Chapter 433

Rachel took Marian's nightmare-laden panic for just a bad dream and comforted her for a while before letting go, but remained worried and suggested staying with her through the night.

"I'm fine."

Finally, Marian spoke up, her voice still thin from distress, "You should all go back and rest first."

With a forced smile that barely masked her lingering dread, Marian tried to reassure everyone, who, seeing her slightly improved complexion, left a bit more at ease and returned to their rooms.

Marian locked the door behind them and went back to the bedroom, but sleep now eluded her.

She stared at the bracelet on the floor, thrown down in her moment of distress, and hesitated to pick them up.

The dreamlike memories of her youth held her in a vice grip of panic; she knew these were real.

As a child, she often had such fragmented dreams. After each nightmare, her mother would hold her tight to comfort her, and with their patient and loving pampering, she gradually moved past those nightmarish memories. Yet, these recollections never vanished and were fiercely awakened tonight by her desire for Sophia to be Yolanda.

She didn't sleep a wink all night.

The next day at the company, Marian found herself stealthily glancing at Sophia. The more she looked, the more Sophia's face seemed to merge with the blurry image of her sister from her memories, and the more her heart raced with fear.

Sophia had noticed Marian's occasional stares from early on.

Throughout the morning, whether Sophia was passing through the lobby, in a meeting, or in her office, Marian would zone out watching her now and then.

Sophia didn't know if it was because of her planned public explanation and apology at the media press conference that day, and she had wanted to find a chance to discuss the matter with Marian, but since Marian didn't bring it up, she pretended not to notice.

At lunch, Sophia and Don had work to discuss, so they went to eat together.

Marian followed them but unusually didn't barge in as she normally would; instead, she silently got her own food and ate alone.

While eating, Marian occasionally looked up at Sophia's profile, spacing out as she did so.

so odd. He wasn't sure if Marian had apologized to Sophia yet and

and shook her head, "I

to

sure how to put it, "I don't know if you could call it an apology, but she did come

figuring it was Marian's

ask Don in a soft voice, "Mr. Dempsey, I heard that Brandon's father had a stroke and was hospitalized after fighting with Brandon

eating and looked up

quietly waiting

didn't know why she suddenly asked. After a moment of thought, he said softly, "I think

been having a rough time, hasn't he?" Sophia

head with a

smiled back, not

matter how much he tried to hide his emotions, the subtle changes in his aura and eyes were telling. She

it," Don couldn't help but advise, "Brandon will handle it." Sophia nodded slightly,

strong Brandon was, he was still human. He didn't have superpowers to manage such a large company, deal with the conflicts between her, his parents, and the occasional troubles stirred up by her family. He simply didn't have the energy to handle it

gone to the hospital again, and Sophia didn't

they didn't want her to worry, as everyone she asked said he was doing fine and told her not to

hospital to pick up Sophia for

explain the situation with the estate project to

or from knowing Brandon's ruthless way of handling things. Unlike before, she didn't dare to be as

up Sophia, he called Kent, "Arrange for someone to take Ms. Barlow to

what was going on, and they were all surprised by Brandon's phone call and looked

but didn't dare to say anything,

of the office, "I'm heading there too,

on, you can

and she couldn't help but ask Don, "Mr. Dempsey,

at her, "Just a press

sensed there was more to it that

out but didn't want to press

his gaze had already moved past Cindy, looking

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