians.

“Go play somewhere else, missy. I’m busy over here,” the technician replied without even looking at her.

“Get up!”

As it was Eustace ordering him this time, the technician had no choice but to do as told.

“Where did you find such a pretty girl, Captain Sheppard?” he asked when he finally looked at Sophie.

Since when has Captain Sheppard become so irresponsible? I can’t believe he’d bring an outsider into the technical department!

Sophie ignored him and began entering a bunch of codes after sitting down.

The technician and a few other senior programmers were dumbfounded when they saw her go at it.

What the… She’s wearing a high school uniform, and yet, she’s greater than all of us in terms of her speed and skill! Who on Earth is this girl?

Eustace, who was initially skeptical of her request, soon found himself feeling a little expectant after seeing her skill.

Sophie continued chewing on a piece of gum while hacking her way through firewall after firewall, eventually narrowing the search down to a specific area.

Hmm… This is as detailed as I can get, huh?

“This is as far as I can get you, Captain Sheppard. The rest is up to you guys.” Sophie said with a frown as she got up and prepared to leave.

“Are you sure this is the place?” The technicians were unable to find any leads before, so they were a little skeptical about the data on the screen.

“This is all I managed to find.”

The technician, who mocked her earlier, asked respectfully, “What’s your name, missy?”

“My name is Sophie Tanner.”

“Thank you very much, Sophie. I’ll treat you to a meal as a token of appreciation when I bring Dr. Yarren back!” Eustace said as he gathered his men.

We’ll head over to Anglandur and bring Dr. Yarren back for sure!

“Hello, Ms. Tanner. I’m Ian Douglas. May I ask you some questions?”

“Sure.”

Sophie was going to leave, but returned to her seat when she heard that.

The senior programmers then bombarded her with a ton of difficult questions, all of which she answered with detailed explanations. As some of the answers were too complicated for them to comprehend, Sophie even demonstrated her methods for them to see.

“Any other questions?”

“You’re unbelievably amazing, Ms. Tanner!” Ian exclaimed in awe.

“It’s nothing, really. I’ll be on my way now if there are no further questions.”

“Where are you headed, Ms. Tanner? I’ll give you a ride.” Ian had always assumed that he was the best in his field, but witnessing Sophie’s skills made him realize how much of an amateur he really was.

“That won’t be necessary. I can head back on my own.” Sophie turned his offer down as she preferred to keep a low profile.

The senior programmers were so shocked by Sophie’s skills that it took them a while to regain their composure after she left.

“I can’t believe I got destroyed by a high school student!”

They were able to be a part of Eustace’s team because they were experts in their field, but Sophie had easily outperformed each and every one of them.

“There will always be someone better out there. This girl is truly something else.”

“It’d be great if she could join our team!” Ian exclaimed hopefully.

“She hasn’t even graduated from high school, man!” As there would be tons of companies out there that would kill to recruit her, it was unlikely that they would be able to do so.

“But we have Captain Sheppard! We could have him court her or something! I think that could work!” Ian suggested, genuinely believing that he had come up with a great idea.

Everyone else, however, fell speechless after hearing that.

“She’s way too young for him!” someone exclaimed after a brief pause.

Captain Sheppard is really amazing for making it to this position at the age of twenty-eight, and we’ve all witnessed his capabilities in the field. Even so, he’s probably at least ten years older than Sophie! Ian must be crazy for suggesting something like that!

“It’s not entirely impossible if Captain Sheppard likes her, though!”

Sophie had showed up at the classroom on time for the self-study session.

As the students were all aware that Sophie had gotten Queenie in prison, they felt a little afraid of her.

Ysabelle handed Sophie a bottle of water the moment she saw her.

Worried that Sophie would get upset, she reassured her, “Ignore them, Soph. They’re just jealous of you.”

Sophie had just taken a sip of the water when Cynthia showed up outside the classroom.

“Hey, Sophie! Queenie’s mother is here to see you!” shouted one of the students sitting near the window.

Sophie got up and made her way out the door.

Cynthia found herself feeling a little intimidated when she saw Sophie walking toward her.

“Yes? Is there something I can help you with?” Sophie asked coldly.

It was as if the person standing before her had nothing to do with her at all.

“I’m sorry for what Queenie did, Sophie. Will you please have mercy on her? She’s still a young girl! Her life will be ruined if she gets sent to prison!” Cynthia pleaded with fear in her eyes. Whatever arrogance and pride she had before were completely gone at that point.

