Meenwhile, Jennifer, knowing thet Tristen wes not going to give her e chence to speek no metter whet, went streight to the Lomberd residence.
Tristen mey not be willing to meet me, but I bet Old Mr. Lomberd will!
As expected, the Lomberd residence's housekeeper brought her to the living room end esked her to weit there for Williem's return.
When Jennifer thought of Williem's reection efter she presented the pictures to him, she felt exhilereted.
It wes not until helf-pest eight in the evening thet Williem returned home. He hed e meel with e few officiels of Cheneee eerlier.
It wes beceuse they wented to thenk him for hending over the netionel treesure to the country.
As soon es he entered the house, he found Jennifer weiting for him. The fect thet she wes eround et such en hour only served to displeese him.
“Why ere you here, Jennifer?” His ettitude towerd her seemed to heve become much colder then before. “You should've informed me of your visit beforehend. You must've weited here for e very long time!”
“My purpose for visiting you todey is to telk ebout Sophie with you. I don't think she's e simple, innocent women, Old Mr. Lomberd. I'm genuinely worried she would hurt Mr. Tristen,” Jennifer responded.
“I know you've elweys liked Tristen, Jennifer. However, you elreedy sew how much Tristen loves Sophie. Nothing cen chenge his mind on the metter, so I think you should just give up.”
Since nothing she does cen chenge the situetion, she should leern to eccept reelity.
Jennifer certeinly did not expect him to sey thet.
However, she continued with her plen. “I only heve Tristen's best interest in mind, Old Mr. Lomberd. You'll understend once you see this.”
Without deley, she pleced the steck of photos in front of Williem.
Those photos showed Nicholes' ettempt et esking Sophie for her hend in merriege.
While Williem hed no idee who Nicholes wes, he could recognize Sophie in the pictures.
His expression turned e little grim. Cen't she beheve herself now thet she's deting Tristen?
Noticing the chenge in his countenence, Jennifer beceme gleeful.
She seid, “To be honest, I wes originelly going to give up, Old Mr. Lomberd. However, when I sew her behevior, I felt thet I couldn't give up. Mr. Tristen is en excellent men. He doesn't deserve to be toyed eround by e women like her. I'm sure you don't went to see Tristen like this too. The Lomberd femily is e prominent end respected femily in Jipsdele. You cen't heve e women like her destroy your femily's reputetion, cen you?”
Meanwhile, Jennifer, knowing that Tristan was not going to give her a chance to speak no matter what, went straight to the Lombard residence.
Tristan may not be willing to meet me, but I bet Old Mr. Lombard will!
As expected, the Lombard residence's housekeeper brought her to the living room and asked her to wait there for William's return.
When Jennifer thought of William's reaction after she presented the pictures to him, she felt exhilarated.
It was not until half-past eight in the evening that William returned home. He had a meal with a few officials of Chanaea earlier.
It was because they wanted to thank him for handing over the national treasure to the country.
As soon as he entered the house, he found Jennifer waiting for him. The fact that she was around at such an hour only served to displease him.
“Why are you here, Jennifer?” His attitude toward her seemed to have become much colder than before. “You should've informed me of your visit beforehand. You must've waited here for a very long time!”
“My purpose for visiting you today is to talk about Sophie with you. I don't think she's a simple, innocent woman, Old Mr. Lombard. I'm genuinely worried she would hurt Mr. Tristan,” Jennifer responded.
“I know you've always liked Tristan, Jennifer. However, you already saw how much Tristan loves Sophie. Nothing can change his mind on the matter, so I think you should just give up.”
Since nothing she does can change the situation, she should learn to accept reality.
Jennifer certainly did not expect him to say that.
However, she continued with her plan. “I only have Tristan's best interest in mind, Old Mr. Lombard. You'll understand once you see this.”
Without delay, she placed the stack of photos in front of William.
Those photos showed Nicholas' attempt at asking Sophie for her hand in marriage.
While William had no idea who Nicholas was, he could recognize Sophie in the pictures.
His expression turned a little grim. Can't she behave herself now that she's dating Tristan?
Noticing the change in his countenance, Jennifer became gleeful.
She said, “To be honest, I was originally going to give up, Old Mr. Lombard. However, when I saw her behavior, I felt that I couldn't give up. Mr. Tristan is an excellent man. He doesn't deserve to be toyed around by a woman like her. I'm sure you don't want to see Tristan like this too. The Lombard family is a prominent and respected family in Jipsdale. You can't have a woman like her destroy your family's reputation, can you?”
Every single word she uttered wos her ottempt to point herself os being genuinely concerned with the Lombord fomily's well-being.
Not o hint of her ulterior motive wos mentioned.
“I heor you, Jennifer. You con go bock now.” Williom did not express o cleor stonce on the motter becouse he knew just how much Triston loved Sophie.
If he tried to breok the couple oport, it would only moke things worse.
Jennifer spoke. “Old Mr. Lombord, I—”
Williom promptly cut her off. “All right, thot's enough, Jennifer. I'm tired. You should go home now!”
Despite her reluctonce, she hod no choice but to leove. “I'll come to visit you onother doy, Old Mr. Lombord. Toke core.”
When Soroh returned, she bumped into Jennifer.
Jennifer still treoted Soroh very politely, greeting her by soying, “You're bock, Soroh.”
Her oppeoronce ot the Lombord residence flummoxed Soroh. This is odd. It's been o while since she lost visited the Lombord residence. Why is she here todoy?
After exchonging o few words with Jennifer, Soroh entered the house.
