At the time, she had merely wondered if she had done something wrong to offend Julian Sterling’s friends. That was why she had asked. She never expected to be met with such a cold attitude from him.
She had been sad about it for days. But Julian remained entirely unaffected, completely oblivious to her feelings. Or perhaps... he had known all along, but just didn’t care. He simply hadn’t wanted to waste his time comforting her.
Afterward, she had been left to deceive herself and soothe her own hurt. After all, having never experienced what it felt like to be truly cared for and valued growing up, she assumed that needing space and occasional neglect were just normal parts of human interaction. She had even convinced herself not to be so sensitive.
Thinking back on it now...
Sophie Winslow exited WhatsApp.
Everyone goes through a foolish phase of growth. Enlightenment comes to some earlier than others. When someone didn’t love you, even giving them your whole heart was a mistake. Stubbornly obsessing over someone who couldn’t love her back—wasn’t that just a form of selfishness, a way of moving herself to tears for nothing?
"When Lydia comes over, will she stay with you first? Or will she stay with Mr. Caldwell?" Ivy Hawthorne’s question pulled Sophie from her thoughts.
Washing the vegetables, Sophie mulled it over for a moment. "It’s probably safer if she stays with Mr. Caldwell for now."
Given the unpredictable situations that could arise with the Sterling family, it was best to be as cautious as possible to avoid any accidents.
Ivy took a bite of a radish. "I could take her, too. She has the Hawthorne surname anyway. Even if he sees her, publicly she’s just a Hawthorne child. It wouldn’t raise any suspicions."
With the child registered under her cousin’s name, it wouldn’t be easy for anyone to dig up her true background, even if they investigated deeply.
Sophie felt this was for the best. Thank goodness she had kept an ace up her sleeve back then. If the child’s last name was Winslow, it would be no different from a confession. And she certainly wouldn’t have agreed to let her take the Sutton surname.
Sophie placed a bowl of noodles on the table. "You’re already so busy, so don’t worry about it. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. It’s just that... your cousin is unmarried, after all. He did me a massive favor, and I should figure out how to resolve this issue. I don’t want it to affect his future prospects if some prominent lady takes issue with him having a ’daughter’ out of wedlock."
Ivy loudly slurped up a huge mouthful of noodles and waved a hand dismissively. "Don’t feel guilty. My cousin actually did it to avoid a family-arranged marriage. He was bound by an old childhood betrothal that he didn’t want to accept. By ’having a daughter out of wedlock,’ the other party would naturally back out on their own. Helping you was essentially helping himself."
Sophie looked at her in surprise.
Suddenly, Ivy stopped chewing. She eyed Sophie up and down with a strange look.
"What? I’m not into women," Sophie said, dramatically covering her chest.
Ivy broke into a grin. "Babe, how do you feel about making our ties even closer?"
"?"
"Look, Lydia is registered under my cousin’s name. That makes him her legally recognized father. Plus, he really likes Lydia. So, practically speaking, he could just as easily take a liking to you—her young, beautiful mother. Treat it like a buy-one-get-one-free deal! If you two turn this fake arrangement into a real one, he escapes his arranged marriage, you get a new family, and Lydia gets a handsome dad. It’s a win-win-win!"
"..." Sophie gave Ivy a look of utter disbelief as she watched her friend’s silly, daydreaming grin. Picking up a pan-fried dumpling from the table, she shoved it into Ivy’s mouth. "Eat up and wash the dishes. If your cousin hears you trying to sell him off like a piece of meat, he’ll exile you to the ends of the earth."
With her cheeks stuffed full, Ivy still couldn’t hide the gleam in her eyes. She looked as excited as if she were the one getting a new bride.
Sophie silently decided to ignore the crazy woman.
She wasn’t actually that familiar with Adrian Hawthorne. They had met fewer than five times in total.
When she had given birth to Lydia and was incredibly weak, Ivy had hidden her at Hawthorne Villa—only for Adrian to stumble upon them. Adrian had listened to Ivy’s pleading explanation in record time. Then, looking straight at Sophie, who was still bedridden, he had simply asked, "Are you willing to let me be the child’s father?"
Adrian was a very busy man. He was constantly flying domestically and internationally.
The Hawthorne Clan and the Sterling family were famously known as "The Hawthornes of the South, the Sterlings of the North." Both were centuries-old prominent families with profound heritage. Unlike Ivy, who was an unfavored lady from a branch family, Adrian was the true heir in every sense of the word. His marriage would undoubtedly be meticulously arranged, and the future Mrs. Hawthorne would be carefully selected from the ladies of ultra-wealthy families.
However, the fact that Adrian had registered Lydia under his own name remained a strict secret. Not even the Hawthorne family knew about it.
