The emotions were real, and to this day, they hadn't diminished even a bit. She just couldn't understand why they would be so cruel to hurt each other, as though the sincere bond they once shared during tough times had never existed.
Lucy was already waiting at the door, and Mandy was there as well. His leg no longer needed the support of a crutch. Standing there, he was the picture of a man with strong features, proud and upright. Only when he took a step toward them did one notice a slight limp.
"Welcome back!" He greeted Sophia, noticing her eyes focused on his leg, and calmly explained, "The doctor said it'll take some time to heal. Even if it doesn't fully recover, it won't have much of an impact!"
"Mm!" Sophia smiled at him, admiring his determination and courage.
When Capone saw her smile, something inside him tightened. Since he took her away, she had never smiled at him like that. It was either indifference or disregard. Even when she lay in his arms, she seemed like an empty shell, her heart who knows where!
She had given all her care to other men, and now she was smiling sweetly at Mandy, especially since he had feelings for her.
Capone's face darkened as he grabbed her hand. "Why haven't you started the pasta yet? Is everyone here? I'm starving!"
Sophia was pulled along, jogging behind him. Seeing this, Autumn came over to complain to Capone, "You're saying that, but the pasta's already getting cold. Zoey came here for the first time to have pasta, and she brought some wine and dishes too, just waiting for you both to come back!"
Sophia was slightly surprised. Zoey was here too?
Capone nodded and pulled Sophia into the house. Just as he was about to step inside, he seemed to think of something and stopped, turning to look at Sophia beside him.
"What's wrong?" Sophia asked, puzzled. Her question, filled with uncertainty, slipped out without any filter as she looked at him with a touch of nervousness.
Capone reached up to smooth the bangs on her forehead, tucking her long, curly hair behind her ear. He gazed at her pale face tinged with a rosy glow and smiled contentedly. "Nothing."
How could he tell her that, as he led her back into this house, his heart was racing with anxiety?
The people inside stood up as soon as they saw them enter.
Sophia recognized all of them—Diana, Joey, and even Zoey, who was smiling warmly at her.
Her gaze naturally swept around the room, but she didn't see Cronus.
Given the animosity between him and the Franklin family, and everything that had happened before, there was no way he would show up today. Yet, Sophia couldn't help but hold onto a sliver of hope, still wishing that he hadn't died.
The dining table was new as well. It could be arranged in a square when needed, but with more people, the edges could be folded up to form a round table, making the gathering feel even livelier.
Capone gently pushed her into the seat next to him. Diana sat beside her, and Zoey was across from her.
Joey still looked at Sophia with an unfriendly expression, but Sophia had seen his true anger before and knew he didn't harbor any real animosity toward her. Perhaps he simply disagreed with her being by Capone's side.
"Zoey, about the last time you disappeared… you weren't hurt, were you?" Sophia asked directly, her mind full of questions. If she asked Capone, he wouldn't answer her, and since she had the person involved in front of her, it was quicker to just ask outright.
"I'm fine. Those people didn't do anything to me!" Zoey answered smoothly. She maintained composure in front of Capone, showing neither hesitation nor fear. She answered Sophia's question without even glancing at him to gauge his reaction.
Sophia didn't say anything more. As long as Zoey wasn't hurt, it was good enough. She also knew that Capone didn't like her asking too many questions.
Seeing her silence, Capone felt a familiar irritation stir inside him. He could joke and laugh with everyone, but when it came to him, she never showed any warmth.
"Get me a bowl of soup!" he ordered.
Sophia paused for a moment, her chopsticks halting mid-air. Was his injury not fully healed?
Capone, fuming, had actually meant for Sophia to serve him the soup. He was used to giving orders without using polite forms, but it was Diana, that meddling girl, who took the task from her.
He hated soups and broths. Even though Lucy and the others made them for him, he could barely drink a few sips. Today, however, he was looking for an excuse to get Sophia moving.
But when he saw Sophia's expression, his mood lightened a bit.
She still cared about him. Whenever it came to anything related to his injury or health, concern and unease would show on her face.
