Sophia turned her face away sharply, taking a deep breath as if she had made a crucial decision. "Then I'll have to ask my family to take legal action against you. From this moment on, we're enemies with no room for reconciliation! Besides… my man will protect me. Surely, you don't have an interest in other men's women, right?"
"Your man?" Capone's expression shifted, as though he'd been dealt a heavy blow. "Don't tell me… you're talking about Roger!"
She had always been his woman, so how could her "man" be anyone else?
"That's right. It's him! I've decided to start fresh. I used to like him, and he's good to me now. We share the same dreams and goals, so why can't we be together?"
Sophia's stubbornness was the final straw. Capone gripped her hand tightly, saying, "Do you believe that I could make sure he doesn't live to see another sunrise?"
"I believe it! For someone like you, Capone, making someone disappear from this world is child's play. People like you never have to pay for killing. But if anything happens to Roger, I'll go with him!"
There wasn't a hint of sarcasm or reckless challenge in Sophia's voice; she was merely stating a fact.
In her eyes, he would never belong in her world. Perhaps to her, only someone like Roger—a well-born, respectable young man—could truly be her destined partner.
Capone, enraged, let out a dark, mocking laugh. The expression behind his mask grew twisted, as though he were a demon prince come to life. And yet, this prince had fallen in love with the princess standing before him.
"Fine, Sophia Diaz, you win! Let's see just how far you can go with him!"
By now, her reputation was already in ruins. Whether Roger's family would even allow them to be together was another matter. He wouldn't have to lift a finger or curse them; reality alone would force them to their knees.
"If he doesn't want you in the end, you can still come back to me!" Capone sneered, tracing his fingers along her delicate chin. "But by that time, you'd be nothing more than a plaything to me. Unlike that soft-hearted Roger, I don't have any interest in used goods."
With that, he shoved her aside and cast a glance at her crystal heels on the ground, then turned and strode away with his head held high.
Sophia sank onto the stone steps, her heart aching so much it felt numb.
But the tears kept falling.
Yes… how far could she really go with Roger?
And what about her and Capone? Were they now truly doomed to be enemies, forever strangers passing by?
Two days after the ball, Sophia finally saw Roger, and he looked slightly worn out.
"Are you alright? Where have you been these past few days? I couldn't reach you at all."
Sophia had tried calling his cell phone, but it wouldn't connect. She then called his apartment in Hokkaido, where he usually lived alone and had a part-time housekeeper. The housekeeper had answered, saying that someone from his family had taken him home, but didn't know the details. This had happened on the night of the ball.
Sophia had been deeply worried that Capone had intercepted him and caused him trouble, but hearing he was taken home left her feeling puzzled.
"I went back to my grandmother's house in Macau. I'm sorry I couldn't attend the ball with you!" Roger's face showed traces of worry, but looking at the lovely girl before him, his gaze softened, and he just wanted to hold her close.
"It's alright… but did something happen with your family? Why couldn't I reach you on your phone?"
Roger gave a faint, bitter smile. "You know that my grandmother's family in Macau is in the casino business, right? They've run into a bit of trouble lately, and it involves me. If I didn't go back, I'm afraid the other party wouldn't back down, so my grandmother sent people to bring me back. They didn't allow me any outside contact to avoid complicating the situation further. I'm sorry for worrying you!"
Sophia shook her head. "Does it have something to do with Capone?" Connecting the dots, she felt she understood his tactics.
Roger, as a member of a prominent family, had loved ones and family interests to protect. Pressuring him through his family was an effective, untraceable strategy.
"Sometimes things are just coincidences, Sophia. Don't overthink it. I don't want you getting involved in all this."
It was indeed connected to Capone. The troublemakers at the casino were led by Capone's eighth "brother," a notorious gambling king. Rumor had it he operated in Las Vegas, later moving most of his activities to cruise ship casinos, rarely appearing in Macau or mainland China. This was no coincidence—he had targeted them intentionally after thorough research and preparation.
But Roger didn't want Sophia to know. She already carried enough emotional weight, and taking on more would only burden her further.
All he wished was for her to live a simple, happy life.
Even if he didn't say it, Sophia knew it had to be Capone's doing. If she took one step back, Capone would push further, forcing her into a corner just to watch her struggle. It was his latest thrill.
