"Vivienne has kidnapped Cherry!" Sophie said, her voice trembling as fear clutched her heart. Vivienne had indeed kidnapped Cherry!"What?! That woman deserves to die!" Jeanna exclaimed, pulling out her phone to call the police.However, Linda intervened, "Wait a moment.""What are we waiting for? That woman is a lunatic now! Who knows what she could do to Cherry!" Jeanna’s voice trembled with urgency. She wanted to stay calm, but the thought of Cherry being taken away by Vivienne made it impossible.Linda appeared worried yet restrained, sensing that Sophie had a reason for not immediately calling the police. "Ms. Luxford?"Sophie seemed not to hear them, her gaze locked intensely on the phone clutched in her hand.Vivienne had bided her time for a week, choosing the moment when Sophie's defenses were lowest to strike. It wasn't merely about inflicting pain on Cherry to unsettle Sophie.Her eyes were bloodshot, and each passing second felt like an eternity of agony.At that

"Heh, Tristan? He hates me! My own son hates me!" Vivienne's emotions suddenly surged violently.With a roar, she suddenly yanked Cherry closer. "Sophie, if not for you, Tristan wouldn't despise me, and Cedric wouldn't treat me this way. It's all because of you. Five years ago, you should have died in the sea. You shouldn't have survived and certainly shouldn't have returned!"Hearing Vivienne's accusations, Sophie felt a crushing weight on her heart, especially as Vivienne nudged Cherry dangerously close to the cliff's edge.Losing composure, Sophie cried out, "Don't!""I won't give you time to wait for the police. Want to save your daughter? If you jump, I'll release her." Vivienne gripped Cherry’s arm while pointing toward the raging sea below. It was high tide, and a single wave could render a person unconscious, unable to struggle before sinking."Mommy, don't listen to her!" Cherry cried, shaking with fear. She was afraid of the sea but feared losing her mother more."Shut

Sophie could not tell if it was the lack of oxygen or Cedric's presence that made her heart, nearly stilled by fear, pound uncontrollably. She felt a sudden rush of strength.Cedric smiled and pulled her into his embrace. His almost purple lips pressed against hers, transferring the last bit of oxygen from his mouth into hers without a word.'Cedric!' Sophie's eyes widened in panic. 'What is he trying to do?'"This time, I've finally caught you," Cedric managed to mouth as the sea invaded his lungs. His grip weakened, but he held her waist tightly, using his fading strength to push her toward the surface.'No!'Sophie realized his intention, and her heart sank with dread, mirroring the fear she felt five years ago when she first faced death. Propelled by his push, her body moved toward the surface, but her spirit felt anchored in despair.'Die? I never wanted him to die! Not even in my most resentful state!'In a desperate move, she kicked hard, managing to twist her body in the

The impact of the third slap left Sophie's arms numb and trembling. Silently, she stared at Vivienne with an icy gaze, condemning her actions.Sophie and Cedric had made mistakes five years ago, but Vivienne’s actions were unforgivable today.Those three slaps were too lenient for her!"Mrs. Carlson?" The police officers looked troubled. Although they had not felt the physical slaps, it was their oversight that had allowed Vivienne to escape and cause today’s events."If you can’t keep a better eye on her, prepare to serve your own time in prison," Sophie said coldly, her voice carrying a commanding tone.She turned away, leading Cherry to the car without a backward glance.Once inside the car, Sophie struggled to start the engine, her hands shaking.Sensing her mother's distressed state, Cherry immediately clung to her. "Mommy."Upon seeing Cherry's warmth, Sophie's composure broke, and tears streamed down her face. Today had brought her close to losing everything, her daughte

Sophie felt an increasing weight pressing down on her as she slowly opened her swollen eyes. Initially blurred, her vision gradually cleared."Jean?""I'm here." Jeanna quickly took her hand, her presence reassuring.The Carlson family had called to inform that Sophie had fainted in the hospital, prompting her and Linda to rush over and take turns caring for her. After enduring a feverish day and night, Sophie finally woke up."Is he... awake yet?" Her mouth struggled to move, and each word felt like a crushing weight on her throat.Although she did not mention a name, Jeanna immediately understood who she was asking about. She shook her head slowly and said, "Not yet."'Cedric hasn’t woken up yet?' Sophie closed her mouth, her gaze fixed on the plain hospital ceiling. 'Cedric, why haven’t you woken up?'"Take me... to see him," she murmured, attempting to rise.Jeanna gently but firmly pushed her back down. "Look at yourself right now. Even if you want to see Cedric, you need