Ch. 681..690

Chapter 681

“Remember, Alex. Sophie is my only obsession in life. If I can't have her, I'll go crazy for the rest of my days,” Nicholas remarked. This is my best shot at pulling this off!

“So much time has passed since the avalanche, Mr. Nicholas. I'm afraid Ms. Tanner is—” Before Alex could finish his sentence, Nicholas gave him a furious slap.

“She's not going to die,” spat Nicholas. Sophie has always been a capable woman. I refuse to believe she's dead!

After receiving the slap, Alex kept quiet and sent people to search for her.

At that moment, a full day had passed. By that point, almost everyone was convinced that the two women were dead.

Everyone thought that even if the duo wasn't buried alive under the snow, they would've frozen to death already.

Thus, the president of Jetroina found no reason to continue the search. There are some things we must accept, even if we don't want to.

“What do we do now, Mr. President? Should the rescue team continue the search?” the secretary asked. By this point, everything is just a waste of effort and resources. In fact, there's no need to keep searching for them.

“Yes. Ask our rescue team to cooperate with Chanaea's rescue team. Whatever they do, we'll follow.” The president didn't expect the Chanaean leader would also care about the matter because he thought

only Tristan and Nicholas were involved in the matter. What'll others think of us if we give up now when they didn't? That's why we must continue as much as I think it's pointless.

In response, the secretary kept his silence. Naturally, I also hope she'll be fine, considering how many factions have joined the search. Still, no one is to blame for such a thing to happen.

As everyone combed through the mountain for Sophie, they believed all they would find were two corpses.

Since Tristan insisted on finding Sophie, no one dared to speak of it and kept on looking whether they were dead or alive.

“We found a lead, Mr. Tristan,” the captain of the rescue team informed after his men detected faint signs of life.

It was as though Tristan had come back to life when he heard that. “What? Where?”

“Yeah, where are they? Since you've found a clue to their whereabouts, you should dig them out quickly!” exclaimed Felix. It has been a whole day! There's no way someone as delicate as Ysabelle can hold on any longer. She must be in agony right now.

The captain responded, “I've already asked my men to do that.”

Two hours later, they finally found Ysabelle and Sophie. Felix felt his heart wrenched when he saw Ysabelle's pale, frozen lips as she was laid on a stretcher.

“I'll be heading to the hospital with Ysabelle first, Mr. Tristan.” The only thing he could think of at that moment was Ysabelle. There's no way I'll feel at ease if she's brought to the hospital alone, especially now that she's unconscious.

“Mhm, go ahead,” Tristan answered as he wondered why Sophie hadn't been brought out yet.

While the ambulance sent Ysabelle and Felix to the hospital, the captain of the rescue team approached Tristan with a troubled look.

“What's going on? Where's the other one?” Tristan had never been this panicked before. Please don't let anything happen to my girl.

“Here's the situation, Mr. Tristan. Ms. Tanner is trapped inside. Her leg is pinned under a giant rock. Right now, we can't move the rock recklessly. If we smash it open, another avalanche may be triggered. The situation is dire, but we're trying to figure out how to extract her.”

“I don't care what you do. Just save her. Forget it. I'll go down there and take a look myself.”

If he wanted to descend into the hole, he had to borrow a rope, which the captain was hesitant to provide.

“You're a distinguished man, Mr. Tristan. I don't think it's a good idea for you to go down there. Don't worry. I'll devise a plan to save her. Additionally, Ms. Tanner is in a coma right now, so there's no point in you going to her. It's better if you wait here,” the captain suggested.

“I'm going to take a look at her, regardless of what you think.” It had been too long since Tristan last met Sophie, so he couldn't suppress his desire to see her, especially when he told her that he would

always be by her side, no matter what happened.

Since he insisted on going down there, the others had no choice but to throw a rope into the hole, allowing him to reach her.

After he saw her situation in the hole, a terrible heartache struck him.

Sophie's leg was incredibly swollen, and her face was ashen. Oh, no. She looks deathly pale.

Kneeling beside her, he held her icy hand and uttered, “I'm here, Sophie. I told you I'd definitely find you. I know you're afraid right now, but you don't have to anymore. As long as I'm around, I won't let anything happen to you.”

“I'm afraid she won't be able to walk anymore, Mr. Tristan,” the captain commented. With how long this rock has been pressing on her leg, it'll be a miracle if she's not crippled.

“Save your words and get her out of here right now,” commanded Tristan.

“You should leave first, Mr. Tristan. We're going to pry this rock away, which may trigger an avalanche.”

“Just stop talking and do it.” Tristan couldn't bear to leave. If I die, I want to die with her!

Upon seeing that, the others silently prepared their tools for the operation.

Meanwhile, Tristan personally directed the rescue. Sophie's a proud woman. She absolutely won't allow her leg to sustain permanent injury. If she lost her leg, she'll rather die than to live on.

Another hour passed before the rock was removed. He carried Sophie in his arms while the people above the hole lifted them out.

Once she was laid on a stretcher, the doctor examined her. However, he couldn't detect any vital signs.

No matter how he tried to resuscitate her, it didn't work.

Tristan, who was watching from the side, reflexively tightened his fists.

“Ms. Tanner has no vital signs, Mr. Tristan.” The doctor was the best in Jetroina, and the president personally sent him, so he knew just how grave the situation was.

“What did you say?” Tristan's demeanor was so overpowering that the doctor trembled when he heard that.

“No, she can't be dead. You'd better save her now, or I'll bury you together with her! Do you understand me?” threatened Tristan mercilessly.

Hence, the doctor tried to revive her again. I've saved countless people before, and my medical skills are the best in the country. However, even I can't save her now. Sadly, he'll unquestionably tear me to pieces if I tell him that.

 

Chapter 682

However, no matter what he did, there were still no signs of life.

“Mr. Tristan, I—” The doctor didn't know how to tell him that nothing else could be done.

Tristan narrowed his eyes.

“What were you going to say?” Tristan's voice was cold as he squatted down to carry Sophie.

“Sophie, open your eyes and look at me. Do you understand?” How can she have no reaction?

Everyone was taken aback by Tristan's action, who seemed like a confused child. They were all touched.

That was how the world worked.

No matter how strong one was, one was powerless in the face of death.

Butterfly had also rushed over. Upon witnessing this scene, tears streamed down her face.

“Sophie, wake up! What happened to you?” There are still so many matters regarding Wings of Light that Sophie has to settle. What about Tanner Group? Isn't she always worried about Tanner Group? How can this happen?

“Sophie, I'm Tristan. Your Tristan. I know you have always been capable, so can you please wake up soon?” Tristan asked pathetically. He was willing to do anything for Sophie to wake up.

However, Sophie really felt like she was dying this time.

She had never been in so much pain before, which was saying a lot given how much she had been through since she arrived at Horington.

She had gone through arduous training at the training camp and learned a lot. Everything she learned pushed her body beyond the limit of what a human body could take.

It was something that others wouldn't be able to understand.

Nevertheless, she never regretted attending the camp.

Only when she was strong enough would others not be able to bully her. Therefore, she continued to improve her own skills.

Unfortunately, she was exhausted and didn't mind leaving the world in this manner.

Didn't Grandpa leave me already? He must be really lonely by himself. Shouldn't I go and accompany him since he loved me so much? Perhaps, this is the best ending for me.

