When you have something on your mind, you just want someone to talk to. On the weekend, Diana came back. In the afternoon, Sophia pulled her into her room. On the coffee table was a plate of assorted cookies and a pot of Earl Grey tea.
"Afternoon tea time with my sis!" Diana said with a smile.
Since starting her job, Diana had undergone subtle changes. Gone were the student-style shirts and T-shirts in her wardrobe, replaced with professional white blouses, pencil pants, and dark-toned dresses. Although her style remained conservative and a bit old-fashioned, the black, white, and gray tones were safe choices. Combined with her calm, scholarly aura, she now exuded a touch of professional sharpness.
She had also been exposed to more of the world's glitz and glamour. Though she hadn't indulged in every form of entertainment, she had dabbled enough to shed her previous bookish, studious image.
"You haven't tasted my cooking in ages—try it!"
Sophia pulled Diana to sit down, pouring her a cup of tea and pushing the milk and sugar closer to her.
Diana watched her graceful, ladylike movements and was momentarily lost in thought. She remembered the time back in college when Sophia received her first top scholarship. To celebrate, she had invited someone for afternoon tea—colorful desserts and a pot of black tea that had cost her 300 yuan. It had been a painful splurge.
Sophia's posture hadn't been elegant, her outfit not particularly stylish. Sitting across from that person had felt like a prince taking a scruffy duckling out for a stroll—awkward and mismatched in every way.
"How does it taste?"
Sophia had asked the same question back then. The person had only replied with a detached "Very British," as if that were high praise. But the comment was purely about the flavor, unrelated to her effort in hosting.
"Diana? Does it not taste good?"
Sophia's voice brought her back to the present. Blushing slightly, Diana said, "Sorry, I guess I'm still unwinding from work. The tea and cookies are delicious! Could you teach me how to make them sometime?"
Sophia nodded, of course. Diana was so skilled at cooking Chinese dishes that these Western treats would be no challenge for her.
The two sipped their tea, heads bowed, their faces tinged with a soft pink from the warmth of the steam. Watching Diana's calm demeanor, Sophia suddenly thought she looked prettier than before, with an added touch of femininity. Not wanting to beat around the bush, she asked directly, "So... Diana, do you have any plans for the future?"
Diana set her teacup down and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I've got lots of plans! I just started working, and being a newbie is tough. It takes a lot of focus and effort. Hmm... when I have more free time, I'll probably continue my studies. The mentor I'm working with now also supervises master's and Ph.D. students."
"You want to become a Ph.D.?"
"There are so many Ph.D. holders now, including many intellectual and elegant women. Don't be biased!" Diana said in a serious tone, though her words carried a playful, witty charm.
Sophia quickly waved her hands, laughing. "No way, I'd admire you for it!"
The atmosphere lightened at last, breaking through the faint sense of distance that had built up over the months they hadn't seen each other.
Sophia continued, "So... what about you and Dr. Cronus? Any progress there?"
At the mention of Cronus, Diana's expression didn't change much. She merely pursed her lips slightly. "There's nothing to it. He and I are probably only destined to be like siblings."
The bullet she had fired at him was enough to sever all ties, nearly cutting even the thread that could have made them like family.
"But... haven't you been going to the small house in the back garden recently?" Sophia lowered her voice, worried Capone or the others might overhear. She also felt awkward, unsure of how to phrase the question.
"So, you already know he's staying there?" Diana didn't ask—it was more of a statement.
"Yes, and I've... seen him twice. He said he might die on this island. Once he hands over his shares, he'll have no value left, and Capone and the others won't let him live. They always settle scores." Sophia's fingers traced the rim of her fine china cup as she spoke with a touch of melancholy. "I even saw Winter attack him once. He pinned him face down into ice water..."
Diana's hand trembled, spilling some tea. She grabbed a napkin to wipe it up and said as she worked, "Ice water in the airways causes a burning pain. It triggers coughing fits that are worse than with water at normal temperature. He seems so delicate—I didn't expect him to endure it."
Sophia didn't know what to say. She could sense that Diana, though speaking calmly as if analyzing a forensic case, was deeply hurt and distressed inside.
Capone and Winter believed that as long as they didn't leave visible injuries, Diana wouldn't feel so distressed. But they seemed to forget that she was a forensic pathologist—those methods couldn't fool her.
Feigning ignorance while understanding everything is perhaps the hardest facade and wisdom to maintain.
Diana had a plan. Even if it wasn't for her happiness with Cronus, she couldn't let him be trapped and die alone on this isolated island.
"What can I do to help you and Dr. Cronus? How can I help you both leave this place?" Sophia asked, holding her hand tightly.
Diana smiled faintly. "I don't need to leave. As long as he gets away, that's enough. Capone won't kill me, but he will kill him. Right now, I don't have a perfect solution—something that lets Capone get the shares and board seat he wants without killing Cronus."
"I've spoken to Capone and asked him to spare Dr. Cronus, to stop taking lives. He didn't give me a clear answer, but he didn't outright refuse either. I think... maybe there's still hope?"
"Did you agree to any conditions with Capone?"
Sophia's face flushed. "He... he said he wanted me to have his child!" She hesitated to mention the part about marriage, too embarrassed to bring it up.
Diana thought for a moment, hesitating before asking delicately, "Has he said anything to you lately?"
"No! Is there something he should've told me?" Sophia asked, puzzled.
Diana felt a sense of foreboding and decided to be direct. "There's a director at IDGM Capital with the last name Ye. He's been critical of Capone and his group in the past, but now he's showing goodwill—apparently, he's aiming for a marriage alliance. Capone has been meeting with him and his daughter frequently, and it seems like they're already discussing wedding plans."
Clang! The teacup in Sophia's hand fell to the floor. Luckily, the carpet absorbed the impact, and the delicate white porcelain didn't shatter entirely, though a large chip had broken off after hitting the table edge.
Sophia's lips parted and closed again, but no sound came out. She sat stiffly, unable to even pick up the cup.
"Is this true? He… he's going to marry that Ye family girl?"
After a long silence, Sophia finally found her voice, her gaze falling on the chipped cup Diana had picked up. Her heart seemed to mirror the cracked edge of the porcelain, breaking wide open.
Diana patted her hand gently, trying to comfort her. "Since Capone hasn't told you, maybe it's not set in stone yet. Don't take it too hard."
Even as she said this, Diana wasn't optimistic. The news about Capone marrying the Ye family daughter wasn't baseless gossip; she had heard it directly from Fifth Brother.
She had assumed Sophia already knew, that this was a conclusion they had both reached after exhausting all possibilities of staying together. But now Sophia was talking about Capone asking her to have his child, her earlier blush revealing she still had feelings for him—neither entirely rejecting him nor willing to let go.
The worst-case scenario suddenly became clear to Diana: the marriage arrangement was real, and Capone wanting Sophia to have his child was also real. But the child might merely serve as a tether, a way to keep Sophia by his side without any official status or recognition.
And perhaps, like countless other self-indulgent men throughout history, he'd even justify it by saying, "You're the one I truly love."
Diana let out a bitter laugh. Such deceit—both to oneself and to others—had he ever considered the feelings and dignity of the women involved?
Her priority now was to save Cronus. Whatever had happened between them, she couldn't bear to see him die or be imprisoned on this island for the rest of his life. He wasn't a bad person—he was a good doctor, with both medical ethics and skill, and a future that deserved a broader horizon.
Sophia Diaz was undoubtedly the one with the most influence to help him escape. But now, with Capone potentially marrying another woman, Diana couldn't help but question whether Sophia's words still carried enough weight.