"Nat, you''re back. Why aren''t you asleep yet?"


    Natalie was still standing by the window, staring out. On the bed, Olivia had woken up in the middle of the night, groggily speaking, "Aren''t you tired? Come to bed."


    "Okay, I''ll be right there," Natalie replied. She watched Marcus'' car disappear from view and then closed the curtains before heading back to her bedroom.


    After Marcus'' car had left Walker Estate and made its way onto the main road, Marcus finally spoke. "Noah, take me to Goodwill Pharmacy."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    There were many branches of Goodwill Pharmacy, but Marcus was headed to the main hall where Sophia was.


    When they arrived, the doors were shut tight, and the area was quiet.


    "Mr. Holden, should I knock?" Noah asked respectfully. At this time of night, the streets were mostly empty, except for cleaners. The pharmacy didn''t operate through the night, but in emergencies, it was eptable to knock.


    "No need. We''ll wait here for them to open," Marcus replied, closing his eyes. With Charles staying at the Walker Manor tonight, he didn''t feel like heading back home. "Noah, you can rest too."


    "Mr. Holden, if you''d like, I can arrange a room for you at the hotel nearby. It''s not ideal to rest in the car."


    There was a hotel just a mile from Goodwill Pharmacy, and sleeping in the car until it opened wouldn''t provide proper rest. Noah, ever thoughtful, was suggesting a better option.


    "Alright, let''s head to the hotel then," Marcus agreed.


    After resting there for a while, he instructed Noah, "Let me know when the pharmacy opens."


    "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    ...


    The next morning, at 8:30 am, Goodwill Pharmacy opened right on time. Noah immediately called Marcus, "Mr. Holden, Goodwill Pharmacy is open." "Alright, I''ll be there soon."


    Marcus hung up the phone andy back on therge bed. He felt a strange sense of fatigue, a dull ache in his body, and a blocked nose as though he wereing down with a cold.


    But Marcus was usually in good health, rarely ever sick. Even when he did feel unwell, he usually powered through unless it was serious.


    After lying there for a while, feeling a bit foggy, Marcus reluctantly got up. He checked his phone, and it was already 8:50 am. He had barely slept three hours.


    Taking a deep breath, Marcus quickly got up to wash his face with cold water. He made himself a cup of coffee, and after drinking it, he felt fully awake.


    "Noah, notify Elijah. We''re heading to Goodwill Pharmacy now." "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Ten minutester, Marcus and Noah entered Goodwill Pharmacy. Elijah was waiting, respectfully reporting on Sophia''s situation.


    "Ms. Sinir woke upst night. Dr. Tanner checked her over. She knew her child was gone but didn''t cry or make a fuss. She seemed indifferent like all the life had drained from her.


    "Dr. Tanner also asked if we should notify the father of the child toe and be with Ms. Sinir. But I didn''t dare call you, sir, since it was Ms. Walker''s wee party yesterday.


    "Ms. Sinir


    herself said that the


    child had no father, that it was fine, and that she never really nned to keep the baby. However, I noticed after D. Tanner left, Ms. Sinir was crying. She kept muttering, ''I''m sorry, baby. It''s my fault. I couldn''t protect you."  swnovel


    Elijah spoke carefully, trying not to upset Marcus.


    "Alright, Elijah, you can go now," Marcus said. "Noah, you guard the door." "Yes, Mr. Holden."


    Once the door was closed, Marcus pulled up a chair and sat down. He reached over to the bedside and started peeling an apple. "Open your eyes, Sophia. Don''t pretend to be asleep."


    Sophia sighed and opened her eyes. "I''m sorry, Marcus. I''ve caused you trouble again."


    Marcus continued peeling the apple. "It''s Emma''s doing."


    He continued, "Sophia, I won''t pry into the identity of the child''s father. But remember, your health is important. If you take care of yourself, everything else will still be possible."


    "You didn''t think the child''s father might be Sky, did you?" Sophia looked away, a bitter expression crossing her face. "Or have you ever considered that if you married me, I wouldn''t have had to lose the baby?"


    "Sophia..." Marcus set the partially peeled apple down. "You know there''s no romantic rtionship between us. I can protect you, but I will never marry you." "But I saved you when we were kids," Sophia said, lowering her head and avoiding Marcus'' gaze. "Can''t you just marry me as a way of repaying the favor?" "If you truly wanted me to marry you, you wouldn''t wait until now to ask. What are you trying to test?"


    Sophia opened her mouth but couldn''t find the right words. She felt a sense of unease, unsure of what she was truly seeking.


    Sitting there in Goodwill Pharmacy, she finally recalled where she had seen Natalie before on the beach when Natalie saved Marcus. Natalie had asked her to watch over him while she ran to get the adults.


    Not long after, Marcus woke up and immediately asked if she was the one who had saved him. Sophia, acting on impulse, nodded and imed the credit for Natalie''s act of saving him.


    Later, when Sophia learned Marcus'' true identity, she understood his power and influence, especially with how Ivan treated him. She knew that being with Marcus meant a better life for her, so she never corrected the misunderstanding.


    But using the life-saving favor came with consequences. Another boy who had witnessed the rescueter found her and started ckmailing her.


    "Sophia, what are you thinking?" Marcus asked when he saw her distant look, not answering his question. He waved his hand in front of her face.


    "Nothing... nothing at all. I was just joking," Sophia forced a smile. "Don''t take it seriously. I just had a weird thought."


    "Sophia," Marcus said softly, "Sometimes, people use jokes to mask the truth. You want me to marry you, but you''re not joking. You''re serious."


    Marcus picked up the apple again and resumed peeling. "You''ve never used the life-saving favor to ask anything of me. Even when I


    protected you, you were al


    grateful. Sophia, tell me


    honestly-did the father of the child threaten you?"  swnovel


    Sophia quickly shook her head. "No, that''s not it''m just scared," she said, her head hanging low. "I''m Sky''s fiancée in name, but I did. something to betray him. Whoever


    the man is, I can''t afford to offend Sky or the Walker family. If my dad finds out, he''ll kill me. I was just scared, so I joked about it with you."  swnovel


    She added, "Marcus, please stop asking. Just forget I said anything."


    "Is that so?" Marcus'' gaze was intense as he stared at Sophia. She couldn''t meet


    his eyes, her unease clear. She was hiding something, but she wasn''t ready to


    confess.


    Marcus wouldn''t force her to speak, but one thing was for sure—marrying her would never happen.