Julian stood watching Sophia, who remained frozen in shock, completely speechless. She simply stared at him, her mind clearly racing as she tried to determine whether this moment was real or some vivid illusion.

It was undoubtedly real, yet he chose not to ease her uncertainty just yet.

He hid his smile as she blinked once, then twice more. He understood her thoughts perfectly; right now, she probably believed her imagination was deceiving her.

At that moment, he felt a strong urge to kiss her until her soft pink lips grew swollen, but he could not risk such a move with Arthur nearby.

He still lacked full freedom to act...