Chapter 3

Before I could answer, she had already turned back to William. "My parents are working overtime today. I'm a girl carrying luggage and walking alone at night---it's kind of scary..."

William didn't respond this time. He looked at me through the rearview mirror, waiting for my decision.

Looking at Yasmin's entitled expression, that uncomfortable feeling finally crystallized into clear disgust.

Give her an inch and she'll take a mile---that was her true nature!

My patience finally ran out.

When she emphasized taking her home yet again, I refused sharply. "No! We agreed on the subway station, so it's only to the subway station."

The smile on Yasmin's face instantly froze. She hadn't expected me to reject her so firmly.

She paused for two seconds, then her eyes suddenly reddened and her voice became choked with sobs.

"Sophia, I shouldn't be so demanding, but my home really is far away. Even after getting off the subway, I still have to walk for over two hours. By the time I get home, it'll be dark."

"My parents work so hard to save money. They haul bricks during the day and watch warehouses at night. They won't even buy themselves decent clothes. I really don't want to trouble them to pick me up."

She cried while wiping her tears. "I'm not afraid of walking alone at night for any other reason, just afraid of running into bad people... If something happens to me, how will my parents survive..."

The atmosphere in the car grew heavy.

William glanced at me through the rearview mirror, his eyes showing some sympathy. "The suburbs aren't that far by car. Maybe we should..."

I cut him off. "This isn't about distance."

But Yasmin grabbed onto it like a lifeline. "Sir, you're such a good person! Sophia, I know you're still angry about before. I'll apologize, okay?"

"I promise, this is the last time I'll trouble you. After this, I'll stay far away from you!"

"She's just a young girl. It really isn't easy for her. Let me take her."

Seeing the sincerity in William's eyes, and glancing at Yasmin's pitiful tear-streaked face, I finally closed my eyes. "Take me home first, then you can drive her."

Yasmin immediately broke into a smile through her tears.

"Thank you, Sophia! Thank you, sir! You're both such good people!"

For the rest of the drive, she was much more subdued, only occasionally glancing at William with a smile she couldn't quite hide.

When we arrived at my villa, William was about to get out to help with my luggage, but Yasmin had already jumped out first and eagerly opened the trunk.

"Let me, let me! Sophia, you live here? This house is gorgeous!"

Her eyes were filled with undisguised envy, and her attitude became much more fawning.

I ignored her and took the bag William handed me. "Drive safely."

"Don't worry."

As the car started up again, I looked back.

Yasmin was sitting in the passenger seat, saying something to William that made her face flush with shyness.

I felt an uneasy feeling, but quickly dismissed the thought.

I must be overthinking it.

After all, William was old enough to be her father.

Yasmin had such high standards. How could she possibly be interested in William?