Capone raised an eyebrow, looking at the dazed Joey. "What's up? You look like your mind is somewhere else. What's in your hand?"
"Nobody can truly own a Patek Philippe; you're just keeping it for the next generation," Diana said coolly, already having caught sight of the box's contents, clearly ready for some gossip.
"Who's it for? Zoey? Or have you found a new flame?" Capone was the first to dig in with his curiosity.
"Hey, hey, hey, boss, are you trying to get me killed? What new flame? There's no new flame! This is a gift I specially bought for Zoey. There was no stock at the port, so I made a special trip to Hong Kong just to get this classic model!"
Joey hurried to defend himself, the previous hint of discomfort evaporating.
Well, it made sense. The only person who could throw Joey off like that was Zoey.
Capone reached out, and Joey obediently placed the box into his palm. Sophia leaned in to admire the rose gold watch face and couldn't help but exclaim, "It's from the classic Calatrava series! It's so beautiful! She's definitely going to love it!"
Joey rolled his eyes disdainfully and muttered, "Shallow woman. Zoey isn't as superficial as you think!"
"What did you say?" Capone raised his voice slightly.
"Nothing! I just meant Cronus came with me to pick it out. He said this model is the latest in the classic series, all dignified and…"
"Dignified and elegant!"
"Right, right! Cronus, you're way better at charming women than I am! You have a whole spiel for this!"
Cronus laughed and playfully punched him in the arm, while Diana stayed silent, burying her face in her cup and sipping her tea in small sips.
Capone looked up at Cronus and asked, "What made you decide to accompany him to buy this?"
"Zoey's birthday is coming up, and Joey wanted to give her a gift but didn't know what to choose, so he bought this!"
Capone clearly wasn't buying it entirely. "I suspect there's more meaning behind it, isn't there?"
Otherwise, Joey wouldn't be so lost in thought.
"Is it a proposal?" Sophia boldly asked, merely guessing. She had seen people use watches for proposals before. A watch adorned with 54 diamonds definitely seemed more sincere than just one on an engagement ring!
"You… how did you know? Did Cronus tell you?"
Joey's eyes widened in surprise, like a cat that had just had its tail stepped on, realizing he had been caught.
"I didn't say anything!" Cronus immediately distanced himself, looking at Sophia as if to prove his innocence.
Capone frowned, instinctively disliking the way Cronus looked at Sophia.
"Why are you so nervous? This is good news! Congratulations!" Sophia smiled, puzzled as to why, apart from her and Joey, everyone else seemed so unresponsive to the news.
"Are you really set on this? Want to propose again?"
Only when Capone said this did Sophia catch on; hadn't he proposed to Zoey before?
She glanced at Diana across the table, who made a gesture with her hands that resembled the number eight.
Oh my god, eight times? Or was it eighty?
Sophia looked at Joey with sympathy, but he seemed even more invigorated, excitedly sharing his grand plan: "This time I've really thought it through. On her birthday, I'll sincerely propose to her! No need for a grand affair, just at ROYAL, right where we first met! She's still wearing the diamond ring Matthew gave her, and that's fine; if she wants to wear it, let her! I'll always remember Matthew's kindness, for a lifetime! All she has to do is accept this watch from me. From now on, whether she wants to work or rest, I'll support her. Her family will be my family, and I'll take good care of them. I'll never… never do anything to disappoint her again!"
Joey spoke with such passion that Sophia found herself moved, yet the people around them remained silent, seemingly indifferent to his heartfelt declaration.
Sophia didn't know the full story between Joey, Zoey, and the late Portman, but from the solemn expressions on everyone's faces, it was clear that Zoey had rejected him so many times for a reason.
She glanced at Capone, whose chiseled, perfect profile seemed deep in thought.
"On Zoey's birthday, we'll go too; we agreed last month! When the time comes… be clever, and we'll help you from the sidelines. Maybe she'll agree to it out of gratitude for us!"
"Really, boss? You all are willing to help me?" Capone's words acted like a shot of confidence for Joey, who immediately felt a surge of hope.
"Why would we lie? You messed up with Zoey before, not us; seeing how sincerely you've treated her these past few years, Zoey can't be completely indifferent to you. If there's a chance for success, of course, we'll help! The more people who care for her, the happier Portman would be watching from above!"
"Yeah!" Joey was so happy he didn't know what to say.
Capone turned to stroke the ends of Sophia's curly hair, saying, "I might need you to help out too!"
"What can I help with?"
