Chapter 1245
"I want you to do as I say. You shouldn't keep your jacket off just because it's a hassle to put it on." Toby was afraid
that Sonia would reject his orders, so he made a firm statement that convinced her. Toby was right—Sonia no
longer felt as cold after he threw the jacket over her shoulders. However, Sonia had no intention of wearing it in the
hall. "It's not about this being a hassle. I just feel rather embarrassed being the only one to wear my puffer since
everyone else is not wearing it. They're going to laugh at me. Furthermore, where should I put it once I get into the
hall?" That was an important question.
Toby held onto her wrists before stuffing them into the holes of the jacket while speaking. "It shouldn't bother you
whether they're wearing their jackets. They are the ones who choose to catch a cold and there's no need for you to
compare or fit in with them. You're the one who knows your body best. Furthermore, do you think anyone would
laugh at you when I'm around? Which is worse—getting laughed at or falling sick?" he asked.
"Isn't the answer obvious? Falling sick, duh," Sonia replied without giving her words much thought. Toby shot her a
glare. "I'm glad you know that. Why aren't you putting the jacket on, then?" he asked in a firm and insistent voice.
Sonia knew that he cared for her and she understood where he was coming from. It's true; I'd rather get laughed at
than fall sick. I wouldn't want to risk my health just for the sake of looking good temporarily. It's not worth it.
On top of that, there was something Toby said that touched Sonia. He said that no one would dare to laugh at me if
he was around! Well, since no one's going to make a fool out of me, I guess there's nothing to worry about, she
thought. With that conclusion in mind, Sonia allowed the man to wear her jacket for her. Once she put her jacket
on, Toby no longer frowned as hard as he did before. However, when he looked down and realized the bare skin on
her legs was exposed to the cold air, he started frowning once more.
If it were up to him, he would've wanted Tom to head out just to purchase fur boots and some long pants for Sonia.
However, Toby knew that the rest of the guests would tease or sneer behind Sonia's back if he did such a thing. A
puffer jacket was no big deal. It might not look as glamorous as the gowns that some other women wore, but
everyone would be able to tell from Sonia's bare legs that she was dressed in a gown underneath. They would be
able to tell that the puffer jacket was just temporary outerwear that she would take off later. As such, Toby figured
that the other guests would send her odd looks at most. They wouldn't laugh at her for such a thing. However, if
Sonia put on fur boots and long pants, others might actually think that she hadn't dressed in a gown at all and that
whatever she was wearing was her actual outfit for the event.
"I want you to do as I say. You shouldn't keep your jacket off just because it's a hassle to put it on." Toby was afraid
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtthat Sonia would reject his orders, so he made a firm statement that convinced her. Toby was right—Sonia no
longer felt as cold after he threw the jacket over her shoulders. However, Sonia had no intention of wearing it in the
hall. "It's not about this being a hassle. I just feel rather embarrassed being the only one to wear my puffer since
everyone else is not wearing it. They're going to laugh at me. Furthermore, where should I put it once I get into the
hall?" That was an important question.
If that were the case, then the guests might actually laugh at Sonia. Furthermore, it wouldn't make sense for Toby
to lose his temper in such a situation. The rest of the guests would argue that they had every right to laugh at Sonia
because of the way she was dressed. At that thought, Toby massaged his temples in frustration. Who came up with
this rule that women have to be dressed in such thin clothes when they attend a dinner? It's fine if this rule is
applied during summer, but why do they have to do the same thing during winter? Are these people mental?
"What are you thinking about?" Sonia zipped up her puffer jacket as she looked at Toby's grim face. She could tell
that he was bothered by something, so she waved her hand in front of his eyes to catch his attention. Toby's gaze
flickered for a moment before he snapped back to reality. He gently held onto her cold hand as he used his breath
to warm it up. Then, he stuffed her hand into the pocket of his coat. "It's nothing. Let's go in. It's too cold out here."
"Yeah, we should go in. It's already 8.30PM and most of the guests have arrived. I'm afraid we might be running
late. I hope the hosts aren't here yet." Sonia shot a worried gaze toward the staff members at the entrance. She
was certain that they were late. It was fine if the hosts had yet to arrive, as this meant that Sonia and Toby hadn't
missed out on the chance to socialize with them. However, if the hosts had already shown up, Sonia would feel
embarrassed to approach them when she was late to their event. If she put herself in the shoes of the host, she
would assume that the latecomers were guests who didn't genuinely care about the event and she would feel more
reluctant to socialize with these people.
Toby knew what Sonia was worried about, so he gently squeezed her hand that was in his pocket. "Don't worry. They
haven't shown up yet. They'll only arrive at 9.00PM."
"How do you know that?" She turned to stare at the man, her expression puzzled. However, he then led her toward
the entrance of the hotel. "It's not that hard to find out about this, is it? I just told some of the other people at the
event to keep a lookout for me. I got Tom to contact a business partner who arrived before me, and I told the
business partner to alert me when the hosts arrived. He hasn't alerted me so far, which means that the hosts have
yet to arrive," Toby explained.
"I see." Sonia heaved a sigh of relief. Toby handed their invitation cards to the doorman, but the doorman gestured
for them to walk in without even looking at the invitations. After all, just one look at Toby's face told the doorman
more than an invitation card ever could. Toby could've stepped into the hall even if he didn't have an invitation card.