However, she kept hearing someone call her name incessantly. Instantly, all her memories came flooding back suddenly.

I can't leave this world yet. That's right! How can I leave right now? If I die, what will happen to Tristan? He really likes me. He will be devastated if I die now.

Soon, Sophie's vital signs started showing improvements. Seeing that, the doctor immediately rushed over.

“Mr. Tristan, please let go of her. It seems like a miracle has happened.” The doctor immediately tried to save Sophie and bring her back from the brink of death.

When Tristan saw her vital signs stabilizing, a drop of tears streamed down his face.

I knew it! Sophie wouldn't leave me here alone. Look, she's desperately trying to come back to me.

After rounds of rescue attempts, Sophie's condition had stabilized enough to be put into an ambulance. Tristan also got in the ambulance to rush to the hospital together.

Although Sophie's vital signs were back, no one knew how long she could maintain in that condition. Thus, they could only go to the hospital for a thorough examination.

However, this was the best scenario Tristan could ask for.

If there had been no vital signs, no one would be able to do anything anymore.

On the way, Tristan held Sophie's hands tightly, not willing to let go.

“Sophie, you should be able to hear what I'm saying, right? No matter what happens, you have to get through this. If you leave me, I don't think I'll be able to continue living any longer,” Tristan whispered words of encouragement to Sophie throughout the entire journey to the hospital. Even though Sophie couldn't open her eyes, she could hear everything he said.

Meanwhile, Felix and Sarah were staying by Ysabelle's side. She was still unconscious.

Sarah was getting increasingly worried since Sophie had not returned yet.

“Felix, isn't Sophie with Ysabelle? Ysabelle has been back for so long, but why is there still no news of Sophie?”

Felix shook his head.

“I'm not sure either. After I saw Ysabelle come out, I was too focused on her to notice anything else.”

Therefore, he had no idea what was going on with Sophie.

“I'll go out and take a look.” Sarah was still concerned, so she decided to leave first since the doctor said Ysabelle was not in danger.

The moment Sarah stepped out, Tristan and Sophie arrived at the hospital. Sarah's heart skipped a beat when she saw Sophie on the stretcher.

Sophie was immediately rushed into the emergency room.

Sarah stood rooted to the spot. She had seen every side of Sophie, but this was the first time she had seen the latter so lifeless.

“Mr. Tristan, we are going in to save her. There's nothing you can do if you go in, so please wait outside!”

Upon seeing Tristan trying to barge into the emergency room, the doctor tried to stop him.

Tristan shook his head.

“No, I have to be by her side and watch over her. Don't worry. I won't say anything inside the room. I'll just stay beside her.”

Sarah felt a pang in her heart seeing Tristan like this.

She grabbed his hand and stated, “Tristan, you will only disturb the doctors by going in. Let's wait out here. Besides, we might need to contact Dr. Smith and Arius.”

If these two people were present, miracles were bound to happen.

At this moment, Barney and Arius had arrived at the emergency room. They rushed over upon hearing about Sophie's situation.

“How's Sophie?” Arius asked apprehensively.

“She's still inside! You guys should go and take a look!” Sarah felt slightly relieved when she saw Arius and Barney.

Sophie will be fine since the two of them are here now.

Barney couldn't wait anymore and demanded to go to the emergency room.

“I'm sorry, but we are currently trying to save the patient. You guys should wait outside.”

“I'm the founder of International Medical Association, Barney Smith. He's my mentee, Arius Gullifer. I believe the chances of the patient's survival would only increase with us helping in the emergency room.”

When the doctor heard they were from International Medical Association, he didn't dare to say anything more and immediately let them in.

After Barney and Arius went inside the emergency room, Tristan tried to enter behind them.

Arius said, “Let him in. Since he's Sophie's most favorite person, she would be the least willing to leave him. With his presence, Sophie's desire to live will only increase.”

Tristan finally entered the emergency room. Butterfly and Cecelia had also arrived. After learning about Sophie's situation, tears rolled down Cecelia's face.

How could this happen? Why did so many things happen in just one day?

At this moment, Barney and Arius had already changed into scrubs. Arius drew a sharp breath when he saw Sophie's legs.

“Dr. Smith, it appears that her leg is the most serious issue. It's highly likely that she won't be able to walk again in the future.”

 

Chapter 683

Barney's expression was solemn, as the condition of Sophie's leg was extremely grave.

If it wasn't dealt with properly, it would affect her for the rest of her life.

Given what was at stake, Barney and Arius began to provide her with emergency treatment.

Even with their combined efforts, the surgery took them more than three hours.

Tristan was at the scene throughout. During the surgery, the latter's heartbeat stopped on a few occasions. Fortunately, Barney and Arius managed to pull her back from the brink of death every time that happened.

Helpless in the situation, all Tristan could do was stay by her side, and let her know that there was still someone waiting for her.

He wanted to give her a reason to not give up fighting.

Once the surgery was over, Barney and Arius emerged gloomily.

As for Sophie, she was sent to the intensive care unit after receiving early-stage treatment. Her main surgery was still contingent upon her regaining consciousness.

Everyone else went along with her and gathered outside the ICU.

Tristan didn't get any rest since the accident, as he had stayed by her side for many hours.

The stubbles on his chin further accentuated his already haggard look.

Unable to bear the sight, Sarah approached him.

“You should tidy yourself up and get some rest. Your current condition will only worry Sophie when she wakes up.” Sarah had no choice but to comfort Tristan that way.

“Sarah, don't worry. I'm fine. A little exhaustion isn't going to kill me.”

Barney had told him that the next twenty-four hours were key to whether Sophie would wake up.

Thus, there was no way he could leave until that happen.

“I'll stay here on your behalf, all right? I'll call you the moment she wakes up.”

“Sarah, I'm really fine. I understand your concern, but you should go back and rest.” Mired in fear and anxiousness over the last two days, none of them got any proper rest.

Cecelia and Butterfly, too, refused to take a break and insisted on being with Sophie.

Nicholas shared the same sentiment as they did but since his presence was not wanted, he could only wait opposite the hospital.

Hatred glistened in his eyes amidst the darkened expression on his face.

Alex was standing beside him in fearful silence, for his boss was furious that they didn't manage to get

to Sophie first.

“Mr. Nicholas, we should now—”

“Get Sophie out of there. I want to take her back to Anglandur.” Nicholas knew very well the condition Sophie was in, which presented them with the perfect opportunity.

Once Sophie was awake, her combat skills would make it difficult to kidnap her.

Therefore, doing so while she was in a coma was their best bet.

“But she's in the ICU now, Mr. Nicholas. What if something untoward happens while we move her?” Despite his dislike of Sophie, Alex was cognizant of how the risks of his task would affect Sophie's condition.

“There won't be any problems, as I've hired the best doctors. All you have to do is bring her to me.”

Why are you still wasting time here?

Alex fell silent in the face of Nicholas' anger.

Stealing Sophie out of the hospital is an impossible task with Tristan standing guard. If that isn't bad enough, there are many other factions protecting her currently. Unfortunately, Mr. Nicholas refuses to listen. All that matters to him is results. He doesn't care how difficult the process is.

After Alex went off, Nicholas remained where he was.

I wonder how is she doing now? I'm sure she'll be fine given her strong willpower. That said, what should I do now?

Nicholas was filled with the urge to see Sophie.

