Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Ethan took the last subway home from Elise's place.

As soon as he stepped into the lobby of his apartment building, he felt someone's gaze on him.

Following the stare, Ethan's expression turned to one of surprise.

Was that… Sophia?

Was she waiting here for him?

And there was something about her presence—an unusually heavy vibe that made the air feel thick.

So, naturally, Ethan pretended not to see her. He acted like nothing was out of the ordinary and headed straight for the elevator.

But before he could make it, Sophia got up from the couch in the waiting area and cut him off.

Ethan, trying to play it cool, gave her a casual nod and greeted her, "Sophia, out so late? Not heading home yet?"

Even Sophia was caught off guard by how nonchalant he was, as if this was just a normal, everyday encounter. And in that brief moment of hesitation, Ethan made a break for it, sprinting toward the elevator at full speed.

But no matter how fast he was, elevators take time to open and close. So, Sophia didn't even need to run. She just strolled over, calm and composed, which somehow made the whole situation even more intimidating.

Realizing this, Ethan gave up on his escape plan and tried to act casual again. He greeted her once more, "Oh, fancy seeing you here, Sophia. Waiting for the elevator too?"

"…"

Sophia just stared at him, her expression complicated, as if she couldn't believe Vanessa had fallen for someone like him.

But Ethan wasn't some timid little rabbit. Even with Sophia's intense gaze practically weighing him down, he didn't flinch. He could stare back at her all day if he had to.

And since Sophia wasn't saying anything, Ethan didn't feel the need to speak either. Though, deep down, he had a feeling he knew what this was about.

When the elevator finally arrived, Ethan stepped out and turned left, only to realize Sophia was still following him. It wasn't until he reached his door that he turned around, a bit exasperated, and said, "Sophia, your place isn't this way. I'm home now."

Sophia didn't seem to care about that at all. Instead, she asked, "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"I don't really know you that well. And, you know, it's late. A guy and a girl alone in an apartment… doesn't seem like a great idea, right?"

Sophia ignored him completely and walked right past him into his apartment.

Ethan raised an eyebrow at that. Well, if she wasn't worried, why should he be? He followed her inside.

By the time he got in, Sophia had already slipped on a pair of slippers—Vanessa's, no less—and made herself comfortable in the living room. Ethan headed to the kitchen and called out, "Want something to drink? How about some tea?"

"Whatever," she replied, her tone cold and distant. She was giving off serious yandere vibes, and Ethan wouldn't have been surprised if she suddenly pulled out a knife or something.

A few minutes later, Ethan returned with two cups of tea. He placed one in front of Sophia and sat down across from her. "So, are you going to tell me why you're here this late?"

Sophia, out of politeness, picked up the tea. But before taking a sip, she shot him a suspicious look. "You didn't put anything weird in this, did you?"

What the hell…? Ethan was a little annoyed. He thought to himself, Sophia, you better watch how you talk, or I might just throw this tea in your face.

"You don't have to drink it," he said, rolling his eyes at her.

Sophia hesitated for a moment, then said, "Whatever," and took a sip. To her surprise, her eyes lit up. Even though she drank tea often, she had never tasted anything this good.

But she quickly reminded herself that no matter how good the tea was, it didn't really matter right now.

Sophia set her cup down and looked at Ethan seriously. Without hesitation, she said, "I want you to stay away from Vanessa."

Ethan was confused. He wasn't even with Vanessa, so how could he leave her?

This conversation was getting heavy, and Ethan wasn't a fan of where it was going.

However, because Sophia had already rubbed Ethan the wrong way, he didn't bother to explain himself. Instead, he looked at her calmly and said, "This really isn't any of your business, is it?"

Sophia seemed to have anticipated this response. Her expression grew even colder.

"As long as you agree to leave Vanessa, I'll do anything."

Ethan raised an eyebrow at that. What was Sophia up to now? Was this where her so-called genius finally came into play?

He gave a noncommittal shrug. "Interesting offer. Go on."

"You're only with Vanessa because of her body, right? If that's the case, I'll take her place."

Ethan frowned immediately and shot back, "Sophia, please show some respect. What Nessa and I have is real love."

Sophia, however, wasn't buying it. She continued, her tone dripping with disdain, "For someone like you, messing around with a high school girl is just a game, isn't it? If that's the case, I'll play along. My body's got to be more appealing to you than Vanessa's, right?"

Ethan noticed that Sophia even puffed out her chest a little as she said this, and he couldn't help but feel a mix of frustration and disbelief. What the hell? he thought. You could've just talked, but now you're dragging Nessa into this?

And what's with calling me a scumbag? How did that brilliant brain of yours come to that conclusion?

Ethan was fuming inside. This was straight-up slander!

He sighed, then locked eyes with Sophia and said, "If that's how you see me, Sophia, then I guess I won't bother pretending to be a gentleman."

Seeing Ethan's sudden shift into what she assumed was his true, sleazy self, Sophia's heart grew colder. She spat out, "Scumbag."

"Call me whatever you want. You're the one who came to me," Ethan said, cracking his knuckles as he stood up. He walked over to Sophia, his gaze intense. "If you're so eager to take Nessa's place, I'll hold up my end of the deal."

With that, he roughly pushed Sophia down onto the couch.

He knelt on the cushions, his knees on either side of her legs, leaning over her, staring directly into her eyes.

Then, slowly, he began to lower himself toward her.

Sophia's expression shifted, a flicker of fear crossing her face.

But just as Ethan got close, he stopped. Then, without a word, he stood up and stepped away.

Sophia looked at him, confused.

Ethan glanced back at her, a smirk playing on his lips. "The video you just recorded should be enough to prove I'm a scumbag, right?"

He let out a cold laugh. Sophia's not playing fair, he thought. Her so-called genius wasn't just talk—she actually came here with a hidden camera to gather evidence.

"You were faking it!?" Sophia was shocked, then glared at him. "Aren't you afraid I'll send this to Vanessa?"

"Go ahead," Ethan said, waving dismissively.

"Let's see who she believes—me or you."