CHAPTER 129: CHAPTER 129: DOING SOMETHING EXPLICIT WITH JULIAN SINCLAIR [HERE COMES AMBIGUITY!]

Soon, Timothy Xavier arrived.

Doris started crying again, although it was somewhat of an act.

Having been with Serena Sawyer for so long, she had learned how to act cute from her.

She also knew that her father always fell for it!

When Timothy saw his daughter crying so hard she could barely breathe, he picked her up, distressed, and consoled her, "Alright, Doris, don’t cry. Dad will take you to rescue Mom right now. I’ll contact someone soon; your mom will be fine."

Although, before coming, Serena had played Doris’s earlier phone recording for him, where Doris had fiercely cursed a woman who had just had a miscarriage to ’go to hell.’

He had originally intended to educate his daughter properly.

But seeing Doris crying so pitifully like this, he couldn’t bring himself to say any words of reproach.

So, he took her downstairs and let her into the car.

However, Doris refused to sit in the front seat and ran to the back.

He could tell she was still angry.

Timothy sighed helplessly, glancing at his daughter through the rearview mirror while driving, and asked, "Doris, Dad wants to talk to you."

Doris turned her little face towards the window with an indifferent look, responding, "Isn’t it just that bad woman complaining again? What’s there to talk about? Anyway, it’s not my fault, and I won’t admit it!"

Timothy frowned tightly.

This uncommunicative, stubborn, and cold demeanor really reminded him of Zoe Ellison!

Timothy said in a deep voice, "No matter what, your mom Serena has raised you for so many years. You shouldn’t say such vicious things to her."

Doris emotionlessly replied, "She raised me, but didn’t you treat her very well too? You gave her so many jewelry gifts, she didn’t lose out! Besides, she raised me, but my mom gave birth to me! You had me watch a childbirth video last time; my mom is the one who suffered the most!"

Timothy was completely puzzled by her string of logic and didn’t know how to educate her anymore.

Although Doris had always been articulate, she had never spoken so maturely before.

Who taught her this? Who instilled these ideas in her?

If he were to let this child be raised by Zoe Ellison again, what would become of her in the future?

Thinking of this, Timothy tightly gripped the steering wheel, seemingly pondering something.

...

At the police station.

Sharon and I were questioned separately.

I explained in detail the circumstances surrounding Mason Hawthorne entrusting me with Sharon’s care and the incident when Mrs. Hawthorne, Jessica Young, came over to cause trouble; the police also meticulously verified the details.

Afterward, they tried to contact Mason Hawthorne.

Mason confirmed the fostering matter over the phone.

Once Sharon finished recording her statement, the police carefully checked her for any signs of abuse and, confirming there were none, said to me, "Ms. Ellison, after investigation, illegal detention isn’t established. You are free to go."

I felt a relief, just as I was about to ask if Sharon could leave with me, I heard the police continue, "Sharon’s mother, Jessica Young, has already come to the police station and taken Sharon back."

My heart sank deeply, and I pressed on, "But Sharon’s father entrusted me to care for the child. You should at least have his consent!"

Considering Mrs. Hawthorne’s behavior towards Sharon, I still felt more at ease with Sharon being with Mason.

But the police stated matter-of-factly, "Jessica Young is Sharon’s legal guardian. As long as Mason doesn’t object and there is no evidence proving she’s unfit to have custody, she is entitled to take the child. We’ve also emphasized to Jessica Young that she must not mistreat the child, and we will continue to monitor the situation."

I was filled with worry yet powerless to argue.

Ultimately, I’m not Sharon’s relative, and I don’t even have the right to keep her.

As I walked out of the police station, a cold wind hit my face.

A black business car suddenly stopped in front of me.

Timothy got out first, followed by Doris running out of the car.

Seeing me, she joyfully leaped into my arms, "Mom! You’re out!"

Timothy walked over and said, "I came as soon as I got Doris’s call, ready to rescue you."

I looked at him coldly, "I haven’t broken any laws; I was just cooperating with an investigation. Did I need rescuing from you?"

