Ned gazed at her, his face unreadable.
"By comparison, you've really lived a blessed life. Our families are so different… I completely understand why your mother opposes us being together," she said softly.
"Her opposition doesn't matter on this one thing. I won't change my decision just because she disapproves," he replied coolly.
"Don't say that out of anger. You still have to consider her feelings," Sophie said, looking straight into his eyes. "After all, you're her only son. She has high hopes for you, of course she wouldn't want you to marry a girl like me, someone with no status, no background."
"Status? Background? A girl like you?" He stared back at her, a flash of anger in his voice.
"You once told me your mother grew up in privilege and judges everything by her own standards. I think that makes perfect sense," Sophie said earnestly. "It's only natural for her to care about family background and social standing. Someone like me, who has nothing, she could never accept."
He said nothing, just looked at her.
Sophie met his gaze and smiled gently. "When I'm with you, I don't ask for anything." She continued, "Just having dinner with you like tonight, that's already enough to make me feel satisfied… happy."
"I've never dared to wish for 'happiness.' I don't know why," Sophie said with a self-mocking little laugh. Maybe it was the wine tonight, or maybe the atmosphere was just too perfect, she was talking more than usual.
"I believe happiness is a gift from God. The very fact that we're alive in this world, whether happy or not, is God's gift, a crucible that refines our wisdom." Unknowingly, tears began rolling down her cheeks. "If a person's heart is always filled with gratitude, that gratitude softens the heart and fills it with joy through giving. On the other hand, if someone is constantly dissatisfied, greed will make them suffer because they can never get what they want."
"Are you preaching the Gospel to me now? I'm a faithful believer too," Ned said with a faint smile. "Your heart really is incredibly gentle. You're satisfied so easily."
"Gentle? Am I gentle?" Sophie burst out laughing. "I actually have quite a temper. I have a lot of principles, too. And when those principles clash with others, I can't always resolve the conflict peacefully. I guess I'm not wise enough. I can't make everything coexist harmoniously."
"Why so philosophical all of a sudden?" Ned chuckled.
"Don't worry. I'll keep holding on. As long as I stay patient, all misunderstandings will eventually clear up."
Ned lowered his eyes. The most important question of the night, the one he absolutely needed an answer to, still hadn't been asked.
"There's one more thing I've been wanting to ask you," he said.
"What is it?"
"You don't have to answer if you don't want to," he added.
Hearing those words, Sophie's face went blank.
"Your father… has your mother ever mentioned anything about him?"
Sophie stared at him for a long time, then slowly shook her head. "No. Never." She closed her eyes, her voice heavy with pain. "A while ago, right after Mom's surgery, she told me a secret. Do you want to know what it was?"
"Is it about your father?" Ned's gaze darkened.
"Yes… and no." She spoke slowly. "Mom told me that I… that I was adopted. She's not my biological mother."
A single tear slid down Sophie's cheek as she began to sob quietly. "Why didn't my parents want me? They gave birth to me and just… threw me away. If Mom hadn't taken me in, would I even be me?" She buried her face in her hands and cried.
At this bombshell, Ned's pupils contracted slightly. If that was true, the chances of them being siblings dropped even lower.
Yet at the same moment, something else clicked in his sharp mind, and his brows knitted tightly together.
Why had a young Sarah adopted a newborn baby back then?
Wasn't she already pregnant at the time?
If Sophie was the child she adopted, then what happened to her own baby?
If she hadn't taken in that infant, her entire life wouldn't have been so hard; her path might have been completely different.
Why had she done it? Everything suddenly felt even more tangled and mysterious…
"Oh! It's already past nine! We actually spent over three hours on dinner." Sophie quickly turned her face away, grabbed her bag, and stood up. "It's late; let's pay and go home."
The waiter hurried over to pull out her chair.
Ned paused for a moment before slowly rising. He placed a wad of cash directly on the table. "Let's go."
He turned and walked out of the restaurant first.
Sophie followed, then quickened her pace to catch up.
He drove to the narrow lane outside her home, parked, and got out with her.
"You don't have to walk me in. It's just a few steps; I'll be home in no time," Sophie said, tilting her head up to look at him.
Ned took her hand and walked side by side with her down the little alley. "I want to see your room tonight. May I? Would you welcome me in?"
Sophie froze, stunned for a long moment before she finally reacted. "Of course you're welcome! It's just… I don't have anything to offer you except water."
"That's fine. As long as you're there," he murmured suggestively into her ear.
"Don't! The neighbors will see; I'll die of embarrassment!" Sophie shyly wrapped her scarf around her entire face.
The old apartment building had no elevator. Sophie gave Ned an apologetic glance, then looked at the narrow, dimly lit staircase, silently indicating they had no choice but to climb. Ned sighed in resignation and followed her up, one step at a time, all the way to the fourth floor.
As soon as he entered the room, Ned collapsed straight onto Sophie's bed.
"Your bed… smells so nice," he murmured with his eyes closed. "I'm drunk. I just want to sleep."
Sophie looked at him and couldn't help laughing in slight exasperation. "Did you come all the way here just to sleep? C&C is way more convenient; you even have your own dedicated suite there."
He kept his eyes shut, stretched out an arm to cover his forehead, then broke into a grin. "I'm in a bad mood… your pillow smells nice…"
Sophie glanced at him, said nothing, and quietly went to the bathroom to wet a towel with hot water. She came back, helped him sit up, and prepared to wipe his face. "Sit up properly. I'll wipe your face for you."
He opened his eyes and smiled at her. "I want to see you every single night, but I can't, so I'm in a bad mood," he mumbled.
"Are you actually drunk? I'm not even drunk!" She first pressed the warm, damp towel gently against his forehead.
Suddenly, Ned grabbed her hand. "Sophie…" He called her name.
"What's wrong?" She froze.
He reached out and held on tightly.
She gently freed herself and carefully wiped his face, her touch soft and tender as she lightly massaged his temples and cheeks.
"I want to see you every night," he continued.
Sophie just smiled without saying anything, focusing on wiping his face and giving him a light massage with very gentle hands.
He grabbed her hand again. "Do you miss me?" he asked.
She laughed. "I'm wiping your face right now, and in a minute I'll wipe your hands too so you can sleep." She tried to pull away.
"Answer me now!" His tone carried a hint of displeasure.
She looked at him, still smiling patiently. "Stop messing around."
"Say it now!" He was being as stubborn and unreasonable as every drunk person gets.
"Fine, fine, I'll say it," Sophie relented, coaxing him gently. "I miss you too."
The words felt embarrassingly cheesy—she'd never said anything like that before—so as soon as they left her mouth, she blushed and pretended to be busy, pulling her hand free with a little more force and starting to wipe his hands.
Even though she'd only said it to placate him, it wasn't a lie.
Ned stared at her, eyes dark. "I want to kiss you…" he said out of nowhere.
Before the words even finished, he suddenly cupped her face with both hands and pressed his lips to hers—
Sophie jolted in shock; she hadn't expected him to move so fast…
She could barely breathe! Tonight's kiss from Ned was nothing like before—he had her pinned against the bed, the hungry kiss never stopping, ravaging her lips over and over.
His aggression carried raw, sexual desire; he kissed her mouth, her body, with the fierce intensity of a man taking the woman he wants…
"Ned!"
Her panicked cry couldn't stop him. Ned was like a man possessed; he suddenly swung a leg over and straddled her thighs, pinning her down, then started unbuckling his belt.
Sophie froze, eyes wide in shock, unable to make a single sound…