D*mn it, I have to see her no matter what. I need to know that she's fine. Otherwise, I'll never be at peace.

With that, Nicholas found a way to infiltrate the hospital. When he arrived at the ICU, he stopped in his tracks at the sight of Tristan.

Despite the overwhelming urge to approach his dream girl, he decided to leave quietly when he recalled the plan he had in place.

“Don't worry, Sophie. I'll definitely take you with me and protect you. You'll not come to any more harm.”

After allowing Sophie to suffer such grievous injuries, Tristan is no longer worthy to be by her side. All this wouldn't have happened if she had gone back to Anglandur with me.

“Who are you? Why are you sneaking around?” Arius noticed a man behaving suspiciously on his rounds to check on Sophie. Moreover, the man's silhouette looked familiar to him.

Nicholas was wearing a black face mask when he turned around upon hearing the familiar voice.

“I'm sorry. I lost my way.”

Upon replying with a deep voice, he left in a hurry, eliciting a furrow on Arius' brows.

“What is it?” Barney approached him from behind, oblivious to what had happened.

“That person looks like Nicholas from the back.” Nicholas had never given up on Sophie and was ruthless in whatever he did.

“In that case, we had better be more vigilant.” No matter what, one can never be too cautious.

Meanwhile, Nicholas had walked out of the hospital.

Sophie is in good hands with both Arius and Barney present. There's no medical issue in this world that those two can't solve. It's just a pity that I didn't get to see her despite taking such a huge risk.

Alex, who was waiting outside, heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Nicholas emerge. Why did he sneak into the hospital?

“Are you all right, Mr. Nicholas?”

Is he thinking of kidnapping Sophie with so many people guarding her? It's an impossible task!

“I'm fine. Let's go back.” Nicholas was visibly upset.

As for Alex, he didn't comment on the situation. After all, it wasn't his place as a subordinate to do so.

It was just that Tristan wouldn't sit idly by and do nothing if he knew Nicholas was trying to steal Sophie away.

Both these men had turned into mortal rivals.

Neither was willing to accept defeat, while their resentment for each other was enough to want the other dead.

“What happened? How is she?” Barney found it hard to wait any longer when Sophie didn't show any sign of waking up still.

Arius shook his head.

“She's in a precarious situation now. If she still doesn't wake up, I'm afraid...” Arius was reluctant to finish his sentence, but that was the reality they faced.

Hence, silence was Barney's only response.

Despite having treated countless patients, this was the first time he felt a lack of confidence.

Chapter 684

One good news was that Ysabelle had woken up. The first name she called out when she regained consciousness was Sophie.

Felix had been by her side the entire time, and when he heard her call out Sophie's name, he immediately held her hand.

“Ysabelle, I'm here. Don't worry. We found Sophie.”

Ysabelle opened her eyes, and the sight of an unshaven Felix greeted her. It was not a sight she used to see in the past.

It was as if she had seen refuge in the middle of a storm, the second Ysabelle saw Felix, she cried. Once she sat upright, she threw herself into his arms.

“Felix, I nearly died! If not for Sophie, I would have died. I wouldn't have gotten to see you again,” she choked out.

The gears in her mind could barely work as she continued crying while Felix patted her back.

“You're all right now. It's all over and I know you've suffered a lot.” Felix was heartbroken when he thought about the things the two women had to go through. “Don't wander off anymore, okay?”

“Okay,” Ysabelle whispered, still sniffling and hiccupping.

She would never wander off ever again.

“Right. Where's Sophie? I only remember her bleeding a lot. How is she now?”

“She...” Felix knew how concerned Ysabelle was for Sophie, so he did not know how to tell her about Sophie's condition.

“Why aren't you saying anything? I survived. Sophie's an amazing woman. She'll be fine too, right?”

Nothing will happen to Sophie!

“Sophie, she... hasn't woken up yet,” was all Felix could say to her.

He did not dare to tell Ysabelle how severe Sophie's condition was.

“No. I must see her. I can't be at ease until I see her with my own eyes.”

If it wasn't for her trying to save me, Sophie wouldn't have fallen into the hole with me. How can I just lie here and not check on her?

“What are you doing? Ysabelle, you haven't recovered, so don't move around. You have to rest well so that others won't worry about you, all right?”

Sophie was in a bad state, and everyone was anxious about her. It was not as if Ysabelle was going to be of any help even if she were to see Sophie.

At that, Ysabelle stopped all her movements.

“Felix, are you blaming me for this? That's what you mean, right?” So Sophie's condition must be very serious.

“No. I can't stay here; I have to take a look at her. Just let me be!”

Ysabelle struggled to climb off the bed, but she would have fallen if not for Felix catching her in time.

“Okay, okay, I'll take you to her. Don't get agitated, all right? Your Uncle Tristan is in a bad mood right now, so let's not disturb him.”

Felix understood what Tristan was feeling at the moment, so he wanted them to stay silent when they were at Sophie's side.

Hearing that, Ysabelle became even surer of Sophie's dreadful state.

“Felix, Sophie only ended up like this because she was trying to save me. What am I going to do if something happens to her?”

Ysabelle was at a loss.

She felt like a bad omen of misfortune. If not for her, this would not have happened to Sophie.

“All right, there's no point in saying all these now. Clear your mind, okay? No one wanted something like this to happen, right?” Felix squeezed out, his heart aching to see his girlfriend breaking down.

They were close to each other, and no one would be in a merry mood if either one of them were to get injured.

Felix then borrowed a wheelchair to take Ysabelle over to the intensive care unit.

Once they reached their destination, they saw everyone in the room with solemn expressions.

Ysabelle was stunned.

What if Sophie never wakes up?

When Sarah caught sight of Ysabelle, she walked over to hold Ysabelle's hand. “Why are you here? You just woke up, didn't you? Can't you stay in your room and rest?”

Sarah was worried about Ysabelle, too, but too many things had happened in the past few days, so she could not keep the frustration out of her tone.

“Aunt Sarah, what do we do? What are we going to do if Sophie doesn't wake up? What is Uncle Tristan going to do?” Once again, Ysabelle's tears fell.

Sarah was at a loss as well.

No one wished for something like that to happen.

“That's enough. You should go back and rest first. You haven't even recovered, so don't dwell on these things. I'll tell you if there's any news about her.” Sarah then turned to Felix. “Felix, take her back.”

However, Ysabelle shook her head.

“I don't want to go back. I want to stay here and watch over Sophie.”

How can I go back to my room at a time like this? This is all my fault. Things wouldn't have turned out this way if it hadn't been for me.

“It's not as if you can help her out in any way if you stay here. No one can do anything. It's all up to Sophie now.” They were only lingering in the room to console themselves.

Felix nodded in agreement.

“Okay, we'll head back first. Sophie ended up this way to save you. I'm sure she'd want to see you safe and sound when she wakes up.”

Therefore, the one thing they could do at that moment was not to stir up any more trouble.

In the blink of an eye, Ysabelle was taken away from the intensive care unit.

She started spacing out after going back to her room.

She dared not think of what she would do if Sophie truly could not wake up.

In the meantime, Tristan remained by Sophie's side. For every second she spent in bed with her eyes closed, Tristan would tell her things about them.

He would tell her how much he loved her and how he could not live without her.

There was no way he was ever going to let her go.

