Bloodbound Betrayal

Chapter 36: Do You Really Love Me

Sophie froze for a second, glanced at the shattered glass on the floor, and quietly asked Hebe to take care of it. Then she turned and headed toward the restaurant.

“Hey! Hey! I’m still here! You can’t just walk away, you horrible woman!” Lara shrieked, stomping after her in a rage when Sophie left without a word.

She followed Sophie all the way to the third-floor restaurant at C&C. The moment they stepped in, Lara spotted Ned. Before Sophie could take another step, Lara dashed forward.

“Ned! What are you doing here? Eating lunch this late—it’s bad for your stomach!”

Ned wasn’t the least bit surprised to see her. She had always been like this since they were children—clinging to him, circling him. He’d always avoided her because it was easier than dealing with the trouble, but he hadn’t realized his mother had long ago decided they were a couple. Now she was openly pushing the matter, trying to force him to acknowledge it and eventually marry Lara as a matter of course.

The thought made even the ever-composed Ned frown. Suddenly the Angus steak in front of him lost all appeal.

“Ned, you came to the restaurant without telling me? That steak looks so good—I want one too,” Lara said knowingly, sliding into the seat beside him and looping her arm through his, practically ready to rest her head on his shoulder.

Sophie stood ten paces away, watching him in silence, her face unreadable.

Ned calmly disentangled Lara’s arm, set down his knife and fork, dabbed his mouth elegantly with the napkin, stood up, and walked straight toward Sophie.

Lara sat frozen in her chair, staring at Ned, her eyes instantly red with tears.

Without turning around, Ned said coolly, “You can have this table. Order whatever you want—the restaurant can put it on my tab.”

Then, as naturally as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world, he took Sophie’s hand. “Let’s eat somewhere else.”

He didn’t look back as they left the restaurant together.

“Ned! How can you treat me like this?!” Lara screamed.

Sophie stopped walking. Ned, still holding her hand, had no choice but to stop too.

“I was supposed to be your date at your birthday banquet! So why did you invite her? Do you have any idea how much that hurt me?!” Lara’s voice cracked, tears streaming down her face. “You made me look like a complete fool in front of everyone!”

Sophie lifted her gaze and looked silently at Ned.

He met her eyes, his expression cold and unyielding.

"You want to be together? Auntie will absolutely never agree!" Lara walked up to the two of them, looking at Ned with grief. "You know very well that your love will never turn out the way you hope. The gap in your statuses is too great; you two are simply not suitable for each other!"

She took a deep breath. "By doing this now—being so good to her, protecting her like this—you're misleading her into thinking that one day you'll marry her and stay with her forever. But in the end? It will all come to nothing. All you're doing is hurting Sophie! Hurting me!"

Ned glared at Lara. His gaze was as cold as ice, so frigid that she couldn't help but tremble...

"Finished?" He stared at Lara's tear-streaked face and asked indifferently.

Lara sobbed, unable to respond.

Then Ned lowered his head and said gently to Sophie, "Let's go."

He took her hand and left the restaurant as if nothing had happened.

Sophie couldn't even turn back to look at Lara's expression. Like a robot, she let Ned lead her away.

In her mind, frame by frame, all she could see were Lara's tears and her cries: It will all come to nothing...

"Not to your taste? I chose Japanese A5 Wagyu—it's flown in fresh every day. I don't think you've tried it before. I've been wanting to bring you here for ages," Ned said attentively.

He had brought her to a private VIP room at the top-floor restaurant of C&C. Even after the steak was served, Sophie hadn't said a single word. She was completely unresponsive.

"I can't eat," she murmured, staring at the exquisite steak.

"Why? Because of what Lara just said?" He sneered. "Her words mean nothing. Don't let her nonsense ruin our evening." Then he lowered his head and began cutting his steak, completely unconcerned.

Sophie opened her mouth, then closed it again. She knew Lara was right. And he wasn't wrong either.

"What's with that face? Don't lose your appetite just because of a few stupid sentences. Didn't you promise me you'd have the courage to face anything?"

He simply put down his knife and fork, reached over, and took her hand. "What garbage is your brain churning through now?" he asked.

"I'm not thinking anything."

“Speak clearly. I don’t want to hear you brushing me off.” His face turned cold.

“You’re really too selfish,” she looked at him and said calmly. “You’re making two women who love you both heartbroken, both miserable at the same time.”

Ned broke into a wide grin. “So, are you heartbroken?”

She didn’t answer.

“Then you’re admitting you love me?” His eyes darkened as he smiled secretly. “Finally, I know just how much you love me.”

Sophie suddenly felt as if her innermost thoughts had been exposed. She quickly pulled her hand out of his grasp.

“What, don’t want to admit you love me anymore?” He chuckled lowly, then picked up his knife and fork again, casually resuming cutting his steak as if nothing had happened. “You just said you love me. Message received. I’m thrilled!”

“What on earth are you talking about? When did I ever say that?” Sophie was getting frustrated and flustered. “Which one is the real you—the one sitting here right now with that smirking, playful face, or the old you who never smiled and always wore that ice-cold expression?”

“Hahaha—” The private room echoed with Ned’s bright, unrestrained laughter. “You’re finally interested in me!”