Betrayed by Fiance, Embraced by Hidden Tycoon-Chapter 178: Sophie’s Life

Sawyer smiled, amused at how slow Grandpa Philips thought.

"You shouldn’t ask me about it, sir. You should ask Grandma Sophie... Or yourself!" Sawyer replied with a faint smile.

James’s eyebrows wrinkled at Sawyer’s words. ’What does he mean?’

Just before James could ask more questions, Nathaniel’s sudden laugh echoed through the room, distracting him. Turning to Nathaniel, he asked, "Why are you laughing, Niel?"

"James, did you ever sleep with Sophie before she vanished? If you did, you must admit that there’s a possibility that she is pregnant with your child, right?"

Nathaniel’s words felt like thunder striking James Philips’ head. A terrible thought flashed through his mind, causing his face to go pale.

"Sophie’s child is mine!?" James exclaimed, more to himself but loud enough for Nathaniel and Sawyer to hear.

"Yes, yes, my dear friend. It’s possible Sophie might be carrying your child."

James’s hands trembled as he pleaded, "Sawyer, please tell me where Sophie is. I need to meet her..." The tension in his heart was unmistakable in his tone.

Sawyer sighed silently. He wanted to help James but couldn’t ignore his worry that something might happen to Grandma Sophie.

"Grandpa Philips, I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you anything right now. I need to talk to Grandma Sophie and get her permission."

"Sawyer, please believe me. Sophie will agree to meet me. You said she never married. So, I’m sure she still loves me and won’t refuse me. At least she won’t refuse to see me once more." James explained desperately. "Please tell me where she is now," he begged.

Sawyer took another deep breath. "Grandpa Philips, I don’t know if we’re on the same page..."

"What do you mean?" James interrupted before Sawyer could finish.

"I know you’re happy to learn that Grandma Sophie was pregnant when she left you. But have you considered why she left you at that time, even while pregnant? She hid from you and changed her name..." Sawyer asked.

Knowing that Sophie might have been pregnant when she disappeared almost stopped James’s heartbeat. He felt a whirlwind of excitement, worry, and sadness. However, Sawyer’s question shattered his heart into pieces. He never knew why she had left him.

The biggest question now swirling in his mind was, ’Why did she never look for me if the child was ours? Did she really carry my child?’

As James listened, Sawyer continued, "After hearing Grandma Sophie’s story and yours, I became convinced that Abigail’s mother might be your daughter."

Sawyer paused when he saw James Philips’ reaction; his face turned even paler, and the glint in his eyes suggested emotions he couldn’t explain in words.

After a few more seconds, he continued, "However, I can’t take you to meet Grandma Sophie without her permission because she has never told Abigail or her late mother about you. Even when Abigail begged to know who her grandfather was, Grandma Sophie still didn’t budge..."

"Wait, you said Abigail’s ’late’ mother? She’s dead?" James’ voice trembled with shock at the news that Sophie’s daughter, and perhaps his daughter, had passed away.

"Yes. Her name was Amelia Lewis," Sawyer said, feeling a surge of sadness swallow him as he remembered the day Abigail took him to her mother’s grave and shared how she had died.

Nathaniel remained silent, but his eyes grew blurry with tears. Devastated by what he heard, he fought hard to hold back his tears.

"Ms. Amelia died a few years ago. After Grandma Sophie lost her daughter, she became unhealthy as well. All these years, Abigail has cared for her sick grandmother alone..." Sawyer reflected on how difficult Abigail’s situation must have been.

When Sawyer and James discussed this, Nathaniel couldn’t help but express his thoughts.

"Heavens! I never imagined that cheerful Abigail had such a sad past. And that means Sophie’s life is sad, too. I can’t imagine the sadness of losing my child," A line of sorrow appeared on his wrinkled forehead as he contemplated what Abigail had endured.

Sawyer quickly glanced at his grandfather. He nodded in agreement with his Grandpa’s remark before gazing at Grandpa Philips.

"I’m sorry, Grandpa Philips, but I really can’t take you to meet Grandma Sophie without her permission," Sawyer said firmly.

"Sawyer—" James wanted to insist, but he saw the refusal in Sawyer’s eyes and decided against pressing him further. He would find another way to search for Sophie.