The warmth on Timothy’s face instantly dropped, and his tone chilled as well, "I guess I was just meddling!"

"Sorry for making you take a useless trip."

I no longer looked at him, lowering my head to tidy Doris’s windblown hair.

Doris lay in my arms, asking curiously, "Mom, where is Sharon? Why didn’t she come out with you?"

Mentioning Sharon weighed heavily on my heart again, and I replied gloomily, "Her mom took her back to The Hawthorne Family."

"That bad woman who slapped Sharon?"

Doris became anxious immediately, lifting her head from my embrace, "Then won’t Sharon get slapped every day if she goes back? She can’t be Sharon’s real mom!"

I was stunned momentarily, looking at Doris in surprise, "How do you know that?"

Doris glanced at Timothy and said to me, "Stepmothers are the worst! Only real moms are truly good to their kids! Only stupid dad would find a stepmother for a child!"

Timothy recognized Doris’s hint and frowned, "What stepmother or real mother? From the moment you were born, Serena raised you. What happened in these past few days for you to forget all the years of grace? Doris, people shouldn’t be so ungrateful!"

Though his words were directed at Doris, his gaze focused on me, seemingly as a reprimand.

Doris leaned further into my embrace and said indignantly, "My mom told me! You were the one who gave me to that bad woman when I was little, leaving me no choice but to be away from my real mom! She did nothing good for me. Also, she tricked everyone; I didn’t push her! She still owes me an apology!"

Timothy’s face grew darker. He glanced at me and said, "What are you feeding this child every day?"

I calmly replied, "Aren’t I just stating facts?"

Timothy was momentarily speechless, then his face turned cold again, "My attorney must have come to see you, right?"

At the thought of Julian Sinclair, my heart ached slightly, but I forced myself to not let it show.

I ignored him and instead said to Doris, "Shall we go home?"

Timothy, as if fearing I might take his daughter away, suddenly softened his voice and said to Doris, "Daddy bought you a whole cabinet of Labubu blind boxes and the limited edition Lego set you wanted last time. If you come home with Daddy, you can open the blind boxes right away. Don’t you love opening blind boxes?"

I had thought, since Doris was raised by Timothy, and with Timothy’s tempting offers, the little girl might waver.

But Doris only hesitated for a couple of seconds before shaking her head, "I won’t go back. I want to be with my mom. Wherever she is, I want to be. Even if there’s no full set of Labubu or a toy room here, I’m very happy every day. Because Mom will never abandon me or wrongfully accuse me."

The smile on Timothy’s face froze, and he looked at Doris incredulously, a hint of loss appearing.

He said, "Doris, Daddy wouldn’t abandon you either. Talking like that makes Daddy sad."

Doris looked at him with a seriousness beyond her years, "Then why did you abandon my mom? Why did you bully her before? She was also very sad when you hurt her."

Timothy stared at his daughter in shock, as if not quite recognizing her.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately failed to utter a word, standing frozen, face alternating between pale and flushed.

At that moment, Doris suddenly sneezed a few times.

The early spring night wind was still chilly, and her little nose instantly turned red.

Timothy instinctively took a step forward, "It’s too windy, get in the car first. If you don’t want to come home with me, you don’t have to. But don’t catch a cold and get sick!"

Saying that, he personally opened the car door, looking at Doris.

Doris held my hand and looked up, asking, "Are we getting in his car?"

I glanced at Timothy Xavier’s tense face and said to Doris, "How about we take a taxi back?"

Doris nodded.

Just then, a taxi passed by, and I hurriedly waved it down.

Doris and I got in the car, but Timothy Xavier stayed where he was.

The streetlight cast its glow on him, stretching his shadow long. The usual confident demeanor was gone, leaving only undisguised desolation, as if...there was a hint of the despair of a family falling apart.

On the way, Doris leaned against me, saying little throughout the ride.

When we got home and opened the door, the house was quiet.

The newly bought bunk bed was missing someone; Sharon’s lower bunk was empty. Her little rabbit plush toy lay there all alone.

Doris pouted and her eyes reddened; she whispered, "Sometimes I found her annoying, always competing with me for Mom. But now, I kind of miss her."

