Ch. 711..720

We don't even need their acknowledgment, to begin with. The International Medical Association are going to have to try harder than that if they wish to stop us! Also, we're in Chanaea, so there isn't much they can do to us from their country.

Barney got all excited when he heard Sophie mention the research on the new disease. “Yes, you're right. We must give this research everything we've got!”

The Chanaean Medical Association has a lot of obstacles to overcome because it is still new to the scene, but it's nothing we can't handle. Things are sure to work out in the end as long as we don't give up on it!

“I've been trying to cheer Dr. Smith up all day, but nothing I said seemed to do the trick. You, on the other hand, got him all hyped up the moment you came in through the door. Looks like you truly are his one and only mentee!”

Georgina came out to see Sophie the moment she heard her voice.

She had heard about Sophie being badly injured, so she felt relieved to see that Sophie was doing all right. “I'm so glad that you're back, Sophie!”

We'll be able to solve any problem as long as we have Sophie around!

“Yes, it's good to be back. How have you been? Are you getting used to the work here? It's not too tough for you, right?” Most medical practitioners dreamed of joining the International Medical Association, but not everyone could handle the tough working environment over there.

“It's all right. I think I enjoy working here!” Over here, all she had to do was focus on her own research. She didn't need to concern herself with anything else, and that was something she liked very much.

“I'm glad you like it here.” Sophie felt relieved to hear that Georgina was adapting well to the new working environment.

“I would like to treat you to dinner tonight. Would you have the time for that? Also, could you bring Professor Gullifer along?” Georgina wanted to thank Sophie properly for granting her such an amazing job opportunity.

She was in love with Arius, but she also knew that the difference between them was far too much.

Despite knowing that, she still wanted to get closer to Arius. She would be satisfied enough just to be in the same room with him.

“Sure thing.”

Sophie couldn't bring herself to turn Georgina's request down upon seeing the expectant look on her face. Although Arius had no experience in dating, he was certainly no easy game.

Ordinary women would definitely have a hard time trying to win his heart.

“I'll be heading back to the laboratory, then. I still have an experiment that I'm working on, so I can't stay here and chat with you.”

Arius frowned when he saw that Sophie was still standing there when he returned. “What are you doing

standing around here? Hurry up and get to work!”

“Arius, what do you think of Georgina?” Sophie asked seriously.

Arius arched an eyebrow at her in response.

“Hmm... She's quite the diligent worker,” he replied honestly. On top of that, she looks pretty too.

“Well, she wants to invite us to dinner tonight. Would you care to join us?” Sophie asked as she didn't want to force Arius into anything he didn't like.

“Sure!”

Having dinner with Sophie and Georgina sounded a lot more fun than spending the rest of the evening with Barney.

“All right, then.”

The two of them then donned their lab coats and made their way over to the laboratory.

Barney had already started conducting research with a few of the newly-hired researchers by the time Sophie came in.

Since it was Sophie's first time in the laboratory, all she did was observe them from the side.

The newly-hired researchers proved to be fairly capable as they managed to keep up with Barney's

tempo while conducting the research.

Noticing that Sophie had been observing them for quite some time, Barney handed the research over to the newbies and walked up to her.

“What do you think of the newcomers?” Since Sophie had a keen eye for talent, he decided to seek her opinion on the newly-hired researchers.

The newly-hired researchers were still interns at the moment, so he could just replace them if they weren't performing well.

Work was extremely tough and complicated at the medical association, so not everyone could undertake the job. They would have to filter every single candidate thoroughly to make sure they picked the right ones for the job.

“Let's observe them for a little while longer.”

Sophie didn't have any comments about the new researchers for the time being, but their performance wasn't as great as she had expected either.

“Yeah, I agree. They all have their respective shortcomings.” Barney, too, believed they should continue observing the newbies a little more before making a decision.

“I'll go work on my experiment now, Dr. Smith.” Barney had put her in charge of an experiment the moment she returned.

Since it was her first time coming over two days after returning to work, she felt a need to pick up thenoveldrama

pace.

“That experiment of yours is a very complex one. I could spend a month on it and still fail to produce any results. We're in no hurry, so just take your time with it.”

He didn't want her overworking herself immediately after recovering from her leg injury.

“Got it.”

Dr. Smith is under a lot of pressure right now. The International Medical Association is also researching this new disease, and Dr. Smith would end up in a very difficult position if we don't produce results before they do!

With that in mind, Sophie made her way into the laboratory and tied her hair up with an elastic band. She looked a lot livelier with her long hair neatly tied in a ponytail.

Arius came over to help out when he heard that she had started working on the experiment.

“You can go ahead and work on your own research. It's my first time conducting this experiment, so I don't even know if it is going to work,” Sophie said, cognizant of her own capability.

Besides, scientific experiments like these required repeated testing, so it wasn't something she could finish in one go.

“Yeah, I know that. I'm just here to check on things. Just let me know if you ever need my help with anything.”

Having worked in the International Medical Association for a very long time, Arius was confident in his ability to help out with a lot of things.

“Don't you have your own work to do?” Sophie asked. They both had their own respective research and experiments to work on, all of which were highly complex.

That was the reason they had their own laboratories instead of having to share one with the newly- hired researchers outside.

“I was just worried about your leg injury. You have yet to make a full recovery, so make sure to be careful, okay?” Arius reminded her.

Honestly, Dr. Smith should've waited a few more days before assigning her any work!

“My legs are fine, so you don't have to worry about me,” Sophie replied nonchalantly as she started working on her experiment. She wasn't the least bit worried about her injury.

For some reason, Arius found himself unable to take his eyes off her even though she was just conducting a boring experiment. Her beauty was such a sight for sore eyes, no matter what she was doing.

“Hey, Sophie! I just realized how much of a beauty you are!” Arius exclaimed all of a sudden. How did I not notice this before?

Sophie decided to ignore his statement and carried on with her experiment.

Seriously? We've known each other for a really long time. Why would he only realize that now?

“Tristan sure is a lucky guy! I bet he must've been some kind of hero or something in his past life!” Arius mumbled with a sigh. Sophie was like a little sister to him, and now that she was getting married, he couldn't help feeling sentimental.

Chapter 712

When Tristan arrived at the medical association to pick Sophie up, he saw a group of people walk out from afar.

Sophie was wearing a black double-breasted coat while her hair fluttered in the wind. With one hand stuffed in her pocket, she used the other to put on her mask.

Tristan waved the moment he saw her.

“Georgina, can I bring my boyfriend along?” Since Georgina was the one treating them to a meal, Sophie thought she should seek the former's permission.

“Of course you can! I'm not that stingy. In that case, the five of us should go in different cars.”

“Why don't you go in Arius' car, as the weather doesn't look good. It's going to be hard to get a taxi. You can decide where you want to go, and we'll follow you from behind.”

It would be difficult for five people to fit in one car, and it would also be inconvenient to send everyone home one by one later on.

Since Arius was driving that day, it made better sense to go in two cars.

“Is it all right?” Georgina turned to look at Arius. Despite the man's nonchalant demeanor, she knew that Arius was a man of principle.

“Sure, let's go. It's freezing cold today. The last thing I want is to stand in the chilly wind.” Everything was great in Jipsdale except for its weather during winter.

As Sophie walked over to Tristan's new sports car, the man got down and opened the door for her.

“Georgina wants to treat us to dinner. I hope you don't mind.” He would have to eat alone at home otherwise.

“Of course I don't.”

Even though Georgina didn't come from a rich family, she picked a high-end restaurant for the sake of Sophie and the others.

It was her way of expressing her gratitude to her companions.

Nevertheless, the prices on the menu still elicited a gasp of shock from her.

