CHAPTER 121: CHAPTER 121: ANNELISE BULLIED SOPHIE

Ivy Summers lowered her head and left silently.

When she arrived at the auction house, she put on a veil and walked into the office. Nina Summers followed her in.

"I thought the Great Auctioneer Zinnia hadn’t shown up for so long because you died."

"Don’t you have anything better to do? You come looking for attention the moment I arrive?" Ivy tidied up the desk and called Joy Quinn in.

Nina had no intention of leaving, leaning on the desk in front of Ivy. "I just think if the Great Auctioneer Zinnia is busy, she should resign and leave the auction house. It would be better for everyone."

"Better for you, I suppose. I’d leave and the position would be yours."

"Without you, the position was originally mine." Nina said viciously.

Ivy chuckled softly. "I heard you had an auction the day before yesterday?"

"That’s right."

"Two items failed to sell, and one auction was null due to your operational error. The complaints even reached President Chambers, though he suppressed them, didn’t he?"

Nina’s expression changed instantly. "You... how do you know?"

She knew about the failed auctions and the operational error, but how did she know about the complaints?

Keith Chambers is her boyfriend, and there’s no way he would leak that.

Ivy didn’t answer her question. "So why do you want the position? To make a joke of yourself?"

"You!"

"Oh, cut it out. Instead of fussing over this, why not learn and improve yourself? By the way, there’s one more thing." Ivy suddenly remembered, "You lost a bet last time, have you been cleaning the warehouse for a month?"

Nina was speechless.

"If you haven’t, start today. A fair bet, a fair loss. Don’t make people think you can’t handle losing."

"Who says I can’t handle losing?"

"Then go ahead and do it. Leave and close the door on your way out."

Nina stormed out with a dark expression.

Joy Quinn saw her sour face and couldn’t help but laugh.

Ivy glanced at her, "What’s so funny?"

"Zinnia, you have no idea how this Nina Summers, because she’s President Chambers’ girlfriend, looks down on all of us. Everyone fears her, and finally, there’s someone who can handle her."

Ivy gently shook her head. How much skill can Nina possibly have?

"By the way, Zinnia, why haven’t you been here for so many days? Everyone’s been speculating."

"It’s nothing. I got into a minor car accident and took a few days to recover."

"Ah!"

A car accident, and she talks about it so casually. Joy was astonished.

"What’s that you’re holding?"

"It’s the sorted commission item information. Also, there’s an item the appraisal department is unsure about and they want you to take a look."

"Okay, I got it."

Ivy took the documents Joy handed her, "You go ahead and get back to work."

Joy nodded, "Alright, I’ll head out then."

"Mm."

Ever since the gourd vase incident, most people had acknowledged Ivy’s skills, which is why the appraisal department wanted her to take a look.

After reviewing the commission items, Ivy went over. In the afternoon, Ivy went to the warehouse and saw Nina with a resentful face cleaning.

Ivy ignored her and began inspecting the auction items.

Ivy finished work at five and, as she went downstairs, saw Nina holding Keith’s hand as they left.

Keith was young and handsome, also the auction house manager. Standing next to him, Nina drew envious stares.

Ivy had taken a taxi that morning, so she had to take another to go back.

As Nina passed by her, she lightly curled her lips, "Zinnia, don’t you have a car? How about taking ours, we’ll give you a ride."

"No need, I already called for a taxi."

Nina looked at her, gently tossing her long hair with a sense of superiority.

Just then, a black luxury car stopped in front of Ivy.

The car window slowly rolled down, revealing a man’s handsome face. Damien Lancaster’s voice was magnetic and pleasant, "Get in."

Ivy didn’t move.

"I’m taking you to see Grandpa."

Ivy hesitated for a moment, then opened the car door and got in.

The car swiftly drove away under the gaze of many.

Nina was dumbfounded.

That car was a?

Rolls-Royce!

Zinnia’s taxi turned out to be a Rolls-Royce?

But that car seemed so familiar.

It looked like the car of President Lancaster, Damien Lancaster.

She hadn’t paid attention to who was inside just now, but she could tell from the voice that it was definitely a man.

Nina immediately took out her phone, opened the camera, zoomed in, and took a distant photo of the car. Then she sent it to Rachel Shaw.

Rachel was still huddled in the hospital, afraid that any moment Damien would come to send her abroad.

When she received Nina’s photo, she opened Nina’s voice message, "Rachel, take a look, is this President Lancaster’s car? It just picked up Zinnia."

Rachel immediately enlarged the photo, but it was so blurry that the license plate couldn’t be read. She couldn’t tell if it was or wasn’t.

Besides, why would Damien go to pick up Zinnia? They weren’t even connected.

Rachel ignored it.

In the car, Ivy Summers and Damien Lancaster remained silent, with Sophie and Annelise Lancaster sitting just as quietly in the back.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Ivy walked with Sophie, who was trailing behind, and asked, "Sophie, why aren’t you talking to your sister Annelise?"

Sophie looked up and shook her head, her expression obviously unhappy.

"Did you have a disagreement with your sister Annelise?"

"No."

Ivy could tell from Sophie’s expression that she was hiding something; Sophie was usually lively and outgoing and wouldn’t act this way otherwise.

Ivy needed to find a chance to have a good talk with Sophie.

Upon reaching Grandpa Lancaster’s ward, Gregory Lancaster and Seraphina Kennedy were already there.

Damien Lancaster knew that Gregory and Seraphina wouldn’t allow Ivy to see Grandpa Lancaster, so he personally brought Ivy here. With Damien present, they held back from speaking.

At the moment, Grandpa was awake, looking much better than last night, and had removed his oxygen mask.

"Grandpa."

"Ivy, you’re here."

Ivy hesitated in addressing Grandpa, fearing he might still be angry with her for her response last night.

But Grandpa wasn’t angry and treated her the same as before.

"Grandpa, are you feeling better now?"

"Much better." Grandpa nodded, "By the way, Seraphina just mentioned my birthday celebration. Ivy, will you be coming to Grandpa’s birthday celebration?"

Ivy nodded, "Yes, Grandpa, I will."

"That’s good." Grandpa smiled kindly.

Grandpa deliberately mentioned this in front of Gregory Lancaster and Seraphina Kennedy to signal to them not to stop her from attending.

"Is this Sophie? Sophie, come over to Great-Grandpa."

Grandpa waved Sophie over.

Sophie obediently walked over.

Seraphina Kennedy said displeased, "Dad, how can you let this child call you Great-Grandpa?"

"Then what should she call me?" Grandpa retorted.

Sophie called Damien Lancaster "Uncle," and since Damien called Grandpa "Grandpa," it was only natural for Sophie to call him "Great-Grandpa."

"Then why don’t you see Annelise." Seraphina brought Annelise to Grandpa, saying, "We’ve already adopted Annelise, she’s also your great-granddaughter."

Grandpa glanced at Annelise, without any intention to ignore her, just that he preferred Sophie.

He liked her from the first moment.

However, since the adoption process was completed, she was also a Lancaster child. Grandpa waved Annelise over as well, "Annelise, come over to Great-Grandpa too."

Annelise obediently stood by Grandpa’s side, and even handed him a glass of water after turning around, subtly nudging Sophie aside, "Great-Grandpa, have some water."

"Alright."

Seraphina was very satisfied with Annelise’s behavior.

Annelise stealthily glanced at Sophie, her expression somewhat smug.

Ivy noticed Annelise’s little actions and expressions earlier, sensing that Annelise held significant hostility towards Sophie.

Upon leaving, Ivy took Sophie away under the pretense of going to the bathroom.

"Sophie, now it’s just you and Mommy. Tell Mommy, has your sister Annelise been bullying you?"

Ivy had a keen sense and also knew that some children could be bullied by older kids.

Annelise was two years older and taller than Sophie, having grown up in an orphanage, her maturity often surpassing other kids of her age.

Sophie pursed her small lips; she had promised not to tattle on Annelise as long as she stopped doing hurtful things to her.

Sophie didn’t want to break her word, so she shook her head, "No, Mommy."

"Then why aren’t you and your sister Annelise playing together? You didn’t speak on the car ride or just now."

"Sophie... Sophie just doesn’t want to play with sister Annelise, and sister Annelise doesn’t want to play with Sophie either."

"Is that all?"

Sophie nodded vigorously, her bright eyes looking up, "Mommy, I miss my brothers, I want to go back to Yrador, I don’t want to stay here anymore."

Ivy picked Sophie up, "Mommy is trying, Mommy also wants to go back soon. After we celebrate Grandpa’s birthday, I’ll see if I can send you back to Yrador to be with your brothers."

Sophie hugged Ivy’s neck, her chubby face resting on Ivy’s shoulder, "Okay."

Ivy wasn’t comfortable leaving Sophie with Damien and sensed her unhappiness.

After they walked outside, Sophie climbed down from Ivy and held her hand. Damien opened the car door seeing them come out.

Ivy let Sophie get in the car first and then turned to Damien, "Damien, I need to discuss something with you."

"Go ahead."

"You’re usually busy, why don’t you let Sophie stay with me? I can take care of her."

"You take care of Sophie?" Damien’s gaze deepened as he looked at Ivy’s serious face, "Why? Aren’t you busy with work?"

"Damien, have you not noticed that Sophie is unhappy?"

"Where is she unhappy? She seems quite happy."

Ivy was speechless, wondering if in Damien’s eyes, unless someone was crying, they were considered happy.

"Sophie’s little face is almost turning sour, can’t you see?"

"I don’t see that."

Ivy gritted her teeth.

Infuriating.

"I specifically asked Annelise to play with her, how could she be unhappy?"

Seraphina had sent Annelise over and at first, Damien had refused. However, thinking about Sophie at home,

Annelise could play with Sophie, and the two kids could be companions, so Damien agreed.

Why would Sophie be unhappy?