Chapter 123

Margaret Hill's phone rang incessantly like a death knell. Sophia Lowell coldly rejected each call before finally blocking the number.

Just as Margaret opened her mouth to speak, her phone blared to life again.

She answered absentmindedly. A hysterical shriek exploded from the receiver: "Margaret Hill! Look what your precious daughter has done!"

It was Liu Qin.

The voice was so shrill it nearly pierced her eardrums.

A torrent of vulgar curses followed.

Suddenly, a man's furious roar and Liu Qin's bloodcurdling scream cut through the line.

The call ended abruptly.

Margaret clutched her phone, bewildered. "What...?"

Sophia's eyes flashed with irritation before transforming into tearful distress. "Mom...it was all Cousin's idea. She wanted to kidnap Evelyn Laurent for ransom..."

Her voice trembled with sobs. "Now they're blaming me for their failure..."

Margaret immediately pulled her daughter into a protective embrace. "Useless fools! They dare shift blame for their own incompetence?"

She swallowed Sophia's lies without question, cursing the entire He family instead.

Sophia exhaled inwardly.

This gullible woman was so easy to manipulate.

Her eyes narrowed. The Hes were truly worthless—they couldn't even handle one Evelyn Laurent.

That beating she'd endured was undoubtedly connected to Evelyn too.

She needed to secure Ethan Sullivan's affection—fast.

"Mom, I need money..." She lowered her voice, outlining her scheme.

Margaret's eyes lit up.

If her daughter could latch onto the Sullivan family...

Without hesitation, she handed Sophia Vincent Lowell's black card.

After hastily tending to her injuries, Sophia left despite the pain.

She had to uncover Vincent Sullivan's preferences immediately.

This was the key to getting closer to Ethan!

——

Hospital room.

Evelyn Laurent's eyelids fluttered open.

"She's awake!" The entire family rushed to her bedside.

"Does it still hurt?"

"How do you feel?"

She blinked, consciousness gradually clearing. "I'm fine..."

That drug had been terrifyingly potent. Just a whiff had knocked her out for hours.

Ethan Sullivan stood apart from the crowd, watching her with complex emotions.

He wanted to approach but restrained himself.

Victoria Langley clasped her daughter's hand, eyes red-rimmed. "Thank goodness Ethan found you in time..."

Evelyn froze.

Her gaze traveled past the others, locking with Ethan's.