He had just raised his hand to signal the waiter for another round when Archibald reached out and stopped him. "Hold on. We can drink slowly. It's rare for us to run into each other—let's have a proper chat."
Ned looked up. "You're right. We were the best of brothers. It's rare to bump into each other here today, so we should have a good talk!" He stared straight at Archibald and picked up his small bottle of beer.
Archibald felt a tightness in his chest. "Ned, do you still consider me a good brother?"
"Don't you consider me one?" Ned replied quickly.
Archibald closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath. "Back then, with Sophie—"
"Don't bring up the past anymore. It's all over!" Ned interrupted him.
"Even if you think there's no need to mention it, I still have to say it. Looking back now, what I did back then... I really let you down!" Archibald clenched his fists.
Ned remained silent as he poured beer for both of them.
"Ned, there's one thing I've never told you," Archibald suddenly said.
"What is it?" Ned asked casually, as if he weren't interested at all.
"Before Sophie left London, did she tell you that she and I had already gotten married?"
"Yes, she did. She called my father at the time, and I was there."
"Do you believe it?" Archibald asked.
Ned raised an eyebrow lightly, letting the gesture serve as his question.
"You don't actually believe that she really married me, do you?" Archibald's expression carried a slight hint of surprise.
"What exactly are you trying to say?" Ned's hands gripped the beer bottle tightly.
Archibald took a deep breath before continuing. "The news about us getting married back then—it was all fake. Sophie and I... we never got married."
Ned looked at him. "Is that so?" He asked faintly, then picked up his glass and took a small sip, a mix of emotions swirling inside him.
"You're not surprised at all to hear this?" Archibald narrowed his eyes, somewhat puzzled.
"Whether it's real or fake, what difference does it make? It's been four years already." His response remained cold and detached.
"But back then, you cared a lot." Archibald grew a little anxious.
"Even if I cared, I cared enough four years ago! Now, I'm not interested in knowing anything about Sophie."
"Why? Back then you clearly—" Archibald's eyes widened. "Then you must not care about what I'm going to say next either?"
Ned showed no reaction, waiting in that same icy demeanor.
"Maybe I'm the only fool here." Archibald shook his head with a bitter smile. "I've been waiting for Sophie for nearly four years. She's been in America for four years too. I've kept urging her to come back to London for a visit, but she always says she has no reason to return. These past few days, she suddenly mentioned moving. When I asked why, she said she just wanted a different apartment, but I think there must be another reason—the most likely one being that she has a boyfriend now and wants to move in with him. Otherwise, she's so broke—how could she afford to rent a new place on her own? What do you think?"
The air suddenly fell silent. Both of them stared at their beer bottles without saying a word.
Time seemed to stand still for a long while until Ned finally spoke. "Four years have passed. It's no surprise if she has a new boyfriend in America. Who would keep living in the past?"
"Just like how you have a fiancée now and are about to get engaged?" Archibald suddenly raised his voice—the media had been full of Ned's gossip and tabloid stories lately.
Ned remained silent, not responding.
"Heh—I really don't understand!" Archibald laughed, his voice laced with deep sorrow. "You were my best brother, and she was the woman I liked the most—yet how can both of you be so heartless? I just can't understand it! Can you give me a reason?"
Ned said nothing, silently drinking his beer, one sip after another.
"You have nothing to say? At least give me a reason!" Archibald took a big gulp of his drink, using the alcohol to fuel his outburst.
"There's nothing to say. If we're going to keep living, we have to look forward and stop living in the past, Archibald." Ned said coldly, then set down his bottle and turned to leave.
Too late to grab him, Archibald watched Ned's retreating back as he walked out of the club booth, his pained expression twisting into a bitter, heartbroken smile...
It really was hilarious!
It had nothing to do with him—why, in the end...
Was he the only one who felt the most pain?!
Time may not be enough to make people forget everything, but it can calm intense passions...
Once the passion fades, what remains after calmness is silent coldness.
...............
After Yui's formal visit to Ned's home, the two of them had dinner together twice more. Today marked their weekly routine date once again.
"Would you like something to drink?" Ned asked Yui politely after placing his order.
"I'll have the same as Ned," Yui said with a smile, looking at him.
"I'm having alcohol—is that okay with you?"
"Yes, I can," Yui replied politely.
Ned grinned. "Then let's drink together, Yui!"
Yui smiled shyly—this was the first time Ned had invited her to drink with him.
"Do you like England, Miss Yui? Do you like London?" he began with the simplest question.
Yui hesitated for a moment before answering, "Before coming to London, my father told me that C&C is run extremely successfully and that I must come here to observe and learn. This is the assignment he gave me for this trip."
"And with a talented young man like Ned in London, I like it very much!" Yui said to him sincerely.
"Chairman Yamamoto is far too kind," Ned said with a broad smile. "C&C's achievements are nowhere near those of the Imperial Hotel."
"Your reputation is also very well-known in Japan's hotel industry," Yui replied softly, not daring to look directly into Ned's eyes. "London has such a wonderful man as Ned—your thoughtfulness and excellence will stay with Yui for the rest of her life. I like it very much." Despite her shyness, her answer was bold and direct.
Ned chuckled softly. "Yui, you are also a very gentle woman—one who will be equally unforgettable to me."
"Does Ned like gentle women?" She finally lifted her eyes and looked straight at him.
"I like women who are gentle and obedient," Ned said, meeting her gaze directly.
Yui looked at Ned earnestly and replied in a soft, low voice, "Yui is willing to be obedient to Ned for the rest of her life."
He curled his lips into a faint smile.
"What kind of woman once captured Ned's affection? Was she a gentle and obedient woman?" she asked further.
"She was a woman who was neither gentle nor obedient. That kind of love is enough to have experienced once," he answered without any expression.
Yui fell silent for a moment. "Once a man's love becomes something of the 'past,' can it ever be rekindled?" she continued.
"No," Ned replied. "However, my love is given to only one woman at a time."
"Ned?" She didn't understand.
"What I mean is: if I fall in love with you, there will be no other woman," he said to Yui.
In that instant, Yui's delicate face flushed bright red. Ned's meaning was perfectly clear—she didn't need to ask any further!
What he meant was:
He had once loved a woman, but that was already in the "past."
If that woman were to reappear, he might love her again—or he might not. But as long as, before that happened, Yui could make him fall in love with her...
Then he would belong entirely to her. She would be his only woman.
Yui admired him! From this moment on, she saw clearly that Ned was different from ordinary men.
Yui knew that a man like him spoke words that were like articles of faith—he would never disappoint her! As long as she achieved what he had said—make me fall in love with you—then no other woman would ever appear by his side.
The dinner proceeded in a quiet, harmonious atmosphere. A gentle, satisfied smile lingered on Yui's lips the entire time, as beautiful and captivating as cherry blossoms in March...
Ned's inner thoughts were as calm and composed as his outward appearance.
If nothing unexpected happened, Yamamoto Yui would be his fiancée.
The sole heiress of Fujiwara Imperial Tokyo—gentle and graceful, beautiful both inside and out.
She was the most qualified candidate, perfectly suited to match him and become his wife, Ned's wife.