Chapter 230
Chapter 230:
The idea struck her as so absurd that Sophie burst into laughter right there.
Excitement bubbled up, and she couldn’t keep it to herself—she had to share the good news with someone.
She messaged Adrian, giving him the full rundown: the keychain, the plan to visit the old place, everything that had her heart racing.
Adrian didn’t ask a million questions or press for details. He just wanted to know the address and said he would join her.
Sophie’s first instinct was to decline. “You don’t need to worry about it. Stay focused at work. I’ve got this covered p>
Adrian’s reply had a playful bite. “So you’re allowed to sneak out of the office, but I’m stuck at my desk? Not fair p>
𝗙𝗈𝘭l𝗼𝗐 u𝘀 𝗼𝘯 ѕ.𝘤𝗼𝗆
She had no comeback for that. With a small sigh, she sent him the address and didn’t argue further.
Sophie and Adrian met up and set out together, retracing the path to her childhood home.
Years had passed since she had last walked those streets, and she had convinced herself she wouldn’t even recognize the way. But muscle memory took over as soon as they reached the neighborhood. Each corner pulled her along like she had never left.
Eventually, she came to a stop in front of the house she once called home.
“This is the place,” Sophie said, her voice barely steady. She reached for the old key and slid it into the iron gate’s lock, pushing it open with a rusty clatter.
The sight that greeted her felt like something out of a dream—one that had been left to unravel for years. Tall weeds had swallowed up the yard, brushing against her knees as she stepped forward. The once-bright siding was now dull and splotchy, battered by the sun and rain.
It was clear no one had set foot on this ground for ages.
Confusion set in, swirling through Sophie’s mind. Kolton’s story about the house being sold suddenly made no sense. If he only wanted to keep the place for himself, why let it rot for all those years? No buyers, no tenants.
What was he after?
Sophie let the questions hang, with no answers close by. She turned to the next lock and slid the key home, swinging the door open. The hinges groaned out a tired protest.
Stale air rushed out as the door moved, stirring up a cloud of dust that hit Sophie’s nose and set her off sneezing.
Adrian sized up the situation right away. He loosened his tie, folded it over, and pressed it gently against Sophie’s nose. “Is that any better?” His voice was quiet, careful.
She gave a muffled nod, her words thick behind the makeshift mask. “Yeah, I appreciate it p>
Her attention drifted back into the entryway. Time seemed frozen here. Dust was the only visitor, blanketing every surface.
As her eyes adjusted, the chaos inside became clearer. Chairs were toppled at odd angles, drawers left hanging open, their contents strewn everywhere. The whole place looked like it had been ransacked.
Adrian took in the mess and glanced her way. “Was it already trashed like this when you left p>
Digging through her hazy memories of that frantic night, Sophie shook her head. “Not a chance. I barely had time to get out, but I didn’t make this mess. It shouldn’t look like this p>
Adrian offered a plan. “Let’s check what’s missing. Anything that would’ve been worth stealing p>
She let out a dry laugh, the exhaustion plain. “I was five. I didn’t exactly have my eye on the family jewels p>
They made their way through the house, tackling each room together.
First stop was her mother’s old bedroom. The chaos only got worse—closet doors thrown wide, piles of clothes dumped onto the carpet, vanity drawers turned upside down.
Sophie knelt to gather the scattered clothes, folding them one by one.
Across the room, Adrian’s attention landed on a dusty picture frame perched on the nightstand.
Message from Noa: Have a great Tuesday dear readers. God loves you and Noa wishes you all the best. /