The atmosphere in the car was getting more and more awkward.

Sophie Shaw tried her best to ignore the scorching gaze from her right, keeping her eyes fixed ahead and focusing on driving.

But her thoughts were a mess.

Alaric Blackwood had called her "little thing" again.

She couldn’t figure out where that nickname came from.

"Mr. Blackwood," she called out softly.

"Hm?"

"Why... do you call me a ’little thing’? I’m not little anymore."

CLICK—

The sound of a lighter flipping open was her only reply.

Followed by the flick of it lighting.

The man skillfully lit a cigarette.

She lowered the window on his side a little, letting the smoke drift out with the wind.

"When you were a child, you liked to trail after me. Wherever I went, you followed."

"Back then, you were like a malnourished little turnip—short, skinny, and especially ugly."

Sophie Shaw: ...

Ugly was one thing, but especially ugly?

She silently rolled her eyes. ’You’re the ugly one. Your whole family is ugly,’ she thought.

She didn’t want to listen to the "drunkard" talk anymore, but the man had already opened the floodgates. He let out a low chuckle and continued, "I started by calling you ’ugly thing,’ and you burst into tears. Then I changed it to ’little thing,’ and you bit me."

"You were three at the time. I was six."

"You probably don’t remember."

Sophie Shaw indeed didn’t remember. It was too long ago.

"After the little thing grew up, she isn’t ugly anymore."

Alaric Blackwood gently exhaled a puff of smoke, his voice tinged with a languid intimacy.

She glanced over at him and found his gaze still fixed on her face, the corners of his lips curved into a faint smile.

He lifted his right hand, the one holding the cigarette. "Want me to show you?"

"Show me what?"

"Where you bit me."

"Mr. Blackwood, I’m driving."

Alaric Blackwood seemed a bit disappointed. He sat up properly in the passenger seat, reached for the car’s ashtray, and extinguished his cigarette before leaning back against the headrest to rest with his eyes closed.

That action alone made Sophie Shaw suspect once again whether he was truly drunk or just pretending.

He seemed to be pretending.

’Would a truly drunk person even know to use an ashtray?’

’He’d be lucky not to have burned his own fingers.’

The car drove into Maplewood Estate.

It wasn’t Sophie Shaw’s first time here. Knowing the way, she drove directly into the courtyard.

The lights were on inside the house.

She didn’t know if someone was home or if Alaric Blackwood had just forgotten to turn them off.

She parked the car, unbuckled her seatbelt, and got out first. Walking over to the passenger side, she opened the door and carefully helped Alaric Blackwood out.

The man raised his arm on his own, without her even needing to pull it, and naturally draped it over her shoulder.

She supported him up the steps and unlocked the door with a fingerprint.

With a CLICK, the door swung open.

She pushed the door open and guided Alaric Blackwood inside.

All the lights in the living room were on, their white glare a bit harsh. The television was on, though no one was watching it, and the volume was turned down low.

On the empty floor space next to the coffee table, a light purple yoga mat was laid out. A woman in yoga attire was on all fours on the mat, holding a Cat-Cow pose.

The woman was wearing headphones and listening to music, completely unaware that two people were now standing behind her.

Her rounded bottom was hiked high in the air.

Sophie Shaw: ...

Alaric Blackwood: ...

"So, Mr. Blackwood has a guest."

Sophie Shaw impassively pushed the arm off her shoulder. Her gaze shifted from the woman doing yoga to Alaric Blackwood’s face. "Looks like you have someone to take care of you. I won’t disturb your rest, then. Goodbye."

Sophie Shaw strode to the entryway, placed the Maybach keys on top of the shoe cabinet, pulled open the door, and left.

The door slammed shut.

Alaric Blackwood raised a hand and pinched the bridge of his nose. Instantly, his head stopped spinning, and the effects of the alcohol vanished. He walked over to Nina Halloway in a few steps and bent down to meet the gaze of the "stumbling block."

