Capone's voice was as steady and pleasing as ever, sounding even stronger than the last time they met.
It seemed his injuries had healed considerably; he even had the energy to come all this way to bother her.
A show? What kind of show?
Once Capone was sure she wouldn't scream, he took her hand and led her out through the back door of the small shop. The back exit opened onto a narrow street, leading to an even narrower alleyway.
This area was like that—bustling shopping districts nearby, yet further in, hidden among the quiet alleys, lay the local life. Crisscrossed roads and winding paths created a maze of city streets.
Capone's hand was warm. They weren't interlacing fingers, but his palm touching hers was enough to make her feel dizzy.
"Where exactly are you taking me?" she asked.
"Shh, we're here! Just watch and don't say anything."
He wrapped her in his arms, hiding behind an old shed. In the alley ahead, two people were talking face to face. Sophia immediately recognized one of the voices—it was Amy!
"What exactly do you want?" Amy sounded both annoyed and helpless.
"What do you mean? We're still husband and wife. Don't you think it's only right for you to give me some money? When our son was going to college, you claimed you had no money. Now that you've made a fortune, shouldn't you offer me some compensation? What kind of mother are you?"
"If there's any compensation, it's for my son, not you! Why should I give you money just so you can waste it on those trashy women outside? I'm not that foolish! Besides, I'm just working here, not making a fortune!"
Sophia quickly understood. So, this was Amy's family issue. She remembered Harley mentioning that Amy had a poor relationship with her ex-husband. They'd been divorced for years, with their son living with his father. Amy was the main breadwinner, but her ex squandered her earnings on other women, nearly leaving them unable to afford their son's schooling during the tough times.
It seemed the man standing opposite Amy was her ex-husband, here to demand money.
But why had Capone brought her here to witness this? Sophia was confused. What did this have to do with her?
"Keep watching, and you'll see," Capone murmured in her ear, his warm breath tickling her, sending a slight shiver down her spine.
With her back pressed against his chest, she couldn't move, so she had no choice but to continue listening.
Amy's ex scoffed, "Don't think I don't know. That shop you work at caters to the rich and elite. The boss is some spoiled rich kid, and there's a wealthy girl working as a pastry chef. Didn't you leak all their gossip to the media? You must've made a good bit of money from that, huh? Trying to keep it all to yourself? I heard you've been throwing money around while gambling recently—shouldn't be too hard to spare some for me and our son, right?"
"You… where did you hear such nonsense? That's not true!" Amy stammered.
"Oh? Then why so nervous? I told you I'd come to the shop to see you, but you insisted on meeting outside. If you won't admit it, fine—I'll drop by the shop tomorrow and see what your boss and coworkers have to say!"
Amy's face paled instantly. "No, don't! Please don't come. If they find out, I'll be out on the street!"
"So you're admitting it, then?" Her ex-husband sneered. "Where's the money? Hand it over!"
With a resentful glare, Amy dug into her wallet, pulling out all the cash she had and shoving it toward him. "This is all I have right now. I'll transfer five thousand to our son's tuition account tomorrow. That's the limit."
"Five thousand? Are you kidding me? Let me see how much you actually have in that account!" He grabbed for her wallet, and when she resisted, they began to struggle.
Watching from the shadows, Sophia felt her heart sink. She never imagined that it was Amy who had leaked rumors to the media, spreading exaggerated, scandalous stories about her and Roger's so-called "affair." Amy must have witnessed Sophia's disheveled return to the shop after being with Capone in his car, probably misinterpreting the scene—or maybe she simply chose to twist it maliciously.
Before she knew it, Sophia found herself back in Capone's car, her emotions a whirlwind. It wasn't until Capone gently brushed a handkerchief across her cheek that she realized she'd been crying.
"What's wrong? Doesn't feel so great, being betrayed by someone close to you, huh?" His tone was mocking, but his touch was uncharacteristically gentle, as if her tears were delicate gems.
Sophia lowered her head, quietly sobbing. Seeing her like this, Capone's expression hardened as he commanded sharply, "Stop crying!"
