[Happy Birthday.]
A simple greeting—yet Sophia’s face instantly changed.
Lucas ca down from upstairs, leaning a hand on her shoulder.
"Sophia, why aren’t you sleeping a little longer?"
She lifted her phone and held it up to him. "Look."
Lucas’s expression tightened.
Monts later, the two of them were already out the door.
Andrew was surprised to see her show up again. "What are you doing here?"
Sophia stared at the man across from her—soone who looked oddly well-fed for where he was—and curved her lips.
"What, am I only allowed to visit you if I have an agenda?"
"Olivia’s on the outside. Now you’re scared, aren’t you? You can’t get your hands on the Morgan Family’s wealth, so you’re panicking."
Andrew rested his hands on the table, fingers interlaced, looking confident and calm.
"The one who should be panicking isn’t —it’s you. You’re locked up here; your news is outdated. Olivia’s wedding might get exposed any second, and the drama she’s in is only just starting production. Do you really think she can save you? Between her career and her marriage, she can only choose one. And I’ve got sothing even more damaging on her. Once I release it, she won’t be sleeping easy."
Sophia crossed her arms, her posture every inch a warning.
Andrew lowered his gaze to the shackles on his wrists.
He couldn’t tell if she was bluffing or if she actually had sothing. If she was lying, she wanted sothing from him. If she wasn’t... then Olivia—
"Andrew, I know you don’t believe what I’m saying. So let make it clear: I can keep her from inheriting anything from the Morgan Family. And I can make sure her marriage to Ethan blows up."
His gaze froze for a mont.
Right now, all his hope of getting out depended on Ethan.
Not even Susan’s godfather had been reliable—otherwise he wouldn’t have vanished for so long.
Andrew straightened his back. "What do you want? Just say it."
"When you sold to that man, I heard Olivia say that you tampered with my mother’s food, which is why she died. What did you do? Why did they fail to save her? Did you ever...love my mother?"
Lucas tightened his grip on Sophia’s hand, holding it gently.
Andrew let out a low laugh.
"Your mom... Yes, I cared about her. But you? You’re accusing of murder just because of sothing you overheard? Sophia, I liked you too once—truly. Otherwise, I never would’ve brought you back. People change with ti. You have no right to judge . And don’t forget—you carry my blood."
Sophia’s eyes flickered.
"So you’re still avoiding the question. Andrew, I saw my mother die with my own eyes. But afterward, I passed out. When I woke up, all I had was an urn. I never understood—who gave you the right to make that decision on your own?"
She rembered—after seeing the body pushed out of the OR, she had completely broken down and fainted.
When she woke again, she was holding the urn that she later buried in the LA cetery.
Andrew listened, hearing sothing off.
"I’m your father. I don’t need anyone’s permission to decide."
Sophia’s fingers clenched harder.
Lucas suddenly spoke, "What if Aurora never died in the first place?"
Enough of dancing around the point. Say it directly.
Andrew jerked forward, gripping the edge of the table, his pupils contracting.
"What did you say? She didn’t die? Aurora isn’t dead?!"
His reaction was explosive—stunned, shaken.
Clearly, he knew nothing.
Lucas arched a brow, his tone icy.
"I never said she was alive. But don’t you think your reaction is a little strange? If you knew she was gone, shouldn’t your first instinct be to deny it? As long as you’re certain she’s dead, why would you look... shocked?"
For a split second, panic flashed across Andrew’s face.
"What nonsense are you spouting? Lucas, you don’t understand anything. Don’t talk out of turn. This is my family business—none of it concerns you."
"No connection?" Lucas let out a humorless laugh. "Sophia is my wife."
"Please! Your marriage is fake. You have no proof!"
He still believed the marriage was a sham—just a trick to fool him.
Lucas shot him a cool glance and slid a marriage certificate out of his bag.
"Sophia and I are legally married."
"Fake. I’m not that gullible."
"Sure, you’re not gullible. When Sophia had that ’accident,’ we set the perfect trap, letting you think everything was part of your little script. The mont you got the registry list, Sophia and I went and made it real. So... heh."
He gave a cold, mocking chuckle, slipping the certificate back into his bag.
"You’re a grown man in your fifties. How do you still fall for tricks this cheap?"
A crease ford between Andrew’s brows.
"As for Aurora, I only asked because it crossed my mind. Even if you refuse to tell the truth, I have other ways to get it. Heaven’s got eyes; walls always have cracks. You think you covered everything perfectly—but soone saw it all. Don’t worry, Andrew. I only put you in here so you could feel sothing. I’ll pull you out eventually and drop the lawsuit. I want you to experience sothing far more painful."
Lucas’s lips curled into a smile—terrifying despite looking harmless.
He was smiling, yet Andrew felt a chill crawl up his spine.
"Aurora is dead. Whether you believe it or not. Sophia, I watched her die with my own eyes. Why on earth would I lie to you?"
"You saw her die? Andrew, are you admitting sothing?"
"I said I saw her cremated. Don’t twist my words."
Sophia stared straight at him, their eyes locked—neither looking away.
Andrew’s gaze was steady, almost saying, Believe .
Sophia lowered her eyes, then reached into her pocket and pulled out the new embroidered pouch.
"If I rember correctly, my mom gave you one just like this. You should recognize it."
"Bring it... closer."
She held it out. Andrew froze completely.
"That’s impossible..."
"You claim you cared about , claid you loved her. Why didn’t I feel any of it? Andrew, I won’t drop my mother’s case. Even if she really is alive sowhere, I won’t spare any of you."
She stood, turned, and walked out with the pouch in hand.
Andrew’s eyes were still clouded with confusion.
How could this be?
Aurora... alive? Not dead?
No. No. Absolutely impossible.
He stared at her disappearing silhouette, lost in thought.
But before he could get up, several children suddenly rushed in.
"You—what are you kids doing here?"
"Uncle, our mommy forgot her phone."
Billy darted forward, suddenly producing the phone in his hand.
And Dustin also called out—
"Andrew..."
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