Sierra''s voice echoed in Sophia''s ears. "Sophia, relying on others will never be as effective as relying on yourself. I need to depend on myself from this moment on and be the rock my family can lean on."
"But Sky has a record." Sophia hesitated. "Sierra, I don''t know how to exin this to you, but I think you get what I mean."
"Sky and Marcus are two very different people. Marcus isn''t someone others can take advantage of easily."
Sierra let go of Sophia''s hand. "Sophia, I see you as my sister, so I won''t hide anything from you. I''m not asking you to support me. I just hope you won''t try to stop me. Can you do that for me?
"You''re right. Marcus and Sky are nothing alike. I don''t have anything to do with Marcus. Besides, he''s married now. I can''t even get close to him.
"Yes, my father did save Laura, and Marcus might be willing to help me a little out of gratitude-but only just a little. And that little bit isn''t nearly enough for what I want to do.
"Sophia, I want to give you some advice. Don''t ce all your hopes in life on a man. We should always love ourselves more than we love any man."
With that, Sierra turned and walked back inside. "I''m heading back in."
Sophia stood at the doorway in a daze until Zachary returned.
"Sophia? Sophia?" Zachary called out to her twice before she snapped out of it. "You''re back." She hadn''t even realized how pale her face looked.
Zachary stepped closer and nced at the closed door. "Did Sierra lock you out?" Sophia shook her head. "No, I was waiting for you here. Since I''ve been staying here recently, I figured I''d let her close the door. Let''s go home."
"Okay."
Zachary had already noticed something was off with Sophia''s mood. He reached for her hand, intecing their fingers. "Did Sierra say something to you?"
Sophia paused, then remembered what Sierra had said.
Zachary was a psychiatrist and if anyone knew how to y with people''s emotions, it would be someone like him.
He was good to her now. But they were still young, and life was long. Wouldn''t a psychiatrist be the first to fall out of love?
She erased the thought from her mind. Anyone could fall out of love.
"No." Sophia shook her head. "But she did admit that she''s nning to use Sky. You were right."
Zachary nodded. "I''m not surprised."
"Zachary, you always say you understand people. So tell me, what kind of person is Marcus?"
She looked at him expectantly. Sierra had said that Marcus wasn''t someone others could just take advantage of, but hadn''t she used him as a kid?
"Why are you suddenly curious about Marcus?" Zachary held her hand and sat with her on the couch. "Did Sierra mention him?"
"No, I just felt like chatting."
"Marcus is hard to read, unpredictable, and ruthless when necessary. Besides, he''s cold and merciless."
He continued slowly, "He never
shows his emotions. But people who
cross him... don''t end well. When
Holden Groupnded in his hands, it
didn''t take long for him to turn it into the most powerful global Conglomerate. " s
"Back then, his only weakness was Charles, who had taken care of him since young. After Charles died, his only soft spot became his wife, Natalie So yeah, he''s cold blooded but he''s also incredibly loyal to the people he cares about." s
Sophia dug her nails into her palms and asked cautiously, "So do you think Marcus can be used?"
"Marcus is not someone just anyone can use." Zachary gently pried her hand open so she''d stop hurting herself. "He''s not as mild and easygoing as he might
seem.
"But I managed to use him when I was a kid," Sophia blurted. "I lied to him back then."
"You''re right—you were just a kid." Zachary sighed. "Sophia, Marcus is a loyal man. When he woke up and saw you there, it was natural for him to misunderstand.
"But that doesn''t mean that as an adult, he''s still someone who trusts easily. No matter what Sierra said to you, promise me you won''t overthink things, okay? I don''t want to lose you."
Sophia looked at his serious expression and finally nodded. "Okay. I won''t overthink it. Marcus and Natalie are traveling right now. Timothy and Mason are with them. She sent me some photos and videos yesterday.
"Honestly, I''m really envious of her. She''s got five brothers who adore her, and a husband like Marcus. Mr. and Mrs. Walker love her so much, too."<fn8344> Content originallyes from find?novel</fn8344>
"Just a little envious? Not jealous?"
Sophia hesitated, then nodded honestly. "Yeah, I sometimes am. Zachary, does that make me a terrible person?
"Natalie''s done so much for me, yet I still get jealous of her sometimes."
"That''s just human nature. It doesn''t
make you a bad person." Zachary pulled her into his arms. You know how much Marcus and Natalie went
through to be together. Marcus doesn''t fall in love easily. But once he does, it''s for life.
to s
"And Sophia, I''m the same."
"Huh?" Sophia looked up at him, and he stared into her eyes.
"Believe me. When ites to love, I''m like Marcus. Sure, I don''t have his ruthlessness or his power. But you''re not like Natalie either. You''re not some powerhouse.
"A man and a woman can either be strong,plement each other, or just be gentle and soft. Which category do you think we fall under?"
Sophia stayed silent. She didn''t know what box she and Zachary fit into. They weren''t both strong. After all, she was timid and passive.
And on gentleness, Zachary was far gentler than she was. Sophia just felt... useless.
As forplementing each other, she didn''t see what Zachary could possibly need from her. He was too emotionally stable. So, she genuinely had no idea what he liked about her.
"Sophia, are you unsure about me? About us?" Zachary looked at her intently. "Tell me. Is it because of what Sierra said that you''re starting to doubt me and our rtionship?"
Sophia''s eyes widened in panic. "No! Don''t say that! Sierra didn''t say anything like that. I was just thinking about some stuff, that''s all."
Zachary nodded slowly. He got the answer he needed-Sierra had definitely said something.
Because he knew Sophia better than she knew herself.