Ch. 941..950
Chapter 941
Chapter 941 Lend Him A Hand
When Caleb saw his sister was leaving, he shouted, “Sophie! I know you’re disappointed in us, but we’re still your family no matter what. Visit us when you can As nice as the outside world is, it’s ultimately not her
home.
“All right, I won’t say anything about it anymore. I know you don’t like to hear these.” I know Mom and Dad and Willow did a lot of bad things to Sophie. I understand her refusal to return home.
“I hope you’ll be happy after marrying Mr. Tristan!” No matter what, she’s still my sister. Mom doesn’t like her because of her aloof personality.
“You take care of yourself. I’ll be returning home now. Sophie was unwilling to say much because she wasn’t a magnanimous person. Some damage can never be repaired once inflicted. It can’t be resolved with a single apology.
While watching her leave, Caleb still felt sad. Perhaps this wouldn’t have happened if I had cared a little more about her. I didn’t do a good job as a big brother.
Charmaine hadn’t slept when he returned home.
Upon seeing him, she rose from the couch and asked, “Why are you back so late? Have you eaten?” She noticed his injuries when she approached him and inhaled sharply. “What happened? Who did this to you?”
Caleb didn’t want his mother to spot his wounds because he had always appeared confident in front of his family.
However, it was difficult for him to accept his latest state.
“I’m fine, Mom. I’m tired. I’m gonna go and get some rest. Obviously, he didn’t want to speak too much on the matter. He felt too embarrassed to mention his issues as a man.
Grabbing his hand, Charmaine prevented him from ascending the stairs. “If you can’t work at the research institute, then go to Tanner Group! I’ll ask Sophie to hire you.” I doubt he can make much money working at the research institute anyway. He has a brighter future in a company like Tanner Group, which is improving by the day.
“I told you, Mom. I’m not interested in Tanner Group, so stop bringing it up.” Caleb promptly went upstairs.
Charmaine tried to chase after him, but Willow blocked her path. “Stop it, Mom. He’s not in a good mood. Let him be for a while.”
“What is up with you all? Do I owe you two something? Why do you all take your anger out at me when you’re in a bad mood?” Aren’t I doing this for their own good?
Seeing that her mother was upset, Willow apologized, “I’m sorry, Mom.” She had become a lot more cowardly compared to before.
That sight of Willow enraged Charmaine even further. “Why are you acting like this? This isn’t how you behave in the past!” She has changed. I don’t have any hope for her anymore.
“I’m sorry for disappointing you, Mom.” Willow lowered her head further. What can I do! Neither Sophie nor Tristan is someone I can afford to mess with! My current hope is that I can stay here without trouble. I really don’t want to think about anything else.
Charmaine waved her hand. “You should go and get some rest too.” If Caleb insists on joining the research institute, perhaps Sophie can help out. Our family’s social network is probably incomparable to hers by this point. For my son, I’m willing to beg her for help.
The next day, she visited the University of Medicine because she knew Sophie studied there. However, after waiting for the whole morning, she didn’t see her daughter at all.
When noon arrived and the students left their classes, Charmaine spoke to one of them. “Are you a first- year student? Do you know someone called Sophie? Did she attend classes today?”
“Sophie? Sophie Tanner? Everyone in the school knows who she is! She’s currently a fourth-year student because she skipped grades. She’s a genius, so she doesn’t attend her classes every day. Who are you by the way? Why are you looking for her?”
“What? Fourth year?” Charmaine was astonished. I know Sophie’s good, but I didn’t think she was this good. It’s unbelievable she managed to skip grade all the way to the fourth year!
It was then Simon and Sandra approached them. The student who Charmaine questioned turned to the duo and asked, “Aren’t you close with Sophie, Simon? This lady is looking for her.”
Simon and Sandra walked up to Charmaine.
They had no idea who the middle-aged woman was because they had never met her.
“Who are you? Why are you looking for Sophie?” asked Sandra. I’ve never seen her around Sophie before.
“I’m her mother,” answered Charmaine. “Do you know where she is?”
“Mother? I’ve never heard Sophie mentioning her mother.” Simon narrowed his eyes. This woman doesn’t look nice.
“I really am her mother, and I need to speak with her. Can you take me to her?”
“Simon!” exclaimed Sandra. We do need to head to the medical association later, but we don’t know who this lady is, so there’s no way we can bring her there. “I’m sorry, but we don’t know where Sophie is, Ma’am. If you really do need to speak to her, I suggest you call her directly! Since you’re her mother, you should have her phone number, right?”
Charmaine grimaced. I’d call her if I could, but she blocked me!
“I’m sorry, Ma’am. We have matters to attend to, so we’ll be leaving now.” Sandra dragged Simon away.
Charmaine felt embarrassed and remorseful. She had never thought that Sophie would lead such a good life.
She returned home dispiritedly, as she didn’t know where to locate Sophie.
When Simon arrived at the medical association and met Sophie, he informed her, “Your mom went to the University of Medicine to look for you. We met her after class.”
“My mom?” It had been so long since Sophie had met her mother that she almost forgot who Charmaine was. “Ah, I see.”
Seeing that Sophie didn’t seem to be interested in speaking further about the matter, Simon didn’t say much.
After all, everyone has their secrets, and he was just her friend. He wouldn’t ask her about it if she didn’t want to say.
Upon returning to the laboratory, Sophie called the Institute of Physics. When the person in charge of the institute learned who the caller was, he immediately stood up.
“I would like to introduce someone to the Institute of Physics. I can visit there occasionally.” Since Caleb loves research, I should lend him a hand.
“All right, Ms. Tanner. You’re free to bring that person here whenever you’re available.” While the Institute of Physics is never lacking in members, it still needs talented figures like Sophie.
Chapter 942
Chapter 942 He Was Happy
“I’ll bring him in two more days.”
She had something else to work on for the next two days, so she could not bring Caleb over.
“All right. Ms. Tanner. We look forward to welcoming you,” said the director of the Institute of Physics. It was a coincidence that he had met Sophie, and he was awed by her talent in physics,
Nevertheless, his invitations for her to join the Institute of Physics had been met with her constant rejection. To hear her finally agree to it, he was delighted.
After ending the call, Sophie called Caleb.
“Caleb, it’s me.”
“Mm, I know. What’s up?”
Caleb knew that Sophie was busy. In fact, this was her first time calling him after his return to the country a while ago.
“Are you free the day after tomorrow? I’d like to take you to meet someone.”
The day after tomorrow? Yes, I’m free. Caleb had nothing to do, and it was not as if he wanted to go to Tanner Group. He had all the time in the world.
“I’ll come and pick you up on that day, then.”
With that, Sophie ended the call.
Caleb did not reject her even though he had no idea why Sophie was looking for him. After all, she was the sister he doted on.
However, he did not have the chance to get to know her previously, and as Sophie was not the kind who acted like a younger sibling, they eventually grew distant.
Still, he was finally back.
He had time to fix their relationship.
When Caleb went downstairs, he spotted Charmaine sitting in a daze in the living room. She seemed unhappy.
“Mom, where did you go this morning? You should rest at home if you’re feeling unwell.”
“Caleb, did you hear about this? Sophie skipped grades, and she even skipped to the fourth year of university despite being a student at the University of Medicine!” The University of Medicine was a university that was notoriously difficult to be admitted into.
Not only was Sophie accepted into the university, but she even skipped grades.
“Mm, our Sophie’s excellent.” Caleb could not help but feel proud of his sister.
“Are you not at all surprised?”
“Why should I? She’s your daughter. Shouldn’t you be proud of her achievements?”
“I wanted her to help you out, but I couldn’t find that ungrateful girl.” Regardless of everything. I’m her mother How could she block me?
Caleb’s expression darkened when he heard that.
“Mom, stop looking for Sophie. She has her own life.”
“What is with your tone? I was looking for her because of you. If you-
“Mom, I know what I should do with my matters.”