Before I could say anything, my phone rang.

The screen showed "Mason Hawthorne," and I quickly picked it up.

Mason Hawthorne’s slightly weary voice came through the phone, "Miss Ellison, I’m sorry for what happened today and for the trouble it caused you. I’m aware of Sharon’s situation. My wife’s temper has always been bad, and I’ll talk to her properly when I get back."

I replied seriously, "Today your wife slapped Sharon right in front of me outside my house, and it pained and angered me. I know I’m just an outsider without a standing to interfere in your family matters. But since Sharon calls you Dad, please make sure to protect her and don’t let her be wronged."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end before Mason Hawthorne’s voice came back more somber, "Alright, I understand. Thank you for taking care of Sharon during this time. Get some rest, and I’ll contact you if there’s anything."

After hanging up, Doris looked up and asked, "Mom, does this mean I won’t see Sharon at kindergarten tomorrow?"

I nodded, saying, "Her home is in Silverstream, and her mom will probably take her back to the Hawthorne Family. She might not go to kindergarten anymore."

"Does this mean we might never see her again?"

Doris lowered her head in dejection, "It’s a pity Sharon doesn’t even have a phone. Otherwise, we could call or video chat with her."

After a tiring day, I felt exhausted and had a splitting headache. My heart felt unbearably heavy.

I comforted Doris, "Stop thinking too much now and go to sleep, sweetheart. In a few days, I’ll try to contact Mr. Hawthorne to find out how Sharon is doing at the Hawthorne Family and see if she’s alright."

Only then did Doris slowly head to the bathroom to wash up.

...

The next day, just as I arrived at the company, my colleague informed me that a dignified lady was waiting for me in the reception room.

When I got to the reception room, I realized it was Sophia Kendall.

Seeing me enter, her eyes were filled with venom as she said, "I heard it was you who insisted on keeping me in detention for a week?"

I replied coldly, "If child abuse warranted a year or ten in detention, I believe I would still insist on it. Unfortunately, it was only a week."

The week had long since passed.

Now, Sophia Kendall had obviously freshened up and still carried the demeanor of a wealthy lady.

She spoke with a mocking tone, "I heard that Julian Sinclair asked you to sign some papers, and you refused? What, realized that Julian Sinclair isn’t interested in you, that you can’t hope for the position of Mrs. Sinclair, and now you want to cling to our Timothy?"

I didn’t take the bait and directly asked, "What exactly do you want from me?"

Sophia Kendall suddenly slammed a stack of documents onto the coffee table in front of me, "Sign it! You caused the death of my grandson and still want to cling to the Xavier Family? Let me tell you, as long as I’m here, you’ll never set foot in our Xavier Family’s door again!"

I didn’t even glance at the divorce papers and said, "Since you are so determined that Serena is your future daughter-in-law and want her to join the family quickly, then give me custody of Doris. I don’t want a penny of the Xavier Family’s property or house. I just want my daughter."

Sophia Kendall laughed coldly as if she had heard the biggest joke, "You’re dreaming! Doris was only with you for a few days and already helped you cause Serena’s miscarriage. Such a vicious heart! If you were to raise her further, would she not bite back at the Xavier Family when she grows up? A woman like you has no right to be a mother!"

"Since you’re unwilling to negotiate, there’s no other way; I’ll see you in court."

I packed up the documents and said firmly, "Also, this is my workplace, not a place for you to cause trouble. Don’t come looking for me here again. I’ll send you my lawyer’s contact information. If there are any issues, have your lawyer talk to mine."

With that, I turned to leave, but Sophia Kendall suddenly called out to me.

Her voice carried a chilling hint of amusement, "Zoe Ellison, don’t be so quick to leave. I forgot to tell you something. Serena and Mrs. Hawthorne are on good terms. I hear the Young Family wants to work with a big client recently. Coincidentally, that client is a pedophile."

My steps came to an abrupt halt, and my heart clenched tightly.

