Yui stared after Sophie as she left… Strangely, she wasn't angry about the last offensive remark. In high society, socializing often worked exactly like that—exploitation,benefit,debauchery…
Though she had gotten the answer she wanted, her mood didn't lighten. Instead, it felt heavier than before.
Today the two of them had once again met at this same coffee shop near the hospital, sitting in their usual spot. After ordering their drinks as usual, Sophie cut straight to the point:
"Miss Yui, this is the second time you've asked to meet me alone. What do you want to say this time?"
"I want to ask—four years ago, how did you capture Ned's heart?" Yui remained as candid as ever.
"I don't think I need to recount my love history to you. And as I already said last time, he and I are history. I came to London and have only seen him once—right here in the hospital last time. I remember you were there too."
"I'm very sorry, but these past few days I've looked into some things about you." Yui's expression became somewhat inscrutable. "You're not from a wealthy family. On the contrary, you're quite poor. Your mother was even my uncle's mistress. So… are you and Ned blood siblings?"
At those words, Sophie could no longer hide the fury on her face: "Miss Yui, is this why you asked me out again? To humiliate me? Is this how you rich, upper-class families do things?"
Yui looked genuinely puzzled. "Humiliate you? You think I'm humiliating you?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Sophie's anger flared. "Next, are you going to pull out a check and tell me to leave Ned alone?"
"No—no—you've misunderstood!" Yui's smile vanished. "I hold no prejudice against the poor, and I'm not interested in who your mother was mistress to. I only want to know: did the two of you break up because you're blood siblings?"
"It seems your intelligence isn't very thorough. We are not blood siblings!" Sophie stood up furiously. "So the answer you wanted—I already gave it to you clearly last time, in this very spot in this coffee shop. Please don't disturb me again."
From the small private room of the coffee shop, Archibald stepped out and suddenly heard a familiar voice. In disbelief, he scanned the shop in every direction, hoping desperately to catch sight of that familiar face.
"Sophie, it really is you!" Spotting the person he hadn't seen in four years in a corner of the coffee shop, he walked over happily. But when he saw who was sitting across from Sophie, he was completely stunned.
He stepped forward, wrapped an arm around Sophie's shoulders in a familiar gesture, and said intimately, "Darling, have you finally decided to come back to London to visit your husband?"
Hearing those words, Yui's eyes widened in shock; she couldn't say a single thing.
"What were you two talking about so loudly just now?" Archibald glanced at Sophie, then at Yui, as if asking her, "So, can we leave now?"
"Let's go. My conversation with Miss Yui is already finished." Sophie was still somewhat angry and ignored the hand resting on her shoulder.
Yui, finally recovering from her daze, tried to step forward to stop her. "But I still—"
After turning and taking two steps with Sophie, Archibald spun back around, walked up to Yui once more, and handed her a business card. "I know why you're looking for Sophie. I know everything about the two of them. If you're too embarrassed to ask Ned directly, please don't harass Sophie anymore. I can give you the answers—provided it doesn't invade anyone's privacy." With that, he put his arm around Sophie and left the coffee shop.
"…Long time no see!" Walking along the street, Sophie gently shrugged off Archibald's hand and spoke, her voice soft and gentle.
Archibald's eyes flickered with emotion; then he curved his lips into a smile that felt both familiar and strangely distant. "Yeah, four years. You haven't changed at all."
She lowered her head and gave a small smile. "You've changed quite a bit. You look much more like an adult now."
He fell silent for a moment, his voice low and hoarse. "And you? Have you been well? When did you come back? Why didn't you come find me?"
"I arrived in London three days ago. I heard Uncle Jonathan had a heart attack and was in a coma, so I wanted to come see him."
"Ned went to America to find you not long ago. Did you two meet?" Archibald looked at her, his gaze complicated.
"His car crashed into mine on the highway. We were both taken to the hospital. Then he lost his memory for a while, so I took him home…" Sophie briefly recounted what had happened to Ned in America.
"So this time you came back to London together with Ned?" Archibald's eyes dimmed slightly. "Have you two reconciled?"
"No! We didn't come back together." Sophie continued, "I didn't even know when he regained his memory. He only called me right before boarding the plane to tell me about Uncle Jonathan's condition. I took the first flight back the next morning."
"Then what about Miss Yamamoto Yui?" Archibald asked, puzzled.
"I ran into her at the hospital when I went to visit Uncle Jonathan. She wanted to know how much Ned truly loves her—she's insecure and full of anxiety. It reminded me of Lara. Back then she was the same way, terrified of losing Ned, and she even fell into depression. I wonder how she's doing now."
The two of them sat like that in Archibald's sports car, going nowhere, chatting like old friends catching up, until it was nearly four in the afternoon. Glancing at his watch, Archibald said apologetically, "Sophie, I need to return this parliamentary document I'm holding, so I have to go."
Sophie immediately waved her hand. "No problem at all—work comes first. I'll probably be staying in London for about twenty-five days. We'll have plenty of time to catch up after this."
"Then let me drive you home. Where do you live?" Archibald started the engine.
"I'm staying at my uncle's place." She didn't really want Archibald to know her current address, so she lied.
On the small side street in front of her "uncle's" house, Archibald pulled over. Just as he reached to open the door and walk her in, she pressed his hand down. "Don't get out. I can go in by myself. Don't worry about me. Go take care of your work! See you next time!" With that, she opened the door and stepped out.
He watched Sophie's figure walk into the narrow alley until she turned the corner and disappeared from view. Archibald sat in the car, lit a cigarette, finished it slowly, then finally started the engine and drove away.
Over these four years, he had learned to smoke, learned to think deeply—and learned how to yearn.
Victoria was very patient. She had made up her mind that today she would wait downstairs at Matthew's building until Sophie appeared.
Charles tried to persuade her: "If she still doesn't show up after this, just stop waiting—"
Victoria suddenly exclaimed, "That looks like her!" She flung open the car door and stepped out.
"Hey, wait!" Charles hurried after her.
Downstairs at the apartment building, Sophie ran into Victoria, who had rushed right up to her. She froze in shock.
Then, seeing Charles chasing after Victoria from behind, Sophie's mind went completely blank for a moment…
"Wait—don't be so impulsive!" Charles grabbed Victoria's arm to hold her back.
Victoria was very patient. She had made up her mind that today she would wait until she saw Sophie.
Charles tried to persuade her: "If she still doesn't show up after this, just stop waiting—"
Victoria suddenly cried out, "That looks like her!" She flung open the car door and stepped out.
"Hey, wait a minute!" Charles hurried after her.
Downstairs at the apartment building, Sophie found Victoria rushing right up to her. She froze in stunned disbelief.
Then, seeing Charles chasing after from behind, Sophie's mind went completely blank for a moment…
"Wait—don't be so impulsive!" Charles grabbed Victoria's arm to hold her back.
Sophie's gaze followed Charles's hand, and then she watched as Victoria turned around and gently pushed him away. "Don't interfere with me. I've already made up my mind!" she said firmly to Charles.
The intimate, familiar way they touched each other spoke of years of accumulated emotion and deep trust between them.
A certain possibility suddenly flashed through Sophie's mind. She stared at Charles—the man who had once hit her and caused her to drop out of school.
Charles's gaze finally shifted to Sophie's face. He looked at her… and then actually averted his eyes.
In that instant, Sophie suddenly understood—the "possibility" that had just surfaced in her mind…
It was almost certainly the truth.
"Is there something you need to speak to me about?" Looking straight at Victoria, who had now stepped in front of her, Sophie did not avoid the moment.
"I have something very important I want to say to you." Even though she had finally met her "biological daughter" as she had wished…