D*mn it, even the salad is so expensive. When she shifted her attention to the main courses, she was further taken aback by the ridiculous prices.

Unfortunately, they were already seated in a private room within the restaurant. It would be extremely embarrassing for her to suggest a change of venue.

Thus, she had no choice but to bear with the sky-high prices.

“Please feel free to order whatever you want from the menu, as I would like to thank all of you for the care you've shown me. Without your help, I wouldn't have been able to settle down in the medical association.”

When Arius began ordering from the menu without holding back, Georgina forced herself to stay calm.

It's fine. At most, I'll just scrimp and save for the rest of the month. It's not like I haven't lived like that before.

After ordering a few dishes, Arius passed the menu on to Sophie. “You can order the rest.”

Subsequently, Sophie ordered two more dishes that were Tristan's favorite.

Well aware that she did so for his sake, Tristan leaned in and said, “Thank you.”

Sophie responded by holding his hand.

“What are you thanking me for? Since I've invited you to join us, it's natural that I take into consideration what you like.”

“Mmm-hmm.”

Sophie ordered the dishes for Tristan since the ones Arius had ordered were to her liking.

Although the meal cost Georgina a month's pay, she was still happy to enjoy a meal with them.

Thus, she wore a gleeful smile throughout the evening.

“Georgina, this is my boyfriend, Tristan. You'll be seeing him more often going forward.” Now that Georgina had joined their circle, all of them would constantly meet in the future.

Georgina reciprocated by introducing herself, “Hi, Mr. Tristan, I'm Georgina Bates.”

As Tristan had always treated Sophie's friends with cordiality, he responded warmly, “It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard Sophie mention you a few times.”

“Georgina, are you able to finish the assignment I have given you?” Barney finally had the opportunity to ask her about the task he assigned her after being busy the entire day.

“I can manage.” She had trouble settling in initially but had now gotten the hang of it.

“I'm glad to hear that. Let's all enjoy ourselves tonight. As we'll be very busy for the next few months, we might not get to chat and have a good meal moving forward,” Barney remarked with a smile.

Even though what they were doing was extremely noble and great, it also took them a huge amount of effort and sacrifice.

“Dr. Smith, work might be important, but so is taking a break. Going forward, we'll work when necessary, but also take a break when needed,” Arius replied with a grin.

Meanwhile, Patrick brought Simon to the same restaurant. Their family's hospital was facing some problems recently.

Thus, both of them were there to treat the opposing party to dinner.

“Simon, now that I'm getting older, the future of the hospital lies in your hands. You cannot behave wilfully anymore, do you understand?” Patrick instructed with a solemn tone.

“I know, Dad. I'm all grown up now and capable of sharing your burden.”

Simon's heart ached when he saw how much his father aged overnight.

All this while, he had always seen his father as someone amazing. No matter what problems he encountered, the latter would always help him resolve them.

However, he finally realized how foolish he was after witnessing his father begging for help all over the city.

When Patrick stepped into one of the private rooms together with Simon, there were already a few patrons sitting inside.

At the sight of Patrick, one of them commented with a smile, “Well, well. Isn't this Mr. Little? What brings you here? Aren't you supposed to be busy at Jipsdale Hospital at this hour?”

Facing the person who had just spoken, Patrick replied apologetically, “I'm really sorry, Mr. Zane. What happened was our hospital's fault, and I've come here to apologize. I'll agree to any demands you have, so please forgive us this time.”

Jacob Zane sneered, “Forgive you? Mr. Little, aren't you supposed to be extremely capable? I'm sure you can resolve the problem we have.”

“Mr. Zane, I beg of you. Jipsdale Hospital—”

“Actually, I don't mind letting the matter slide if you show your sincerity by groveling for forgiveness.”

Seething at the unreasonable demand, Simon clenched his fists.

His father had done a lot of good deeds, and Jipsdale Hospital had helped a lot of people. Hence, Patrick was well-respected among the many patients they had. It never crossed Simon's mind that his father would one day be bullied by such a jerk.

“What did you say?” Simon responded in a raspy voice.

“Oh, what's wrong? Do you refuse to get down on your knees? I suppose this is that debauching son of yours, Mr. Little. Anyway, I think it's pointless to beg for forgiveness, as your hospital will be ruined sooner or later.”

Patrick's eyes were filled with disbelief, as he had never been bullied and humiliated like this in his entire life.

Simon's heart broke when he saw the predicament his father was in. Walking over, he held Patrick's arm.

“Dad, let's go!” He didn't see the need to beg those men.

“Mr. Little, I'll give you one last chance. If you walk out of here today, you can forget about obtaining my forgiveness.”

Chapter 713

“You're seeking death!”

Simon couldn't take it anymore. He was a tall man of seven feet; how could he let a sc*m like this bully his father?

Seeing Simon about to take action, Jacob didn't hold back either.

“Since you don't know how to teach your son well, Mr. Little, I'll teach him today. Otherwise, when he's sent to prison, it'll be unfortunate for your family, won't it?”

After speaking, Jacob gave a signal, and two burly men behind him came forward to attack.

“Mr. Zane, this has nothing to do with my son. Whatever you want, I can give it to you. Please let him go,” Patrick said humbly.

Facing such a person, the Little family really had no other choice.

I really shouldn't have brought my son here today.

“Dad, you don't have to beg him. People like him will get what's coming to them sooner or later.” Simon didn't want to see his father behaving so inferiorly, not even for his own sake.

“You have a foul mouth. Go teach this brat a lesson for me!”

Two burly men came forward, but Simon was not a pushover. He had a knack for getting into trouble and was pretty good at fighting.

However, the other party had more people, and soon Simon was stomped on.

“Mr. Zane, as I said, I can give you whatever you want.” Patrick felt very distressed seeing his son being stomped on.

He only had one son.

Even when his son was useless and playful in the past, he couldn't bear to see others bully his son. Moreover, Simon had been very well-behaved lately.

“Hmph, Mr. Little, I think you know what I want. I don't think you're fit to continue managing Jipsdale Hospital.”

Patrick had long understood that this matter was not so simple.

He just didn't expect Jacob to covet Jipsdale Hospital.

“Dad, don't worry about me. They won't dare do anything to me. Jipsdale Hospital is your life's work, so you can't give it to them.”

Patrick shook his head.

“Son, remember this. As long as you're okay, I don't care about anything else.”

He really had no other choice. If this continued, Jipsdale Hospital would be finished too.

“Dad, go quickly! Don't worry about me.” Simon felt desperate for the first time.

Initially, Sophie and the others were about to leave. However, when she heard Simon's voice, Sophie stopped in her tracks.

“What's wrong?”

Tristan was beside her and noticed her unusual expression.

“I think I just heard Simon's voice!” At that very moment, Simon was thrown out of the private room in a battered and bruised state.

Seeing Simon in such a state, Sophie narrowed her eyes.

Previously, Sandra mentioned that something was wrong with Simon's family's hospital, but he didn't say anything, so she didn't really pay attention to it.

But seeing Simon like this now, Sophie finally realized something was indeed off.

She walked toward Simon step by step.

Realizing someone was coming, Simon looked up and saw Sophie's captivating eyes.

“Sophie... I...”

Simon never thought that he would appear so aggrieved in front of Sophie.

At this moment, Patrick also walked out.

“Simon, are you okay? I'll have someone take you to the hospital!” Patrick shouted in distress. He reckoned he really shouldn't have brought his son there.

“Dad, you don't need to worry about me. Jipsdale Hospital doesn't deserve them. They're not worthy,” Simon replied.

At this point, Simon didn't know how to explain himself.

“Is that so? I'm not worthy? Simon, remember this. If you don't hand over Jipsdale Hospital and something happens to your family in Jipsdale later, I won't be held responsible!” Jacob responded.

