Chapter 514
Chapter 514
Perrin was not yet asleep when Sophia arrived home. Instead, he sat alone on the couch. His expression relaxed when she entered. “Is it done?”
Sophia nodded with a smile. “It's done. No big deal.”
“I'm glad to hear that. It's late. You should rest, Sophia.”
“I will. You too, Granddad.”
“I'm going to tuck in.”
As he spoke, Perrin glanced at John, who understood his employer's tacit summon after years of working for the former. After a sideways glance at Sophia, he followed Perrin into the room.
“How was the matter dealt with, John?”
John recalled Sophia's words and opted not to tell Perrin. “That person was mistaken. He had an altercation with the driver of another car of the same make as ours and mistaken us for them. The matter was resolved after Ms. Yarrow clarified things.”
That explanation sounded reasonable.
Perrin studied John for a moment before saying, “I see. You did well. It's getting late. You should get some rest, too.”
“I will. You too, sir,” Perrin answered. He entered the study, gathered his things, then took a shower.
Sophia awoke early the following day. She had been sleeping exceptionally well from accompanying Perrin on his excursions all over the place of late.
That day, she planned to take a trip back to the village. Since their last encounter, Sophia no longer had anything to do with the Sharp family.
After being forced by Yvonne, who was in turn compelled by Sophia, to spend a stint in prison, Rupert and his family became much more reserved. Later on, however, they slandered her to Dillon for the sake of money. Aside from that, they did not manage to cause much of a stir.
Sophia did not want to see the members of the Sharp family. She did not have a good impression of any of them. To put it more bluntly, she thought ill of them all.
From her so-called grandmother, who was entering her eighth decade, to her sons, Rupert and the other one, all of them were people who would relish seeing her fall.
Delilah had made sure they never forgot her kindness in adopting Rachel. Despite how long it had been, Sophia remembered the day when Delilah, with a look of glee and barely suppressed impatience, gave her away.
Sophia never told Perrin any of that. Lukas would have found out, but he must not have mentioned anything, so she played along with him. It was something Perrin did not need to know lest it hurt him.
Aside from visiting Rachel and Sophia's father, Perrin wanted to come to Coldbridge to visit the place where Rachel was adopted.
Sophia had no reason to turn him down, so she made arrangements for the trip.
The journey from the city to the country took almost two hours.
Sophia had not returned in fifteen years. Since her parents moved into the city, she had not come back.
Despite the passage of time, Forest Bank Village had not changed much. However, the roads had been patched up, and there were extensive renovations to the houses flanking them. It looked much cleaner and more pleasant compared to how it was fifteen years ago.
In contrast to the view of the roads and the buildings of the city they had left behind, however, the houses of the village were plainly outdated. Text © owned by NôvelDrama.Org.
New developments were everywhere to be seen after fifteen years, but aside from the better roads and some of the nicer-looking houses, Forest Bank Village did not change much.
There were antiquated houses on either side. Many of the bottom floors were little shops serving breakfast, junk food, toys, and mini-marts, but they were small and old.
The house at the end of the road belonged to the family who adopted Rachel—the Sharps. Upon catching wind of Sophia's success, Delilah had once brought Rupert to ask her for money.
Sophia did not give them a penny. Repaying the debt of raising Rachel was her own to bear, which had nothing to do with Delilah.
Call me cruel or cold-blooded, but I do not wish the old woman and her offspring well.
If not for Rachel paying her a visit behind Sophia's back, the couple would not have lost their lives out there.
They should have arrived, and the house would have been there after they made the turn into the residential area.
It would have been there, just that little distance away, but there was nothing there.
Furthermore, Delilah had only bought Rachel as she had been without children. After birthing her own, she exploited Rachel.
Delilah, as the buyer, was not wholly innocent in the incident of Rachel being trafficked.
“Let's stop here and get down for a walk, Sophia.”
“Sure,” Sophia answered, then had the driver pull over.
The village was filled with bums. With the sudden appearance of the two shiny, expensive-looking cars, the group playing cards turned instinctively to Sophia and her group.
Though the road had been mended, it must have been damaged again soon after; it was a bumpy ride. Its surface was a whole foot below the shop on the sidewalk.
The car pulled over. It was the time of day when the street was crowded. Afraid of bumping into Perrin, Sophia exited the vehicle from the side closer to the shops against the sidewalk.
“Be careful, Granddad. The ledge is quite high.”
Perrin looked down. He took one step onto the elevated pavement and exited the vehicle with his other hand clutching his cane.
Soon after, John and Kylie emerged.
Kylie glanced about her. She had the distinct impression of having traveled back two decades in time.
She had not left the house for a long time after Penelope's death. On her trip out, she was surprised to learn that there were such impoverished areas that seemed stuck in the past.
Sophia was wearing a pair of straight-washed denim trousers and a white long-sleeved chiffon jacket that day. It was a hot day, so she tied her hair into a fishtail braid that hung behind her neck and wore a bucket hat.
Despite the simplicity of her outfit, Sophia attracted plenty of attention from the moment she descended the vehicle.
Kylie was in her fifties, but she took good care of her skin and looked to be in her thirties instead. She was wearing a pair of white denim trousers, a light pink chiffon shirt, and a bucket hat like Sophia's. Standing side by side, the pair looked very much like mother and daughter.
Though the group was dressed simply, they did not compromise in their regality. The air they exuded looked at a glance to be people of importance.
“These are rich people,” one of the gamblers suddenly remarked.
“Of course they're rich. Look at the car they came in!”
“I'll be d*mned. In all my years, I've never seen such a beautiful woman. How do you think it'll feel being on top of that woman, Jasper?”
Jasper Sharp, the fellow who was nudged, did not speak. Instead, he was gazing at the group who had gotten out of their vehicles with his eyes narrowed.
He thought the young woman looked exceedingly familiar. He had seen such a beautiful woman only once before.
The more he stared, the more convinced he became that she looked like his cousin, Sophia.