“Sophie, I know you must be tired, but it's been such a long time since you started resting. It's about time you come back to us, right? Please wake up soon. I'm sure you don't want to worry everyone by staying asleep.”

“Sophie, hurry up and wake up. If you keep staying asleep like this, I won't know what to do anymore. Wake up. Once you wake, we'll get married. I don't want to wait anymore.”

No one could predict the future, so Tristan wanted to marry her once she woke.

Alas, no matter what he said, Sophie remained lifeless on the bed.

“Will you think of me as noisy?” Tristan said self-deprecatingly. He never thought he would act like this one day, but what could he do?

He would do anything as long as she woke up.

“Sophie, what do I do? I'm really afraid. I'm scared that you won't wake up. I've never been so scared of anything in my life, but I'm terrified now. I even hope that there are supreme beings in this world. That way, I can pray to them for you to wake up.”

There was nothing anyone could do to avoid accidents like this.

But why Sophie? Why her?

Drops of tears splashed onto the back of Sophie's hand. The legend of Jipsdale was now feeling as helpless as a child.

Sophie wanted to open her eyes, but her eyelids were too heavy. Who's crying? Is there really someone in this world who would cry for me?

She tried her best to open her eyes, but she simply could not.

What can I do now? My heart aches to hear this person cry.

 

Chapter 685

Sophie's eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds of lead, but she pried them open with her indomitable willpower!

What greeted her was the sight of a man who loved her to his core but who appeared utterly disheveled—a state she had never seen before.

“Tristan, what has happened to you?” she asked in bewilderment.

These were not the first words Tristan had expected to hear from her.

“Sophie, you're finally awake. I thought I'd never see you again!” he exclaimed before adding, “From now on, you must never leave my sight. Do you understand?”

Tristan could not imagine having to face another episode as traumatizing as this.

“Okay,” she replied, a faint smile gracing her lips.

It is so wonderful to see him again!

She thought she was a goner, and she never imagined she would have another chance to see the world again!

“I know you will look for me.” She trusted him completely. That was the reason why she could persevere for so long.

After a brief period of coming to consciousness, Sophie fell asleep again. After ensuring that Sophie

was merely drifting off again, Tristan's heart finally settled down.

As long as she was awake, everything else was not important.

Another three hours elapsed before Sophie woke up again, feeling much better.

Everyone came to see her. Cecelia's face broke out in a smile after seeing that Sophie had finally woken up.

“Sophie, do you realize how terrified you almost made me? How can you be so reckless!”

It was supposed to be an ordinary outing. But why is it far more dangerous than shooting a movie?

Butterfly stood at the side. She was silent but it was obvious that she was worried by the look in her eyes.

Sophie is awake, but what about her leg? She is an exceptional person.

What if she cannot stand up again?

How will she take it?

Nobody said anything, but Butterfly knew precisely how severe Sophie's leg injury was.

“Butterfly, what's the matter with you? You've been worried all along. Why are you so quiet now?” Cecelia found it strange how silent she had become.

She had never been this quiet!

Butterfly shook her head.

“I know you have much to say, so I'll give you a chance to speak,” Butterfly replied lightly.

Sophie's lips curved into a smile. She had not anticipated Cecelia and Butterfly's relationship to have improved so much.

Ysabelle ran over upon learning of Sophia regaining consciousness. By then, she had recovered quite a bit, but her body was still incredibly frail.

“Sophie, you're finally awake! I was so afraid that I will never see you again,” Ysabelle exclaimed as soon as she entered the room.

Seeing that Ysabelle was doing well, Sophie felt at ease.

“Don't worry! I'm fine. Look at me; I'm fine,” she said reassuringly.

“Well, but you bled so much, I was terrified!” Ysabelle remembered the scene vividly, and fear shot down her spine.

“It's okay. I have a lot of blood. It doesn't matter if I lose some,” Sophie said nonchalantly.

Tristan didn't want to speak.

“Ysabelle, stay away from Sophie from now on,” he said sternly.

Ysabelle couldn't say anything this time for everyone seemed to think it was her fault! Things wouldn't have turned out this way if it weren't for her!

Sophie wouldn't be lying in a hospital bed.

Felix hugged her shoulders when he saw how upset Ysabelle looked.

“Tristan, what's the point of saying this now that it has already happened? Ysabelle is already living with guilt. Besides, it was an accident, and no one wished it upon Sophie. But now that it has happened, nothing can be done about it. Don't you think?” he said.

Ysabelle bit her lower lip, grabbing Felix's hand.

“Felix, don't say anything now. This is my fault. If I hadn't been so playful, this wouldn't have happened to Sophie,” Ysabelle said. Sophie has been so kind to her. However, this is how she repays Sophie! Look at what she has done!

Sophie is suffering because of her!

The look in Tristan's eyes was very cold.

Tristan couldn't forgive Ysabelle, even though she was his niece. No one was as important as Sophie.

Sophie held Tristan's hand. “It's okay, look at me, I'm fine. It was an accident, and no one is to blame,” said Sophie. She couldn't stand looking at Ysabelle's sad face.

In fact, everyone had good intentions.

They hoped that she could go out and take a break, but unfortunately, the accident occurred.

Now that everyone else was okay, she felt relieved. Otherwise, guilt would have swarmed her.

Sarah watched from the side, not knowing what to say.

She was the one who brought Sophie out, but she couldn't protect her. Thus, she was at fault too. Although Sophie was awake, nobody knew the extent of the damage to her legs.

How will Sophie take it if she really could never stand up again?

“Felix, you should take Ysabelle back! Sophie just woke up and needs more rest,” Tristan said.

Felix nodded.

He could understand Tristan's feelings, but Ysabelle was his girlfriend no matter what, and he didn't want to see her suffer.

Back in the ward, Ysabelle remained silent while sitting on the bed with a despondent look on her face. Felix felt sorry for her. “What's wrong? Don't worry about what Tristan said. You should know how much he loves Sophie, which explains why he reacted that way. You must be hungry, having not eaten anything for a long time. What do you feel like having? I'll get it for you.”

Felix tried his best to make her happy.

Ysabelle was always a happy-go-lucky girl, but now she was all devastated.

“Felix, can you keep quiet for a while? I want to be alone. You don't need to comfort me,” she said.

Huh... I don't deserve this.

I couldn't help anyone.

Even worse, I'm a troublemaker.

I must be a burden to my friends!

Felix was speechless.

Ysabelle was a stubborn girl. Once she had decided on something, it would be difficult for anyone to change her mind.

“Ysabelle, I'm serious. This has nothing to do with you. Sophie needs us to take care of her. You need to get well quickly so that you can help with that,” Felix replied.

Ysabelle's face was wet with tears.

“What about her leg...” Ysabelle didn't dare to pop the question earlier, but she did notice Sophie's leg.

It was in a critical condition.

“Ysabelle, don't overthink. With Barney and Arius here to help, everything will be fine. Sophie will surely be able to stand up again,” Felix tried to assure her.

In the meantime, they could only remain steadfast.

Otherwise, there wasn't really anything that they could do.

Meanwhile, everyone else had left the room, leaving only Tristan behind. Sophie then asked him to get some rest, but he refused.

“This has nothing to do with anyone. You...” Thinking of the contrite look on Ysabelle's face, Sophie's heart ached for her. The poor girl!

