I see. So that’s what happened, Toby thought as he pressed his lips together. He knew that Henry kidnapped Rina in the past, but he had no idea that Titus was the one who forced Henry into it. It seems like I have to be more thorough when I’m investigating a particular matter; all these illusions might blind my eyes from the truth otherwise.
Titus’s expression had been filled with hatred when he last spoke to me about Henry, but I just find that hilarious right now. I can’t believe I completely fell for Titus’s narrative when he told me that Henry had wronged the Gray Family.
At that thought, Toby shifted his gaze toward Sonia. His eyes were filled with remorse and guilt. He felt sorry because he concluded that Sonia’s father was a bad man after listening to one side of the story.
Meanwhile, Sonia didn’t have the time to look at Toby’s reaction. She simply lowered her head to hold onto the necklace. “That’s why this necklace was in the Reed Residence,” she muttered. She figured that her father must have removed this necklace from Rina when he first kidnapped her.
“That’s right,” Rose said with a nod.
“How did Rina die in the end?” Sonia asked. She had a bold guess in her mind, but it was a guess that she didn’t wish to make.
Rose studied Sonia’s expression for a while before she slowly parted her lips to speak. “Your father drowned her in the river, right in front of Titus and Julia’s eyes.”
Sonia’s guess was right, but the revelation was still a bombshell to her. Her vision turned black as she felt the world around her spinning. She felt herself falling as her stance grew unsteady. Upon seeing that, Toby held her by her shoulders before he pressed her close to his chest. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Sonia bit her lower lip as she replied to him in a weak voice. At the same time, Rose eyed the younger woman concernedly. “You should sit down,” she suggested. Thus, Toby helped Sonia to the couch, where she sat with her limbs trembling. “H-How could Dad… do such an idiotic thing?” Sonia couldn’t believe that her father had drowned a young child. It explained why Titus had been so cruel to her father six years ago, for Titus was also avenging his daughter’s death.
“That’s right. Your father was silly to have done that. However, his actions were understandable—Titus had forced him into a corner, and it’s easier for one to do stupid things when they are feeling impulsive.” Rose stroked Sonia’s hair sympathetically.
Sonia squeezed her eyes shut. “He was way too impulsive.”
“Don’t you guys think that there’s something odd about this whole story?” Toby spoke up all of a sudden.
“What is it?” Sonia raised her head.
“If your father drowned Rina right in front of Titus and Julia’s eyes, why didn’t he end up in jail? Judging by how unforgiving and vindictive Titus is, he’d never let your father and Paradigm Co. get off so easily. Yet, that was what he did. Titus didn’t get the law involved after what your father did, and he even allowed your father to continue expanding Paradigm Co. Titus only launched his attack on your father and the company six years ago,” he said.
Sonia seemed to realize something at that point. “That’s true. Why is that so? Do you know the answer, Grandma?” Sonia turned to look at the old woman.
Rose shook her head. “I’m not too sure about this either. I’m guessing that your father and Titus had some sort of agreement back then. There’s no other way to explain it.”
“I guess so. One way or another, the hatred between the Gray and Reed Families is absolutely irreconcilable,” Sonia muttered as she bit her bottom lip. Titus was the one who started the conflict between both families. Although Henry had killed Titus’s daughter, Titus was the one who forced Henry to his death. The resentment between both of them might be gone since Sonia’s father was dead, but that didn’t mean that things were settled between Paradigm Co. and Titus. I’m going to get even with him! Sonia thought.
Toby felt the urge to get rid of the hatred that he saw in Sonia’s eyes. Her beautiful eyes shouldn’t be filled with such anger. However, I know that I no longer have the right to help her get rid of this hatred. Her icy voice sounded in his ears as he thought about his relationship with her. “I would like to destroy both Triforce Enterprise and the Gray Family, President Fuller.”
He wasn’t surprised by her words, for he had managed to guess her thoughts through the hostility he observed in her eyes. “So?” Toby asked as he looked at her.
“So, are you going to meddle with my affairs?” Sonia met his gaze with an emotionless expression.
He frowned upon hearing her words. What does she mean? Why is she looking at me like that? Is she saying that she will go against me if I decide to meddle with her affairs?
“I’d like to know your answer, President Fuller. Will you step in and support the Gray family?!” Sonia repeated her question when Toby didn’t respond to her the first time.