"So… is it resolved?"
"Yes, it's resolved. Don't worry!" Roger reassured her. "My grandmother is a tough woman—very little can really challenge her. This time, because it involved me, she worried I might have caused some trouble, so she brought me back to clear things up! I took the chance to tell her a bit about you, and now she understands everything."
Sophia's eyes widened. "About me? Why…?"
"Because I told her I've found someone I love. I might have attracted jealousy, which brought on these issues! My grandmother kept praising how brave you are. She didn't object at all, so in a way, this trouble turned out to be a blessing."
"Roger, I…"
"You don't have to say anything!" Roger placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm not pressuring you; I just want you to know that if you still want to be with me, my family won't be a barrier between us. You're so brave; could you, just this once, be brave for yourself—and for me?"
Sophia stood there, feeling a pang of sadness mixed with a hint of bitterness.
She remembered her decision when she wore the Juliet dress, saying the words so casually in front of Capone. But now, faced with Roger, she felt a sense of uncertainty.
Looking down, she fixed her gaze on the light-colored tiles, gently moving Roger's hands from her shoulders and placing her own hand in his.
It was all she could do to show her decision, even if she couldn't bring herself to say it out loud.
Roger paused, a warm smile lighting his eyes as he held her hand gently, asking softly, "Sophia, are you sure?"
He wasn't a forceful man, but once he made up his mind, he wouldn't easily let go.
"Yes," she whispered, unable to look into his eyes, feeling undeserving of his love.
Roger pulled her into his arms. "Thank you, Sophy."
Without realizing it, he had changed her name to something more affectionate.
But Sophia stiffened in his embrace. "Could you… keep calling me Sophia like before? That's how my family calls me… And really, I should be the one thanking you."
Roger chuckled, assuming she was shy and unaccustomed to their newfound closeness. "No problem! You'll sound good no matter what I call you. And let's not keep thanking each other—no more formalities, alright?"
Sophia nodded quietly, thinking that this was a new beginning. Yet, why did it feel like there was still a gap in her heart, something that could never quite be filled?
"Roger, could I make a request?"
"Of course. Go ahead! Didn't I say not to be so formal with me? Already forgotten?"
Sophia finally gathered the courage to look at him. "Could we keep our relationship a bit low-key? At least at the store, let's not be too affectionate. I want to stay on as a regular employee without colleagues forming opinions about me. And about investing in the bakery—let's hold off for now. Once we're more stable, we can talk about it, okay?"
Rumors had been circulating recently, and for the sake of their future, she didn't want to fuel any more speculation or give others reason to see her as opportunistic or frivolous.
Roger hugged her tightly. "Alright, I wouldn't want to lose such a capable assistant anyway! Work is work, and you know how strict of a boss I am. If you slack off, I won't go easy on you!"
Sophia smiled gently. "Understood."
"And don't worry about the team," he added. "Everyone seems to like you—except maybe Sister Cai, but she's like that with everyone. If it's a problem, I can find someone else."
"No need; she's very skilled. No point in replacing her."
She didn't expect the world to adapt to her needs. After all, she'd just mentioned wanting to keep things low-key—she didn't want anyone to lose their job because of her.
Sophia and Roger's lives didn't change much after becoming a couple. At work, they still kept a professional boss-and-employee relationship, with no outward signs of affection or sweet exchanges. Yet, Roger's smiles grew more frequent, and sometimes, just watching Sophia decorate a cake in the workspace would make him smile without realizing it.
But secrets rarely stay hidden for long. Even with their discretion, the subtle dynamic between them didn't escape the eyes of the staff. Harley, always one to gossip, and Amy, who watched Sophia closely for fear she might one day buy into the bakery and take her place, were especially observant.
Within a few days, the team was abuzz with news of the relationship, and Sophia chose to acknowledge it openly.
She had done nothing wrong, and beginning a relationship was perfectly natural. The only person she felt any debt to was Roger. Refusing to admit their relationship would have felt dishonest.
She wanted discretion, but she wasn't interested in hiding in the shadows.
Roger would drive Sophia home in his vintage car, stopping just outside the gates of the Diaz family estate. He'd watch her enter the courtyard, and only after receiving a text confirming she was safely inside would he drive away.