Chapter 107
"Ms. Johnson, if Brian contacts you during this time, we hope you'll call and inform us immediately. Also, please cooperate promptly with any other inquiries."
"Okay."
Even standing outside the police station, Sophia was still in a daze, unable to snap out of it for quite a while.
No wonder the police had come looking for her—something had happened on Brian's end.
But if something happened to him, why hadn't Harper mentioned anything to her?
It seemed Brian and Harper had given up hope on her too, had already abandoned him.
If that was really the case, then she was finally free.
Thinking about this, Sophia let out a self-mocking laugh.
So now that no one cared about her, it was actually a kind of relief!
Looking at the vast sky above and the busy traffic on the street, Sophia pressed her lips together, pulled out her phone, and called James.
"I'm very busy. If you have something to say, say it quickly." James said coldly, wedging his phone between his ear and shoulder.
He was still handling things and didn't have time to waste with Sophia.
Besides, after what had happened before, James had figured it out—Sophia wasn't a reliable wife. Their relationship was nothing more than a business arrangement.
"James, my dad has become a suspect."
As if finally finding someone to complain to, Sophia immediately explained everything clearly, even repeating what the police had just told her.
"Are you serious?" James stopped what he was doing, throwing the folder directly onto his desk.
His brows furrowed, his tone carrying disbelief. "Wasn't he just controlling the online narrative recently? The public opinion had just died down a bit, how did he suddenly become a suspect?"
He'd been pretty busy these past few days, busy trying to get his father to forgive him so he could get his shares sooner.
"I don't know either. If the police hadn't come to me today, they probably would've kept me in the dark forever." Sophia laughed self-mockingly.
James didn't respond for a long time.
"James, are you still there?" Sophia asked tentatively, her voice carrying a careful, probing tone.
"I'm still here. I have some things to handle on my end. You take care of yourself for now."
As soon as he finished speaking, a busy tone came from the other end.
James hung up so quickly that Sophia didn't even have time to react.
Had she been abandoned?
As if unable to accept this possibility, Sophia frantically started calling James repeatedly.
James looked at his constantly vibrating phone, his expression showing irritation.
After realizing he had no feelings for Sophia, James's attitude toward her had completely changed.
And now, learning that the Johnson family was in such trouble, he wanted even less to be tied to Sophia.
Her family was finished—why should he stay bound to a crazy woman?
Even if he needed a marriage alliance, he should choose someone more suitable.
So no matter how many times Sophia called, he simply wouldn't answer.
But when James received a call from the front desk, his thinking changed.
"Mr. Smith, your line was busy just now. The director couldn't get through to you and could only call through us. Would it be convenient for you to see him?"
The receptionist's polite voice came through the phone. James cleared his throat, suppressing his anger. "Tell him to come to my office."
After hanging up, he glanced at his still-vibrating phone and finally answered it. "Sophia, what exactly are you trying to do? Calling non-stop. Didn't I tell you I was busy?"
Hearing his impatient voice, Sophia tried to speak to him gently. "James, I just realized we haven't seen each other in quite a while. I was wondering if we could have dinner together tonight. Would that be convenient?"
The carefulness in Sophia's tone was obvious.
James was silent for a moment, then directly refused. "I have a banquet to attend tonight, so I really don't have time to have dinner with you. Besides this banquet, I'll be traveling to another city for business soon, so I won't have time to spend with you. Just focus on living your own life."
To avoid being bothered by Sophia again, James decisively filled up his schedule verbally.
"Really? Or is it that you just don't want to see me anymore?" Sophia's voice became sharp, directly calling out this fact.
James was silent for a moment, then finally suppressed his impatience and spoke to her patiently. "If I didn't want to see you, I could have just not answered your calls or blocked you. Why would I listen to you going on and on like this? I've already told you I'm busy and even explained my upcoming schedule. What more are you dissatisfied with?"
James directly put the blame on Sophia.
This way, all the fault became Sophia's.
Sophia on the other end was silent for a long time. Just as James was about to hang up impatiently, he heard her give a light "mm."
"James, take care of yourself during this time."
This time, before James could say anything, Sophia hung up directly.
She gripped her phone tightly, her lips even carrying a hint of a smile.
If someone who didn't know the situation were standing there, they'd probably think she'd gone crazy.
But Sophia didn't think so.
Since James had his own things to handle during this time, she should find something to distract herself too.
As a qualified "fiancée," she couldn't disturb her fiancé's work, right?
A gleam flashed in Sophia's eyes as she picked up her phone and dialed a number hidden in her blocked contacts. "Hello, where are you now?"
After making the call, Sophia flagged down a taxi, gave an address, and left the police station.
James was so busy—surely there was nothing wrong with her keeping a male escort to entertain herself!
That's what Sophia thought.
Emily had no idea about the little games between Sophia and James.
These past few days, because of Amelia's disappearance, she really had no heart for work. Plus, she had to take care of Oscar and Nina, so Emily simply arranged with her company to work from home for a while, with half pay.
She'd been waiting at home for news, even proactively calling the police from time to time to inquire, but they kept putting her off, saying there were no new developments.
At this moment, Emily was sitting alone in the living room, holding her phone and staring blankly ahead, clearly distracted.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang.