"Could it be..."
"Sophia!" the two of them exclaimed simultaneously.
After uttering that name, they shared a knowing smile.
"It's really her!" Daniel took out a cigarette. With a quick nod from Fat Lawler, one of his subordinates handed him a
lighter.
The smell of tobacco filled the room as Daniel contemplated and then flicked off the ash.
"I guess... by now, both of us are blamed for kidnapping the Bayer heiress, right?"
"What else!" Fat Lawler snorted. "She acted all friendly with me on the surface, but then she pulled off this stunt,
spreading rumors everywhere that I abducted Arya!"
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"We're pretty tight, so naturally, others would suspect me," Daniel said with a grin. "This way, more people are
implicated. My brother-in-law is Nicholas, so it affects the relationship between the Bayer and Thompson families."
Fat Lawler scoffed. "She really thinks she can manipulate us like this?"
"What do you think?"
"Absurd!" When Fat Lawler said that, his tone remained steady, and his face showed no signs of an emotional
ripple. However, Daniel noticed him clenching his fists and the veins popping out on the back of his hands.
Daniel whispered after a brief silence, "Fat Lawler, I've manipulated the price of Cumulus City's mineral mines,
making those two mines less valuable than they used to be."
"I know." Fat Lawler patted his shoulder. "Originally, I did it to help you release your frustration. As long as you've
found your release, my efforts aren't wasted. However..."
Fat Lawler gestured.
At that moment, Arya turned and blinked, gradually sitting up in bed inside the room.
Daniel said softly, "I'd like to have a private conversation with her."
Fat Lawler hesitated for a moment and then nodded.
Daniel carefully pushed open the door.
Arya was cautious, her wide eyes locked on the direction of the door. Her body instinctively leaned back. When she
saw the person entering was Daniel, she appeared somewhat surprised and confused.
After a long pause, she softly called out, "D..."
She wasn't sure how to address him. Should she just call him by his name? That might seem disrespectful. He was
Pammy's uncle. In theory, she could also call him "Uncle". But now... it seemed he was with Maisie.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmArya bit her lip awkwardly. Finally, she settled on "Mr. Quimby."
Daniel smiled and casually took a seat in a nearby chair.
"No need to be so formal," he said mildly. "Even though I'm Linda's younger brother, there's a significant age gap
between us. Besides, my mindset is relatively youthful, so you can treat me as a peer."
"I shouldn't..." Arya winced.
Daniel looked at her. "Ms. Bayer, have you been alright these past two days?"
Arya didn't respond.
Seeing she let down her guard, Daniel revealed the truth to her.
Arya listened quietly, occasionally looking up to study him. After a long hesitation, she softly spoke.
"Actually... I know Fat Lawler didn't kidnap me. Not only did he not kidnap me, but he also saved me."
"Then, who do you think is responsible for this?"
"Sophia."
Daniel was taken aback. He hadn't expected her to mention that name without the slightest pause.