How many people die in Jipsdale every day? It's normal for a few more to die.

Sophie witnessed everything and finally understood why Simon had become like this recently.

“What did you say?” Sophie's voice was very cold.

Barney and Arius had already left, leaving only her and Tristan here.

Tristan was by her side. He knew that she was outraged this time.

She was protective of anyone close to her, and now Simon had been bullied like this.

How could she just stand by and do nothing?

“Who's this pretty girl? How about being my mistress? I can fulfill all your needs!”

“Sophie, you need to leave. They're not good people,” Simon said urgently.

Simon felt very anxious when he saw the sc*mbag leering at Sophie, who was widely regarded as a beauty.

“Simon, can you get up?” Sophie looked at Simon. She then said to Patrick, “Mr. Little, help Simon to the side.”

Patrick immediately went to help Simon up.

Seeing this, Jacob sneered, “You really think you're a heroine! Girl, hasn't anyone told you before that there are some people you can't mess with?”

“People she can't mess with? Is there anyone in Jipsdale that Sophie can't mess with?” Tristan couldn't help but scoff.

There's no one in Jipsdale who Sophie couldn't handle.

“Capture them all!” Jacob ordered his men. Since you refused to do it the easy way, we'll have to do it the hard way.

Simon looked worriedly at Sophie. “Sophie, you need to leave!”

Even though Sophie had a boyfriend now, he still liked her.

He didn't want to see her get hurt.

“Don't worry! They won't be able to do anything to me!” Sophie replied calmly.

Jacob couldn't help but laugh.

“You're so confident! That's right! When I catch you, I won't do anything to you. I'll just make sure you can't get out of bed!”

Tristan flew into a rage.

“What are you looking at?” he asked coldly. Does he not want his eyes anymore?

“Who are you?”

Jacob was a bit wary when he saw this man. This man was indeed very handsome, but in the upper social circles of Jipsdale, Jacob didn't seem to have seen him around before.

He's probably all looks and no substance!

“I'm someone who can kill you!” Tristan went straight over and kicked Jacob to the ground.

“D-Do you know who I am? If you mess with me, you won't be able to see the sun tomorrow!” Jacob boasted, not realizing that he had just messed with the wrong person.

“Ha.” Tristan had never seen anyone dare to talk to him like this before.

“You're pretty gutsy! I've never heard anyone talk to me like that before. It's kind of refreshing!”

Tristan hadn't been in a fight for a long time. But the things this man had said made him very unhappy.

To dare to fantasize about his woman, even if it was just a fantasy, was unforgivable!

“What are you all standing there for? Go and get him for me!” Jacob was angry. Tristan's kick had made his chest hurt badly.

 

Chapter 714

However, Jacob had just a few bodyguards, so how could they be Tristan's opponents? Tristan easily knocked all of them down.

Simon had never seen this elegant man take action before.

He never imagined that this man would be so decisive and deft in his movements and that those professional bodyguards were not his match at all.

Jacob, lying on the ground, couldn't react for a while.

“What are you trying to do? I'm telling you, this is a lawful society. What you're doing is illegal! Don't come over here! If you come over here...”

Before he finished speaking, Tristan's leather shoe was already on his face.

“Do you know who I am?”

Tristan threw Jacob's own words back at him. This line was originally Tristan's, but he never liked to use it as it gave him the feeling of bullying others.

Jacob's face was contorted from being stepped on.

“I'm telling you! Let go of me, or you're finished.” Jacob had always enjoyed bullying others, so he had never been so miserable before.

Sophie walked over and sneered.

“I forgot to introduce to you. The man in front of you is Mr. Tristan, a famous figure in Jipsdale. Do you have anything else to say?”

If there was anything Jacob wanted to say before he died, he had to hurry up, or he wouldn't have a chance in the future.

Jacob was speechless.

His brain couldn't process what was happening.

“I think you're seeking death by impersonating Mr. Tristan. Do you know who he is? How could he possibly come to a place like this?”

Tristan sneered after hearing that.

“Why can't I come to a place like this? I think the food here is pretty good.”

When Patrick heard Sophie's words, his eyes shone. Is the man in front of me really Mr. Tristan? If he is, then we would be saved.

“Simon, is what Ms. Tanner said true? Is he really Mr. Tristan?” Patrick's voice was trembling.

Seeing his father like this, Simon could only nod.

Sure enough, Mr. Tristan is that formidable.

As for Jacob, who was lying on the ground, he trembled when he saw Simon's reaction.

How could this be possible?

“Mr. Little, can you tell me what's going on?” Sophie asked, motioning for the waiter to bring a chair over for her to sit on. She also asked for chairs for Tristan and Patrick.

However, Patrick didn't dare to sit in front of Tristan.

“I'm fine. I can stand.” Patrick stood instead as he was afraid.

“It's okay. You can sit.” Tristan spoke in a calm voice. I'm not such a terrifying person, am I?

No matter what, Patrick was still an elder, and he had the right to sit here.

“Dad, you can sit! Sophie is my friend, so it's okay.” Simon didn't want to see his father acting so formally.

Soon, Patrick explained the situation briefly.

Jacob, who was lying on the ground, really wanted to cry. He never thought he would end up provoking Tristan.

Although he had never seen Tristan before, even a three-year-old child in Jipsdale knew that Tristan was someone no one should mess with!

“Mr. Tristan, I was wrong! Please let me go! I won't dare to do so again.” Jacob got up from the ground and immediately begged for mercy on his knees.

“Ha.”

Simon couldn't help but sneer. Wasn't he very arrogant just now? How come his attitude has changed so much now?

“Simon, what do you think we should do?” Sophie spoke coldly. Jacob wanted to take over someone else's company by force and even beat someone up like this.

It was only right that they deal with him properly.

“Sophie, thank you.”

Simon knew that this matter was resolved. With Tristan and Sophie here, Jacob wouldn't dare to trouble them again in the future.

“All right, Jacob has done a lot of bad things, so just let the police take him away.” Sophie saw that Simon didn't know how to deal with this matter, so she made a decision for him.

Jacob went over, trying to grab Sophie's leg and beg for mercy.

But before he could touch Sophie's leg, Tristan stood up and stomped on his shin with one foot.

“Ah!” Jacob screamed in pain.

“Is the lesson I gave you not enough? You even want to touch my woman again!” It seemed that Tristan had to break Jacob's hand.

Jacob looked at Tristan in horror.

“Mr. Tristan, I was wrong. I really know that now. Please let me go. I won't dare to do it again in the future.”

Jacob had always been the one who bullied others.

He really didn't expect that one day, he would be bullied so mercilessly by someone else.

Sophie frowned.

She walked over and pulled Tristan.

“Forget it; let the subordinates handle it.” She didn't want him to get his hands dirty.

Sophie called Eustace directly. When the latter answered the call, he had just caught a murderer and was planning to question him.

He had to hand the person over to his subordinates and leave with Danny.

“Captain Sheppard, what happened?” This was the first time Danny had seen Eustace so anxious!

“It's nothing. Don't ask too many questions.”

Sophie's matters were naturally a big deal.

Eustace came with Danny and saw the miserable Jacob lying on the ground after being beaten up.

Sophie explained the situation to Eustace briefly.

“The rest is up to you. This is your specialty, and we won't interfere,” Sophie said calmly.

Eustace nodded.

“Okay, I understand. Danny, take him away!” If there was anything Jacob wanted to say, he could say it to the SWAT team.

Jacob didn't know Eustace, but he felt the murderous aura emanating from the man. Eustace looked like someone not to be trifled with.

However, he felt very lucky at this moment because he had just suffered a lot under Tristan.

“Well, I'll go now. If you have any problems in the future, just come find me.” Eustace was happy.