Chapter 686

“Sophie, I care about you, so much so that I don't want to see you hurt. So, please don't do such a thing again. You must protect yourself first before you think of anyone else whenever you face a dangerous situation. You mustn't sacrifice yourself even if the other person is Ysabelle or me. Do you hear me?”

In a way, Tristan was a selfish man because he really wanted her to be safe.

If someone else were in danger, he would do everything in his power to protect them. However, he hated seeing her hurt.

“Do you understand? You must not risk your life even if the other person is my family member.” She doesn't owe my family anything, nor does she have the obligation to do anything like that.

Sophie wanted to get up and give him a hug, but she was too weak to do so. In the end, she did nothing.

“I didn't save her because she's your family member. I save her because she's my best friend. You don't have to feel burdened.”

How could he think that way? Even if the other person was a stranger, how could I run away in that situation?

Even so, she did not dare to tell him what was on her mind.

She believed Tristan wanted her to run away first, regardless of the situation.

“You! Geez, I really don't know what to do with you. With a girlfriend like you, I live every second of my life in fear. Sometimes, I wish you were not that capable. That way, you'll behave and not suffer so much.”

What Tristan feared the most was seeing her in pain.

“Do you regret meeting me? You wouldn't have to endure all this if you didn't meet me,” Sophie commented.

She knew she could be disobedient sometimes.

Thus, she could not help but wonder if he was regretting it.

To her surprise, Tristan shook his head firmly.

“How could I? Meeting you is the luckiest thing that could ever happen in my life. I'm happy to have met you and be chosen by you.” After all, there were many men out there who liked her. He could not be happier that she had chosen him instead.

Finally, Sophie told him to get some rest or at least take a shower.

She was rather particular about cleanliness. Thus, she could not bear to see him so unkempt and not taking a shower.

When Barney and Arius arrived and saw her spacing out alone, they were a little worried.

“What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell? You must tell us if you're feeling unwell,” said Arius immediately.

“Tell me, Arius. Is my leg's condition serious?” It was the first time Sophie brought that up ever since she woke up.

After all, she was well-versed in medicine.

Naturally, she knew there was no sensation in her left leg, and that made her panic.

If I can't walk anymore, I have no right to stay by Tristan's side.

Knowing what an outstanding man Tristan was, she could not bear to let him have a cripple as his wife.

It was totally unacceptable for her.

Arius glanced at Barney.

I told you we can't hide this from her.

“Don't worry, Sophie. Dr. Smith and I are here. We won't let anything happen to your leg. We're already thinking of a solution. Don't worry, okay? We won't let you become cripple from the incident,” Arius assured.

No matter how hard it would be, they would not let her down.

“You really don't have to worry about it, Sophie. Arius and I are here. Nothing will happen to your leg.”

Barney knew how serious her leg's condition was.

“Do you feel nothing?” Although Arius knew about the condition, he still wanted to confirm it with her.

Sophie nodded in response.

That was precisely what terrified her.

She could not remember how long it had been since she last felt the feeling of fear.

“All right. I've taken note. Don't worry. You'll be fine,” Arius assured, vowing to not let anything happen to her.

With that, Barney and Arius stepped out to think of solutions.

As Sophie lay in the room by herself, she began sinking deeper into the endless sea of fear. Just then, a tall, burly man entered with a mask.

Even so, Sophie recognized who he was. It was none other than Nicholas.

“Why are you here, Nicholas Sable?”

In the past, Sophie would not be the slightest bit afraid of him. After all, she would not lose if they actually got into a fight.

However, things were different now.

She could not move her leg, and she had just awakened. Therefore, Sophie was no match for him.

Regardless, Nicholas felt his heart ache at the sight of her pale face and wounded leg.

“I'm here to pick you up! Look at you. Whose fault is it you're injured now? Isn't it all because of Tristan? He didn't take good care of you. Come with me, Sophie. I promise to take good care of you in the future, and I'll never let you get hurt.”

It's all Tristan's fault. She was with him, yet he failed to protect her. Whose fault is it if not his?

Sophie frowned as she thought Nicholas had lost his mind again. Unfortunately, she was currently no match for him, so she could only pray for Tristan to return sooner.

“Nicolas, this was an accident. It has nothing to do with Tristan.”

“Why are you still standing up for him? Do you know how serious this is? You almost died, Sophie. If not for Ysabelle, would you have become like this?”

Nicholas was truly enraged.

To him, the Lombard family was trash.

He believed Sophie would not have ended up like that if not for the Lombard family.

Noting how hysterical Nicholas was, Sophie tried her best to buy time without angering him.

“Nicholas, surely you've seen my leg. I can't move now. Besides, Barney and Arius are thinking of a solution now. I can't leave with you.”

Indeed, she had to get her leg treated here.

Nicholas furrowed his brows when he heard that. “Don't worry, Sophie. I'll take the two with me. I won't harm anyone who's good to you.”

That rendered Sophie speechless.

There was no use talking sense into someone like Nicholas.

“Nicholas, have you forgotten that I practice medicine? It's not advisable for me to move now. I bet you must be lying about liking me. You don't even care about my well-being.”

Nicholas' frown deepened.

“No way! You have to believe me, Sophie. I'm the only person in this world who loves you the most. No one comes close!”

“Then why are you so insistent on taking me away?” Sophie fumed.

“As I said, Anglandur has better medical facilities. That's why I'm taking you back to get treated.” Nicholas was doing it for her own good. It did not make sense to him that Sophie could not understand his intentions.

“I don't need it. If Barney and Arius don't have a solution, then there's no one in this world who can help me.”

Chapter 687

“Why are you still not listening to me? If you left Tristan earlier, this wouldn't have happened. Just exactly what is it about him that makes you so loyal to him?”

Nicholas could not understand her.

“That's enough. Let's leave now or it'll be troublesome when Tristan comes back.”

Nicholas was not afraid of Tristan, but he did not want to stir up trouble at that moment. All he wanted was to take her away.

“Stay where you are, Nicholas!”

Sophie was utterly displeased with the situation.

It was an awful feeling not being able to deal with someone like Nicholas. Even worse, she had no choice but to let him do whatever he wanted.

“Don't worry. I'll take good care of you as long as you leave with me. We'll definitely love each other in the future.” Nicholas was willing to ignore everything that had happened in the past. After all, he still loved her.

It was at that moment Sophie realized she could not communicate with a madman.

Sadly, no one realized a maniac had entered her room. That feeling made her feel worse.

Nicholas had already prepared a wheelchair knowing that she could not walk. Right then, he walked to

her bed, wanting to carry her to the wheelchair, and put a wig on her.

“Nicholas!” Sophie was infuriated, yet there was nothing she could do. “Don't touch me!” She never liked anyone touching her.

Hearing that, Nicholas held her by the chin and said, “Look at you. You've lost weight. It's all because Tristan didn't take good care of you. I'm not wrong about wanting to take you away. That's enough now. It's time you behave. I'm doing everything to take you away only because I really love you. Then again, I know how much you hate me. I'm sorry for what I'm about to do. I just don't want to cause a disturbance for others.”

With that, Nicholas pulled out a syringe.

Sophie immediately widened her eyes and stared at him in utter disbelief.

He prepared so many things. He's really set on taking me away.

“I'll be gentle.”

It's only a sedative and it's harmless to her. There's nothing she has to worry about.

