Ch. 611..620

Chapter 611

The banquet that night was organized by the president of Chanaea. It was to honor the team for their breakthrough research related to the genetically modified virus.

On top of that, the president insisted on meeting Sophie.

“I don't think I'll be going.”

Truth be told, she wasn't interested in such social events at all.

“You should just attend it with Georgina. After grinding for so many days, all I want to do now is get some rest.” It's just a meal, I can have it anywhere.

“That won't do. The president insisted on meeting you. It would be embarrassing for all of us if you didn't show up.” No matter what, she has to attend the banquet. “Why don't you go home and get some rest first? We'll come and pick you up in the evening.”

...

Sophie had no choice but to resign herself to the circumstances.

in fact, she never felt so frustrated when it came to work.

Social events were a bane to her, as she always felt awkward when dining with strangers.

At the same time, Barney felt stressed upon learning of Sophie's reluctance to go.

Now that International Medical Association was looking to establish itself in Chanaea, it would be a terrible time to offend the president—the very person the plan was dependent upon.

“All right, I understand. In that case, I'll head home first. Call me if you have any questions.”

She was confident that there wasn't going to be any.

“Mmm-hmm. Anyway, I'll still be here. You should go back and rest,” Georgina replied excitedly, never had she felt so important before.

Those who refused to follow Sophie must now be filled with remorse. It must be beyond their wildest dreams that she is capable of achieving such results.

Thereafter, Sophie took a taxi back to Tristan's condominium, but he wasn't there when she arrived. Nevertheless, she went to his room to shower before taking a nap.

Upon waking up, she recalled that she hadn't seen Morgan in a few days and didn't know how he was doing.

Hence, she hopped on her bike and rode to her own mansion where she was greeted by the sight of Morgan gardening in the yard.

He looked as if he was enjoying the life there.

Hence, Sophie continued to watch him without interrupting. If Grandpa were around, he must be enjoying a leisurely life similar to Morgan's.

Finally, Morgan somehow noticed her presence.

“Ms. Sophie, you're back. Look at how beautiful the blooming flowers are!” Morgan exclaimed.

“Morgan, how do you find living here alone?” Sophie was worried about him feeling lonely, especially after taking his advanced age into account.

Her question stunned Morgan, for he hadn't expected Sophie to be concerned about his emotional well-being. She really does care a lot about me.

“Not really. I now have such a huge mansion to myself where I can plant all sorts of flowers. This life is the envy of many! When you have children one day, I can even help you take care of them.”

This has always been the life Old Mr. Tanner wanted but never managed to live. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I'm still around and can take care of Ms. Sophie on his behalf.

Staring at the flowers in the garden, Sophie nodded in acknowledgment.

“Morgan, is there anything else that you need? Just let me know if there is, and I'll get someone to send it over.”

Perhaps I should hire some housekeepers to keep him company. Or else, he doesn't even have anyone to talk to.

“Don't worry, Ms. Sophie. I'm fine as it is, as I have everything here.”

Furthermore, Old Mr. Tanner has left me some money. I can buy whatever I need myself.

“I'm glad to hear that.”

Subsequently, Sophie spent the rest of her time with Morgan. It wasn't until Tristan came to pick her up that she realized it was already five.

“Ms. Sophie, are you staying for dinner? If you are, I'll start preparing it right away.”

Sophie shook her head.

“I'll dine with you next time, as I have a function to attend tonight. Take good care of yourself, and I'll come by again when I have the time.”

Morgan was now alone for the rest of his life.

With her grandfather gone, he no longer had anyone to rely upon emotionally.

“All right, Ms. Sophie. Don't worry about me, really. After caring for Old Mr. Tanner my entire life, I naturally know how to care for myself too.”

Ms. Sophie has done more than enough for me. There's no way I can trouble her any further.

“Morgan, we'll be taking our leave now. My mansion is nearby, and I'll send you the address later. Feel free to drop by if there's anything you need.”

There would always be someone in his mansion.

“Thank you, Mr. Tristan.”

Morgan spoke in a polite manner. After working as a butler for his entire life, it was hard for him to change his demeanor.

As Tristan and Sophie left the mansion holding hands, their fingers were clasped tightly together. At that moment, they were surprised to find that a simple gesture like that was enough to fill them with bliss.

“Are you still worried about Morgan being alone?”

“Yes. It's kind of concerning for an old man like him to say in such a big mansion by himself.” Given his age, it's inevitable for him to have health problems. I'm just worried that no one would know if something were to happen to him.

“Just hire a few housekeepers to keep him company.”

After all, he would definitely need help cleaning up such a huge place.

“Hmm, that's what I think too. I'll hire a few once I have time.” Only those of good character will be accepted.

“Don't worry about something as trivial as that. Let me handle it.” Aren't boyfriends supposed to take care of everything?

“Don't you have a banquet tonight? You should get changed, as you'll need to leave soon.”

“How did you know about it?” Sophie asked curiously. “Are you also invited?”

She figured that it was a possibility as he had captured Stephen.

In that case, the banquet wouldn't be as tormenting as she expected. At the very least, she could dine together with him.

Tristan nodded in response.

“I was initially reluctant to go, but agreed once I found out that you would be there too,” Tristan explained with a smile.

He, too, wasn't a fan of attending such events. After climbing to where he was, he had no interest in pursuing what others considered their wildest dreams.

Meanwhile, the banquet was held in Chanaea's grandest ballroom, one that was especially used to receive foreign dignitaries of the highest honor.

Tristan had already ordered his outfit to be prepared ahead of time. Even though they were not wearing matching outfits, the color of his tie was the same as her full-length dress. Therefore, when both of them appeared in front of Barney, the latter couldn't resist commenting, “Are both of you wearing matching outfits to rub salt in the wounds of all those who are single?”

 

Chapter 612

It was the first time Georgina met Tristan. He was standing beside Sophie. Both of them possessed ravishing appearances that made everyone else envious.

Georgina said, “Sophie, is he your boyfriend? Your boyfriend is so handsome!” It turns out that we can actually bring a plus one over on such occasions. Even so, it has nothing to do with me anyway. I don't have a boyfriend yet.

Georgina started to feel sad for herself at this point.

“Yes. He's my boyfriend. His name is Tristan Lombard. Tristan, this is Dr. Georgina Bates,” Sophie introduced the two.

After Sophie finished speaking, Tristan reached out his hand toward Georgina.

“Nice to meet you. I'm Tristan,” Tristan said politely. After all, Georgina was someone formally introduced by Sophie, so he naturally looked at her in a different light.

Georgina's heart was pounding. She found that Tristan's voice was euphonious.

“Nice to meet you too. I'm Georgina.” Georgina tried to regain her composure. Pull yourself together! No matter what, I can't disgrace Sophie.

After all, she was someone Sophie knew.

“All right. It's about time. Let's go in!” There was already a man in military uniform waiting outside.

“Everyone, this way, please. The president has already been waiting for you guys inside.” The man in military uniform was in a high position and seemed to be a leader.

The group went in together and followed the man in military uniform and took their seats respectively. At seven o'clock, the president showed up at the banquet hall.

The president had a meal together with everyone. In the beginning, he raised his glass and gave a toast, expressing his gratitude toward everyone for their outstanding contribution to the genetic virus research.

Eventually, he got to his feet and said, “Sophie, I know you're only a freshman-year student. I really didn't expect you to do such great things in this genetic virus incident. Here's my toast to you.”

Before Sophie could take the glass, it had already been taken away by Tristan and directly replaced with a glass of water for her instead.