Sophie had helped them a lot before.

Now he could finally do something for Sophie.

No matter how big or small the matter was, Sophie always thought of him when she encountered problems.

This made him very satisfied.

After seeing Jacob being taken away, Patrick breathed a sigh of relief and immediately stood up from his chair.

“Mr. Tristan, Ms. Tanner, I'm really grateful to you today. If it weren't for you, Jacob would never have let us go.” At this point, Patrick felt like he had a second lease on life.

He pulled Simon over. “Come on, say thank you to Mr. Tristan and Ms. Tanner.”

Simon liked Sophie, but only he knew about it. He couldn't bring himself to say thank you to Tristan.

Seeing him so awkward, Sophie didn't make things difficult for him.

“Mr. Little, it's getting late now, and you all must be tired. Go back and rest! As for Jipsdale Hospital, don't worry! I'll help you solve it, and there won't be any problems.”

Hearing Sophie's words, Patrick was even more grateful. “Thank you, Ms. Tanner.”

Simon didn't want to stay here any longer and left with his father.

Chapter 715

Patrick couldn't help but say when he saw his son like this, “What's wrong with you, child? They are our saviors. What's wrong with saying thank you? I've been spoiling you, but how did you develop this bad habit?”

Simon felt wronged in his heart.

That was the girl he liked!

“Okay, I won't say any more. You've suffered a lot coming here with me today, so go back and rest early! There's still something going on at the hospital, so I'll go there first.”

Patrick really liked his hospital.

He rarely spent time at home.

“Dad, it's getting late, so you should go back and rest too! A lot has happened recently, and Mom has been worried. You should go back and accompany her.”

Patrick wanted to say something else, but thinking of his wife looking worried, he finally got in the car with Simon.

On the other hand, Tristan was unhappy.

Seeing Tristan like this, Sophie walked over and held his hand. “What's wrong? Why are you unhappy?”

Weren't things just fine before?

Now that things had been resolved, they could go home.

Tristan let her hold his hand and pulled himself up from the chair. The two of them walked out together.

“Are you really unhappy?”

“Yes, I'm very unhappy.”

“Oh! Can you tell me why you're unhappy? Is it because I'm meddling?” Sophie knew that Simon liked her, and she had never hidden that fact from Tristan. Was it because I helped Simon?

Tristan shook his head.

Am I such a petty person?

He had never taken Simon seriously.

“Then why?” Sophie was at a loss as to why he was unhappy if it wasn't because of Simon.

Tristan stopped walking. He hugged and kissed her for a while before letting her go.

Sophie was a little confused by the sudden affection, but she didn't resist.

Instead, she let him kiss her. She was no longer easily angered by this man.

When Tristan finished kissing her and saw her lips red, he felt a little better.

The weather was still cold, so he put his arm around her shoulder as they walked outside together.

“Don't you believe I can handle this? Why did you have Eustace come over?” Tristan was still dissatisfied with Eustace.

Sophie suddenly realized that it was because of Eustace that he had become upset like this.

Tristan had always been calm and composed, and she had never seen him like this before.

“I just thought we shouldn't waste any more time here. Besides, I've helped Eustace a lot, haven't I? It's only natural to have him deal with this now.”

Having Eustace come over was the most convenient way.

“Is it really just that?”

“Of course! I don't have any feelings for Eustace.” She knew that this man didn't have much sense of security when it came to her.

So, she could tell him directly.

“Okay, then!”

Well, I suppose Eustace should make himself useful. We've helped him a lot, and his status is getting

higher and higher now.

The next day, when Sophie arrived in the classroom, she saw that Simon had bought breakfast for her and Sandra.

The hospital matter had been resolved, and he was feeling relaxed.

“Come on, eat up! I bought it specifically for you two. The breakfast here is really good. I had to wait in line for an hour to get it.”

“Simon, what are you doing? It's just breakfast. You actually queued for an hour! is that necessary?” Sandra questioned Simon while eating breakfast. “Are you serious? Haven't you given up yet?”

After knowing who his competitor was, how could he not give up?

“Stop talking nonsense. If you like it, eat more. If you don't like it, forget it.” The reason he got up early to buy breakfast was that he wanted to thank Sophie.

There was no denying that Sophie had indeed helped him solve a big problem.

Yesterday, in front of Mr. Tristan, he had been hesitant to speak, but he was still grateful to them.

Sophie had also not had any breakfast this morning.

Now that he had bought her favorite breakfast, she naturally didn't hesitate to eat it with him.

Other people were envious when they saw how good Simon was to these two girls.

“Simon, I haven't had breakfast either. I see you bought a lot. Can I have some?” the guy next to them asked with a smile.

Simon rolled his eyes.

“No! This is not for you. You have no right to eat it,” Simon said without hesitation.

The guy was dumbfounded.

Meanwhile, Greta had been watching. Since she broke up with Charles, she had been blaming Sophie.

But Sophie was Tristan's girlfriend, so she didn't dare do anything.

Now that she saw how well Simon treated Sophie, Greta felt even more upset. How could Sophie flirt around like that?

“Sophie, if your boyfriend knew you were flirting around outside, do you think he would let you off?” Greta couldn't help but say it out loud.

Sandra rolled her eyes.

“Greta, I think you have some issues! You must have some psychological trauma after being dumped.”

Greta had been boasting about her boyfriend before, but now that she had been dumped, she began acting like this.

Greta clenched her fists.

“Sandra, what nonsense are you talking about? When did I get dumped? We just have some conflicts now.”

Even at this point, Greta still refused to admit that she had been dumped.

“Hmph, you just have conflicts? Everyone knows the truth except for you,” Sandra sneered.

Greta stood up from her seat all of a sudden.

“Sandra, shut up. Don't think that—”

“Don't think what? I'm not the one thinking about marrying a rich husband all day.” After being with Sophie for some time, Sandra now also had fighting power.

“You...” Greta pointed at Sandra's nose.

“Greta, that's enough. If you don't speak, everyone will ignore you, so you don't have to be so high- profile. Being dumped is a normal thing.” Simon continued to add insult to injury.

Greta was so angry she could explode.

These people...

“Sophie, do you think you can be happy? I'll wait for the day when you get dumped. Do you really think you can marry into the Lombard family?”

Greta had very dark thoughts in her mind.

“That's my business, so you don't have to worry about it!” Sophie replied coldly. “Also, can you shut your mouth? It's affecting our breakfast mood!”

The whole class was watching, but no one helped her. Greta looked at the few girls who had been close to her before.

They also didn't say anything.

It made her feel even more disappointed inside.

“Just wait and see! Do you all want to see me become a joke? I'm telling you that it's impossible!”

Greta was so angry that she slammed the door and left.

“Sophie, did I go too far?” Seeing Greta's behavior, Sandra couldn't help but doubt herself.

Chapter 716

“No. It didn't go over the line. She's just too fragile.”

In the meantime, Greta attempted to locate Charles at his workplace. Despite repeatedly calling him, none of her calls were ever answered by him.

In desperation, she went to the top floor of his company building and threatened to jump off, thinking that Charles would have no choice but to meet her if she did so.

As anticipated, Greta's actions caught the attention of the employees of Quigley Group, who quickly alerted Charles that someone was attempting to jump off the building.

Upon receiving the news, Charles furrowed his brows tightly. Recently, the Quigley family had been under scrutiny due to Yvette, and now this incident occurred.

He then personally headed to the top floor. Charles didn't expect to see Greta there.

“You finally agreed to meet me. I thought you would never want to see me again in your life!”

Greta's face was filled with excitement.

Charles snickered. So, it's her. I suspect that she wouldn't voluntarily choose to jump off the building. It seems like she's doing it to manipulate me into giving in to her demands.