"I noticed you make beautiful birthday cakes that taste great; why not help Joey make one? A proposal gift needs to have some sincerity, and so should the birthday present!"
Sophia felt a rush of pride at Capone's acknowledgment of her baking skills.
"Of course, leave it to me!"
Capone nodded, "How about that flaming ice cream cake from last time? It's a showstopper, combining ice and fire, and it looks great—girls should love it!"
Thinking about that time reminded Sophia of his secret ambush to thwart her escape plan, and she instinctively pinched him, but he held her hand tightly.
"What's this? Are you thinking about your old flame?" He whispered teasingly in her ear.
"Nonsense!" Sophia felt her ears turn red and stomped her foot at him.
"I'll settle the score with you tonight!" Capone replied suggestively, brushing his lips against her sensitive earlobe.
With that, everything was settled. Joey excitedly turned to Cronus, saying, "Cronus, you're the one with the plan! Teach me how to propose to her at ROYAL on her birthday. With you and the boss helping, it's bound to succeed this time!"
Cronus patted him on the shoulder. "If you fall, just get back up from where you fell. Don't be too nervous; repeat what you said today when you're in front of Zoey, and she'll definitely be moved!"
"Right!"
Joey left in high spirits, oblivious to the complex emotions in Cronus's eyes.
Sophia finished preparing the ice cream cake and noticed it was nearing noon. Capone still hadn't gotten up. Lately, he'd been having video conferences with his subordinates in America, returning to bed around two or three in the morning. His erratic schedule was really wearing him down.
She quietly opened the door and tiptoed in. In front of the wardrobe, she rummaged through Capone's clothes and picked out an outfit for him to wear to Zoey's birthday party. It had to strike a balance between being formal yet not too serious, so she chose a relaxed style paired with a chic red scarf.
Sophia felt quite pleased with her handiwork.
"What are you busy with?"
Capone, who had woken up at some point, casually threw on a loose robe without buttoning it up, exposing his bare chest against Sophia's back. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, the heat of his body stirring a fresh wave of desire.
Sophia lightly swatted at his arm. "I'm picking out clothes for you. Aren't you all going to Zoey's birthday party later? You should wash your face first and get dressed after!"
Capone picked up on her wording immediately. "You said 'you all'? Are we all going together? Did you think I would leave you here alone?"
Sophia felt a bit awkward. "Oh, don't worry about that! Lucy's here, and the brothers you've stationed around the house haven't left either. I can't run away! I promise, when you come back, you'll still find me here!"
Capone held her by the shoulders, his expression serious. "That's not what I meant! Didn't I tell you? You're not my hostage now; I will…"
"You'll just send me back home, right? I know!" Sophia interrupted, pulling his hand down. "I'm not planning to run away; I just… don't want to go to ROYAL! I've made the cake; you take it with you and wish Sister Song a happy birthday for me. I won't join you guys!"
Realizing her concerns, Capone felt a tight knot form in his chest, memories of the time Lucas had bullied her flooding back.
He pulled her into his arms tightly. "It's my fault; I was too reckless last time…"
Sophia's eyes felt warm, overwhelmed by a rush of emotions. In her principles, there seemed to be only this one matter that she simply couldn't forgive him for, no matter how much time passed.
She couldn't even bring herself to say "it's okay," because the memories were too vivid, and the hurt too deep.
Capone held her for a long moment before saying, "Sophy, don't dwell on the past! I know you feel wronged. I'll take care of those matters from those days. Your name won't appear in any records, and I'll delete any footage captured by the internal cameras. As for the people you were with, I'll pay them off to ensure they're out of the picture! Don't be scared, okay?"
Despite his warmth, Sophia still felt a bit cold; his heat wasn't enough to thaw her heart. He understood this was how she reacted when she felt hopeless and despondent. Gently lifting her chin to make her look into his eyes, he said, "Look at me, Sophy. If you're still uncertain, let's get married! You'll be my wife, my woman. It wouldn't be strange at all for you to be seen in my company; no one would dare say a word!"
"What… what are you saying?" Sophia was taken aback, her mind racing. He must still be half-asleep to say something so outlandish!
"I'm serious; there's nothing to be afraid of! We can fly to America tonight and get married; we'll deal with everything else later!"
He acknowledged his impulsiveness but insisted that his feelings were genuine. The events at ROYAL had tarnished her reputation, and the world would mock and ridicule her. However, if she were already married, and to the owner of ROYAL no less, her presence there would be seen as that of the boss's wife. Who would even suspect the truth behind it?