She didn't mention what happened in the past, nor did she talk about how she and Patrick met each
other.She didn't want to recall those memories and she knew that she shouldn't live on them.
Sophia had just been quietly listening the whole time.She only nodded and answered when she heard
Kirstine asked a question.
Meanwhile, Kirstine stared at Sophia.
Sunlight shone in from outside the window and hit her face, which looked so soft and must have been
comfortable to touch.
Sophia's beauty was simple but it surely made people stare at her for a long time.She felt that Sophia
was at the peak of her youth.She was mature, confident, and beautiful.
However, she was not ostentatious.
She was elegant like a cup of tea, full of fragrance, and would never lose its essence even after along
time.
Perhaps now, Kirstine finally understood, that only with Sophia could Patrick throw away all doubts in
his heart and let down his guard.
With Sophia, Patrick could be himself.
It was as if she possessed some kind of magical power.
Being with her would give one a full sense of security.
Kirstine saw that Sophia's gaze didn't move away from the photos, so she walked to her side.
She smiled as she took one of the pictures from the wall and handed it to Sophia.
Her words were somewhat emotional.
"To tell you honestly, Patrick has a wounded heart.Outside, it seems like everything's fine.With money
and power in hand, you'll think he can get everything he wanted.But the truth is, the things he wanted
the most had always eluded him” Sophia lowered her gaze.
In the photo that Kirstine handed over, a young Patrick was wearing a school uniform.
His white shirt under the sun shone with exquisite light.
There was a smile on his face.
Though it was very faint, she could tell that it was genuine.
Sophia took another look before returning the photo frame to Kirstine.
She smiled and said, "Life is long.He still has plenty of time to get what he wants, there's no hurry;
Sophia said, trying to lighten up the mood.She couldn't understand why Kirstine was telling her
this.Perhaps she wanted to let her know subtly that Patrick had not been happy these past few years.
But women always had the ability to understand fellow women more clearly than men.
Kirstine was an intelligent and rational woman, full of emotions.
She should be able to understand that there was no love for no reason, nor would there be hatred for
no reason.
‘Only after love will there be hatred.Will there be forgiveness after hatred?’
‘Life is so long, God knows what will happen?’
All these thoughts whirled around Sophia's mind.
‘Perhaps, only God knows the result!’
"But maybe you're right.After all, it can be lonely being in a high position.That's where he is now,
right?"
Sophia teased.
Kirstine simply smiled at her and thought, ‘Sophia's a woman who knows how to leave a way out for
herself.If Patrick won't do his best efforts, it will only be in vain”
‘If he wants to win her back, he should give all his time and energy’ Kirstine helped her younger
brother summarize the key point to improve his relationship with his ex-wife.
"L really like you, Sophia, '' Kirstine said warmly.
"Can we still keep in touch?" she asked.
Kirstine was very kind to her even though they just met.
She seemed to be a calm and quiet woman that would tell honest words from the bottom of her heart,
and Sophia liked that kind of personality.
So, she couldn't refuse Kirstine's request, even though she knew her intentions.
Additionally, the more she refused, the more it would seem that she still hadn't let go of her past.She
hated this.
The feeling of being at a disadvantage, especially if it was in front of Patrick's family.
So, she just smiled timidly and nodded at Kirstine.
It was really uncomfortable for her to keep in touch with her ex-husband's sister.
Though she didn't refuse now, it didn't mean that she would always respond to her invitation.
Moreover, as long as they didn't meet, she could just say that she was busy as an excuse to refuse.
Simple as that.
‘’This will work” Sophia thought.
It was reasonable and both of them wouldn't be uncomfortable about it.
Sophia noticed that it was already dark outside.
So, she looked at her watch and saw that it was already eight o'clock in the evening.
Sophia remembered her promise to her mother that she would go to the hospital tonight.
"I'm sorry but I should be going now" She told Kirstine.
"I need to visit my mother at the hospital."
"Oh, is that so? I'm so sorry for taking your time"
Kirstine apologized and Sophia waved her hands telling her not to worry.
Before they went back, Kirstine suddenly asked, "By the way, if you don't mind, can I ask you to go
shopping with me during the weekend?"
