Chapter 221

Sophia wept helplessly: "I won't... I won't run away, never again."

Ethan smirked before lowering his head to claim her lips.

What followed was inevitable—the culmination of his six-year search.

This was the sanctuary she had devoted her body and soul to for six long years.

Later, Sophia drifted into slumber in Ethan's arms, though even in sleep, silent tears traced her cheeks.

He sat up, cradling her, brushing away the crystalline droplets before wrapping her in a plush towel from the vanity.

She slept deeply, her arms instinctively encircling his neck for balance, like a child seeking comfort in a mother's embrace—fragile and trusting.

After drying her hair, he laid her gently on the bed, watching her peaceful expression. Sleep eluded him.

Retrieving a cigar from the nightstand, he lit it, exhaling smoke as he studied her face.

Her skin remained as flawless as six years ago, yet her features were sharper, her cheeks hollowed. Ethan noted how her face now fit within the span of his palm.

Her frame was frailer, like a delicate leaf.

What kind of life had she endured these past years?

Midway through his cigar, his phone buzzed.

A glance confirmed it was his father.

Six years ago, when his mother Victoria fell gravely ill, his father and aunt had been abroad—his aunt seeking treatment after Ethan dismantled her sons' power.

His father had stayed to placate her, only returning half a year later, long after Victoria's burial.

The man had wept at her grave, begging Ethan to relocate it to the Blackwood family plot.

Ethan refused.

Their relationship was nominal at best.

Though his father frequently inquired about his marital status, Ethan rarely visited.

Why call so late?

He answered curtly: "Father?"

"Ethan." Richard Blackwood's voice was urgent. "The woman you brought back today..."

"What about her?" Ethan stubbed out his cigar, glancing down as Sophia tensed in his arms.

"I heard she was in Harborview six years ago? That she targeted you through your mother? Rumor has it she ensnared several wealthy heirs back then?" Richard probed cautiously.

Ethan's tone turned glacial. "Get to the point."

"Ethan." His aunt Eleanor's hesitant voice replaced his father's. "I know I've no right to advise you, but... after you left your grandfather's hospital room today, your father received calls. They say the seductress has returned."

"That you've captured the witch this time and won't go easy on her. They claim she's the one who ruined your engagement to Isabella Thornton?"

Ethan's reply was scathing. "You're correct—you've no right."

Eleanor fell silent.

Richard interjected angrily, "Watch your tone!"

Ethan was unmoved. "Anything else? I'm hanging up."

"Wait!" Richard snapped. "Benjamin Thornton and his wife came to us. They insist that woman is a calamity—a master manipulator! Ethan, don't forget, Isabella miscarried because of you!"

"She was your fiancée, approved by William Thornton himself! You can disregard others, but not the Thornton family!"

Ethan remained silent.

Seizing the pause, Richard pressed, "Benjamin claims you brought her back to punish her. Is that true?"

Ethan's laugh was icy. "What if it is?"

"Then dispose of her quickly! That executive from your aunt's company wanted her today—why didn't you hand her over? Your grandfather's health is fragile. Don't aggravate him further!"

The line went dead.

Ethan set the phone down, only to find Sophia awake, her gaze averted.

"Awake?" His voice was a deep rumble.

She didn't respond, staring at the sheets.

"Did you hear?"

A nod. "Yes."

Her voice wavered. "Could you... turn around? I need to dress. Then we can talk."

Ethan exhaled smoke, studying her through the haze. Sophia shrank under his scrutiny, vulnerability etched across her features.

Finishing his cigar, he finally spoke. "Say what you need to now."

Sophia hesitated, hands fluttering to rest against his chest. "You're punishing me, aren't you? That... that bald executive at the hospital—he's next?"

Her voice broke. "How many men must I endure before you'll let my daughter live?"

Ethan's grip tightened, his gaze turning lethal. "Repeat that."