Sophie felt pretty helpless about it. What is he doing? There are so many people watching.

“I'm so sorry. She doesn't drink,” Tristan said. He did not like it when Sophie drank in front of others.

The president was unbothered and waved his hand. “Let's toast with water, then! It's fine.” He did not care about such a minor matter. After all, one had to possess great wisdom to reach his position today.

Sophie did not say anything more and just took a sip of water.

“Mr. Tristan, you've made great contributions this time too. Here's a toast to you!” The president knew

who Tristan was.

Tristan could be a successful politician if he got into politics, but he did not seem interested in politics at all.

“I'm just doing my part as a citizen of Chanaea. I believe anyone would have done the same thing if they had the capabilities like me,” said Tristan.

The president was an elegant man. He had strong opinions on many things. Hence, he was not bothered by Anglandur even when they had pressured him to return Stephen.

“Dr. Smith, I heard you're planning to move the International Medical Association to Chanaea. I want to let you know that you're always welcome here. Feel free to contact my secretary if you need anything,” said the president.

If International Medical Association could move to Chanaea, it would absolutely bring benefits to the country.

Of course, the president had to try his best to make this matter happen.

“Thank you. We're indeed planning to move International Medical Association to this place. The reason why we planned to move here is because of Sophie. I hope she can be the next person in charge of International Medical Association.” After all, Barney made his efforts to come here because of this.

“I see! What an outstanding youth.” The president seemed to be particularly interested in Sophie.

Yet Tristan felt very displeased about that.

He did not like it when other men paid too much attention to Sophie.

Even if the man was the president of Chanaea.

Sophie could feel Tristan's emotions clearly and held his hand gently.

She was comforting him silently.

Tristan did not heed the president but kept placing food in Sophie's bowl.

Sophie was actually already full.

However, seeing Tristan like that made her swallow some of the food in her bowl despite feeling full. If I continue to consume anymore food, I'll surely die from overeating.

Sophie moved slightly closer to Tristan and said, “Tristan, I truly can't eat these anymore. I'll die from overeating if I don't stop.”

Only then did Tristan realize she had eaten too much.

“Okay. Stop eating them if you're already full,” Tristan said as he took over her bowl and ate all the leftovers.

The president was a wise man.

He knew what Tristan meant and did not say anything more, putting his ego aside and having his meal

with everyone else.

After the meal, they were all sent back personally by the president's guards.

Barney and Georgina still went back to the hospital while Sophie and Tristan returned to the mansion.

After the shower, Sophie felt entirely relaxed.

“Everything is finally over. A lot of things happened during this period,” Sophie said ruefully.

Tristan hugged her in his arms and said, “This matter is indeed over, but you have other things to deal with. You couldn't be reached during this period and perhaps didn't know Willow had already taken over Tanner Group.”

Is that what I think it is? Sophie asked, “What about Mr. White?” Isn't he always capable? How would such things still happen?

“He had no choice too. Willow held the will of Old Mr. Tanner, and you didn't show up,” Tristan briefly explained the current situation to Sophie.

“I didn't deal with this matter as I thought it would be interesting to let them have their way for a few days, and then I'll take back what I want the most from them,” said Sophie.

Some people are just so presumptuous.

They actually thought Tanner Group would be theirs.

Sophie was speechless. She had been quite busy recently, but that did not mean the three of them could take away what belonged to her.

The truth was, Tanner Group did not matter to Sophie much. Even without Tanner Group, she was also able to form another much more competitive company than Tanner Group.

However, since Josiah had handed over Tanner Group to her, she would not let those people ruin it.

Sophie had never shown up, while Tristan never seemed concerned about this matter. Willow thought Tristan must have already gotten tired of Sophie, which was why such a situation happened.

Sitting in the general manager's office, Willow lit a cigarette and took a deep puff.

She was pretty satisfied with how things turned out.

That's right. I'm still the eldest daughter of Tanner Group. I can get any man I want if I have Tanner Group and live my life even more freely after Sophie leaves this world. Willow could not help but smile smugly at the thought of that. Just then, Charmaine came over.

“Willa, bad news! Sophie is back.” Charmaine's face turned pale all of a sudden. She thought Sophie would not come back for a while and did not expect her to return so quickly.

“Stop being anxious! Everything is in our hands now. What can Sophie do even if she comes back?” said Willow.

 

Chapter 613

Willow was not anxious as she had already tampered with everything she could tamper with, so Sophie's return would not matter much.

But Charmaine was uncertain about that.

She was still fear of Sophie. After all, Sophie had never gone by the book.

It was not easy for them to get everything they had now. Thus, there was no way she would give up.

Soon, Sophie arrived at the general manager's office and saw Willow was still sitting inside shamelessly.

The sight amused her. This girl really doesn't know her place, huh?

When the employees saw that Sophie was back, they got up from their workstations one after another to greet her. There were sparkles in their eyes as they looked at her.

Ms. Sophie is finally back!

Although Willow had only taken charge of Tanner Group for a few days, everyone had begun to reminisce about those days when Sophie managed the company.

Yale and Willow didn't even know how to manage a company and were only fooling around. The employees could see the dismaying situation they had been in over the last few days.

“Ms. Sophie, you're finally back.” Some even shed tears of joy.

They believed any problem could be solved with Sophie around.

After Yale knew that Sophie had come to the company, he came out of the chairman's office, too.

He was at a loss for words when he saw her and merely stood there. Cr*p, I know her tactics. If I make a mistake now, I will be doomed!

Naturally, Sophie noticed Yale as well and sneered. They really can't give me any peace of mind, can they? I only left for a few days. Yet, they already made everything of mine theirs.

“Sophie, no matter what happens, please talk in my office. It's not a good idea to talk about it here. After all, these are the Tanners family matters,” Yale could only say so.

At that precise moment, Willow came out of the office with Charmaine and saw her father chickening out.

The sight infuriated her. Can't he be a little more confident? The company is in our hands now. What the hell is he afraid of?

“You don't have to be afraid, Dad. I'm here for you.” Willow looked at Sophie fearlessly. “Sophie, shouldn't you be expecting all of this to come? You didn't even have time for Grandpa before he died. He was gone now. So please, let him rest in peace.”

She paused before continuing, “Grandpa treated you well. Where were you when he wanted to see you before his last breath? How could you be so shameless and come to the Tanner Group now?”

Upon hearing that, everyone in the scene began to whisper among themselves.

“I know you are indeed capable, but this isn't enough. One with a poor character like you is not worthy of managing a company!”

Sophie remained quiet all the time and merely watched Willow act before her. she even crossed her arms before her chest as she stared at the latter.

On the other hand, Charmaine's face turned several shades paler. Since things had come to that, she had no choice but to steel herself at the side. Sophie looks so strange. It's as though she doesn't care at all about the current situation.

“Soph, please stop messing around here. Let's discuss Tanner Group's share distribution when we get home.”

Charmaine was fearful of Sophie.

After all, the will they had was a fake.

If Sophie finds out the will is a fake, there's no way she will let us off. We won't even get any dividends by then.

“That's right. No matter what, these are our family matters. We should talk about it at home,” Yale also reminded.

“Messing around?” Sophie, who had been silent all the while, finally spoke.

“I have yet to say a single word since I stepped into Tanner Group. What are you afraid of? Ah... Are you afraid that you won't be able to keep what you have stolen?”

Charmaine was stunned by Sophie's words and dared not speak anymore.

“Ridiculous! Dad is Grandpa's biological son, and I am Grandpa's granddaughter. How could you say we had stolen something? Grandpa personally said he wished to give Tanner Group to Dad. We all heard that ourselves and Grandpa also made a will with the lawyer. Who are you to say we stole something that doesn't belong to us? I know you have nothing left now. Although it's hard for you, please don't spout nonsense.”

