Chapter 2164


    Upstairs


    Jason was taking lunch with Sophia; he meticulously deboned a piece of salmon for her, aware of


    her fondness for the delicate flesh near the tail. He ced the tender meat onto a small te, “You


    know, with your cold, you really shouldn''t be having fish. Just have a little to satisfy the craving.”


    “Alright,” Sophia nodded obediently.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    She never ate chicken skin, so Jason carefully stripped the skin and ced them in her bowl,


    cautioning, “Watch out for the bones.”


    Sophia had grown ustomed to Jason''s care, and epted it as something natural. After finishing


    her meal, she took the napkin he offered to wipe her hands and sighed, “I wish Robin would be this


    thoughtful.”


    Jason paused, his gaze dropping before he responded quietly, “All the care in the world doesn''t


    seem to matter to you in front of him. Isn''t it his ambition and drive that you really love?”


    He knew the answer, and yet he couldn''t help but be kind to her.


    With a wistful smile, Sophia said, “Who says it doesn''t matter? I appreciate the kindness you,


    Estelle, and everyone else shows me. Love is precious, sure, but I treasure friendship and family


    affection just as much.”


    Jason looked up at her, his eyes earnest behind his sses, “Aside from his ambition, is there


    anything else that makes you love him?”


    “Did I ever tell you about the first time I realized I had feelings for him?” Sophia asked.


    Jason hummed nomittally, “You mentioned it. Sophomore year, during a charity event. You


    saw how he was ostracized by some people, and how he generously donated money for books for


    kids growing from the gutter.”


    Sophia nodded. She and Robin weren''t in the same year, and the charity event was their first proper


    meeting, though she had known of him before that. Robin was academically gifted and often


    recognized at school assemblies, so she had already held him in high regard before their meeting.


    “He had good grades, and was admired by many girls, making others like Zoey envious, so they


    teamed up to sideline him. But he didn''t care; he just focused on doing his own thing. And when he


    used his own money to buy those books, it was like a p in the face to Zoey and his clique. I found


    that incredibly refreshing!”


    Sophiaughed, “From that time I’ve started paying attention to him”.


    Jason’s eyes were dark and unreadable, “And after you got together, did you feel happy?”


    Sophia’s eyes dimmed slightly, a hint of mncholy seeping in, “There’re some things I only share


    with you, and you can''t tell anyone else. Being with Robin, I realized he wasn’t quite the person I


    had imagined. For instance, I don’t always agree with his business tactics, but he says that’s how


    everyone does it and that I just don’t understand.


    He wants to coborate with the Lamont Group and asked me to reach out to Estelle for help. I


    didn’t want to, but I was afraid he’d think I wasn’t supporting him in his career.


    And he’s always so busy. I hardly feel like we’re dating. Sometimes, when we finally have time for a


    date, he spends the whole time on his phone while we’re at the movie theater.”


    Even their few kisses felt distracted to her.


    She turned to Jason, “I know his career is at the rising state, and that’s what I admired most about


    him. So, I tell myself to be understanding and not toin. Jason, do you think I’m being


    reasonable?”


    Jason set down his soup spoon, his eyes deep with unspoken pain, “What do you want me to say?


    Of course, I don’t want you to settle for less, but can you really walk away from him?”


    Sophia dropped her gaze, swinging her legs slightly as she spoke more to herself than to him,


    “Right, I love him so much. I should support him, not whine.”


    Jason’s heart clenched, and he looked away. He was just as torn as her.


    On one hand, he didn’t like Robin and hated to see Sophia settling in her rtionship. On the other,


    he couldn’t bear the thought of her being unhappy.


    Lost in their own thoughts, the silence stretched between them until Sophia suddenlyughed, “I


    must be really sick to get so sentimental. Truth is, Robin is good to me. We’re both busy. It’s the


    time for young people to focus on their careers. Don’t worry about us.”


    She got up to serve more soup, “Enough of that, let’s eat before it gets cold!”


    “I’ll help!”