Ivy was certainly bold for even entertaining the idea. It was just idle talk—if she ever dared to suggest such a thing within the Hawthorne family, she would inevitably be punished.
Sophie shook her head and chuckled.
She no longer harbored any expectations or fantasies about love and marriage. Adrian had helped her, and for that, she would always be grateful.
Back then, however, Adrian knew she would have reservations. He had specifically proposed that if she felt uneasy, they could sign an agreement: once the child turned six, she could sign the papers to change Lydia’s surname back to Winslow whenever she wished. This ensured her rights as a mother and eased her concerns.
Once Lydia celebrated her birthday next year, she could start the process.
During a break from work, Sophie paid a visit to her grandfather’s nursing home. It was the best nursing home available, with annual fees exceeding one hundred thousand dollars.
Her grandfather, Quentin Winslow, had had her mother late in life, at the age of forty. He was now eighty-nine years old. Sometimes he was lucid, while other times he was confused.
When Sophie sat down by the bed, the old man was reading a book. Hearing the movement, he looked at her and asked kindly, "Little one, who are you looking for?"
He had forgotten her again.
Sophie smiled gently. "You look just like my grandfather. Could I sit with you for a while? I miss him."
Quentin’s heart softened. "Good child. Have you eaten yet? Shall we eat together later? I have a granddaughter about your age. Her name is Sienna..."
Sophie tucked the blankets around him. Sienna was her childhood nickname. Even when her grandfather was severely disoriented, he still remembered her name.
"Is that so? Then she’s not very filial, is she? Why hasn’t she come to keep you company?"
Displeasure immediately appeared on Quentin’s aged yet refined face, and he defended her fiercely. "My Sienna is wonderful. She has the softest heart—so soft that anyone could bully her. I’m just terrified of what she’ll do without anyone to rely on when I die."
Tears welled up in Sophie’s eyes.
Quentin’s gaze grew distant. "Sienna is married now. Her husband will see how wonderful she is, and he’ll protect her well. Right, my grandson-in-law’s name is Julian. A good name for an upright young man. When he married Sienna, he knelt and bowed his head to me, asking for my blessing."
Sophie hadn’t known about it. But her grandfather’s memory was often quite jumbled, and she didn’t think that was something Julian Sterling would ever do.
"Do you think they’ll be happy?" she asked.
Quentin nodded kindly. "My granddaughter certainly will be."
Sophie fell silent. Her grandfather had such high hopes for her, but sadly, she had made a complete mess of her life.
She stayed to have lunch with him. Halfway through the meal, Quentin experienced a brief moment of lucidity. He took Sophie’s hand, telling her how much he missed her grandmother, and asked if the calligraphy and paintings they had created together were still around.
In his earlier years, her grandfather had been a renowned calligraphy and painting master, and his works were worth a fortune.
Sophie thought about it for a moment. Back when the Winslow family had faced their downfall—especially after the incident with her mother—Isaiah Sutton had immediately forced a divorce. But he had also snatched away an antique shop that her grandfather had given to her mother, liquidating it for a substantial sum of money.
The calligraphy and paintings jointly created by her grandparents had all been taken away as well. They were her grandmother’s final works. Ever since her grandfather had fallen ill, he had constantly longed for them.
Sophie could only promise to bring them to him once she found them.
It was going to be troublesome. Sophie went to Ivy for information. Ivy had an extensive network of contacts, and she actually managed to dig up a lead.
"There’s an antique calligraphy and painting exhibition at Crimson Ridge Manor, hosted by a private collector. Want to go check it out?"
Sophie figured it couldn’t hurt to try her luck. The resort manor was incredibly expensive, catering exclusively to the rich and powerful.
Sophie booked a room and had just driven over when she received a call from Madam Sterling.
"Sophie? Are you at Crimson Ridge Manor for a little getaway?"
"How did you know?"
"Oh, child. Crimson Ridge Manor is a Sterling family property. Why did you only book a standard suite? Since you’re there, you should enjoy yourself properly. Grandma will have them upgrade you to the best suite." Madam Sterling hadn’t fully relinquished her power yet, and she still managed many of the Sterling family’s assets.
Sophie didn’t decline the offer.
Upon entering the suite, she immediately understood the caliber of the room. It was a top-tier suite that cost at least six figures a night. With panoramic views of the mountains and water, the scenery was absolutely stunning.
It was already nearing eight o’clock by the time Sophie arrived. After putting down her luggage, she went straight for a shower. Once she finished her bath, she loosely wrapped a towel around herself and stepped out of the bathroom.
At that exact moment, a BEEP BEEP sounded from the entrance.
A second later, the room door was pushed open from the outside.
Sophie’s hand, which was adjusting the fabric over her chest, instantly froze. She turned her head.
Her eyes met the dark, profound, and narrowed gaze of a man.