When Sophia and Patrick got out of the car, they saw a group of people not far from the hotel.
They saw that they were all executives of the Smith Group of Companies.
There was also the founder of the Smith Group of Companies, Chris Smith.
Based on their clothing and appearance, a person could tell that they were all elites.
The legend of the Smith Group of Companies in Hillwood City was like the legend of the Evans Group
in Frostford City, a myth that could not be surpassed.
This was also the first time that the two listed groups’ leaders cooperated to meet.
Both sides seemed to attach great importance and had a friendly conversation.
Sophia stood next to Patrick in a very professional manner.
The people from the other party would occasionally nod at her, and she responded politely.
The two parties separated after a simple meal.
Perhaps the other company executives considered Patrick and Sophia to be too tired to talk business
tonight after they had been on the road for seven hours.
Chris personally told Patrick and Sophia to rest at the hotel, and they could have the meeting in the
afternoon the next day.
Sophia followed Patrick and entered the hotel lobby.She took the key cards for the two presidential
suites and then took the elevator going up.
When they arrived at the door of the room, Patrick said, "Get up early tomorrow.You have to go to the
signing ceremony three hours in advance"
Sophia nodded.She swiped the key card for the room and opened the door.
Patrick grabbed her hand suddenly and said, "Have a good dream"
"You too." She was stunned.
Ever since she went to his apartment that night, their interaction seemed to have entered a strange
circle, and there was no longer the usual tension.
She didn't know if it was because he did not look at her coldly or because she advocated for peace, but
their relationship had evolved into this.
After she finished washing up, Sophia lied down on the bed, very tired but unable to sleep.
Her mind was filled with the mess of the past.She closed her eyes, and hot tears flowed out.She asked
herself, "Could I ever forgive him?"
‘‘No, I couldn't...not right now” Sophia thought sadly.
Sophia woke up with a wave of pain, and her intuition told her that she was having menstrual
cramps.She didn't have any strength in her body.
It was as if there was a blunt knife being dragged back and forth in her abdomen.She was utterly
drenched in a cold sweat.She struggled to get out of bed.
If she remembered correctly, there would be waiters on duty on every floor of this high-class hotel.She
needed a hot water bag.
When she opened the door, a terrible pain suddenly hit her.She curled up and squatted.She closed her
eyes to wait for the pain to pass.
When Patrick came out of the smoking area, he saw Sophia, almost curled up into a ball.
He did not think twice.
Instead, he ran over and asked Sophia.
"What's wrong?" Sophia didn't answer.
Patrick frowned and couldn't help but get nervous.He bent over and picked her up.
She was very light, like a feather.
Sophia couldn't say anything.
It was so painful that she couldn't distinguish between dreams and reality.
She was not sure if Patrick was holding her right now.
Finally, she felt the heat coming from Patrick's body and passed out.
Patrick sat on the bed with her in his arms.
He reached out and wiped the tears on Sophia's face.
His big hand covered her lower abdomen and rubbed it skillfully.
When the hotel maid sent over the hot water bag and medicine to relieve pain, she saw that Patrick
was tucking the woman in bed.
The woman seemed to have fallen asleep in pain.
The hotel maid couldn't help but take another look and found blood on the man’s white shirt.
He didn't seem to feel dirty.
Instead, he sat on the side of the bed and lit a cigarette.
The hotel maid could not fathom what Patrick was thinking.
When Sophia woke up, it was already noon the next day.
She looked out the window, and she saw thunder streaked the sky.
The rain was as heavy as a grey curtain that blocked her sight.It was a gloomy day.
She didn't dare to delay any longer.
So instead, she hurriedly fixed herself, quickly grabbed the bag containing the document, and walked
out of the room.
Patrick was pacing back and forth outside the door of her room.
He held an ashtray in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
From the cigarette butts, she could deduce that Patrick had been waiting a long time and was already a
little impatient.
Sophia knew that the afternoon contract signing was crucial.
She should have arrived three hours in advance, but it was very likely that she would be late because
of what happened to her.
"Mr.Evans..."
She wanted to say something to explain, but she felt pale and powerless.
Patrick didn't say anything and just said, "Let's go."
When they were in the car, Sophia felt the car's speed constantly accelerating.
Patrick was clearly in a hurry.
Sophia understood Patrick's principle.
They could not afford to be late.
The rain was heavy.
Patrick drove quickly and turned on the wiper.
The visibility was low, but they did not slow down.
The car's speed now was at one hundred miles per hour.
He did not step on the break once.
Sophia was also worried.
If they were late, what would the consequences be? She dared not think about it.
She looked out of the car.
There was only a vague outline of the buildings and pedestrians on both sides of the street.
At the same time, Sophia saw a dog lying on the side of the road and on the verge of death.
When she saw it, she remembered herself five years ago.
Back then, it was also a rainy day.She squatted on the side of the road.She was crying helplessly.
"I want to save it? Sophia whispered.The car quickly passed.
Patrick frowned, "Sophia, we don't have time:"
"Then you go first, I promise that I will come later!"
Her eyes were sparkling with tears, and she looked at him persistently.
"Sophia, don't push your luck!" Patrick frowned even more.
However, Sophia felt that he was hesitating.His hands were gripping the steering wheel tightly.She did
not know how she could tell, but she was sure that he would stop the car.
"Patrick, I am not a willful person.Never ever.So please, please stop the car" Sophia pleaded.
Patrick stepped on the brake and put the car in reverse.
The car stopped next to the dog.
Its body was covered in dirt, and from its fur color, it was hard to tell if it was white or gray.
When the dog saw Sophia, its tail wagged.
Even though the dog shivered from being abandoned on the side of the road, it still tried to welcome
those who approached it.
"Don't be afraid.You have me now.I will take care of you"
Sophia patted the head of the dog.She was like a child.
Sophia petted the dog tenderly.
When Sophia picked it up, she thought, 'What was the difference between her and this dog?’
She looked back at her twenty-seven years of life.She had never been willful towards the person she
loved nor willful towards the things she liked.
Instead, she was permanently restraining herself.
Over time, everyone thought she could not be hurt or in pain.
So she would not fight them and would not fight over the things she wanted.She was just wearing a
mask for everyone to see.
But behind her smiles, some wounds never healed.
Patrick saw all of this, and his heart hurt profoundly for some reason.
He had warned himself that everything that had to do with this woman was already in the past.
They would never have a future again.
‘But...why couldn't I help it? I couldn't help but want to get close to her and care about her."
Patrick thought to himself.
When the Rolls-Royce arrived at the hotel, they were already a minute late.
Patrick got out of the car and handed the car keys and the dog to the valet attendant, and then he led
Sophia to the private room in a hurry.
The Smith Group of Companies was called the legend of the Hillwood City because of the founder,
Chris Smith.
When Chris first came to Hillwood City, he was just a nobody.
Later on, he fell in love with the daughter of a wealthy family, and when he proposed, the lady
abandoned her.
Perhaps he was tired of love.
So he began to build his business from scratch.
He had been in the business world for decades and had been involved in legal and illegal forces.He
had become a significant figure in Hillwood City nowadays.
It was said that he was fair and honest, but he did not reveal himself.
However, he had three distinct characteristics.One was he never waited for late guests.
Two, if he were generous in the business but got a small return from his investments, he would never
do business with the other party again.
Three, he did not like people who were hesitant.
Patrick knew in his heart that he had already committed one of Chris's taboos.He was afraid that some
other troubles would follow and lose this opportunity for his business.
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