Colby set down his newspaper and strolled over to the couch, carefully reading its contents. "Odie's in such a rush, probably because he's desperate to get his hands on overseas resources," he remarked. "Is he in a hurry to go against you?" Sophie asked.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"Not necessarily," Colby replied with a shrug. "Could be something going on in Summerfield." "Something happened in Summerfield?" Sophie frowned, trying to recall the last event there but couldn't pinpoint any signs of trouble.
Honestly, if Odie had just stayed put in Summerfield, he could have been the big fish in a small pond. There was no need for him to dive into the murky waters overseas, which led to the Pollard family calling off the engagement and nearly ruining his reputation. If it wasn't for Odie's thick skin, anyone else would have slunk away in disgrace long ago.
"I'm not sure. Summerfield is Odie's turf, and I promised not to interfere there," Colby said. He noticed a flicker of disappointment cross Sophie's face, likely from not hearing any juicy gossip.
With a chuckle, he ruffled her hair. "But I've got my sources. If something big happens, I'll be the first to know." Sophie snuggled into Colby's embrace and asked, "I remember you saying you and Odie were like brothers. What happened between you two?" "He probably thinks I betrayed him." "How so?" "Back in the slums, we helped each other out and went through tough times together. Then Mr. Elwood took us both in, and we often worked on assignments together: But Qdie was more ruthless and ambitious. When the late Mr. Minton needed an heir, an opportunity arose." Sophie thought for a moment. "I never heard Mr. Minton was without an heir. So Odie wasn't his real grandson, but an adopted one?" "At the time, Odie didn't want to becMr. Minton's adopted son; he wanted to stay overseas because he saw that Mr. White was on his deathbed. It waswho convinced him to go to Summerfield withto achieve greatness. Only then did he go." Colby continued, "But in the end, I didn't go. He felt I had betrayed our brotherhood, thinking I wanted to stay in Devonport to monopolize the White family's inheritance and sent him away, reducing the competition." "So, in reality, you sent him away to protect him?" Sophie asked.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"No," Colby said earnestly. "The truth is, by sending him away, I did reduce the competition." Sophie cracked a smile. "No wonder he hates you."
"But, there's another side to it. Only one of us could inherit the White family's fortune, and it was inevitable that it would lead to fratricide. So, sending him away was the best choice." "Why didn't you make the noble sacrifice and leave, letting him stay?"
"Because he's not smart enough to manage the White family's affairs."
Colby stated flatly, "The outcproved my decision right. It's a miracle he could rule suprwith could rule the Mintons with his brains. Thanks to his hatred for me, he's managed to persevere till now. Like it or not, I am his guiding light."