No one had expected for a nobody like Sophie to be capable of sending Queenie to prison.

Even Jason couldn’t do anything to save her.

“Queenie has broken the law, Mrs. Lane. It’s not like I can just say a few words and get her released,” Sophie replied while rolling her eyes.

What does she take the legal justice system for?

Having been pushed to desperation, Cynthia knelt down in front of Sophie and continued pleading with her, “Please spare Queenie! I’m begging you! I can give you anything as long as you spare my daughter!”

What the heck is she trying to pull now?

“I don’t need anything, and this isn’t up for me to decide,” Sophie replied with a frown.

Feeling frustrated, Cynthia leapt to her feet and shouted, “How could a young girl like you be so cruel and heartless? What has Queenie ever done to you, huh?”

She then reached out to hit Sophie, but the latter was faster and caught her hand with ease.

 

Chapter 28 Water Park

Sophie narrowed her eyes as she said coldly, “I’ve been very patient standing here and listening to your nonsense, so don’t push it too far. You may file an appeal if you are dissatisfied with the verdict issued. Stop wasting my time with such pointless arguments.”

She was never a patient person, to begin with, so Cynthia’s actions were really starting to anger her.

Cynthia was about to try and hit her again, but someone pulled her back before she could do anything.

“You can talk to my lawyer directly if you have any further concerns.”

Tristan had dropped by Jipsdale Premier High after hearing that Sophie took the rest of the day off, only to witness such a scene upon arrival.

“Hey! Let go of me!” Cynthia was so desperate that she couldn’t care less about her image anymore.

Queenie being sent to prison had impacted the Lane family’s reputation so greatly that most of their business partners stopped collaborating with them.

“Do not show yourself in front of her ever again, or I will destroy the Lane family completely!” Tristan said while shoving her away.

The prison sentence that Queenie received for kidnapping Ysabelle was actually a lot better than what could’ve happened to her if Tristan had taken matters into his own hands.

“This woman has been bullying Soph, Uncle Tristan!” Ysabelle exclaimed when she came out and saw her uncle.

Tristan was regarded as a very attractive man due to his devilishly handsome face and long, slender legs.

The fact that he was six feet tall only made him all the more irresistible to the girls that were ogling him.

Having witnessed how powerful Sophie was, they were all shocked when they heard what Ysabelle said.

No one could possibly bully someone as powerful as Sophie!

Being the teacher in charge of the self-study session, Carrie got mad when she arrived and saw the commotion outside the classroom.

She was about to start scolding them, but the words got stuck in her throat when she saw Tristan standing there.

“Hi, who are you?”

Carrie had never seen such a handsome man in her entire life. He looked so good that standing before him made her feel ashamed of her unattractive appearance.

“I’m a relative of Sophie’s,” Tristan replied.

Ysabelle froze when she heard that. Wait… Isn’t he my relative? Since when did he become Sophie’s relative?

Carrie frowned when she heard him mention Sophie’s name.

“Please look after our Sophie, miss,” Tristan said politely.

“Of course!” Although she didn’t quite like Sophie, Carrie found herself unable to say no to Tristan.

“Ugh… He could’ve just told her to not bully Sophie!” Ysabelle muttered under her breath.

Carrie then turned toward the students watching on and said, “Settle down, students! It’s time for class!”

Sophie was about to head on in as well, but stopped in her tracks when Tristan grabbed her arm from behind.

“Is there something else I can help you with, mister?”

“I’d like to have a word with Sophie, if that’s okay.”

Although Carrie had wanted to admire Tristan’s handsome face a little while longer, she had no choice but to reluctantly enter the classroom.

Since it was just the two of them on the field, Sophie didn’t really mind hanging out with him.

“Come take a walk with me,” Tristan said, looking incredibly dazzling even though he was just standing there.

Huh? Is he asking me to walk around the school with him? Oh, well… I guess I could use some fresh air after dealing with that crazy woman earlier.

With that in mind, Sophie casually walked alongside him as they strolled around the campus.

Jipsdale Premier High had a garden with a river that ran through the entire school.

As the students were all in class, there was no one in the area. All they could hear was the sound of the river and the buzzing of the cicadas.

“Your school has a nice scenery.”

“I’m sure you’ve seen way better scenery than this in your life, Mr. Tristan. Jipsdale Premier High should be child’s play in comparison,” Sophie mumbled while kicking a pebble aside.

I’m not sure why he came to see me, but it’s nice not having to sit through Carrie’s class.

