Chapter 283 Why Can't You Let Me Go
Sophia was in the kitchen, packing a meal to take to Emma.
During the days Emma had been hospitalized, Sophia had diligently brought her meals every day.
Emma loved the meals Sophia made, and to help the little one recover sooner, Sophia was running back and forth between the hospital, the company, and home.
A noise came from the entrance.
Sophia peeked out of the kitchen and saw Caroline returning.
She called out, "I left some food for you in the kitchen, eat before you rest."
Caroline didn't respond. She changed her shoes, pushed her suitcase into the middle of the living room, and Sophia came out with the insulated food container. Seeing Caroline's face, she was taken aback.
"What happened?"
Caroline's face was streaked with tears, her eyes brimming with grief and mist.
Sophia put down the food container and opened her arms to embrace her.
Caroline broke down sobbing.
Sophia rarely saw Caroline this devastated. The last time had been when she had opened her heart to her.
She had been just as distressed then.
Sophia had an ominous feeling.
Could something major have happened on the tour?
After a while, Caroline managed to speak through her tears, "Six years, an entire six years, I've never once bothered him, so why did he have to ruin my tour!"
Was she talking about her ex-boyfriend Nicholas?
Sophia gently rubbed her back, quietly listening to her tears and complaints.
Caroline had once put aside her grievances to teach Nicholas's daughter, Sophia, how to play the violin. "I was so foolish, I shouldn't have been so soft-hearted," she lamented.
"I just can't accept it. How could he just easily take my child's life and try to ruin my career?" she grieved.
Meeting Nicholas was the greatest misfortune of her life.
All of Caroline's grievances poured out in tears.
During her days in the States, she ran from pillar to post, unable to find solace or comfort. Her meals went uneaten, her sleep was restless, and she had grown noticeably thinner, her appearance gaunt and worn.
All her six years of hard work came to nothing with just a word from Nicholas.
Sophia felt deeply for her, holding Caroline close, and said, "It's okay, we can rise again."
Caroline continued, "It's over, Sophia. A contact at Jekyll told me the chance of restarting my tour is next to none. She said Nicholas is out to blacklist me."
Sophia was shocked. In her mind, Gabriel's influence was already fearsomely potent; she couldn't imagine that even in the States he could make or break Caroline's fortunes at will. She hadn't expected Nicholas to be such a hidden powerhouse.
"Sophia, why won't he just let me be?" Caroline wondered, her voice fading until she just stared blankly ahead.
"Stop crying. Too many tears are bad for your eyes. Rest up these next couple of days, and afterward, we'll figure something out together. I refuse to believe he can blacklist you around the whole world."
Caroline came back to herself, her eyes red and swollen, with tear streaks marking her face. She managed a weak smile, and urged, "Okay, you better go bring Emma her meal, I won't be able to see her until tomorrow."
"Don't worry, I'll explain it to Emma," Sophia assured her, still concerned, reiterated her instructions to Caroline, who forced a smile as she saw her friend out.
The house was silent. Caroline took her meal out; it smelled delicious, but she couldn't bring herself to eat.
After forcing down a small portion of the rice, she took a bath, then lay in bed, unable to sleep.
She pulled out her phone and dialed a number so ingrained in her heart she could never forget it. Her finger hovered over the call button as if tethered by an invisible string preventing her from pressing it.
Caroline took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and dialed.
The call connected.
She snapped back to reality and abruptly ended the call.
What would she even say? Call him up and curse him out like a madwoman, only to be mocked mercilessly by him? Or plead for mercy and be humiliated again?
Or perhaps, that number had long since been reassigned to someone else.
Caroline tossed her phone aside and stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.
In the plush seats of his Maserati, Nicholas fixed his gaze on the number displayed on his phone.
The last eight digits of this SIM card were the date he first met Caroline. He should've tossed it long ago, but for some reason, he kept holding onto it.
That number never received telemarketing calls, but just now, a strange number had come through.
It rang only once before disconnecting.
Could it have been her? Would she still remember the number?
After a long moment, a mocking smile curved Nicholas's lip.
How could she possibly remember?
It must've been the wrong number.
...
Vincent went to the city for a medical exchange and brought back gifts for the three kids. He only learned Emma was injured when he called Sophia.
Vincent arrived at the hospital around the same time as Caroline.
Both were asked to fill out various forms, and Sophia came to meet them.
"Gabriel is overdoing it," Caroline whispered.
Vincent lowered his voice to ask her, "Now that Gabriel knows Ethan and Emma are his kids, what's your plan?"
Sophia informed them, "I've already spoken to a lawyer about fighting for custody."
Vincent offered, "If you need help, just tell me."
Sophia replied, "Thanks."
The trio entered the hospital room.
All three kids were there.
"Godfather, godmom!" Ethan and Emma exclaimed with joy.
Caroline rushed over to hug the two little ones, eyes brimming with concern, "Emma, sweetie, you've been through so much, and Ethan, have you lost weight?"
"I've gotten taller," Ethan declared, implying that he slimmed down a bit because he grew.
"Godfather, did you bring me a present?" Emma asked Vincent with eager eyes.
Vincent lifted the little girl. "See if you like it?" he said.
"Wow, I love it!" It was a pink princess-dressed Barbie doll.
Gabriel felt exceedingly irritated at being sidelined again. His son and daughter calling this other man godfather!
Sophia didn’t have any standards, casually assigning godfathers.
This man looked at Sophia with those sticky, affectionate eyes; he certainly had feelings for Sophia.
Could it be that he would someday take a permanent role as their stepdad?
Gabriel’s gaze darkened, and he quietly left the room. Reverting to old habits, he summoned the doctor, determined to drive away this so-called "godfather."
"Emma's wound is healing nicely; she should be able to have the stitches removed the day after tomorrow and be discharged," said the doctor, entering the room.
The newcomer paused upon hearing Vincent’s comments. Faced with a colleague, how could he proceed with the unwanted task of asking him to leave?
"The attending doctor is here," Sophia noticed the doctor's arrival.
Vincent turned around and addressed the doctor, "Hello, could you please show me the child's medical record?"
"There is..." the doctor hesitated.
"I'm also a doctor. I want to understand the child's condition clearly," Vincent insisted.
"All right, come with me," the doctor complied.
As they walked away, the doctor thought to himself, It must count as completing the task if I lead the person away, right?
With the nuisance gone, Gabriel's mood lifted. He sent a message to Alex.
Gabriel: [Check Vincent's background.]
...
In the Von Department, Tiffany glared at the shattered earthenware pot with a fierce expression. The doorbell continued to ring. But it was as if she could not hear it ringing.
Finally, after a long while, the ringing stopped, and Tiffany snapped back to reality.
Her phone vibrated, and a text message came through.
Unknown: [Don't think I don't know you're at home. You can hide on the first day, but not on the fifteenth!]
A tearful laugh escaped Tiffany as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Why does Sophia have all the luck while I have to be harassed by bullies!"
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