“Have you had enough? If yes, come here now!” Charles demanded coldly.

Greta refused to give in to Charles' tone. “Why are you talking to me like this? You wanted to be with

me before! How can you treat me like this now?”

Greta cried pitifully.

“Charles, do you believe that I love you dearly?” Greta stressed her deep affection for Charles.

“Listen, Greta. I'll give you till the count of three to come here,” Charles said, his patience running thin. He had no feelings for Greta and didn't want to waste more time on her.

“I won't come down unless you promise to be with me again. Otherwise, I'll jump. Believe me.”

Charles was speechless after hearing that.

Throughout his life, he despised being threatened by others.

Who the heck does she think she is, making threats like this?

“If you have a death wish, I will be unreasonable if I try to stop you from achieving it. So, do as you please.”

Charles then decided to leave.

Despite the issues the Quigley family had been facing lately, he remained indifferent.

Greta stared at Charles' leaving figure with disbelief.

“Were you never in love with me, Charles?” Greta asked, figuring he would only be so cruel to her if he had never loved her.

Unfortunately, Charles wouldn't reply to her question.

“Everyone else, leave! If she has a death wish, no one can stop her.” Charles was always a cold and ruthless person. Otherwise, he wouldn't be changing girlfriends every month.

Initially, Charles believed that Greta was his perfect match, but the reality proved otherwise.

Finding someone he loved from the bottom of his heart was not an easy feat.

Greta collapsed to the ground. Is he really going to leave me alone? Is it worth jumping for a man like him?

When Charles had given her a chance to change her mind earlier, she had refused. Now, with the employees around, Greta didn't know what excuse to make to save herself from embarrassment.

“Miss, please come down! I must remind you that our CEO would never tolerate anyone threatening him. Moreover, he can handle the consequences if you choose to jump today!”

Honestly, one person's death wouldn't cause any ripples toward Quigley Group.

In the end, Greta descended from the top floor and left dejectedly.

She couldn't understand why she always ended up with these sc*mbags. All she wanted was to find a wealthy boyfriend.

Is it wrong to have such a wish?

Winter had returned. After walking out of the airport and taking in Jipsdale's air which had been familiar to her, she told herself she wouldn't leave again, and from now on, she would stay here forever.

Charles went to pick her up. When he noticed that she was much slimmer than before, he couldn't help feeling a sting in his heart.

“Everything's fine now. It's good that you're back. Grandpa is waiting for you!” If it weren't for Walter falling ill this time, Tristan wouldn't have given way and allowed her to come back.

“After what happened, you should understand it now. No matter what you do, it's useless. So don't do anything and be Ms. Winter of the Quigley family. It's better than doing anything else.”

“I know, Charles. Don't worry! I know clearly what I should do.”

Seeing Winter in such a condition, Charles didn't feel reassured by her words.

“Winter, just in case you blame me for not reminding you, do you remember the daughter of the Whitley family? The Whitley family ended up disappearing because she offended Sophie.”

Though Tristan might not treat the Quigley family the same way, there was no doubt that he didn't have feelings for Winter.

“Let's go home, Charles! I'm tired.”

Having been alone in a foreign country for so long, she didn't want to dwell on those thoughts now that she was back.

Regarding Sophie, Winter decided to put it aside for now. After all, it is impossible for Tristan to protect her for the rest of her life, right?

Charles felt speechless as he realized his sister wasn't taking his words seriously.

Winter had been spoiled since childhood, which led to her current personality. Hence, no one could do anything to stop her from doing things she wanted.

Since he was the one who brought her home, he felt responsible for arranging a few people to keep an eye on her and prevent her from pulling any tricks in the future.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Walter immediately asked Winter to head over after spotting Winter's return.

“You must have suffered a lot when you're overseas! Look at how skinny you've become. Take a good rest at home now that you're back. In a few days, I'll have your mother find some good suitors for you, and we'll meet them.”

Although Tristan was a good man, he harbored no fondness for Winter.

Feelings were something no one could control in this world.

Upon hearing her grandfather's words, Winter shook her head.

“Grandpa, I don't feel like being in a relationship right now. Let's not discuss this at the moment. I want to stay by your side and keep you company for now.”

Walter grabbed her hand.

“Worry not, my dear. I am perfectly fine. Just stay here in peace. I won't let them take you away again,” Walter reassured Winter.

A smile finally appeared on Winter's face after hearing this.

“I know you love me the most, Grandpa!”

Exactly! Sophie has no support, but I do. The Quigley family is there for me, but she has no one else to rely on except Mr. Tristan. And men, especially those in this circle, would never love the same person for a lifetime.

Fate could be so delicate at times. The two, who had not seen each other for a long time, finally crossed paths, and upon seeing Sophie and how well Tristan took care of her, Winter felt an intense pain in her heart.

He is the one and only Tristan Lombard!

Throughout his life, countless girls who appeared beside him had vied for his affection, but he had always remained aloof and even disdainful toward them.

However, Sophie was an exception. Whenever she was around, his gaze was fixed solely on her. This kind of love drew envy from others.

“Mr. Tristan, I'm back.” Winter's voice quivered as she once again met the man she had loved her whole life.

 

Chapter 717

Since Tristan and Charles were clearly best friends, Tristan couldn't avoid meeting Winter when she returned.

Tristan looked at the lady in front of him. It had been more than a year since they had last met, and she seemed to have matured a lot.

“Winter, since you're back, you must behave yourself and not cause any trouble. You should know that no one can protect you if you stir up another trouble.” If anything happened, Tristan wouldn't even take his friendship with Charles into consideration anymore.

“Yeah, I know,” Winter replied. The person she liked wholeheartedly didn't have any feelings for her at all. She had just returned, yet he didn't even express any concern for her. All he did was warn her.

Sophie held Tristan's hand. What is the point of him saying this? Since he has already promised Charles that he'd allow Winter to come back, there's no need to make a scene like this. Winter can't cause any big trouble, anyway.

Tristan went to take a seat with Sophie. Winter didn't move, as she had to take a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

Naturally, Winter knew about Jennifer's matter and knew that the latter liked Tristan. Tristan had always been a cold man. However, Winter had never expected him to destroy the Whitley family directly because of Sophie.

“I dislike this kind of occasion,” Tristan whispered in Sophie's ear when they were both sitting on the couch.

“All right, now. What are you even doing now? Just consider this a favor for Charles! He only wants us not to do anything to Winter. That's all!” Winter is Charles' sister, after all. We should be more tolerant toward her.

“I just don't like her.” Previously, Tristan could have still ignored Winter. But now, he felt annoyed whenever he saw her. Whoever harmed Sophie was unforgivable.

Soon, Sean and Felix also arrived. They knew that Charles had deliberately arranged this gathering for Winter, so they said nothing much.

Since Felix was here, of course, he brought Ysabelle along.

“Sophie, do you really plan to forgive Winter?” Ysabelle still couldn't forgive what Winter had done back then. This woman should stay abroad forever. I genuinely don't think she'll give up. As long as she has made a decision, she won't give up easily at all.

“I don't hold a deep grudge against her. She's just an unimportant person. We don't have to take her to heart.” Sophie was magnanimous.

“All right, then. I hope she'll behave better this time.” Ysabelle was still worried. “By the way, is Old Mr. Quigley actually sick? This can't be his plan, can it?” Maybe he pretended to be sick just so that Winter could return!

“He really is sick!” Sophie answered. They had invited Arius over to Walter's place before. Sophie had even asked Arius to check on Walter's situation in consideration of her friendship with Charles. They

found out that Walter was genuinely ill.

“Oh, I see!” Ysabelle replied. If that's the case, then it's completely understandable for Winter to come back. Now, I just hope she'll behave herself.”On behalf of Winter, thank you, Sophie. Thank you for your kind forgiveness!” If it wasn't for Sophie, Tristan would never have agreed to let Winter return.