Sophia Kendall leisurely walked over to me, lowered her voice, and said every word with a venomous intent, "Serena gave Mrs. Hawthorne an idea. Mrs. Hawthorne happens to have a ’spare’ child. Do you think the client will be satisfied with sending that little girl over? I wonder if that little girl has learned anything from you about seducing men and if she can help the Young Family clinch the deal."

I looked at her in disbelief. Her words shocked me to the icy core.

"Sharon is only four years old! She’s just four!"

Fuming with rage, my body trembled, almost driving my nails into my palms.

Sophia Kendall snorted dismissively with a face full of schadenfreude, "I hear that client is over fifty, still fond of little girls. Tsk tsk, I really wonder what that girl Sharon will become in the future?"

I couldn’t listen any longer and pushed past her to run out of the rest area.

I pulled out my phone, fumbling anxiously to dial Mason Hawthorne’s number, my fingers shaking with tension.

I didn’t know whether Sophia Kendall was making things up or if there was truth in it.

So I could only reach out to Mason Hawthorne to confirm and, in passing, remind him to protect Sharon.

The call rang several times before it was answered, but the voice on the other side was Jessica Young’s sharp tone, "Zoe Ellison, what business does a discarded woman from the Xavier Family have calling my husband all the time!"

"Mrs. Hawthorne, I’m not here for Mr. Hawthorne, I’m here for Sharon!"

I was so anxious my voice changed pitch.

Jessica Young scoffed, her tone filled with disdain, "I raised her for four years, giving her good food and clothes. Now that she’s had enough of being a rich daughter, what’s wrong with helping the family a bit? It’s her blessing! As for Mason, he’s busy; he doesn’t have time to deal with trivial matters like this with you. Don’t call again!"

And with that, the call was hung up.

Standing in the corridor with my phone in hand, I felt an icy chill shoot straight from my feet to my head.

So, what Sophia Kendall said wasn’t just alarmist talk; it was true!

With all my rationality, I told myself that Sharon had no blood ties to me, that I was just an outsider, and that I shouldn’t meddle in other people’s affairs!

But in this period, that soft little girl was so kind, so pure.

She’s only four years old!

To let her lie under a pervert.

I couldn’t imagine...

In the end, my conscience prevailed over rationality.

Without even taking leave from my boss, I left the company, flagged down a taxi, and headed straight for Apex Law Firm.

The only person I could think of now was Julian Sinclair.

...

Apex Law Firm.

I pulled out my press card and said, "I’m here to interview Attorney Sinclair."

The receptionist checked some information and said, "Sorry, I don’t have any appointment information for you here."

I feigned composure and said, "I have a separate appointment with Attorney Sinclair’s assistant, Leo Grant. You can call him."

The receptionist nodded and had just picked up the phone when I rushed into the elevator and pressed Julian Sinclair’s floor.

By the time the receptionist realized and tried to follow me, the elevator doors had already closed and started to ascend.

When I reached the top floor, I ran straight to Julian Sinclair’s office and pushed the door open.

After all, given my current relationship with Julian Sinclair, if I don’t do it this way, he might not see me at all.

Inside the office, Leo Grant was saying to Julian Sinclair, "Attorney Sinclair, this is all of Miss Ellison’s treatment and history related to her depression."

As he was speaking, I, the person they were discussing, appeared right in front of them.

Leo Grant was startled, as if he’d seen a ghost.

Julian Sinclair was clearly taken aback as well and said to Leo Grant, "Leave it here, and you can go out now!"

I glanced at the thick stack of medical records on the table, out of breath.

Julian Sinclair had investigated me thoroughly!

They were determined to take my daughter away!

And now they wanted to stab me in the heart with Sharon one more time!

Once Julian Sinclair saw that I had calmed my breath, he asked indifferently, "What do you need?"

While speaking, he placed the medical records about me into the drawer beside him.

Apparently, he was avoiding me.

He must have thought I had come to beg him about the custody issue until I opened my mouth and said, "They’re going to deliver Sharon to some old pervert who is a pedophile. I can’t reach Mason Hawthorne, so I could only come to ask you for help."

Julian Sinclair furrowed his brows deeply and called Mason Hawthorne.

