Chapter 7

Before Alexander left, Sophie wrapped her arms around him, pouting.

"Honey, I don't want to leave you! Can't we just move in together?" she asked sweetly.

If she'd said that a few days earlier, Alexander might have agreed.

But after two straight weeks tangled up in bed with her, he was starting to feel a bit worn out.

A short break might be good for both of them. He was still hooked on her body, after all.

"Be good, Sophie," he said with a grin. "Emily's still locked in the basement. She's technically still my wife. If she really dies down there, it'll cause me trouble. I've got to go check on her."

He pinched Sophie's cheek teasingly. "I'll come get you on Friday. Spend the next few days practicing some new moves for me, yeah?"

His casual tone made Sophie blush furiously. She ducked her head, mumbling shyly, "Okay. Don't forget to call me."

Alexander nodded, watching her walk away, then climbed into his car.

"Is Emily still causing trouble?" he asked his assistant.

The man hesitated. "Mr. Grant... you should see for yourself."

Alexander smirked. Emily probably broke out again—she was always fiery like that. After a few days apart, he even found himself missing her a little.

He wondered how her hand was healing.

Lost in thought, he pulled out his phone and sent her a few messages. But all that came back was a red exclamation mark—message undelivered.

He tried calling, then texting through Messenger. Still nothing.

He'd been blocked.

For a split second, his expression darkened before twisting into a cold smirk.

Emily was getting bolder these days.

"Step on it," he snapped to the driver.

The car screeched to a stop at the mansion. Alexander stormed inside and went straight to the basement.

When he saw that it was empty, his expression froze. He spun around and glared at his assistant.

"Where is Emily?" he snapped.

Before the assistant could answer, Alexander's phone rang.

Sophie's name flashed on the screen. Irritation flared. He hesitated for a moment, then answered.

"Honey, I'm at the police station. Someone's bullying me! Please, come get me..." Sophie's voice trembled, full of tears.

Alexander frowned, about to ask for details, but the call cut off. When he tried calling back, the line was dead.

When he tried calling back, all he got was a cold, automated voice. "The number you dialed is powered off."

His face darkened. He stalked out the door without another word.

"Emily's probably behind this. Forget her for now, and come with me to the police station," he ordered.

"Yes, sir," the assistant said quickly.

When they arrived, Alexander spotted Sophie sitting on a bench, her face swollen and bruised, crying uncontrollably while her roommates hovered nearby, trying to comfort her.

The moment she saw him, she stumbled toward him, collapsing into his arms. "Honey..." she sobbed.

Alexander glanced down at her battered face. It was barely recognizable. For an instant, annoyance flickered in his eyes before he masked it. "Who did this to you?" he asked quietly.

Before Sophie could answer, one of her roommates jumped in, furious. "She had just come back to the dorm when this group barged in. They just started beating her up and were cussing at her!"

Another added, "True! We don't even know them. They just started throwing hands."

"We didn't even know them. We called the cops, but instead of arresting them, they dragged us here," said another.

Sophie sniffled, her voice shaking as she looked up at Alexander. "Mr. Grant... could it have been Ms. Summers?"

Alexander's face grew darker by the second.

Thinking about the empty basement, he was convinced this had Emily written all over it.

She never learned.

Sophie bit her lip, her tone soft and hesitant. "Maybe she's still angry at me for refusing to donate my bone marrow to Lily again."

Then her eyes widened like something just occurred to her. "I'll go talk to her! I'll tell her I'll do it for Lily's sake!"

Hearing his daughter's name instantly redirected Alexander's anger.

Lily was still at the hospital.

Perhaps Emily slipped out to be with Lily.

He pushed Sophie aside. "I've got something else to take care of. My assistant will handle things from here."

Before Sophie could even react, Alexander had already stormed out the door.

She stood frozen, watching the door swing shut, her hands curling into tight fists.

Meanwhile, Alexander couldn't stop thinking about his little girl. He even stopped by a stationery shop on the way, picking out a sketchbook and a set of markers she'd love.

Just imagining Lily's smile made him grin unconsciously, his pace quickening. He couldn't wait to see her again.