He liked this side of her. It felt as if she was always there by his side, two people in love, never apart.
Sophia ate very little, perhaps because her mood affected her appetite. Lately, she had been eating hardly more than a kitten.
Capone watched her with growing frustration, not waiting for her to put down her chopsticks. He finished his meal quickly and pulled her back to their room.
"Zoey, don't forget what I asked you to do! I want results in the next couple of days!" he instructed Zoey as he was about to leave the table.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of it. I'll bring the person to you!" Zoey assured him.
Sophia didn't know what they were talking about, but she had a vague sense that it might involve her.
"What did you ask Sister Song to do?"
Capone pushed her into the room and locked the door behind them. He glanced at her and said, "There are things you shouldn't ask about. When the time comes, I'll naturally tell you."
He pulled her into a small alcove inside the room, and behind a crystal bead curtain, it revealed a walk-in closet!
Sophia noticed that most of the furnishings in the room hadn't changed much, but this closet was new.
Had he specifically set this up for her? When he was rebuilding this villa, had he already planned for her to come back here to live?
"Your clean clothes are all here. If you don't have enough or don't like anything, I can take you shopping. Go take a shower first; you smell like disinfectant!"
Capone threw a new towel and bathrobe at her and pushed her toward the bathroom. "I installed a heater in here. Didn't you always complain about it being cold?"
Sophia froze. Did he remember?
In the past, the bathroom in this room had probably been unused for a long time, and the heater wasn't very effective. During the coldest winter nights, she would always feel chilly when taking a shower.
She'd mentioned it once, and Capone had started carrying her upstairs to his room to bathe, but she hadn't expected him to remember it.
"As long as there are no new cameras installed, I'll be deeply grateful!" The soft stir in her heart was one thing, but her words came out with sharp sarcasm and coldness. "Had I known you had such a hobby, I wouldn't have become a pastry chef. I should have published a few photo books or gone into acting as an adult star!"
Capone's jaw tightened, the muscles in his temples throbbing. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Sophia Diaz, things aren't what you think! I've never taken those photos, and I never planned to make them public!"
Sophia stared at him with sharp eyes. "Wasn't that 'mysterious gift' at the engagement ceremony sent by you?"
"That's right, I sent it, but…"
Bang! The sound of the bathroom door slamming shut interrupted him, leaving Capone locked out of her world.
Actions speak louder than words.
It was just like when he had sent her to ROYAL for training. She had been humiliated and bullied by Lucas, things that were probably beyond his expectations. But the instigator was him. If he had understood how to respect and cherish her, none of this would have happened.
Now it was the same. Whether or not he had taken the photos didn't matter; as long as he intended to use them to retaliate against her, to destroy her, his goal had already been achieved.
Capone raised his hand to knock on the door, but the sound of rushing water came from the bathroom, and the warm light spilled out. His raised hand slowly fell.
Forget it, hadn't he already sent Zoey to bring the real culprit to him? Sophia would understand in due time.
He had never intended to destroy her. All he wanted to destroy was her engagement to another man.
He hadn't expected things to escalate to this point. He had never bothered to explain himself to anyone, and now, explaining to her—she wouldn't believe him anyway.
Capone felt powerless, a feeling he disliked immensely. He was clearly there for her, but it felt like an endless, hopeless struggle.
Sophia took a long time in the bathroom. She knew Capone was waiting by the door, probably worried that she might be too weak and might faint from staying in the bath too long.
She deliberately took longer, hoping that he would lose his patience and go back to his own room. Then she could avoid him and not have to face him in such a chaotic state of mind.
But when she had to dry herself off and step out, Capone was no longer in the room. He seemed irritated, having smoked quite a few cigarettes. Knowing that she disliked it, he had opened the window to air out the room when he left, but there was still a lingering scent of tobacco smoke that made Sophia want to cry.
That night, Capone didn't come to find her. Sophia wrapped herself in the blankets, thinking she would toss and turn, unable to sleep. But exhaustion overwhelmed her, and she quickly fell into a deep sleep, only waking up when the first light of dawn appeared.