CHAPTER 103: CHAPTER 103: ONLY LIKE YOU

Buzz, buzz—

The alarm clock rang.

It was her first time back, and she set the alarm for eight, worried that she might oversleep and give others a bad impression.

Zane looked at it, turned off the alarm, and tossed the phone to the side, domineeringly staring at her.

"I said you can’t leave!"

He didn’t want his woman to get angry on her first day back home, nor did he want her to hold any grudges and feel even the slightest bit aggrieved.

Sophia looked at the man on top of her.

His eyes were not questioning but like a tidal wave...

He couldn’t be harsh with her.

Zane silently cursed himself for being hopeless.

Just by her looking at him, all his anger was disarmed and surrendered.

He slowly released his grip, lay on top of her, and buried his head in her neck.

His voice became soft, humbly asking, "Tell me what’s wrong? Hmm?"

Sophia turned her head, only able to see the back of his head.

She gently stretched out her hand and held him.

Cautiously, she asked the question she most wanted to ask: "Is it because I look like Tim that you like me?"

Zane was stunned, propped himself up on his elbows, and gently flicked her forehead.

It didn’t hurt; it was full of tenderness.

"What are you thinking? Hmm? You’re different!"

Sophia looked at him, and he was angry.

"Tim was just a girl I admired during my naive teenage years; that wasn’t love." Zane explained patiently, "You’re my wife now, and no matter how much you two might look alike, no one can replace you.

I don’t like her; I only like you!"

His words were firm, then he added, sticky and sweet, "I like going to bed with you, talking dirty with you, seeing you blush, and everything about you. I couldn’t do that with anyone else; that’s love."

After saying that, Zane kissed her hard on the lips, then pulled back, "Do you understand?"

"I understand..." Sophia blushed at his words.

"Were you thinking about her when I helped you brush your hair and put on your shoes?" Zane questioned.

She didn’t speak, feeling guilty.

"Hmph!" Zane angrily pinched her waist hard.

He was truly both angry and annoyed!

"Ah~" Her voice was so soft and charming, Zane knew it well.

He couldn’t stay mad at her, "I only held her hand; I didn’t do anything else. If I did, I wouldn’t need Ethan to give me advice!"

Hearing this, Sophia became docile.

"I was wrong..."

Zane’s heart softened; last night, she must have been upset by Tim.

He didn’t expect such small things to make her angry. It seemed Sophia truly loved him, or she wouldn’t take it so seriously.

This made him feel very happy.

"Don’t sulk next time."

"Got it."

Zane smiled; women were really hard to coax. He tapped her nose.

Sophia felt much lighter in her heart, but at the moment, she just wanted to get up.

Because she felt like she was about to catch on fire down there.

"Zane, I’m hungry," Sophia murmured softly.

"That’s your trick; as soon as I think of you, you want to eat." His voice was hoarse, "Little glutton!"

He had been suppressing for days.

Her hands were soft, but the temptation was right in front of him.

Sophia was shy, biting her lip.

He didn’t force her, considering that soon they would be having breakfast with his large family, this little girl must be feeling anxious inside.

Having just managed to coax her well, now was not the time to cause trouble.

"Call me Zane, let me hear it." He said.

"No way..."

"You called me all night last night..."

Sophia hurriedly interrupted, "That’s not true!"

"How cunning." Zane pecked at the corner of her lips, "Will you call me or not? If not, I’ll also be cunning, hmm?"

He pecked the other corner of her lips again.

All tingly.

This man, he was so sly...

Sophia flushed, warmth rising.

But now wasn’t the time.

"Zane..."

"Hmm..."

Zane couldn’t stop.

Hearing her sincere voice, he couldn’t control himself.

His face was red, and his kisses landed on her neck, the hot breath sprayed on her ear.

Sophia softly moaned.

"Zane, no..."

"..."

Neither up nor down, too uncomfortable.

Going too far now would indeed not be appropriate.

Zane pinched her cheek, and after a while, he pulled her up carefully, helping her arrange her clothing.

Sophia lowered her head, just in time to see his bulge.

She quickly got up, arranging herself.

He chuckled.

Zane went to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face, and the two finally headed out.

"Morning."

As soon as they went out, they met Willow and Ian coming out from the next suite.

"Morning."

They greeted each other and walked together towards the elevator.

When they reached the first floor, the maids brought out breakfast.

Grandpa Sterling, Eugene, and others just happened to be gathering downstairs.

"Everyone, sit down, don’t just stand there."

Grandpa Sterling spoke, and the two kids were taken to one side by the maids while everyone else sat down.

The breakfast was plentiful, laid out on the large round table, and everyone could take whatever they wanted.

Sophia wanted to take it herself, but Zane stopped her.

Zane served her some sweet milk, and added a crab roe bun and a few shrimp dumplings.

Zoe gently nudged Sophia, "Was last night alright?"

"It was okay."

Few people knew about what happened last night; Zoe only found out when she received a call from Nancy in the middle of the night.

She scolded Nancy, calling him shameless, said what goes around comes around, and that he deserved it.

It turns out Zoe could fight back pretty well too.

She reassured, "If I had known they would come uninvited, I wouldn’t have let you suffer this grievance."

Before Sophia could say anything, Eugene, who was right beside Zoe, spoke up, "Sophia, rest assured, the Sterling Family acknowledges only you."

Sophia’s nose tingled; she almost couldn’t hold back.

She didn’t expect to have so many people backing her up.

"I’ve seen plenty of people swaying with the wind; there’s no need to take it to heart. That woman just wanted to come here to feel relevant, squeezing in wherever she could." Grandpa Sterling snorted.

"I understand," Sophia said, not wanting to say too much for fear that she would cry if she did.

Zane took her hand, which was placed on her lap, and looked at her, seemingly saying: I’m here.

She felt a warm feeling inside.

But in her heart, Autumn Lowell and Nancy’s matters formed a resilient sword.

She picked up a crab roe bun and took a small bite.

"This is so good," she murmured to Zane.

Zane spoke softly, "Prepared especially for you."

Zoe, who was nearby, laughed, "Grandpa Sterling is allergic to shrimp and crab; the kitchen never makes this stuff. He knew you liked it, so he asked them to prepare it early this morning. Otherwise, we wouldn’t get the chance to enjoy it."

"Ah—" Sophia looked at Grandpa Sterling, who sat opposite her.

Grandpa Sterling smiled, "Zane said to."

Zane smiled.

Leo teased, "Aren’t you two really biased?"

"Oh, just two buns, and you call that biased? Tomorrow, I’ll have the kitchen make you some more braised pork knuckles to stuff that mouth of yours."

Grandpa Sterling didn’t give him any slack.

Everyone giggled.

Everyone knew Leo loved braised pork knuckles.

Sophia watched the teasing family, and couldn’t help but smile too.

Zane glanced at her sideways, his thoughts deepened.

When Grandpa Sterling withdrew from the business world, Eugene didn’t ask for anything, just the estate, and then went into politics.

While Leo chose to take over the family’s furniture business, thriving from domestic to overseas markets now.

Grandpa Sterling’s family was rare in the upper class for being so harmonious.