But Sophia ignored him, letting herself cry even harder. Capone sighed in exasperation; he knew this woman well. Either she'd glare at him stubbornly, tears brimming but refusing to fall, or she'd cry uncontrollably like endless spring rain.
Either way, he always ended up softening in the end.
Capone gave up on trying to console her with words. Instead, he leaned over and seized her lips in a powerful kiss, silencing her sobs and shifting her focus.
Sophia's tears halted instantly as her breath was stolen, and his agile tongue slipped into her mouth, pressing against her own in a way that almost felt like silent words of comfort. The kiss didn't last long; before she could even react, he pulled away, resuming his position by the window, his face cast in shadows to hide the intensity flickering in his eyes.
"Not crying anymore?" His voice was still cold, as if that passionate kiss had never happened. "You're this broken over being betrayed by some insignificant outsider? If you were in my shoes, you'd have died of heartbreak a dozen times by now."
Sophia turned her head away, refusing to look at him, and wiped her tears with the back of her hand.
"Answer me!" Capone reached out, forcing her to face him, his patience visibly fraying. This woman kept testing his limits, over and over.
"What do you want me to say? Should I be grateful? If it weren't for you, I'd be just an ordinary pastry chef. I'd choose who to be with and how to live, without the world twisting it all into something ugly!" Sophia's red, teary eyes glared at him, like a small, furious rabbit, her words biting into him.
"The photos at ROYAL weren't taken by me, and I didn't feed the media those lies. I'll prove it to you, one piece at a time."
"That's unnecessary." He knew that proving her innocence would only reopen old wounds.
"Sophia Diaz," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous, low tone. "If I wanted to destroy you, I'd do it myself. I wouldn't need to hide behind anyone else's name or power."
"Then kill me now," she challenged, tilting her chin defiantly. "Because aside from my life, I have nothing left for you to ruin."
Capone's gaze traced the elegant line of her jaw and neck, and for a moment, he was afraid he might actually reach out and throttle her. His eyes darkened, a glint of bloodlust flickering within them, his lips pressed into a hard, unforgiving line. Sophia recognized the signs—he was on the verge of losing his temper.
When Capone lunged forward, Sophia closed her eyes, bracing herself for a slap or a choke. But instead, he pressed his lips to her neck, biting down with just enough pressure to leave a mark but not enough to truly hurt. His lips trailed along the sensitive skin, grazing and sucking gently, sending a tingling, almost painful sensation that made her shiver.
A soft gasp escaped her lips, an involuntary sound that mingled surprise with something warmer and deeper. To Capone, it sounded like an invitation—a response that was both hesitant and fervent.
He held her tightly, increasing the pressure between his teeth. She really felt the pain, her body trembling slightly as she bit down hard on her lip, refusing to make another sound.
The more she endured, the less Capone was willing to let her go. His burning lips left that spot of skin, and a red mark immediately appeared. He kissed it tenderly, then spread his kisses to other areas.
Her neck was one of her most sensitive spots. Each kiss seemed to warm her blood, and with his heated breaths echoing in her ears, Sophia felt a warmth spreading from deep within her body, as though it could melt her whole being.
She didn't even notice when the car had started moving, and the partition between the front and back seats was raised. The temperature in the enclosed space steadily rose. It was just her and him, like a pan filled with hot oil, one spark of fire could ignite everything.
"Let me go, don't do this! Let go... let go..."
She remembered the humiliation he had put her through the last time in the car, which had crushed the last bit of hope she had for him.
She didn't want to go through this again!
"Sophy... I won't let go, I don't want to let go! You're mine, only mine!" He was still as domineering as ever. Even when their passionate moments were fading, he had said words like this before, as their separation seemed imminent.
"No, I'm not yours! I have a boyfriend now, I'm about to get married! I can't keep doing this with you!"
The more she thought about their past, the more desperate she felt about the present and future. Without realizing it, those words slipped out. Capone, who was lying on top of her, immediately froze.
"Say that again!" He raised his eyes, staring at her intensely.
"I'm getting married. I'm going to marry Roger. He's the one who can truly make me happy! Don't come looking for me again. There is no future for us, I..."
"Shut up!"