Chapter 34 Dad, Emily Calls Him Daddy
Alice was rushed to the hospital by security.
William told Tony to personally follow up on the email. Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring out at the city, he dialed Sophia's number.
No answer.
He remembered his number had been blocked since the last time he called. His face darkened.
He picked up the office landline and dialed again.
After three rings, someone picked up.
In a low, slightly raspy voice, barely hiding his anger at being blocked, he said, "Sophia."
On the other end, little Emily held the phone to her ear.
She blinked when she heard William's voice.
"Mommy's not here."
William hadn't heard Emily's voice in a while and was momentarily caught off guard.
Realizing it was Emily, his voice softened, not wanting to scare her.
"Emily, sweetie, can you get Mommy?"
"No."
Emily's abrupt refusal left William speechless.
She huffed, "You're mean. You made Mommy cry."
William tried to explain, "I didn't—"
Emily shook her tiny fist in the air.
"Yes, you did. Mommy cried."
Her voice was clear and firm, "Emily protects Mommy!"
William fell silent.
Emily's chubby cheeks had slimmed down since her last fever, despite days of recovery.
Monkey and the others were worried.
Excited, her young face had a faint blush, and with her hair tied up in a cute ponytail, she looked adorable and well-behaved, making anyone's heart melt.
William continued talking softly to her, while Emily put the phone down and turned on the speaker.
Then...
William kept explaining, but Emily ignored him, playing with her toys.
Sophia was next door, checking on James and Michael. She had left her phone in the room, and seeing the children's health gradually improving, she sighed in relief.
She gently touched their faces, still gaunt from poisoning, her eyes full of concern. James held her hand, "Mommy, we're okay."
Sophia kissed his forehead, "James, you're only six. You don't have to be so strong. If you're feeling bad, just tell me, okay?"
James nodded seriously.
Michael, unlike James, wasn't as strong.
He had been very dependent on Sophia these past few days and had gotten used to calling her Mommy, though he still felt awkward each time.
Sophia pretended not to notice his embarrassment, treating him and James with warmth, further strengthening their bond.
James tugged at her sleeve, "Mommy, where's Emily?"
Thinking of the soft and cuddly Emily, Sophia smiled.
"Emily is playing with toys in the next room. Once you both are better tomorrow, you can play with her."
James was delighted, "Michael and I will recover quickly."
Michael also looked forward to playing with Emily. His cheeks had slimmed down a lot, making his already handsome face even more refined.
Sophia stayed with them for a while until both children fell asleep, then went to the next room.
As soon as she entered, she heard William's exasperated voice, "Emily, you're being unfair to me."
Emily responded with a cold huff.
Seeing Sophia return, Emily promptly hung up on William.
The busy tone echoed...
William, unsure of what had upset Emily this time, looked at the disconnected phone and sighed deeply.
But the call had calmed his previously agitated mind. He reopened the email and began reading it carefully.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling window, casting a brilliant glow on his sharp, clean-cut features.
His long fingers dragged the mouse, scrolling down to the last sentence.
William leaned back, resting against the chair, his deep eyes narrowing as he carefully considered each word Sophia had left.
When busy, time flies.
A week later, Sophia returned to Empire City with the three children from Seraphim.
Before heading back, Ralph's wife, Elodie Turner, insisted on hosting a dinner, which Sophia couldn't refuse, so she brought the children along.
Ralph's son, Louis, couldn't hide his excitement upon seeing Emily.
Emily proudly introduced James and Michael to him, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons.
The four children played with toys in the living room.
Sophia finished checking Elodie, informing her that her health had significantly improved. The couple's eyes filled with joy.
"Sophia, thank you so much!"
"Elodie, you should continue to stay happy; it will help with your recovery."
"I will. Let's go, the chef has almost finished preparing the meal. Let's gather the kids and eat."
After dinner, Sophia took the children back to their residence in Seraphim, a vast, ancient, and mysterious estate.
The next day, they flew back to Empire City on a private jet.
William, having received the news, waited at the airport with Tony.
James and Michael, excited to see their father after a week, ran towards him and jumped into his arms.
"Daddy, we missed you so much!"
William carefully observed James and Michael, confirming they were healthy as Sophia had promised.
His eyes, rarely showing emotion, had a hint of redness.
He hugged them tightly, "Daddy missed you too."
Sophia parted ways with them at the airport.
She was noticeably colder than before, her gaze towards William devoid of warmth.
William knew why, wanting to explain but not given the chance, as she left with Emily.
Given past experiences, Sophia now traveled with a considerable number of bodyguards, ensuring safe arrival at the Johnson Villa.
Exhausted from the journey, Emily fell asleep before reaching home.
Sophia changed her clothes and tucked her into bed.
After handling everything, she finally had time to process the message from Rat: Alice had attempted suicide by slitting her wrists in front of William, but failed. She was now recovering in a private hospital owned by Peace Group.
Sophia had anticipated this outcome, feeling calm inside.
However, she wouldn't let Alice or the Rivera family off easily. She instructed Rat to keep a close watch on the Rivera family.
She was certain there were still dirty secrets to uncover.
After hanging up, she left a message for Monkey: [I'll take the patient from last week.]
The reply came quickly.
Meanwhile, at the Smith Mansion.
James and Michael, dragging their new suitcases, returned home and unpacked their toys and gifts.
"Daddy, these are presents we got for you."
"Mommy took us to the amusement park. I even took a picture with my favorite Transformer. Look, Daddy."
Michael pulled out a stack of Polaroid photos from his backpack.
The background was Seraphim's famous amusement park.
William sat on the sofa, his long legs slightly bent, listening to the children's lively voices, his eyes filled with a faint smile.
Until he saw a particular photo.
Ralph holding Emily, Sophia holding James and Michael, and a beautiful foreign woman with a mixed-race child, all with faces beaming with happiness.
William instantly recognized the man, his smile fading.
James noticed his father's gaze and looked at the photo, smiling, "Daddy, this is Ralph."
"This is Elodie, and that's Louis. They were so nice to us. Emily even called him Daddy..."