It was already past quitting time, but Sophie was still buried in the files on her desk. She hadn't finished organizing them, and there was also a report she needed to complete. It wasn't urgent, but she wanted to get it done today rather than leave it for tomorrow.
Just then, the internal line from the general manager's office rang. Sophie hurriedly picked it up. Ned's low voice came through: "I'm taking you out for dinner."
"But I haven't finished my report yet," Sophie replied, still busy.
The call was abruptly ended. She was stunned for a moment but didn't think much of it and continued working.
A little while later, the door to the general manager's office opened. Ned walked over and tapped on her desk. "Let's go. It's dinner time. People aren't machines—you need to rest even if you have work. There's always more work waiting."
Sophie looked up at him, then reluctantly stood up and followed him to the parking lot. "Where are we going for dinner?"
"A friend recommended a restaurant. They say the food there is quite special. I want to try it," Ned explained. "Come with me. If it's good, I'm thinking of bringing it into C&C."
As their company car pulled out of the parking lot and passed the C&C driveway, Sophie glanced out the window and saw Jonathan's car…
At that exact moment, Jonathan was getting out of his car. He saw their vehicle leaving—and he saw her sitting in the passenger seat.
Sophie was silent the entire ride.
"Why so quiet?" Ned finally broke the silence.
"When our car left C&C just now, I saw Uncle Jonathan," Sophie said calmly.
"He looked at me without any expression. But when I saw him, I was overwhelmed with guilt," she continued slowly.
Ned, who had been quiet until then, suddenly laughed. "Ha ha—you're overthinking it. Don't be so sensitive." His tone carried a hint of dismissiveness.
"Uncle Jonathan hasn't visited Mom in the hospital for a long time. Yesterday, Mom's attending doctor told me we need to discuss her surgery, but when I called him, he didn't pick up any of my calls," Sophie said, turning to look at Ned. "He must disapprove of us being together. That's why he's acting like this."
Ned frowned. He hadn't deliberately paid attention to how his father was handling this matter, but he still answered Sophie's concern: "That's just your own feeling. My father doesn't dislike you. Maybe he's been really busy lately and overlooked your calls and messages."
"Is that really it?" Sophie murmured to herself and turned her head away.
"As for my mother, though, you'd better prepare yourself mentally. She'll probably come looking for you—maybe very soon."
"What do you mean?" Sophie slowly turned back, staring at Ned's handsome profile. "She's coming to find me? Why?"
"Heh heh heh, nothing more than the usual clichés: negotiations, threats, trying to buy you off with money, maybe even a mix of hard and soft tactics."
"Have you been watching too many Chinese dramas lately? That's unbelievable. Something like that wouldn't happen in England," Sophie said, hardly able to believe it.
"That's just how my mother is. Don't think it's absurd—I know her extremely well." He glanced at her. "I'm telling you the truth, and you will definitely run into it. No one understands my mother better than I do, because I'm her son."
"Is she coming to humiliate me? Do you want me to refuse to see her?" Sophie watched Ned, who was driving steadily with no expression on his face.
"No, you have to meet her," Ned replied firmly.
"Hah—what are you telling me this for, then?" She didn't understand.
"I want you to tell her that you will—definitely, without question—be with me. That's it." His eyes darkened as he spoke.
"If I say that, she'll be furious enough to lose her mind. What if we meet in a café? I'm afraid she'll flip the entire place upside down," Sophie said with a horrified expression.
"Hahaha—that's my Sophie!" Ned burst out laughing at her reaction.
"What's so funny? Were you even listening to me?"
"So, do you dare to do it?" Ned's aggressive tone returned.
She didn't answer and slowly turned her gaze away.
"Sophie, be fair. You have to be fair to me," Ned suddenly said, out of nowhere.
"For the first time, at my birthday banquet, I was the one who explained everything to my mother and father. I openly told them: I love you, and I will marry you."
"For the second time, I took you to the club so you could see the other side of me. You should know that's not a place you're supposed to go. I broke the rules for you," Ned reminded her slowly.
Sophie's thoughts drifted as he spoke. The first time, she hadn't been firm enough. She had even considered leaving him. She was terrified of facing his mother's sharp, cutting remarks and equally afraid that Uncle Jonathan, who had always been so kind to her, would reject her.
The second time—that men-only place—she still felt like she'd been dragged through hell again just thinking about it. She didn't want to remember it at all.
"That place… clearly isn't suitable for me," she said with a faint smile.
"The kind of women who frequent that club may look glamorous on the surface, but most of them end up as nothing more than men's playthings. That world is huge, but you will never be part of it," he answered calmly.
After a moment of silence, Sophie asked, "So what exactly is the fairness you're asking for?"
"Face my mother's doubts with courage. Tell her that you will firmly choose to be with me," Ned replied steadily. "No matter whether she tries to tempt you with money, insults you with harsh words, or even threatens you with your family—please hold on to that heart that loves me resolutely. Don't waver. And tell her that you will never leave me!"
She stared at him and said slowly, "This is what you call fairness?" She fell silent. Images flashed through her mind—his mother's humiliating words, her cold glares, her arrogant, superior demeanor…
Just thinking about it sent waves of fear through her. She desperately wanted to refuse. She didn't want to face Ned's mother—
"Well? Can you do it?" After waiting a long time without a reply from Sophie, he asked again, "Did you hear me?"
"I—" Sophie didn't know how to answer.
"Is it that hard to answer? It's like a negotiation at the table: you make a demand, then I make one," he said, turning the steering wheel. The restaurant had apparently arrived; their car was heading toward the parking lot.
"Maybe my analogy isn't perfect, but that's how it is. Love requires both sides to give. We love each other, so because I love you, I move closer to you and bring you into my world. Then you, who say you love me just as much—shouldn't you also take a few steps forward instead of standing still? That's the only way we can get closer, right?"
"So, for the sake of our love, break the rules just once. That's fairness."