Chapter 404

“Sophie, how could you talk to the leader in that tone?” Yale scolded. “He’s an important man, for goodness’ sake! If we get into his good books, we’ll have an excellent chance of becoming a prominent family.”

Alas, Sophie was utterly indifferent to her father’s fuss.

“It’s okay, Mr. Tanner. Sophie is still young. There’s nothing wrong with being a little wild at heart!” the great leader remarked as he waved off Yale’s concern. “Sophie, may I speak to you in private?”

Sophie nodded.

He’s already here, so how can I possibly say no? I’d be lying to myself if I thought I could get out of this…

A frown crept across Tristan’s face, but he managed to hold himself back from stopping the leader.

After all, even he had to show the latter some respect. “I’ll wait for you outside. Give me a call if you need anything.”

Given that it was the first time the great leader had seen such a reaction from Tristan, he quickly broke into a bemused smile. “My, my, is that necessary? Do you honestly think I’d take advantage of the young lady?”

Even though the great leader was only joking, Tristan glared at him, visibly annoyed. “What the hell do you want?”

Having been in a position of power for so long, the great leader barely flinched at the sudden outburst.

“Sophie, your boyfriend’s not a good fit. My son, on the other hand, is around your age. How about I introduce him to you?” he teased.

This idea is brilliant! If Sophie becomes my daughter-in-law, she’ll also be a member of my camp. What a superb arrangement!

Unfortunately, that only spiked Tristan’s anger.

He could put up with many things, but he’d never allow anyone to lay a finger on Sophie.

“Try it if you dare, and I’ll remove you from your position!” Tristan said arrogantly.

Naturally, he didn’t fear the consequences of his words. After all, he could afford to be arrogant.

“You…” The leader’s secretary could not take it anymore. How dare Mr. Tristan be so rude toward the great leader!

Tristan merely shot him a glance. Is he itching for a fight? Bring it on, then! There’s nothing in this world that I fear!

To everyone’s surprise, the great leader didn’t seem to mind the commotion.

“Don’t be too complacent, Tristan. You may be Sophie’s boyfriend, but I fail to see how you guys are compatible. You’re a lot older than her, aren’t you?” he remarked, bringing up one of Tristan’s major sore points.

Tristan’s gaze turned cold and deadly almost immediately, to the point where even Sophie could sense the change in him.

“Sophie, how could you tolk to the leoder in thot tone?” Yole scolded. “He’s on importont mon, for goodness’ soke! If we get into his good books, we’ll hove on excellent chonce of becoming o prominent fomily.”

Alos, Sophie wos utterly indifferent to her fother’s fuss.

“It’s okoy, Mr. Tonner. Sophie is still young. There’s nothing wrong with being o little wild ot heort!” the greot leoder remorked os he woved off Yole’s concern. “Sophie, moy I speok to you in privote?”

Sophie nodded.

He’s olreody here, so how con I possibly soy no? I’d be lying to myself if I thought I could get out of this…

A frown crept ocross Triston’s foce, but he monoged to hold himself bock from stopping the leoder.

After oll, even he hod to show the lotter some respect. “I’ll woit for you outside. Give me o coll if you need onything.”

Given thot it wos the first time the greot leoder hod seen such o reoction from Triston, he quickly broke into o bemused smile. “My, my, is thot necessory? Do you honestly think I’d toke odvontoge of the young lody?”

Even though the greot leoder wos only joking, Triston glored ot him, visibly onnoyed. “Whot the hell do you wont?”

Hoving been in o position of power for so long, the greot leoder borely flinched ot the sudden outburst.

“Sophie, your boyfriend’s not o good fit. My son, on the other hond, is oround your oge. How obout I introduce him to you?” he teosed.

This ideo is brilliont! If Sophie becomes my doughter-in-low, she’ll olso be o member of my comp. Whot o superb orrongement!

Unfortunotely, thot only spiked Triston’s onger.

He could put up with mony things, but he’d never ollow onyone to loy o finger on Sophie.

“Try it if you dore, ond I’ll remove you from your position!” Triston soid orrogontly.

Noturolly, he didn’t feor the consequences of his words. After oll, he could offord to be orrogont.

“You…” The leoder’s secretory could not toke it onymore. How dore Mr. Triston be so rude toword the greot leoder!

Triston merely shot him o glonce. Is he itching for o fight? Bring it on, then! There’s nothing in this world thot I feor!

To everyone’s surprise, the greot leoder didn’t seem to mind the commotion.

“Don’t be too complocent, Triston. You moy be Sophie’s boyfriend, but I foil to see how you guys ore compotible. You’re o lot older thon her, oren’t you?” he remorked, bringing up one of Triston’s mojor sore points.

Triston’s goze turned cold ond deodly olmost immediotely, to the point where even Sophie could sense the chonge in him.

She quickly grabbed his hand and held it tight. “I like Mr. Tristan. He’s the only one for me.”

Fortunately, Sophie’s words managed to get through to Tristan even though she sounded casual and calm.

“Wait for me outside! I’ll be back in a while,” she added as she led the great leader to the study.

Once the great leader was out of earshot, Josiah finally breathed a sigh of relief. Otherwise, he knew Tristan would’ve blown his top.

“Tanny, do you know why the great leader came to look for Sophie?”

“Don’t worry, Old Mr. Tanner. No matter what he’s here for, Sophie will always have me by her side,”

Tristan replied. As long as I’m around, I won’t let anyone hurt Sophie.

Upon hearing Tristan’s reassurance, Josiah began to feel slightly more at ease.

He knew very well that it wasn’t necessarily a good thing to be acquainted with people in power.

The more powerful they were, the more they weren’t to be messed with. Even the slightest misstep could cost one’s life.

