Sophia returned to Mesha Island, and everyone knew she was expecting Capone's baby. The level of protection she received was like that of a rare panda—everyone was extremely cautious around her.
Lucy, especially, was overjoyed. After so many years, this was the first time she had seen any of the children she had raised become parents, and she couldn't help but feel like a proud grandmother. Every day, she brought over nourishing pigeon soup, chicken soup, and a variety of different concoctions, all aimed at strengthening Sophia. She also went on and on about the various dos and don'ts, nearly writing them all down on a sheet of paper as a guide.
Capone was often present while Lucy talked. Karl and Candy had even bought Sophia a set of magnetic writing boards in various sizes. The largest one was soon filled with a long list of instructions.
Sophia looked at the large, sprawling handwriting—rough and untidy but still with a sense of rhythm—scribbled all over the board. After a few glances, she steeled herself and wiped it all away.
Capone wasn't upset. Instead, he switched to colorful sticky notes. He wrote down the same list of rules:
- No crab legs, they are too cold.
- Don't wash your hair with cold water.
- Eat less watermelon.
- ...
Most of the notes were about dietary restrictions. Sophia grew increasingly annoyed, and each time Capone added a new one, she would tear it off. When she finally fell asleep, Capone would check to see which notes were missing and add them back, one by one.
After several rounds, Sophia gave up fighting it. If he wanted to write them, he could do so—after all, they were just stuck on the board beside her.
The magnetic board was eventually covered in colorful, vibrant sticky notes, each one filled with Capone's neat, forceful handwriting. It actually made for a rather pretty sight.
Capone didn't go out much, preferring to stay at Mesha Island with Sophia. However, he knew that being too forceful would only push her further away, so he kept his distance during the day, spending his time in the next room. Whenever he made pasta, he would come over and sit with her at the table, enjoying the meal together.
Mandy and Winter were around as well, but both were quieter personalities. So, Capone invited Karl and Candy over too, making the table more lively. With more people around, the atmosphere became lighter and more cheerful. Occasionally, Sophia would even flash a small smile.
Sophia knew very well that Capone spent every day in the house with her, but she couldn't help but wonder why he wasn't going to the office.
The merger with David Lee had fallen through, so the transfer of stock wasn't as smooth as expected. However, at the engagement ceremony, David Lee's daughter didn't show up, and instead, David Lee had tried to make his disabled daughter stand in for her. This made David Lee look bad.
In the world of business, it was well-known that David Lee had intended Capone to be his son-in-law, but with this mishap, it was as if the head of the family hadn't been around for two years, and now the elders were bullying the younger generation. It was an ugly situation for David Lee to be in.
Naturally, David Lee was furious, but he couldn't backtrack on the stock transfer. He only advised Capone to be patient, as the stock would eventually be his. At this point, David Lee had fully sided with Capone. In the boardroom, Capone already had absolute control and no longer needed to fear the indecisiveness of the old guard.
However, Capone couldn't completely neglect the company. With Terry helping him manage things, he could afford to stay here and keep an eye on Sophia's every move. But Sophia couldn't help but feel a sense of resignation. She couldn't even speak properly now, essentially becoming mute, and even if she wanted to escape, there wasn't much she could do.
Diana had bought her many books. Whenever she had time, Sophia stayed in her room reading—novels, fashion magazines, and books on life wisdom. Sophia had always been an outgoing and optimistic person. After reading about the diverse world and philosophies in the books, her outlook had improved. She no longer felt as depressed and hopeless as she had immediately after waking up from her coma.
One afternoon, Capone opened the door to her room and found her sitting on the low windowsill, her legs stretched out lazily, with her head gently resting against the glass. She had fallen asleep while holding a book she hadn't finished reading.
Capone carefully took the book from her hands, then gently lifted her, carrying her to the bed so she could sleep more comfortably.
Sophia could feel her body gently swaying, the familiar, comforting scent near her nose. She knew it was Capone's embrace, but she kept her eyes closed, unwilling to wake up just yet.