Another request that Sophia knew she wouldn't be able to refuse, so she just nodded again, almost
mechanically.
"All right" she said.
She didn't know if Kirstine really needed someone to accompany her while shopping but she hoped
that she didn't notice her perfunctory action.
When they went downstairs, Sophia didn't see Patrick around anymore.She thought that he might have
already left.
After all, there were many company matters to handle.
As the president, it was rare for him to be idle! Sophia walked out of the door and turned around to
thank Kirstine.
"When we go shopping this weekend, I will buy you a pair of slippers."
She looked down for a second and then, back to Kirstine.
"You haven't even worn this pair, and I'm already wearing it, '' she added and grinned sheepishly.
After all, they only just met, so it was difficult for Sophia to accept the slippers without getting anxious.
In addition to that, she knew that Kirstine helped her out on behalf of Patrick.
Without knowing the whole story, other people would think that Sophia was purposely trying to get
close to Patrick's family.
But Kirstine was, indeed, an intelligent woman.
She quickly dispelled Sophia's doubts by saying, "You don't have to treat me like a stranger,
Sophia.When I asked for you to come shopping with me or when I gave you those pair of slippers, I
was just being friendly.You don't have to think too much about it.Let's just take things naturally, shall
we?"
Sophia only smiled.
She didn't really know what to say but, eventually, she said, "Thank you for your slippers.They are very
comfortable"
Kirstine smiled back.
She was about to say something but was interrupted when her phone rang.She picked it up.
Although Sophia didn't know who was on the other end of the line, it wasn't hard to guess from
Kirstine's expression that it must be Patrick.
"Yeah, she needs to visit her mother at the hospital, but she is still here"
Kirstine glanced at Sophia.
She didn't know what Patrick was saying on the other line but whatever it was, it made Kirstine frown.
"Okay, then come over, but don't drive too fast"
Kirstine hung up and turned to Sophia.
"Patrick said that he had some business around the neighborhood; she said while pocketing her phone.
"But he's done now and he said he'll drive you to the hospital."
Sophia was about to refuse, but before she could do that, the sound of a brake sounded on the road
five meters away from them.
Patrick got out of the car and walked towards the two women.
He obviously had a drink.
His eyes were dark and gloomy, and they were particularly obvious under the streetlights.
When Kirstine saw him coming towards them, she found this as an excuse to return to the restaurant
first, leaving the space for the two of them.
"What did you two talk about that it took you a long time to come back down?" Patrick asked.
He stood opposite her with his back to the street lamp.
Against the light, his expression seemed vague.
She could only smell the mixed scent of his shaving water and smoke emanating from him.
"Just a story about people that cannot have their cake and eat it at the same time," she simply replied,
but Patrick knew what Sophia was talking about.
It was a popular saying which meant that you cannot have the best of both worlds.
Through her bright eyes, he could always capture her various emotions.
Quiet, warm, and sensitive.
These were the adjectives that could describe Sophia's temperament.
But for some reason, he always failed to capture her true feelings.
"If you were to choose, what would you pick? Success or love?" He could not help but ask.
"I won't choose anything, because, in the end, it won't belong to me!" Sophia smiled.
He was silent.
He wanted to take out his cigarette but he realized that he left it in his car.
A frown spread on his face out of irritation.
In the end, Sophia found herself sitting inside his car, looking at the flashing neon lights outside the
window, and for a moment she was amazed at herself.
How brave she was for getting inside a car with a drunk driver.
Would this be considered as playing with fire? However, this was only in her mind.
She would not say it out loud.
And to be honest, even if he was drunk, he could still drive the car steadily, though the accelerator was
a little heavy.
Patrick suddenly rolled down the window and let the night wind blow in.
Sophia couldn't help but shrink back because of this.
"It's cold," Sophia reminded him with a frown.
Patrick didn't say anything and just silently rolled up the window.
There it was again, that strange twist in his heart that he couldn't figure out.
It seemed that she really meant it when she said she wouldn't choose either between success or love.
Well, he always knew that she was an understanding, mature, and rational woman.
She was not the type to envy other people just because they had what she didn't have.
But it was just that deep in his heart, he wished that sometimes she could be the opposite.
He hoped that she would be a little confused or greedy, even just for once.
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