"I don''t care! He can''t even afford a mansion? There''s no way I''m marrying such a loser!"


    Sandy red at Odie with disdain before turning to Vanessa. "Come on, let''s go shopping. My dad just bought me a mall. Pick whatever you like."


    With that, Sandy dragged Vanessa away,pletely ignoring Odie.


    Odie smiled as he watched them leave, but the moment they were out of sight, his expression darkened.


    Once he used the Pord family''s influence to take down Colby, he''d make sure Sandy paid dearly.


    Meanwhile


    The ne from Devonport had already touched down.


    Sophie slipped on her sunsses and a baseball cap, linking arms with Colby as they exited the airport.


    Having been a public figure before, Sophie was worried her face might attract attention. They hadn''t disclosed their overseas trip, hoping to avoid unwanted attention and not be recognized. Outside the airport, a mix of people bustled about amidst medieval-looking architecture,plete with tall towers and evidentmercialization.


    Sophie remarked casually, "This truly is the city of romance."


    Colby responded lightly, "But also the city of sin."


    Unlike the grimy, polluted vibe of Summerfield, the filth here wasn''t as obvious.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Though the city center outside the airport was bustling, just a street awayy a slum where people could barely afford food andcked nkets in winter, living day-to-day by begging on the streets. Sadly, the locals had long grown used to this sight.


    "The gap between the rich and poor here is enormous. The rich live like kings, while the poor live worse than animals."


    Colby described the city''s situation calmly. Having grown up here, he knew its dark corners better than anyone.


    Sophie squeezed Colby''s hand tightly, saying, "This time, you have me with you."


    "Dummy." Colby sped Sophie''s


    hand back, saying, "Mrs.''s rfirst time abroad. Want


    your


    show you around?"


    "Sure."


    Sophie''s eyes turned into crescents when she smiled, looking beautiful. Colby led Sophie into a taxi, driving from the city center towards the slum.


    The taxi stopped at the boundary between the two areas.


    Sophie studied the beggars in the slum. There were elderly folks in their seventies and eighties and children as young as five or six. Yet, these children had eyes as old as the adults, creating a dissonance that made one instinctively ufortable.


    Colby said, "The kids here learn early. They know how to use people''s sympathy to beg for their dinner money."


    Sophie looked around. There were


    fourteen-year-old girls forced into marriage by their parents, boys diligently shining shoes for the working ss. The rich dripped in wealth, while the poor couldn''t afford dinner.


    Sophie asked, "Were you like this too?"


    Colby raised an eyebrow, "Feeling sorry for me?"


    Sophie replied with a hint of annoyance, "You know the answer."