Capone stood by the bed for a while, letting out a soft sigh before quietly leaving the room.
He thought to himself that she probably didn't know, but every day, when she took her afternoon nap or just drifted into sleep at night, he would come and stand by her bed for a moment. She only let her guard down when she was asleep, and that was when he could look at her for a little while longer without her noticing.
Since Sophia had gotten pregnant, her need for sleep and appetite had increased, especially after she was discharged from the hospital. It seemed to have intensified. She needed five meals a day and would sometimes fall asleep while sitting. This meant Capone was spending quite a bit of time beside her, although, when she was in a deep sleep, she didn't always notice.
One day, Sophia woke up suddenly from a nightmare, drenched in sweat. She sat up with a start. Capone, who was sitting nearby, quickly dropped the book he had been reading and gently patted her back, trying to comfort her. "It's just a bad dream, it's okay. Don't be scared. I'm here."
Sophia caught sight of the book he had dropped—a new parent's guide to babies. The cover showed a chubby, soft baby with bright, sparkling eyes, as if smiling at them.
At the sight of the book, she immediately began crying uncontrollably. She hit Capone with her fists, trying to speak, but not a single word came out.
The nightmare had been so vivid—she had dreamt that the baby was gone, her belly empty, blood everywhere. That's what had terrified her so much.
Capone let her strike him, realizing that when she truly got angry, her small fists could still pack a painful punch. They landed on his chest like iron hammers. He also realized that Sophia wasn't physically unable to speak; it was her silence, the way she could scream with her tears, that was so much harder for him to bear.
It was his fault. He had caused her and the baby to suffer that fear.
To prove that the baby was healthy and growing well in her womb, Capone started reading to the baby every day before Sophia took her afternoon nap.
Sometimes he would recite nursery rhymes, other times he would read poems, and sometimes he would bring his iPod and small speaker to play some Mozart.
Although the baby was still too small for Sophia to feel any movements, the mother-child bond allowed her to sense that the baby enjoyed this form of prenatal education, as both of them would fall into a peaceful sleep without having any nightmares.
When Capone recited the nursery rhymes, there was a special rhythm to his voice, and though his Mandarin was quite good, there was still a hint of a southern accent. Sophia often found herself laughing when she heard it.
One day, she wrote a note and passed it to him. It read, "Don't read it, I want you to sing!"
Capone was momentarily stunned, and when he understood the message, a look of joy spread across his face. This was the first time since her discharge that Sophia had "spoken" to him, and he was overjoyed.
However, he still pretended to act calm and said, "Reading is fine, why do you want me to sing?"
Another note came flying at him, this one yellow, and it said, "Singing sounds better than reading!"
Capone bit his lip, gently placing his hand on her stomach, and tried to soothe her. "I'm not good at singing, the baby might dislike it."
Sophia, not holding back, threw a blue note at him with rounded, playful handwriting, but the words were cold: "If you're not going to sing, forget it. I'm going to sleep, please close the door!"
Capone looked at her, took a deep breath, and as if making a firm decision, he said seriously, "I'll sing!"
In the afternoon, Candy and Karl, happily snacking on sunflower seeds and cutting watermelon in the living room, were startled by Sophia's laughter. They momentarily thought it was a hallucination. They turned off the TV, dropped the watermelon rind, and rushed to the door of the room to eavesdrop, only to confirm that it was indeed her laughter.
"Is the big sister okay? Why is she suddenly laughing?" Candy, still with fruit juice stains on her mouth, asked, a hint of concern in her voice. They had been here for several days, and this was the first time they had heard Sophia laugh like this.
Karl, with a look of distaste, gently wiped the juice off Candy's mouth and said, "You don't need to worry about it. The boss knows what he's doing. There's no way he can't handle a woman!" The boss was his wise and mighty idol!
Candy couldn't help but pout in disagreement. "Tch, if he's really that wise and mighty, how could he not know that a woman is carrying his child and still lay a hand on her?"