When Willow saw that Sophie came to Tanner Group on her own and that Tristan did not accompany her, she could tell something had happened between the duo. Tristan and Sophie should have broken up. Otherwise, there's no way he would leave Sophie alone on such an important occasion. Without Tristan's support, what else can Sophie do? I bet she isn't able of doing anything now.

Sophie walked up to Willow slowly. The latter was so intimidated by her aura and struggled to hold on.

No matter what, Willow wouldn't let herself back away.

It wasn't until Sophie stood before her that Willow whispered, “You lost, Sophie. You are nothing without Tanner Group and Tristan!”

She was delighted at the thought that Sophie had nothing left and hoped she could trample on Sophie at that moment.

“Fine! Since you're my sister, I'll give you a chance. If you please me nicely, maybe I'll give you some equity,” Willow said smugly, expecting some response from Sophie.

Since Yale had already driven away the crowd, only four people from the Tanner family were left at the scene.

Charmaine couldn't help but worry even more when she heard Willow's remarks.

She was worried that Sophie, being forced into a corner, would act recklessly and quickly reminded Willow, “Willa, she's your sister. You can't treat her like this.”

Nonetheless, there was no getting through to Willow, for her smugness and arrogance had blinded her at the moment.

“Mom, what are you afraid of? She has lost everything now. Even if she's good at fighting, so what? She won't be able to harm me. If she dares to touch me, call the police immediately.”

Apparently, she was no longer afraid of anything.

Sophie chuckled upon hearing that.

“What are you laughing at? Sophie, the world doesn't revolve around you, and stop being self- centered.”

Willow felt confident that victory belonged to her and couldn't understand why Sophie was chuckling. Extremely displeased, she asked, “Mom, Dad, if you were given a choice today, would you choose Sophie or me?”

She grew agitated at the sight of Sophie's nonchalance and swore inwardly that she must witness Sophie's crestfallen look no matter what.

Yale knitted his brows at that. “Willa, stop fooling around. We are all a family. Let's honor your late grandpa's wish and manage the company well together.”

Deep down, he thought Sophie was a rather terrifying character, and none of them should push her into a corner.

Otherwise, they all would have a hard time in the future.

“That's right. We are a family and should stay united,” Charmaine quickly chimed in.

 

Chapter 614

Willow could not help but laugh in response.

“Is that so? She does not think of you guys as her parents, even though you treat her as family. Why don't you ask her now if you don't believe me?”

Willow did not mince her words. Does Sophie even respect anyone in this house?

Yale and Charmaine were at a loss for words.

“See? It's not as if you guys can rebuke me, can you?”

Willow could not help but laugh at that.

“So, you shouldn't make such ridiculous claims like we're a family. Don't you know she doesn't care at all?”

“You're right. Willow, we aren't family. Do you really believe you can handle Tanner Group? Do you think you can snatch my things away from me?” Sophie's lips curved into a mocking grin.

Sophie's nonchalant attitude infuriated Willow.

It's really annoying when Sophie behaves like this.

“Isn't it in my hands now? You have to leave Tanner Group immediately, or else I will file a lawsuit against you for stealing confidential data from Tanner Group.”

What does Sophie have to behave haughtily? Aren't I the winner now?

“Then, I'd like to see how long you can handle those things. Perhaps, you wouldn't feel upset if you have never gotten your hands on it. Do you feel like everything is yours now? Don't you think losing your authority now would be much more interesting?” Sophie uttered each word with a calm expression, and there was no sign of anger.

However, her demeanor only further enraged Willow.

“Mom, Dad, Sophie doesn't want to listen to Grandpa's will at all.” Willow turned to Charmaine and Yale. She continued, “Hence, there's nothing left for me to say to her. You guys can do as you see fit. Do make your choice if you're going to side with her or me?”

Yale shot Charmaine a glance.

He still did not feel at ease even though Willow had Tanner Group firmly in her hands now.

Yale was completely unsure about the right decision he should make now that Willow was pressuring them to make this decision.

“Wouldn't it be better if we all managed Tanner Group together, Willa?” Why does she have to put us in this situation? More importantly, they were not confident in making the right decision.

“What about you, Mom? I'm only giving you guys one chance. It's best if you make your decision quickly; otherwise, I won't need any of you.” Willow was insistent on getting Charmaine and Yale to pick her.

“Sophie, can you go back first? After all, this is your grandpa's will,” Charmaine stated.

She was stating her stance by saying so, and she did not need to make a choice as she had already chosen to stand with Willow.

Sophie naturally understood her intention.

Hearing Charmaine's words, Willow immediately got smugger.

“Don't worry, Mom. I will always be filial to you in the future and make you the happiest woman in the world.” Willow hugged Charmaine. After all, Charmaine was the only person who has stuck by her side through it all.

Yale was truly torn about which side to choose.

It wasn't that he greatly loved Sophie or Willow.

Rather, he did not know whose hands Tanner Group would fall into in the end.

Yale was aware of Sophie's tactics.

“Three, two...”

Willow looked at Sophie. She loved the feeling of having everything under her control.

Now, Sophie was the one who was abandoned by everyone.

Sophie was indifferent to Willow's arrogant look.

I finally know how a person would look when she is gloating. Isn't it how Willow was acting?

In the end, Yale chose to stand by Willow's side.

“Sophie, you should give up on Tanner Group since this is your grandpa's last wish. In any case, you're a brilliant child who can do well wherever you go.”

Sophie was the highest achiever in her university entrance exam. How can she not do well in life when there are so many talented people surrounding her?

“So, I have to hand over my stuff to you guys just because I can do well?”

“How is Tanner Group yours? Doesn't it belong to the Tanner family? You can head back first. Don't make a scene here, as there is no point in causing one here,” Yale exclaimed.

Naturally, Sophie observed their reactions.

That was Willow's happiest moment in life.

This scenario is only right. This is how everything is supposed to be. Everyone in Tanner family should treat me as the center of the world. I'm the eldest daughter of Tanner family.

“Look at this, Sophie. Do you still have anything to say after losing?” Willow was exhilarated at that moment.

Isn't this what life should be like? It always has its ups and downs. No one knows who the true winner is until the very end.

Since Charmaine had already made a decision and there was no turning back, she did not dare to look at Sophie.

Yale could only hope for Sophie to make her way out sooner.

“You guys kept mentioning Grandpa's will. Show it to me for me to see its authenticity!”

Yale and Charmaine were at a loss for words.

Willow responded, “Who do you think you are? Do you think I'll show it to you just because you want to see it? The lawyer has taken the will to notarize it, and he said there's no problem with it. Do you think there's a problem with the will since you believe so?”

“Why are you talking so much nonsense? Why are you guys so afraid of me wanting to take just a look at the will? A fabricated will can't be real.” How could Grandpa leave such a will? After all, he cared deeply about Tanner Group. How would Grandpa leave Tanner Group to Willow when he wants the best for it?

“Go contact my lawyer if you have any questions. I don't want to waste time talking nonsense with you now that I'm tired.” Willow did not want to speak more about this matter, and she asked the security guards to guide Sophie out.

However, when the security guards arrived, they stood to the side motionlessly after seeing Sophie.

Willow was infuriated.

“What are you people still standing here for? I'm asking you to kick her out now! Did you not hear me?”

A few security guards shook their head.

“Ms. Tanner...” It was already terrible enough that they were caught in the middle of their family affairs. Moreover, Sophie treated them so well previously. How could they possibly do such a thing now?

