CHAPTER 102: CHAPTER 102: ILLEGITIMATE DAUGHTER

When Sophia Lowell woke up, her chest felt unbearably tight.

The man’s large hand was inside her clothes, resting on her most sacred territory.

He was immensely fond of this soft, tender feeling, unwilling to let go.

Sophia cautiously moved his hand away, only to be pulled back into his embrace even tighter.

"Sleep a bit more..." Zane murmured.

She stayed still, but his hands kept moving.

Through the gaps of his fingers, the snow-white skin was vaguely visible.

"I can’t hold it anymore, I need to go to the bathroom," Sophia said.

Zane reluctantly released his grip, patting her rear under the covers, "Come back to bed with me after you’re done."

"Okay."

She slowly got up, her eyes swollen and sore.

Heading to the bathroom, she began to wash up.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she realized that he must have changed her clothes, and her makeup had been removed.

She felt a bit dazed, thinking about how Zane used to treat Tim Sawyer.

Was it like this too?

She patted her cheeks with her hands, comforting herself: they were in the past.

But the more she tried, the more Tim’s words invaded her mind.

"Sophia, your mom is a homewrecker!"

She had anticipated this for a long time.

But hearing it coming from someone else was so piercing!

"Sophia, your mom is a homewrecker! And you! You’re just an illegitimate child of The Sawyer Family that can’t be shown in public!" Tim’s fierce eyes flashed vividly in her memory.

"Before your mom got married, she and my dad were already engaged. It’s your mom who wouldn’t let go! Even after my dad got married and had children, she still wouldn’t forget! So shameless! What a so-called lady! What a disgrace! Filthy!

And you’re the same! You took my boyfriend away with my shadow! You’re just like your mom! Dirty!"

Hearing those words, Sophia was also crushed inside.

She didn’t know what the truth was, and she was powerless to fight back.

She never asked about Autumn Lowell, and Autumn never said anything.

But from all the signs, what Tim said seemed so true.

She really regretted appearing in front of Nancy Sawyer.

"Nancy, do you remember how my mom died?"

"I wasn’t even two when you cheated, my mom kept quiet, endured your cold violence for over ten years! You dreamed about that woman every night!"

Tim was nearly breaking down.

"You all lied to me about Zane getting hurt, tricked me into going abroad! Lied to me that he wanted to break up with me! Mom had to negotiate with The Sterling family, while you! You went abroad to find that woman!

A whole month! A whole month! Later mom committed suicide from depression! Because of you! All because of you and that shameless woman!"

That month, Autumn Lowell and Zoe Walsh weren’t around the estate, perhaps it was during that month.

Tim’s accusations left Nancy speechless, with nothing to do but silently endure.

He admitted it silently.

And because of that, Nancy took every care of Tim, trying to make up for the past years’ mistakes.

Even if he didn’t like Tim’s mother, Tim was still his child.

Sophia’s head buzzed.

Last night’s conversation left her shattered.

Autumn had become a homewrecker, a murderer in Tim’s mouth...

"Sophia, are you okay?" Zane stood at the door, afraid something might have happened to her, as she had been in the bathroom for a long time.

Sophia came back to her senses, only to find herself in tears,

making her eyes even more swollen.

She calmed her emotions.

"I’ll be out soon."

Hearing Sophia’s response, Zane let out a sigh of relief.

When she came out, Zane was leaning against the door frame, waiting for her.

Seeing her fresh, tear-streaked face, he couldn’t help but embrace her with a heart full of ache.

The emotions she had just managed to suppress swelled up again as he held her.

Her voice choked, and tears betrayed her once more by streaming down.

"Tell me what’s wrong, don’t keep it all in," Zane smoothed her hair, his gaze icy.

Sophia said nothing, not knowing how to explain.

She slowly stepped back from his embrace, "You wash up first, I’m hungry."

Looking at her, Zane brushed the tears from her eyes with his thumb and kissed her fiercely.

"Don’t cry, it breaks my heart."

"Okay, I won’t cry," she replied.

Zane held her hand, leading her back into the room, and took clothes from the closet to lay on the bed for her before going to wash up.

Sophia obediently changed into the clothes, sat at the vanity table, and applied heavier makeup, afraid someone might notice.

After all, this was her first time staying at Zane Sterling’s Residence; she couldn’t embarrass him.

Zane stood behind her, hands on the chair, observing her through the mirror.

"My wife is truly beautiful."

Sophia watched his eyes in the mirror.

His eyes brimmed with love; his eyes shone brightly.

This was enough.

She smiled.

"Do you want your hair up?" Zane asked.

"Will you do it?"

"I’ll give it a try."

Zane picked up the comb and earnestly started to style her hair.

He had dreamt of doing her hair.

He had practiced for days, finally waiting for this moment.

Sophia was taken aback; this man’s technique was so skillful, could it be that he learned it from Tim?

Her heart sank, and she stilled Zane’s hand in mid-motion.

"Let me do it, you’re hurting me."

The delight in his eyes suddenly dimmed.

Was his technique still not right?

He said nothing, but neither did he let her take the comb back, continuing to style her hair.

Sophia didn’t resist anymore.

He braided a French plait, curled the ends, and secured it with an orange tulip hair tie.

It matched her makeup well.

Along with her white dress and orange tweed coat, she looked like a fairy.

A visage that draws pity.

In silence, they prepared to leave, one behind the other.

Sophia walked in front, with him following.

By the door, Zane forcibly had her wear shoes.

Sophia didn’t object.

After she changed shoes, she opened the door, only for Zane to close it again.

He pulled her back, pinning her against the hallway.

Sophia was startled.

"You’re mad at me," Zane said, his brows furrowed, demanding the truth.

"No, I’m not."

Zane wrapped his arms around her waist, preventing her from moving, determined not to let her go until she confessed.

"You wouldn’t let me kiss you, let me do your hair, let me help with your shoes. You’re definitely mad."

Sophia glanced at his gaze, cold.

How could he tell?

"Tell me, what did I do wrong? Or is it something you heard last night?" Zane felt the frustration mounting.

Finally having his wife, he couldn’t allow misunderstandings due to others to come between them.

"Really, there’s nothing."

"Nothing? You need to be in bed before you soften your stance, under me before you comply, huh?" He was a bit upset.

This little girl wouldn’t say anything, and he wasn’t happy about that.

Zane was fuming!

Sophia’s face flushed, her hands pressing against his chest unconsciously tightening.

Why was this man so fond of speaking suggestively?

Did she have to say that she was Tim’s shadow, that he might like Tim because they happen to share some resemblance?

"I really don’t—ah..."

Before she could finish, Zane lifted her up.

His anger led him to toss her onto the bed.

Sophia’s soft body bounced slightly on the bed.

Before she could react, Zane hovered over her, pinning her down.

Her hands were restrained, held above her head.

Her face flushed with heat.