Chapter 9

Because time was too tight, Sofia wasn’t able to book a Michelin three-star restaurant. Instead, she picked an Italian place she had tried before and thought was pretty good. She had asked Rome’s assistant beforehand to make sure he had no allergies or dietary restrictions.

Remembering that he had driven, Rome lifted his wine glass but then set it down. "I’m driving tonight, so I won’t drink. But with me here, you can have some."

"Alright, I’ll taste it for you," Sofia teased playfully, feeling cheerful since he had accepted her dinner invitation. Come to think of it, this was the first time they were having dinner alone since they got married.

They ordered two tasting menus, which included five courses. The starter was oysters with caviar, served on a bed of hollandaise sauce, along with a special shell spoon for the caviar.

Sofia scooped a spoonful into her mouth. The briny caviar combined with the subtle sweetness of the oyster ignited her taste buds. She looked up to see if Rome was equally pleased, but his face held its usual calm, indifferent expression.

The Maine lobster with endive and hollandaise, as well as the tender Japanese Miyazaki A5 wagyu beef, also failed to elicit much reaction from him.

“Is something wrong with the food? It doesn’t seem like it suits your taste,” Sofia asked.

Rome raised his eyebrows, slightly surprised. "It’s great, it suits me just fine." In fact, it had been a long time since he had sat down to enjoy an entire meal leisurely. Meals for him were usually just about filling his stomach or part of a social obligation, where his attention was rarely on the food.

His subtle expression must have been too faint, and Sofia didn’t notice that he actually seemed peaceful and content.

Sofia, on the other hand, was the type of person whose emotions showed plainly on her face. The moment she tasted something delicious, her eyes sparkled.

Suddenly, Rome found himself thinking that having someone to share a meal with like this wasn’t so bad.

As the server was about to bring out dessert, Rome stood up. “I’m going to step out for a moment.” He headed toward the restroom.

Sofia sat upright, her hands neatly folded on her lap, her soft, glossy hair casually draped over her shoulders. Even from a distance, she looked stunning.

A young woman dressed in a black halter-neck mini dress strutted into the restaurant, a pink Birkin bag on her arm. She was chatting with a middle-aged woman which dressed socialite. As her gaze casually swept across the restaurant, she suddenly froze. Gritting her teeth, she thought, Isn’t that Sofia?

What a small world!

She had stolen her fiancé and even used dirty tricks to freeze her social media accounts. Today, she was going to settle the old score along with the new!

Her heels dug into the carpet as she marched straight toward Sofia.

Hearing the commotion, Sofia assumed Rome had returned. "So quick..." she started to say, but when she looked up, she was met with Ruby’s angry face. Seconds later, her stepmother, Ana, appeared behind Ruby.

Before they said anything, they shot cautious glances at the seat across from Sofia. It was empty, with no sign that anyone had been eating there. Ruby immediately concluded that Sofia was alone. Even if she had invited someone, it must have been one of her powerless friends.

Ruby opened her mouth, full of sarcasm, and waved her bag. “My dear sister, long time no see. Look at my bag, this rose-colored one is so hard to get. It was a birthday gift from Father for my 22nd.”

She knew exactly how to get under Sofia’s skin—boasting about their father’s affection was the perfect strategy.

Ruby’s eyes swept over Sofia from head to toe. She was wearing a pearl-white silk blouse with a gray pencil skirt. Elegant, but there wasn’t a trace of a recognizable brand on her outfit.

Even marrying into the Beckett family hasn’t improved her much, Ruby thought to herself with a sneer. She was now even more convinced that Sofia wasn’t favored.

Ana's expression mirrored Ruby’s. "How come you don’t greet your family when you see them? Aren’t you afraid people will say the Levine family has no manners?"

Sofia’s lips curled slightly downward, and she didn’t bother to hide her displeasure. “Sorry, but I’m waiting for someone. I don’t have time to entertain you both. Let’s talk some other time.”

Ruby scoffed. “Why so eager to get rid of us? Feeling guilty, are you? Don’t think I don’t know it was you who froze my social media accounts! I never expected that beneath your weak façade, you’d turn into such a tyrant the moment you left home. If you weren’t hiding something, why can’t you handle even one word from me?”

Sofia was baffled by Ruby’s anger. "What are you talking about, freezing your account?" She had no idea what was going on.

“Don’t play dumb,” Ruby snapped, slamming both hands on the table. The waiter, sensing trouble, quickly stepped forward to mediate.

Ana crossed her arms and spoke with a sharp tone. “We’re VIPs at this restaurant. Do you know how much business we bring you every year? Call the manager. I’m sure he’ll know who should be asked to leave.”

“You’re going too far!” Sofia’s brow furrowed.

Ruby snorted. “Didn’t you think about the consequences when you pulled your stunts? Now you’re running away like a coward?”

Sofia, finding the whole situation absurd, grabbed her purse, intending to pay the bill and leave this toxic scene.

“They should be the ones to go.”

Rome had just returned from the restroom and saw two women surrounding Sofia. At first, he assumed they were her friends, but he didn’t recognize either of them. When he noticed something was off, he strode over quickly.

Ruby was about to shout at whoever dared interfere, but when she turned around and saw Rome standing before her, her beloved Birkin bag slipped from her hands. She screamed internally, Oh no! Rome saw everything—this ruins the sweet image I’ve worked so hard to maintain in front of him!

Under Rome’s cold stare, she stammered, “Sofia deliberately provoked me just now… She was trying to make me lose my temper…”

Before she could finish, Rome brushed past her, walking quickly to Sofia’s side. He gently placed his arm around her shoulders. "Are you alright?"

In that moment, Rome realized who the two women were—Sofia’s difficult stepmother and half-sister.

Ruby’s face twisted with frustration as she realized she was being ignored.

“I’m fine,” Sofia responded to Rome. “Let’s pay and leave. I want to go home.”

“I’ve already settled the bill. Let’s go.” There was a hint of tenderness in Rome’s voice, which even he didn’t notice. His arm stayed protectively around her as they headed out.

As they walked past Ruby and Ana, Ruby shouted desperately, "Wait! Don’t you want to know what this wicked woman has done?"

Ana tried to pull her daughter back, knowing it was useless now that Rome was clearly siding with Sofia.

Rome didn’t turn around but slightly tilted his head back, lowering his voice. "There’s no need to slander Sofia. Let me warn you—if you try even once again, don’t expect me to be polite, even if you are her family."

Ruby’s eyes quickly filled with tears as she stood there, stunned.

“It's me met Rome first…” she muttered.