"Bang!"


    The sound of a door mming echoed through the hallway.


    Adler found himself locked out by Jenna, just as Sophie emerged from her bedroom to witness the scene.


    Noticing Adler''s flushed face and reddening ears, Sophie couldn''t help but ask, "Mr. Adler, have you been drinking again?"


    66 39


    ...


    Feeling utterly defeated, Adler might as well have been waving a white g. "Why is it that in those romance novels, when the powerful CEO makes a heartfelt deration, the heroine looks at him with love and affection, but mine responds with her fists?"


    "Maybe... it''s all in the approach," Sophie suggested thoughtfully.


    "Mr. Adler, I think what you need is a proper deration of love."


    "A deration of love? I''ve made countless derations since we were kids! She always thinks I''m joking. What am I supposed to do about that?"


    "I''m talking about a serious deration of love!" Sophie insisted. "You''re usually so nonchnt. How can any girl take you seriously? I advise you to think it over carefully. Figure out how to dere your feelings in a way that Jenna can ept, or else the current state of your rtionship will just end up being a source of gossip."


    "You''re right,” Adler agreed earnestly. "I''ll do it right away!"


    Watching Adler dash off into the night, Sophie shook her head with a sigh before knocking on Jenna''s door. "Jenna, it''s me."


    Hearing it was Sophie, Jenna cautiously opened the door.


    With only amp lighting up Jenna''s room, Sophie stepped inside and noticed Jenna''s flushed cheeks. "Jenna, are you really not nning to ept Adler?"


    "How can I? I''m older than he is, and I''ve always seen him as a little brother."


    "Is that all he is to you?"


    "Of course!"


    Jenna sounded unsure as sheThis text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    spoke, avoiding Sophie''s gaze. "But every time I''ve been in a tough spot he''s been there for me. I''m starting to get confused about whether my feelings for Adler are love or just dependency."


    "Jenna, if you want to know who you really like there''s a simple way," Sophie suggested. "Just close your eyes, and the first person whoes to mind will be the one you truly care for."


    "Is that for real? Sounds like something you''d tell a kid."


    "Why don''t you give it a try?"


    Following Sophie''s advice, Jenna closed her eyes, only to frown. "Nothing. It''s just darkness. No one''s there."


    "Ask yourself who you truly care for."


    66 33


    Jenna fell silent, and the next second, her eyes shot open. She buried her face in her hands, whispering, "It''s really him."


    "Jenna, you said it yourself. Adler


    has always been there for you when you needed help. How could anyone just happen to be there every single time unless they''re always keeping an eye out for you? You''ve been so close to him all this time that you''ve failed to notice. Adler has always been by your side, watching over you. You''ve grown so ustomed to his presence that if another woman were to appear by Adler''s side one day, would you still be able to stay calm?"


    Another woman?


    The thought alone made Jenna uneasy. Imagining Adler with someone else, no longer prioritizing her in his heart, and all his affection redirected towards another woman, was unbearable.