"What do you want to say?" he asked instead.
Taking a deep breath, Sophie spoke to him sincerely: "I want to tell you that you will always be the friend I trust most, the most important one to me! In the future, if there's ever anything you need from me, just say the word, and I will do everything I can to help, because you are the friend I care about most. We will be good friends for life."
There was silence on the other end of the line...
"Hello?" Sophie asked. "Why aren't you saying anything?"
"I'm happy," he finally replied after a long pause, his voice clearly restrained. "Even though in this lifetime I can only be your 'good friend,' I truly feel satisfied with that! Very satisfied!"
Sophie's heart ached sharply. She fought hard to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes, refusing to let them fall.
She could no longer utter any words of comfort, nor could she say "I'm sorry."
After hanging up the phone, Sophie stood by the table clutching her phone, lost in a daze, until Con's loud, dramatic shouting broke the silence.
"Sophie—Sophie—"
"Sophie—, what on earth are you spacing out about? I've been calling you for ages!"
Startled by his noise, Sophie was forced back to reality. "Oh, it's nothing. I'm fine!" She haphazardly wiped her face with both hands, pretending nothing had happened, forcing a smile—just as she had done every day for the past four years.
..................
This time, Jonathan had specially arranged to meet Matthew for afternoon tea at C&C Café.
"This photo album should be returned to you." The two men sat down in a private booth at the café, and Jonathan pushed the album across the table to Matthew.
As usual, Jonathan had gone to the court to play ball that morning and was dressed very casually.
"Sir, I'm truly sorry for making you come all this way just for the album—and even treating me to a meal. I could have picked it up myself!" Matthew always maintained a respectful demeanor in front of Jonathan.
"It's no trouble at all. You don't have to be so polite with me. We've been old friends—old pals—for over thirty years now." Jonathan said sincerely.
Matthew chuckled. "Sir, have you selected the photos?"
"Oh, right. I took this one for myself—is that all right?" Jonathan pulled a faded photograph from the pocket of his athletic jacket.
"Of course!" Matthew leaned forward to look. It was a photo of Sophie in a little floral dress, standing with her mother, Sarah.
Jonathan took out his wallet and carefully placed the photo inside, as though it were his most precious treasure.
Matthew noticed that the gentleman's hand was trembling slightly.
"Sir, how has your health been?" Matthew asked with concern.
"Oh, it's fine," Jonathan replied, seeming a beat slow in his response. "I go to the court every morning to play ball, so my stamina is still holding up."
"Oh..." Matthew didn't seem entirely convinced.
He had seen with his own eyes how, since retiring, the gentleman's hair had almost completely turned white. He looked much older.
When Matthew was younger, he had once read a newspaper article that said: People who have been constantly busy with work, upon retiring from their careers and suddenly entering a relaxed retirement life, tend to age quickly and are particularly prone to illness.
The gentleman had been diligent all his life, building his career from a young age. This idea that the body undergoes noticeable changes after retirement seemed especially evident in him.
"By the way, has Sophie called you?" Matthew asked.
Jonathan looked up at him. "Was it you who told her to call?"
Matthew scratched his head. "Yes, it was. But she knows it herself too—she's gone far too long without checking in with you. It was time for her to make that call."
Jonathan lowered his head and let out a slow sigh. "She did call me once, but I wasn't home at the time and missed it."
"Oh? You didn't get the call? Then I'll tell her to call again—"
Jonathan waved his hand. "It's all right. She's probably very busy with her upcoming move lately. Don't bother her with another call."
"But..."
"You don't need to worry about me. I'm fine no matter what. Once Sophie finishes getting settled, she'll definitely call me again."
Matthew nodded, glancing at the table full of exquisite food.
Jonathan slowly stood up. "Old friend, I specially ordered some dishes for you. I have an appointment to get to now, so please take your time and enjoy. If it's not enough, feel free to order more. I'll be heading out first."
