Chapter 37: Chapter 37

Even though I expected this and wanted this outcome, my heart still feels heavy.

The image of Daniel Carter lingers in my mind. We haven’t known each other for long, but every expression, every smile, every graceful and composed gesture of his is clearly etched in my memory.

I was depressed for a while. Seeing that it was getting late, I pulled myself together, packed up, and headed to the hospital.

The confrontation with the Miller Family is another tough battle. I don’t have the energy to dwell on affairs of the heart right now; I can only leave it to time to slowly fade away.

Upon arriving at the hospital, I saw that Jason Miller and Shirley Turner were released early. I knew it must be Adrian Gordon’s doing.

Sophie Miller was indeed, as they said, in very bad condition.

She was staying in the intensive care unit, surrounded by various machines, buried under a pile of tubes, with an oxygen tube inserted in her nose, her face pale, eyes lifeless.

When she saw me enter, she slowly turned her head to stare at me, her gaze full of unwillingness and resentment.

Adrian looked unwell, appearing very tired, with noticeable dark circles under his eyes. It seemed he hadn’t had an easy time with Sophie lately.

"You’re here, did you bring the bracelet?" he went straight to the point upon seeing me.

I gave him a slight glance, then looked at Jason Miller and Shirley Turner, raising my wrist with the bracelet, "It’s on my hand. Where are the share transfer documents?"

Jason Miller snorted angrily, went to the table, and picked up some documents, "Here!"

I pursed my lips, took out my phone, and took pictures of all the documents, sending them to my lawyer for review.

"What do you mean by this? Are you still afraid we’re going to cheat you?" Shirley Turner was furious.

Having been thrown into detention by me for a few days, she probably hated me enough to want to stab me, so her words were laced with hostility.

I replied unhurriedly, "It’s not the first or second time you’ve tried to trick me."

After a while, my lawyer responded, saying the agreement was fine.

I took out a pen, signed, pressed my fingerprint, and put away the documents.

"When will the announcement be made, and the board meeting held?" I asked Jason Miller.

Any change in company equity structure needs to be reported and announced.

"The meeting will be held first thing Monday," Jason Miller replied with a grave expression.

I nodded, "Alright, I’ll make sure to be there early."

"The bracelet, hand it over," Shirley Turner demanded with a stern face, reaching out to me.

I ignored her, glanced at Sophie Miller, and walked over to the bedside.

Adrian, standing on the other side of the bed, noticeably tensed as I approached, as if afraid I would do something.

I couldn’t help but smile, "Why are you so nervous? I wouldn’t dirty my hands hurting someone who’s already halfway to the grave."

Adrian gritted his teeth slightly, "Lily, watch what you say."

I paid no attention, raising my arm and looking at the frail Sophie, asking, "Do you really bracelet so much?"

Sophie moved slightly, and Adrian noticed she wanted to sit up, quickly stepping forward to carefully help her up, placing a pillow behind her.

Truly considerate and thorough.

Once, I took care of him with the same meticulousness when he was sick, but now he passes on that meticulousness to another woman who disrupted our marriage.

Comfortably propped up, Sophie took a few deep breaths, waiting until her breathing steadied before saying, "Anything you fancy, Lily, I like as well..."

I widened my eyes, smiling incredulously, glancing at Adrian, "Did you hear that? You always said it was all in my head, that Sophie was pure and innocent, incapable of such thoughts—do you still think that now?"

"..." Adrian’s face was quite awkward.

He must have realized long ago what kind of person Sophie was, but having made the wrong choice, even knowing he was wrong, he couldn’t back down to save face.

But now that Sophie admitted it openly, not even bothering to pretend, it was a slap in his face—how could he not be embarrassed, not lose face?

Sophie, terminally ill and aware that she doesn’t have much time left, has laid herself bare, discarding all shame.

She extended her hand arrogantly, "Give me the bracelet. You’ve signed to get the shares back, don’t try to go back on your word now."

I gripped the bracelet in one hand, coldly staring at her, not responding.

Sophie turned to Adrian, whining weakly, "Brother Adrian... go get the bracelet for me, put it on me."

She laboriously raised the hand without an IV, reaching towards Adrian, silently waiting. Fresh chapters posted on novęlfire.net

Adrian glanced at me, and I looked at him, wanting to see if he would still side with Sophie.

Predictably, he continued to disappoint me.

Circumventing the foot of the bed, Adrian walked over, his face grim and expressionless, reaching out to me, "Lily, give me the bracelet."

I asked coldly, "What if she breaks my bracelet?"

"She won’t. She loves it so much; she will cherish and take care of it."

Pretending to hesitate, conflicted, I remained silent for a minute or two before reluctantly removing the bracelet from my wrist.

Handing it to Adrian.

Sophie smiled triumphantly, a victorious, complacent smile.

"Brother Adrian, quickly, put it on for me," she urged.

Adrian moved to the bedside, picked up her emaciated hand, and put the bracelet on her.

She was so thin that the bracelet hung loosely, a gentle flick would cause it to fall.

"Valued at three hundred million, huh... doesn’t look like much," Sophie flicked her hand, admiring the bracelet.

I couldn’t help but mock, "Even if it seems ordinary, it’s something you can’t obtain."

Sophie looked at me angrily, "Lily, what are you smug about? All these years, you’ve only seen me fighting with you for everything—unaware, you were the first to fight with me!"

I frowned at her words, feeling like I’d just heard the joke of the century, "I was the first to fight with you? Are you so ill that you’re talking nonsense?"

Shirley Turner suddenly rushed forward, "Lily! Watch your words! Or I’ll slap you!"

I gave her a fierce look, "Go ahead, hit me, and enjoy another stay inside afterward."

At these words, her expression changed noticeably, her arrogance diminishing significantly.

It seems one experience of being locked up was enough to teach her a lesson.

Sophie stared at me and said something that turned my understanding upside down: "To be precise, it was your mom who started fighting first! My dad and my mom originally loved each other and were supposed to be together, but your mom took a liking to my dad, insisted on being with him, and stole him away! My mom was even pregnant at the time, and had to have an abortion. Fortunately, heaven had its eyes open, and when my mom got pregnant again it was with twins, the child she lost returned..."

After hearing this, my mind was a mess.

Years ago, was it my mom who stole Jason Miller from Shirley Turner?

"Impossible, my mom wasn’t that kind of person. It must have been Jason Miller seeing my mom’s wealthy family background, who abandoned your mom in his ambition," I didn’t believe Sophie at all, logically refuting her.

"If you don’t believe me, go ask your grandmother! Your mom did steal someone else’s husband, causing us siblings to suffer outside for more than a decade, so when I returned to the Miller Family, I had to fight you for everything, just couldn’t stand it... cough! Cough cough—"