Nina Halloway jumped, nearly leaping up from her yoga mat.

She took off one of her earbuds and looked at Alaric Blackwood in surprise. "When did you get back?"

"Does it matter?"

"Didn’t you say you had a social engagement and would be back late?"

"Big shot celebrity, didn’t you say you had to rush to the film set and were packing tonight?"

Nina Halloway was stunned for a moment. "I said I was packing tonight, but I didn’t say I was leaving tonight. My flight is for tomorrow morning."

"Go back to your own place."

"No."

There was a horde of reporters squatting outside her apartment. How was she supposed to go back?

Nina Halloway took off her other earbud and sat cross-legged on the yoga mat. She reached out and tugged on the corner of Alaric Blackwood’s shirt. "Your social engagement tonight... were you out drinking with Jaden?"

"No."

"But I called him, and he said you two had arranged to go drinking for a friend’s birthday. I asked him where, but he wouldn’t tell me."

It was true that someone was celebrating a birthday tonight. In the circles of Kingsport’s wealthy second generation, everyone knew everyone. Regardless of how close they were, they had to show their faces and maintain superficial relationships.

Alaric Blackwood had been invited to the birthday party and had just gone to make an appearance.

Jaden had also received an invitation, but he didn’t show up, saying he had to be with his girlfriend.

"Has Jaden asked to see you recently?"

Alaric Blackwood sat down on the sofa, crossing his long legs with a casual air.

"No, we’ve only spoken on the phone. He’s very busy, doesn’t even have time to grab a meal. Speaking of which, is he handling some big case recently?"

"I’m not sure."

Alaric Blackwood gave a perfunctory reply. Seeing Nina Halloway about to put her headphones back on and resume her yoga, he reached out, hooked the earphone cord, and pulled it free. "I don’t think you and Jaden are a good match."

"How are we not a good match?"

"Uh... you’re three years older than him."

Nina Halloway burst out laughing. "Little brother, you just don’t get it, do you? Marry a woman three years older, and you’ll strike gold."

—

It was already very late by the time Sophie Shaw took a taxi back to the Kane residence.

She went back to her room and immediately fell asleep.

The next morning, she went down to the first-floor dining room right at mealtime. Mr. Kane was not in the master seat, and both Joseph Shaw and Bianca Kane were nowhere to be seen. Only the younger generation was present.

"Grandpa had a heart attack. My mom and Mr. Shaw took him to the hospital," Vianne Kane explained.

After saying this, the woman looped her arm through Damian Morgan’s. She didn’t show the slightest hint of concern for her grandfather. Instead, she opened up a small booklet—a brochure for the latest items from Golding & Ray Auction House.

"I think this one is nice. If you’re free tomorrow night, go to the auction and take a look. If there are any suitable jewelry sets, bid on two for me."

Vianne Kane deliberately left the brochure open on the table so that Sophie Shaw, sitting opposite, could also see the items inside.

With just a single glance, Sophie Shaw spotted her mother’s lost necklace in the brochure. It was listed as the final, featured item.

"Let me see."

She reached out, wanting to borrow the brochure for a look.

With a look of disgust, Vianne Kane snapped the brochure shut and stuffed it into the bag hanging on the back of her chair.

"Can I take a look at that brochure?"

Vianne Kane’s eyes were full of contempt. "What, you just got ten million from the Blackwood Family as a bride price, and now you can’t wait to buy some jewelry to reward yourself?"

She snorted. "The items this time are all one-of-a-kind and priceless. You probably can’t afford them anyway."

Sophie Shaw remained silent, but she remembered the auction house’s logo on the brochure. If she wasn’t mistaken, it was Golding & Ray Auction House.

A servant brought breakfast. She ate quickly, then immediately returned to her room upstairs, opened her computer, and searched for the upcoming auction dates and items for Golding & Ray Auction House.

But how could the necklace that was lost at Joel Kane’s school end up as the featured item at Golding & Ray Auction House?