“Do you? How long has it been since you came back to the country? I asked you to go to Tanner Group, but you refused to. The only person who can help you now is Mr. Tristan.”
It was merely the Institute of Physics. With a word from Tristan, Caleb’s issue would be easily resolved.
“Mom, I told you not to bother Sophie. Everything’s fine as long as her life is peaceful now. She isn’t obligated to help us.”
“What are you talking about?”
Caleb leaped up from the couch in anger.
“That’s enough. I don’t want to talk to you about this anymore. I have something else to attend to, so I’ll be out of the house for a while,” Caleb uttered, not wanting to go on with the topic.
Sophie was brilliant without a doubt, but she was not bound by duty to help him.
His concern for her only stemmed from his desire to mend their relationship.
“Each and every one of you is getting more and more rebellious! None of you listens to me anymore!” In her anger, Charmaine threw everything she could in the living room to the ground.
When Willow heard the noise, she went downstairs, only to be greeted by the sight of the mess.
“Mom, don’t get so worked up. It’s not worth it.”
Sophie had never cared about them, so no matter how angry Charmaine was, nothing would change.
“Oh, forget it. I don’t want to see you either. Go back to your room!” Charmaine was mad at Willow too.
She had placed all her hope on Willow, but now, no nouveau riche would be interested in her.
What else could she expect?
At night, Sophie went to TS Entertainment to pick Ysabelle up. Ysabelle had been working hard lately. She was either at her vocal lessons or dance lessons.
When Sophie arrived, Ysabelle was still in the middle of practicing a dance routine.
Ysabelle was covered in sweat, and yet, she seemed like the brightest star in the room.
“Very good, Ysabelle. Take note of the power in your moves. Yes, yes, that’s the way. The dance teacher was immensely satisfied with Ysabelle’s recent performance.
Before Ysabelle was done with her routine, the dance teacher came over to Sophie.
“Ms. Sophie, Ysabelle has been performing wonderfully, the dance teacher praised.
“Yes, I can see that. Thank you. It’s getting late. You can clock out first.”
“All right. I’ll be leaving, then, Ms. Sophie.” It was already after six by then, long past the working hours. Ysabelle’s hardworking attitude was what made her stay.
When the music came to an end, Ysabelle completed her last move. Sophie passed her a towel, and she took it to wipe her sweat.
“How was it, Sophie? The dance teacher said I have made big improvements, but what do you think?” Ysabelle asked. She had been putting her all into her practices to take her mind off Felix.
“It’s excellent.”
“Oh, by the way, why are you here today?”
“I invited Mark and the others to dinner. It’s been a long time since we had a meal together. I know you like them, so I’m going to bring you along.”
Most importantly, Ysabelle would be returning home alone, so Sophie thought she might as well bring Ysabelle to dinner instead.
“Sure! Give me a second. I’m going to take a quick shower.” Ysabelle was covered in sweat, and she was really not in the appropriate state for dinner.
“Okay. I’ll go and look for Mark and the rest first. They’ve been practicing for the concert. Come find us when you’re done changing.
“Sure. You go ahead.”
Sophie went to look for Mark and his group in their spacious practice room. When Sophie arrived, they were in the middle of their practice, so she decided to stand by the doorway to watch them perform instead of disturbing them.
The Wheelers had achieved their current fame due to the members’ hard work. Even though it was only practice, they were immersed in the moment.
Moreover, their level of cooperation was something few bands could mimic.
At the last note, Sophie clapped her hands and walked over.
“That was fantastic. You’re really the most perfect band I’ve ever seen.”
Mark put down the microphone and walked over to her.
“We’re here today because of you. Without you, we would have disbanded a long time ago.”
Naturally, Mark knew that Sophie had feelings toward The Wheelers too.
“What are you talking about? You’re the main reason for this band to have such achievements now.”
Chapter 943
Chapter 943 She Is Drunk
“Are you happy?”
“Of course I am! Why won’t I be? I’m going to sing until I’m old and wrinkly. I wonder if people will still like us then.”
“I’m sure they will. By then, your fans will be graying and toothless too.” As long as it’s their passion, they can continue singing forever.
“I feel so lucky to be able to stand on the stage. Sophic, it’s such a pity you can’t be with us there,” Sunny said, his voice tinged with regret.
“Aren’t I with you all now? By the way, I’ve written a song recently. I’ll send it to you guys later.” Once in a while, Sophie would still write songs.
“Send it to us now! I want to listen to it right away!” Sophie’s creations were never disappointing, for she was a talented individual.
Alas, she did not like the entertainment industry.
“Let’s have dinner first. Go and take your showers. I’ll be waiting outside,” Sophie urged, wondering if they had forgotten about the dinner.
“Sure thing!”
The five men took noticeably shorter showers, so they emerged from the bathroom at the same time as Ysabelle.
“What are we having?” It was a genuine question from Sunny. He would insist that being a drummer was a tiring job.
“Meat!” Ysabelle chimed in. She had worked up a sweat that day, and she really missed the flavor of meat after a long while of not eating it.
Ysabelle and Sunny gave each other a high-five.
“Great minds think alike. I want meat, and I only want meat.”
The group of seven came to a barbecue restaurant. After taking their seats, they ordered plenty of meat. They were not worried that they would not be able to finish everything, for the majority of the group was
men.
The second the meat was grilled, Sunny took a piece and shoved it into his mouth. A look of contentment appeared on his face almost immediately.
“Is it good?” Ysabelle asked.
Sunny promptly gave her a piece of meat.
“This slice is the best. Have this. You look like you’ve lost weight,” Sunny said, worried that she would reject the slice of meat.
“Hey, that’s enough! I know I’ve gained weight recently. She knew it ever since the wedding photo shoot. “So, are you going to eat it or not?” Sunny huffed in exasperation. If you’re going to come out for dinner, stop
thinking about weight gain and whatnot! Just focus on the food!
“Of course I am! Why won’t I? I’ll just go on a diet tomorrow. Sophie, will TS Entertainment fire me if I get fat?” No entertainment companies will want a fat singer, right?
“No. You’re a singer, not an actress. It’s fine as long as you maintain your vocal cords,” Sophie replied. “But if you gain too much weight, I’m worried Felix might not want you.”
The young woman obviously missed Felix, and that was why she had been so hardworking. And yet, she did not know about it. Sophie felt bad for her.
“Felix has nothing to do with me! We’ve already broken up, so don’t talk about him around me anymore. I don’t want to hear his name.” Even though Ysabelle was not going to start a fight with Sophie over the matter, she genuinely did not want to hear his name.
Every time she heard his name, her heart would ache.
How could he just go to Fandar? What do I do if he gets hurt? That man never considers my feelings.
Sure enough, the very thought of the annoying man made Ysabelle devour her food in a frenzy manner. She was close to catching up with Sunny at that point.
Mark gave a slice of meat to Sophie.
“Eat up. I haven’t seen you eat much.”
“Thanks.” Sophie knew that Mark had yet to give up on her.
Maybe he’ll only forget about me when his true love comes along. But at the same time, I really don’t want to lose him as a friend.
Sophie started digging in. Having beer with the meat slices reminded her of the time in Horington.
In the middle of dinner, Sophie played the new song she had composed.
“Do tell if you like it or not.”
The six of them began focusing on the song. At the end of it, the eyes of the members of The Wheelers were a little moist.
They felt as if the song had made them travel back to the time when they were in Horington. Even though life in Horington had been tough, they had been merrily making music together.
Ysabelle was jealous to see their nostalgic expressions. After all, it was hard to come across good friends who had the same goal during the toughest times.
“Sophie, I love this piece. This is going to be another banger for The Wheelers.” Mark was thrilled. Sophie knew them too well.
But, of course. She used to be one of The Wheelers too. She had been by their side during the most challenging times, so how could she not know them well?