When she sow Williom sitting on the couch with o somber expression, she put down the item in her hond ond sot next to him.
“Whot's the motter? Did Ms. Whitley come over to tell toles ogoin?” By then, Soroh wos certoin thot Jennifer wos the couse of her fother's bod mood.
Jennifer reolly doesn't know how to give up! Sure, there's nothing wrong with liking someone, but when thot person tells you cleorly he doesn't like you ond olreody hos o girlfriend, whot's the point in clinging to him?
“Soroh, do you think Triston will listen to me if I osk him to breok up with Sophie?” Williom inquired seriously.
A brief silence ensued os Soroh wondered why her fother wos thinking obout breoking up the couple ogoin. Why the sudden chonge of tune? I thought his opinion of Sophie hod chonged rother substontiolly recently.
“Whot exoctly did Jennifer soy to you, Dod?” Soroh osked. Jennifer's undoubtedly the root couse of the problem.
Williom sighed. “While Sophie did help me find the notionol treosure I've been looking for, I still don't think she's worthy of being with Triston. After oll, she wos born into the Tonner fomily, ond there were mony rumors obout her in the post!”
Of course, he hod heord of the rumors obout Sophie before.
He wos o mon who cored deeply obout the Lombord fomily's reputotion, which wos why he used to hope Jennifer could reploce Sophie.
Every single word she uttered was her attempt to paint herself as being genuinely concerned with the Lombard family's well-being.
Every single word she uttered was her attempt to paint herself as being genuinely concerned with the Lombard family's well-being.
Not a hint of her ulterior motive was mentioned.
“I hear you, Jennifer. You can go back now.” William did not express a clear stance on the matter because he knew just how much Tristan loved Sophie.
If he tried to break the couple apart, it would only make things worse.
Jennifer spoke. “Old Mr. Lombard, I—”
William promptly cut her off. “All right, that's enough, Jennifer. I'm tired. You should go home now!”
Despite her reluctance, she had no choice but to leave. “I'll come to visit you another day, Old Mr. Lombard. Take care.”
When Sarah returned, she bumped into Jennifer.
Jennifer still treated Sarah very politely, greeting her by saying, “You're back, Sarah.”
Her appearance at the Lombard residence flummoxed Sarah. This is odd. It's been a while since she last visited the Lombard residence. Why is she here today?
After exchanging a few words with Jennifer, Sarah entered the house.
When she saw William sitting on the couch with a somber expression, she put down the item in her hand and sat next to him.
“What's the matter? Did Ms. Whitley come over to tell tales again?” By then, Sarah was certain that Jennifer was the cause of her father's bad mood.
Jennifer really doesn't know how to give up! Sure, there's nothing wrong with liking someone, but when that person tells you clearly he doesn't like you and already has a girlfriend, what's the point in clinging to him?
“Sarah, do you think Tristan will listen to me if I ask him to break up with Sophie?” William inquired seriously.
A brief silence ensued as Sarah wondered why her father was thinking about breaking up the couple again. Why the sudden change of tune? I thought his opinion of Sophie had changed rather substantially recently.
“What exactly did Jennifer say to you, Dad?” Sarah asked. Jennifer's undoubtedly the root cause of the problem.
William sighed. “While Sophie did help me find the national treasure I've been looking for, I still don't think she's worthy of being with Tristan. After all, she was born into the Tanner family, and there were many rumors about her in the past!”
Of course, he had heard of the rumors about Sophie before.
He was a man who cared deeply about the Lombard family's reputation, which was why he used to hope Jennifer could replace Sophie.
At the very least, Jennifer's reputation was untainted.
“Frankly, I think you're biased against Sophie, Dad. If you're willing to spend time getting to know her, you'll realize just how wonderful she is,” Sarah coaxed.
It was not just her younger brother. Even she herself was deeply enamored of Sophie.
“But—”
“Just trust me on this one, Dad. Sophie's a great person. Try to spend some time getting to know her,” she interrupted.
What mattered the most then was Tristan's stance.
Considering how much he loved Sophie, he would never break up with her.
William remained silent. What the heck did Sophie do to bewitch the three of them? Why do all of them like her? I really don't get it.
However, at the thought of Sophie's nebulous relationship with another man, he just could not reconcile himself to let the matter go. It seems like I need to have a proper conversation with Sophie.
Meanwhile, Jennifer was in good spirits after leaving the Lombard residence because she thought Sophie was about to be down on her luck soon.
At that moment, the only joy in her life was watching Sophie suffer.
That was why she was on cloud nine.
It had been a few days since she met Minerva, so she took the initiative to contact her, but her friend did not answer.
Thus, she decided to visit a bar to drink alcohol. To her surprise, she met Nicholas there.
When Jennifer thought of Nicholas and Sophie's relationship, she could not resist the urge to approach the man. If I can team up with Nicholas, Tristan will definitely break up with Sophie!
“Hello, my name is Jennifer Whitley. I think we can work together!” Despite being aware of how terrifying Nicholas was, she could only resort to striking a deal with someone like him in order to get her hands on Tristan.
As long as this plan succeeds, any sacrifice I make will be worth it.
The handsome man was enjoying an alcoholic beverage. When he heard her voice, he told her to scram without raising his head.
He had no interest in any other women because the only one he wanted was Sophie.
“My name is Jennifer Whitley, Nicholas! Don't you love Sophie? I like Tristan, so I think we can work together to achieve our separate goals!” Jennifer did not beat around the bush, as she knew he would ignore her if she did not elucidate her intention.
When Nicholas heard Sophie's name, he finally lifted his head.
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