"It's normal to unwind a bit before bed. The guest room is always kept tidy, so I'm sure Mr. Cole won't mind spreading a bedsheet himself, right?" I said indifferently.
Adrian immediately put on a gentle expression. "Don't be angry, Soph. It's perfectly normal for men to smoke. I'm the one who interrupted your evening."
Sophia glared at me, then guided Adrian toward the guest room, whispering something into his ear as they walked. Occasionally, flirtatious laughter drifted from inside the room as she busily moved in and out.
I didn't care enough to get involved. Instead, I wondered whether to open another bottle of whiskey to enjoy with my fresh stash of cigars. Deciding it was worth it, I headed to the study to retrieve another treasured bottle.
Just as I was immersed in choosing my whiskey, a sudden scream pierced the silence from the master bedroom.
Curious, I walked over to see what was going on. But the moment I reached the doorway, Sophia shoved me hard.
"Lucas, were you raised without manners?"
I never imagined that she would hurt me physically, so I wasn't on guard.
My head slammed sharply against the doorframe, sending a stabbing pain through my skull. My vision blurred for a moment.
Adrian just stood beside Sophia, acting magnanimous. "Sophia, don't get upset. It was my fault. I just slipped accidentally."
"Don't make excuses for him! Lucas, if you have a problem, speak up clearly. There's no need for childish pranks.
"You knew Adrian was going to use the bathroom, so why did you intentionally leave the floor wet?"
The throbbing pain made my voice rise in frustration. "Sophia, did you actually see me wet the floor yourself?"
She took this as me making excuses. "Still not admitting it? I said Adrian was going to use the bathtub, and you went in and out hurriedly.
"Who else could it have been? Apologize immediately, or I'm taking him to a hotel."
The absurd accusation made me scoff bitterly. "What about you? Did you forget you ran out of the bathroom, soaking wet, just to take a phone call?"
My words triggered Sophia's memory, yet she stubbornly held onto her stance. "Then, you should've cleaned it up instead of... Wait, you're bleeding."
When I felt something sticky between my fingers, I looked down and saw blood trickling down my arm.
Sophia stepped closer to inspect my injury, but Adrian suddenly groaned in exaggerated pain. "My ankle really hurts, Soph. I might've broken it. It hurts so much..."
She halted her step toward me immediately and then gently helped Adrian to his feet. "Don't worry; we'll head to the hospital right away."
As they left, Adrian glanced back, a fleeting smirk of triumph in his eyes.
...
At the emergency room, as the doctor stitched my wound, I coincidentally ran into Sophia, who was helping Adrian out of an examination room. Perhaps feeling a hint of guilt, she approached the doctor to ask about my condition.
"Is he seriously hurt?"
Upon learning she was my fiancee, the doctor replied, "It's nothing major. He just had two stitches. Keep it dry, and it'll heal quickly."
Sophia was about to speak further when Adrian interrupted, "It's all my fault. If Soph hadn't been worried about me, you wouldn't have gotten hurt. Let me apologize on her behalf."
At that moment, my wound, stitched without anesthesia, throbbed unbearably, and cold sweat dripped down my face. Adrian's words only ignited my anger further. "Get out!" I growled.
He looked momentarily stunned, then turned to Sophia with an awkward expression.
"Adie kindly apologized. And this is how you react? Apologize to him now."
When I shut my eyes and refused to respond, Sophia's face darkened further.
"Lucas, I'm talking to you! Stop pretending! Adie nearly broke his ankle and toughed it out, and you're making a scene over just a couple of stitches with anesthetic. Why are you acting like the victim now?"
The doctor, unable to hold back any longer, turned to them after bandaging my wound. "Are you unaware he's allergic to anesthesia? He just endured stitches without any of it.
"That kind of pain is tough to go through. You're getting married, but you didn't even know that?"
Sophia definitely knew about my allergy, and an embarrassed expression flashed across her face. She reached out to help me, but I brushed her hand away.
Once I returned home, I began running a high fever. Since I remained cold and distant, Sophia seemed to harbor resentment as well.
After I took my medicine, just as I was drifting into sleep, Adrian knocked on our door. "Soph, I'm having trouble sleeping..."
In my hazy state, I felt Sophia get up beside me. A little while later, I heard her soft voice sing in the guest room.
Maybe my weakened condition made the pain worse. I sweat profusely until the medication finally pulled me into a deep sleep.
When I woke, it was already noon the next day. Covered in sweat, I headed to the kitchen for water, only to find Sophia at the dining table, meticulously cracking crab shells for Adrian.
"You shouldn't bother. It's too much trouble. Just wait and enjoy," Sophia said sweetly.
As soon as I walked into the kitchen, Adrian looked up and said, "Mr. Young, you're finally up. Well, I'm craving crabs. There's one crab left. Would you like it?"
Before I could respond, Sophia coldly interjected, "Don't mind him. It's just a minor injury, but he slept in until noon without even thinking about the guest at home. He's being way too childish."
Ignoring them, I walked straight into the kitchen. Their whispers continued behind me.
I bitterly recalled the times I had wanted seafood, but Sophia always dismissed it as too costly and troublesome, insisting I make do with canned food instead. Love and indifference had never been clearer.
After I showered, I noticed they had already gone out, and Sophia had left me a text.
"Adie hasn't been around town in a long time, so I'm taking him sightseeing. We won't be back for dinner tonight. Since you're injured, just rest at home."
I didn't care where they went or whether they returned.
After I cleaned up, I stopped by a realtor and then headed to my office to finalize the job handovers. Thankfully, the country where I was going to further my studies didn't require a visa, which saved me from any additional delays.
Two days later, the realtor called and said someone was interested. "They're getting ready to get married, so the house is a perfect fit. But about the price..."
"I can lower it slightly, but I need the deal finalized quickly."
Suddenly, Sophia's voice echoed behind me, "What needs to be finalized quickly?"
Sophia and Adrian had been coming home very late, and I no longer cared. Today, she'd finished work early and caught me on the phone.
"It's work-related," I casually explained. Without questioning further, she took out a beautifully wrapped gift from her handbag. It was a branded lighter I'd wanted for ages.
Back then, she used to scold me for spending too much and wouldn't let me buy it. But now, she bought it for me as a gift.
Clearing her throat, she said, "I have something to discuss with you. Didn't you say you couldn't find a suitable best man? Adie's free now, and I think he's perfect. Make sure you look after him during the ceremony."
Her tone left no room for discussion.
The idea that the groom should take care of the best man was ridiculous. Still, I simply nodded and replied calmly, "Sure."
Whether Adrian ended up being the best man or the groom was no longer my concern. My easy agreement seemed to puzzle her slightly, but seeing nothing suspicious in my expression, she didn't press further.
Sophia planned a simple wedding—no fancy ceremony, just a dinner reception at a hotel. It matched her usual way of doing things, and she always reminded me to save money.
We each drove separately. When we reached the intersection, Sophia's car moved straight ahead while I quietly turned toward the airport.
As soon as I arrived, my phone buzzed with her text message. "Did you forget the way? Turn back immediately. Don't mess things up."
Ignoring her, I blocked all her contacts and headed straight to the boarding gate. I hoped Sophia and Adrian would have an unforgettable wedding day.
