Chapter 431
Chapter 431
The weather today was gloomy and overcast, a stark contrast to the clear blue skies yesterday.
It was autumn in Doveston; as soon as the sun set, the air turned chilly. As Sophia stood by the river watching the waves crash, the frigid air sent shivers down her spine.
Lukas quickly retrieved a blanket from the car, draping it over her shoulders. As she snuggled into its warmth, she looked at the man and said gratefully, "Thank you, Lukas."
"Even though I never liked Alexander, I'm sure he is fine," Lukas assured. Despite the implausibility of his words, one had to hold on to the belief that miracles could happen.
Sophia had never been religious, superstitious, or a believer in miracles. However, at this moment, she could only hope that her prayers were heard and that a miracle occurred.
After all, Alexander was still young.
"Ms. Yarrow."
Yvonne appeared to have rushed there, and when she realized Sophia was safe, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Sophia smiled as she turned to face the woman. "You're here, Ms. Leighton."
Having accompanied Sophia for many years, Yvonne discovered that the woman smiled often. However, with her experience, she could distinguish a genuine smile from a fake one at one glance.
Yet, she could not tell whether Sophia was smiling genuinely at the moment.
While Yvonne was thinking about what to say, Sophia continued, "I sent you a picture of the woman who left the hotel with Alexander last night. I want to know everything about the woman as soon as possible. Also, I know that you are in close contact with Felix recently; please ensure that any news related to Alexander is kept under wraps."
As she spoke, the smile plastered on her face vanished. Sophia turned to face the river, the wind blowing cold against her face as she remained expressionless.
Yvonne felt her heart sink, but she knew it was more useful to quickly get on with the investigation than to offer words of consolation. "All right, Ms. Yarrow. I'll have someone look into this."
Sophia nodded before turning to Lukas. "Ms. Leighton will take care of the matter. There's no need for you to intervene, Lukas."
After all, the man's political career could be impacted if he was found to be involved.
Lukas decided not to press the matter further upon noticing how determined she was. "Don't worry, Sophia. Feel free to call me for help anytime, okay?"
"Thanks, Lukas," Sophia replied gratefully.
The trio then parted ways, with Yvonne continuing her investigation in Doveston and Sophia and Lukas returning to the Dawson residence.
When Sophia and Lukas arrived at the Dawson residence, they ran into Perrin and Kylie, who were sitting in the living room. Perrin was at a loss for words to comfort Sophia after the sudden incident involving Alexander. His heart ached for Sophia, and when he noticed her silence, he decided to console her. "There's no need to worry, Sophia. Alexander isn't an ordinary man; he will be all right."
To put Perrin at ease, the woman grinned and answered, "I have faith in him, Granddad!"
Kylie walked over and held Sophia's hand. "I've ordered a gown. Would you mind accompanying me to try it on?"
Sophia agreed, knowing Kylie was trying to divert attention from the former's troubles. Moreover, there wasn't much she could do but wait for Yvonne and Felix to finish the investigation.
After two months of preparation, Kylie received a call today informing her that the gown was ready for fitting.
As a result, she decided to bring Sophia along to distract the woman from the incident.
Kylie frequently visited the renowned gown-making store in Doveston; most of her gowns were created there.
As Sophia stepped into the store, she was mesmerized by the rows of beautiful gowns in various designs and colors.
"Would you like them to make you a gown too?" Kylie asked.
"Sure."
Alexander had never seen Sophia in a gown before because she had never worn one.
Upon hearing Sophia's response, Kylie immediately summoned the seamstress. "Maria, hurry! Make a gown for my niece!"
Maria was a lady in her forties with a pleasant demeanor. She was dressed in a simple navy blue gown, her hair tied up neatly in a simple accessory.
When she saw Sophia, she could not help but exclaim, "Your niece looks like an angel from the heavens!"
Kylie chuckled. "Sophia is really beautiful."
"How may I address you, miss?" Maria asked tenderly.
"I'm Sophia Yarrow."
As Maria took Sophia's measurements, she asked, "Have you worn a gown before, Ms. Yarrow?"
The woman shook her head and responded, "Nope."
"What a pity! With your perfect body and good looks, I'm sure you will look gorgeous in a gown!" Maria said sincerely.
Sophia glanced at Kylie before replying, "Thank you, Maria."
"Such a polite girl!" Maria praised.
The custom-made gown crafted by Maria would naturally be of the highest quality.
She would design the gown herself based on Sophia's measurements, and it would take about two to three months for the gown to be ready for collection.
By the time Sophia and Kylie left the shop, it was four in the afternoon.
Sophia graciously accepted Kylie's offer to dine out and chose a specialty restaurant.
When they returned home at night, Kylie said nothing more and patted Sophia on the shoulder.
Sophia then accompanied Perrin for a game of chess. However, because of her poor performance, the game was over in twenty minutes.
Perrin couldn't bear to say more; he simply advised her to get some rest, and if she needed assistance, she could seek out Lukas.
Sophia nodded. "I'm fine, Granddad. You should get some rest."
With that, she supported Perrin to the study before returning to her room.
Spending the whole day outdoors helped Sophia to escape the troubles that plagued her mind. Finally, she received a call from Yvonne at seven o'clock the next day.
As expected, Yvonne was an efficient secretary. In less than a day, she had uncovered the woman's
background.
"Ms. Yarrow, that woman is called Qahira Lombard. She's twenty-six years old, an Ustranasion and of Chanaean ethnicity. She arrived in Xemrich on the twenty-eighth of last month, then made her way to Jadeborough on the thirtieth. She finally arrived in Doveston on the first of this month and has been staying at Floral Plains Hotel. However, she hasn't returned to the hotel since she left at noon the day before."
After giving her temple a quick massage, Sophia asked, "Who did she have contact with in Jadeborough and Doveston?"
"We are still in the process of identifying Qahira's interpersonal relationships. According to the hotel's reception, she was in Doveston for a holiday." After a brief pause, Yvonne continued, "However, there were no traces of her engaging in any tour activities in Jadeborough or Doveston. Furthermore, there were no records of her purchasing tickets for popular tourist destinations. Therefore, I suspect that she was after Mr. Xenos," Yvonne reported.
Sophia furrowed her brow in disbelief. "Is there any information on her life abroad?"
Who is Qahira Lombard? How is she related to Alexander? Why did she come to Doveston to look for him? What exactly does she want? Is she responsible for Alexander’s disappearance?
"I have already sent someone to investigate her background in Ustrana, but it may take some time to gather the information. Rest assured, Ms. Yarrow, I will ensure that they uncover the truth as soon as possible," Yvonne said with confidence.
"All right, thank you for your hard work," Sophia replied gratefully. "I'm just doing what I should." After aContent rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.
short pause, Yvonne continued, "I believe Mr. Xenos would never abandon you just like that, Ms. Yarrow."
A soft chuckle escaped Sophia's lips, but tears glistened at the corners of her eyes. "I trust him too. Don't worry about me; I'm fine."
"Okay. Take care, Ms. Yarrow."
Sophia drew open the curtains after ending the call.
The weather seems splendid today; it's going to be a great day.