Sophia choked a little and raised her gaze at him. “Mr. Xenos, what excuses did you think I used?”
Alexander noticed Sophia would call him Mr. Xenos whenever she was mad at him and call him by his name whenever she was in a good mood.
He stared at her and curved his thin lips upward. “I think you told her the truth.”
“Oh? Then I’m afraid I’ve let you down this time.” Sophia snorted. “I told Katherine you came to take something you left at my place.”
“Why would I look disheveled when I only went there to take something?”
Sophia was startled at that. Then, she got reminded of how he took off his tie and loosened the buttons on his collar. She could not help but think Alexander deliberately set up a trap for her.
She placed her cup away and chuckled. “I told her I beat you up after you embarrassed and angered me.”
Naturally, Alexander did not believe in that. Still, he remembered what Sophia told her, and he knew he was not in the right place to interfere with how she described her relationship with him to the people around her, including Katherine.
No matter what she chose to tell her friends, he knew they could only maintain as friends in front of the public.
Alexander suddenly felt stuffy in the chest when he thought of that, so he changed the topic by asking, “What do you feel like having?”
Sophia took the menu. “Let me take a look.” With that, she lowered her head and started flipping through the menu with a focused look.
Sophia was not entirely flawless. For instance, she was quite a picky eater.
After looking through the menu for quite some time, she ordered two signature dishes from the restaurant to play it safe.
“Why don’t you order something?” she asked. She knew what Alexander liked to eat but did not bother ordering for him.
After the divorce, Sophia did not spend all her time feeling resentful. Occasionally, she would ponder on the factors that failed her three years of marriage with Alexander.
Then, she realized Alexander might be responsible for contributing half the factors that failed their marriage, but she was also at fault.
As the saying suggested, to love oneself was the beginning of a lifelong romance. If one failed to love oneself, one would never find anyone else loving them.
During the three years of their marriage, she had belittled herself too much. At that time, she thought Alexander would start appreciating her one day if she kept tolerating and forgiving him.
It did not occur to her that she was only a stranger to Alexander before they got married.
She forced the marriage to happen. Thus, it was only natural for Alexander to feel trapped inside the union and refuse to get along well with her.
He could allow others to treat her harshly at that time because she often remained silent and chose to forgive them. She was the one who kept transcending her principles and enabled everyone to step all over her.
Hence, this time, she wanted a relationship where they would see each other as equals.
The restaurant Alexander picked was a solid choice. It was not too secluded. The restaurant was packed, but they did not bump into any acquaintances, and the dishes served were terrific too.
After the meal, Sophia wiped the grease off her lips with a napkin and sipped her coffee.
The two women sitting at the table next to them had left long ago, and a couple was seated next to them now.
The couple discussed watching a movie after the meal. Alexander happened to hear that and glanced at Sophia. “Do you want to watch a movie?”
Sophia looked up at him. “Sure.”
There was a movie released recently that was quite well-received, and she had wanted to watch it with Katherine.
“Which movie do you want to watch?”
Sophia directly searched the movie poster online and handed her phone to him. “This one.”
It was a thriller.
“I’ll get the tickets,” he said.
“Okay.”
Alexander bought tickets for the eight o’clock screening. After paying for dinner, they headed to the movie theater.
The streets were bustling on a Friday evening. Sophia lowered her gaze at their intertwined hands and looked up at Alexander walking next to her. “Are you not busy recently?”
She was curious why he had the time to watch a movie with her.
“I’m free,” Alexander lied without batting an eye as he lowered his gaze at her.
“I see.”
The hall was virtually packed. Since Alexander bought the tickets last minute, they were arranged to be seated in the last row in the hall.
After being seated, Alexander tilted his head and whispered to her, “Give me your hand.”
“Hmm?” Sophia was confused.
“You can hold my hand if you’re scared later.”
Sophia clicked her tongue at that. When she saw him opening his palm at her, she simply placed her hand on his palm.
Of course, she did not do that because she was scared.
Soon, reality proved to Alexander that he could not believe everything he read on the internet.
He once read an internet posting that claimed a man should bring a lady to the movie theater for a thriller as it might boost a relationship when she got scared and held his hand in return.
However, when Alexander took in Sophia’s excited look even after the movie ended, he decided to go home later and report the article for generalizing information and not being rigorous or credible.
Noticing his silence, Sophia could not help raising her brows. “Did you not enjoy the movie?”
She had enjoyed watching thriller and horror films since she was a child, but Katherine was so timid that she needed several months to recover from the stimulation after watching a movie with Sophia.
Alexander remained silent, but Sophia mistook that as a sign of him being frightened. “Don’t tell me you’re scared?”
“I’m not.”
“Okay.” Sophia stopped in her tracks and looked at Alexander. “But you don’t look too happy.”
“That’s not true.” As he spoke, he squeezed her hand in his palm. “I’ll send you home.”
Right after he said that, he suddenly felt something soft clutching his waist. It was Sophia who reached out and hugged him.
Alexander was startled for a moment. He lowered his gaze and stared at Sophia.
Sophia looked up, realizing that Alexander could be pretty silly at certain times, and she chuckled. “Don’t believe in everything you read on the internet.”
After all, not all ladies were too timid to watch thriller films.
Hearing that, Alexander stiffened a little. Despite being exposed, he still remained calm and even shot her a puzzled look. “What thing on the internet?”
Alexander regretted it when he saw her turning around and walking away.
He knew Sophia was too smart to fall for his little tricks.
Indeed, it was getting late. Normally, Sophia would have gone to bed at this hour. As soon as they got inside the car, she finally could not stifle a yawn.
Alexander looked at her. “Are you sleepy already?”
“A little.”
He felt sorry for her, but he did not say anything. Then, he started the engine and drove her home.
It was eleven o’clock when they arrived at the mansion. Alexander noticed she had been yawning on their way back, so he held back the urge to kiss her. Instead, he reached out and caressed her face. “Go. I’ll come and pick you up tomorrow.”
He planned to bring her golfing the next day since it was a Saturday.
Sophia nodded. “Drive home safely. Good night, Alexander.”
“Good night.”
After driving out of the mansion, Alexander did not leave. Instead, he sat inside the car and watched as the lights on the second floor were turned off. Then, the lights on the third floor were turned on, and after quite some time, the lights on that floor were turned off too. Finally, he withdrew his gaze and was about to drive away.
As soon as he started the engine, Alexander’s phone rang.
Samuel, who had been enjoying himself all this while, suddenly got reminded of Alexander, who was on a mission to pursue his ex-wife, so he dialed his number and said, “Alex, we’re at Nocturne now. Do you want to come and have a drink with us?”
“No,” Alexander turned down that invitation flatly.
Samuel was unconvinced. “Why? You’re free, aren’t you? You have nothing else to do when Sophia isn’t willing to entertain you! Are you giving up your friends for her now?”
“Who told you I have nothing else to do?”
“Well, are you busy recently? From what I gathered, you didn’t even spend much time in your office in the past two days! The night is still young. What are you doing alone at home?”
“Sleeping.”
Samuel was stunned for a moment. “No way. Are you trying to live a healthy life now?”
“Bye.” Alexander could not be bothered to talk to someone who did not have a girlfriend.
Samuel was rendered speechless as he stared at his phone.
No wonder Sophia isn’t falling for him!
