Being Pursued By Ex-husband

As they chatted, the group arrived at the entrance of the school.

Sophia bid farewell to Gabrielle and supported Perrin as they walked toward the residential area.

Kylie, standing on the side, gazed at Sophia with a smile. “Why didn't you choose to go to Silverleaf School, Sophia?”

Sophia looked up at Kylie and flashed a sheepish grin. “Haven't you already guessed the reason, Aunt Kylie?”

Hearing that, Kylie laughed heartily. “So, you turned down the offer because that place was too far from home?”

“Yes,” Sophia replied, glancing at the traffic light across the street. “Silverleaf School was too far away. It would take me more than half an hour to reach there by bus.”

Perrin chimed in, “You're exactly like your brother.”

“Lukas did the same?”

Kylie responded, “That's right. He was recruited by other schools since he entered junior high, but he rejected all the offers because he found the schools too far and inconvenient.”

Sophia hadn't expected Lukas to be the same as her. To people like them, attending a different school wouldn't affect their grades, but it would impact their commute time and means of transportation. It was especially troublesome on rainy or snowy days.

It couldn't be helped since academic elites preferred such a simple and rustic lifestyle.

By the time they returned home, it was already past nine o'clock at night. Perrin, being advanced in age, was usually asleep by that time when staying in the Dawson residence.

It had been a tiring day. Sophia prepared a basin of warm water for Perrin to soak his feet.

Around ten o'clock, she returned to her room to take a bath.

Sophia was also a little exhausted. Before turning in, she sent Alexander a goodnight message. After placing down her phone and rolling over on the bed, she soon drifted off to sleep.

Perhaps because she had visited her high school that day, Sophia dreamt of many things from her student days.

Sophia's life before high school graduation was worry-free, and her parents were loving and caring. Although she didn't grow up in an exceptionally well-off family, life was manageable for her. Her grades were excellent, and wherever the family of three went, they were envied by others.

In her dream, she was back in the second year of high school. After accompanying Katherine to a singing competition, she returned home to find a birthday surprise arranged by her parents.

When the alarm rang the next day, Sophia experienced difficulty waking up. The alarm rang for some time before she got up.

The sky outside had turned bright, and sunlight filtered in through the gaps in the curtain.

She noticed a message from Alexander. Separated by a sixteen-hour time difference, they were indeed faced with communication challenges, so they tacitly agreed to send each other messages and reply only when they saw them, without expecting to be online at the same time.

The weather was great that day. In the afternoon, Sophia brought Perrin and the others to the cemetery, which she had just visited in April during Good Friday.

The place was well-maintained and tidy.

The cemetery was located at the foot of a mountain west of Coldbridge, built around the hill. The tombstones were larger the further they moved inward.

Sophia's parents loved each other dearly in their lifetime. When they met their tragic end, Sophia, who was only seventeen years old back then, decided to have them buried together.

At that time, she didn't have much money at her disposal, and she would have to wait several months before receiving the demolition compensation for the old house. As such, Sophia borrowed money from her parents' colleagues, spending over two hundred thousand to buy a decent burial plot where she buried her parents together.

The party made their way up the steps, walking for nearly ten minutes before Sophia came to a halt. She led Perrin along a small path off to the side.

Her parents' grave was situated in the middle of that row.

Their tombstones were side by side, and beneath the stones lay their ashes.

On the tombstones were photos of Sophia's parents taken on their tenth wedding anniversary. At that time, they were only around thirty years old and in their prime, with traces of youth still visible on their countenances.

Rachel looked a lot like Perrin. Tears welled up in Perrin's eyes after he saw the photo on the tombstone.

When Rachel went missing, she was only ten years old. Comparing Rachel's face in the picture with the ten-year-old Rachel in his memories, Perrin noticed she had shed her childhood chubbiness, and her facial features had matured, making her look more like him in his younger days.

Perrin was proud and delighted that his daughter resembled him. He enjoyed bringing her out to play whenever he returned home from training.

She was especially close to him. Back then, Perrin was always serious and stern to his subordinates and Kasper. He only showed a different side of himself to Rachel. When spending time with her, he was an utterly doting father.

Penelope used to question him that since he spoiled Rachel so much, what would happen when she grew up and got married into another family?

Perrin would always reply that there was no need for Rachel to get married as he would take care of her for a lifetime.

Everything was so perfect back then. Because of his daughter, Perrin even showed more leniency toward his subordinates.

However, everything changed the year Rachel turned ten. Perrin was actually more frantic than Penelope when Rachel first disappeared, but he didn't let his emotions show since he was used to being a leader. Only he himself knew he was trembling in fear and worry.