“What? Are you refusing to follow my orders? You can scram now if that's the case!” Willow did not expect the security guards to disregard her totally.

I'm the general manager of Tanner Group now, and there are people who don't take my words seriously. I won't stand for this!

The security guards stood at the side. They had their own judgment, despite their duty.

 

Chapter 615

Ms. Sophie had been managing the company perfectly well. It's just been a few days now, but after Ms. Willow came, everything has turned into a mess!

“Do you believe that I'll dismiss the lot of you right now? Get out of here this instant!” Willow was beyond livid.

In response, the few security personnel nodded.

“Okay, in that case, we have no choice but to leave as well.”

At that precise moment, several of Tanner Group's senior executives came over. They were all holding resignation letters in their hands.

“Ms. Tanner, we feel that Tanner Group's current concept has diverged too much from our beliefs. Therefore, we're leaving to prevent further resentment.”

That turn of events left Willow at a loss for words.

Never had she imagined that things would turn into such a disaster.

“What are you all doing? Is it because I'm not paying you enough? If so, I can—”

“It's not an issue of pay, Ms. Willow,” one of the executives interrupted with a shake of his head. Subsequently, he declared, “Ms. Sophie, if you were to establish a company in the future, you can seek me out. We're willing to work with you regardless of the remuneration!”

Throughout it all, Sophie stood at the side silently, watching everything unfold before her eyes.

Truth be told, she had only taken over Tanner Group for a short time. In fact, she was absent from the office most of the time.

She had always entrusted the management of the company to Victor and only came for a few meetings.

Thus, she had never expected the executives to have so much trust in her.

“Hah! No wonder all of you want to resign! It turned out that someone instigated you behind my back. Fine! Since you all want to leave, it'll be useless no matter how much I try to persuade you to stay. I'm approving your resignations.”

At the sight of the company's few capable talents resigning, Yale's expression turned grim.

“Don't act impulsively, gentlemen! We can talk it out nicely if you've got any requests. You've all been with Tanner Group for such a long time that you must have a sentimental attachment to the company! My father has just passed on, but you're all leaving as well. If he were to learn about this, he would be devastated!”

Left with no other recourse, he could only appeal to their emotions.

Alas, the few senior executives shook their heads.

“We'll never believe that Old Mr. Tanner would've handed Tanner Group over to Ms. Willow. That would

undoubtedly ruin the company!”

Needless to say, they had a sentimental attachment to Tanner Group after being with the company for so many years. However, it didn't mean that they would allow such a thing to happen.

After all, this is the fruit of Old Mr. Tanner's blood, sweat, and tears for over twenty years!

Hearing that, Willow sneered, “What's the meaning of this, then? Do you think I'll give up this position by doing so? Let me tell you that it's impossible! My grandfather's will was notarized by a notary public, and no one can snatch Tanner Group away from me now.”

Then, she arrogantly stated, “I'm putting this out here now. If any one of you wishes to leave, I'll never keep you from doing so. Just go.”

“We're leaving, Ms. Sophie. Do remember us if you establish a company in the future.”

Not in the mood to yak with Willow there, the few executives spun on their heels to leave.

“Please wait a moment, gentlemen!”

At long last, Sophie spoke.

“Will you take the company back, Ms. Sophie?”

Sophie's heart skipped a beat at the earnest look in their eyes. Oh God, they actually trust me this much!

“There's no need for you all to leave. She's the person who should be doing so,” she uttered unhurriedly. Regrettably, her words had Willow go off the deep end.

“What's the meaning of that? Do you really think you're in control?” Seeing red, Willow charged at Sophie.

Just then, Victor stepped out of the elevator and was greeted by that scene. Rushing over, he grabbed Willow's hand.

When Willow saw that the man had seized her hand, her eyes narrowed a fraction.

“What are you all doing? It's still broad daylight now! Are you planning on taking Tanner Group away from me by force?”

She shot daggers at Victor, who still hadn't released his grip on her hand.

At that, Victor snorted.

“Who do you think you are? And how did Tanner Group become yours? Such a person like you is downright unworthy of it!”

After saying that, he pushed her away.

Unsteady on her feet, Willow stumbled back several steps before she finally managed to regain her footing.

“How dare you!”

Charmaine immediately hastened over to her and supported her.

“What should we do now, Willa? What are we to do when so many people are against you?” Charmaine had never seen such a crowd resigning en masse.

If all these executives were to leave, how could Tanner Group continue operating?

Willow's face was as black as thunder.

I'm the winner now, aren't I? But why are all these people still siding with her even at such a time?

“The lot of you have been brainwashed by Sophie, huh? What kind of spell did she cast on you that you all trust her so much?”

Following that accusation, the senior executives shook their heads.

“Look at this, Mr. Tanner. How could Willow manage Tanner Group well when this is all she's capable of?” one of them lamented in disappointment.

Panic swamped Yale.

Never had he imagined that they would be so averse to Willow that they were all resigning.

“Uh...”

He wanted to speak further, but he didn't know what else he could say then upon seeing that they

loathed listening to him.

Victor chimed in with a sneer, “Ms. Sophie, it's only been a few days, but they've thrown the company into a mess. Thank God you've finally come back!”

“Yeah.”

Sophie bobbed her head.

Since Grandpa handed the company to me, I naturally can't give it up, no matter the reason!

“Go back to work, everyone. I'll handle things here. Everything will be the same as before,” she announced confidently.

“Can you really resolve this, Ms. Sophie?” The few senior executives were still a touch worried. Verily, they would rather leave and not waste their time further if it were still Willow managing the company.

“Didn't you all decide to resign because you trusted me?”

Left without a retort, the few senior executives turned and returned to their posts.

As soon as they came out, the employees from the few departments bombarded them with questions, asking them about the situation and whether Sophie would be back.

Willow's presence at Tanner Group was no different from a nightmare.

One could never imagine the feeling of someone who knew nothing insisting on having her way in the

company.

“Work with peace of mind, everyone! Ms. Sophie said she'd definitely return! We've all got to have trust in her.”

While Sophie appeared cold and indifferent, everything she did inspired trust. Because of that, they felt that working with her would guarantee them a bright future.

Upon hearing that, the employees breathed a sigh of relief.

Hopefully, Ms. Sophie can kick Ms. Willow out of Tanner Group quickly so she can't continue throwing her weight around here.

Meanwhile, only the members of the Tanner family and Victor were left outside the general manager's office.

Victor was definitely on Sophie's side.

“So, what do you want, Sophie? You want to snatch Tanner Group away from me forcibly, right?”

 

Chapter 616

Willow enunciated, “Aren't you worried that you'll infuriate Grandpa, who had passed away, so much that he'll crawl out of the ground and haunt you?”

Finally, Sophie's face was no longer devoid of expression.

Oh well, she can't be allowed to walk free anymore.

Stalking forward, she raised her hand and slapped Willow thrice. In the end, she found it uneven, so she backhanded the latter another time.

“Yours? When did my asset become yours, Willow? Even if I don't want Tanner Group, it's still something Grandpa gave me. I'm not going to tolerate anyone having any designs on it!”

The instant Sophie spoke, she radiated authority.

Yale didn't quite know how to react.

I just knew that this matter couldn't be that simple! Sophie didn't make an appearance the past few days for no other reason than having something else to do. How could we have possibly pulled this off so easily?

Willow wanted to resist when Sophie hit her, for she would never allow herself to be trampled beneath the latter's feet. Unfortunately, Sophie was too aggressive, so much so that she wasn't her match.