“Nicholas, Barney and Arius are here. If I leave this place today, I might not be able to stand in the future. Do you really wish to see me like that?”

Didn't he say he likes me? If he truly likes me, he should consider my well-being, right?”

“I've also mentioned that I've hired the best doctor. He's waiting there now. Even if you can't walk in the future, I will never leave you.”

He was fine with anything, as long as she was by his side.

After disguising her, he placed her in the wheelchair.

“Oh, that reminds me. Cecelia is with me. If you don't behave, I'll leave scars on her face. If I remember correctly, she relies on her looks to make a living. I show no one mercy apart from you,” said Nicholas nonchalantly.

That was how he was—cold-blooded and merciless.

“Don't you dare touch her!” Sophie knew it would not be easy to deal with Nicholas.

“Don't you believe me? I can call my men and show you what Cecelia looks like now.”

If not for Sophie's wounded leg, she would never let herself land in such a disadvantageous situation.

It was a horrible feeling, and she hated it.

Regardless, she had no other choice at that moment.

“Don't give me that look, Sophie. I'm doing this for your own good.”

She shouldn't blame me. I only want the woman I like to be with me. What's so wrong with that? She should understand this.

After placing her in the wheelchair, Nicholas said, “Don't make a single sound no matter who you see along the way. Think of your best friend.”

With that, he injected the sedative into Sophie.

The chemical could make her quiet temporarily.

At the end of the day, he did not trust her. Moreover, the hospital was filled with Tristan's men. Tristan would never spare Nicholas if he knew what the latter was up to.

Hence, Nicholas had no choice but to use that method.

Noting the hatred in her eyes, he put a mask over her mouth and said, “I love you, so I deserve your forgiveness for whatever I do.”

Soon, the wig and the mask were put on. No one will know she's Sophie, not even Tristan.

“All right. I'll take you home now.” Nicholas had waited for this moment for a long time.

Hence, he could not wait to leave the hospital as soon as possible.

With that, Nicholas pushed the wheelchair out.

That whole floor was crowded with Tristan's men. The sight of Nicholas pushing a wheelchair out still caught their attention.

Just then, Sarah arrived to pay Sophie a visit. When she walked passed Nicholas and Sophie, she did not realize the person sitting in the wheelchair was the person she was looking for.

It was not until she opened the door to the ward to find an empty room did she realize something was wrong.

With trembling hands, she hurriedly dialed Tristan's number. Just then, he had finished showering and was getting ready to return to the hospital when Sarah's call came in.

“What's up, Sarah?”

“Tristan, are you with Sophie now? Isn't she not allowed to leave her bed?” asked Sarah, holding on to the last shred of hope.

No one would be so crazy to take her away, right? There is no way she can leave the hospital in her current state.

“What do you mean? Sophie's not with me now. Is she not in the ward?” Not only did Tristan place many of his men outside the ward, but Sophie also could not get out of bed in her current condition.

Sarah panicked when she heard that.

“She's not in the ward. I just arrived, and the ward's empty. Who on earth took her away?”

If this were in the past, Tristan would not be worried.

However, things were not the same now. Sophie could not walk and had just awoken. She had not recovered all her strength yet.

If someone wanted to harm her, it would be a piece of cake for them.

“Wait there. I'll get my men to search the place.” Tristan, too, lost his cool. Regardless, what was more important at that moment was to find Sophie as soon as possible.

Otherwise, everything else would be useless.

Meanwhile, Sophie really wanted to scold Nicholas, but she could not speak. This freak is really crazy. It's no use no matter how hard I try to convince him.

Nicholas looked more relieved the moment they left the floor.

“This is great. It's perfect. Tristan won't be able to find us even if he discovers you're missing,” he said. This is the best ending! It's so great!

“Sophie, we can stay together forever now.” Nicholas never wanted to part from her in the future.

 

Chapter 688

Tristan retrieved all the hospital's surveillance footage, but someone had destroyed the surveillance cameras on their floor.

Therefore, he had no choice but to look at other footage before finally spotting the suspicious person at the hospital's back door.

As if knowing Tristan would find that footage, Nicholas waved at the surveillance camera before leaving.

The second Tristan saw Nicholas' face, he balled his fists.

Even Sarah was shocked to see Tristan behaving that way.

“Tristan, what do we do now? Sophie's too weak to defend herself. And now, she's been taken away. Where do we look for her?”

“I have an idea since we know who took her. Don't worry about it. Go on and take care of Ysabelle.”

No matter what, Ysabelle needed someone to take care of her.

Meanwhile, Felix rushed over when he heard about what happened.

To Felix, Nicholas was blatantly provoking them. “That's bold of Nicholas. The hospital's filled with our people, yet he had the audacity to come here. Were we too lenient with him? Is that why he dared to pull such an act?”

What Sophie needed most at that moment was a doctor.

Moreover, Barney and Arius were at the hospital. The treatment on her leg could not be delayed.

Otherwise, she might never stand again. That outcome would break her terribly.

That d*mned Nicholas. How dare he take her away at such a crucial time?

“Get someone to look into it.” Rage filled Tristan's heart, but cursing at that moment was useless. Their best option was to find her as quickly as possible.

“Got it. I've already gotten my men to retrieve all the surveillance footage.” Still, Jetroina's capital was huge.

Looking for someone at that moment would not be an easy task.

When Barney and Arius learned about the incident, they grew worried.

“Arius, be ready at all times. We'll begin the operation once she returns.” Sophie's leg would be crippled if they did not save it in time.

They were baffled that Nicholas actually took Sophie away when they were racking their brains for a solution.

“Let's contact Nicholas, then. We can go over and perform the surgery on her,” Arius suggested. The matter could not be delayed anymore.

Sophie did not have much time left if she wanted to save her leg.

If the muscles in her thighs died, even God would not be able to help.

“Go on and contact him,” Barney prompted, agreeing to Arius' suggestion. No matter what, Sophie's leg was more important than anything else at that moment.

Nicholas was not the slightest bit surprised to receive Arius' call.

At that moment, he was already preparing to leave, but he still answered it when he saw it was a call from Arius.

“I never expected you'd call me one day,” sneered Nicholas.

Arius had been avoiding Nicholas all this while.

To Nicholas' delight, Arius had taken the initiative to call him.

“You know exactly why I'm calling you. Why did you take her away when you knew her surgery cannot be delayed? Do you hate her that much?”

If Nicholas was standing before Arius, the latter would kill him without hesitation. This *sshole keeps looking for Sophie for trouble.

“You're wrong, Arius. I'm taking her away because I love her. I know you and Sophie are good friends. That's why I picked up your call. However, I'll never let you insult my love for her, even if you're her best

friend.”

Nicholas would allow no one to say he did not love her.

I can't let her go because I love her too much. How could Arius not understand this?

“I don't care what you're up to. I just want to cure Sophie's leg. Where are you? I'll go over right now.”

“Tristan is beside you now, right? Tell him he's never going to see Sophie again.”

Nicholas would never believe their words.

After all, they wanted to take Sophie back and Nicholas would never allow it.

“Nicholas, I know you hate Tristan, but I'm really doing this for Sophie's sake. Just like us, you want the best for her, right? Tell you what. You don't have to tell me where you are. You just need to send someone to pick me up. I am sure that is okay.”

Arius had no choice but to suppress his anger for Sophie's sake.

If not, he would lose his temper at the lunatic.

