"He gave me a diluted version?" Sophie was taken aback, clearly not expecting Odie to still have a conscience.


    But soon, another question popped into her mind. "Mr. Gordon, how do you know all this?"


    Gordon leaned back, his voice steady. "Colby did a lot for the White family back in the day. They were involved in both legit and shady dealings, especially overseas where their dirty work was rampant. Colby went through hell for them, even got hooked on drugs. Every doctor thought he was a goner, but he pulled through. It took him a year of sheer determination to kick the habit."


    "How is that possible? Wasn''t Mr. Elwood, thete head of the White family, kind to Colby?"


    "Kind? In our world, what does kindness even mean? Mr. Elwood saw Colby''s potential and kept him close. To gain his trust, Colby had to take some extreme measures."Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Gordon continued in a calm manner, "Among the four major families, the Costello family is the most formidable. Colby ending up abroad wasn''t a fluke but part of Lennon''s long-term n. You were too young to know back then, but Colby was the most talented and mature among us. When the Costello family caught wind of the White family''s operations, Colby volunteered to go undercover abroad. He stayed hidden for years until he got his chance to get close to Mr. Elwood. How many people could show such resolve at such a young age?"


    Sophie fell silent, lost in thought.


    In her past life, she barely knew Colby. She only knew that after returning from abroad, he immediately became James'' rival. Within a few short years, they were both vying for control of Devonport.


    Now, Devonport had changed


    dramatically th less than two years, S Corporation emerged to challenge the Burke family. Thinking back, if she hadn''t bought that plot ofnd at the auction, things might have yed out just like before.


    Colby was always destined to sh with James. Her intervention had just thrown a wrench into the works.


    "Sophie?" Gordon''s voice snapped her back to the present. She shook off her thoughts and asked, "Does Colby know about this?"


    "Not yet. You should tell him


    yourself," Gordon said. "These past few days, he''s been holed up in theb for you. If he keeps this up, his health might fail. He might copse before you do."


    Sophie had been worried. She had tried talking to Colby, but he always reassured her, only to sneak back to theb while she slept.


    "Thank you, Mr. Gordon. I''ll go talk to him right away."


    Sophie left the bedroom, her spirits lifted. Outside, Adler and Jenna watched her, puzzled.


    Adler scratched his head. "Why''s Sophie so happy? Did she get some kind of brain damage from that bump on the wallst time?"


    "Cut it out! Can''t you say something


    good for once?" Jenna smacked the back of Adler''s head. He protested, "I''m just worried about her! She''s been sick for days, and Colby''s been acting obsessed! Locked in theb all day. What''s he nning to do, todo, be a chemistry professor or something?"