“I’m glad you like it.”
She had certain sentiments toward The Wheelers, and that was why she made that song
“This isn’t fair, Sophie! Shouldn’t you make a song for me too?” Ysabelle whined. She was a little drunk. “You can’t be so unfair.”
“All right, I’ll compose one for you in a few days. I’ll write about the feelings you have recently.” Sophie joked. “About a girl’s feelings after breaking up.”
“That’s too mean, Sophie!” Ysabelle gave her sad-looking eyes. “How could you joke about this despite knowing how bad I feel now?”
“Okay, once I’m done settling the matters here, I’ll go to Fandar with you to look for Felix. How about that?”
She knew that Ysabelle was worried about Felix.
Felix had been there for far too long.
Tristan was worried that Felix would not be able to deal with the things at Fandar alone, but the two of them had been too busy recently, so they had to postpone their plan.
“Who’s going to look for him? I’m not going to do that. He doesn’t even miss me, so why should I miss him?” Even though she was the one who had suggested the breakup, he had agreed to it without hesitation.
“All right, I’m the one who misses Felix.”
After dinner, they left the restaurant. No one realized that a paparazzo was sneakily taking photos of them. The Wheelers was currently the most popular rock band, after all.
The paparazzo had secured his bonus for the month with those photos. The very thought of the cash made the paparazzo beam.
Mark and the rest had drunk alcohol, so after they came out of the restaurant, they put on face masks and went to hail a cab. Meanwhile, Tristan had come to pick Sophie and Ysabelle up.
When he saw the inebriated Ysabelle, he frowned.
Isn’t she letting herself go a little too much lately? I can’t believe she’s drunk!
Sophie helped Ysabelle over, but Ysabelle could barely walk in her intoxicated state. Sophie had no choice but to carry her to Tristan’s car.
Tristan quickly got out of the car and opened the door for her so that she could put Ysabelle in the back seat. Ysabelle was only a little over forty kilograms, so it was not too difficult for Sophie to carry her.
“You should’ve just tossed her aside,” Tristan hissed, disappointed.
Chapter 944
Chapter 944 You Were Drunk
Ysabelle might be drunk, but she clearly caught Tristan’s words. She whined indignantly, “How can you be so mean, Uncle Tristan! I’m your dear niece. Don’t toss me aside!”
Tristan argued, “Why not? Look at yourself! If Grandpa saw you like this, he would be furious.” How did she end up like this after joining the entertainment industry?
Ysabelle burped and shot her uncle a tipsy smile.
Alcohol made Ysabelle fearless. She flung her arms tightly around Sophie and retorted, “You’re not scared of Grandpa scolding me! You’re just upset that I’m ruining your time with Sophie. Hey, Sophie! Do you love him or me?”
“I love you, okay? Come on, sit down properly. We’ll send you home.” Sophie blamed herself for not keeping a close eye on Ysabelle before the latter drank herself into oblivion.
Sophie turned to Tristan and said, “Start the car, Tristan. I think she’s too drunk to go home tonight. Old Mr. Lombard will be worried out of his mind if he sees her like this. Let’s take her to our place. I’ll keep an eye on her.”
“Okay”
William was probably asleep then, and they thought it unwise to disturb his slumber by bringing his drunk granddaughter home.
A while later, Tristan pulled up in front of their condominium. He stopped Sophie from attempting to lift Ysabelle from the back seat.
“Let me do it. You’re a young woman like her. He did not want her to exhaust herself by carrying another young woman who weighed the same as her.
“I won’t tire myself out.”
Sophie trusted her stamina. Carrying a woman as slim as Ysabelle was no chore at all.
“Yes, you will,” Tristan insisted.
He turned toward the car and lifted his niece from the backseat. The jostling caused Ysabelle to feel nauseous, and Tristan immediately frowned when he noticed her expression.
He warned coldly, “You better keep that down, Ysabelle. I will definitely toss you out if you throw up on
me.”
His voice merely added to Ysabelle’s nausea.
She groaned, “Don’t be so noisy, Uncle Tristan.” Ysabelle suppressed her urge to puke even though she had been waiting half a day to throw up the alcohol in her stomach.
Tristan huffed in annoyance, determined to teach her a lesson once she sobered up. She needs to be put in her place.
He carried her to Sophie’s room and dropped her on the bed. The motion nearly caused Ysabelle to vomit on the spot.
She hastily clambered off the bed and beelined for the bathroom. Worried, Sophie ran after her.
Ysabelle hunched over the toilet seat and retched non-stop. Sophie could only stroke her friend’s back soothingly.
“Let’s see if you dare to drink so much in the future.” Its negative effects on health aside, drowning one’s sorrows in alcohol is practically a recipe for disaster. I only had a few words with Mark, and it was enough to turn Ysabelle into a drunk, certified mess.
Finally, after Ysabelle threw up for what seemed like an eternity, she leaned back and slumped on the bathroom tiles.
“I feel horrible, Sophie!” cried Ysabelle.
“I know, I know. Come on, you should get some rest! You’ll feel much better after a good night’s sleep.”
She carried Ysabelle out of the bathroom just as Tristan arrived with a glass of hot water. He clearly cared deeply about his niece despite his words often painting her as a nuisance.
Sophie lamented that his personality often misled others to believe that he was a cruel, heartless man.
“Thank you. Sorry for the trouble.” Tristan felt bad about Sophie’s involvement in cleaning up Ysabelle’s
mess.
Sophie was busy coaxing Ysabelle to sip some water before tucking her into bed. She had ascertained that it was impossible for Ysabelle to manage a bath.
After helping Ysabelle, Sophie reassured Tristan, “I’m good. Don’t worry about it. I’m going to rest after a bath. You should clean yourself up too.”
“Sure. I’m heading back to my room.”
Ysabelle definitely needed someone to look after her, and Tristan knew he would only inconvenience Sophie by insisting on remaining in her room.
Once Tristan returned to his room, he immediately received a call from Felix.
“How has Ysabelle been?” Felix was busy in Fandar, but he always called and asked about Ysabelle’s well- being whenever he had time to spare.
“She’s a drunken mess.”
Felix was aghast. “What? What happened? Didn’t I ask you to look after her? Did you forget your promise? Who did she drink with?” His mind ran wild with all sorts of dangerous scenarios.
I’m not even there with her!
Tristan was speechless. He demanded, “Are you interrogating me, Mr. Northley? Watch your attitude.”
He had not yet quelled his anger toward Ysabelle. Tristan continued, “Don’t drag other people into your relationship woes.”
Why can’t you deal with everything yourself?
Felix argued, “I’m stuck in Fandar. How can I go back? I wouldn’t need your help if I was there! Come on, we’re friends. It’s just a favor!”
“That’s enough. Ysabelle’s fine and asleep. How’s everything on your end?” The issue in Fandar was more
troublesome than imagined, given Felix’s lengthy stay.
While it was true that things were rather complicated, Felix believed he could solve things based on his own abilities. He said to Tristan reassuringly, “It’s fine. Bertram is helping me. Don’t worry about it.”
“Okay, Be careful.”
Fandar was a ruthless battlefield brimming with power-hungry parties. One needed both wits and talents to hold one’s ground.
“I know.” Felix lit a cigarette. “I’ve still got to head back and marry Ysabelle! I’ll never let anything happen to me here.”
“Just call her if you miss her.”
“She blocked my number.”
“Give it another try. Maybe she has already unblocked your number.” Everyone bore witness to how depressed Ysabelle had been since their breakup.
“Okay. I need to drop off the call now. Catch up with you soon,” Felix said and hung up.
I must settle things here as soon as possible before someone else swoops in and woos Ysabelle away! No one will pity me or take my side if that happens.
Sometime later, Ysabelle awoke to the sight of Sophie. She smoothed her hair and asked hesitantly, “Why am I here?”
She did not remember anything that had happened the night before.