“Don't mention it.” This matter really didn't affect Sophie much, which was why she had made such a decision.

“Winter, you should propose a toast to thank Sophie as well. We're all friends, so let bygones be bygones.” Charles had no choice but to suggest this, as he knew that Tristan still felt uncomfortable. Winter was still Charles' sister regardless of what happened. He still wished she could stay here properly.

Winter tightened her grip on the wine glass and silently took a deep breath. “Ms. Tanner, I've made many mistakes in the past. I hope you can forgive me.”

Expressing those words took a lot of energy out of Winter. After all, she was the third daughter of the Quigley family. Ever since she was young, everyone in the family had doted on her. Yet, now she had to apologize to someone she disliked the most. It was impossible for her not to feel uncomfortable.

“That's enough, Charles. There's no need for these unnecessary actions.” Although Sophie responded that way, she still took a sip of wine.

Tristan couldn't help but furrow his brows when he saw her drinking. “You're not feeling well, so you shouldn't be drinking right now.”

“I'm fine.” It had been a while since Sophie had consumed alcohol. Truth be told, she really missed this feeling.

Winter straight up drank all the wine in the glass in one gulp. Her heart was aching terribly. Why can't I forget about him no matter how much time has passed? How is my heart still aching so much?

After that, it was as if Winter was invisible. All she could do was sit at the side quietly and watch how Tristan pampered Sophie.

Meanwhile, she could only drink glass after glass of alcohol.

Sean could only shake his head after seeing Winter acting that way. Looks like she hasn't let it go. But what can she do even if she hasn't let go? She's no match for Sophie at all.

“Sean, what should we do now? Winter is making me worried when she acts like this,” said Charles. If Winter doesn't give up, there's no way others can help her.

“None of us can do anything about this matter. The only thing you can do is to keep Winter away from Sophie and don't let her provoke Sophie.” Tristan and Sophie had already decided to get married. During this time, it was easier for Winter to get triggered.

“To be honest, I really don't think Winter should have returned at this time,” Sean said, thinking that her coming back during this period would only make things worse.

“But you know how sick my grandpa is. He just wants Winter to come back and keep him company. If I can't even do this for him, then how do I still...” Charles replied.

Sean nodded in understanding. “Anyway, you should do as you see fit. If Winter still dares to do anything to hurt Sophie, none of us can help her.” He briefly analyzed the current situation. As for other matters, there was no point in talking about them right now. Winter had already returned, and it was impossible to send her abroad again now.

Later, Winter had drunk too much and went to the restroom and puked.

Since she went to the ladies restroom, Charles couldn't go inside and could merely ask for Ysabelle's help. He had no choice but to plead, “Please, Ysabelle. Just go inside and take a look! I don't know what will happen to her when she's alone in there!”

Ysabelle shook her head. “I don't want to. I'm sure you know that I dislike her, Charles.” So what if she's Charles' sister? I just don't like her.

“Ysabelle, just allow me to owe you a favor. If you need any help in the future, I'll do whatever I can!” Charles said.

“Let's go to the restroom, too!” Sophie stood up right then.

Seeing that even Sophie had gotten up, Ysabelle had no choice but to get up as well. “Why is she so troublesome?” Winter is just using the restroom. What else could happen? But since Sophie is going, I should follow her. Who knows if Winter will act crazy again and hurt Sophie?

When Sophie and Ysabelle entered the restroom, they saw Winter slumping on the floor in a wretched state. They assumed Winter was exhausted after throwing up.

Before Sophie could speak, Ysabelle immediately approached Winter and asked, “Are you all right?”

Winter lifted her head, her face as pale as a ghost. Ysabelle jumped in fright when she saw Winter in that state.

“Sophie, I'm sure you're feeling smug right now, huh?” Winter asked slowly.

Sophie didn't know how to respond to that.

“Seriously, Winter, are you not done yet? Now that you've finally returned, can't you just behave yourself?” Ysabelle piped up. What's the point of talking about all these right now?

 

Chapter 718

Winter was still dissatisfied with the reality. No matter how much time had passed, she just couldn't forget what had happened. She didn't want to be like this, and she wished she could live a more relaxed life as well. However, there was no way she could forget what had happened. Her heart still ached because of it.

“Ysabelle, you'll never understand how I feel,” said Winter. Ysabelle is someone who always gets whatever she wants. Moreover, she has a man who loves her. How will she understand how I feel right now?

“Charles is waiting for you outside. You should go!” Ysabelle said coldly. As the saying goes, the lowliest of people are also often abominable. Winter didn't deserve any sympathy at all. “Also, let me tell you something. Sophie and Uncle Tristan are getting married soon, so it's pointless for you to do anything.”

Nobody would be able to ruin Sophie and Tristan's relationship.

Winter was at a loss for words. They're getting married, huh? Why didn't anyone tell me about this? Right, who do I think I am? Nobody in this world cares about what I think. So, why would anyone tell me about this?

“Am I supposed to congratulate you all?” Winter's voice was exceptionally icy.

“No, thanks.” Seeing how Winter was behaving, Sophie really didn't know what else to say. “Just don't put Charles in a difficult spot. You're on your own now.”

With that, Sophie left with Ysabelle.

“She's all right. She just threw up, but she won't listen to what we tell her. You should figure it out yourself,” Ysabelle said to Charles calmly.

After all, this was Charles' turf. No one would dare to do anything to Winter.

“All right, I understand. I'll send someone to bring her out.” Charles was rather exasperated. Winter was behaving in a way that would make others extremely worried. She still hasn't given up! But so what if she hasn't? Mr. Tristan has never loved her! She'll only make herself feel awful if she remains unrepentant like this. It won't do her any good!

Sophie went to sit next to Tristan and said, “You don't have to go there. It's not your responsibility to care about her feelings.” Even if Charles was Tristan's best friend, Winter was Charles' sister, after all. Winter had nothing much to do with Sophie and Tristan.

“You know, I don't want you to feel aggrieved because of someone else regardless of who they are,” Tristan replied.

“Mm-hmm. I just went to the restroom. I'm not feeling aggrieved.”

Charles was waiting for Winter outside of the restroom. He could only shake his head upon seeing Winter in her current situation.

“All right, you should go home first. I'll ask someone to send you back,” Charles stated, thinking that if she stayed here looking like this, it would only make everyone unhappy.

“Charles, are you shunning me as well?” You're my older brother! Why won't you help me?

“I know I'm your brother. Otherwise, I wouldn't have cared about you!” However, there are still many things that I can't change even if I'm your brother. Isn't that so?

“I don't want to go back. Now that I'm finally back here with everyone, I don't want to go back yet.” Winter refused to leave. Do I have no choice but to leave just because Sophie is here?

“Winter, listen to me. No matter how upset you are, that's just your own feelings. Mr. Tristan has never participated in the relationship between you and him. That's why he won't make any changes for you.” Throughout this period, everyone witnessed Tristan's sincerity in treating Sophie. There was no one else who could compare to Sophie.

“Stop talking, Charles. I don't want to hear it. My head hurts.” Winter couldn't listen to anything currently. All she wanted was a moment of quietness by herself. “You should head inside first. I'll stand here alone for a while.”

“All right. Take a short break on your own right here. I've already asked the driver to pick you up, and the driver will call you later. Stop being so stubborn. Otherwise, no one can save you next time.” Walter was already in such dire circumstances, so there was no one else who could help Winter.

Winter remained silent. Clearly, I was the one who got to know Mr. Tristan first! But why am I the one who has no chance now?

