Chapter 4 Relationships #3
In just one night, Arthur seemed to have aged. The strong, unshakable man she knew looked tired, fragile, and broken. His eyes were red, his face pale, the weight of guilt pressing heavily on his shoulders.
Sophia had never seen him like this.
And looking at him now made something twist painfully inside her chest.
Had she been wrong all this time?
Had she been wrong to believe that he only cared about his brothers… and not her?
“Sophia… I’m so sorry.”
Arthur’s voice broke.
Sophia immediately dropped to one knee in front of him. She didn’t even remember deciding to move. One moment she was standing, the next she was there, close enough to see every tremble in his lips.
Arthur grabbed her hand and wrapped it tightly between both of his, as if he was afraid she would pull away. His hands were warm, slightly trembling.
When he looked at her, his eyes were soft, red-rimmed, filled with pain. His voice shook as he spoke, every word uneven.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I can’t even put into words how much pain I feel right now. To think they were hurting you, and I let it happen right in front of my eyes.”
His shoulders sagged.
“I see it now. I finally see how greedy they are. Even when you were in danger, all they cared about was transferring the company into their own names. They didn’t worry about you at all.”
Tears slid down Arthur’s cheeks and dropped onto the back of Sophia’s hand.
Sophia stiffened.
The warmth of his tears felt like fire.
Arthur lowered his head, his chin almost touching his chest. He kept staring at their joined hands, unblinking, as if he didn’t deserve to look at her face. Shame carved deep lines into his expression. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn’t lift his eyes to meet hers.
“Sophia…” he called her name again, his voice barely above a whisper, hoarse and fragile. “I will never trust them again. I promise.”
More tears fell. He blinked them away, then finally forced himself to look up at her.
He lifted one hand and reached for her face, his fingers trembling as they brushed her cheek.
“You are the only family I have,” he said. “The only one I want in my life. After your mom died… I should have stayed by your side.”
His fingers trembled against her skin.
“But I was so scared about your future. I kept working and working, thinking that if one day I suddenly die like your mom, you wouldn’t have to worry about anything. I wanted you to live a good life.”
Sophia’s lips trembled as she finally spoke, her voice firm despite the ache in her chest.
“I never asked you for anything, dad. I am perfectly capable of building my own future.”
Arthur’s expression tightened.“You don’t understand,” he said, his voice suddenly hard, breaking through the softness. “Your mom died all of a sudden. Within six months… we were so happy.”
His breath hitched.
“I was happy with your mom. Then we had you. I had never been so happy in my entire life.” His eyes glistened again. “And then she passed away.”
His voice cracked again.
“And then it was only me and you.”
Arthur broke down.
A raw sob tore out of his chest. His body shook violently as he cried, his shoulders heaving, his grip on Sophia’s hand tightening as if she was the only thing keeping him conscious.
“Sophia, you are the most precious thing to me,” he sobbed. “The only one I wanted to give everything in this world. I kept thinking—what if something happens to me too? What if you’re left alone? What would you do? Who would protect you?”
His tears fell freely now.
“I was terrified. You were so little. What if something happened to me too? What if you were left alone in this world? What would happen to you?” His voice broke again, his chest aching. “I was dying from the inside.”
He squeezed his eyes shut.
“I couldn’t imagine a world where you had to survive on your own without safety. Your grandma was already growing old. She couldn’t take care of the business anymore. Everything fell on me.”
Arthur swallowed hard, his voice thick with guilt.
“And I didn’t even understand half of the business. Your mom used to take care of it. I was so goddamn scared.”
“Dad…” Sophia whispered.
Her fingers tightened around Arthur’s hands.
“All I ever wanted,” she continued softly, pain seeping into every word, “was for you to celebrate my birthdays… my New Year’s… Mom’s death anniversary… Grandma’s birthday… your birthday—with me.”
Her throat tightened.
“I only needed you. Even if it was just once a week. But you were always busy with work.”
Her lips quivered.
“Was our future really that important to you,” she asked, voice breaking, “that you forgot about your own daughter?”
Arthur completely collapsed.
“It was my fault,” he sobbed uncontrollably, his shoulders shaking violently as his head bowed. His chest rose and fell unevenly, breaths coming out broken. “It was all my fault, Sophia.”
Tears poured freely as he clutched her hands tighter.
“I will never let anyone come between you and me again. Never again.” His voice cracked again and again. “I will take care of you for the rest of my life. Please forgive me. I cannot live without you.”
Sophia’s body remained tense, but her eyes filled completely with tears, vision blurring.
She had never seen Arthur break down like this.
Not once.
Except the day her mother died.
At the funeral, he had cried beside the coffin like a man who had lost his entire world. After that day, he buried himself in work. He never cried again.
Until now.
This was the second time.
Looking at him, shattered in front of her, Sophia felt her heart twist painfully. Worry, love, sadness — all of it tangled together until she could barely breathe.
She couldn’t hold back anymore.
Moving forward on both knees, she wrapped her arms tightly around Arthur, pressing her face against his shoulder.
Arthur froze for a split second, then his arms came around her instantly. One hand cradled the back of her head, fingers sinking gently into her hair, while the other wrapped firmly around her back.
He patted her back lightly, again and again, his sobs slowly muffling against her shoulder.