“You were drunk,” answered Sophie simply.
“Oh. Where’s Uncle Tristan? Did he go to work?” Tristan was the last person Ysabelle wished to see at that
moment.
She did not want someone to lecture her ears off and only wished to be alone with her thoughts for a while.
Sophie replied, “Yup. He’s at the office. I have to leave too. Have breakfast, clean yourself up, and go to TS Entertainment!”
It was perfectly normal for an adult to suffer the occasional emotional breakdown. That was why Sophie did not make a big deal out of Ysabelle’s behavior the night before.
“Okay. Got it.”
Ysabelle knew Sophie was a busy woman, and she did not ask her friend about her plans. More pressingly. Ysabelle’s head was throbbing from a bad hangover.
Sophie returned to the Tanner residence, where she was met with a dark-faced Charmaine.
“Ah, so you do know how to come home! I thought you had written off your flesh and blood!” Charmaine’s rage swelled when she remembered that Sophie had blocked her number.
Sophie did not wish to waste her breath and gratify Charmaine with a response.
Chapter 945
Chapter 945 You Are Still Quite Young
Charmaine was pissed off by Sophie’s attitude. No matter how hard she tried to start an argument. Sophie would just ignore her.
To Charmaine, it was the most infuriating part.
At that moment, Caleb came downstairs in casual clothes. Having recently endured a lot of beatings, he was unsure where his future path would lead him.
“Are you just going to wear this?” Sophie asked.
“Why? Are my clothes inappropriate?” Since Caleb didn’t know where Sophie was going to take him, he just put on something casual.
“This is fine. Let’s go! It’s almost time.”
Sophie had agreed to a meeting at the Institute of Physics. Although the person meeting them wouldn’t mind if they were late, it wasn’t polite to have other people waiting for too long.
After all, she was a punctual person.
“Where are you going?” Charmaine asked disapprovingly. “Be careful. We don’t want you to be shipped off and sold.
“Have you forgotten what I said, Mom? We’re family. Why are you speaking like this?” Caleb said exasperatedly.
Some prejudices could be deeply ingrained, and there is no way to change them.
“Am I not speaking the truth? Do you think-”
“Let’s go, Caleb!” Sophie ignored Charmaine’s taunts. For all she cared, Charmaine was entitled to have her own opinion, and it would be none of her business.
Sophie didn’t need to waste too much time on someone unrelated to her.
“Okay. Let’s go!”
Charmaine became even more furious when Sophie and Caleb ignored her and left.
“Mom, don’t be like this. It’s not worth getting angry over this. Besides, you know how capable Sophie is. Since they’re now on good terms, she may be able to help him!”
As Willow spoke, her eyes were filled with jealousy.
Back then, she had been Caleb’s favorite person in the world. However, he only had eyes for Sophie now!
Everyone in the household only cared about Sophie. Nobody cared about how much Willow had suffered.
“So what if she’s capable? That doesn’t mean she will help Caleb! Caleb is a fool. He won’t even realize it if she betrays him,” Charmaine said.
“Don’t be so negative, Mom. You still have me. I’ll stand by you firmly no matter what happens.” Willow immediately pledged her loyalty.
Charmaine shook her head and sighed.
“If things are still the same as before, I can still pin my hopes on you. But your reputation now…” Charmaine had a feeling that no prestigious family would accept a daughter-in-law like Willow.
Willow wrapped her arms around Charmaine’s arm.
“Are you giving up on me too, Mom? If even you give up on me, I’ll have no future!” Willow’s eyes reddened.
She didn’t want to lead a life like that.
“Listen to me, Willa. Find an ordinary man to marry. Perhaps you will be happiest that way. There is actually a great deal of unhappiness in marriages to rich families. It’s just that they’re well hidden.”
“An ordinary man?” Willow knew that she would never be satisfied if she only married an ordinary man.
Sophie got into the driver’s seat while Caleb got into the passenger seat.
It was the first time he had seen Sophie driving. The car was a birthday gift from Tristan, but she rarely drove it.
“When did you buy a car, Soph?” Caleb knew she could afford the car now that she had taken over Tanner Group, but he had never seen it before.
“This car was a gift from Tristan.”
“I see. Mr. Tristan is really nice to you. I’m relieved to see how happy you are now. I’m sorry for neglecting you in the past, Soph. Fortunately, you’ve grown up well on your own.”
When Caleb thought about what Sophie had experienced in the past, he felt a deep sense of guilt.
He had been so focused on entering the research institute in Anglandur that he didn’t bother to pay attention to her at all. She must have felt so desperate back then!
“I’m doing pretty well now, Caleb,” Sophie murmured.
Let bygones be bygones, What ill intentions can Caleb have? He was just unaware of the situation. Besides, Willow acted like a spoiled brat all the time.
“But don’t you think it’s a bit too rushed for you to marry Mr. Tristan this year? You are still quite young.
Sophie was only twenty years old.
“It’s hardly rushed. Tristan is eager to marry me, and I have made up my mind that he’s the one. Since we’re certain that we want to marry each other, the timing of the wedding doesn’t matter.”
Marriage was indeed still early for Sophie, but Tristan was already at a suitable age to get married. Sing she loved him, she wanted to give him a sense of stability.
The conversation ceased as Sophie drove because neither she nor Caleb was talkative to begin with.
It wasn’t until they arrived at their destination that Caleb noticed something was amiss.
Staring at Sophie in surprise, he asked, “Why did you bring me here, Soph? Not everyone can enter this place.”
Moreover, he still didn’t have the qualifications to enter the institute. Although he had stayed at the Institute of Physics in Anglandur for years, his success wasn’t recognized here.
“Let’s go, Caleb. I’m bringing you to meet someone. Whether you get to stay here or not depends on your abilities.”
“But I didn’t bring any document.”
He was also in casual attire, which made him look unprofessional.
“It’s fine. Let’s go! It’s about time.”
Sophie backed the car into a parking spot and got out of the car. It took Caleb a while to react, but he followed suit. However, he still wasn’t clear about who they were going to meet that day.
When Sophie and Caleb reached the entrance, they were stopped by a security guard.
“Hello, I’m Sophie Tanner. Please contact the director.
The security guard immediately called the director. After receiving the phone call, the director went down to welcome Sophie personally.
The director was a middle-aged man in his forties. He exuded an air of elegance and friendliness.
“Hello, Ms. Tanner. I have been waiting for you since this morning! Let’s have a chat in my office.”
Although Caleb had never seen the director in person before, he had seen his picture.
He had never expected that Sophie would bring him to meet the director of the Institute of Physics. The director, who was rumored to be aloof, was so enthusiastic toward Sophie.
“Hello.”
After Sophie greeted the director, they walked inside together, leaving Caleb who was still standing in the. same spot.
He had always thought that he had no more chance with the Institute of Physics in his lifetime, but little did he expect to actually get inside that day.
Seeing that Caleb didn’t follow, Sophie paused in her tracks.
“Caleb!” Sophie called out to Caleb, who was still standing at the same spot.
It was then Caleb recovered from his daze. Still excited, he concealed his feelings and followed them.
Chapter 946
Chapter 946 Everything Is True
In the director’s office, the director personally brewed tea for Sophie and Caleb.
Chapter
“Hello. You must be Sophie’s brother, right? I already know about your situation. When can you report to the Institute?” the director asked straightforwardly.
Since Caleb was introduced by Sophie, the director had no doubts whatsoever.
“Can I really report to the research institute?” Caleb still found it hard to believe what was happening.
Isn’t the director going to ask me anything else before deciding to let me stay?
“Of course. Why not you report tomorrow?” the director said anxiously. As long as Sophie was willing to come here, he would naturally agree to any conditions.
“Don’t worry. I won’t let you down.” Caleb replied excitedly.
“It’s settled, then. You will report to the Institute of Physics tomorrow.”
