“No, I didn’t. It was Samuel. He investigated Lukas and discovered that fact in the process because he was bored.”
Sophia knew that Alexander wouldn’t lie, but she was still inexplicably furious. “So? You came over in the middle of the night and woke me just to ask about my relationship with Lukas? What has that got to do with you? And what right do you have to put that question to me? Alexander, have you forgotten that we’ve been divorced for over a year? It has been more than a year, not a day or a week, let alone a month!”
“I’m sorry. I know I should restrain myself and only seek you out the next morning. I know it’s inappropriate to wake you up at this hour. But after parting ways with you in the afternoon, I almost lost my mind. You know what, Sophia? I even despicably contemplated binding you to me. However, I suppressed all those thoughts. I know you wanted to sever all ties with me when you had that match with me this afternoon. Likewise, I know we should go our separate paths after that. I had already decided to let go and even wished you happiness. But that was because I thought you were going to marry Lukas. I thought you had really fallen in love with someone else.”
Alexander then continued, “But now, all that has been proven false. You’re not going to marry him, and you didn’t fall in love with someone else. Sophia—”
At that point in his speech, he suddenly murmured her name. “I really regret failing to treat you well in those three years and truly wish to start afresh with you. Before I met you, marriage and love had never crossed my mind.”
Sophia lifted her head and stared at him. Out of the blue, she chuckled.
“Really? I don’t think so, Alexander. Why must you make it sound as though you’re deeply in love with me? The internet is likely still abuzz about your relationship with Clara.”
Right after Sophia said that, regret swamped her.
Ugh! I shouldn’t have mentioned that. We were speaking of me and Lukas and him coming over in the middle of the night and waking me up, but I dragged Clara into this matter for no reason!
Alexander was no fool. If he were foolish, he wouldn’t have been able to manage Odyssey so well, much less had Beau pick him as the heir among his many grandchildren.
Sophia’s remark sounded as though it was pure criticism, but she mentioned Clara.
If she really didn’t care about him, she wouldn’t be bothered about that.
Tightening his hand slightly, Alexander pulled Sophia closer to him. “Sophia, do you know who Clara is?”
Sophia didn’t want to know, for she knew that the answer wasn’t one she wished to hear.
Exerting force, she tried to push him away, but his hand around her waist was like an iron rod. No matter how hard she tried, it didn’t budge in the slightest.
“Let go of me, Alexander!”
However, not only did Alexander refuse to do, but he even held her tighter.
Sophia’s entire body was almost plastered against him. At precisely that moment, he lowered his head and fixated his gaze on her, clarifying, “Clara is my aunt.”
“That has nothing to do with me!”
“But I want you to know that.”
Sophia closed her eyes for a second to compose herself. “I got it. You can now unhand me.”
The woman in Alexander’s arms was fragrant and soft. Hmm, this is my first time hugging her in such a manner.
At that thought, he grew a touch greedy. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he was reluctant to drop his hold on her.
“Did you wish me happiness today because you thought that I was going to marry my aunt?”
Following his mention of his aunt, Sophia felt wholly mortified. “Whoever you marry is none of my business.”
She eyed him coldly, her voice exceedingly detached. It was as though she truly didn’t care in the slightest.
Alexander arched an eyebrow as he gazed at her. Lifting his other hand, he caressed her eyes. “Don’t talk, Sophia. Your eyes can’t lie.”
Sophia’s temper spiked. “Release me, or I’ll lodge a police report.”
As soon as her words rang out, Alexander dropped his hand from around her waist.
Sophia breathed a sigh of relief. They were alone in the house, and she wasn’t his match in terms of physical strength. Hence, she wouldn’t be able to resist if he was determined to force himself on her.
Furthermore, her current condition wasn’t all that great. In fact, her head was still spinning.
The instant Alexander unhanded her, she swiftly took a few steps back.
It wasn’t until after she retreated to a distance she felt was safe did she raise her head to look at him, asserting, “Please leave.”