“Grandpa is already laid to rest, so you're not allowed to continue disrupting his peace all the time!” Still enraged after saying that, Sophie again smacked her across the face.

Hah! She keeps speaking of Grandpa. Does she really think I don't know she's trying to use him to hurt me?

Willow cradled her face.

“You struck me again? I'm going to kill you, Sophie!” With her having suffered a few slaps, not only was her face red and swollen at that moment, but her hair was also a tangled mess. She appeared just like a lunatic.

She wanted to lunge forward and rip Sophie into pieces, but Victor held her back.

“How should we deal with her, Ms. Sophie?” By then, Victor had lost all patience.

I've bided my time for so long to wait for Ms. Sophie to return. Yet, they thought that we'd all given up, huh?

“How to deal with it, you ask?”

Sophie sounded exceedingly blithe. It was as though she was speaking of dealing with some trash.

“I think she's very much unstable mentally. In this case, send her to a psychiatric nursing home!” she concluded. Over there, she probably won't start having delusions anymore.

“How dare you! Don't go overboard, Sophie. Let me tell you this—back then, Tristan sent me to none other than a psychiatric hospital. And you want to do the same now! Who do you two think you are?”

Willow's voice was shrill and sharp.

“Oh? You've been there? Then, you should be very familiar with it. Just go and have another visit!”

“You're unbelievable! Mom, Dad, are you both just going to watch from the sidelines? Do you really not have anything to say?”

Yale was entirely unprepared for the current situation.

Nevertheless, he had already started doubting his choice since Sophie was still so confident when things had come to that.

Therefore, it stood to reason that he didn't dare utter a single word at such a time.

Charmaine, on the other hand, was likewise at a total loss. Glimpsing the manic look in Willow's eyes, she couldn't help wondering whether Willow had truly gone unhinged.

“Yes, how about you both? Didn't she ask you to make a choice earlier? Now, I'll also give you a chance. Make your choices!”

Sophie took her phone out of her pocket and saw that Tristan had sent her a WhatsApp message.

It read: Do you need me to come over and lend you a hand?

Tristan knew she was going to Tanner Group that day to handle some trivial things. Initially, he wanted to accompany her, but she declined. Hence, he went to the office.

At the sight of Tristan's name, Sophie's heart promptly melted.

She replied: No, it's okay. I've already handled everything. I'll go over and look for you in a while.

She had been too busy recently that she hadn't had any time to spend with that boyfriend of hers. Now that she was free, she wanted to go and keep him company.

When Tristan learned that she would be coming over, his lips curved into a smile.

He texted: Okay. I'll be waiting for you, then.

He gazed at his phone lovingly. Seeing that, Tristan instantly knew who he was texting.

At the man's blissful expression, he couldn't help retreating to the side and sending Ysabelle a WhatsApp message.

I wonder if Belle misses me!

After Sophie had replied to the WhatsApp messages, she lifted her eyes and pinned them on Yale and Charmaine.

“Well? Have you made up your mind? Unlike her, I'm not as overbearing. I've given you enough time, yes?”

Yale quietly moved behind her.

He was really not that ambitious. Furthermore, he still needed financial support from her in the days to come.

Sophie's gaze alighted on Charmaine.

“What about you?”

She seems to have always sided with Willow!

“No matter what, Soph, she's your sister. Stop while you're ahead. Why must you take things so far?”

At the end of the day, Willow was still the daughter Charmaine had loved for the better half of her lifetime.

Hence, she really couldn't bear to see Willow being sent to a psychiatric nursing home.

“So, you've made your choice? All right, got it.”

Surprisingly, Charmaine shook her head and removed her hand from Willow's grasp.

“I'm sorry, Willa.” She was all too aware that she hadn't much capability. If Sophie no longer cared about her henceforth, she would have no way of surviving.

Willow shook her head profusely.

“How could you all treat me like this? I've still got the will. You can't do this to me!”

“The will? Others might not know whether the will is genuine, but do you have no idea yourself? Why, do you no longer know whether something really belongs to you after possessing it for only a few days?”

“There's no need to say all this, Sophie! Tanner Group is mine!”

“Fine. Since you insist on making a big deal out of this, I don't need to show you any mercy!” Sophie made a call. Subsequently, a few men in police uniforms came in.

“Ms. Willow Tanner, you're suspected of forging a will. Please follow us back to the police station to assist in the investigation,” the police officer in the lead stated, striding up to Willow.

At once, Willow's eyes went wide.

“Who are you? The will in my hands is genuine. Your officers Sophie bribed, right? How much did she pay you? I'll give you double! Take her away right now! The sight of her perturbs me!”

Even then, she was still unrepentant.

She didn't feel that she had done anything wrong.

The will that is given to me by Clayton's friend can totally pass as the real thing. They can't possibly tell that it's fake!

A frown marred the countenance of the police officer in the lead.

“Are you trying to bribe a civil servant now?” he demanded coldly, looking exceedingly displeased.

Right then, Yale and Charmaine could no longer be bothered about Willow. After all, the police must have some evidence in hand since they were there.

They would be dependent upon Sophie in the future, so they didn't dare say anything at that moment.

In response, Willow waved a dismissive hand.

“That wasn't what I meant. I was trying to say that my will is genuine! It can't possibly be fake.”

The police officer in the lead wasn't in the mood to continue yakking with her.

“Take her away! You can make your excuses at the police station.”

“Mom, save me! I don't want to be taken away by them! Say something on my behalf!” Willow began panicking.

She thought she had obtained a total victory, never having imagined herself to end up in such a wretched state.

“What are you trying to do, Sophie? Let me tell you that this is wholly slander!” She wasn't willing to accept the truth, resentful despite her defeat.

 

 

Chapter 617

No matter how resentful Willow felt, she could only be taken away right then, for no one took her side.

“Just you wait! I'll never give up this easily!” I've already hired an assassin, and he'll likely make his move these few days! Before leaving, she glared at Charmaine and Yale in hatred.

“Then, there's the two of you! I'll definitely make you pay for your decisions today!”

Yale said nothing, merely standing at the side silently. As for Charmaine, she didn't know what else she could say.

Victor walked over to Sophie.

“Don't worry, Ms. Sophie. I've retained the few major projects.” That was precisely why he hadn't been to the office in the past few days.

Since Ms. Sophie entrusted Tanner Group to me, I can't let her down!

“It must have been difficult for you these past few days. Sorry, but you'll have to work hard for a few more days. Boost the morale so that the employees aren't affected by this!”

Sophie gave him a lot of instructions, and Victor noted everything down.

“What about them?” Yale is currently the Chairman of Tanner Group. How am I to deal with him? If he remains, everyone won't be able to relax.

“You don't need to look at me. I'll retire right away and go travel the world.” Yale immediately expressed

his stance.

By then, he had understood everything.

Everyone in the company doesn't accept us. If Tanner Group were really to be managed by me and Willow, it'd only end up destroyed. Since we can't snatch it away, so be it. It isn't so bad either to have everything remain as it is now.

On the contrary, Charmaine had seemingly aged overnight.

“I won't come to the company anymore henceforth, so don't worry!”

Sophie had the driver send Yale and Charmaine home while she remained at Tanner Group to handle some leftover problems.

When they arrived home, Charmaine plopped onto the couch and wept.

As soon as Yale saw that, a terrible headache assailed him.

“What are you doing? What's the use of crying? Do you not know the kind of person Sophie is? Since she decided to do such a thing back then, she could only bear the consequences today. Besides, it doesn't affect us much.”

She should be content that things didn't end too badly!

