Chapter 531 Inner Heart Always Holds Hope
"Really?"
Benjamin raised his hand to touch his face. He thought her description was quite fitting.
Except, he wasn't the one being abandoned.
He stretched out his long arm and pulled Sophia into his embrace. His large palm rubbed the top of her head as he asked, "You want to abandon me?"
"No!" Sophia blinked innocently. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his face. "Mr. White is so wonderful, how could I bear to abandon you?"
Although her sweet words sounded a bit perfunctory, Benjamin was quite pleased.
He leaned back lazily in the car seat, feeling relaxed and comfortable, with a sense of contentment rising in his heart.
Chase silently drove the car, not daring to make a sound, but screaming inside his head.
Was there anyone more miserable than him in this world?
The sheer intensity of their "show of love" was becoming unbearable. He found himself wishing for a much more traditional consequence for his presence there. If he were actually a criminal, he’d gladly take a trip to the station. Anything was better than being the unwilling audience to their public romance, which felt increasingly like a personal attack.
The car slowly stopped at the White Manor. Chase adjusted his expression and said to the two people behind him, "Mr. White, Mrs. White, we're home."
As soon as he finished speaking, Chase felt a cold gaze sweep toward him.
Like a bitter cold wind suddenly sweeping over, it made him shiver hard.
He turned his head and met Benjamin's eyes, which startled him again.
Fortunately, Benjamin only glanced at him coolly. Benjamin's gaze didn't linger on him at all.
After stepping onto the pavement, Chase took a moment to adjust his jacket and collect his thoughts. The ride had been a masterclass in tension, and he was the one tasked with absorbing it all. He sighed to himself, feeling the weight of his phone in his pocket, a constant reminder of how demanding the role had become.
Benjamin's moods were getting harder and harder to figure out.
Good thing Sophia had given him a raise, otherwise he would have wanted to quit!
Sophia and Benjamin entered the White Manor together. The servants busy in the yard heard them and immediately came out to greet them.
One servant happily ran upstairs, shouting as she ran, "Mr. Preston White, Mr. Benjamin White, and Mrs. White are back!"
Sophia and Benjamin exchanged glances, their eyes full of helplessness.
Hearing the commotion outside, Preston immediately came out with his cane, joy written all over his face.
"You're back? How was your stay in Harmony City? How many days will you spend here?"
With this string of questions, Sophia and Benjamin didn't know which one to answer first.
Benjamin said helplessly, "Grandpa, Sophia came back to handle some business and visit you. We're leaving soon."
Preston's face immediately fell. "Won't you stay for dinner? I'll have them prepare it right away."
Feeling the warmth and care from Preston, Sophia felt warmth rising in her heart. She had always had weak family ties, and deep down she longed for family affection.
That was why, when she was first brought back to the Brown family, even though she was hurt and humiliated by everyone, she still didn't choose to leave immediately.
The Brown household had always been defined by a cold, transactional distance that left her feeling like an outsider. In stark contrast, the White family offered a sincere, unhurried affection she had never known. The simple warmth and care from their elders was something she now fully enjoyed without reservation.
So when the Brown family came to her to repent, her heart remained calm.
Because she already had the best family and didn't need them anymore.
She smiled reassuringly, "No need to go to the trouble, Grandpa. Harmony City isn't far from Silverlight City. We can come back to see you anytime."
Preston sighed deeply. "Alright then. You must be careful out there, especially you, Sophia. You're carrying a baby, so don't work too hard."
"I know," Sophia nodded in agreement.
Sophia’s role allowed her a level of independence the other doctors envied. She wasn't an employee of Harmony Hospital; she was an outside expert brought in for special consultations. Without a full patient load or administrative duties to anchor her, she could leave anytime, walking out of the building while the staff prepared for the night shift.
However, she had to be responsible for her patients. In a few days, she would have to lead the research team in place of Francis.
Once she finished, she would come back immediately.
Sophia and Benjamin came back in a hurry and left in a hurry.
Preston stood at the door with his cane for a long time, until Finn reminded him, and he finally reacted.
He sighed heavily, "Sometimes, I wish they could live more freely, more for themselves."
The weight of their shared history was heavy, but it hadn’t crushed their spirit. Sophia and Benjamin both maintained a fundamental belief that things would eventually improve. Regardless of the scars they carried or the obstacles they had faced, they remained hopeful about the future, focused on the possibilities of tomorrow rather than the failures of yesterday.
Even though they had suffered through toxic episodes and experienced life-and-death separations, they still loved this world in their own way.
With their status and position, they could have done nothing at all.
The family's money would last them a lifetime.
But they didn't choose to indulge in pleasure.
The transition of power to Magnus and Alaric seemed complete to outside observers, but Benjamin was far from finished. He sat back and let them manage the daily fires, while he quietly monitored the long-term shifts in the industry. He was actually keeping track of market trends, ensuring that the family legacy wouldn't be blindsided.
News just came from the White Group's branch yesterday that as soon as Benjamin entered the company, he secured a major deal and rooted out the culprit who had been cutting corners and embezzling through their position.
Benjamin's methods were decisive and resolute. Like Magnus, he was a natural business genius.
As for Sophia, the medicines she developed had saved countless lives.
She could maximize the effects of every medicinal ingredient, but never thought to profit from it.
Instead, she kept researching and innovating at her own pace.
Both Sophia and Benjamin were the pride of the White family, and his pride, too.
Finn chimed in, "Mr. White, you are the most blessed person. Let them do what they want. Young people need to venture out. Even if they fail, you're here to back them up."
"Let them be. I just need to enjoy my retirement." Preston nodded and turned back to his study.