Chapter 7

Meanwhile, Sophie Chase sat there, her gaze frosty, watching Kane with a sullen expression.

Ever since she'd turned down his confession, it felt like Kane had become an entirely different person. He no longer messaged her on WisdomHub, no more "good morning" or "good night" texts, no more secret comments left on her profile. He'd even changed his avatar and updated his status.

It was as if they'd become strangers.

The most infuriating part? Just yesterday, she'd impulsively decided to check out his profile, only to find herself suddenly logged out. When she tried to go back in, she realized he'd locked his page.

That irritated her to no end. The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt. So, pretending not to care, she sent him a message asking why he'd locked his profile. Was it locked for everyone, or just for her?

But Kane never replied—not even a single emoji.

And for what reason?

You're the one who liked me, not the other way around. What gives you the right to just stop texting me? Why can't I see your profile anymore?

It's not like I ever said I hated you. I never told you to stop chasing me. What gives you the right to just decide to give up on your own?

As this thought crossed her mind, Sophie couldn't help but recall that afternoon when she'd taken the bus home. She'd run into Kane on the street, and for a fleeting moment, she thought he was there to apologize.

She had it all figured out—if Kane Brook showed a decent attitude, admitted he'd just been stubborn, maybe she'd give him a chance.

But to her surprise, he merely nodded slightly and then rode off on his bike, disappearing from view.

A teenage girl's heart is fragile, her pride even more so. Being treated like that by someone who once pursued her so desperately—who wouldn't feel wronged?

So, Sophie Chase stormed home, fuming with frustration, and swore she'd never speak to Kane Brook again. No matter how many times he apologized, no matter how much he begged, she wouldn't soften her heart—not even a little.

But just now, when she ran into Kane again on the street, she couldn't help but let her mind wander.

She secretly thought, If Kane just greets me first, humbly admits he was wrong, I might respond with a few cold words.

What she didn't expect was for Kane to stand there calmly the entire time, exchanging a few words with Rachel Warren without even glancing her way.

The more Sophie thought about it, the angrier she became. Her chest heaved with frustration as she unconsciously tightened her grip on Rachel's arm.

Feeling the pinch, Rachel snapped out of her thoughts, glancing at her best friend, then at Kane. Suddenly, she remembered the emotional drama between them on the day of the college entrance exam.

No wonder these two haven't spoken.

Could it be that Kane feels too inferior to even talk to the girl who rejected him?

Honestly, Rachel had a pretty good impression of Kane. Especially after hearing Alexander Quinn praise him, she found Kane had a certain maturity that other guys lacked.

So, she decided to give him a little nudge. Maybe I can play matchmaker here.

"Kane Brook!"

"Hm?"

A sly glint flashed in Rachel's eyes. "When you said earlier that you were working hard to make money to get married… were you hinting at our Sophie?"

Kane's face went pale, his right eyelid twitching. "Come on, Rachel, cut me some slack."

"Oh? So you weren't?"

"I'm not worthy of such a blessing."

That was the last straw for Sophie. She clenched her teeth so hard they felt like they might crack, her eyes welling up with tears. "Kane Brook, what do you mean by that?"

Kane waved dismissively. "Nothing. I'm heading out. You two have fun."

"You're not allowed to leave! I didn't say you could leave!"

But Kane acted like he hadn't heard her, hopping on his bike and merging into the busy street without looking back.

Stay true to your original aspiration, remember your mission. You think I was joking?

Reborn into this life, there's no need to explain myself to people who won't matter in the future, he thought. He couldn't even be bothered to say another word.

Stay true to your original aspiration, remember your mission. You think I was joking?

Sophie stood frozen, watching his figure disappear into the crowd, her heart brimming with grievance. Tears spilled from her eyes despite herself.

It wasn't like one of those cheesy romance novels where the heroine suddenly realizes she's in love with the guy and regrets everything.

She didn't like Kane Brook.

She just felt like he looked down on her—as if she were something unpleasant, something he couldn't wait to avoid.

Seeing her best friend on the verge of tears, Rachel Warren panicked.

Wasn't Sophie the one who rejected Kane's confession?

So why is he the one walking away while she's the one crying?

What kind of twisted love story is this?

"Sophie, why are you crying?"

"Kane has changed. He'd never treat me like this before. I asked him to stay, but he left anyway—he did it on purpose just to upset me!"

Sophie Chase bit her lip, tears brimming in her eyes, her chest heaving with frustration. The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt.

Growing up, she had always been the darling of everyone around her—pampered by her parents, adored by her teachers, and constantly surrounded by admirers. Yet just now, she had seen a flicker of annoyance in Kane Brook's eyes, and it stung.

Sophie believed she was a kind-hearted girl. Even when she rejected Kane, she didn't shut him down harshly. Instead, she encouraged him to keep trying, offering him warmth and hope.

But what did he do?

Not only was he ungrateful, but he even looked at her with disdain. Didn't he realize how cruel that was?

He used to message her every day, thrilled even if she replied with a simple "oh." And now? She was the one reaching out, yet he still wasn't satisfied!

"Rachel, even though I turned him down, the fact that he gave up so easily—don't you think that's too much? I clearly gave him enough hope to keep going!"

"Uh… well…"

Rachel Warren didn't know how to respond.

Logically, Kane confessed, got rejected, and decided to move on. That was perfectly normal.

But Sophie kept mentioning hope. What exactly did she mean by that?

"Do you… maybe like Kane? And you're just testing his determination? Like, if he keeps trying, you'd eventually say yes?"

Sophie cut her off immediately. "No way! I admit I have a bit of a crush on him, but it's not like that. At the very least, he should be persistent for a while longer!"

Rachel fell silent for a moment. "So… how long is 'a while longer'?"

"I don't know. But he definitely has to show me his utmost sincerity—until I'm completely swept off my feet. Only then would I even consider it."

"Sophie, asking him to keep trying is one thing, but have you thought about what happens if you meet someone you like even more in the future?"

"Of course, I'd choose to be with the person I like more."

"And Kane?"