“Is this all you plan to do with your life, Yale? No matter what, Willow is my daughter! Don't you feel

anything at all to see her taken away like that?”

“What should I have felt? Was I the one who told her to forge the will? Others might not know the truth, but don't we both know whether the will is genuine or otherwise?” Yale riposted.

“But she's still my daughter! If Sophie were to truly send her to a psychiatric hospital, her entire life would be ruined!” Charmaine countered in anguish.

Why did that well-behaved daughter of mine suddenly turn out to be such?

“What do you want, then? Do you think Sophie is going to listen to you? She used to be obedient to Dad, but he's no longer here, is he?”

Now, she isn't going to listen to anyone anymore!

Charmaine naturally understood that. But am I to just give up on Willow?

“Okay, that's enough! Didn't you also never bother when we abandoned Sophie to Horington back then? Is she not your daughter?”

That left Charmaine without a retort.

Admittedly, I'm biased. But what can I do about it? I simply hate Sophie's attitude. That's the only reason for my behavior!

“All right, stop thinking about things that can't be solved. Just do whatever you're supposed to do. I've got something to do, so I'm leaving. I'm not coming home for dinner. Cook or order something for

yourself!” Yale didn't want to bother about her anymore either.

After he had left, Charmaine was left alone at home. For a moment, grief surged within her.

This family is probably going to crumble very soon! Willow's fate is hanging in the balance now, while Yale had long since lost interest in me.

Meanwhile, Sophie needed to handle a slew of problems at the office because of the incident this time. It wasn't until after she had sorted out everything that she left Tanner Group. All the employees were incredibly thrilled by her return.

They were glad that they could finally live a normal life again.

During the past few days when Willow managed the company, their days had been hell on earth. Probably no one else could understand such a feeling.

Upon leaving Tanner Group, Sophie took a taxi to Lombard Group directly.

The receptionists at Lombard Group were aware of her identity, so one of them personally called the elevator for her so that she could look for Tristan.

“Mr. Tristan is already waiting for you in his office, Ms. Tanner.”

“Thank you.” Sophie was extremely courteous with the receptionists.

Smiling, the receptionists watched as she entered the elevator.

“No wonder Mr. Tristan likes Ms. Tanner. While she looks aloof, she's good-natured.”

“Exactly! I've been working with the company for a few years now, and countless socialites have come here in pursuit of Mr. Tristan. But still, I find it more comfortable to interact with Ms. Tanner.”

She doesn't put on airs at all. That's likely why it feels pleasant to talk to her.

“Anyway, she's better than Ms. Quigley who always acts high and mighty.”

We're all the same. She merely has a better family background. What right does she have to look down on us? Moreover, the fact that we made it into Lombard Group is already a testament to our capabilities.

At Lombard Group, even receptionists were graduates from prestigious universities, and their remunerations were far better than professionals from other companies.

“But then, I heard that Ms. Tanner's family background isn't that good. I wonder if they'll really end up together,” one of the receptionists remarked enviously.

“It's already the modern era now, and no one cares about that anymore. Stop daydreaming! Even if Ms. Tanner doesn't make the cut, you'll never be in the running.”

“How dare you! That's not necessarily true. Don't look down on me.”

Can't I even daydream for a bit?

No matter how refined one was, people loved to gossip, and the few receptionists were no exception.

In the meantime, Sophie had already arrived on the ninetieth floor. Wanting to give Tristan a surprise, she turned the doorknob lightly, planning to enter his office stealthily.

Little did she expect that she would suffer a fright instead.

The instant she stepped in, she was greeted by the sight of a beautiful bare back. She moved her gaze downward, only to see that the woman was actually standing there without a stitch on.

In a flash, all the blood in her body rushed to her head.

Meanwhile, the woman in front of her had never expected someone to enter the room without knocking. Right then, she used her hands to cover her body though it was futile.

“Who are you?” She was utterly panicked, but one could tell that she was an exceedingly pampered person.

Sophie's eyes narrowed into slits.

Not only is this woman trying to seduce my man, but she even stole my line now.

She strolled over to Tristan, gratification inundating her to see that he had his eyes closed.

Well, my man can't contaminate his eyes with such filth!

“Shouldn't I be asking you that?” Sophie regarded the shameless woman before her coldly.

Chapter 618

“Who are you? And why did you strip down to your birthday suit in my boyfriend's office? What are you trying to do? Shouldn't you be explaining yourself to me?”

Tristan grasped Sophie's hand.

He had also never expected the woman to undress in his office without warning. She wore a strapless dress without any lingerie underneath, so she was in the buff in the blink of an eye.

Fortunately, Tristan had already screwed his eyes shut when she did that. As such, he could matter-of- factly say that he didn't see anything.

“Trust me, Sophie. I've got no idea why she'd do such a thing either,” he whined innocently. Verily, he knew nothing at all.

“Is she really your girlfriend, Mr. Tristan? I don't believe it.” The blond girl shook her head. All the while, she urged, “Open your eyes and look at me! Compare us and see which of us is more suited to you!”

At that, Sophie narrowed her eyes dangerously.

“Tristan, are you going to deal with this woman yourself, or shall I do it for you?” She turned his chair around so that he had his back to the woman.

Then, she uttered in an icy voice, “You may now open your eyes.”

Unbidden, panic flooded Tristan.

Although the matter hadn't much to do with him, he still couldn't help panicking.

“You can deal with it! You can handle it however you want!”

Opening his eyes and realizing that he was facing the painting behind his desk, he breathed a sigh of relief.

“How could you do this to me, Mr. Tristan? Weren't you the one who told me to do so? Would I dare to strip in your office without your permission?” the blond girl fibbed.

Never had Tristan expected her to be so audacious that she dared to fabricate such a lie.

“Why, do you know who I am? I'm a princess from Yartran. My grandmother is Queen Elizabeth! I'm the only one worthy of him in this whole world. Therefore, you'd better get lost now!” the blond girl, Elyssa, declared arrogantly.

“A princess from Yartran? So what?” Sophie arched a brow. Is that impressive?

Elyssa promptly blew a gasket.

“What do you mean by that? Are you looking down upon Yartran? Let me warn you that it wouldn't end well for you to anger me! Thus, you'd better get out of here now. Don't disrupt me and Mr. Tristan. Otherwise—”

“How old are you?” Sophie asked casually.

“That's none of your business! I told you to get out!” Elyssa was both furious and embarrassed. She was presently unclothed, yet she couldn't bring herself to pick up the dress on the ground and wear it. On top of that, Sophie was standing there without any signs of leaving.

“If your grandmother were to learn that her beloved granddaughter is so shameless, do you think she'd still adore you the same? Let's put it in a different way. If the citizens of Yartran were to learn that the princess of the royal family doesn't even have the slightest manners, would they still believe in the royal family?”

“How dare you!”

With just a few words from Sophie, Elyssa's face flushed bright red in rage.

“Don't you want to collaborate with Yartran anymore, Tristan? Let me warn you—kick this woman out right this instant! Otherwise—”

“Cut it out, princess! I don't even remember your name! How could I possibly like you?” Tristan was rendered speechless.

“You've gone overboard!”

Whipping out her phone, Sophie called the police.

“Hello, I'm calling from Lombard Group. Someone is trespassing. Please come over and do something about it.”

Anyone who dares seduce my man would have to pay the price, no matter what. So what if she's a

princess from Yartran?

“How dare you!”

Elyssa was entirely stunned.

She actually dared to call the police right in front of me! What exactly is she trying to do?

“Do you know who I am? How dare you do this to me!”