“Thank
you so much.” Caleb couldn’t believe that everything had gone so smoothly because he had thought he would have to go through some kind of assessment at least.
The director smiled upon seeing Caleb’s reaction. This kid seems honest and sincere.
“Okay, in that case, I won’t disturb you any longer. I have other matters to attend to today. I’ll treat you to a meal another day, which I hope you will honor me with your presence,” Sophie said as she stood
up.
“Since you’re here, why not we take a tour around? We have a really good environment here.” Since Sophie joined the medical association, the director had been thinking about ways to recruit her to the Institute of Physics.
Unfortunately, there was never an opportunity.
“Don’t worry. I will fulfill the promise I made to you.” Sophie smiled, finding the director adorable.
“Okay, then! I’ll see you off.”
“It’s okay. I know you’re busy. Please go ahead.” Sophie declined the offer because she didn’t want Caleb to feel as if he had any special treatment since he was new to the institute.
If anyone thought that Caleb received treatment, it might be difficult for him to get along with his peers in the research institute in the future.
“All right. Remember what you said. You promised to treat me to a meal. I’ll be waiting for your call.” The director smiled amiably.
What bad intentions could he have? He just hoped that Sophie would stay.
After exiting the Institute of Physics and getting into the car, Caleb still had a surreal feeling about what had happened.
“Soph, I’m not dreaming, am I?” Has the thing that I have always yearned for finally come true?
“Everything is true. You can continue doing what you love.” Caleb was really passionate about physics research. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have persevered for such a long time.
All of a sudden, he felt like crying.
His eyes reddened. Biting his lower lip, he tried to think of something to say but he couldn’t.
“Thank you, Soph.”
As her elder brother, he had never done anything much for her, yet she had done so much for him.
“You don’t have to thank me, Caleb. If it’s something that I can do, there’s no reason for me not to help you.” Since Caleb had never harbored ill intentions toward her and it was Josiah’s wish that she helped him, she wouldn’t stand idly by. “Also, just let me know if anyone bullies you in the future. I won’t allow the Tanners to be bullied by others.”
“I should be the one protecting you instead, Soph. I’m sorry for neglecting you in the past.” Caleb realized that he had been too selfish back then, and he hoped that it wasn’t too late for him to make amends.
Sophie smiled.
“Find some time to visit Grandpa, Caleb! You have always been his hope and his pride even though he didn’t say it out loud.”
“I know.”
The reason why Sophie helped Caleb was partly because of Josiah, who was the only person in this family who genuinely treated her well.
After dropping Caleb off at the Tanner residence, Sophie stayed in the car.
“Caleb, report directly to the Institute of Physics tomorrow. Don’t be stressed about it. You can do this; you just lack an opportunity.”
If he could stay at the Institute of Physics in Anglandur for such a long time, he was definitely capable.
“Yes, I know. Don’t worry! I won’t let Grandpa down, Caleb said firmly, swearing to himself that he would work harder from now on.
“I shall go now.”
Sophie drove away directly because she still had to go to TS Entertainment. There was no time for her to
waste.
It was only after Sophie drove away that Caleb went inside the Tanner residence. Willow was watering the plants in the garden. When she saw him, she put down the watering can.
“You’re back, Caleb! Where did you go?”
“I had some business to attend to.” Caleb didn’t say much. “I have something to do. Catch you later.”
I can’t believe Caleb isn’t willing to share with me where he just went! Am I so unimportant now? Why is everyone neglecting me like this?
The servants who managed the plants watched nervously as Willow continued to water them absent- mindedly. Although the plants weren’t exotic, it wasn’t easy to cultivate them.
Ms. Willow isn’t taking care of the plants at all! She’s clearly killing them!
However, the servants dared not risk provoking her even though her temperament had been in control since the last incident.
They could only silently watch as she threw the watering can to the ground and went back to her room.
Willow swore to herself that she would retaliate back at those who looked down on her one day.
Sophie arrived at TS Entertainment, only to find out that Xandra hadn’t come to work for several days. She tried calling her a few times, but no one picked up.
“Sophie, do you think something happened to Ms. Yandell? She hasn’t come to work for days, and we can’t reach her on the phone.” Ysabelle was very worried.
“It’s okay. I’ll go to her house and check on her.”
“I’ll go with you!”
“Okay.”
After settling some matters at the company, Sophie brought Ysabelle to find Xandra. When they reached Xandra’s house, there was no response when they knocked on her door.
“Don’t tell me something bad has happened! I know Ms. Yandell is really beautiful, but it won’t be a danger to her, right?” Ysabelle asked anxiously as she recalled the recent headline news about murdered young
women.
“Ms. Yandell, are you in there? Ms. Yandell?” Ysabelle banged on the door forcefully.
“Step aside. Let me try!” Standing in front of the keypad lock, Sophie stared at it for a moment and tried a few combinations.
“Is this really going to work, Sophie? Maybe we should call the police!” Ysabelle suggested after Sophie tried to open the door for a long time but to no avail. However, the door was opened successfully by Sophie at that moment.
Ysabelle’s jaw dropped.
Sophie actually managed to open the door!
Is there anything she can’t do?
Chapter 947
Chapter 947 Never Let You Off
“All right! Let’s head in!”
Ysabelle and Sophie found Xandra in the bedroom. Her skin was littered with hickeys, and she had a fever.
“Oh my gosh! Sophie, did Xandra get into trouble with a bad person? If not, why does she look like this?”
Sophie left the bedroom to look for fever medicine in Xandra’s house. When she found it, she hurried back and fed the medicine to Xandra before helping her to drink water.
Ysabelle said nothing more when she saw how calm Sophie was. She stood in a corner and waited patiently until Sophie was done.
Then, the two of them went to the living room. Sophie called The Crown for food delivery before she and Ysabelle sat on the couch to scroll through their phones.
Ysabelle was scrolling and reading through the news about Fandar. Despite not calling Felix, she still wanted to know the situation at Fandar and how he was doing. She wanted to make sure he was all right.
Sophie received a call from Tristan. She stood up and went to the balcony to answer the call.
Tristan bombarded her with a series of questions when the call got through. “Didn’t we agree to meet for lunch? Where are you? I’ve been waiting for you at Lombard Group. Do you know what time it is? Did you forget about me?”
Sophie felt guilty. She had indeed forgotten about him and their lunch appointment. “I’m at Xandra’s place. She’s running a fever, so I came to take care of her. Have you eaten? If you haven’t, do you want me to order food delivery for you?”
“What does her being sick have anything to do with you? Just give Lucas a call and let him know about it,” Tristan voiced his disappointment. How can she ignore me for those unimportant people?
“Xandra doesn’t want anything to do with Lucas anymore.” Sophie sighed. “All right, stop whining. I’ll go to Lombard Group to look for you later.”
Tristan huffed and said, “Fine. Help me to order food delivery, but make sure to order something I like, okay?” Sophie was surprised by Tristan’s reply. Is he giving me a chance to make it up to him?
“Okay, I’ll order something you like and have them deliver it to you. What do you like to eat?”
“Well, aren’t you an unqualified fiancée? Don’t you even know what I like? How unbelievable! I’m going to punish you!”
“How do you want to punish me?” Sophie asked. Her curiosity was piqued.
“I haven’t thought about it. We’ll talk about this tonight!”
“Fine. I’ll hang up now and order food for you. You must finish everything, okay?”
“Okay.
After hanging up, Tristan still felt displeased. He immediately dialed Lucas’ number and exclaimed. “Your woman is running a fever! If you have nothing else better to do, you better go take care of her yourself! Don’t take up my woman’s time!”
He hung up after saying what he wanted to say without waiting for a response from Lucas.
Meanwhile, The Crown had delivered Sophie and Ysabelle’s food. After they ate, Sophie went into the bedroom to check on Xandra.
