Chapter 539

She sobbed in outright terror but didn’t dare to let out a cry. Terrified, she was too careful and timid to cry out loud.

She cowered, trying to find a place to hide, but she couldn’t find anyone to give her support and trust.

Standing in the middle of the room, she felt lost and utterly alone, her small shoulders trembling with each suppressed sob.

At this, Lysander’s brow furrowed; his long arm reached out to scoop up the small frame of Sophia.

Atticus and Dorian rushed forward at the same time, their heads held high and their protective instincts on full display.

“Don’t you dare bully our sister!” they both cried out in unison.

Their defiant stand was reminiscent of a pair of fierce cubs defending their territory.

Their grandmother had always told them that a family must stand together. It was okay to endure hardships at home, but they should never tolerate any outsider hurting their loved ones.

Seeing Lysander frighten Sophia to tears and hold her in his arms, Atticus and Dorian immediately switched to protective mode.

When Lysander picked her up, Sophia stiffened, her whole body taut with fear. She was expecting some form of punishment.

But instead, Lysander gently wiped the tears off her face with his palm, his voice soft and soothing as he said, “Don’t cry. You like antiques, right? I’ll take you to choose some now. You can have whatever you like.”

With Sophia seated on his lap, Lysander pulled her closer to him as if afraid she might fall.

His movements were gentle and caring, a stark contrast to his usual stern persona.

Atticus and Dorian, who had been ready for a fight, were taken aback by this sight. They exchanged a look before turning their attention back to Lysander and Sophia.

Seeing Sophia being held with such tenderness by Lysander even stirred up a sense of envy in the little boys. They wondered if their father’s embrace would be just as warm and comforting as their mother’s.

Sophia was also taken aback. Her teary eyes, now sparkling and wide with curiosity, were fixed on Lysander as she hesitantly asked, “Really?”

“Of course,” Lysander replied.

Sniffling, Sophia said, “I…I like circular pendants.”

“Alright, let’s go pick one out,” Lysander said, picking Sophia up and heading towards the back garden.

Atticus and Dorian exchanged another glance before following them.

Meanwhile, a maid brought over some ice cream and handed it to Elowen, saying, “Miss, your ice cream.”

10 “Thank you!” Elowen exclaimed, taking a lick of the ice cream. She found the cream so sweet and delicious.

That moment, she forgot her longing for her mother and was all healed by the cuisine. The ice cream had sweetened her buds and heart.

As Sophia entered the antique showroom, her innocent eyes widened in awe. She had only seen such treasures in books before, never so many real ones all at once.

Finally, her gaze landed on two circular pendants displayed in a glass case. She recognized the shape of the pendants, but didn’t know why there were two of them.

“I want that circular pendant,” Sophia said. “It’s mine. I bought it to give to my mom to help her make money.”

Lysander followed her gaze and saw the pendant she was talking about. The same one he had mistakenly believed Thalassa had stolen from his display room.

His eyes darkened at the sight.