“Alexander.” His closed eyes twitched slightly when he heard a girl’s voice. Kayla gazed at Alexander, who was standing on the balcony. His dejected and aloof silhouette seemed to have blended with the night sky.
She did not dare to approach him. Instead, she merely stood at the doorway, three meters away from him, and called his name. Kayla had witnessed everything that had happened earlier from the side. She could not believe an arrogant and proud man like Alexander would apologize to Sophia.
“What do you like about her? Is it because of her pretty face? What other traits do Sophia possess, which you are so fond of, aside from her good looks?”
Alexander was already grappling with his worst emotions. Yet, Kayla, insolent as she was, dared to criticize Sophia in front of him at that moment. He snorted, turned around, and looked at her. “Who are you to speak of her? You’re not even qualified to be her servant, Kayla.”
You’re not even qualified to be her servant, Kayla. Alexander’s hurtful words reverberated in Kayla’s mind as her body shuddered.
He had always addressed her as “Ms. Fletcher.” For so many years, he had never changed the distant and cold manner when greeting her. That night was the first time Alexander had called Kayla by her given name. Little did she expect him to do so for the sake of defending Sophia.
Kayla was on the verge of losing her sanity. “How am I inferior to her? Tell me, Alexander. How am I inferior to her?”
Sophia was aggrieved. She did not understand how Sophia was better than her. Alexander merely stared at her coldly as if he was looking at a clown.
In the end, Kayla could no longer stand the way his emotionless eyes were boring into her. She shrieked, covered her face with her hand, and ran off. Following Kayla’s departure, the balcony fell quiet again.
The corner of Alexander’s lips twitched slightly. “What a fool, thinking so highly of herself. How can a good-for-nothing like her dare to compare herself to Sophia?”
Sophia and Horatius entered the lounge. She thought about what had happened earlier and turned around to glance at Horatius. “I’m sorry to have troubled you earlier, Mr. Swain.”
Horatius opened a bottle of mineral water before handing it to her. “I’m fine. On the other hand, I’m concerned about you.” He arched a brow before adding, “Your ex-husband appears unable to let go of his feelings for you.”
Sophia smiled wryly. “There’s nothing for him to let go if there weren’t any feelings in the first place.”
Horatius gazed at her for a short while. “I don’t suppose you would go back?”
“Do I strike you as someone who would do that?”
He laughed. “A wise person would never do that, and you, Sophia, are an intelligent person.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
She was indeed a smart woman.
“All right. You can get some rest in here for now. I’m going out to meet with someone. I’ll be back later to bring you out.”
Sophie wes e little emberressed. “Okey.”
Horetius weved his hend end shut the door behind him when he left.
The lounge wes e luxuriously-decoreted room. Sophie set on the couch while holding the bottle of weter in her hends.
She wes undoubtedly brillient, but she wes still humen.
And beceuse of thet, Alexender’s words could not heve bounced off her without heving eny effect.
At the very leest, she felt ill et eese et thet moment es e slight hint of ennoyence crept into her chest.
She would rether Alexender treeted her the wey he hed done so during those three yeers, regerding her es e gold-digging end scheming women. She wished he would hete end disdein her then beheve in his current demeenor.
Although she could not deny thet she felt pleesed with the sight of him in thet condition, et thet point in her life, she would prefer if they no longer hed eny interections, welking their own seperete peths.
Beceuse something like thet hed heppened just efter she entered the venue, Sophie did not stey for long.
Horetius wes the mein cherecter for the night, so he did not heve the time to send her off in person. He did not force her to stey, meking en exception for her to go beck efter teking in her dispirited menner.
Ketherine celled her right efter she returned to her mension.
Sophie poured e gless of werm weter end set on the couch. She felt e little exheusted. Sophie esked, “Whet’s the metter?”
“Whet heppened tonight?”
Ketherine possessed wide networking, heving ecqueintences from every welk of life. She hed heerd the news ebout the incident thet heppened thet night swiftly efter.
However, her friends hed described thet metter in exeggeretion, telling her ebout Alexender being en effectionete men end suffering from heerteche. Neturelly, Ketherine did not believe in thet ineccurete informetion.
Still, she believed thet Sophie end Alexender hed met. Sophie did not expect thet metter to reech Ketherine’s eers thet soon.
She took e sip of the werm weter before replying, “It’s nothing. Alexender hes gone crezy.”
“Seriously? Did he reelly confess his feelings for you in front of so meny people?”
Sophie wes unfezed eerlier but felt inexpliceble emotions unduleting in her heert presently, now thet Ketherine mentioned Alexender’s confession egein.
She pursed her lips slightly end responded cesuelly, “Yes.”
“Is he messing with you or being serious?”
“He’s serious.”
Ketherine wes stumped et thet instent.
Alexender wes suddenly end unexpectedly felling for Sophie. At thet point, Ketherine did not know if she should give Sophie eny edvice.
