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Skeptical

Unlike Bella, Hollis is highly emotionally perceptive.

Bella isn't exactly lacking in emotional intelligence—she's just inconsistent.

Sometimes, she's extremely sensitive to the feelings of others, especially men. Other times, she's oblivious to even the most obvious signs.

Take her relationship with Howard, for instance. She sees him as a father, brother, and close friend, which means she never views him through the lens of romantic possibilities.

Any special treatment or ambiguous gestures from him are easily categorized as part of their friendship.

Hollis, however, is not as naive.

Howard is his most trusted and capable assistant and the heir to his business empire.

Hollis chose Howard as his successor not just because of his loyalty and obedience but also because he saw in Howard a reflection of his younger self. Their decisiveness, strategic thinking, and sharp instincts for opportunity are almost identical.

Before meeting Bella, Hollis had no problem accepting this.

Life moves forward, and aging is inevitable; he had long made peace with his graying hair and the passing of time.

But after meeting Bella, he could no longer face discussions about aging with the same indifference.

A few days ago, Hollis was having afternoon tea in the garden with John, Martha's husband. As they sat and chatted, Hollis casually picked up a newspaper and began reading.

Suddenly, John stood up, looking around frantically for something. The longer he searched, the more agitated he became, teetering on the edge of rage.

The maids stood by, unsure whether to intervene.

Finally, Hollis asked, "What are you looking for?"

John took a deep breath, visibly frustrated. "My glasses! I can't find my glasses!"

Hollis immediately understood why the maids didn't step forward—John's glasses were sitting on his nose.

When John realized this, he slumped back into his chair, laughing self-deprecatingly.

"Getting old is such a pain. Forgive me for the scene."

But Hollis couldn't bring himself to offer a comforting "It's fine, I'm the same."

At forty-eight, when Hollis first noticed his declining vision, he visited a doctor who assured him it was normal.

The doctor explained that presbyopia, the loss of focus due to age, was common and could begin as early as forty. Hollis had been prescribed a pair of platinum-framed glasses, accented with ebony wood—elegant and sophisticated.

But he rarely wore them.

Even then, it was a subtle indication that he struggled to accept the reality of aging.

Now, he is not yet as forgetful as John, but he knows it's only a matter of time before he, too, searches in vain for something already on him.

It is the prophecy of death, the curse of fate, the inescapable truth for all living beings—the road everyone must walk toward the end of life.

Who would have thought that, before walking that path, he would fall in love with a girl as fresh and delicate as a rosebud?

Bella has awakened his long-dormant youth and with it, his resistance to aging. He can no longer face the passage of time with the same acceptance as before.