Because Julian Sinclair personally called, Jessica Young didn’t dare to brush him off, and she asked Mason Hawthorne, who was in a company meeting, to take the call.

Whatever was said on the other end, Julian Sinclair’s brow furrowed even more deeply.

Then, he ended the call.

I pressed, "Well? Where’s Sharon now?"

Julian Sinclair sighed and said, "Jessica Young placed her with the Young Family, and for now, they haven’t sent her over."

My heart sank heavily, and I asked, "Does Mason Hawthorne know that the Youngs plan to send Sharon to..."

I was so distressed I couldn’t finish my sentence.

Julian Sinclair avoided my gaze and said, "The situation in the Hawthorne Family is very complicated; Mason Hawthorne has his own helpless reasons."

"What do you mean by that?"

I asked incredulously, "So, Mason Hawthorne isn’t going to care about Sharon anymore? Is he just going to let his wife do such insane things?"

Julian Sinclair’s face was unemotional as he coldly said, "I believe Mason Hawthorne won’t turn a blind eye. But I can’t meddle in other families’ affairs; in families like ours, even a minor move can cause a chain reaction."

"But what about Sharon?"

My heart felt like it was being sliced with a knife, and even speaking became difficult: "She trusts us so much, she calls you Uncle Sinclair and me Auntie Ellison. She said we are like her parents, she..."

Julian Sinclair cut me off suddenly, his voice almost indifferent: "Take care of your own affairs first!"

At that moment, I had thought Julian Sinclair was different.

Even if he was helping Timothy Xavier with the lawsuit, I still held a glimmer of hope for him.

But in truth, he was no different from any other person in power.

Cold, selfish, and self-serving are labels they can’t strip off.

My hands tightened around themselves as I recalled what Mason Hawthorne had said to me that day at The Ellison Family’s house.

Thinking back to Julian Sinclair’s seemingly incidental approach over this time, I steeled my resolve and spoke with difficulty.

My voice trembled with embarrassment: "That day, Mr. Hawthorne said you’re a proponent of non-marriage, and that you... want a mistress."

Julian Sinclair’s brow tightened instantly, and he suddenly looked up at me, his expression unreadable: "So what?"

I took a deep breath and said, "If I agree, can you... save Sharon?"

He remained silent, his deep gaze scrutinizing my face and body, making me feel completely uncomfortable.

After a long while, he suddenly let out a low laugh, but the laughter didn’t reach his eyes. "Miss Ellison, you and I are both adults. What are you promising me? Are mere words enough?"

As soon as he said this, he pressed a button on the remote control, and the blinds in the office slowly closed, completely blocking out external light.

He leaned back in his chair, his gaze like a net, securely locking onto me: "Show me your sincerity."

I froze entirely, staring at him in shock.

It turned out he was no different from other men who were well-versed in these unspoken rules and invasions.

Helplessness washed over me like a tide; my throat was tight, and even breathing became difficult.

I awkwardly avoided his gaze, speaking softly, "This is an office. Can’t we... change the place?"

"No." Julian Sinclair’s thin lips barely moved, his words cold as ice.

In that moment, I found Julian Sinclair to be a complete stranger.

Seeing me hesitate, his tone became even colder: "I don’t like forcing things. If you’re so unwilling, it’s meaningless. You can leave now!"

He issued the expulsion order, but my feet felt like they were filled with lead and wouldn’t move.

Because I knew that once I stepped out of this door, Sharon would be handed over to that pedophile, and her life would be ruined forever.

Tears burned in my eyes and nose as I held them back desperately, my fingers trembling as I undid the buttons of my knit cardigan one by one.

Despair and helplessness pressed on me, making it hard to breathe.

Julian Sinclair’s gaze grew intense, the darkness in his eyes swirling with complex emotions, his Adam’s apple moving unconsciously.

He stared at me like this, his gaze never leaving an inch.

The office’s heating was more than enough, yet I felt so cold I trembled.

The cardigan slipped off, and I slowly removed the thin layer underneath, leaving only my underwear when Julian Sinclair suddenly stood up and walked towards me.

