Chapter 218
The night was ink-black, the starlight dim.
Sophia stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, her slender fingers absently tracing the rim of her wine glass. The red liquid swirled gently, reflecting her slightly pale face.
"What's on your mind?"
A deep male voice, laced with lazy amusement, suddenly sounded behind her. She didn’t need to turn around to know who it was—the ever-elusive second son of the Lu family, Lucian.
"Thinking of ways to shake off my shadow," she replied coolly, taking a sip of wine.
Lucian chuckled, stepping out of the shadows. He wore a dark gray suit that accentuated his tall frame, his tie loosely knotted, exuding an air of careless charm.
"How cruel," he murmured, tapping the edge of her glass with his fingertip. "I came all this way to bring you good news."
Sophia arched a brow. "What news could possibly be worth your personal visit?"
"The old man has relented," he whispered, his warm breath brushing her ear. "If you agree, you can walk out of this gilded cage tomorrow."
Her fingers tightened around the glass.
A faint crack sounded in her palm.
"Conditions?" Her voice was taut.
Lucian smirked, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Come with me."
A flash of lightning outside illuminated his sharp features. The usual mockery in his eyes was replaced by something unsettlingly sincere.
Her heart skipped a beat.
She knew it was a trap.
But compared to being the Lu family’s puppet, she’d rather step into this man’s snare.
"Fine," she said, downing the rest of her wine in one go, her red lips curling into a resolute smile. "But remember this, Lucian—"
"Who’s trapping whom remains to be seen."
Thunder roared overhead.
"Come, sweetheart. Mommy will take you to the department store to broaden your horizons."
No sooner had they stepped out of the bookstore than Emily Johnson took little David's hand and headed toward the department store. She didn't notice the greedy eyes watching her from the shadows.
"It's so tall!" David craned his neck in awe.
"It's three stories high," Emily explained gently. "In big cities, there are even taller buildings. You can take elevators up—very convenient."
She knelt to meet her son's gaze. "Our country's architectural technology is the best in the world."
"Mommy, how big is the world?" David blinked curiously.
"It's 510 million square kilometers, divided into five continents..." Emily patiently explained, unaware of the shocked expressions around her when she mentioned "the Earth is round."
The dazzling array of goods in the department store left David wide-eyed. The first floor had groceries, the second had clothing, and the third featured larger items like bicycles.
After their visit, Emily planned to take her son to a state-run diner for noodles. But just a few steps outside, a stranger suddenly grabbed her arm.
"Pervert!" Emily shouted loudly, secretly bracing herself to fight back.
"Let go of my mommy!" David released her hand and swung his tiny fists at the man.
"Chunhua, stop this nonsense!" The man feigned heartbreak. "I know you want to return to the city, but you can't just steal money from home and run off with our child!"
The bystanders, hearing this, hesitated, their expressions shifting to reluctant understanding.
Emily sneered and delivered a sharp kick between the man's legs.
"Ah—!" He doubled over in pain.
"This man is a trafficker!" Emily snapped. "If you don’t believe me, call the police!"
As she spoke, she kicked him again. Someone had already run off to report the incident.
Nearby, Jessica Miller found the bold woman oddly familiar. When she recognized Emily’s face, she quickened her pace toward them.
"Who do you think you're fooling?" Emily punctuated each kick with a scathing remark. "Scum like you destroy families!"
Her words silenced the onlookers who had considered intervening. She was right—how many families had traffickers torn apart? Such evil couldn’t be tolerated.
The man tried to flee but was swiftly surrounded by the furious crowd. Emily shielded David, watching coldly as the would-be kidnapper was cornered.