Now that he had the information he needed—Sophie’s last name and the town where she lived—he planned to continue his search. However, Sawyer’s following words shocked him and stifled his plan.

"Grandpa Philips, I know you are happy hearing what we discussed, but you must investigate what happened back then. As mentioned, Grandma Sophie never disclosed your identity to anyone, even during their financial struggles. She never asked her daughter or granddaughter to come to you for help. Why did she do that?"

Sawyer explained earnestly that he felt it was imperative to prepare Grandpa Philips not to set high expectations, as Grandma Sophie might reject him.

James felt a chill as he listened to Sawyer’s words. Countless questions flashed through his mind, and the one that haunted him in the past resurfaced with renewed urgency:

Why did she leave?

Where is she?

Is she still alive?

So many questions lingered.

He still struggled to understand why Sophie had left him and had not contacted him since then. What made him even sadder and more confused was that she had left him when she was pregnant.

How could she do that? Why didn’t she say anything about her pregnancy? Why did she choose to keep him a secret from their daughter and granddaughter? Was someone trying to suppress her? Did they intimidate her?

James wanted to ask Sawyer many questions, but he held back, knowing that this young man had no answers.

After a long silence, James calmly said, "Sawyer, I will wait for you to ask Sophie’s permission."

"I will, sir—" but the buzzing sound from his pocket interrupted Sawyer. When he saw Ethan’s name on the screen, he excused himself, stood up, and walked by the glass window to answer the phone.

"What is it, Ethan?" Sawyer asked.

"Sir, there’s something important you need to know."

Sawyer’s frown deepened at Ethan’s worried and hurried tone. "Go on..."

"I just found out that Miss Abigail’s client is Andy Bennet. She is currently meeting him downstairs. And..."

Ethan paused, hesitating to share what he had found after checking Andy’s device.

Sawyer pinched his eyebrows after waiting a few more seconds, but Ethan remained silent, adding to his curiosity and tension.

"Speak, Ethan!" he hissed coldly.

"Sorry sir, I just feel something—"

"Speak now, or I will punish you!" Sawyer pressured. freeweɓnovel.cøm

"Sir, after I checked more details, I discovered that Andy seems to have fallen in love with Miss Abigail; he tries to pursue her..." Ethan explained.

Instantly, the awkward silence hangs in the air.

They were both lost in their thoughts. Ethan was unsure whether to continue sharing the details of what he had discovered, while Sawyer was too shocked to realize that his best friend knew Abigail and even planned to pursue her.

A heavy tone escaped Sawyer’s lips as he said, "I get it!"

In an instant, he felt a wave of cold anger envelop him upon hearing that his best friend was trying to steal his girlfriend. His hand clenched into a tight fist as he dialed Vincent’s number.

***

On the 49th floor at Silverstone Tower, Abigail sat on a single sofa in a large luxury modern office room dominated by white and black colors. Behind her was a glass wall offering a breathtaking view of the city skyline.

She was so immersed in the scenery that she didn’t notice a pair of affectionate eyes watching her.

After a few minutes, a man’s voice interrupted her distraction. She hurriedly turned to see who it was, her smile widening as she saw Andy Bennet approach the seating area. He looked as dashing as ever in his dark suit, complemented by his gray tie.

"I’m sorry, Abigail, for making you wait. I had a sudden meeting that I couldn’t avoid," Andy said regretfully as he sat before her.

"It’s fine, Andy. I only waited for you for five minutes while enjoying the stunning city view from your office," Abigail replied with a small smile, which relieved Andy.

"Okay, I’m glad to hear that. Let’s discuss why I asked you to come. I believe Amelia has filled you in, right?" he asked.

"Yes," Abigail replied, pulling out her laptop. "She only briefly told me, but she mentioned that I would need to discuss the details with you. So feel free to start, and I’ll take notes."

The two of them engaged in a serious discussion about the interior design of Andy Bennet’s house. So engrossed in their conversation, Andy moved to sit beside Abigail, watching her diligently accommodate what he had requested in her design.

As they discussed numerous significant design details, time slipped away without them noticing.

After a while, Abigail finally finished her notes. She closed her laptop, feeling relieved. When she turned her gaze toward Andy, she was momentarily taken aback to find him sitting so close to her.

"A-Andy—"