Immediately, Nicholas glanced at Sophie, who was sitting in the wheelchair beside the full-length windows. He's right. Sophie will blame me if she can't stand up again in the future. She's a prideful person. She'll never let herself become a cripple.

“All right. Don't you dare pull anything funny or I'll take Sophie away from this place. I need you to step

out of the hospital first.”

In the end, Nicholas gave in.

He, too, was worried the doctor he hired could not cure Sophie's leg. If that happened, he feared she would not like him anymore.

Upon hearing that, Arius breathed a sigh of relief.

After hanging up, he hurried off to get everything prepared.

“So? Did he agree to pick you two up?” Tristan, who had yet to find a lead, was anxious to find out what Nicholas said.

“Tristan, what you need to do now is calm down. Dr. Smith and I will go over to treat her leg first. It cannot wait anymore.”

Tristan was dumbfounded.

All he wanted at that moment was to be by Sophie's side, but it looked like that was going to be impossible.

“You know how cunning Nicholas can be. If he finds out we've lied to him, he'll take Sophie away,” said Arius. If that happened, it would be troublesome.

Most importantly, Sophie was in Nicholas' hands, and she needed someone to take care of her currently.

“I understand. Go on and treat her leg,” responded Tristan. He was willing to make a sacrifice because he knew how important time was to Sophie at that moment.

“Don't worry. Dr. Smith and I won't let anything happen to her.”

In the meantime, Alex kept shaking his head when he heard Nicholas' response. “Mr. Nicholas, we need to leave now. We can't stay here any longer.”

Tristan must be mad that we've taken Sophie out of the hospital. Staying here will only put us in danger. Even Mr. Nicholas' father won't be able to deal with Tristan if he makes a move.

“Who's your boss now, Alex? Why do you keep making decisions for me these days? Perhaps I should let you take over my position, eh?”

“But, Mr. Nicholas, we'll be in greater danger if we stay on here.”

“What danger could there be? Does Tristan have the ability to do magic? Am I not a match for him?” Nicholas was an egoistic person. Naturally, he was displeased to hear Alex's words.

“That's not what I meant. I just think—”

“Remember this, Alex. I don't need you to think. What matters is what I think.”

 

Chapter 689

Nicholas was the boss, so naturally, he had the final say.

“But Mr. Nicholas, Tristan...” Alex muttered, his voice still tinged with worry.

Oh, dear. It won't be long before that man finds his way here. We may not have a problem dealing with him in Anglandur, but we're currently in Jetroina... Who knows what will happen?

“Alex, am I inferior to Tristan in your eyes? Is that why you're so afraid of me going up against him?” Nicholas asked coldly.

There's no way Tristan and I can ever coexist. Only when either of us dies can the other be at ease! Otherwise, our fight will go on with no end in sight!

“That's not what I meant, Mr. Nicholas! I'm just worried about you,” Alex hastily explained. Besides, how could he dare think so lowly so his boss?

“Have someone pick up Arius and Barney,” Nicholas ordered. “Since we can't afford to delay any longer with the operation on Sophie's leg, I want you to bring them here immediately.”

In any case, I'd feel better with those two around. I know Sophie would never forgive me if something really happened to her legs, and that's just too painful for me to bear.

Meanwhile, Arius and Barney had been waiting at the designated location for quite some time, yet no one was there to pick them up.

“Could Nicholas have changed his mind?” Barney asked amid the uncertainty. Not only were they in the

dark about the situation, but they also had no control over it.

“I don't know, either. Let's hope he doesn't go back on his word,” Arius replied. After all, Nicholas was in control, so what other choice did they have?

“Sophie Tanner is just a crazy, problematic woman!” Barney fumed. “How the hell did she get involved with a lunatic like Nicholas?”

“Sophie isn't to blame for this. Nicholas was the one who kept pestering her shamelessly. Why else has this dragged on for so long?”

As much as Barney knew Sophie was not in the wrong, he couldn't help but shoot his mentee a teasing smirk.

“Wow. You sure care a lot about Sophie, huh? You won't even let me badmouth her. Haha!”

Oh, well. There's no point fretting about our situation, anyway. All we can do is wait.

“Of course. Sophie is closer to me than a biological sister,” Arius retorted. In fact, she's the dearest person to me, and I won't let anyone criticize her!

“Tsk, tsk. Thank goodness you don't have a sister. Otherwise, she'd be so jealous and angry!” Just as the two men continued to chat, a taxi suddenly pulled up in front of them.

“Get in!” Alex yelled from the front passenger seat.

Since it wasn't Arius' first time dealing with Alex, he quickly recognized the latter and chuckled. “My, my, Alex. Must you always look so cold and grumpy? We haven't offended you, have we?”

Upon hearing that, Alex was rendered speechless.

Truth be told, I don't like Arius at all! He has this gift of pissing me off every time we meet... Why does a person like him even exist in this world? It's so infuriating!

The next second, Arius opened the taxi door for Barney and promptly climbed in after him.

“Hey, Alex, is the Sable family falling apart? Why would you pick up distinguished guests like us in a lousy taxi? That's just rude,” Arius grumbled.

People of our status deserve to be chauffeured around in a sports car!

“Shut up, Arius! Otherwise, heaven knows what I'd do to you!”

“What's the matter? Are you threatening me? I'll have you know that not even your boss would dare intimidate me! Listen up, Alex Sable. You'd better watch your mouth, or I'll refuse to go with you!” Arius warned.

“Stop the car!”

After the driver had done as instructed, Alex glared at Arius.

“Get out of the car now if you don't want to go! I've always hated Sophie Tanner, anyway. It might not be a bad thing if she becomes crippled now! Perhaps then Mr. Nicholas will finally get over her!”

In response, Arius huffed and gave a dismissive wave.

Argh! This d*mned jerk!

“Forget it. I'll make the trip for the sake of your life! Sophie's the most charming lady in the world, and if anything were to happen to her, I doubt your boss would spare you.”

“In that case, I implore you to keep your mouth shut. I don't want to hear another word from you,” Alex said smugly. Oh, gosh. How has Arius even managed to survive till now? I'm sure there are scores of people who want to kill him!

Since Alex had to check if they were being followed, he got their driver to drive around in circles until another taxi with the same license plate appeared.

Before long, several more taxis had shown up, each with an identical number plate.

Tristan, who was watching the surveillance, furrowed his brows.

Is Nicholas that afraid of us? I can't believe he'd go to this extent to shake us off!

Upon seeing the change in Tristan's expression, Felix, too, fell silent. Oh, sh*t. Mr. Tristan must be furious that those people escaped from under our noses. I'd better watch what I say. In any case, Nicholas sure has wised up this time.

“What should we do now, Mr. Tristan?”

“Keep searching. We must find her even if we have to turn over every stone in the world!”

Felix nodded.

Of course, he understood Tristan's sentiments. If Sophie were to disappear without a trace, the latter would undoubtedly wallow in self-blame. Therefore, he had to do everything he could to track her down.

Meanwhile, Alex had successfully taken Arius to Barney to their current accommodation.

Upon seeing Nicholas, Arius took a deep breath.

Ugh. This guy's a complete maniac! Then again, what choice do I have? No one knows what stunt he'll pull next, so I'll have to be extra cautious around him.

“You'd better not give our location away, Arius. Otherwise, I'll kill you.”