Startled, I closed my eyes tightly, my whole body trembling uncontrollably.

But the anticipated touch never came. He leaned slightly closer, his warm breath sweeping past my ear, each word laced with biting cold: "What makes you think that I, Julian Sinclair, would take a married woman as a mistress? Zoe Ellison, you overestimate yourself and underestimate me."

His words were like a sharp slap, hitting me hard on the face.

I opened my eyes abruptly, my cheeks burning with shame, the feeling surging from my feet to my head, making me want to find a hole to hide in.

In a panic, I turned around, reaching behind me to fasten my bra’s clasp.

But my hands were trembling too much, and no matter what I did, I couldn’t fasten it, my frustration growing.

That’s when Julian Sinclair slowly walked to stand behind me, his warm fingers gently taking over my chaotic hands.

His fingertips brushed against the skin of my back, sending a shiver down my spine; I froze, forgetting to breathe.

His movements were gentle, and he quickly fastened the clasp, without saying a word throughout.

Once done, he turned back to his desk, picking up documents and signing them, as if nothing had happened, as if I didn’t exist half-naked in front of him.

I hastily grabbed my clothes from the floor, struggling to put them back on.

After dressing, I dared not look at him again and made my way toward the door without even saying goodbye, keeping my head low.

Just as I was about to open the door to leave, his voice suddenly came from behind, carrying a hint of barely detectable anger: "What? Since I won’t help, are you planning to plead with Timothy Xavier?"

I paused my steps and turned back, looking at him confusedly.

Julian Sinclair looked at me and said, "If he asked you to undress, would you do it just like you did earlier?"

Shame and anger surged up instantly. My eyes reddened, and I spoke with suppressed fury, "Attorney Sinclair, does humiliating a woman bring you joy? I know this is my overestimation, and I came here in vain! This won’t happen again in the future!"

After saying that, I pulled the door open, intending to leave.

Just then, he suddenly said, "Go home first and wait for my news."

His tone was calm, with a hint of helplessness.

I jerked my head back, hardly believing my ears.

So... he agreed?

My mind didn’t react for a moment, and in the next second, an indescribable excitement surged in my heart.

It turns out that he’s not really cold-blooded; he does have warmth.

But when I thought of the awkwardness and embarrassment in the office just now, my cheeks burned again, and my voice became soft, "Then I’ll... I’ll wait for your news, you... must hurry."

The rest of the words remained unsaid but were full of pleading.

Julian Sinclair didn’t even lift his head, still looking at the document in his hand, only responded with a faint "Hmm."

I didn’t say more, gently closed the door, and left his office.

As soon as I walked out the door of the law firm, the cold wind outside blew against me, carrying the chill of early spring.

But even so, it didn’t blow away the remaining heat on my cheeks.

The shameful and awkward scenes just now lingered in my mind.

...

In the office.

Julian Sinclair asked the secretary to bring in a glass of ice water.

He tilted his head back and drank the entire bottle in one go. The icy liquid slid down his throat but didn’t suppress the turmoil inside.

He sat at the desk, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the cup.

After a long contemplation, he finally picked up the internal phone and called Leo Grant in.

"Tell the Young Family, I agree to their proposal."

Julian Sinclair’s tone was flat, as if he was talking about something insignificant.

Leo Grant froze all of a sudden, full of disbelief, "Attorney Sinclair, you... you’re not joking, right? Anyone can see that the Young Family’s case has no prospects. Didn’t you directly veto it at first? And I’ve heard that they’ve been looking for partners everywhere recently, but no one in the industry thinks highly of this proposal, not even the Hawthorne Family dares to get involved."

Leo Grant cautiously reminded him.

Having followed Julian Sinclair for many years, he knew his boss had always been shrewd and never did unprofitable business.

He thought that Julian’s sudden change of mind meant there was a way to turn the deal from loss to profit.

But from the boss’s expression, it seemed there was no such way yet.

Julian Sinclair didn’t explain much, just repeated calmly, "Go ahead, do as I say."

