Chapter 145 Sophie Is Still Alive

Chapter 145 Sophie Is Still Alive

Ms. Clarkson heard the voice and looked up, her gaze landing on Elena.

After her eyes lingered on Elena for a second or two, they shifted to the child beside her. Her smile grew noticeably warmer. "Ciaran, come here to me."

Ciaran was a little afraid of Ms. Clarkson. He couldn't quite explain why, but a child's instinct told him he didn't like this grown-up whose smile felt so fake.

But Mom had told him he needed to win this grandmother over, or Dad wouldn't like him.

He shrank back, then tiptoed forward hesitantly. Stopping half a step away from Ms. Clarkson, he called out obediently, "Grandma."

Ms. Clarkson acted as if she hadn't noticed his reluctance. She reached out and patted his cheek. "Good boy."

Elena sidled closer, exchanging pleasantries with Ms. Clarkson with a smile.

To any onlooker, it would have seemed like a heartwarming scene.

Ms. Clarkson had intended to bond with Ciaran, but the child seemed afraid of her, constantly shrinking away and keeping his head down without saying a word.

Gradually, she lost interest. Waving them off, she said, "All right, you young people like to have fun. You don't want to stay with an old woman like me. Go on, do what you need to do."

There was a note of impatience in her words. Elena seethed inwardly but didn't dare say anything.

Only after she'd led Ciaran out of the ballroom did her expression darken. She turned on him sharply. "What did I teach you? What were you supposed to say when you saw Ms. Clarkson?"

Ciaran kept his head down. "I'm sorry, Mommy."

Looking at his dull, stupid expression, Elena's brow furrowed.

'It's the genes,' she thought bitterly. 'No matter how much I teach him, he can't learn. Just like his real mother.'

But getting angry at a child was pointless. All she could do was figure out how to explain this to Ms. Clarkson later.

After spending a while in the hallway to calm down, she finally pulled Ciaran back toward the ballroom.

Midway there, she was looking down and talking to the child when she failed to notice someone coming from the opposite direction. She walked straight into him.

The man was tall and seemed to be replying to a message, not paying attention to them either.

His phone clattered to the floor.

Elena's heart jumped. Instinctively, she apologized first. "I'm so sorry, I—"

As she crouched down to pick up the phone, she suddenly froze mid-motion, her eyes widening in shock at the phone screen.

The woman in that photo…

"You okay?" a concerned voice asked.

Elena snapped back to herself. She crouched down and picked up the phone as if nothing had happened, handing it back with both hands. "Sorry, I was talking to my son and wasn't watching where I was going."

The red-haired young man smiled. "No worries. As long as the phone's not broken."

He took the phone and walked away with his head down.

Elena stared at his retreating back, swallowing hard. A flash of uncertainty and alarm crossed her mind.

"Mommy?" Seeing Elena's strange expression, Ciaran hesitated, then tugged at her dress.

Elena came back to herself and pulled out her phone, dialing a number.

"Have you found anything on what I asked you to look into? It's been five years."

A man's slightly impatient voice came through the receiver. "If I had that kind of skill, would I need to rely on you?"

"But I just…" Elena bit her lip. "I just saw—"

She stopped mid-sentence.

The man was displeased with her hemming and hawing. "What did you see?"

Elena pressed her lips together. "Nothing. I'll tell you later."

She hung up directly, her knuckles white around the phone.

Whether it was real or not, she had to figure out who that person was first.

Taking a deep breath, she stared in the direction the man had gone, pressing her lips into a tight line. Then she quickly pulled Ciaran away.

After returning to the banquet, Elena felt as if her heart were being clawed at from the inside.

Her gaze searched through the guests, but she couldn't spot that familiar figure.

With her status, it wasn't appropriate to go around asking for a male guest's name.

Just as she was torn with indecision, Greg emerged, supported by someone. The red hair of the person beside him was strikingly conspicuous, making Elena freeze instantly.

She hurriedly grabbed Preston's hand, asking urgently, "Who's that red-haired young man next to Greg Heuston?"

Preston glanced over, frowning. "Finn Heuston. Tonight's guest of honor."

Elena's hand trembled slightly. She had already guessed the young man's identity, but she'd needed confirmation.

The Heuston family's young master had just returned from abroad…

So it was true…

Sophie was still alive.

What she'd just seen—the woman standing next to Finn on that screen—was Sophie.

Sophie was actually still alive.

She'd only been suspicious before, but now that she knew for certain, her heart pounded wildly.

Over the years, she'd spent tremendous effort trying to track down Sophie's whereabouts, but it had all come to nothing. She'd almost given up hope. Who would have thought that God would deliver Sophie right in front of her again?

"I need to use the restroom." Elena spoke hurriedly and then walked away quickly.

Her hands and feet felt ice-cold, and an uncontrollable sense of dread surged through her.

That woman was back like a nightmare, clinging to her again. She'd already left—why did she have to reappear?

Was it deliberate that she showed up at Finn's side?

What if Preston found out she was still alive?

At that thought, a chill ran down Elena's spine.

Remembering how Preston had been half-dead with grief back then, if he found out now that Sophie was alive, would he still tolerate her?

No. Absolutely not. She couldn't let Preston find out.

She fumbled frantically for her phone and dialed that number again. "Look into where the Heuston family's young master Finn studied abroad. I want every detail."

"What's gotten into you?" The man's voice came through, tinged with hesitation. "Don't tell me you've set your sights on Finn now?"

Everyone knew Elena had been with Preston all these years without any official status.

He could understand if she'd gotten restless and developed other ideas, but still—Finn was so much younger than her.

She sure dared to dream. Would he even look at her?

Even if Finn were blind enough to take an interest in her, if she actually hooked up with him, Greg would be the first to get rid of her.

"What are you babbling about?" Elena said through gritted teeth. "I found out he's been in contact with Sophie. That woman's not dead."

The man's shocked voice came through the receiver. "I've searched so many places and found nothing on her. Are you sure about this?"

"Whether I'm sure or not, you'll find out when you look into it yourself. Just stop with the nonsense. I don't want to see her come back alive."

If Sophie came back alive, both of them would be dead.

"That's impossible, right? You and Preston even have a kid together."

"Do you understand Preston better, or do I?" Elena's eyes filled with murderous intent.

"Sophie's abroad right now. As long as Preston doesn't see her, we can easily get rid of her. But if Preston finds out she's alive, that'll be the death of both of us. Do you understand?"

Under Elena's warning, the man also began to feel a creeping fear.

He pressed his lips together. She'd convinced him.

"Fine. I'll follow the lead you gave me and make sure she never gets a chance to come back."

He didn't want to die, so someone else would have to die instead.