Sophie was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice the steps beneath her feet and lost her balance.

Fortunately, Tristan had his eye on her the whole time and quickly reached out to grab her arm. He then pulled her into his arms, only letting go of her after she had steadied herself.

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.” Sophie, who had always been as cool as a cucumber, found herself blushing a little. D*mn it! Why am I so clumsy around him?

The way she lowered her head in embarrassment made his heart flutter.

“Come on, I’ll walk you back to your class.” Tristan was no longer the hot-blooded teen he used to be, but being around eighteen-year-old Sophie never failed to make his heart race.

Since she was already in high school, he didn’t mind waiting a little for her to mature as an adult.

The first self-study session had just ended by the time Sophie returned.

Ysabelle pulled her aside the moment she stepped in through the door.

“What were you and my uncle talking about, Soph? You were out for an entire session! My uncle isn’t exactly a very chatty person, but he seems to treat you very differently!” she asked curiously.

Sophie started blushing again when she recalled that little embrace they had earlier.

“What’s wrong? Why is your face so red? Are you having a fever?” Ysabelle asked worriedly and reached out to touch her forehead.

Not wanting to keep the conversation going, Sophie brushed her hand aside. “I’m fine. It’s probably just the heat. Besides, I think he treats me differently because of you!”

Since the senior year students would be having their university entrance exams, Jipsdale Premier High only let them have Sundays off.

As Sophie didn’t have any plans for that Sunday, she decided to sleep in and visit Josiah later in the afternoon.

She was sleeping soundly in bed when the doorbell rang all of a sudden.

After dragging herself out of bed, Sophie opened the door and saw Ysabelle standing outside all dressed up.

“Why are you still in bed, Soph? The weather is so great that it’d be a sin to stay indoors!”

“Where are you going?”

“To the water park! Come on, let’s go together!”

Ysabelle really loved water parks and had been wanting to go there for quite a while.

“Okay.”

Since Ysabelle was already at her doorstep, Sophie had no choice but to change her plans for the day.

Her outfit consisted of a light blue shirt over a plain white tee and a pair of skinny jeans, which looked rather simple when compared to that of Ysabelle’s.

Even so, she still looked so stunningly beautiful that Ysabelle’s jaw dropped when she saw her.

“My goodness… You look so hot that you’re making me drool, Soph!” she said while wiping the corner of her mouth.

“You look great too, Ysabelle! Come on, let’s go!”

Ysabelle took a picture with Sophie upon arriving at the entrance of the water park. As the two of them looked incredibly beautiful, the pictures they took were practically wallpaper material.

Ysabelle then picked out nine of the pictures and uploaded them to Instagram with the caption: Isn’t my hubby handsome?

Determined to have an absolute blast, she excitedly dragged Sophie into the water park with her.

Meanwhile, Tristan was playing golf with Felix and the others at Newcove Hot Spring Resort.

As Tristan was ridiculously good at golf, he easily beat them all at it without even trying.

“Are you having a lot of fun destroying us at this game, Mr. Tristan?”

Frustrated at how pointless it was to play against Tristan, Felix decided to pull out his phone and scroll through his social media feed instead. After tapping on the Instagram icon, the first thing that he saw was Ysabelle’s post.

“What the… Did I just get cheated on?” Felix exclaimed in shock. Everyone in their social circle knew that he had a crush on Ysabelle.

“What do you mean by that?” Charles asked in confusion.

“Ysabelle has fallen for someone else! No, this won’t do… I need to go to the water park!” Felix mumbled anxiously as he leapt to his feet.

“What’s all this about?” Tristan made his way over after hitting the last golf ball.

Felix simply handed him the phone without saying anything.

Tristan’s eyes went wide when he saw the nine pictures, all of which looked like they belonged on posters and magazines.

“Are you going too, Mr. Tristan?” Charles asked in surprise.

“Yeah.”

Chapter 29 Applying Sunscreen

“Isn’t this a bit unusual, even for you?”

Realizing that he had yet to introduce Sophie to his friends, Tristan said, “You guys carry on. I’ll bring a friend over tonight.”

“Is your friend male or female?”

“You’ll find out when the time comes.”

Sophie and Ysabelle were queuing up to buy tickets when Tristan and Felix arrived at the water park.

The line was rather long due to it being a weekend, so Sophie was scrolling through her phone to kill time.

“Uncle Tristan? What are you doing here?” Ysabelle asked when she saw Tristan coming over. If I recall, he hates coming to childish places like this!

“I saw your Instagram post, so I decided to drop by.”

Noticing that Sophie was sweating from the hot weather, Tristan continued, “Come here, you two. Felix, go take their place in the queue.”

Felix then swapped places with them while Tristan led them to a shady tree.

“You girls can just wait here until Felix gets the tickets.” Tristan’s casual-looking outfit made him seem a few years younger. That, combined with his already handsome face, got a lot of girls looking his way.

Someone selling straw hats happened to pass them by, so Tristan bought them one each and helped Sophie put it on.

As Sophie had really fair skin, it was starting to turn red from exposure to the hot sun.

“Do you have sunscreen on?”

“Nope.”

She didn’t like applying sunscreen because of how uncomfortable it felt on her skin.

Tristan then borrowed a bottle of sunscreen from Ysabelle and squeezed some of it onto his palm.

He was about to apply it on Sophie when she grabbed his arm.

“What are you doing?”

“Hold still.” Tristan ignored her response and continued applying the sunscreen on her face.

Sophie found herself burning bright red when he gently ran his fingers over her cheeks.

Eek! This guy is really…

Even Ysabelle was stupefied by what she had just witnessed. Since when did Uncle Tristan become so caring and gentle?

After applying sunscreen on her face, Tristan squeeze some of it directly onto her arm and gently rubbed it all over.

Felix’s jaw dropped when he returned with the entrance tickets.

What has gotten into Tristan today? I’ve never seen him give a girl such treatment before! I bet nobody would ever believe me if I told them Tristan personally applied sunscreen on someone!

“Here, I bought the tickets! Let’s go!”

Felix then grabbed Ysabelle’s hand and started dragging her away.

“What’s going on here? Has my uncle Tristan gone crazy from the heat or what?” she asked in confusion.

“Maybe!” Felix replied. He wasn’t really sure about the relationship between Tristan and Sophie, so he didn’t want to comment on it any further.

“Thanks…”

Sophie felt as if her body was burning up from his touch.

“Let’s go.”

The two of them then made their way toward the entrance, which had a boat on a huge water slide.

“How about the four of us sit together for this ride?” Ysabelle suggested.

“No. You and I are going to take a separate row,” Felix said while dragging her away.

The next thing he knew, Ysabelle had stomped on his foot with all of her might.

“Ow! What was that for?” Felix shouted in pain.

“For not minding your own d*mned business!”

Has Uncle Tristan taken a liking to Sophie? Isn’t he a little too old for her? I mustn’t let Sophie fall for him!

As Tristan and Sophie had already taken the row behind them, Ysabelle had no choice but to take the one in front with Felix.

As she turned around after getting seated, Ysabelle saw Tristan gently fastening the seat belt around Sophie’s waist.

“Yup, it’s game over!” Ysabelle mumbled to herself when she saw how intimate the two looked.

“What do you mean?”

“My uncle Tristan is really going to rob the cradle!”

D-Did Ysabelle just call Tristan old? Oh, well… she is his niece, so I suppose she’s the only one who can say that without getting in trouble!

As the boat began to move, Ysabelle decided to set her concerns aside and lose herself in the moment.

Being the more excited one of the four, she was the only person that screamed in excitement the whole time.

The boat slowly climbed to a really high point before plunging rapidly into the water below.

Tristan instinctively leaned over to shield Sophie from the huge splash.

Unbeknownst to him, his little protective act had caused her heart to race a little.

“Woohoo! This is so much fun!”

Ysabelle was incredibly excited even though her clothes were all wet.

All four of them had varying degrees of wetness on their clothes when they got off the boat ride.

“What do we do now?” Sophie asked as she found it uncomfortable walking around in wet clothes.

“We’ll head over to Newcove Hot Spring Resort,” Tristan suggested as Charles and the others were still waiting for them over there.

As Sophie was wearing light-colored clothes, her curves could clearly be seen with the fabric stuck to her skin.

Tristan took his jacket off and draped it over her body, an act which Sophie did not refuse.

“Take care of my niece for me. Don’t bully her, you hear?” Tristan told Felix when they got to the parking lot.

“You know how Ysabelle is, Mr. Tristan! I’d thank my lucky stars if she doesn’t bully me instead!” Felix exclaimed with a helpless smile.

“I should be telling you not to bully Sophie, Uncle Tristan!” Ysabelle protested.

She had wanted to ride in the same car with them, but didn’t dare do so when Tristan shot her a warning glare.

