Chapter 3

After the celebration wrapped up, everyone said their goodbyes.

Yvonne and Nathan made their way to the parking lot together.

As the icy wind swept by, Yvonne instinctively wrapped her arms around herself.

In the next moment, a warm coat was gently placed over her shoulders.

"It's cold. Stay warm." Nathan's voice was gentle, and he considerately fastened the coat button.

Yvonne gazed at Nathan, lost in thought as he carefully buttoned her coat, and suddenly remembered how, three years ago, when she first came to Nathan's side, it was also a bitterly cold winter.

Back then, Nathan was at his poorest. The two of them were cramped together in a drafty basement with no heating, clinging to each other to stay warm.

Whenever he noticed her hands and feet were still icy, he'd get up over and over in the middle of the night, filling a hot water bottle and slipping it into her arms.

As the heiress to the richest family, Yvonne had never known hardship like that, yet in that freezing winter night, her heart burned hotter than ever, thundering in her chest.

That scene instantly pulled Yvonne back to the freezing winter night. Suddenly desperate to hear the answer spoken aloud, even knowing it by heart, she turned to him. "Nathan, will you marry me?"

As soon as she finished, Nathan stiffened.

His gaze wavered. "Yvonne, the company just went public. Things are really hectic right now."

Was he really busy with work, or was that just an excuse because he didn't love her at all?

Yvonne gave a soft laugh and quietly nodded. "Alright, I understand."

His evasive answer was all the answer she needed.

She didn't press him any further and walked straight toward the parking lot.

They hadn't gone far when Nathan suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Following his gaze, Yvonne spotted someone in the distance, crouched by the roadside with her face hidden in her lap under the yellowish glow of the streetlamp.

It was Sophia.

Nathan's gaze was locked on Sophia. His voice was rough. "There's something I need to handle. You go on ahead."

With that, he strode straight toward Sophia.

Yvonne stood there, frozen in place.

She watched helplessly as Nathan reached out and grabbed Sophia, pulling her toward the corner.

Sophia stumbled along. Even though Nathan didn't try to help her, he slowed his pace for her.

Yvonne felt her hands at her sides tighten unconsciously, then finally resolved to follow after them.

At the corner of the hallway, Nathan grabbed Sophia's wrist, his eyes bloodshot. "Didn't you say you were leaving? Why are you still here?"

Sophia looked up at him, her eyes red and teary. "I-I wanted to see you one more time."

Nathan let out a cold laugh, his words almost spat out through clenched teeth. "You walked away without even looking back then. So why are you here now?"

Sophia pulled away from him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and buried her face in his shoulder, her voice trembling. "I never wanted to leave you. My dad wouldn't let us stay together. He used you to threaten me.

"If I didn't break up with you, he said he'd join forces with others to ruin you."

Nathan didn't push Sophia away. His fists were clenched so hard that they shook, his voice tight with restraint. "Even if you had your reasons, you could've told me. We could've faced it together.

"But instead, you chose to walk away, only to come back after three years. So tell me, what makes you think I, Nathan Finn, would ever want a woman who abandoned me?"

Sophia's tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked up at him, her vision blurred. "I never came back expecting we could be together again. I know you've moved on with someone else these past three years. I wanted one last look at you."

With that, she let go of him and stepped back, her voice trembling. "Just knowing you're doing well is enough for me. I'll go..."

However, before she could finish, her body suddenly went limp, and she fainted.

Yvonne stood a short distance away, watching as Nathan could no longer maintain his cold mask and rushed to catch Sophia in his arms, holding her tight.

"Sophia?" There was a faint tremor in his voice.

Once he realized Sophia had simply fainted due to emotional distress, Nathan let out a visible sigh of relief.

He gently brushed her cheek, finally letting his true feelings show, his eyes overflowing with love and barely holding back everything he felt for the woman in his arms. "Sophia, you've trapped me good this lifetime."

With that, he scooped her up in his arms.

Yvonne stood rooted to the spot, watching Nathan's figure gradually disappear.

Suddenly, her cheek felt itchy. When she reached up to touch it, she realized it was already wet with tears.

For the past three years, Nathan had always treated Yvonne well. Even when he was broke, he'd scrimp and save to buy her little gifts.

She thought that was love.

Watching Nathan with Sophia tonight, Yvonne finally realized what it looked like when he truly loved someone.

He would get angry, and he would say things he didn't mean. He was real. This was unlike his manner with her, where gentleness had always been a mask.