Meanwhile, Charles had returned to the private room. Seeing how Charles looked, Sean patted him on the shoulder. “You don't have to be too worried. Sophie isn't a petty woman. She won't do anything to Winter in consideration of you as long as Winter doesn't cross the line.” Sean knew Sophie quite well.

“Yeah, I know. It's just that... I'm sure you're well aware of Winter's temper. I'm not confident about how she'll behave.” Charles didn't know what things Winter would do.

“Well, it's pointless for you to keep worrying. Whatever happened had happened, and we have no choice but to accept it.” No one would be able to resolve this issue.

Charles still remembered Sophie's kindness. If it wasn't for her, Winter wouldn't have been able to come back here now.

“Sophie, no matter what you encounter in the future, I will do my best without any hesitation as long as you give me a call.” Although Charles was a frivolous man, he was still a loyal friend.

“Charles, you really don't have to do this. This matter doesn't affect me that much,” said Sophie. “Regardless, I'll remember what you said.” To her, that was good enough.

“Okay!” Charles responded.

After returning to the condominium at night, Sophie sat on the couch and applied a facial mask. Ysabelle had been recommending this facial mask to Sophie, as it was very effective.

Sophie was not one for trouble. However, she finally decided to try the facial mask after Ysabelle tried so hard to recommend it to her.

When Tristan exited the shower, he saw Sophie applying a facial mask. This was the first time he had seen her doing such a thing in a long time. “Why do you suddenly think of applying a facial mask today?”

“Ysabelle told me this facial mask is quite effective. Do you want to try applying one as well?” While saying that, Sophie got up directly and took a piece of facial mask for Tristan.

“I don't need it.” Tristan despised doing this kind of thing.

“Accompany me.”

Sophie's gaze made it impossible for him to reject her. He had no choice but to surrender.

Two minutes later, Sophie helped Tristan apply a facial mask.

“How does it feel? Honestly, I think this facial mask is pretty good.” She found it to be good after only trying it for the first time. “Ysabelle said we should start taking care of our skin at our age.”

Tristan pulled her into his arms. He couldn't help but feel amused by her statement. “You're just twenty years old, and you're in your prime. You already look the best without the need to do anything else.” At her current age, her skin was as tender as silk. She didn't need to do this kind of skincare at all!

“Really?” Although Sophie knew Tristan was biased because he was her boyfriend, she still felt wonderful after hearing his words.

“Of course. Have I ever lied to you?” While he embraced her, his hands began to move around restlessly.

When he was alone with her recently, he found it more and more difficult to suppress his urge. It was

beautiful being at the age of twenty, and it made people want to do anything without thinking about the consequences.

 

 

Chapter 719

His hands that roamed around her body caused her to tremble involuntarily.

Sophie grabbed his large hand and said, “All right, that's enough. You'll end up suffering if you continue.”

It was the same every time.

They had yet to reach the last step, but sometimes, he'd touch the forbidden areas.

In the end, he would have to take a cold shower to calm himself down. Unfortunately, because of the cold weather, he could be at risk of catching a cold if he relied too heavily on cold showers.

Tristan placed her on his lap so they were facing each other.

He captured her lips in a passionate kiss as though that was the only way to quell his desire. However, the longer their kiss lasted, the more he could not suppress his desires.

Sophie flung her arms around his neck as her breathing grew heavy. Drained of energy, she sprawled on his chest.

Tristan was pleased to discover that she had gained some weight.

He was beginning to feel his resolve waning as she was utterly flawless in his eyes.

The top few buttons of Sophie's pajamas were undone. Her shoulders were half exposed, and she looked especially alluring.

“You look gorgeous,” he rasped on the verge of losing his self-control. “Why don't we register our marriage first?”

He didn't think he could wait until the day of their wedding.

Sophie felt both speechless and amused.

She couldn't help but wonder if men were all the same. Tristan was obviously aiming for a home run so they could finally be united.

As she said nothing, Tristan grew anxious. “What's wrong?”

Has she regretted her decision to marry me?

Seeing that, Sophie burst into giggles and bent her head to bite his shoulder.

“Mm...” Tristan let out a low groan. However, the sound he made merely made the environment steamier.

“Why? Does it hurt? I'm sorry. I didn't do it on purpose,” Sophie apologized profusely. Just like him, she had also lost her self-control. “If you want to register our marriage first, that works. I won't say no.”

She had already decided to spend the rest of her life with him, so it didn't matter when they got married.

Tristan felt a surge of happiness as he quickly said, “I'll get someone to pick a suitable date for us.” He had never been one to believe in superstitions and omens, but when it came to his own wedding, he was unwilling to take any chances and opted to get a professional to determine an auspicious date for the big day.

“All right. Before that, I'd like to visit my grandpa to tell him about the good news in person,” Sophie uttered. Josiah adored Tristan, so she knew he'd be delighted to learn about their wedding.

“Mm, I'll come with you,” Tristan agreed.

It would be best if he were to accompany her to deliver the good news.

“Sure!”

Yale couldn't help but feel like an animal caught in the headlights when he looked into Tristan's eyes. Tristan always evoked fear within him.

There were so many rumors about Tristan in Jipsdale that could spark terror in anyone.

“Mr. Tristan, why are you here today?” Yale asked anxiously as he couldn't stand the silence anymore.

Tristan said, “No matter how you treated Sophie in the past, you're still her parents. We're going to get married soon, so I hope you won't disappoint her in the future.”

Sophie had grown strong enough to no longer need the protection of her parents, but as a twenty-year- old, she still longed for the comfort and security that only a family could provide.

Alas, Yale and Charmaine's actions had always disappointed her.

Yale was surprised to learn that they were getting married, as he assumed Tristan was merely fooling around with Sophie.

He never knew they would end up as husband and wife.

“Mr. Tristan, are you serious?” he asked incredulously. The Lombard family is influential and powerful. Why would they approve of Sophie as their daughter-in-law?

Tristan furrowed his brows at his words.

“What do you mean by that? Sophie deserves the best of everything in the world!” he snapped. I can't believe such parents exist in this world.

Even Charmaine was staring at Tristan in disbelief. “Are you sure you want to marry Sophie?”

After all, Sophie's reputation in Jipsdale made many shy away from her.

“You don't have to prepare anything. All you have to do is to attend our wedding,” Tristan said.

He wanted to give Sophie an unforgettable wedding. That was why he had come here to extend an invitation to her parents.

“Mr. Tristan, will you treat her well?” Charmaine asked doubtfully.

When she first married Yale, she had been filled with joy and optimism. However, the reality of married

life quickly set in, and she soon realized that things were not as straightforward as she had initially anticipated. She came from a simple background, and this was something that her father-in-law did not appreciate. No matter how hard she tried to fit in, she was never good enough to gain their approval.

“Sophie is different, so she'll definitely be happy,” Tristan said icily. He had only come here today to warn them not to say anything that might upset Sophie.

Sophie might not take their hurtful comments to heart, but he didn't want them to speak those words.

Mustering his courage, Yale finally asked, “Mr. Tristan, since you're going to marry her, what about her wedding gifts? Sophie's my daughter, so you should prepare the necessary stuff.” Having a son-in-law like Tristan meant that he could call the shots in Jipsdale.

“I will prepare the wedding gifts, but that is for Sophie. I don't think it has anything to do with you,” Tristan said.

They were greedy and desired to take all of Sophie's possessions, so he refused to give them the opportunity to do so.

Charmaine hastily spoke up. “Mr. Tristan, since you're going to marry Sophie, why don't you release Willow? No matter what, we're going to be a family soon.”

She still hadn't forgotten about Willow.

“Willow? Don't you know she escaped from the psychiatric nursing home? I don't know where she is now.”

Charmaine's hands started trembling when she heard that.

What does he mean by that?

