Ethan's gaze lingered on Sophia, his eyes darkening.

He could still vividly recall Kyle standing by the broken bridge during her grandmother's funeral. The way that man had looked at Sophia across the pond had felt like a sharp knife plunging into his heart.

What troubled him more were the coincidences.

The moment Sophia injured her left hand, Isabella's left hand got crushed. When Isabella slapped Sophia, her face swelled like a balloon that very night.

Were these really just coincidences?

Ethan's long fingers tapped lightly against the table. He'd rather believe Kyle was secretly protecting Sophia than suspect her of lying.

"What are you thinking about?" Sophia's voice pulled him back to reality.

He masked the shadows in his eyes and cut a piece of foie gras, bringing it to her lips. "Eat more."

She took a bite with a sweet smile, oblivious to the complexity flashing in his gaze.

After dinner, Sophia excused herself to the restroom. As she turned the corner, the click of high heels echoed behind her.

"Sophia, what a coincidence."

Isabella's voice made her freeze. She turned to see the other woman leaning against the wall, a fake smile plastered on her perfectly made-up face.

"Following me?" Sophia asked coldly.

Isabella gave her a disdainful once-over. "Is this your first time at a high-end restaurant like this?"

Sophia ignored her and started to walk away.

"Ethan will dump you sooner or later," Isabella hissed suddenly, lowering her voice. "Your grandmother died at such a convenient time, didn't she?"

Those words ignited Sophia's fury like a lit fuse. She whirled around, grabbed Isabella by the collar, and slammed her against the wall.

Slap!

The sharp sound of the slap reverberated through the hallway.

Isabella clutched her cheek, tears welling as she looked past Sophia. "Ethan..."

Sophia turned to see Ethan standing a short distance away, his expression unreadable.

"She insulted my grandmother," Sophia said, her voice trembling as she met his eyes.

Ethan stepped closer, his gaze briefly lingering on Isabella's swollen face before settling on Sophia. "Does your hand hurt?"

Isabella's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Ethan!" she cried indignantly. "She hit me first!"

Acting as if he hadn't heard her, Ethan took Sophia's hand and gently massaged it. "Next time, let me handle it."

Isabella trembled with rage, about to lash out when Alexander's voice came from behind them. "Isabella, that's enough."

Sophia blinked in surprise as Alexander nodded at her in apology.

On their way back, Ethan suddenly spoke. "I've never seen that side of you before."

Her heart clenched. "Do you think I was pretending?"

"No." The corner of his mouth lifted. "Fierce yet adorable. I like it."

Sophia froze, then her ears turned pink. She looped her arm through his and muttered, "She shouldn't have said those things about Grandma..."

Without warning, Ethan pushed her against the wall and captured her lips in a sudden, searing kiss that carried a hint of punishment.

"Stay away from Kyle," he murmured against her ear, his breath scorching.

Only then did she realize he was jealous. Tilting her head to study his tense jawline, she suddenly laughed. "You're adorable when you're jealous too."

His eyes darkened, and he silenced her with another kiss.