Chapter 6 Willing to Go with Mom
Emily was burning up with a fever.
Sophia quickly packed Emily's essentials when she felt the heat radiating from Emily's body as she lay on her shoulder.
Noises were coming from inside the house.
Everything Alice had touched, from the couch she sat on to the carpet she walked on, was tossed into the empty lot outside the yard.
A while later, Sophia hurriedly left Rain Village with Emily, not looking back as she got into the car.
The gate was locked, as if Sophia would never return.
William saw the fear in James and Michael's eyes, his own eyes darkening. Sophia didn't care about James and Michael at all!
Michael clutched James's hand, his eyes red, ignoring Alice's attempts to comfort him. He couldn't forget the last look Sophia gave him.
Beside him, James was also upset. He had given Emily candy before leaving, but she didn't respond or smile at him.
James's eyes filled with tears as he asked, "Dad, do Mom and Emily not want us anymore?"
Michael cried and said, "She doesn't want me, and I don't want her either!"
William ordered his men to track the car's destination.
He patted the children's heads and comforted them, "No, that's not true."
Alice dug her nails into her palm, feeling an increasing sense of crisis due to their attitude towards Sophia. She had to get pregnant with William's child soon; then everything in the Smith family would belong to her and her child!
Two days later, on the top floor of Peace Group.
William stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, his expression indifferent with a hint of irritation. "Still no trace of her?"
Tony reported with his head down, "No."
William's men had lost track of Sophia's car.
She and the child had vanished from his world once again.
After hesitating, Tony spoke up, "Mr. Smith, Ms. Johnson knew we would look for her. She swapped cars immediately after leaving Rain Village and intentionally avoided surveillance along the way, which is why we lost her."
William's deep eyes narrowed as he recalled James and Michael crying in fear. His gaze turned icy, "Keep looking!"
He turned around, his face tense, his voice cold, "Also, send another team to investigate her activities over the past two years, every detail."
A cold smile played on his lips, "Especially the man she remarried!"
Tony quickly acknowledged the order, not daring to look William in the eye, and swiftly left the office.
In Empire City, at a private hospital.
Sophia had anticipated that William wouldn't let her go easily when they met again.
So after leaving Rain Village, she changed cars twice, eventually taking a private plane to the neighboring city.
Before boarding, she obtained the special medication and treated Emily's fever.
Then she hurried to her good friend Lyra Cole's place, waiting for Emily to fully recover.
As the daughter of the Cole family and a popular celebrity, Lyra's house had top-notch security and excellent confidentiality.
Most importantly, William didn't know about her connection with Lyra.
Naturally, he couldn't trace her there.
In the small garden, Sophia had just finished flying a kite with Emily. The little one got tired after playing for a while and fell asleep on her shoulder.
Sophia lowered her voice and said, "Lyra, do you remember your handsome college boyfriend?"
Sophia thought for a moment, "Why does everyone say I had a boyfriend in college? Are you talking about Raymond Carter?"
Lyra took out her phone and pointed to the man on the screen, "He goes by Roberts now, from the Roberts family. He's sick and staying at this hospital."
Using her student status to enter Raymond's room, Sophia couldn't help but marvel at how fast time had flown.
Seven years had passed, and the once thin, fair youth had grown, his eyes closed.
Sophia didn't stay long in the room, delivering her gift and preparing to leave.
As Sophia walked out and passed a corner, she unexpectedly saw James looking sickly through a window.
James, wearing a hospital gown, looked dejected, holding something in his hands, sitting on a lounge chair on the hospital terrace, accompanied by the Smith family butler, Patrick Evans.
Patrick was surprised to see her. "Mrs. Smith, what are you doing here?"
James, who had been staring blankly, quickly turned around. Upon seeing Sophia, tears immediately streamed down his face.
He rushed into her arms, clutching her skirt tightly.
James's voice was choked with a hint of anxiety. "Sophia... I'm so sorry... I regret not stopping Michael. I thought I'd never see you again..."
Sophia's heart ached at the sound of him calling her "Mom," unable to suppress the surge of pain and tenderness.
No matter how much she tried to act cold-hearted, seeing the sick child made her forget all previous grievances.
She knelt and held him tightly. "James, don't be afraid. I'm here."
From Patrick, she learned that James had fallen ill after returning from Rain Village, often having fevers and coughing at night.
William had him admitted to this private hospital, arranging for a caregiver to look after him 24/7.
Seeing James's current state, Sophia's delicate features showed a hint of anger. "24-hour caregiver, but where is William? His child is hospitalized. Where is he as a father?"
Patrick sighed. "He's at the company, busy with work. He can't find the time..."
At that moment, Sophia's phone displayed a news alert.
[Peace Group CEO personally escorts new actress Alice to the set, suspected romance exposed]
James was hospitalized, and William couldn't find time to be with him, yet he had time to escort Alice to her film set?
Sophia clenched her phone, her face livid, eyes burning with anger. "This is his 'busy'?"
Patrick was stunned by the content; the photo indeed showed William.
"Mrs. Smith, there's a misunderstanding here."
"Don't call me Mrs. Smith. I have nothing to do with William anymore!"
James, in her arms, looked at her nervously.
Sophia gently patted his back, softly asking, "James, would you like to come with me?"
Meeting her gaze, he hesitated but nodded.
Sophia immediately picked James up and headed towards the elevator.
James held her neck, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Mom, I'm heavy. I can walk by myself."
Sophia reassured him. "You're not heavy. I can carry you just fine."
Patrick hurriedly tried to stop her. "Mrs. Smith, you can't take James away."
Sophia paused, enveloped in palpable anger.
"Tell William, if he can't take care of his child, then I'll take him."
"He can continue being 'busy' with Alice, as long as he wants!"
Sophia quickly returned to Lyra's estate with James and Emily.
To shake off any followers, she specifically had Monkey bring in extra help.
Sophia conducted a thorough examination of James, relieved to find no major issues.
James was a bit nervous seeing Emily again.
But one-year-old Emily didn't hold grudges. Upon waking and seeing him, she immediately gave him a sweet smile.
Emily grabbed his hand. "James~"
James smiled back, taking candy from his pocket and handing it to her.
Sophia knew taking James would certainly anger William.
Monkey had already arranged a place in Empire City.
She planned to take James and Emily there to avoid William finding Lyra's place.
Though Lyra was reluctant, she respected Sophia's decision.
William, having received Patrick's message, rushed to the hospital.
Tony was already checking the hospital's surveillance, only seeing Sophia carrying the child into a black car.
The other party seemed prepared, evading their trackers.
William's face darkened, his eyes blazing with fury. "Keep searching!"
Before leaving the hospital, he suddenly thought of something.
William's voice was low and cold. "Find out what Sophia came to the hospital for."