C7 She Betrayed Him!

As Toby Fuller stepped out the door, he caught sight of a man leaning in to whisper into Sonia Reed's ear.

Sonia was laughing, her joy unmistakable.

Toby had been on his way to his car.

But he paused.

He turned, his gaze icy as he watched them.

Since their marriage, Sonia had never laughed like that with him. Their conversations were filled with nothing but trivialities, and whenever she looked his way, she was cautious, almost fearful.

He didn't care for that timidness—it irritated him.

Now, post-divorce, Sonia seemed transformed, shining with a brilliance he hadn't seen before.

Was it because of that man?

A scornful smile curled Toby's lips.

A cheating woman was hardly deserving of his love.

"Sir?"

Assistant Benson, noticing Toby hadn't moved towards the car, gently prompted him.

Toby's eyes snapped away from the pair, and he settled into the car. "Let's head back."

Benson sensed Toby's simmering anger.

Meanwhile, Sonia had just settled into the passenger seat when she glimpsed Toby driving off. As their car pulled away, she gazed out at the trees rushing by, lost in thought.

Ryan Dwyer, sitting beside her, noticed her pensive mood. He masked his concern and asked casually, "Sis, what's on your mind?"

Sonia snapped back to reality with a smile. "Nothing at all."

Ryan had the exotic look of someone with mixed heritage.

Toby Fuller had been known as the campus heartthrob back in the day...

Yet Ryan was every bit his equal in looks.

"Why did you choose to become a model?" Sonia had always imagined that with his stellar grades, Ryan would have pursued an academic path.

"I just auditioned on a whim, never expecting it would lead me into the modeling world," he explained.

Casting a glance at Sonia, he asked as if it were an afterthought, "Sis, does it bother you that I'm a model?"

Sonia shook her head, her eyes warm. "I'm happy for you, as long as you're successful."

Ryan's smile broadened as he brought the car to a smooth stop. "We've arrived."

Before them stood a quaint, two-story cottage.

An elderly man with a full head of white hair sat on a wicker chair, sipping tea.

He turned and greeted her with a gentle smile.

Sonia froze, disbelief etching her features.

The old man exhaled a weary sigh. "I've heard about your troubles, my dear. You've been through so much."

She rushed into his arms. "Grandpa, where have you been all these years?"

Five years prior, the Brilliant Glory Group's funds had been embezzled, and all evidence had pointed to her father. He was ousted from the board and faced imprisonment.

Her father's depression, fueled by her stepmother and stepsister's embezzlement and disappearance, had led to his tragic suicide.

The old man began, "I've spent these years investigating the embezzlement at the company. It's connected to the Strongview Group. Your father was made a scapegoat."

Strongview Group was the largest real estate firm in City A, helmed by Chairman Leon Aguilar—Khloe's father.

Lost in her thoughts, Sonia was roused as the old man handed her a document. "These are 50% of the shares in Brilliant Glory Group. Don't ask how I acquired them; I know you need this."

Sonia's lips tightened, her expression grave. "I will uncover who framed my father. I promise not to disappoint you."