Being Pursued By Ex-husband

Chapter 481

Finally, Sophia managed to fall asleep after almost twenty hours of not getting any rest. It was probably thanks to the familiar fragrance and Claudius' scent that lingered on the bed.

By the time she woke up, darkness had already filled the sky and also the room.

Sitting up groggily, she called out to Genie thinking that she was still at home.

It wasn't until the words rolled off her tongue that Sophia realized she was in Claudius' condominium.

After rubbing her temples to wake herself up, Sophia felt for the lamp switch beside her and turned it on.

With help from the light, she found her phone and realized it was eight in the evening.

At that moment, the condominium was silent, a likely indication that Claudius had left.

Upon walking out of the room, she saw that the living room lights were still on. It wasn't until she got closer that Claudius' sleeping figure on the couch came into view.

His laptop was placed on his lap, but its screen had already darkened.

Sophia carefully tried taking the laptop away from him, wanting to put it on the table, but the movement caused Claudius to open his eyes.

Staring blankly at her, he took a while to regain his senses.

After putting the laptop aside, she said, "You're awake. It's already eight in the evening."

Frowning, Claudius handed her a bag from the armchair beside him. "Your new clothes are inside. You should go take a shower. I'll be making us some food."

Sophia nodded in acknowledgment. "Sure."

Even though Claudius wasn't close to Rose, their bond as mother and son was undeniable. Thus, he was still emotionally affected by her condition in one way or another.

Thereafter, Sophia felt a lot better after taking a bath.

When she emerged from the shower, Claudius had grilled two steaks and made two glasses of orange juice. Owned by NôvelDrama.Org.

"I'll get someone to buy vegetables tomorrow, so I can cook Chanaean food for you."

From their time in Lightspring, Claudius learned that Sophia didn't like Epean food.

The latter took a seat opposite him. "You don't have to do that."

There's no need to waste time cooking when Rose is in critical condition.

Claudius threw her a glance. "It's no trouble at all."

Seeing how persistent he was, Sophia said nothing in response.

When the stubbles on Claudius' chin caught Sophia's attention after dinner, she asked, "Why don't you go and take a shower?"

She had a feeling that they weren't going to get much rest that night.

Claudius downed his orange juice before leaning back into his chair to look at her. A short while passed before he gestured for her to approach him. "Come over here, Sophia."

Claudius' hoarse voice betrayed the exhaustion he felt from not being able to get any proper rest due to Rose's illness. Concerned, Sophia walked to his side. "What's wrong?"

No sooner had she spoken than Claudius pulled her into his arms and circled her waist.

Lowering his head, he peered into her gaze with his black obsidian eyes.

He then stroked her cheek with his hand before sealing her lips with a kiss.

After more than a month of being apart from each other, they couldn't stop the sense of longing from overwhelming them.

Sophia subconsciously wrapped her arms around his neck as his kisses grew increasingly passionate and intense. It was as if he was going to devour her at any moment.

The kiss lasted for almost three minutes before Claudius finally pulled away. He pressed her into his embrace after that, placing a hand on her back.

Nestling against his chest, Sophia could hear every single beat of his heart. His short, ragged breathing right above her head was also unmistakable.

Her own breathing was equally irregular as she closed her eyes and lay silently in his arms.

As time ticked by, neither of them said a word. Finally, the silence was broken by Claudius' ringing phone.

After glancing down at her, he carried her to the couch and answered his phone. "It's me."

It was a call from Joe, who was instructed by Madeline to contact Claudius to inform him that Rose was on her last legs.

Upon ending the call, Claudius caressed Sophia's hair. "I'm going to the hospital. She's not doing good."

Sophia gave him a nod. "I'll come with you."

With that, she quickly got herself changed.

By the time she came back down, Claudius was already waiting for her by the doorway.

Sophia walked up to him and held his hand. "Let's go."

The man tightened his grip on her hand and didn't say a word as he entered the elevator with Sophia in tow.

The hospital was located near the condominium, allowing them to reach there within a ten-minute drive.

As it was already past nine, the place was extremely quiet. Even its corridors were devoid of sound.

Under such conditions, the echoes of Sophia's and Claudius' footsteps sounded especially jarring.

The moment both of them arrived at the ward, the doctor apologized to Claudius before exiting with the nurse.

Rose's heart was still beating, but she was too weak to even speak. All she could manage physically was to look at Claudius with her cloudy eyes.

Tears streamed down the old woman's wrinkled cheeks, leaving a burning sensation in Sophia's heart. She subconsciously glanced at Claudius.

He was standing still and returning Rose's gaze.

None of them spoke, and all they could hear was the faint noise of medical equipment in the background.

Madeline was also by Rose's bedside. She was desperately trying to hold back her tears despite her reddened eyes.

Half an hour later, Madeline left the ward wiping her tears, leaving only Claudius and Sophia in the room with Rose.

Meanwhile, Rose continued to stare at Claudius for four hours consecutively before finally passing

away at one forty-eight in the morning.

Just as the heart monitor in the ward flatlined, Rose closed her eyes and breathed her last.

Sophia turned to look at Claudius. "She's gone."

"Mmm-hmm," Claudius hummed before getting up to remove Rose's oxygen mask and the tubes attached to her body.

Upon hearing movement inside, Madeline barged into the room. "Mdm. Lenoir..."

Madeline had spent more than thirty years working for Rose, and the connection between them had grown into something more than an employer-employee relationship.

Madeline, who was in her fifties, seemed to have aged in an instant following Rose's passing.

Thereafter, a nurse entered the ward and wheeled all the medical equipment out.

The quiet ward was filled with nothing but Madeline's suppressed sobs, which brought distress to anyone who heard them.

At two in the morning, Rose's three nieces and nephews barged into the room, crying. They shoved Claudius aside and began wailing beside Rose's dead body.

Sophia held Claudius' hand as she stared at the scene in front of her in disgust.

After crying for more than ten minutes, the three of them got up and glared at Madeline, accusing the

latter of not informing them earlier.

The sight of the devious trio replaced Madeline's sorrow with anger. After wiping away her tears swiftly, she regarded them indifferently. "I was following Mdm. Lenoir's instructions. She has lived a chaotic life and wants to die in peace. All she wants is Mr. Claudius by her side."

At the mention of Claudius, the trio were outraged. They pointed their fingers at Claudius and claimed that he was an illegitimate child who appeared out of nowhere to swindle Rose of her wealth.

The three of them, who were supposedly grieving a moment ago, were now hurling vile accusations. Not even Sophia was spared from their disparaging words.

Claudius' expression turned grim. "Joe, Hellen, throw them all out!"

Upon hearing Claudius' instructions, the two bodyguards dragged the trio out.

Subsequently, the mortuary cosmetologists Madeline had arranged for came in to apply makeup for Rose.

As someone who was particular about her looks when she was alive, Rose had to look good even in death.

Meanwhile, Bruce and the others were still kicking up a fuss outside when the undertakers finally arrived. Visibly annoyed by their behavior, Claudius summoned a group of his men and ordered them to detain Bruce and his companions in the hospital.