“Now, now… Sophie is an adult, so I’m sure she knows what she’s doing!” Felix then quickly shoved Ysabelle into his car before she could say anything further.

Tristan opened the door to the passenger seat and helped Sophie into the car.

He then grabbed a fresh towel from the trunk before climbing into the driver’s seat.

Noticing that Tristan was going to help dry her hair, she quickly grabbed his arm and said, “I-I can do it myself, Mr. Tristan!”

She was still a little uncomfortable with such intimate gestures.

“Okay,” Tristan replied with a nod and handed her the towel.

“Do you want to dry your hair as well?” Sophie asked after toweling her hair dry.

“I want you to do it for me,” Tristan replied.

Noticing no response from her, he continued, “I helped you earlier, didn’t I?”

Sophie fell silent after hearing that, but leaned over to help dry his hair anyway.

As he had his head lowered while Sophie wiped his hair, his gaze naturally fell upon her exposed cleavage.

Tristan quickly averted his gaze when he felt his blood surging toward his crotch.

Sophie, on the other hand, was so focused on drying Tristan’s hair that she didn’t notice his struggle.

“There, all nice and dry,” she said while folding the towel.

“I’ll get you introduced to a few of my friends. They might be of use to you in the future,” Tristan mumbled in a rather hoarse voice.

“What’s the matter? Are you feeling unwell?”

“I’m fine.”

While it was perfectly normal for him to have some kind of physical reaction toward a girl he liked, he found it a little disgusting due to how young she was.

After taking a moment to regain his composure, Tristan was about to start the car when he heard someone talking about Sophie.

Louisa and Willow were at the water park too. “What? Sophie got Queenie in prison?” the former exclaimed in shock after hearing the news from the latter.

“They say she got sentenced to five years in prison. Do you think Sophie has returned to get revenge for that incident from five years ago?” Willow felt uneasy just thinking about it.

“What are you so afraid of, Willow? What could Sophie possibly do on her own? Not only does she have no evidence for that incident, but she will also be haunted by it for the rest of her life!” Louisa reassured her with a disdainful sneer.

 

Chapter 30 Too Pretty

Neither Tristan nor Sophie said anything as they sat there listening to their conversation.

What? Did that girl just say Sophie is all on her own? Do they not realize that she has me now?

Sophie glared at them with her eyes narrowed.

Oh? Do they really think I couldn’t find any evidence? If they want to play with fire, then I’ll make sure they get burned to ashes!

“We’re going to the resort, right? Let’s get going, then,” Sophie said.

As Tristan drove the car out of there, he kept one hand on the steering wheel and held Sophie’s in the other.

What is he doing?

She turned to look at him and asked, “Aren’t you getting a little too intimate, Mr. Tristan?”

“Did those two hurt you five years ago?”

“I can handle it myself.” Sophie didn’t care what people said about her, but she would be sure to return the damage they did.

“Are you sure you don’t need my help?” Tristan asked in hopes of her changing her mind and seeking his assistance.

“Yes, I’m very sure,” Sophie replied, much to his disappointment.

Tristan then brought her to a presidential suite at Newcove Hot Spring Resort and had someone deliver a fresh set of clothes.

“Take a shower and get changed. I’ll come pick you up for dinner later.” Although her clothes were already dry, it still felt uncomfortable on her skin.

Sophie waited for him to leave before entering the bathroom with the clothes he provided. After taking a quick shower, she came out with only a towel wrapped around her body.

That was when her phone started ringing all of a sudden.

Butterfly’s voice came on the other line the moment she answered the call. “Phantom, it’s me.”

“Is something the matter?”

“Someone has been looking you up lately. Are you all right?”

“Looking me up? Okay, understood.” Sophie sat down on the couch and gently shook her head to let her hair down.

“Be careful. This person is probably up to no good.”

“Got it. By the way, I’ve taken care of Dr. Yarren’s case.”

“As expected of Phantom. You always do a clean job!”

“Just wire the money into my account. Is there anything else you’d like to tell me? If not, I’ll be hanging up now.”

Sophie heard a knock on the door right after ending the call.

She opened the door, only to see that Tristan had come to pick her up.

It took him a few seconds to realize that Sophie only had on a bath towel. Her smooth shoulders, alluring collarbones, and calves were all exposed.

This young girl is only eighteen, but she has the ability to charm even a guy like me!

Tristan swallowed hard at the thought of that.

