Chapter 44 He Said He Wants to Marry Me
Sophia answered the unknown call. "Hello?"
An angry, cold laugh immediately came through the speaker, "It's me. That damn Andrew actually hung up on me!"
Sophia rolled her eyes. "You're complaining to the wrong person. Bye."
"Wait!" John panicked, afraid Sophia would hang up too, and quickly added, "Andrew went to your house."
"What?" Sophia frowned. Andrew going to the Johnson family meant trouble—who knew what bizarre things he might say in his unhinged state. "How do you know?"
"Sophia, have you gotten stupid? Andrew and I have been living like we're in some spy thriller for twenty-odd years. He plants informants around me, and I place spies around him. What's so hard to understand about that?"
"Do you know what he said to the Johnson family?"
"No clue, but whenever he shows up, it's never good news." John's tone was casual, clearly enjoying the drama.
Sophia deadpanned, "Useless. You called just to give me bad news?"
"Tsk, how heartless! Seriously, how long are you planning to stay in that tiny dump? Andrew's settling down in Emerald City for the long haul. If you don't want to be around him, come with me to Lumaria. Whatever he can give you, I can give you more."
Sophia raised an eyebrow, her tone playful, "He said he wants to marry me."
"Shit! Has that bastard lost his mind?" John shot up from his chair. Sophia was his only source of entertainment for twenty-plus years, and Andrew wanted to marry her and keep her locked away?
"I'm hanging up. I'm going back to settle accounts with him!"
The line went dead. Sophia set down her phone, content to let those two lunatics tear each other apart while she enjoyed the peace.
Michael propped his chin on his hand, studying the girl across from him with leisurely interest. "Andrew wants to marry you?"
Sophia didn't deny it. "The Phillips family used their business deal to pressure you into getting engaged to Harper. Andrew used that as leverage to demand that I give you up and go with him. Now that I think about it, I seriously suspect he was the one who suggested this whole scheme to the Phillips family in the first place."
Just thinking about it made Michael laugh in disbelief.
Andrew had been in Emerald City too long—his thinking had been completely assimilated by the Smith family's mentality. Everything was about profit and loss.
Marriage could be used as a business transaction. Whatever emotions he felt for Sophia didn't matter as long as he kept her by his side.
Even though they'd been siblings for seventeen years. Even though he was ten years older than her.
"Eat up before it gets cold."
Michael transferred some meatballs from his bowl to Sophia's. His thoughtfulness always showed in these small gestures, which gradually made Sophia open her heart to accept his presence.
What should have been a peaceful, beautiful date was shattered by an urgent phone call.
Just as they'd finished paying the bill, Michael received an international call.
The voice on the other end was frantic, launching straight into, "Michael! Mom and Dad have been in an accident!"
Michael's pupils contracted sharply, as if all the blood in his body had turned to stone, rendering him immobile.
Seeing his expression, Sophia frowned and tugged at his sleeve. "What's wrong?"
Work issues wouldn't cause Michael to look like this—it had to be something with his family.
Michael quickly snapped back to reality, speaking into the phone, "I'll fly over immediately. Keep me updated on any developments."
The call ended. Michael gripped Sophia's shoulders with both hands, staring into her eyes as he spoke each word with grave weight, "My parents were in a car accident. I have to get over there. Please be careful going home alone."
Sophia was stunned. Why did disasters always come so suddenly?
Her eyes trembled as she said, "Commercial flights are too slow. I'll help you get a private jet. Once you're there, tell me the exact situation. I'll ask Mr. Wright for help; maybe there's still a chance."
"Okay."
Sophia contacted several friends with private aircraft and, within fifteen minutes, had secured both a jet and a pilot, sending Michael the departure location.
She sat in a corner of the coffee shop, clutching her phone and sighing quietly, restlessly waiting for news from Michael.
...
Two hours later, Michael arrived at a private hospital in Eldoria, hurrying toward the familiar ward.
Outside the hospital room sat an elderly couple and a young girl with youthful features.
Seeing him approach, the girl immediately stood and rushed toward him anxiously, her eyes red-rimmed. "Michael, Mom and Dad are still in surgery. The situation hasn't stabilized yet."
Michael clenched his jaw, pulling her into a comforting embrace. He looked toward the elderly couple, his voice slightly hoarse, "Grandpa, Grandma, have you eaten lunch?"
Though this wasn't the time to discuss meals, his grandparents were elderly, and Michael worried they might have complications if they went without food while dealing with such a shock.
Grandma wiped tears from the corners of her eyes. "Your mother's still lying in there. How could we have any appetite?"
Michael lowered his gaze, sighing quietly, then instructed Ella, "Ella, I'm going to call Sophia and grab some food for Grandpa and Grandma."
"Okay." Ella sniffled, responding with a choked voice.
Michael went downstairs to the hospital lobby, finding a sandwich shop where he ordered two meal sets.
While waiting, he called Sophia.
She seemed to have been waiting by the phone—it connected instantly.
"How are they? Are your parents okay?" Sophia asked anxiously.
"Still in surgery." Michael closed his eyes wearily, sighing. His mind was in chaos.
His grandfather was from Eldoria, and his grandmother had met him during a youthful trip there, eventually marrying and settling down in the country.
Ella was Michael's half-sister, two years younger, who'd been raised by their grandparents in Eldoria since she could barely talk.
Eldoria wasn't as safe as back home. His father, Matthew Green, and stepmother, Sarah Scott, traveled the world, occasionally returning to visit the grandparents and Ella.
Today, as they were leaving, they'd encountered a street shooting.
In the chaotic streets filled with fleeing people, Matthew's car had been hit by bullets, lost control, and crashed into a building.
The couple had been unconscious ever since.
What had once been a safe harbor had become a ship adrift at sea.
With his parents still fighting for their lives in the ICU, the nineteen-year-old constantly feared that one massive wave would capsize his only refuge.
Through the cold screen, Sophia could feel Michael's grief, but she couldn't give him a warm embrace.
Verbal comfort felt too insignificant, especially when she'd never been good at consoling others.
After a long silence, Sophia said, "Michael, everything will be okay. I'll always be here with you."