Chapter 260 Blind Date

Chapter 260 Blind Date

Sophia stared at the ceiling for a while before speaking, "Yes."

She rolled over, lifting her face from the pillow, her hair a complete mess.

"Don't think I'm just being stubborn. I've thought this through."

Chris didn't respond. He waited for her to finish.

"He said he sees me as a sister." Sophia laughed a little, her voice slightly hoarse. "That makes it clear he has no other feelings for me."

Chris looked into her eyes. He could tell she wasn't putting on a brave front.

"So what do you want to do?"

"Don't you know a lot of people?" Sophia sat up, hugging her knees. "Help me set up some blind dates."

Chris raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah." Sophia tucked her hair behind her ear. "I'm twenty-four. I can't keep wasting time like this. I already spent six years on Alfonso, and now I almost repeated the same thing with Ethan. I don't want to drag it out anymore."

Chris was silent for a few seconds, then nodded.

"Okay, I'll keep an eye out for you."

"Don't set me up with some slick, greasy guy." Sophia added.

"Got it."

One week later.

Abigail was officially discharged.

The Hubbard family's convoy was parked in the hospital's underground garage—three black business vehicles with a security car in front and back.

Craig opened the car door, and Abigail bent down to get in.

Ethan sat beside her, handling emails on his tablet.

As the car pulled out of the hospital entrance, Abigail looked back at the building where she'd stayed for nearly two months.

"Don't want to leave?" Ethan asked.

"No." Abigail turned back around. "I just feel like things were simpler when I was in the hospital. After discharge, there's so much more to deal with."

Ethan put down his tablet and looked at her.

"I'm here. I won't let things overwhelm you."

Abigail didn't answer. The corner of her mouth curved slightly.

The new house was a standalone villa in the eastern district of Marentis that Ethan had bought—three stories with a yard, a fifteen-minute drive from the Hubbard family's main residence.

When Abigail pushed open the front door, Nova was already standing in the living room.

Fresh flowers sat on the coffee table, the smell of simmering soup wafted from the kitchen, and a string of wind chimes hung at the foot of the stairs—Nova had picked them out herself.

"Abigail, go check out your room. If there's anything you don't like, I'll have them change it."

Abigail went upstairs and pushed open the master bedroom door.

The room was spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing a ginkgo tree in the yard.

The walk-in closet door was open, filled with clothes—all bought by Nova.

Abigail stood in the doorway, stunned for quite a while.

She had never lived in such a large room in her entire life.

At three in the afternoon, the doorbell rang.

Chris, Sophia, and Dashiell arrived together.

Sophia carried a large shopping bag full of snacks. Dashiell held an insulated bag containing specially prepared recovery meals from the hospital's nutrition department.

Chris came empty-handed.

"Me being here is the gift," he said.

Sophia kicked him.

The group sat in the living room chatting. Nova brought out some fruit, exchanged a few words with Sophia, then went upstairs, leaving the living room to the young people.

Dashiell sat across from Abigail and pushed the insulated bag toward her.

"From the nutrition department. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner portions for a week."

Abigail opened it and looked inside. Everything was neatly packaged, each portion labeled.

"Mr. Blackwell, thank you."

Dashiell smiled slightly and said nothing more.

Sophia curled up in the corner of the sofa peeling an orange. She seemed much better than last week. She didn't deliberately avoid any topics, nor did she appear unhappy.

But when Ethan came downstairs to greet everyone, her gaze swept over him calmly, then withdrew.

She didn't dodge, but there was no lingering either.

Abigail noticed.

She said nothing.

At four-twenty in the afternoon.

The intercom outside the yard buzzed.

Craig answered it, listened for a few seconds, his expression unchanged.

He walked to the living room doorway and knocked twice on the frame.

"Mr. Hubbard."

Ethan came out of the kitchen, still holding a glass of water.

"There's someone outside. Says he's Nico from Gonzalez Corporation, here to deliver something for Ms. Thomas."

The atmosphere in the living room immediately tensed.

Sophia's hand froze on the orange. Dashiell put down his cup. Chris fixed his gaze on Ethan's face.

Abigail sat on the sofa, motionless.

Ethan set the water glass on the table, his voice steady.

"What did he bring?"

"A gift box, and a letter. Says Matthew asked him to deliver them."

Ethan glanced at Abigail.

Abigail shook her head.

"I won't accept them."

Ethan nodded, then turned to Craig.

"Go tell him to take everything back."

Craig turned to leave.

"Wait." Ethan stopped him. "I'll go myself."

Outside the yard gate.

Nico stood at the entrance holding a deep blue gift box, with a bouquet of white lilies beside him.

He wore a suit, his hair neatly combed, but fine beads of sweat dotted his forehead.

He'd been waiting for nearly ten minutes.

The gate opened from inside, and Ethan walked out.

When Nico saw him, his spine straightened involuntarily.

"Mr. Hubbard, Matthew asked me to deliver this."

"Nico." Ethan interrupted him.

His tone wasn't harsh, but Nico immediately fell silent.

Ethan stopped in front of him, hands in his pockets.

"First, take everything back."

Nico nodded.

"Second, tell Matthew that Abigail's recognition banquet is set for the fifteenth of next month. The Hubbard family will formally announce her identity then. Until then, no one and nothing connected to the Gonzalez family is to come anywhere near her."

Nico's expression stiffened.

A recognition banquet?

The Hubbard family was going to publicly announce Abigail's identity?

"Third." Ethan took half a step forward, lowering his voice slightly.

"Don't come here again yourself either. This is the last time."

Nico clutched the gift box, his fingers tightening.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but finally swallowed his words.

"I understand."

He turned and walked away.

Evening.

Chris and Dashiell left first.

Sophia stayed until the end, helping Abigail put the snacks away in the kitchen cabinets.

The two of them leaned against the kitchen counter, sunlight streaming through the window, casting two long shadows on the floor.

"Abigail, you know what? When your brother came downstairs to say hello today, I didn't feel anything at all."

Abigail looked at her.

Sophia smiled and stuffed the last pack of cookies into the cabinet.

"I asked my brother to set up blind dates for me."

Abigail paused for a second.

"Are you sure?"

"Sure." Sophia brushed crumbs off her hands. "I don't want to keep liking someone who sees me as a sister. One brother is already enough of a headache—I don't need another one."

Abigail looked at her, then after a moment, reached out and ruffled Sophia's hair.

"Okay then, I'll be waiting for my invite to your wedding."

Sophia linked arms with her and headed out. At the doorway, she suddenly turned back.

"Abigail, that recognition banquet your brother's throwing—everyone in Marentis will know you're the Hubbard family's daughter by then, right?"