Chapter 4: Sophie Joins the Group
Arthur thought for a moment. "That apartment the company developed earlier—is it ready?"
"Yes, Mr. Grant. It's fully furnished and move-in ready. Security and property management are top-notch."
"Find a way to get her to move in there."
Arthur added, "Don't use my name. Make it sound like a property raffle or some kind of rental discount."
The assistant paused again. "Understood, Mr. Grant. I'll take care of it."
After hanging up, Arthur looked at the video call that had just ended.
After a long moment, he casually picked up an inconspicuous photo frame from his desk.
It was an old photo from years ago.
In the crowd, Aria was smiling with her eyes curved into crescents. Though young, she looked so bright and lively, her eyes sparkling with light.
He reached out his finger, as if wanting to touch the person in the photo, but paused just before his finger reached the glass.
His gaze was deep and heavy, thick as night.
Meanwhile, Aria checked into a chain hotel, her mind racing with thoughts.
The pregnancy, the divorce, finding a place, running the studio, her future life—it was all a tangled mess.
But at least, after leaving that villa, though her heart felt empty, there was a sense of relief, like a weight had been lifted.
After resting for the night, just as she was about to go out apartment hunting, she got a call.
"Is this Ms. Aria?"
"Yes, who's this?"
"Hello, this is West City Luxury Residences. Congratulations—you've been selected as our lucky resident in last quarter's raffle!"
"You've won six months of free accommodation."
"We'd like to confirm your information. You're welcome to come view the property anytime, and if you're satisfied, you can move in whenever you like."
Aria was stunned. "A raffle? I never entered any raffle. Are you sure you have the right person?"
"Perhaps a family member or friend entered using your information. Our system shows the winning number is registered to you."
The person responded smoothly. "Ms. Aria, this is a rare opportunity. I'm sure you know our building's reputation in the city. We won't charge you anything. Why not come take a look?"
"Of course, if it's really not convenient, we can pass it on to the next lucky winner."
Aria did know about West City Luxury Residences. Three years ago, Arthur had been involved in the development project.
Many of the city's elite and wealthy had properties there.
Her instinct was to be suspicious, but they said there were no fees...
And she really did need to find a safe, stable place to live.
After hesitating, she asked. "Can I view it now?"
"Of course. I'm at the property management center. Come anytime."
Half an hour later, Aria stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of a luxury apartment, the city view spread out before her.
She felt a bit dazed.
It all seemed too coincidental, too smooth.
She still couldn't believe it.
"This is really... from a raffle?"
The property manager accompanying her flashed a professional smile.
"Yes, Ms. Aria. Our developer is giving back to customers. For six months, you'll only need to cover utilities and internet."
Aria carefully read through the terms twice, and after confirming there were no catches, she signed her name.
Though she had her doubts, the comfortable and safe environment before her was too attractive to pass up.
Over the next few days, she handled studio orders while adjusting to her new life.
At the same time, she consulted lawyers and doctors, preparing for her upcoming life as a single mother.
Everything was going unbelievably well.
That afternoon, as she drove back to the apartment, she saw a familiar face.
He was shaking hands with the property manager, the two of them chatting cheerfully.
It was Arthur's chief assistant!
Aria's eyelid twitched, her heart trembled slightly, and her blood ran cold.
So that's how it was.
The raffle, the lucky customer—all fake.
Arthur had his assistant arrange it!
He'd let her move out without trying to stop her, and instead of asking her to stay, he had his assistant set her up in a top-tier apartment.
Six months of free accommodation... Was it a payoff? Compensation?
Or was it to keep his soon-to-be ex-wife far away, so she wouldn't disturb his new life with Sophie?
He really couldn't wait for her to leave.
Recently, the studio had run into major problems with orders.
A client was extremely demanding. The designer had revised the proposal dozens of times, but the client still wasn't satisfied.
The designer was on the verge of a breakdown and called Aria directly.
Aria's emotions had been all over the place these past few days, and early pregnancy symptoms were catching up with her too.
She had no choice but to pull herself together and personally deal with the client.
While reviewing proposals with the designer, her phone screen suddenly lit up with a news notification.
#Grant Corporation Board Welcomes Newcomer, Former Flame Makes High-Profile Entry, Standing Shoulder to Shoulder with CEO Arthur#
Her heart trembled. Aria wanted to close it, but her finger slipped and opened the article instead.
The first thing she saw was a clearly shot photo.
In an impressive conference room, Arthur stood at the head position in a sharp suit, looking incredibly handsome.
Sophie was right beside him in an elegant blouse and pencil skirt that showed off her perfect figure.
She was casually holding Arthur's arm, their eyes meeting, sparks practically flying even in the still photo.
The caption was even more dramatic, talking about "powerful alliance" and "looking forward to further developments."
The comments section was buzzing.
"Oh my God! These two are such a perfect match!"
"Cupid's arrow definitely hit both of them."
"Someone get a church over here so they can get married on the spot!"
Aria scrolled casually, then quietly turned off the screen.
Her vision suddenly blurred, her stomach churning—whether from morning sickness or something else, she couldn't tell.
"Lucy!" she called to her assistant. "Reschedule this afternoon's appointment for tomorrow. I'm tired, I'm heading back."
Lucy looked worried, seeing how pale she was. "You look awful. Are you okay? Should you see a doctor?"
"I'm fine," Aria grabbed her bag. "Just didn't sleep well."
Her car was restricted today due to license plate rules, and she felt like getting some air anyway, so she walked slowly along the street.
The wind was a bit cold, hitting her face and clearing her head a little.
This was fine.
He put her in this luxury apartment, then immediately brought Sophie into the company's core.
The message couldn't be clearer.
By the time she got back to the apartment, it was already dark.
The place was still empty, looking not much different from Arthur's villa.
She suddenly felt a strange irony—what was the point of moving out?
She kicked off her shoes, curled up on the sofa, and stared blankly at the lights gradually coming on outside the window.
She didn't know how long had passed when she heard the electronic beep of the door unlocking.
Aria froze, her body instantly stiffening, her hands and feet going weak.
The fingerprint lock had her newly registered prints.
Besides her, who else could open the door without a sound?