Xandra’s fever slowly subsided. It was five in the afternoon when she finally woke up. She got up and left the bedroom, jumping in surprise when she saw the two young women playing games in her living room.
“What the heck? How did the two of you get in? I don’t remember opening the door for you!” Xandra asked in confusion.
“We were worried, so we came to visit you. Xandra, did you encounter a pervert? Those marks on your body look scary!” Ysabelle was so focused on talking to Xandra that she got careless and had her character in the game killed off.
“Sophie, he killed me. You must avenge me!”
“I’m fine,” Xandra muttered as she pulled her clothes tighter around her body. Lucas is such a beast! Jeez… He’s indeed a pervert! Before we got a divorce, he never had any sexual urges toward me. Now that we’re separated, he’s being aggressive. Who does he take me for?
“Xandra, we ordered you some chicken noodle soup. Come and have some. Ysabelle and I already ate. The rest is yours. Oh, right. I know an excellent lawyer. If you need help, I can introduce him to you,” Sophie informed. Those marks on her body must’ve been Lucas’ work. That guy is insatiable!
“Ahem.” Xandra cleared her throat. I don’t think such a thing requires a lawyer. “It’s all right. I can handle my own affairs. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“Oh, is that so? All right, then. If you need it in the future, you can contact me anytime.”
Xandra was at a loss for words. I don’t need a lawyer at all.
After eating some chicken noodle soup, she felt more energetic.
“Nothing happened at the company while I was gone for the past few days, right?” That was what she was most worried about. She was absent from the company because she had been too tired to go.
“Don’t worry! The company won’t go bankrupt!”
“Sophie, are you disappointed with me?” Xandra knew Sophie was aware of her situation with Lucas.
“Xandra, you’re overthinking it. I have nothing to say about your love life. What happens between you and Lucas depends on your own feelings.”
No one else had the right to judge Xandra about her feelings.
Sophie felt that nothing mattered as long as Xandra was happy.
Xandra liked to spend time with Sophie because she could be at ease around the latter.
Sophie would never ask her questions and press her on her personal matters. However, when she needed help, Sophie would always lend a hand.
Ysabelle was dumbfounded as she listened to Sophie and Xandra’s conversation.
What’s going on? I didn’t know Xandra and Lucas had such a past! This is the most shocking news I’ve heard today!
Just then, someone knocked at the front door.
Xandra was confused. What’s happening today? Why is my place a popular spot all of a sudden?
She went to open the door and saw Elena standing outside, looking disheveled.
Elena went crazy all of a sudden when she saw the hickeys on Xandra’s body.
Chapter
“Xandra, how can you be so shameless? Aren’t you embarrassed of yourself? Didn’t the two of you break up? What is all this?” Elena was furious. No wonder Lucas is ignoring me. It turns out Xandra had shamelessly seduced him!
Xandra furrowed her brows
“Elena, I’m warning you, don’t spout any nonsense here. I don’t like it.” She has nothing to do with whatever it is between me and Lucas. She has no right to accuse me here.
“Xandra, did you forget how he bullied you? How can you be so pathetic? Have you forgotten all the hurt he caused you?” Elena refused to accept the reality.
She had been by Lucas’ side for a long time, yet she still failed to make her way into his heart.
How can I accept this?
Elena seemed to have gone mad. She reached forward and shoved Xandra. As Xandra was weak and still recovering, she fell to the ground immediately.
Sophie and Ysabelle hurried over when they heard the commotion at the front door. When they arrived, they saw Xandra on the floor.
Elena was about to launch another attack when Sophie grabbed her arm and forcefully pushed her, causing her to fall to the ground too.
Ysabelle helped Xandra up. “Xandra, are you all right? Are you injured anywhere?” she asked when she noticed how pale the latter was.
“Ahhh!” Elena suddenly let out an ear-piercing scream.
“Xandra, I’m warning you, you are not allowed to be with Lucas. Otherwise, I won’t ever let you off!” At that point, Elena could no longer remain in the entertainment industry. Lucas was all she had left.
Chapter 948
Chapter 948 Choosing Photos
Elena was devastated. What should I do if Lucas doesn’t want me either? I can’t accept that!
“Xandra, since you already left, you should stay away forever. Don’t ever come back. Lucas doesn’t love you. Did you forget about that?”
Just then, the elevator door opened, and Lucas walked out. He was wearing a suit and emanated a cold and
distant aura.
Seeing Lucas arrive, Elena stared at him aggrievedly.
“Mr. Perez, I… They bullied me.” Elena felt unfairly treated. I’m supposed to be a famous singer! Even if he doesn’t love me, he belongs to me and me only! Why did things end up like this?
Lucas frowned.
“Who told you that I don’t love her? Who should I love if not her? Elena, didn’t I warn you not to disturb her?” Lucas asked while he approached Xandra. His expression turned grim when he saw how pale she
was.
“Are you sick?” he asked worriedly.
What does that have to do with you? Take your woman away, Lucas. I don’t want to see either of you,” Xandra replied icily.
Lucas panicked when his eyes met her glaringly cold ones.
No matter what problem he encountered, he could confidently come up with strategies to overcome it.
However, the woman before him was an exception. He was uncertain in his pursuit of her.
“See, Mr. Perez? She doesn’t even love you, nor does she like you.” Elena crawled over and hugged Lucas’ leg.
Lucas heartlessly kicked her away.
He then proceeded to pick Xandra up and carry her in his arms.
“Ms. Tanner, thank you for taking care of my woman. Since I’m here now, you can take your leave.” There’s no way I’ll let such a good opportunity slip away!
Xandra’s brows knitted into a frown.
“Lucas, did you not understand a word I said? What are you trying to do?”
Lucas did not reply. Instead, he carried her into the house and shut the door behind him.
This is between me and her. I don’t need others to gather and spectate.
“Sophie, what should we do now? Will Lucas hurt Xandra? He must’ve been the one behind the hickeys on her body, right? Should we go in and save her?” Ysabelle asked anxiously.
“Let’s go. It’s getting late, so we should go home. Lucas won’t hurt Xandra. He only has eyes for her.” Sophie replied.
“Are you sure we don’t need to go in?”
“I already said there’s no need. Let’s go.”
Sophie and Ysabelle did not even spare a glance at Elena, who was still on the floor. She had been crying the entire time, and her eyes were swollen. She had no idea what she should do now.
Tristan stood up and welcomed Sophie home when she finally returned at night.
Sophie questioned him, “You were the one who called Lucas, right? He wouldn’t have arrived at that hour if you hadn’t informed him about Xandra.”
“I did. That’s his woman! It’s only natural that he’s the one who takes care of her! Why should I let my woman take care of her?” Tristan felt that what he did was not wrong.
Besides, he knew Xandra still had feelings for Lucas.
“Well, there’s nothing wrong about that. It’s just that Xandra is also caught in a dilemma, It’s best if you don’t interfere in their relationship in the future.”
Tristan grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms.
“So… are you blaming me for telling Lucas?”
“No, I’m not. I just hope that you won’t involve yourself in their affairs. No matter what decision Xandra makes, we only need to support her.”
They were not Xandra. It was only natural they did not know what she had gone through previously.
Thus, they could not judge or advise her without first experiencing her hardships.
“Okay. I got it. I won’t intervene in their relationship in the future.” Tristan did not have intentions of doing so either. What evil intentions would I have anyway? The only thing I want is for my fiancée to spend more time with me.
The next day, Ysabelle and Cecelia accompanied Sophie to select her wedding photos. Tristan would arrive later as he had some matters to settle at Lombard Group.
The staff had burned the wedding photos that Sophie and Tristan had taken into a thumb drive. When the women arrived, the staff immediately took them to see the photos.
“Oh my gosh! Sophie, your beauty is out of this world! Are you trying to compete with me?” Cecelia’s fans had always complimented her mesmerizing beauty, yet she could not be compared to Sophie when they stood side by side.
“Exactly! I feel inferior when I stand beside Sophie. I’ve always been confident in my looks, but I never expected to look like this now.” Ysabelle was a little triggered.
She had been too lenient on herself lately, which caused her to gain some weight.
“You’re right. Ms. Tanner is truly the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen. She’s even prettier than most A- `list celebrities,” the staff complimented.
“Can we even make a decision? Every photo looks like a scene straight out of a movie!” Ysabelle thought it was a pity to leave out any of them. “Sophie, let’s get all of them! After all, Uncle Tristan isn’t short of
money.”
“Sophic, when I get pregnant in the future, I’m going to look at your photo every day so I can give birth to a baby as pretty as you,” Cecelia said dreamily.
Sophie was at a loss for words. What kind of thinking is that?
“Cecelia, you’re the most flawless-looking A-list actress yourself.” She’s already so beautiful. What is she trying to achieve by saying such a thing?
“But I prefer your looks.” Cecelia still thought it was a pity. “Are you sure you don’t want to take a gander at the entertainment industry?”
After all, Sophie had her own entertainment company now. She could debut if she wanted to.
Sophie was speechless.
She did not want to answer that question at all and was tired of giving the same answer over and over again. Besides, she really did not want to enter the entertainment industry.
“Why are you making that expression? The entertainment industry is not as complicated as you think. It’s
-” Cecelia was about to say something else when Tristan entered the store.
Since Tristan had arrived, Ysabelle and Cecelia went out to buy milkshakes. They had noticed a milkshake bar nearby the store when they arrived earlier.
“Cecelia, aren’t you an actor? Don’t you have to look after your figure? Are you sure you can drink milkshakes?” Ysabelle was a singer, so it did not matter whether she gained weight.
However, Cecelia was an A-list actress. Her appearance and figure needed to be maintained for the big
screens.
Cecelia rolled her eyes at Ysabelle.
“Ysabelle, I’m also human. How can I not drink milkshakes? Let’s go. I’ll treat you. I can always go on a diet tomorrow if I drink one today. Besides, my manager isn’t here right now.”
Cecelia was on a small break these days. No one was there to control her, so it was only natural that she would indulge herself.
Meanwhile, Tristan sat beside Sophie and looked at their photos together, amazed that they turned out well. He never liked his picture taken. However, he looked natural in the photos as he posed beside Sophie.
Sophie honestly commented, “There are too many photos. Plus, they all look beautiful.”
“The both of us are good-looking. Naturally, our wedding photos will end up looking amazing too. It’ll be difficult for the photographer to make us look ugly. Even an amateur would take breathtaking photos of us,” said Tristan.
Chapter 949
Chapter 949 They All Look Amazing
The corner of the photographer’s lips twitched slightly when he came over and heard what Tristan said.
What he said may be true to a certain extent, but he didn’t have to put it like that! Does he not think that he’s being a little mean?
With that in mind, the photographer couldn’t help but speak up for himself. “My photography skills are actually quite decent, Mr. Tristan.”
Tristan showed no signs of awkwardness whatsoever, even after realizing that the photographer had heard him.
“Did you need something?” The photoshoot was over, so Tristan had no idea why the photographer approached them.
“Well, you see… One of the pictures I took of you two looks really good, and I would like to participate in a competition using it.”
The photographer had a conflicted look on his face.
Had it been anyone else, he would have resolved this issue by offering them money.
When faced with someone like Tristan, however, all he could do was humble himself and ask politely.
“No, you may not. I told you that, didn’t I?” While the pictures did turn out great, they belonged to Tristan and Sophie, and he refused to let anyone else have them.
“Mr. Tristan…”
The photographer then shifted his gaze toward Sophie, who was next to Tristan. Wait a minute… If she agrees to this, then Mr. Tristan will have no reason to say no!
“I really like this picture, Ms. Tanner! Will you please grant this humble request of mine? I would be extremely grateful to you!” the photographer said.
Sophie nearly burst out laughing when she heard that.
She had found the photographer rather amusing during the photoshoot.
“I’m not even kidding when I say I really like this picture, Ms. Tanner. All I want is to use it in the competition, that’s all!” the photographer added.
Since the photographer liked it so much, Sophie decided to let him have it. “All right, then. You may use it for the competition.”
“Really? Thank you very much, Ms. Tanner! You’re the best! Should you ever require a photographer for wedding photoshoots, please do not hesitate to contact me! I will provide my services free of charge!”
Tristan’s face clouded over when he heard that. “This is the only marriage she will be getting into for the rest of her life, so why would she have any more wedding photoshoots?”
“Please calm down, Mr. Tristan! I didn’t mean it like that! I know that you two will surely stay together forever. I was referring to a family picture photoshoot! I’ll do it for free!”
The photographer’s services were actually very high in demand, so it wouldn’t be easy to get a booking in.
“Family photoshoot, huh?” Tristan rubbed his chin and thought about it for a few seconds before continuing with a smile, “All right, then. We’ll be sure to contact you again for the family photoshoot!”
He was certain that he would share tons of interesting moments with Sophie in the future, and he wanted to capture them all so they could look back at those moments when they were old.
Sophie wrapped her arms around Tristan’s as she asked. “Family photoshoot? You want to have kids?”
“What, you don’t want kids? I’m okay with that too. I just want you to be happy, Sophie.” All Tristan wanted was to ensure Sophie’s happiness. Nothing else mattered to him.
Sophie shook her head.
She loved Tristan deeply, so there was no way she wouldn’t want to bear his children.
“I do. I’m looking forward to it as well.” The mere thought of being a family of three filled her heart with a
warm sensation.
Not wanting to ruin their lovey-dovey moment, the photographer quickly excused himself by saying, “I still have some work to do, so I need to get going now. You two can take your time with selecting the pictures.”
As Ysabelle and Cecelia were both famous celebrities, they had to put face masks on to avoid being recognized outside. After ordering milkshakes, however, they realized they couldn’t drink them with those face masks on.
As such, they bought four milkshakes and went back to the couple.
“Are you two done choosing your pictures?” Ysabelle asked curiously.
“There’s no need to choose. I think they all look amazing, so we’ll just put them all into a photo album,” Tristan said. It was simply too difficult to choose, and he refused to put himself through that trouble.
By taking them all, he would eliminate the need to sit through a lengthy selection process.
Cecelia’s jaw dropped when she heard that. “Are you sure you want them all? There are over two hundred pictures!” Man, wealthy people really can have their way with anything, huh?
“Is there a problem?” Tristan asked.
Cecelia shook her head profusely.
“Of course not! You can have it your way, and no one can say otherwise!” She knew just how terrifying Tristan could be, so she wasn’t about to get on his bad side.
Tristan took a cup of milkshake from Ysabelle and poked a straw into it before handing it to Sophie.
“Here you go! You must be thirsty!”
“Thanks.
Cecelia and Ysabelle couldn’t help but cringe when they saw the way he treated Sophie. He’s so mean to us, and yet, he’s so gentle toward her! Talk about double standards!
“All right, then. We’ll take them all. You two should be heading over to TS Entertainment by now, right?” Sophie reminded Ysabelle and Cecelia. Although Cecelia was still on vacation, Sophie had hired a
professional to tutor her.
“Yup! We’ll be on our way now!”
Cecelia and Ysabelle then headed over to TS Entertainment after that. As Sophie was free during the afternoon, she went to Lombard Group with Tristan and began writing a medical thesis regarding the virus in Anglandur.
As there was a lot to write about, she didn’t have much time to entertain Tristan while she was at Lombard Group.
Tristan had his secretary prepare some of Sophie’s favorite snacks and a pot of tea.
After serving up the refreshments, the two secretaries stepped out of the office.
“Mr. Tristan sure treats Ms. Tanner well! It’s extremely rare to find a man of his position who would take such good care of his girlfriend!”