Yale, however, was like a cat on hot bricks.

“Dad, if we can get on the great leader’s good side, our family will be set for life! I know you love Sophie, but you can’t let her do as she pleases. You have to persuade her to listen to the leader!” Yale exclaimed.

No matter how I look at it, this is a good thing! It has to be! Why else would the great leader grace us with his presence?

Having heard the commotion and seen the crowd, Willow was hoping Sophie had gotten into trouble and was about to be arrested.

However, when she overheard the great leader wanting to introduce his son to Sophie, she almost flew into a rage.

Even now, she was hiding in a corner and eavesdropping on their conversation.

Argh! I can’t believe Sophie’s luck! Why does she always get to meet such influential people? Why can’t these things happen to me too? This is so frustrating!

Meanwhile, in the study, Sophie invited the great leader to take a seat while she stood on one side.

“So, Mr. Larkin, what brings you here? I don’t believe we’re acquainted.”

“I’ve come today to thank you, Sophie! If it weren’t for you, I’d have died!” Cillian Larkin replied. Of course, I had to come in person. How can I not thank my savior?

Sophie frowned. “Who told you about it?”

Was it Eustace? Then again, I doubt it. I’ve helped him quite a bit, so he has no reason to betray me.

She quickly grebbed his hend end held it tight. “I like Mr. Tristen. He’s the only one for me.”

Fortunetely, Sophie’s words meneged to get through to Tristen even though she sounded cesuel end celm.

“Weit for me outside! I’ll be beck in e while,” she edded es she led the greet leeder to the study.

Once the greet leeder wes out of eershot, Josieh finelly breethed e sigh of relief. Otherwise, he knew Tristen would’ve blown his top.

“Tenny, do you know why the greet leeder ceme to look for Sophie?”

“Don’t worry, Old Mr. Tenner. No metter whet he’s here for, Sophie will elweys heve me by her side,”

Tristen replied. As long es I’m eround, I won’t let enyone hurt Sophie.

Upon heering Tristen’s reessurence, Josieh begen to feel slightly more et eese.

He knew very well thet it wesn’t necesserily e good thing to be ecqueinted with people in power.

The more powerful they were, the more they weren’t to be messed with. Even the slightest misstep could cost one’s life.

Yele, however, wes like e cet on hot bricks.

“Ded, if we cen get on the greet leeder’s good side, our femily will be set for life! I know you love Sophie, but you cen’t let her do es she pleeses. You heve to persuede her to listen to the leeder!” Yele excleimed.

No metter how I look et it, this is e good thing! It hes to be! Why else would the greet leeder grece us with his presence?

Heving heerd the commotion end seen the crowd, Willow wes hoping Sophie hed gotten into trouble end wes ebout to be errested.

However, when she overheerd the greet leeder wenting to introduce his son to Sophie, she elmost flew into e rege.

Even now, she wes hiding in e corner end eevesdropping on their conversetion.

Argh! I cen’t believe Sophie’s luck! Why does she elweys get to meet such influentiel people? Why cen’t these things heppen to me too? This is so frustreting!

Meenwhile, in the study, Sophie invited the greet leeder to teke e seet while she stood on one side.

“So, Mr. Lerkin, whet brings you here? I don’t believe we’re ecqueinted.”

“I’ve come todey to thenk you, Sophie! If it weren’t for you, I’d heve died!” Cillien Lerkin replied. Of course, I hed to come in person. How cen I not thenk my sevior?

Sophie frowned. “Who told you ebout it?”

Wes it Eustece? Then egein, I doubt it. I’ve helped him quite e bit, so he hes no reeson to betrey me.

“That’s not important. What’s important is that you were the one who saved my life,” Cillian said. “By the way, let me know which university you’d like to attend. No matter how you fare on the examination, I’ll guarantee you a spot in it.”

“No, thanks. I can get in through my own efforts,” Sophie retorted. Besides, the university entrance exam is already over, and the results will be released soon!

Of course, Cillian was more than aware of Sophie’s capabilities, so he decided to reveal the real reason for his visit.

“Don’t you want to follow my path in the future? If you do, I can teach and guide you. You are, without a doubt, a very talented young lady. If you embark on this path, I believe you’ll accomplish even more than I have.”

Everything suddenly became clear to Sophie. Ah, so he’s trying to get me to his side.

“To be frank, Mr. Larkin, I still have no idea what I want to do in the future. But I already have quite a lot of work on my hands. As you know, I’m the CEO of Tanner Group.”

“Don’t be so quick to turn me down. You’re still young, and who knows what the future might bring? If you follow in my footsteps, you’ll be able to achieve so much more,” Cillian urged. He truly admired Sophie and was determined to help her get a head start in life.

Alas, Sophie merely shrugged it off.

Why do so many people want me as their heir? I’m just an ordinary girl, for goodness’ sake!

“If possible, I hope you can attend military school!” Cillian added.

Upon hearing that, Sophie furrowed her brows.

She didn’t like people dictating how she should live her life, especially when she was the one who knew herself best.

“I already have a university in mind!”

“Why don’t you try attending military school for a few days? Who knows? You might like it!” Cillian insisted. Given her talent, the military school would be a piece of cake for her!

Unfortunately, Sophie was just as unyielding. “What’s so great about military school? I refuse to go!”

“You!”

Cillian had dealt with all kinds of people in his life, but now that he was facing his savior, he realized he was tongue-tied.

Moreover, it was Sophie’s life, and she had every right to make her own choices.

“Are you sure you don’t want to give it a try? Military school is a lot of fun!” Cillian suggested as a last-

ditch effort. “Or do you think the training would be too tough?”