The moment Victoria stormed into the office, she plopped herself down on the sofa without so much as a glance at her husband and demanded, "Why did the person in the hospital suddenly transfer? Were they afraid I was coming to visit and felt guilty?"
"Is that why you're here?"
"Who exactly is this person you've been keeping in the hospital?"
"Is that all you came for? What on earth did you do at the hospital?" Jonathan's tone grew increasingly irritated.
The couple talked past each other, with barely any real interaction.
"Why are you yelling at me? Am I not allowed to go to the hospital?" Victoria shouted even louder.
"This is a workplace—don't come here if there's no reason!"
"Workplace? You're not even working!"
Jonathan had had enough. "Get out!" he said bluntly.
"Get out?" Victoria's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're telling me to get out?"
"If you won't leave, then I will!" Jonathan shot to his feet and strode toward the door.
Victoria's jaw dropped. "Did you swallow gunpowder or something? I didn't even do anything—why are you snapping at me?"
Jonathan ignored her completely and walked out of the office.
His stubborn, self-willed demeanor infuriated Victoria beyond words. With nowhere to vent her anger, she pounded the sofa with all her might—
"I'm so pissed!" she roared, letting out her frustration.
But in the vast chairman's office, only silence and emptiness answered her.
......
On the small road from the bus stop to Sophie's rented apartment, Ned spotted Sophie walking alone on the roadside, arms wrapped around her shoulders.
He pulled his car over to the curb and drove slowly alongside her, silently observing her lonely, downcast face…
At first, Sophie didn't notice the car following her. It wasn't until the window rolled down and she instinctively turned her head that she was startled to discover Ned had been driving beside her the whole time.
But Sophie didn't stop. She kept walking, her pace quickening—
Ned parked the car, jumped out, and caught up with her in a few strides. "You clearly saw me! What's been going on with you lately? Lara says you've been taking leave from school all the time, and you've been listless at C&C too."
"Did I mess up at work? President, why are you here looking for me?"
"Archibald hasn't shown up at the company in ages either—you two—" Ned suddenly felt his tongue twist into knots.
"Are you here for Archibald, President? Sorry, I haven't seen him in days either." Sophie stared straight ahead and answered calmly.
"Are you angry?" Ned's heart leaped at the question he'd been dying to ask, and a smile broke across his face. "Sophie, that day when Archibald confessed to you, I saw everything—I was standing right at the street corner. I thought the reason you've been so distracted these past few days was because—"
He seized Sophie's hand tightly. "Don't accept his confession, okay? Sophie, he's nothing but a playboy—he falls for every girl he meets, he's fickle. You'll be deceived; you'll get hurt."
"Let go!" Sophie jerked free with force. "I don't understand what you mean!" Then she turned to leave.
Ned grabbed her arm. "Sophie, I like you too. Don't be Archibald's girlfriend—be mine, okay? I promise there will only ever be you by my side, forever only you. Don't like Archibald, please?" The usually icy man flashed her a smile of devastating charm.
Sophie glared at him, forcing her face to betray nothing. But her body, her feet—they froze; she couldn't take another step.
Ned gently pulled her into his arms. "I really, really like you. Before I met you, I thought I'd never truly fall for any girl—that in the end I'd just marry for family interests and live a numb life without love or affection, just like my parents."
Feeling her struggling body, he softened his voice into a low, husky murmur: "Don't push me away. It took everything I had to muster the courage to confess. Do you know how hard these past few days have been for me? I was terrified Archibald would steal you. Seeing you so lost and distracted—it's been tearing me apart…"
Sophie finally broke free from his embrace. Her mother's words echoed in her mind: Our family doesn't belong in the same world as his—we have to stay far away, daughter. Otherwise, you'll get hurt. Her gaze hardened with resolve.
Even though Sophie's glare was full of resistance and cold indifference, Ned's tone remained gentle: "Don't be afraid. I'll take care of everything—you just need to follow my lead. Trust me." He lightly stroked her long hair. "Go home now. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning and take you to school." With that, he fought the urge to kiss her cheek, turned, and walked away.
Sophie kept staring at him, expressionless, watching his retreating back—yet her eyes stung with a sudden, aching wetness…
Back at her apartment, she hastily finished a simple dinner and went to bed.
But sleep wouldn't come…
Ned's tender confession replayed over and over in her mind. She knew she liked him too—really liked him. She wanted so badly to say yes. But every time she remembered her mother's warning, she pulled back.
Could Mom and Uncle Jonathan have been in love once, only to break up because of class differences?
No wonder Uncle Jonathan looked at her mother with such longing, regret, and reluctance…
The next morning, Sophie woke early, caught the first bus to campus, and buried herself in the library, forcing herself to focus on her books and push the question that had tormented her all night out of her mind—until Lara texted, inviting her to breakfast at the café.
The two of them savored a rare moment of peace in the café, laughing and chatting. Half a semester into university, they had become surface-level besties. Lara was like a little princess—beautiful, easygoing, gentle, elegant—though she occasionally threw princess-like tantrums. But they always blew over by the next day.
Sophie, who had no close friends since starting university, treasured this bond. She nurtured it carefully, smiling off Lara's little quirks and never putting up her guard.
"Sophie, I went to Uncle Harrington's wine party the other night and saw Ned. I mentioned you to him," Lara said, leaning affectionately on Sophie's shoulder.
"What did you say about me?" Sophie asked, still catching up on a professor's assignment—she'd fallen behind juggling the hospital and C&C.
"Oh, I told him Archibald came all the way to campus to see you, and that Archibald seems to really like you." Lara watched her face closely.
"That's not true. Why would Archibald like me? But hey—if I told you Ned likes me, would you believe it?" Sophie teased, completely missing Lara's expression.