Sophia thought he had long since left Mesha Island, but she never expected that he was living just a stone's throw away.
"Come inside, we'll talk!"
Cronus still wore that calm, detached expression. He half-embraced Sophia, pushing open the terrace door and guiding her inside.
"You live here?" Sophia looked around, noting the simple but not shabby furnishings of the room.
Cronus didn't respond, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. With a half-smile, he looked at her and said, "I've heard you were back, but I didn't expect you to come see me so soon. Does Capone know you're here?"
At the mention of Capone's name, Sophia's heart skipped a beat. She shook her head. "He doesn't want me to come. This little house feels like a forbidden place… I came just out of curiosity."
Otherwise, she wouldn't have had to climb the terrace.
"So, you don't know that I've been locked up here? Didn't Diana tell you?"
Sophia shook her head again, her brow furrowing slightly. Hearing him mention these familiar names in such a casual way made it feel a bit strange.
Cronus snorted mockingly, then sat on the nearby sofa. "Looks like I'm destined to die here. When the time comes, please scatter my ashes in the sea. I don't want to stay trapped on this island any longer."
"I thought you'd already escaped. Why… are you still here?" Sophia's memories stopped at the point when Capone had confronted Cronus, when he punched and kicked him and forcefully took her away from Capone. After that, she couldn't remember anything.
"I was shot so badly, I almost died. How could I escape? I'm alone here, unlike you with all your support," Cronus said with a bitter smile.
"You were shot?"
"Don't you remember? The bullet got stuck between my ribs, and it nearly cost me my life. She sure was ruthless when she did it!"
Just thinking about Diana, who had ruined his plans, Cronus felt an urge to kill.
Sophia rubbed her forehead. Every time she tried to recall the missing memories, a dull pain throbbed in her head.
"I'm sorry, but I don't remember what happened that day."
Cronus was surprised by her honesty. He gave her a strange look and asked, "What happened to you? Did you get injured and lose your memory?"
As a neurosurgeon, he knew there were many cases like this—retrograde or selective amnesia, even total memory loss, where people couldn't remember certain things temporarily or forever.
"Yes, I was injured, but I didn't lose my memory... It's just that the events of the day I was rescued are gone."
Cronus understood and suddenly seemed to have some plan formulating in his mind. He asked, "So how did you end up back here?"
Sophia briefly explained what had happened. Cronus laughed and said, "Capone really is ruthless. Even when he has to take you by force, he's still not afraid of you hating him for life!"
Sophia took a deep breath. Did she hate him? When he first took her forcefully and threatened her, she truly hated him—so intensely that she wanted to peel his skin off and flee to the ends of the earth.
But now... her feelings for him were too complicated. It didn't seem like just hate or love could encompass it fully.
"What about you? They've locked you up here. What are they planning with you?"
"I?" Cronus pointed to himself. "What plans could they have? They couldn't kill me with a single bullet, so now they'll keep me alive to torment me slowly. If they're merciful, maybe they'll give me a quick death. If they're cruel, they'll keep me locked up for the rest of my life, changing up the ways they torture me from time to time. After all, I still have the shares and the board seats they want. Maybe one day, when I can't take it anymore, I'll just hand them over. Next time they torture me, you can ask him to bring you here to watch. Old Seven, who was a professional hitman before the harsh winter, has plenty of methods you've never seen!"
Cronus deliberately shifted the blame for the shot Diana had given him onto Capone. After all, Sophia couldn't remember what happened that day, so why not let her believe it? Even if it didn't save him, it could cause some tension between her and Capone.
It was said that only love could be the most hurtful, and now, there weren't many things that could make Capone suffer, but Sophia Diaz was definitely the most significant one.
Sophia, after hearing what he said, couldn't help but feel a little distressed. Just hearing about the cruel methods he had endured made her feel scared.
"Dr. Cronus... um, Cronus, can't you let go of the hatred and leave this place?" She didn't think he was a bad person, but the seeds of hatred had been planted too deeply. The thorny vines that grew from them had nearly destroyed his life. Why not try to let go and start a new life somewhere far away?
"Sophia, you're too naïve! The one who can't let go of hatred now is not me, it's Capone! You know how he never forgives traitors, and I've caused him quite a bit of trouble by teaming up with Lucas. He won't just let me go! There's no point in running anywhere. Dying here is no different from dying in some strange corner of a city!"
His words were sincere, but they were only half-truths. Sophia Diaz already knew enough about Capone's cruelty and obsession, and now he was simply reinforcing that understanding.
"I'll try to talk to him... Maybe you all can step back and stop fighting each other. Can you do that?"
Cronus gave a noncommittal smile. "Thank you, Sophia! I'm glad you came to see me today. But be careful in the future. If he finds out you secretly came to see me, it could cause a lot of trouble!"
He didn't tell her not to come. In fact, the more she came, the better. There was always a way to make Capone suffer, and she was the perfect entry point.
Sophia cautiously made her way back to the main house, looking a bit preoccupied.
Capone didn't return until after dinner. The soup in the small pot was still warm for him, and he couldn't avoid drinking it. He took her hand and led her upstairs to have the soup with him.
"You don't seem happy, feeling down?" Capone noticed she hadn't said much and was sitting quietly by the small table. He frowned as he drank his soup, the sound of slurping filling the room, but she didn't lift her head.
"Yeah, a little."
"How about tomorrow afternoon? I have the afternoon off. I can take you shopping?"
Only then did Sophia look up at him, her eyes as if she didn't recognize him.
Capone seemed a bit awkward, lowering his head as he drank his soup and said, "It's almost summer, the port gets hot early. I need to buy some summer clothes. Help me pick some out!"
"Is there something you want to talk to me about?" Sophia found it hard to imagine him shopping with her. He'd always disliked wasting time on such frivolous things. His clothes were either custom-made or ordered by his secretary from brand catalogs and delivered in his size. He wasn't picky about clothes; as long as they were the best, he looked good in them, given his physique. Why would he need her to help him pick clothes?
When Capone put down his soup spoon, his expression hardened a little. Sophia's heart sank slightly. "Did something happen to my family? Or did they come to talk to you about something?"
Capone stared at her for a moment. "Why would you think that? Didn't I tell you? I've already made things clear to your family. They don't need to worry about your safety. You're my woman, and it's only natural for you to stay by my side."
Sophia almost laughed. Natural? With the awkwardness between them, could that really be called "natural"?
Capone then took out a folded A4 sheet of paper and unfolded it in front of her, saying seriously, "This is your physical exam report. The doctor says all the indicators are normal. There's no problem with you getting pregnant."
Sophia's fingers barely touched the edge of the paper when she heard his last sentence. It was as if she had been burned, and she quickly pulled her hand away. "You... What did you say?"
Capone looked at her, speaking slowly so she could hear every word clearly. "I want you to have a child for me."
Sophia stood up in shock. "Capone, do you even know what you're saying? We... We can't have a child!"
She thought he was just saying this casually, never imagining he was serious, even going as far as to prepare for pregnancy.
Had all those medicinal herbs and tonics been specifically prepared for having a child?