Arius couldn't help but roll his eyes.

“Nicholas Sable, are you out of your mind? Do you know the kind of danger that Sophie's in now? Why would you still bring her to a place like this? She might die anytime, for goodness' sake!”

Even though it was an exaggeration on Arius' part, Nicholas' expression quickly slid into a frown.

“Shut up. She won't die.”

“Ha. Do you think she won't die just because you said so? Come on... Are you the doctor, or am I?

Where is she?”

“Let me warn you again, Arius. You'd better not try to pull any tricks with me. I have zero patience with you. Understand?”

With that, Nicholas promptly led the two men to Sophie's room.

The latter was initially lying gloomily in bed, but as soon as she saw Arius and Barney, her face lit up.

“You don't have to worry anymore, Sophie. Now that Arius and Barney are here, you'll be up and about in no time,” Nicholas reassured lovingly.

Sophie, however, was incredibly frustrated at being the target of Nicholas's affection.

Oh, my gosh... What on earth does Nicholas like about me? I've never treated him kindly, so why is he still so obsessed with me?

“You can take your leave now, Nicholas! She doesn't want to see you,” Arius said without skipping a beat. Deep down, he was only too happy to see Nicholas in such an embarrassing and awkward position.

 

Chapter 690

“Arius, this is my turf,” Nicholas warned coldly. He couldn't bear to lay a finger on Sophie, but he couldn't say the same about Arius.

“Sophie, did you see that? He has the nerve to threaten me!” Arius immediately went over to sit on Sophie's bed.

She shot a look at Arius.

Can't Arius read the room? Nicholas is a lunatic. There's no telling what he'll do if Arius gets him all riled up.

“Get a good rest. Just tell me if you need anything,” Nicholas said before leaving the room.

“Sophie, are you all right? Did he do anything to you?” Arius was a reckless man, but he cared a lot about Sophie.

“Don't worry. I'm all right.”

“I have to say, Nicholas is really smitten with you. Why don't you just accept both of them? That way, you won't be in a dilemma any longer,” Arius suggested.

Sophie was rendered speechless.

Is he for real?

“What? Am I wrong? He's obviously head over heels for you. Just accept him. There's no harm having

one more man around,” Arius added.

Sophie refused to listen to Arius anymore.

“I think you should head back. You're just spewing nonsense here. Do you think you're of any help?”

“All right. I'll shut up. If it wasn't for you, do you think I'd want to come?” Arius retorted. He had never gotten along with Nicholas. Hence, he was risking his life coming here.

Yet, Sophie showed no gratitude for his help.

To make matters worse, she even gave him a disdainful look.

She didn't wish to pay further heed to him and said to Barney, “Dr. Smith, I still can't feel my legs.”

If her condition persisted, Sophie was afraid that she might never stand again.

Barney pushed Arius aside.

“Get away! Did you come all the way here to talk nonsense? You haven't done anything remotely helpful since you came here.”

All Arius had done was bicker with Nicholas.

Then, Barney examined Sophie's leg again.

“What do we do now? We have to get to the hospital right away, but Nicholas will never let us go back. You can only undergo surgery at the hospital. Besides, you have to go through an acupuncture treatment too,” Barney muttered.

There was simply no reasoning with a madman like Nicholas, especially when Sophie was in such a state.

Then again, it was not the time to fight Nicholas anyway.

That was the reason things were in such a terrible state.

“Arius, go tell Nicholas that Sophie has to undergo surgery right now. Otherwise...” Barney thought it was best to let Arius handle the hospital matter.

“Me again? Aren't you worried that the lunatic would murder me?” Nicholas was an extremely stubborn man. Once he had his mind set, it was difficult for anyone to change it.

“Are you going or not? Why are you yakking on? You've got to try everything you can do!” Barney retorted.

“All right. I'll go,” Arius mumbled helplessly.

Among the three of them, he was at the lowest of the social totem pole. Arius knew nobody would listen to what he said or care whether he lived or died.

Meanwhile, Barney was still examining Sophie's leg.

“Does it hurt?”

Sophie shook her head.

She wished it would hurt just so she could feel something. The absence of sensation was more frightening than any physical pain.

Barney furrowed his brows.

Right. The situation is dire. We have to get back to the hospital. The surgery equipment I need is all there.

Meanwhile, Arius had found Nicholas, and he felt somewhat intimidated by the man. After all, Nicholas was a cold-blooded killer.

“What's up with her?” Nicholas asked right away when he saw Arius.

Nicholas was only worried about Sophie's body. He couldn't care less about other people.

“Nicholas, I have to say that I really admire your tenacity. You've liked Sophie for so long.” Despite her never reciprocating your feelings. You're really a madman, falling for a woman just like that.

Nicholas remained silent.

He didn't wish to say a word to Arius, nor did he wish to suffer the latter's mocking words. He had the freedom to decide who he had feelings for.

“If you're here to talk nonsense, you may as well go back right now,” Nicholas said without batting an eyelid.

Arius was rendered speechless.

How heartless can he be? It's not like we've only started to know each other. Does he have to be this cold and ruthless?

“See, this is why Sophie doesn't like you,” Arius commented.

It was apparent that Nicholas was trying to tamp down his anger.

“She will fall for me eventually.” As long as Tristan's dead, nobody will snatch her away from me anymore. She will belong to me and only me.

“Nicholas, don't you think it's better to be honest with ourselves?” Arius added, unafraid of how Nicholas would react.

“Arius, do you have a death wish?”

He must think that I don't dare to kill him. If he has the nerve to provoke me, I will show no mercy.

“Nicholas, look at you. Why are you getting all worked up? I'm only discussing a matter with you. I don't intend to provoke you in any way,” Arius said with a grin on his face.

Nicholas refused to talk to him.

He was jealous of Arius. Sophie had always treated him nicely, nothing like how she treated Nicholas.

“I've come all the way here to talk about Sophie's matter with you. Do you think I like coming here?” Arius quipped.

Why doesn't he get that this is no picnic for me, either?

“What's the matter?” Nicholas finally asked.

“She has to go back to the hospital right now. Otherwise, the consequences will be dire. I was joking with you earlier, but now I'm being dead serious.”

Again, Nicholas kept quiet.

“Nicholas, if you truly care about her, I don't think you'd want anything bad to happen to her, right? The environment here is horrible and not suitable for her to rest at all, especially for her leg. She's a prideful woman. What happens if she really can't stand anymore? Have you given any thought to these problems? If you've never given it a single thought, how could you say that you like her?”

“Can't she undergo treatment here? Arius, I will not let her go back, no matter what you say,” Nicholas said in a determined tone.

“Nicholas, how could you be so selfish? Do you think you have control over her just because you like her?” Arius was furious. He knew it was futile to reason with Nicholas, whom he deemed inhuman.

“Selfish? Yes, I'm a selfish person. Are you just realizing that today?” Nicholas had never cared about what others thought of him. It had taken him considerable effort to get her to his side, and he would not

let her go. “Let me put it this way. If this is the only way to make her stay by my side. I'd rather she not stand for the rest of her life,” Nicholas added.

Arius was stumped by his inconsiderate remark and felt his chest constricting in anger and frustration.

D*mn you, Nicholas! You're a freak. Sophie is so unlucky that you fell for her.

“Nicholas, you b*stard! Whoever you like is so unlucky!” Arius hollered without holding back.