“I’m not done yet. Do you want to maybe—”

“I’ll wait here. Go on in and get dressed. We’re in no rush, so take your time!”

Sophie then grabbed the bag of clothes and went into the room to put them on.

Upon inspecting the contents of the bag, she realized he had prepared everything for her, including underwear.

Sophie was feeling fine when she put on the underwear which happened to be just the right size, but got uncomfortable when she saw the light green miniskirt.

What the f*ck? Isn’t this skirt a little too short? But… I’ve already washed my clothes while I was showering earlier, so I can’t wear them now…

“D*mn, I can’t believe Tristan is into such outfits!” Sophie muttered under her breath as she put on the miniskirt and a short dress shirt which exposed her bellybutton.

After getting dressed, Sophie gave her hair a quick combing before heading out the door.

The first thing that Tristan noticed was her fair, smooth, and slender legs.

It was the first time that he had seen her in such an outfit, and he found himself getting aroused by how sexy she looked.

“This kind of clothing doesn’t really suit me, Mr. Tristan.” Sophie didn’t like how much it restricted her movement.

Tristan walked up to her and said in a seductive voice, “I agree. While it does looks good on you, I don’t think anyone else should see you in these clothes.”

He then made another phone call, and the staff delivered a new set of clothes.

“Here, put this on instead.”

Sophie went back into the room to get changed. This time, it was a red dress that still looked amazing even though it covered more skin.

She saw Tristan talking on the phone when she stepped out of the room.

Since she wasn’t in a hurry, Sophie sat down on the couch and scrolled through her phone while waiting.

After getting off the phone, Tristan walked up to her and took a good look at her new outfit.

The red dress was a little more conservative when compared to the previous outfit as it covered her legs more, but she still looked drop-dead gorgeous in it.

“You must be hungry, right? Let’s go have dinner,” Tristan said while putting his phone away.

“Sure.”

Sophie, too, figured it wasn’t appropriate for the two of them to stay in the room any longer.

It probably didn’t help that he was looking at her like he wanted to eat her up.

“They’re just getting a change of clothes, so why are they taking so long? That’s it, I have to go check on them!” Worried about Sophie, Ysabelle wanted to go make sure she was okay.

Felix grabbed her by the arm when she tried to leave. “Are you crazy? Do you not know how scary Mr. Tristan can be?”

So what if he really is planning on doing it with her? Ysabelle can’t just barge in and interrupt him!

“You’re such a f*cking coward, Felix! Why are you so scared of my uncle? Have you no b*lls, man?”

Ysabelle was determined to ensure Sophie’s safety as she was the one who brought her along.

“Oh, yeah? You’d better watch your mouth, Ysabelle! Don’t you ever attack me like that ever again!”

“What’s going on, Ysabelle?”

The door to the private room was opened all of a sudden, and Tristan came in with Sophie.

He then led her to the table and even pulled up a chair for her.

Charles and Sean both exchanged confused glances when they saw what he did. Since when did Mr. Tristan become such a gentleman?

Tristan waited until Sophie was seated before sitting down next to her.

“Sorry to have kept you all waiting.”

“Oh, it wasn’t that long of a wait. I mean, it’s only been an hour!” Felix couldn’t help but wonder if they had been doing it in the hotel room earlier.

Ysabelle quickly moved to the other seat next to Sophie’s and asked, “Soph, did my uncle do anything to you?”

As her voice was rather loud, everyone in the private room could hear her.

Tristan shot her a glare and asked, “What the heck are you going on about, Ysabelle?”

Intimidated by his response, Ysabelle was quick to change the topic.

“I can’t help but worry about your safety, Soph! Your face is ridiculously pretty, after all! Anyway, allow me to make the introductions. Guys, this is my friend, Sophie Tanner. Sophie, that guy over there is Charles Quigley, the third son of the Quigley family. The guy sitting next to him is Sean Burton, the heir to the Burton family.”

The people sitting at the table were from the four prominent families in Jipsdale.

Even so, Sophie maintained a calm attitude as she said, “Hello, everyone. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”

The food was soon served up, and Tristan began discussing business with the guys.

Sophie only had a few spoonfuls of food before she stopped eating.

“What’s the matter? Is the food not to your liking?” Although Tristan had been chatting with the other guys, his eyes were on her the whole time.

“No, I’m just not really hungry.”

“Here, you should eat more. At least finish the food on your plate,” Tristan said while topping up her plate.

He found her to be far too skinny, and it pained his heart to see her like this.