“What happened to Willa? What did you do to her?” she asked anxiously, dreading to consider the possibility of any harm befalling Willow.

Tristan ignored her question and turned to leave.

Charmaine tried to go after him but was stopped by Yale.

“What are you doing? Don't you know who he is? Do you have a death wish?” Yale chided.

Disappointment filled Charmaine's eyes as she gazed at her husband.

“Yale, I can't believe you're such a coward! Willow is your daughter! She's now missing. Aren't you worried about her?” Charmaine screamed in despair.

Yale merely shoved her away.

“She brought that upon herself. Stop worrying about her. It's a good thing for our family that Sophie is marrying Tristan, so let us concentrate on celebrating the occasion. We shouldn't allow anyone to look down on us,” he said to Charmaine sternly.

Charmaine sat there in despair.

Is Sophie marrying Tristan for real? So what if they end up as husband and wife? Tristan will soon grow

sick of her, leaving her feeling the same heartache and disappointment that I experienced.

Charmaine had truly gone mad.

She believed that true love did not exist in the world. Even if it were to miraculously appear, she was convinced that it would not last and that it would eventually fade away with the passing of time.

 

Chapter 720

Tristan left many work matters in the hands of his subordinates.

He was focused on planning the proposal and engagement.

He could've hired a wedding planner to handle everything, but he wanted to do it personally for Sophie.

He wanted her to have nothing but the best and took it upon himself to take care of every single detail, including the preparation of their new home.

It was exhausting to do so, but when he saw the fruits of his labor, he was overwhelmed with a feeling of joy and satisfaction.

This would be their future home.

He was convinced that they had found the perfect home, one in which they could build a life together and raise their children.

Felix was busy, too.

Tristan had taken time to pick the furniture personally according to Sophie's preferences. That sight made Felix realize the magnitude of Tristan's love for Sophie.

Tristan was even smiling blissfully when he took care of the trivial matters.

“Everything is ready, save for the proposal. When are you going to propose to her?” Felix asked. He knew that Tristan had been struggling to come up with an idea for the perfect proposal but had yet to

make a final decision.

“I'll do that a few days later,” Tristan said. He was planning on informing Josiah about their wedding first. “Right, is the Sable family up to something?”

Nicholas had always been known for his crazy behavior, so it was especially strange that he was doing nothing after learning about Sophie's upcoming nuptials.

“Nothing for now. Don't worry. I've assigned someone to keep watch on them,” Felix assured him.

Alex was dead, so the Sable family would definitely avenge him.

Even if Nicholas were to die, nothing would stop Tristan and Sophie from getting married.

“I believe the Sable family has decided to withdraw from the game,” said Tristan irritably. He was no longer willing to accept their behavior, as they kept challenging his limits.

“Ignore them. We'll handle this, so focus on your wedding,” Felix reassured him. He didn't want Tristan to worry about it and risk affecting his upcoming wedding.

“All right. Be careful, then.” Tristan nodded. He knew that a cornered beast would resort to something desperate, after all.

Meanwhile, Javier was reading the file brought to him by his trusted aide.

“Old Mr. Sable, this is an ideal situation for us. Before, we could not do anything to Sophie because of

her remarkable capabilities, but the circumstances have changed now. Now that she is injured, with her leg wounded, we can certainly seize this opportunity to end her life.”

Mr. Nicholas will always be infatuated with Sophie if she remains alive, so she must die.

“I will offer a sizable reward of five hundred million to anyone who can accomplish the task of killing Sophie. Make the necessary arrangements to ensure this is done.”

His trusted aide was surprised. Is Sophie's life worth that much?

Meanwhile, the members of the assassin organization were delighted to see the order.

Five hundred million was an enormous reward offered to anyone who could successfully assassinate the target.

Such an opportunity was too good to pass up, so many assassins made their way to Chanaea immediately.

It was late at night when Sophie, Arius, and Barney stepped out of the temporary base of the Chanaean Medical Association.

“Wait here. I'll go get my car and give you a ride home. It's late. It's not safe for you to be alone,” Arius said.

“No need. You should leave with Dr. Smith. I've told Tristan to come and pick me up. He'll be here soon.”

“Oh, I see. We'll be on our way, then. We know you don't enjoy having people interrupting you two,” Arius joked.

Sophie and Tristan had recently been feeling more in love than ever. They were both excited to begin the next chapter of their lives as husband and wife.

“Be careful, Sophie,” Barney reminded. He was worried, but it was quite safe here, so he was certain that she would not run into any danger.

After watching them leave, Sophie whipped her phone out to call Tristan.

Tristan was driving, but he answered her call.

“Have you gotten off work? I'll arrive in ten minutes. Wait for me inside the building. It's still cold outside,” Tristan said. He knew she was afraid of the cold and wanted to make sure she wouldn't have to endure it for too long.

“I know. Take your time. It's dangerous to talk on the phone while you're driving,” Sophie replied cheerfully.

“It's all right,” Tristan assured her. “I'm quite familiar with racing, so I'm confident that I can handle driving on a public road. Plus, I'm using Bluetooth, so there's no need to worry.”

During their conversation, Sophie sensed something off and dodged away deftly.

Indeed, someone had shot at her using a gun with a silencer.

“I need to get back to work. Talk to you later!” Sophie said hastily.

Tristan would take ten minutes to arrive, so she had to depend on herself to survive the attack.

“Mm, I'll be there shortly,” Tristan replied, not realizing that she was in trouble. He quickly ended the call to focus on driving. His gaze shifted to the bouquet of vibrant red roses that rested on the passenger seat, which elicited a blissful smile from his face.

Meanwhile, the top assassins had already revealed themselves before Sophie.

The sight of them brought a vicious smile to Sophie's lips.

She couldn't remember how long it had been since she had gotten involved in a fight. It seemed that she had stopped involving herself in dangerous situations after she got together with Tristan.

“Who sent you here?” she demanded icily. “You've got the guts to come and kill me, huh?”

The assassins didn't seem to be joking around.

The leader of the group was an imposing figure of a man with bright blond hair, deep blue eyes, and a distinctive red spider lily tattoo adorning his neck.

It was clear as day that he was not someone to be trifled with.

“It doesn't really matter who sent us here. What's most important is that we need money, and your life is of great value. That is the only thing that matters,” the man answered in a frigid tone.

“You want my life, huh? We'll see if you're capable of killing me,” Sophie declared.

That wasn't the first time she encountered someone who wanted her dead, so she was abnormally calm.

“Prior to our arrival, we conducted thorough research on you and discovered that you are good at fighting and are not afraid of death. But with your leg injury, are you certain you will be able to make it out alive?” the assassin mocked.

As the top assassins in the world, they would never head into a battle unprepared. They knew that the fee for their services was significant, and thus, it was expected that they would have to make some sort of sacrifice in order to acquire such a large amount of money.

“It looks like you know my condition well. Even if my leg is injured, you won't be my match,” Sophie replied arrogantly.

“Oh, how daring of you!” the female assassin exclaimed mockingly. “Let's see if you are as proficient as you boast you are!” She was petite in stature, but her words were full of confidence.

They could kill anyone they wanted in the world.

“Cut the crap and come at me!” Sophie snarled.

The assassins wanted her dead to get the reward.

There were five of them, and they were armed with weapons.

Sophie had to face them alone without any weapons.

Another assassin remarked, “I thought this mission would be dangerous, but it looks like I'm wrong.”

He had only agreed to come, as he thought the mission would be interesting.

By then, the five assassins had already gotten rid of the two bodyguards Tristan had hired to protect Sophie.

“Will you choose to end your life? That way, you can die quickly.” The assassins were bored already as the mission wasn't as interesting as they had expected. However, they still had to complete it to get the reward.