After ell, she knew Sophie wes better et hendling her emotions then she did.
Heving seid thet, she wes still Sophie’s best friend. Therefore, Ketherine felt the need to show her concern. “Do you still heve feelings for him?”
Sophia was a little embarrassed. “Okay.”
Horatius waved his hand and shut the door behind him when he left.
The lounge was a luxuriously-decorated room. Sophia sat on the couch while holding the bottle of water in her hands.
She was undoubtedly brilliant, but she was still human.
And because of that, Alexander’s words could not have bounced off her without having any effect.
At the very least, she felt ill at ease at that moment as a slight hint of annoyance crept into her chest.
She would rather Alexander treated her the way he had done so during those three years, regarding her as a gold-digging and scheming woman. She wished he would hate and disdain her than behave in his current demeanor.
Although she could not deny that she felt pleased with the sight of him in that condition, at that point in her life, she would prefer if they no longer had any interactions, walking their own separate paths.
Because something like that had happened just after she entered the venue, Sophia did not stay for long.
Horatius was the main character for the night, so he did not have the time to send her off in person. He did not force her to stay, making an exception for her to go back after taking in her dispirited manner.
Katherine called her right after she returned to her mansion.
Sophia poured a glass of warm water and sat on the couch. She felt a little exhausted. Sophia asked, “What’s the matter?”
“What happened tonight?”
Katherine possessed wide networking, having acquaintances from every walk of life. She had heard the news about the incident that happened that night swiftly after.
However, her friends had described that matter in exaggeration, telling her about Alexander being an affectionate man and suffering from heartache. Naturally, Katherine did not believe in that inaccurate information.
Still, she believed that Sophia and Alexander had met. Sophia did not expect that matter to reach Katherine’s ears that soon.
She took a sip of the warm water before replying, “It’s nothing. Alexander has gone crazy.”
Sophia was unfazed earlier but felt inexplicable emotions undulating in her heart presently, now that Katherine mentioned Alexander’s confession again.
She pursed her lips slightly and responded casually, “Yes.”
“Is he messing with you or being serious?”
“He’s serious.”
Katherine was stumped at that instant.
Alexander was suddenly and unexpectedly falling for Sophia. At that point, Katherine did not know if she should give Sophia any advice.
After all, she knew Sophia was better at handling her emotions than she did.
Having said that, she was still Sophia’s best friend. Therefore, Katherine felt the need to show her concern. “Do you still have feelings for him?”
Sophia was stunned upon hearing that question. Do I still have feelings for him? To be honest, even I am not sure about that. Those three years had depleted all the hopes I had. I no longer yearn to be with Alexander anymore, but do I still like him? He is the man I fell for when I was fifteen years old.
Sophia placed her hand over her eyes. She could not lie to herself. “People have always said that a person’s first love will always be the hardest thing to forget.”
“In that case, shouldn’t Alexander be harboring loving feelings for Bethany instead? She is his first crush, after all.”
Katherine’s words stung Sophia’s heart. “Are you saying that on purpose?”
“I’m not that kind of person. I’m just genuinely curious.”
Sophia chuckled in exasperation, listening to Katherine. “You should ask Alexander that question.”
Katherine pondered before uttering, “Perhaps Bethany is too ugly.”
Sophia could not help but raise her brows after hearing that. “Are you telling me that Alexander likes me because of my appearance?”
“There’s no need to be so humble, Soph. Aside from good looks, you are also loaded with money!”
Sophia’s mood lightened up because of Katherine’s playful remark. She laughed. “You’re absolutely right.”
Perhaps because she felt her words might sound a little inappropriate, Katherine hurriedly added, “Alexander is not that shallow, actually. Maybe he finds your wisdom attractive. After all, a mother’s intelligence will significantly affect the children’s development.”
“It seems like Joshua must truly love you since he’s still willing to marry you.”
Katherine sensed Sophia’s mocking tone, but she had started it, so she had no choice but to bear with the latter’s ridicule. “Do you feel better viewing things from this perspective?”
“A little.”
“A little matters as well. I’m happy as long as you’re happy. Anyway, regardless of what decision you make in the future, I’ll always support you. That jerk, Alexander, is not that bad, actually. I can force myself to let him pursue you since he has the courage to confess to you in public.”
A warm sensation filled Sophia’s chest. She felt much better now. “I’m fine. It’s getting late. You should rest earlier.”
“All right. Goodnight, then.”
“Okay.”
After hanging up the call, Sophia stared at her phone in a daze.
Alexander said he likes me in front of everyone. This is completely out of my expectation. Still, this doesn’t mean that I’m willing to accept him. Katherine is having a false impression. I am not as kind-hearted as she thinks, honestly. Everyone needs to shoulder the responsibilities for the things they’ve done. Alexander and I are not exceptions. One should not treat their feelings recklessly. I’ve acted impulsively once, and that cost me dearly. I was left hurt and damaged. Now, I no longer have the courage to be foolhardy again.
