The next morning, Sophia was awakened by the dazzling sunlight from the sea. The man beside her was still asleep, his low-grade fever still lingering, but thankfully, it hadn't worsened.
She wasn't sure what his original plans had been, but since the ship was in international waters, they couldn't just take them straight back to Mesha Island.
With no other options, she dialed the internal line to the service desk, and KK answered.
He looked at the two of them with a sly grin, especially at the boss who had just woken up, still a little grumpy. He chuckled and said, "The boat to pick you up is almost here. Want to have some breakfast, maybe an Italian pasta?"
From the way he acted, it was clear that the two hadn't fully made up yet. Little Twelve had even bet with him that if he handled Penny, these two would definitely reconcile and get back to being lovey-dovey.
Tch, kids these days, they don't understand anything!
Just as they were about to disembark, Sophia seemed to remember something. She walked up to KK and said, "KK, I... can I ask you for a favor?"
KK looked a little awkward. The boss's woman calling him "Gambling God" felt a bit odd.
"Just say what you need," he replied.
"You must have heard of the Roger family in Macau, right? They run a casino business. I heard their casino recently ran into some trouble. Was that your doing?"
KK fell silent and glanced at Capone behind her. Without needing to say anything, it was clear that his expression was not a pleasant one.
"Sophy!"
"I don't mean anything else. I just hope that you won't trouble them again in the future. We're all adults. If there are any problems, we should solve them ourselves and not drag our families into it, okay?"
Sophia finished speaking calmly, not backing down, before turning and boarding the boat when she heard Capone call her name from behind.
KK found the word "family" a bit unfamiliar, but when he saw the expression on the boss's face, he seemed to understand everything.
This little woman would eventually become the boss's family.
Back on Mesha Island, Lucy couldn't help but feel sorry for Capone when she saw his face and the wound on his back. She made a lot of soup to nourish him, but he still hated drinking those soups and broths. He pushed them away whenever he could, even using the excuse of work to lock himself in the study after his fever broke, or simply working late at the company.
He was busier than ever, and Sophia slowly realized that while his time was limited, his work had no end. Him accompanying her on the sea trip didn't mean he had free time; the hours spent with her had to be made up for later.
The villa also felt emptier. Joey and Mandy spent most of their time helping Capone with the company, staying mostly in the port area. It wasn't like before, when they always stayed at the villa to keep an eye on her.
Looking at it this way, Capone had spoken the truth this time. She wasn't his hostage anymore, just his woman.
But still, she was only half-free. Leaving the island and escaping his control was not permitted.
"Where's Diana? Where is she living now?" Sophia couldn't help but ask Lucy. She hadn't seen much of Diana lately, only on weekends when she came over. But it seemed like she didn't live in her previous room anymore. When asked about it, Lucy just brushed it off.
"Oh, her? She was accepted into grad school, but I think she gave it up. She said she didn't want to study anymore and wanted to work earlier. She found a job at the law office in the port area, still with the same supervisor. She complains about the long commute, and it's inconvenient for urgent matters, so she found a serviced apartment there. She only comes over on weekends. I've been making extra dishes for her, trying to get her to eat more. This girl is just like you—getting thinner by the day!"
"Then… why doesn't she stay in the room downstairs anymore?" Diana used to live in the room next to hers, and after the villa was rebuilt, the room had been set up the same way as before, but it was now locked and empty.
"She's staying in the small building at the back, to make it easier to take care of... Oh, never mind, never mind. My soup's almost ready. Sophia, come taste it!"
It seemed that Lucy realized she had said something she shouldn't have, and she quickly changed the subject, hoping to divert Sophia's attention.
But Sophia's curiosity had already been piqued.
Why didn't Diana stay in her original room? Why had she moved into the small building at the back? And what was that small building even for?
Sophia remembered that the day Capone brought her back, he had specifically told her that she was free to come and go, but that the small building was off-limits.
At first, she hadn't paid it any mind and hadn't thought about going there. But now, hearing Lucy's words, she couldn't help but be filled with questions, and she really wanted to go take a look.
When she was younger, she had read a fairy tale called "Bluebeard." In the story, the male protagonist gave a strict warning: there was one room that was absolutely forbidden to enter. The more forbidden it was, the more it seemed to be filled with secrets. Opening that door was like opening Pandora's box—horrible things would fall upon you.
People were always drawn to what they feared. Sophia's heart raced with excitement, and she decided she would go to that building to uncover what secrets it might be hiding.
Weekends were busy, so Sophia knew she couldn't choose a weekend to visit the small building. She would have to wait for a weekday when Capone and the others weren't around.
After lunch, Lucy cleared the dishes and sat in the living room, watching TV. Slowly, she began to feel drowsy, her head nodding as she fought sleep. The TV was playing a long, drawn-out Korean family drama, and the incessant chatter kept filling the room.
Sophia glanced at the weather outside. The sun was shining brightly, the sky clear with a few clouds—perfect weather for a stroll in the yard.
She walked around the garden, her gaze never straying far from the delicate small building.
Capone had a deep affection for his mother and a special connection to the house she had lived in. Even after the house was rebuilt, he had kept the original design and structure, making it sturdier and more imposing but staying true to its original style.
The small building was designed with the same level of care and sophistication as the main house, which meant the architect had clearly considered every detail.
She circled around to the front of the building and discovered that to reach the entrance, she had to pass through a wrought-iron gate, which was locked. Without the key, she wouldn't be able to get in.
Before she could even get close, a bodyguard appeared out of nowhere and blocked her way. "Miss Sophia, Capone specifically told you not to come here!"
Sophia Diaz scoffed. Of course, she wasn't completely free. How could there not be someone watching her? It was just that the supervision had shifted from being in plain sight to being more covert.
She walked back a little sulkily, but the more she couldn't see what was inside, the more she wanted to.
What secrets were hidden behind those towering tree shadows?
After a moment's thought, she went to the room next to the study on the second floor. This room was usually empty, except for some fitness equipment. Sometimes, when Capone was tired from work, he would come here to run on the treadmill or lift weights to relax.
From the window, she could indeed see the small building next door.
Sophia remembered that when Diana used to bring her Italian food, she would jump from one terrace to another. This room had a small balcony, designed like a conservatory, which could potentially allow her to climb over to the small building next door.
Sophia bit her lip and hesitated for a moment, but then decided to take the risk and go take a look. She would be quick, and since Capone and the others weren't around, no one would notice.
She put on her sneakers, went out onto the balcony, and noticed that the adjacent terrace was larger, though its shape wasn't entirely regular. It wasn't aligned directly with her own balcony, so even though the distance wasn't far, she would still have to be cautious. If she slipped, she would fall straight down.
Sophia carefully gripped the downspout along the wall and climbed onto the balcony railing. She had to stretch her legs wide to reach the edge of the adjacent terrace. Her palms, holding the pipe, started to sweat.
After trying several times, Sophia wasn't confident she could make the jump to the terrace. Just then, she heard faint voices from inside the small building. She couldn't make out what was being said, nor could she tell which room the sounds were coming from. Panic rose in her chest, and she didn't dare continue. Quickly, she backed away from the balcony.
Just as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her, Capone entered from outside. "What are you doing here?"
Sophia jumped in surprise. "You... how did you come back so early?"
"Mm, came back to find you." Capone looked around the room, but didn't see anything unusual. "Why did you come into this room?"
"Oh... just working out. Since I had nothing else to do, I thought I'd exercise a bit."
Sophia tried to cover up her unease. Fortunately, the room was a gym, so she had a reasonable excuse to make it seem like she was simply following her usual routine.