Leo Grant was still bewildered, then suddenly seemed to think of something and added, "Oh, by the way, Attorney Sinclair, I’ve also heard that it seems the Young Family has already found a potential partner, but the other party hasn’t signed the contract yet. Wouldn’t it be inappropriate to interfere now?"

He couldn’t help but speak more, after all, Julian Sinclair had always been one to keep his word and rarely did such "undercutting" actions.

If this got out, it wouldn’t sound good to his reputation either.

In order to take on a business that he knew would be a loss, he did something so disruptively.

This wasn’t consistent with the boss’s style at all.

Julian knew very well that the Young Family’s business was a hot potato, whoever took it would be foolish.

The Young Family just wanted someone to share the loss with them.

He wasn’t without money to lose, but collaborating with people like the Young Family seemed a bit beneath him.

But what else could he do?

Every time he thought of Zoe Ellison possibly doing such things in front of others for Sharon, his heart felt choked and stifled.

He sighed slightly, looked up at Leo Grant, and with a more assertive tone, said, "Contact the Young Family now, let them know I can sign the contract immediately. But the premise is to bring Sharon back to me."

Leo Grant was utterly stunned, opened his mouth but couldn’t comprehend the logic.

For the sake of a child, the boss was going to invest in an obviously loss-making case?

But looking at Julian Sinclair’s eyes, Leo Grant knew his decision was firm, so he didn’t ask more, only nodded and agreed, "Alright, I’ll take care of it now."

Not long after Leo Grant left, Julian Sinclair’s phone suddenly rang, showing Mason Hawthorne’s call.

He hit the answer button, and Mason’s slightly agitated voice immediately came through, "Julian, are you crazy? You’re really getting involved with the Young Family’s mess?"

Leaning back in the chair, Julian’s voice was cold, "How dare you ask me? If you have the ability, have Sharon brought back from the Young Family yourself! For so many years, you and Jessica Young have been dragging things on without any resolution. The child is suffering by staying with you! If you can’t, see if you can alter the adoption agreement, she’d be better off with Zoe Ellison."

Mason paused and said, "That day when Jessica took Sharon away, I had people watching the Young Family. If they dare send Sharon to that lecherous old man, I will step in. Who knew you’d act so quickly and get involved first."

Julian’s brow throbbed in anger, he said, "What’s the use of saying hindsight now? What were you doing earlier!"

On the other end, Mason suddenly chuckled slightly, his tone somewhat teasing, "Hey, I say, did Zoe Ellison come to you? Was I giving you a chance to score some points in front of her? If she knew you made such a big sacrifice to save Sharon, wouldn’t she be moved to tears and surrender obediently?"

Julian furrowed his brow, his voice cold, "I almost forgot to ask you, what did you say to her privately?"

Mason paused, pretending to be dumb, "Well, I’ve said a lot to her, which part are you referring to?"

"In the future, stay out of my business!"

Julian’s voice carried a hint of anger, "If I find out you’re talking nonsense in front of her again, don’t blame me for turning against you."

Having said that, without waiting for Mason’s response, he hung up the phone directly and tossed his phone onto the desk, his eyes still holding unresolved anger.

...

In the evening, I picked Doris up and returned home, but neither of us had much of an appetite.

I casually made some tomato noodles. After eating, Doris went to her room to play with her Legos.

And I kept waiting for Julian Sinclair’s news.

Until past midnight, my phone remained exceptionally quiet.

Feeling uncontrollably anxious, a hundred possibilities flashed through my mind— would Julian Sinclair go back on his word? Had Sharon already been handed over to that pervert?

Thinking of this, I took out my phone, ready to call Julian Sinclair.

But just as I pressed his name, his call came through first.

My heart tightened, and I hurried to answer, "Hello."

I spoke nervously. On the other side came his deep voice, "Open the door."

I was stunned and confusedly asked, "Open... open what door?"

Immediately, my doorbell rang.

I didn’t expect Julian Sinclair to come so late at night.

When the door opened, the warm yellow light spilled from the living room, and I instantly saw Julian Sinclair standing at the door, holding Sharon’s hand.