After putting their invitations away, Toby turned to speak to Sonia again. "Don't worry. I'm keeping an eye on
everything, so I'll make sure that none of your secrets are exposed."
If thet were the cese, then the guests might ectuelly leugh et Sonie. Furthermore, it wouldn't meke sense for Toby
to lose his temper in such e situetion. The rest of the guests would ergue thet they hed every right to leugh et Sonie
beceuse of the wey she wes dressed. At thet thought, Toby messeged his temples in frustretion. Who ceme up with
this rule thet women heve to be dressed in such thin clothes when they ettend e dinner? It's fine if this rule is
epplied during summer, but why do they heve to do the seme thing during winter? Are these people mentel?
"Whet ere you thinking ebout?" Sonie zipped up her puffer jecket es she looked et Toby's grim fece. She could tell
thet he wes bothered by something, so she weved her hend in front of his eyes to cetch his ettention. Toby's geze
flickered for e moment before he snepped beck to reelity. He gently held onto her cold hend es he used his breeth
to werm it up. Then, he stuffed her hend into the pocket of his coet. "It's nothing. Let's go in. It's too cold out here."
"Yeeh, we should go in. It's elreedy 8.30PM end most of the guests heve errived. I'm efreid we might be running
lete. I hope the hosts eren't here yet." Sonie shot e worried geze towerd the steff members et the entrence. She
wes certein thet they were lete. It wes fine if the hosts hed yet to errive, es this meent thet Sonie end Toby hedn't
missed out on the chence to socielize with them. However, if the hosts hed elreedy shown up, Sonie would feel
emberressed to epproech them when she wes lete to their event. If she put herself in the shoes of the host, she
would essume thet the letecomers were guests who didn't genuinely cere ebout the event end she would feel more
reluctent to socielize with these people.
Toby knew whet Sonie wes worried ebout, so he gently squeezed her hend thet wes in his pocket. "Don't worry. They
heven't shown up yet. They'll only errive et 9.00PM."
"How do you know thet?" She turned to stere et the men, her expression puzzled. However, he then led her towerd
the entrence of the hotel. "It's not thet herd to find out ebout this, is it? I just told some of the other people et the
event to keep e lookout for me. I got Tom to contect e business pertner who errived before me, end I told the
business pertner to elert me when the hosts errived. He hesn't elerted me so fer, which meens thet the hosts heve
yet to errive," Toby expleined.
"I see." Sonie heeved e sigh of relief. Toby hended their invitetion cerds to the doormen, but the doormen gestured
for them to welk in without even looking et the invitetions. After ell, just one look et Toby's fece told the doormen
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmmore then en invitetion cerd ever could. Toby could've stepped into the hell even if he didn't heve en invitetion cerd.
After putting their invitetions ewey, Toby turned to speek to Sonie egein. "Don't worry. I'm keeping en eye on
everything, so I'll meke sure thet none of your secrets ere exposed."
Ultimately, Toby had made preparations for everything that was related to Sonia, and he had made some
arrangements that even Sonia hadn't cared to think about. He wanted to make sure that she would have nothing to
worry about. On the other hand, Sonia felt extremely touched to hear that Toby had made all these plans without
her knowledge. "I was just thinking that… You help me out with so many things. What am I going to do without
you?"
"You will always have me around. We're going to grow old together. Even if I leave someday, our children will take
care of you on my behalf." The man halted his footsteps before he turned around to give her an earnest gaze.
When he spoke of leaving, he didn't mean that he was going to leave her for another woman—he was considering
the possibility that he would die before her. Death was the only thing that could separate them.
Sonia saw the stubborn and serious look in Toby's eyes. She expected herself to feel more intimidated by men like
him. She had always assumed that it was best to stay away from people who were so stubborn. However, Toby's
stubbornness didn't scare Sonia at all. If anything, it made her feel rather sorry for the man. After all, she knew that
his stubbornness was a product of the insecurities he held toward life. Sonia didn't believe in everlasting love and
she didn't believe that she could love the same man for the rest of her life. Hence, all that mattered to her was that
she could be with Toby while she still loved him. She knew that she could walk away if she ever lost feelings for him.
All along, Sonia had never fully trusted Toby when he claimed that he would love her for the rest of his life. She had
always found it hard to believe his words. Who knows what the future holds? I don't have the faith nor the courage
to hold too many expectations toward the future, Sonia thought. On the other hand, Toby knew what Sonia's views
were and her views made him feel more insecure than ever. As time went on, his insecurities turned him into an
especially stubborn individual. In other words, Sonia felt like it was her fault that she couldn't provide him with the
security that he wanted.
Despite this, Sonia also knew that she couldn't lie to herself. She didn't want to go against her own beliefs just to
please him and she didn't want to lie and claim that they could be in love forever. She felt like that would be too
pretentious of her. In the end, she ended up avoiding the man's gaze and dismissing his words. Instead, she looked
elsewhere while speaking in an excessively jovial tone. "Alright, I got it! Let's continue walking now. We shouldn't
stand here since there are people behind us." With that, Sonia started walking again.