Rose hastily replied on behalf of him. “Of course not. I’d never support it if Toby were to stand on the Gray Family’s side.”
“I’d like to hear him say it himself, Grandma,” Sonia uttered. If it weren’t for Rose, Sonia wouldn’t care whether Toby wished to help the Grays. It’d be great if he didn’t support them, but Sonia knew that she would attack them all at once if Toby were to support the Grays. She would give everything up just to fight them until the very end. However, she posed Toby the question to Toby because she cared for Rose. Toby was Rose’s grandson, and Rose had to be mentally prepared just in case Toby were to support the Grays. If Sonia went against Toby in the end, she knew that Rose would be disheartened.
“I won’t support them,” Toby said with his gaze lowered. It was Titus’s fault to begin with, so the Grays had to pay for what they had done. Toby knew that he wouldn’t let Tina suffer even if she had lost the Gray Family.
“That’s good. I hope you stick to your promise. If you go against your own words the way you did the last time, I’ll risk my life just to make sure that you suffer forever,” Sonia threatened in a firm tone.
Toby’s pupils shrank as he clenched his fists tightly. “I won’t.” She’s serious this time. She’s surely going to make me suffer if I go against my words. For example, she might kill Tina, or she might even kill herself… he thought.
“What did you do in the past? Why did you break your promise to Sonia?” Rose turned to look at Toby.
He was distracted by the old woman’s sudden question. “It’s nothing much.” Toby’s gaze dimmed as he tried to avoid the question. Then, he glanced at Sonia in hopes that Sonia would play along with him. Rose would definitely be shocked if she found out that Tina had shoved Sonia down the stairs.
Sonia was well-aware of this, so she gladly played along with Toby. “Alright, Grandma. Everything’s over now, so you don’t have to know about it. I don’t want to talk about it either. Right now, I have something that I’m more concerned about. Since I know the secret behind this necklace, I only have one last question regarding this matter. Why did my father want me to find this necklace?” He wouldn’t need me to find this necklace if he just wanted me to get revenge for him. He should know that I’d avenge his death as long as I know that Titus was the reason for it. There has to be more to this story—this necklace must be useful in some other way.
“I don’t know either. Your father mentioned that it was related to a huge secret, and this secret should be the incident from 20 years ago—the one that I just told you. I’m not sure if there’s anything else to this story.” Rose shook her head.
Upon hearing that, Sonia let out a long sigh. Rose smiled as she comforted the younger woman. “Don’t worry. You should just keep the necklace for now. You might find the answer to your question someday.”
“I guess so.” Sonia beamed in response. “It’s late. I should leave now, Grandma. The skies are turning dark.”
“Okay. I’ll get Toby to send you back.” Rose turned to Toby as she spoke. “Send her home,” she said to Toby.
“Okay.” He quickly complied with Rose’s words, and he retrieved his car keys to send Sonia home, but Sonia rejected their offer in a flat tone. “It’s fine, Grandma. I’ll just hail a cab outside the hospital. I wouldn’t want to trouble President Fuller. Goodbye.” With that, Sonia smiled at Rose and picked her bag up before leaving the room. She didn’t even throw as much as a glance in Toby’s direction before she left.
Toby pressed his thin lips together. His legs instinctively began moving to go after Sonia. “Stand right there!” Rose stopped him with a stern tone.
“Yes, Grandma?” Toby’s footsteps came to a halt.
“What are you doing? Didn’t Sonia just say that she doesn’t need you to send her home?” Rose glared at him. Sheesh. You had a chance to send her home in the past, but you didn’t cherish it. Now, you’re insisting on sending her back when she doesn’t want you to do it. You need to consider her opinion as well!
Toby’s thin lips twitched, looking as if he wanted to say something, but no words came out of his mouth in the end. Rose let out a sigh. “Do you regret your actions now?”
Toby’s eyes glistened, but he still retorted indignantly, “What?”
The old woman gave him a cold scoff. “You can continue faking it if you wish to. I was asking if you regret getting a divorce with Sonia.”
At that moment, Toby felt as if someone had grabbed his heart and twisted it around. He could feel a sore ache in his chest. He had to lower his eyelids to conceal the emotions he felt. “No,” he replied.