Despite the seemingly polite request, her expression was chilly as she regarded him.
Her voice was rather low and slightly hoarse, making it evident that she had caught a cold.
“Have you taken any medicine?”
“Please leave, Alexander!” Sophia repeated.
Alexander scrutinized her calmly before reaching out and putting the back of his hand on her forehead. “Be good. You don’t look all that well.”
Sophia was sick, so her reaction was a beat slower. She merely watched as he withdrew his hand, her brows furrowing in frustration. “Can’t you understand me, Alexander?”
“I do. Don’t worry. I’m not going to do anything to you.”
Surprisingly, he remained calm and unruffled after hearing that despite his hot temper.
Conversely, Sophia let out a chuckle of annoyance. “In that case, should I thank you for waking me up in the middle of the night instead?”
Alexander knew that he was in the wrong when it came to that. Casting her a glance, he stated, “Go back to bed. I’m a little hungry. I’d like to cook some pasta.”
“There’s a convenience store a kilometer and three hundred meters away.”
“You know I’m a germaphobe.”
Pausing for a moment, Alexander continued, “Do you mind if I cook pasta to eat at your house?”
“Yes.”
Sophia didn’t bother giving him any quarter.
Alexander was silent for a while. “I haven’t eaten anything since afternoon other than smoking two packets of cigarettes and drinking two glasses of plain water. Right now, my stomach is hurting badly. I think if I were to drive away now, you’d most likely read about me getting into an accident on the news tomorrow.”
Then, he added resolutely, “You wouldn’t want to see news of me getting into an accident.”
Verily, Sophia felt that the man was all too shameless. “I’m sorry, but I’d love to see that.”
Frowning, Alexander countered, “Don’t be contradictory, Sophia. Otherwise, I’d think that you’re saying you love me when you claim to hate me.”
Words eluded Sophia.
It was the first time she was rendered speechless by him.
“Sorry. I won’t wake you again.”
With his gaze pinned on her, Alexander glimpsed the frown marring her countenance. It was as though she was extremely frustrated over him waking her up. Pursing her lips, Sophia spun around and went upstairs.
Right then, her head felt heavy while her legs felt weak. She couldn’t even ascend the stairs properly, so she really hadn’t the energy to continue arguing with the man.
After returning to her room, she wrapped the covers around herself and fell into slumber.
Her cold came all of a sudden. She thought it was nothing major and that she would be fine after sleeping it off.
Alas, reality proved her wrong. As she slept, she felt increasingly lousy, and her body temperature also gradually rose.
She realized that she might be running a fever, but she didn’t have the strength to open her eyes. She felt horribly tired, sleepy, and out of sorts.
While in a daze, she seemingly heard her room door being pushed open. A few seconds later, someone scooped her up.
She forced her eyes open and vaguely made out that it was Alexander carrying her in her hazy vision.
She couldn’t help frowning. Lifting her hand, she wanted to push him away, but she had no energy.
“Get out!”
Who allowed him to come in?
At that moment, the initially pale woman in Alexander’s arms was flushed bright red. Reaching out, he could tell that she was running a fever as soon as his hand made contact with her skin.
It had been an entire night, but the rain was still falling outside the window.
Alexander placed the medicine in his palm, wanting to feed it to Sophia.
As the pill entered Sophia’s mouth, bitterness pervaded her. She promptly spat it out. “It’s so bitter! I don’t want to eat it!”
“It’s ibuprofen.”
Sophia’s brows knitted together. “I don’t want it.”
I’m already feeling utterly tortured. Why should I still eat such bitter medicine?
Alexander never knew that she detested taking medicine so much. In fact, she resembled a child who refused to eat. No matter how he coaxed her, she simply wouldn’t eat it.
Sophia was only semi-conscious, feeling tormented as she burned up all over. When a pair of cool lips pressed against hers, she was stunned for a moment and greedily wanted more.