“I've done exactly that. What can you do about it?”

Soon, the police arrived. Initially, they didn't quite believe someone would dare trespass on Lombard Group when they received the call.

However, they were all stumped upon seeing the unclothed woman.

Right then, Elyssa no longer dared to publicize her identity. As she said, Grandma would definitely fly into a fit of rage if she were to learn that I'd done such a shameful thing.

“Mr. Tristan...”

The few police officers were at a loss to deal with that matter.

“Yeah, she is trespassing. Take her away!”

“Miss, please put on your dress. It's unsightly for you to go out in such a state!” one of the policewomen

stated bluntly.

At that moment, words eluded Elyssa.

“The dress is dirty, so I can't wear it anymore!”

“It doesn't matter if the dress is dirty. It's when the person is filthy that things get tricky.”

Are all foreigners this open? There are so many people here, yet she's still not putting on her dress?

In the end, Elyssa had no choice but to pick the dress up from the ground and put it back on.

“Just you wait. Heed my words—I'll never let you off the hook!” she threatened before leaving.

In response, Sophie shrugged.

“I'll be waiting, then,” she replied nonchalantly.

Elyssa was taken away by the police.

Ultimately, she could only phone her bodyguards and have them bail her out.

It was just a trip to the police station, and they couldn't do anything about her either.

Alas, only Sophie and Tristan were left in the office.

Sophie remained silent. For that reason, Tristan panicked for real.

“Why aren't you saying anything? Are you mad? I can explain.”

No woman can remain calm upon encountering such a situation!

“Yeah, I'm mad!”

Sophie didn't bother to mask how incensed she was at that instant.

Pulling her into his arms, Tristan started solemnly, “I don't know how she got in, but I can promise you that I've got zero interest in her.”

“Aren't you tempted when a beautiful lady offered herself to you on a silver platter?” That foreign princess is pretty good-looking, and her figure is also incredibly alluring!

“I have no idea whether she's beautiful. You're the only person I can see. Everyone else is irrelevant.”

I don't even remember that princess' name. How could I possibly like her?

“I don't care. Call your secretary right now. Have him send the cleaning staff up to clean the office before disinfecting the place,” Sophie huffed.

Needless to say, she knew that Tristan was loyal to her.

Nonetheless, she was still very much chagrined after experiencing such a farce.

At the sight of her in a fit of pique, Tristan chuckled.

This is the normal reaction of the average girl, no? In the past, she'd been too indifferent that I doubted whether she really liked me.

“Okay, whatever you say.” Tristan phoned his secretary through the internal line for real, ordering him to send the cleaning staff up to clean and disinfect the office.

Conversely, Sophie was a tad sheepish when he truly did as she wished.

“Am I blowing things out of proportion?”

Chapter 619

Sophie observed as the cleaner meticulously cleaned Tristan's office and finished by thoroughly disinfecting the entire space. Despite these efforts, Sophie still felt uncomfortable.

She considered this reaction of hers to be peculiar.

Felix happened to be at Lombard Group that day. Upon hearing about the events that took place in Tristan's office, he was immediately intrigued and rushed over to investigate.

“Sophie, there you are! What have you been up to lately? Ysabelle has been complaining that you don't have any time for her,” Felix said.

Ysabelle kept bringing up Sophie's name so often that it was starting to get on his nerves.

“Sophie is my girlfriend. Why would she need to spend time with Ysabelle?” Tristan retorted. She's not a young girl anymore. Why can't she spend her free time doing things she enjoys?

Felix replied helplessly, “I can't do anything about it either. You know how Ysabelle is. Sophie is more important to her than I am.”

He never imagined that he would one day have a love rival, especially not one who was Tristan's girlfriend.

It was a really strange feeling.

Sophie agreed, “Yes, we haven't met for some time.” They last met at the funeral. Sophie wasn't in a good mood, so they didn't get to talk much.

“Why don't you spend some time with her when you have the chance?” Felix suggested. “Otherwise, she'll just keep being down, and that won't be good for either of us.” Felix knew that if Ysabelle wasn't happy, it would impact him as well.

Sophie pointed out bluntly, “If I'm not around, you'll get to spend more time with her, right?”

A while ago, Felix wanted Ysabelle all for himself. Less than one month later, he changed his mind and wanted Sophie to spend time with Ysabelle.

“Be honest with me. Did you get bored of Ysabelle already?” Sophie demanded.

Felix quickly shook his head. “Sophie, you can't say that. Are you trying to kill me?”

He knew that if Ysabelle were to hear what Sophie had just said, he would be in big trouble. Felix declared without hesitation, “I will only love Ysabelle for my entire life. The heavens and earth can bear witness to my love for her!”

“Seriously?” Tristan shook his head in exasperation.

“I have strong survival instincts. You know how hard I had to work to win over Ysabelle. There have been many obstacles in our way, so please don't put me in a difficult situation,” Felix stated.

Ysabelle's popularity was growing at a rapid pace. Every time she posted a tweet on Twitter, a large number of male admirers would inundate the comments section with replies.

Felix was upset at those male fans.

“By the way, where is Princess Elyssa? Didn't she come to you?”

Tristan narrowed his eyes. “Princess Elyssa? How do you know her? How did she come in?”

“I brought her here. We're planning a collaboration with the royal family of Yartran, right? She made the journey here. Why can't I bring a guest here?” Felix asked with innocence, still unaware of his mistake.

“Sophie, why are you giving me that look? Please stop, it's making me nervous,” Felix said as he backed away.

Did I do anything wrong?

“Are you in cahoots with Elyssa?” Sophie asked in a cold voice. She was willing to give him one final opportunity as she wasn't an unreasonable person.

“What do you mean by I'm in cahoots with her? Lombard Group is going to work together with the royal family of Yartran, so I brought her here!” Felix protested.

“Felix, how good are you at fighting?” Instead of continuing the topic, Sophie suddenly asked a strange question.

Felix was confused. What's with the sudden question?

“I suppose I'm not too shabby when it comes to fighting,” he answered modestly. Despite not being on the same level as Tristan, he had honed his skills over the years from working for him.

“Let's fight then!” Sophie declared.

“What? Sophie, are you joking? I don't fight with women!” Felix blurted out in shock. “Besides, if Ysabelle finds out about this, she'll get mad at me. She thinks you're her idol!”

Sophie retorted, “If you don't want her to find out, let's fight. Don't worry. I won't hold back!”

Felix nearly burst into tears. “Mr. Tristan, what did I do wrong?” he asked.

Sophie's Mr. Tristan's girlfriend. I can't afford to offend either of them!

Ignoring Felix's plea, Tristan strode over to Sophie. She was already packing up her stuff, so it was obvious she was serious about the fight.

“Come, let's go. This is not the appropriate place for you to fight.”

We need to fight somewhere appropriate.

Felix was speechless.

Didn't I say no? She ignored my refusal to fight with her!

Sophie led Tristan and Felix to a nearby wrestling gym. She changed into a suitable outfit and hopped onto the wrestling ring.

As Sophie looked serious, Felix had to text Ysabelle for help: Come here now! If you come any later,

you might not get to see me for one last time.

He knew he was doomed, and it was a horrible feeling.

Ysabelle had just stepped out of the shower when she received Felix's text. Recently, she was preoccupied with her dance rehearsals as she was soon set to appear on a dance-themed reality TV show.

Thus, TS Entertainment hired a dance teacher to improve her dancing skills. Upon receiving Felix's text message, she quickly grabbed her bag and set off toward Felix's location in her car.

Ysabelle had only received her driving license last week.

