Chapter 306
The tiny flame exploded into a blaze the instant it touched the fabric, fire racing across the room like a flood with nothing to stop it, devouring everything in its path.
Seeing this, Sofia suddenly realized what that smell was when she first walked in. It was the smell of gasoline hidden under aromatherapy.
“You lunatic,” she snapped. Sofia finally lost her composure, scrambling toward the door in a panic, desperate to escape.
But no matter how hard she tried, the door wouldn’t budge; it was like it had been welded to the wall.
“Help. Somebody, help me. Open the door, please.” Sofia frantically banged on the door, hoping the bodyguards outside would hear her and come to her rescue.
Xavier just stood there, his face full of scorn as he looked at her. “Quit screaming. It’s pointless. This door’s been specially rigged by me. I’m the only one who knows the code.
“Even if the guys outside realize something’s wrong and try to break in, by the time they get through, we’ll both be long gone-straight to hell.”
Sofia turned around in disbelief, and for the first time, she felt a surge of fear toward the son she had taken in halfway through her life.
“You don’t have to go this far. I can help you. I can give you everything back. Just let me go, and I’ll treat you like my son. Everything I have will be yours. Just let me go,” she pleaded.
Xavier just stood there, silently watching Sofia cry and beg, watching her debase herself as she tried to tempt him with promises.
Suddenly, he realized that the person he’d once seen as an insurmountable mountain was, in the end, nothing special at all.
Xavier let out a cold laugh, paid no more attention to Sofia’s struggles and curses, and with unwavering resolve, turned and walked straight into the flames.
Jackson, I’m coming to you to atone for what I did. Will you forgive me?’ Xavier wondered, ‘You’ve always had a soft spot for me. I know you’ll forgive me.
‘But someone like me only belongs in hell, while you’ll be living the good life up in heaven!
*****
News of Xavier and Sofia perishing together in a fire dominated the headlines the very next morning.
When Emily saw the news, she sat in a daze for a long time, unable to quite tell what she was feeling.
It wasn’t until Austin’s voice sounded beside her, “Emily, the plane’s about to take off. You need to turn off your phone.”
Emily snapped back to reality, as if she were just reading about a stranger in the news. She silently turned off her phone, pushing all her thoughts aside.
Because of the will the lawyer brought over, Emily ended up staying a few extra days before she finally got to meet the
donor.
The donor turned out to be a university professor named Mark Lee. He had a gentle face and a kind, approachable vibe.
When Emily showed Mark a photo of Lydia, he recognized her almost instantly. “Oh, I remember this girl. She was really something special.
Chapter 306
“All these years, I’ve never met anyone quite like her. Even just a casual chat the first time we met was enough to put me completely at ease.”
(0)
Mark was full of unreserved praise and admiration for Lydia, but seeing this, Emily couldn’t help but feel a pang of unease.
Whether it was the Bennett Family, their friends, or even the bodyguard who used to stand watch outside Charles’s hospital room, everyone would unconsciously let their guard down around Lydia, following her each order.
It really was magical, maybe even a little creepy.
Emily composed herself and asked about the driver Mark had personally called to help.
There was nothing to hide, so Mark answered honestly, “When Ms. Bennett brought it up, I kept it in mind. I went back and asked someone to check it out, and he really was someone in need of help.
“As for calling him? That’s not something I usually do. But for some reason, I remembered Ms. Bennett mentioning that he’d been tricked by some fake do-gooders just chasing publicity.
“I thought maybe if I called him myself, he’d actually trust it was real.”
