“I don’t mean to impose myself on you, but you’ve got to think about our family. And besides, is it really good for someone as naive as Miss Goodwin to live in our family?” Martha argued calmly. “Our family has a complicated background and an extensive network of influence. If you let a lady who knows nothing be the lady of the house, she’ll panic!”
“You’re overthinking it, Grandma. She and I have yet to reach that point in our relationship,” Arthur said, comforting her. “I’ve got something else to deal with, so I gotta go.”
After leaving through the door, Arthur crooked his finger at the bodyguard from earlier, who immediately came over with his head down, saying, “Young Master Weiss.”
Arthur’s good-looking face clouded over instantly. “Who allowed you to betray me?!”
“I’m sorry, Young Master Weiss, but I didn’t betray you. I saw someone when I came out of your study.”
“Who is it?”
“Miss Jennings has eavesdropped on our conversation.” The bodyguard wouldn’t take the blame in place of someone else either.
Arthur trusted his bodyguard, so he turned to walk toward the garden, where Emily was sitting by the swimming pool and chatting with a friend over the phone. Hearing the footsteps behind her, she looked back and hung up the phone before walking up to him happily. “Artie.”
“Did you tell my grandma about Sophia losing my family heirloom?” Arthur asked in a calm voice.
Emily’s face instantly turned crimson. Biting her lower lip, she said, “Sorry, Artie, but it’s such a big deal that I had to tell Grandma about it.”
Arthur’s eyes turned frosty in an instant. He warned, “There will be no next time.”
Emily’s heart clenched for an instant. Only then did she realize the gravity of the situation. “Sorry, Artie. I’m really sorry, but Sophia Goodwin is the most doggone person for losing such a valuable thing of yours! She’s got no idea how valuable the family heirloom is.”
“Don’t let me hear you vilify Sophia ever again, or get out of my home,” Arthur said before turning around to leave.
Emily held onto his arm in panic. “Forgive me, Artie! Forgive me, please, okay?”
Arthur pulled his arm out of her grasp in disgust. “Don’t touch me.”
Emily looked at his ruthless figure from behind in disbelief before a surge of resentment swept over her. What has Sophia done to cause my relationship with Artie to become like this?
Sophia gave a loud sneeze in the office. Startled, she mumbled, “Who’s swearing at me?”
Just then, her cell phone rang, and she picked it up. Seeing that it was an incoming call from an unfamiliar number, she answered it, saying, “Hello. May I ask who this is?”
“Sophia, I’m Emily Jennings. Let’s meet up!” Emily’s voice sounded.
Sophia was stunned for a moment. Then, she replied politely, “I’m sorry, Miss Jennings, but I’m working.”
“Did you lose the Weiss Family’s heirloom? Sophia Goodwin, you have no idea how important the heirloom is to Artie. It’s been passed down in their family for 200 years; it’s even more important than your life!” Emily’s furious voice sounded on the other end of the line. “Sophia, do you know that the family heirloom is mine? It’s what I’m supposed to pass down to Artie and my children! Get it back for me—now!”
Sophia was stunned by Emily’s shrill and deafening voice.
“If you can’t find it, then stay away and stop latching onto my Artie. You’re not qualified to marry him. He’s out of your league!” Emily said before hanging up.
Sophia inhaled softly. Little did she think she had lost something so valuable that belonged to Arthur. Although she didn’t mean it, she was now overwhelmed with a strong sense of self-reproach.
Just then, Grace knocked on the door and came in to bring her a cup of coffee. “Sophia, the funeral will be held tomorrow. Dress in black. We’ll see Old Madam Presgrave off for one last time with President Tillman.”
“Okay!” Sophia nodded.
Candles were lit in the Presgrave Residence’s living room, where a photo of Harriet was placed on the altar for the visitors to pay their last respects. The candlelight illuminated her smile and her benign features. The arrangements had been made so that she would be escorted to her final resting place tomorrow.
