Chapter 9

Sophia was stunned. Before she could process what was happening, her squealing roommates had already ushered her downstairs. A crowd had gathered outside, many holding up their phones to take photos or livestream the moment. As soon as Sophia appeared, the cheering grew louder. When Caleb saw her, his eyes lit up. He approached her and opened a jewelry box to reveal a dazzling diamond necklace. The ladies all around let out gasps of envy. Caleb remained on one knee. "Sophia," he began, his eyes shimmering like stars in the night. "Last night was my fault. I'm here to apologize—will you forgive me?" The crowd exploded in a chant. "Forgive him! Forgive him!" "Come on, even marriage proposals aren't this grand! Sophia, forgive him already!" But Sophia's face was ashen. "Is Christine okay?" she asked softly. Caleb's expression stiffened for a moment before he quickly plastered on a good-natured smile. "The doctor said it's unlikely to leave a scar. I know it's because I've been neglecting things lately. I made you jealous, which is why you lashed out and hurt her." Sophia's eyes darkened. Ultimately, he still didn't believe her. Her silence gave him the impression that she was still upset. He pressed on, "I also hadn't expected those homies of mine to do such things to you... I've already cut ties with them and taught them a lesson. So, please don't stay mad at me, okay?" Sophia studied the man before her. His expression was sincere, his gaze passionate. But she could no longer buy his lies. He wasn't dull. Was he really oblivious to what his order for his friends to "teach her a lesson" would lead to? Perhaps guilt caught up with him, or maybe he feared the consequences. Why else had he come back to save her? Either way, it didn't erase the damage. It didn't undo the betrayal. She just didn't understand—she had already told him she wasn't pursuing graduate studies. So why was he still clinging to her? At this point, though, understanding no longer mattered. "Caleb, I..." She had barely opened her mouth when he suddenly stood up and placed the necklace around her neck. "Sophia, don't rush your answer," he said with a smile. "I'll wait for you at the sports field tomorrow. If you decide to forgive me, come find me there, okay?" Sophia frowned at the man in front of her, but the whooping among the crowd only intensified. Caleb's grand apology made waves and even escalated online. A handsome man and a beautiful woman with a spectacular display—netizens flooded the comments with admiration. Only Sophia, the supposed star of this spectacle, remained unmoved. She had already cleared out her dorm and was temporarily residing in the guest quarters. That evening, she received a voice message from Christine. She hit play, and voices she recognized as Caleb's friends blasted through the speakers. "Christine, don't believe those online posts about Cal's apology to Sophia! It's all part of his plan!" "That's right. Sophia scarred your face—how could we let her off the hook so easily? Cal said his apology was just an act. He's definitely not going to the field tomorrow!" "Exactly. Tomorrow, Sophia will show up at the field alone and make a fool of herself!" "Haha! I mean, she said she won't be furthering her studies, so Cal has no reason to waste any more time on her. Might as well humiliate her one last time before breaking up!" "Don't worry, Christine. Cal only has eyes for you!" Sophia's face turned slightly pale. So that was it. She'd been wondering why Caleb kept up his charade even after she had decided against grad school. In the end, it was nothing more than a desire to humiliate her. A text from Christine followed the audio message. It read, "Sorry for dragging you into this. But I don't want to see you embarrass yourself either, so forget about going to the field tomorrow." Sophia replied flatly, "I wasn't planning to go anyway." After sending the message, she tucked herself in and went to sleep. The next day, Sophia packed up the last of her belongings and called a cab to the airport. She had already arranged to meet her mother there. While waiting for her ride, she received several messages from Caleb. "Sophia, I'm at the field. Are you coming?" "Sophia, I'll be here all day, waiting for you." A mocking smile tugged at her lips. His performance was nothing short of convincing. She maintained a composed expression as she typed up her replies. "I'm not going." "Caleb, let's break up." After sending the final text, she turned off her phone and removed the SIM card. She then tossed the phone, along with the necklace and ring he had given her, into the trash. As if on cue, her taxi pulled up. She stepped in and said, "To the airport, please."