As if finding a man who was standing at the top of the pyramid wasn’t hard enough, Sophie was lucky enough to find a man with such status who treated her like a princess.
Ysabelle was having a class with her vocal coach when she felt an intense pain in her chest and crouched down.
The vocal coach liked Ysabelle because she was very talented. The fact that she was still humble and continued learning despite being famous made her all the more likable.
“What’s wrong, Ysabelle?” the vocal coach exclaimed in shock.
Ysabelle clutched at her chest in pain for quite some time before finally being able to speak.
Her forehead was drenched in cold sweat as she said apologetically, “I’m not feeling well, coach. I’m afraid I might not be able to continue with this lesson.”
“Don’t worry about the lesson! I’ll have someone send you to a hospital right away!”
“That won’t be necessary, coach. I’ll feel better soon,” Ysabelle replied while pulling out her phone.
She had been having a bad feeling in her gut the whole day. Worried that something might have happened to Felix, she tried browsing through the news online.
Ysabelle’s face went pale when she saw the news about a battle in Fandar. She tried calling Felix on his phone, but she couldn’t seem to get through no matter how many times she called.
“What’s wrong. Ysabelle? Don’t scare me like this!” the vocal coach exclaimed anxiously.
Chapter 950
Chapter 950 Felix Is in Trouble
The assistant, who came in after hearing the commotion, began to panic as well when she saw the state Ysabelle was in.
“What happened to you, Ysabelle? Come on: I’ll get you to a hospital right away!” the assistant said while reaching out to pull her up, but Ysabelle brushed her hand aside and insisted. “I’m fine. I’m just feeling a little unwell, that’s all. Could you pour me a glass of water, please?”
This can’t be happening! Felix has been hanging out with Uncle Tristan for such a long time, so he must be capable of handling himself? He’ll be fine!
Meanwhile, Tristan had received a call from Bertram as well.
“Bad news, Mr. Tristan! Mr. Northley ran into some trouble! I haven’t been able to contact him since yesterday, so I sent a lot of my men out on a search for him. They have yet to find anything at the
moment.
Bertram knew just how much Felix meant to Tristan. Besides that, Felix was Ysabelle’s boyfriend, so Bertram would have a hard time explaining himself to Tristan if anything bad happened to him.
Since he couldn’t find Felix, he had no choice but to tell Tristan about it.
“Got it. Have your men continue the search. I’ll head over right away.” Tristan replied with a gloomy look. on his face. He, too, had lost contact with Felix ever since he found out about the incident in Fandar.
Things were really bad this time.
Sophie came rushing over after Ysabelle’s assistant called her and told her about how something must have happened to Felix.
“Got it. I’ll continue the search, Tristan said and hung up the phone.
He figured Sophie must have known about it too when he saw her standing there.
“I’m making a trip to Fandar.”
“I’ll go with you.”
The situation in Fandar was way too chaotic, and Felix’s whereabouts were still unknown, so Sophie felt a need to go there herself.
“Could you stay here instead? I don’t want you to go there.”
“I told you, Tristan. I will stay by your side no matter what happens. Besides, my skills with a computer could come in handy there. On top of that, I’m also a doctor, so I can treat Felix if he’s injured.”
Given her skillset, she would be a valuable asset to have on the team.
“All right, then. I’ll have someone make the flight arrangements.”
Tristan then told his secretary to get them on a direct flight to Fandar.
“What about Ysabelle? She knows about this too. Should we bring her along?” Sophie asked. While she believed that it would be best to have Ysabelle remain in Chanaca, she was certain that Ysabelle would insist on tagging along now that she knew about Felix’s situation.
“We’ll bring her along. It’ll be harder to protect her if she goes there on her own.” Given how chaotic things were in Fandar, it was simply too dangerous to let Ysabelle head over all by herself.
“Got it!” Sophie then called Ysabelle’s assistant and said, “Take Ysabelle to the airport and meet up with us there. We’ll be taking a direct flight to Fandar.”
Ysabelle began crying the moment she saw Sophie at the airport. At that moment, she regretted arguing with Felix as she believed he wouldn’t have gotten himself into danger otherwise.
This is all my fault!
“Come on: stop crying. We’re heading over to look for Felix, aren’t we? He’ll be fine!” Sophie reassured her. With me and Tristan on the case, I’m sure we’ll be able to find Felix no matter where he is!
“Yeah…”
I never intended for things to turn out like this! I have to believe that Felix will make it back safely! Even if we don’t end up together, I still want him to be safe and sound!
Tristan figured Ysabelle probably hadn’t eaten anything when he saw how depressed she looked, so he bought her some food from a nearby restaurant.
“Here, you need to eat something, or I will have my men send you back.”
His tone was icy-cold because he was in a terrible mood right now.
“I’m really not hungry, Uncle Tristan. Sophie, could you eat this for me?” Ysabelle said as she didn’t feel like eating anything at all.
“Don’t be so stubborn. You’d better eat up, or Tristan will really send you back!” Sophie said. She won’t have the strength to search for Felix in Fandar if she doesn’t eat something
Since Sophie had spoken up, Ysabelle had no choice but to sit down and eat the food.
It was almost time for their flight when she finished eating, so they quickly made their way onto the plane. Ysabelle was so nervous that she couldn’t sleep a wink.
“You should try to get some shuteye. We’ll be landing in Fandar tomorrow at noon. You won’t have the strength to look for Felix if you don’t sleep now.”
“I know that, but I can’t seem to fall asleep.”
“Then close your eyes and rest your body. Here, drink some water and get some rest,” Sophie said while handing her a glass of water.
Ysabelle felt a little drowsy after taking a few sips of the water. Sophic breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Ysabelle fall asleep at last.
“Is she asleep?”
“Yeah. I spiked her drink with some sleeping pills. She needs to get some rest, but she can’t fall asleep because it’s her first time experiencing something like this.”
Although Ysabelle was always annoying Felix with her shenanigans, she did have genuine feelings toward him. With Felix missing and unreachable, Ysabelle was the one who felt the worst.
“Everything is going to be all right. Felix is only confirmed to be missing at the moment. I’m sure we’ll be able to find him,” Sophie reassured him. Felix has been around Tristan long enough, so I know he’s a very capable
man.
“Yeah, you’re right. We’ll definitely be able to find him.” Felix was a good friend of Tristan’s, so he was very upset about Felix going missing as well. “You should get some sleep too, Tristan. We won’t have
any time to sleep once we arrive in Fandar.”
At the very least, they would not have time to sleep before they had found Felix.
“You too.” He still had to analyze the forces that were active in Fandar.
“Okay!” Sophie leaned her head on his shoulder as she continued, “Let’s both get some sleep. We’ll find out how things are when we get there, so there’s no point in overthinking things now.”
“All right. You are to stay clear of dangerous places in Fandar, okay? I know you would do anything for me, but I want you to be safe,” Tristan said while draping a blanket over her.
“Don’t worry! I plan on marrying you, so I’ll do my best to stay safe!”
“All right.”
Yeah, she’s right! We can solve any problem that comes our way, so we’re all going to be fine!
It wasn’t until the next morning that Ysabelle woke up. She was a little confused when she saw that she was on a plane, and it took her a few seconds to recall they were on a mission to rescue Felix.
Sophie had the flight attendant prepare some breakfast when she saw that Ysabelle was awake.
“Why is this plane going so slow, Sophie? Could you tell the captain to go a little faster?” Every second felt like a year to her, and all she wanted was to find Felix as soon as possible.
Sophie gave her a pinch on the cheek. “I told you not to worry, didn’t I? We’re already going at the maximum speed, so just be patient. Felix will be fine.”
They knew she was worried about Felix, so they tried their best to reassure her.
“Okay.”
“Come on, let’s have breakfast together.” Sophie had put her breakfast on hold just so she could eat it with Ysabelle.
Ysabelle knew she needed to keep her body energized, so she ate her food obediently.