I'm still grateful that we met at an age when we can save each other

Sam didn't head straight home; instead, he caught the nearest bus to a place that was becoming increasingly familiar to him.

Sophie's apartment.

The reason for Sam's visit was simple: Isabella had deliberately dropped an envelope on the floor at just the right moment for him to pick it up.

It wasn't until he was on the bus that Sam opened the envelope. Inside wasn't a letter or any strange piece of paper, but money... a quick count revealed it was close to 200 US dollars.

Moreover, the envelope was specifically marked as being for Sophie.

This puzzled Sam. He could guess at Isabella's intentions—perhaps she thought that increasing his visits to Sophie might help smooth over their awkward relationship.

At this point, Sam couldn't be bothered to criticize his meddlesome senior; that was just the kind of person she was, and there was no point in blaming her.