Chapter 677

After all, Sofia had been utterly devastated by Dan’s passing. She had even been driven to the point of seeing multiple therapists, only gradually recovering with the passage of time. When she learned that Dan was in Sandara, Sofia dropped everything to go find him. However, Dan was engaged. His fiancée was Elena, who was undoubtedly involved in the Murry family.

Sebastian gave Richard a profound look. “Why do you suddenly ask?”

Richard said, “I’m just curious.” His voice was flat, as if it were a question asked out of boredom. Richard was bored enough to come all the way here to confirm whether Sofia still had feelings for Dan. Sebastian was sharp enough not to believe the casual reason Richard gave.

Sebastian chuckled, “Sometimes you have to be a real man.”

Richard felt confused. Sebastian looked at him, his eyes unreadable. Before Richard could speak, Sebastian added, “After all, things should be treated separately.” His words made Richard’s eyebrows furrow. He felt like Sebastian had seen through everything.

Sebastian didn’t say anything more and just asked Elliot to drive away. Richard, however, froze for a while with a grim expression. Then he took a drag of his almost-finished cigarette.

“Let’s keep things separate. Could this work?” Richard asked himself. He thought, ‘What if Sofia still has feelings for Dan?’ Speaking of Dan, Richard thought about how Sofia had been obsessed with his death all these years. She had always kept a distance from other men. All signs indicated that she held Dan in the most important place in her heart. But today she beat Dan up like that.

Richard thought, ‘How could someone who once loved so deeply simply stop loving? And why did she hit Dan today?’ Richard closed his eyes. Then, his phone vibrated. It was Cliff calling.

“What?” Richard said coldly.

Cliff, on the other side of the phone, paused, then said, “Mr. Casalini, Ms. Giovanni is at Januzery now.”

Richard thought, ‘Januzery? I see.’ When he came just now and saw that her car wasn’t there, he assumed she wasn’t home. Indeed, with the intensity of her fury today, both Dan and Elena had been beaten in the hospital. If she hadn’t vented her anger outside today, she probably wouldn’t have planned to go home.

Richard pinched his eyebrows. “What is she doing in Januzery?”

Cliff said, “I don’t know.”

“Alone?” Richard asked again.

Cliff said, “This time she’s alone.”

She had gone out twice today, both times with many bodyguards to fight. At this time, Sofia was alone.

Richard started the car directly, hung up Cliff’s call, and went straight to the Januzery Hotel. However, just off the main road of the Giovanni residence, a call came in from a strange number.

Richard answered, “Hello.”

“It’s me.” Dan’s voice came from the phone, gritting his teeth. He sounded like he was going to tear Richard apart.

Hearing Dan’s obviously furious but obviously weak voice, Richard chuckled, “It seems that Sofia didn’t hit hard enough; you woke up so soon.” His people all said that Dan was in a coma in the hospital, and after such a short time, he woke up.

Dan was so angry that he almost fainted again. “Richard, you bastard, tell me honestly, was it you last night…”

Richard asked, “What are you talking about?”

“You got a marriage certificate with Sofia yesterday, you didn’t even have a wedding, don’t tell me you slept with her.” As soon as Dan said this, his emotions became uncontrollable. Dan thought, ‘Sofia usually seems to be smart, but how could she see in someone like Richard?’ The more Dan thought about it, the angrier he became.

Listening to Dan’s exasperated breathing, Richard chuckled, “She’s my wife now, we sleep together, isn’t that reasonable and legal?”

“It was you last night.” Dan’s teeth were grinding, and his breathing became unsteady.

Richard said calmly, “It’s me, so what?”

“Richard!” His roar of anger pierced through the phone.

Richard said calmly, word by word, “I was the one who slept with Sofia last night, not you.” However, Dan, on the other end of the phone, almost fainted from his rage.

“Damn it, you slept with Sofia and ran away, leaving me to take the blame. Richard, you bastard! You’re a jerk! Wait and see! I will make you die a terrible death.” Dan had never been so angry. At this moment, he truly wished he could strangle Richard.

Richard chuckled softly, “Whether or not I’m a real man is something Sofia knows very well.”

Dan was silent. The air on the other end of the phone went still. A few seconds later, panicked shouts erupted from Dan’s end of the line. “Sir, we told you not to get so worked up. Please calm down.”

“Get out!” Dan roared, his voice booming through the phone. Then came the sound of Samuel calling for the doctor. “Doctor! Come quickly! Mr. Murry has fainted again!”

Richard hung up the phone, a surge of satisfaction spreading across his heart. He couldn’t resist adding a venomous curse. “I hope you never wake up again.”

In Richard’s opinion, Dan should have died all those years ago. At least then, Dan would have remained a pure memory in Sofia’s heart. He thought, ‘What is the point of him living now? To torment Sofia?’

After Richard arrived at the Januzery Hotel, he immediately called Sofia, but the call was hung up after just one ring. Richard called again, but her phone was off.

“What the hell?” Richard murmured.

As soon as he pushed open the car door and got out, Theodore’s call came. “Richard, you must not betray us?” He had deliberately inquired about it, and the other three people who played cards with Dan were still unconscious.

Richard said, “Cowardly.”

Theodore said, “Yes, we are all cowardly, and only you are promising. You are bold.” Knowing that so many people had been beaten to death, he still dared to admit it in front of Sofia. He was indeed a real man.

Theodore asked, “So, have you seen Sofia yet?”

Richard said, “No.”

Theodore said, “Well, when you see her, you have to keep it a secret from her, okay?” His voice was laced with cowardly fear.

Richard was so angry that he hung up the phone. He thought, “That little bastard! After all we had been through together in Paginara, all the bloodshed, he is still such a coward.”

Richard had just stepped into the hotel when Dan called again. “Richard, you’re a jerk!”

Richard chuckled, “You are a good person?” Without waiting for Dan to speak, Richard continued sarcastically, “Any normal person would never even think about faking their own death.”

“I…” Dan hesitated.

“Dan,” Richard said, his voice low, “Some things, even if you have a lifetime to process, will always be what they are. Professor Hector gave you that drug, didn’t he?”

Dan didn’t say anything.

Richard asked, “You really don’t know that she went crazy after you died?” His words were filled with sarcasm. It was no secret in Fiorenza that Sofia had almost completely lost her mind back then, so Dan knew it for sure.