Tristan couldn't help but shake his head when he saw Felix asking for Ysabelle's help.

“Felix, you are pathetic,” he commented.

Felix was stumped for words.

“Remember what you say. If I ended up hurting her later, you are not allowed to settle scores with me,” he warned.

Who am I doing this for? I can't believe Mr. Tristan is mocking me. How could he do that to me?

Tristan merely snickered icily. “You must go all out!”

Felix was dumbfounded.

“Does love fade away? Don't you love her anymore? I can't believe you want me to teach her a lesson. Mr. Tristan, are you conscious right now? Do you know what you've just said?” he asked warily.

Tristan ignored him.

He knew Felix wouldn't come to his senses until he was beaten to a pulp.

Sophie was getting impatient in the ring.

“Hurry up, Felix. Stop wasting time!” she called out.

“Sophie, are you sure you want to do this? No matter what, we're friends, and there is no need for us to engage in physical conflict,” Felix pleaded. He still had no idea what his mistake was. “Can you just tell me what I did wrong so I can fix it? There's no need for us to resort to violence, and it won't be good if either of us gets hurt.”

If word got out that he beat a woman up, his reputation and dignity would suffer irreparable damage.

“Hey, stop wasting time. Just come up here, won't you? Stop talking nonsense,” Sophie snapped impatiently. “Don't you dare hold back, for I'm not going to hold back, too.”

Felix was struck dumb. Sh*t!

 

Chapter 620

He insisted, “Sophie, I really don't want to fight. I feel a little unwell today. Please spare me this once!”

Why isn't it biologically possible for men to experience menstrual cycles? I can't even find a valid reason to put off the altercation.

Sophie furrowed her brows.

“Felix, are you sure you won't come up now? I can join you down there if you prefer fighting there,” she replied coldly.

Felix felt like crying. What did I do wrong?

Meanwhile, Ysabelle had arrived at breakneck speed, having driven there as quickly as possible.

Hope rose in Felix's heart when he saw Ysabelle walking into the wrestling gym.

“Oh, Ysabelle, you've finally arrived! If you had come any later, you might have missed the chance to see me ever again,” he cried out.

Ysabelle asked, “Didn't you say you're about to die? You look fine. What happened?”

She was confused to see him still in one piece.

“Sophie wants to fight with me!” Felix complained, pointing an accusing finger in Sophie's direction. Why did she treat me like this despite the fact that I've been loyal and put in a lot of effort?

Ysabelle noticed Sophie in the ring and asked, “Sophie, did Felix do something to upset you? Don't hesitate to teach him a lesson. I won't mind, so you don't have to hold back because of me.”

Felix gaped incredulously at Ysabelle. “Ysabelle, are you sure you're my girlfriend? Shouldn't you side with me? How could you do this to me? This is too much. Don't you love me anymore?”

“Sophie, I don't know him. Go ahead and teach him a lesson,” Ysabelle stated firmly.

No matter what Felix did to irritate Sophie, Ysabelle held him responsible for any conflict that arose between them.

“Seriously?” Felix's jaw dropped wide open.

Poor me.

“Are you done, Felix? Hurry, it's time to face off with Sophie. We have plans for lunch later, so if you don't want to fight with her, you can fight with me. The choice is yours.” Tristan interjected.

“Fight with you?” Felix repeated dumbly.

If I were to fight with him, can I still join them for lunch? I'm afraid I'll be admitted to the hospital on a stretcher!

“I'll fight with Sophie,” he caved in. I must be careful enough not to hurt her, though.

Felix grabbed the edge of the ring and hopped onto it.

Initially, he chose to defend himself rather than attack Sophie. Nevertheless, after they both threw punches, he realized he needed to stay on guard.

Sophie was just as competent as Felix, and despite being of the opposite gender, she possessed remarkable strength. Upon receiving a kick from her, Felix stumbled backward for a few moments before managing to steady himself.

“Ow!” Felix hissed in pain.

No wonder she can defeat mercenaries. Look at how capable she is! She might be as capable as Mr. Tristan. Ah, I regret not choosing to go against Mr. Tristan.

Ysabelle was dumbfounded at the scene before her.

“Uncle Tristan, is Sophie that capable? Will she beat Felix to his death?” Ysabelle grew concerned.

“He'll be fine. She'll only beat him to a pulp,” came Tristan's calm answer.

“Seriously? What did Felix do?” Ysabelle's curiosity was piqued.

“Nothing much. He brought a lady to my office who stripped off her clothes there, and Sophie happened to bump into her.”

“What?” Ysabelle blurted out in surprise.

Did Felix really do something that terrible? Does he not care about the consequences of his actions?

It's clear that Sophie had a good reason to teach him a lesson. His behavior was inexcusable, and he deserves punishment for it. What was he thinking?

“He has it coming, right?” Tristan asked with his arms folded across his chest.

Ysabelle gave a serious nod. “Yes. He deserves to be taught a lesson.”

In the wrestling ring, Felix was hit with a wave of despair when he heard Ysabelle's words. His attention was diverted, causing him to miss Sophie's kick that knocked him out of the ring.

This time, Felix sprawled on the ground and played dead.

He remained silent, as he had no further words to offer.

Realizing he had been lying on the floor for some time, Ysabelle ran over to him and patted his face. “Felix, are you okay? Are you that weak? Are you admitting defeat?”

Naturally, that made Felix even more reluctant to speak. Am I weak? It is Sophie who is too strong!

“All right. Stop playing dead and get up. You'll be fine after Sophie vents her anger. Why did you do that? You know how important Uncle Tristan is to Sophie,” Ysabelle chided.

He brought this upon himself. I might be his girlfriend, but I can't bring myself to defend him.

“It hurts!” Felix complained. “Sophie didn't hold back in her attacks.”

Ysabelle patted his cheek. “Never mind. This is a lesson for you so you won't repeat your actions.

Otherwise, you might be beaten to death. Oh, Sophie was amazing!”

“Mm.”

Did my girlfriend seriously comfort me that way? Is that how it is supposed to be? I don't feel comforted at all. Ugh, I still feel terrible.

Tristan had already hopped onto the ring.

“You must be tired after the fight. Why don't you let the matter slip? I believe Felix has learned his lesson,” he told Sophie.

Sophie nodded in agreement. “Okay, then!”

She was feeling frustrated and needed to release her anger. It wasn't her intention to hurt Felix.

It had been some time since she was involved in a fight, so she didn't hesitate and threw a powerful kick.

Jumping off the ring confidently, she walked over to Felix.

“I'm sorry for losing control. I didn't mean to hurt you, so please don't be mad at me,” Sophie said apologetically. “But you're too weak. How can you protect Ysabelle this way? You need to train more.”

Felix was speechless.

I'm too weak? You're the one who's too strong!

Felix's pain lingered even after he changed his clothes. The spot where Sophie had kicked him still ached.

The four of them went out for lunch. After learning Felix and Sophie had a fight, Charles sent a text to their WhatsApp group: I heard you fought with Sophie. Are you okay, bro?

He inserted a smiley emoji and tagged Felix.

Felix replied with a “leave me alone” sticker and ignored his tease.

Hmph. None of them are really concerned about me. They are obviously having fun watching me suffer!

Charles chuckled out loud when he saw the sticker Felix replied. He turned to Sean and asked, “Say, is Sophie really that good? Felix is not as strong as you and Tristan, but he is still quite close in terms of strength.”

He couldn't believe that a young lady could be that capable.

“I don't know. You can try challenging her next time. That way, you'll learn the extent of her capabilities. “You won't know the outcome unless you give it a go!” Sean responded.