She knew that at this rate, it wouldn't be long before she would get pregnant, and a small life would settle in her body.
Although she spoke resolutely, when the time came, she knew she could never bring herself to terminate the pregnancy. It would be her flesh and blood, the child of her and the man she loved!
She really liked children, but the timing was just not right for welcoming a baby into the world.
She resisted and struggled, but Capone's desires were firm and persistent, disregarding her wishes. Yet, he was gentle and patient, each time offering her long, soothing moments, careful not to hurt her delicate body or womb. When he released, there was even a hint of reverence and sincerity, a side she had never seen before.
Sophia sat on the bed, hugging her knees. His gaze always appeared in her mind, and the scent of the medicinal dishes seemed to linger.
He was serious, perhaps more serious than anything he had ever done.
She felt confused. Why did she, the one who felt everything was cruel, become the one doing the cruel things?
Sophia felt stifled in the room, growing increasingly uncomfortable as the headache worsened. It seemed like she was spiraling into wild thoughts, but she had no one to talk to.
Only Cronus, in the small building in the backyard, could still exchange a few words with her.
She went to see him again and had a brief conversation. He didn't seem to be in the best spirits, but he smiled and asked, "Is Lucy making medicinal dishes for you? Why didn't you bring me any?"
Sophia was a bit surprised. "How did you know?"
"I smelled it! Recently, the smell of meat is mixed with a strong medicinal aroma. What's going on? Is someone sick?"
Sophia almost forgot that he was also highly sensitive to food, especially with a sense of smell like a police dog.
She shook her head, unsure of what to say.
Seeing the unnatural expression on her face, Cronus guessed part of it. "Could it be that you're pregnant?"
Sophia abruptly looked up at him. Cronus smirked, a touch of bitterness in his smile. "Looks like I guessed right!"
"No... I'm not pregnant yet, but Capone... he wants me to have a child for him!"
Cronus's expression stiffened a little. "Sounds just like him, I guess it runs in the family!"
Sophia was puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"Stephen, Capone's father, is also a man with a strong possessiveness. Back then, he suspected Capone's mother of cheating on him, so he brought people to Mesha Island and personally beat the man nearly to death!"
"I know about that. Was it Marvin?"
"Yes!" Cronus nodded, then continued, "Capone's mother was a soft-hearted woman. Marvin had a clean record with her, but he suffered that kind of humiliation. Naturally, she was resentful and almost left Stephen. She had been in poor health, recently had a miscarriage, and was supposed to rest for half a year before trying again. But Stephen knew that Marvin had gone too far, and she might leave him. So, he insisted she get pregnant again as soon as possible, trying to use the child to force her to stay. And... he succeeded."
Sophia lightly covered her lips with her fingers. "That child... is Capone?"
"That's right! So, when he was born, his constitution wasn't that strong. His mother's health was severely depleted after giving birth to him, and she could no longer have children. Her body was never the same again. Stephen always kept other women outside, and with the child to tie him down, he wasn't worried about any trouble in the background. He was obsessed with having a strong heir, focusing only on training Capone to be stronger, without giving Capone the care that Marvin, Rainie, and the others gave him. Emotionally, they were really distant."
Sophia felt a strange ache in her heart, as if it were being soaked in strong acid and alkali at the same time. It was like she felt pity for Capone, sympathy for his devoted mother, and anxiety for the fate that her own child might face in the future.
She didn't want to repeat the mistakes of their mother and son.
"Could it be that her going to prison or dying had something to do with this?"
"Exactly. If her health had been better, maybe she could've lasted longer. Once Capone took over the Franklin family business and established a solid foundation, he would've used all his power to get her released early so the family could be reunited. Unfortunately, she never lived to see that day. She didn't stay long in prison before she died of illness."
That's why Capone transferred the resentment, loneliness, and hatred he'd been accumulating since his youth onto the Diaz family. Maybe the person he should hate most was his father, but the blood bond between them was so complicated. He wanted to hate, but at the same time, he worshipped his father—such a powerful figure—and wanted to become as strong as him.
He underwent harsh training and conditioning, turning himself into a cold, heartless machine. He wanted to hate but couldn't. If he didn't direct his hatred elsewhere, he might not have had the strength to continue.
His temperament and methods, which allowed him to win over both new and old subordinates, making people think he surpassed even his father, weren't inherited—they were a result of admiration and imitation of his father.
But in Sophia's eyes, he didn't seem like someone truly heartless and cold like Henry. The tenderness and softness in his nature probably came from having such a wonderful mother!
He misunderstood. His mother went to prison, taking the blame for his father, abandoning young him. Perhaps it wasn't just because love was the only thing in her life. She did it for her child, for Capone's peace of mind, so that he could become the one and only heir in the future.
For so many years, Henry had countless women, even remarried, but never had a son or daughter. No one stepped forward to challenge Capone, the legitimate heir, for the position and power. It should... have been some kind of agreement between Capone's mother and him, right?
"Feeling sorry for him? Crying until your eyes are swollen, and then he'll see? That would be hard to explain!" Cronus handed her a tissue, and only then did Sophia realize her face was wet with tears, though she hadn't noticed when they had started to fall.
"I... I'm not feeling sorry for him!" Sophia wiped her tears, trying to cover up the emotions that had slipped through.
Cronus shrugged. "No need to hide it. I didn't say anything. But I think you're probably going to fall for him in the end. After all, even someone like me, you wouldn't consider, and back then, you refused to come with me."
Sophia wiped away her tears. "You're talking nonsense! I've always... only seen you as a friend and a brother!"
The word "brother" seemed to strike a hidden pain in him. He narrowed his eyes, masking the bloodthirsty, unwilling glint in them. "But I really liked you, just like Marvin liked Capone's mother. Marvin was beaten and crippled, and I was shot and nearly died. If we're talking about cruelty, Capone's viciousness is no less than Stephen's."
Sophia's discomfort and strong unease made Cronus realize that his words had served their purpose.
The more Capone wanted Sophia to get pregnant, the more she worried about repeating the tragic path of the Franklin family. Not only did she not want his child, but even if she became pregnant, she would want to escape.
Cronus wanted Sophia to believe that Capone would be even more ruthless and unscrupulous than Henry.
Who said he had given up on revenge? He still wanted to see Capone in pain, to watch his expressions when he was abandoned by everyone and unable to get what he wanted.
He had feelings for Sophia, so he couldn't bear to see her part from Capone in death. A separation by living was even more painful and heartbreaking.
Just like with his sister... just like with his former family...
After that day, Sophia went to see Cronus again, not because she wanted to talk, but simply because she had heard some noises coming from the small building.
There was an unfamiliar Infiniti SUV parked downstairs. Sophia didn't know who had arrived, nor did she notice when they came. They entered the courtyard silently, like a ghost.
Then she heard sounds from inside the small building, voices faintly speaking, though she couldn't make out the words.
Curious, Sophia asked Lucy, who said it was probably Xiao Qi who had arrived.
Sophia felt a jolt of unease. She remembered Cronus mentioning that Winter, the seventh brother among Capone's siblings, had once been a professional hitman. He was known for his torturous methods, and Capone had told her that Winter had also attended her engagement party with Roger.
Her heart started to race. In addition to worrying about Cronus's condition, she was genuinely curious whether this Winter was truly a formidable person with many tricks up his sleeve.