"Yes, sir." Matthew quickly stood up.
"No need to see me off. I can manage on my own. I've already instructed the driver to wait for me at the hotel entrance." Jonathan knew that as long as he was present, Matthew wouldn't touch any of the food on the table, so he planned to leave alone, giving him a chance to relax and eat in peace. He had already signed the bill for everything.
"No, sir, I'll still see you out!" Matthew followed him out of the café.
Jonathan didn't refuse again.
Matthew accompanied the gentleman through the lobby of C&C, just as the driver pulled the luxury van up to the entrance.
"All right, go back inside now! Enjoy your afternoon tea. The food at C&C is truly exquisite." The car door slowly closed.
"Yes, sir." Matthew, standing outside the car, bowed deeply to him.
Only after Jonathan's car had driven far away from C&C did Matthew turn and walk back into the lobby.
He had just stepped into the café when he ran into Ned and his assistant Nate coming out of the elevator hall.
The moment their eyes met, Matthew bowed and nodded, and Ned returned the nod. Then the two walked toward the entrance one after the other, their interaction extremely cold and distant.
Matthew stared at Ned's hastily retreating back...
Suddenly, Ned turned around, strode quickly back to him, and stood in front of him.
"Young Master, good day!" Matthew greeted him with an ingratiating smile.
"Hello. I remember you are Sophie's uncle. Are you here at C&C for something today?"
"Mr. Harrington invited me for afternoon tea and to return the photo album to me. I just saw him off," Matthew answered truthfully.
"You just met with my father?"
Matthew froze for a moment before replying, "Yes, the gentleman personally returned the album to me."
"The photo album?" Ned's gaze shifted to Matthew's hands, and sure enough, he was holding an album.
"Are they photos of Sophie's life?" Ned asked suddenly.
"Yes, just a few old photos from the past. Because the gentleman—" Matthew abruptly stopped speaking.
"What were you going to say?" Ned stared at him.
Matthew lowered his eyes. "Nothing."
Ned continued staring at Matthew, his indifferent expression filled with cold detachment. "Now that I think about it, I don't seem to have any photos of Sophie at all. She and I... we never even took a single picture together." He suddenly laughed, saying casually as if it were nothing, "But even if there had been photos, after all this time, I probably would have gotten rid of them long ago!"
Matthew opened his mouth, unsure how to respond...
"Has Sophie said when she'll be coming back to London?" The question came out of nowhere, yet it carried the answer Ned had been secretly hoping for all along.
"No, she hasn't said she's coming back. I've asked her the same thing, but she has always been unwilling to return." Matthew quietly lowered his head.
Ned's heart gradually sank. "Four years ago, her mother had just passed away. Why did she so resolutely go to America? Didn't any of you try to persuade her?" He finally asked the question that had troubled him for four years.
Clearly, the fire in his heart had long been extinguished, with not even a spark left. So why, upon seeing Sophie's uncle, did the ashes suddenly reignite?
He didn't understand, and he didn't want to understand. He just wanted the answer!
"Yes," Matthew gave a dry laugh. "Back then, Sophie left very suddenly. Her decision to leave caught me by surprise too. Later, after thinking about it for a long time, I realized it might have been because of that let—" He suddenly stopped, saying no more.
Because he suddenly remembered that Sophie had once instructed him never to mention, even to the gentleman, the fact that her mother had left a letter before her death.
Ned narrowed his eyes, staring at him coldly.
After a few seconds, Matthew continued, "At that time, I heard you'd been in a car accident and were in the hospital. The gentleman briefly mentioned your condition to me. I know you were going through a really tough time..."
Seeing that Ned's expression had turned icy cold, he didn't dare go on. "Anyway, now I finally know that you no longer care. That's good—this matter is finally over!" He let out an awkward laugh.
Ned showed no expression on his face, but he had caught one crucial piece of information: "the letter." Sophie had suddenly decided to leave because of a letter.