Chapter 78 Traces That Cannot Be Erased

Chapter 78 Traces That Cannot Be Erased
“Daddy, why did you come home alone?”
Sophia stood in the middle of the grand hall of the Matheus mansion, staring in confusion at Christian as the massive doors slowly opened.
“Who exactly was I supposed to come home with?” Christian replied, his voice cold as he handed his coat to Janson.
The hopeful sparkle in her eyes dimmed instantly. “Of course Ariana. You promised you would bring her back, didn’t you?”
Christian fell silent again.
Once more, Sophia’s gaze searched for the person she had longed for all this time, but her hope crumbled when she saw only Lorne and Sean standing there with their heads slightly bowed.
“Dad, you still haven’t explained anything to me. What actually happened to Ariana?”
Christian had already stepped inside, his presence radiating an icy aura, but Sophia’s question brought him to a halt. His face was no longer as neat and composed as usual. Deep lines of exhaustion marked his features and traces of lingering tension remained at the corners of his eyes.
“This scene feels just like a few years ago,” she thought, her brow furrowing deeply.
“Sophia, you are my pride. I’ve missed you very much. How is school going?” Christian replied, changing the subject, which made Sophia clench her teeth in frustration.
“I’m not asking about school.” Her voice came out hoarse. “Ariana, is she really still alive?” Sophia demanded, her voice rising when she received no answer. She quickly turned to Lorne, who was walking a few steps behind her father. “Answer me, Lorne! If she’s alive, is she already married? Is that why my dad is like this?”
“Stop asking about that woman,” Christian said, his voice cold, yet laced with sorrow. “Don’t bother me.”
“Dad, why are you acting so strange? I want to hear about her too!” Sophia shouted, her face flushing with anger.
The elevator doors closed without another word. Christian disappeared to the upper floor, leaving behind a suffocating silence in the hall.
Sophia immediately turned and approached Lorne, her expression dark. He too, seemed to be carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders. Not far away, Maria stood with tearful eyes, watching anxiously.
“Tell me, Lorne. Is he like that because he knows Ariana already has a husband?” Sophia pressed again, her voice trembling this time.
Lorne took a deep breath. “She isn’t married, Miss Sophia.”
Hearing that, a wide smile spread across Sophia’s face. The young girl’s voice turned cheerful. “That’s good news! But why didn’t my dad bring her back? Does she hate me? Does she not want to stay with me because my body is weak?”
Lorne slowly shook his head, looking at Sophia with pity. “No, that’s not the reason.”
“Then what is it, Lorne? Tell me where she is so I can go see her. Maybe Ariana will listen if I’m the one asking,” Sophia said eagerly, gripping Lorne’s sleeve.
Lorne fell silent for quite a while. “It’s difficult for me to explain.” His face turned pale. Finally, he gathered the courage to lift his gaze, meeting the hopeful green eyes shining before him.
“Madam has already left Scotland with her child,” he added softly.
“Her child?” Sophia murmured, her voice catching in her throat. “You said she,”
“He is the son of Mr. Christian and Mrs. Ariana,” Lorne cut in quickly. “Madam was already pregnant when the fire happened, Miss.”

“Is this his house?”
Ariana stood tensely in front of a large, sturdy wooden door. Her hand tightly held Lucas’s small fingers. She took a deep breath, gazing at the grand building before her.
The door opened from the inside. An elderly man, his hair completely white yet still carrying an air of authority, appeared.
“Ariana, you’re really alive!” his warm voice broke the tension. “Dorothy won’t believe this when she sees you. Your mom has been asking me to contact her once I was sure you were truly alive.”
The old man pulled Ariana into a tight embrace, his body trembling.
Ariana closed her eyes, tears falling freely. She had never contacted her mother to avoid being tracked by Christian.
“I’ll call her later,” Ariana said, her voice hoarse with emotion.
After the embrace ended, Egmond’s eyes immediately fell on the small figure standing beside her.
“Who is this handsome young boy?”
She lowered her gaze to her son, wiping away the remaining tears. “Lucas, say hello to Uropa Egmond.”
Lucas, who had looked tired at first, bowed politely before looking up at the old man, his eyes bright.
“Hello, Uropa! Nice to meet you,” Lucas said clearly and politely. “My name is Lucas.”
Egmond couldn’t hold back his smile. He gently patted Lucas’s head, his hand trembling slightly with emotion. “You are a smart and polite child. Come in, Opi have prepared a special room for both of you.”
“That’s right. Sir personally prepared your rooms after announcing that you would be staying here,” added a middle aged man standing behind Egmond. “I am Louis, the head butler of this house. Welcome, Miss Ariana.”
“Thank you, Louis. It’s nice to meet you,” Ariana replied softly.
As she stepped inside, Ariana suddenly stopped.
“What’s wrong, Mom?” Lucas asked in confusion, looking up at her face.
“Yes, what is it, Ariana? Did you forget something?” Egmond added, equally puzzled.
“Why are there no furnishings in this house, Grandpa?”
Hearing her question, Egmond gave a bitter smile. “I sold them to pay the servants who resigned.”
Ariana’s memory instantly drifted back to their last meeting years ago, when in a single night her grandfather’s business had been destroyed by the power of Christian Matheus. The guilt still lingered.
“Was it that man again who did this to you?”
“No, not him. The company simply couldn’t run well anymore as my body grows older,” Egmond explained, his aged face slightly pale. “If it weren’t for Christian Matheus’s help, the company would have collapsed three years ago.”
Ariana followed Egmond’s slow steps to a simple sofa. “There’s no way he would help you,” she said in disbelief.
“That is the truth, Ariana.” After saying that, he let out a heavy breath. “But when I heard he was the one who caused you to be trapped in the fire, I returned the help he gave me. Now my company is on the verge of bankruptcy.”
“Can you entrust the company to me, Grandpa?”