drive.


    Inside the grand, albeit empty, halls of Aldridge Manor, the silence was almost deafening. Odie had navigated the car into the underground parking, Jonah by his side, while Sophie sat quietly in the back, lost in her thoughts. She hadn''t uttered a word during the entire Once they parked, Odie broke the silence, saying, "I''ll give you half an hour. Can you get everything ready by then?"


    "My things are already packed, thanks," Sophie replied softly. Her voice was so low it was almost drowned out by the ambient silence. Odie, either not hearing or choosing to ignore, continued, "Be downstairs in half an hour. Don''t waste my time." He stayed in the car, making it clear he was giving Sophie space. She stepped out and headed upstairs, into the heart of the manor.


    Aldridge Manor was as imposing and stately as ever, yet it felt different-hollow and lifeless. Since Gordon had left a month ago, the once-bustling home had be eerily silent. No more footsteps on the stairs, no more doctors or specialists. Just a shell of what it once


    was.


    In her dreams, the manor was alive, filled withughter and smiles. Sophie vividly remembered running from the backyard to the living room, where warmth and joy filled the air. Everyone was smiling, herself included.


    As she reached the second floor and stood at the door of Gordon''s study, she hesitated. In a fleeting moment, she imagined him there, standing by the window, bathed in sunlight, smiling warmly at her. It was aforting vision, but as she pushed the door open, reality set in the room was empty, and a pang of sorrow tugged at her heart.


    Dreams were just dreams. Despite her strange familiarity with Aldridge Manor and her deep connection to Gordon and the Aldridge family, the reality was elusive. Memories were like scattered pieces of a puzzle she couldn''t fit together.


    Sophie approached Gordon''s desk, which was pristine and untouched. It seemed dreams held their mysteries, never to be fully unraveled. With a sigh, she left the study, unaware of the photograph tucked away in the top drawer-a snapshot of her on the Aldridge family swing, a memory Gordon chose not to carry with him.


    The liveliness of the Aldridge family had faded into a quiet solitude.


    Meanwhile, in the garage, Odie


    leaned against the car, lighting


    cigarette. Jonah, curious, asked,


    "Boss, aren''t we going to pack our things?"


    "Everything''s been packed ages ago," Odie replied casually, exhaling smoke. "We''re here so she can face reality and say a proper goodbye."


    He didn''t know what had transpiredContent is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    in the depths of the manor, but he sensed that something had shifted for Sophie. Gordon''s departure wasn''t a mere coincidence; it was an inevitable conclusion. Facing the truth was always better than hiding from it.


    Soon, Sophie returned, her hands empty but her mind perhaps a little clearer. Jonah opened the car door for her and Odie, and they settled in.


    As they drove away, Sophie leaned forward from the back seat. "I have a question for you, Mr. Odie."


    "Go ahead," he replied, keeping his eyes on the road.


    "Colby, is there something he''s keeping from me?" she asked, her voice carrying a mix of curiosity and concern.


    Sophie recalled Colby mentioning a


    secret, but back then, with all the tension surrounding Joseph, ske hadn''t pressed him. Now, she was ready for answers.