Sophia froze.

She hadn't expected Ethan to say such words.

Her fingers tightened unconsciously around the phone.

After a few seconds of silence, she whispered, "Remember to close the windows. It gets cold at night. Eat breakfast on time, and don't drink on an empty stomach."

A soft chuckle came through the line.

Ethan's voice carried self-mockery. "You're still like this—even your rejections are gentle."

Sophia lowered her lashes.

She heard herself say, "Thank you for your concern."

Those three words stabbed into Ethan's heart like a knife.

After hanging up, he stared at the divorce certificate on his nightstand for a long time.

His slender fingers traced the glaring red seal.

Finally, he locked it away in the deepest drawer.

"Mr. Sullivan, dinner is ready," Maggie called from downstairs.

The dining room felt hollow.

Out of habit, Ethan set two place settings.

The clink of chopsticks against porcelain was sharp and jarring.

Suddenly, he lost his appetite.

The sound of running water in the shower lasted an unusually long time.

Ethan stood under the spray, letting the hot water scald his skin.

The night stretched endlessly.

The next morning, he arrived at the office precisely on schedule.

Meetings. Negotiations. Signatures.

His performance was flawless.

But no one ever saw Mr. Sullivan smile again.

The sky hung heavy and gray on the day of Jack's funeral.

Ethan drove to the countryside with his entourage.

Scenery blurred past the car windows.

Suddenly, he remembered how Sophia had wept like a child at her grandmother's funeral.

His heart twisted violently.

Incense smoke curled through the mourning hall.

Ethan solemnly lit three sticks of incense.

As he turned, he spotted a familiar figure in the crowd.

Sophia stood in the rain, fragile as a fallen leaf.

Raindrops soaked her hair, streaming down her cheeks.

It was impossible to tell where the rain ended and tears began.

Ethan strode over and wrapped his suit jacket around her.

"Foolish!" His voice shook. "You're not fully recovered!"

Sophia lifted her rain-drenched eyes. "Jack saved me..."

Before she could finish, tears spilled over.

Ethan fumbled to wipe them away.

"Don't cry," he softened his tone. "I spoke too harshly."

The rain intensified.

The mountain path turned to slippery mud.

Without warning, Ethan bent and scooped Sophia into his arms.

"Put me down!" she gasped.

"Stay still." He tightened his hold.

After a few unsteady steps, he shifted to carrying her on his back.

Pressed against his broad shoulders, Sophia caught the familiar scent of his cologne.

She secretly rested her cheek against him.

In this moment, she wished the mountain path would never end.

Ethan walked steadily.

He could feel the warmth of the woman on his back.

"Mr. Sullivan..." His assistant hesitated.

"Give her the umbrella," Ethan said without turning.

Sophia subtly angled the umbrella to shield him.

The assistant's nose stung with emotion.

At the foot of the mountain, Ethan still couldn't bring himself to let go.

Not until Grace stepped out of a car.

"How could you let this happen?" Ethan demanded immediately.

Grace blinked in confusion.

"I—"

"It's freezing up there. Don't you know she just had a miscarriage?"

Sophia quickly tugged his sleeve. "I came on my own."

When Ethan turned to her, his gaze instantly gentled.

"Come home with me," he grasped her hand. "Let me take care of you."

"But we're already—"

"Divorced, yes," he cut in. "We can always remarry."

Without waiting for her answer, he led her toward his car.

Grace watched their retreating figures, then suddenly smiled.