CHAPTER 14: CHAPTER 14: BLACKLIST

Go in? If I go in, I’ll really be the granddaughter-in-law!

Won’t all those nosy aunts inside stare me to death?

But I can’t just run from the mess I’ve made. If Zane gives me a hard time at work, that’d be even more of a loss.

"I—I’ll do as you say..." Brave as I am, my hands actually started to shake.

"Do as I say?" Zane sounded a bit incredulous. Was the proud Ms. Lowell actually backing down?

"Yeah, I’ll listen to you..."

"Come with me."

His gaze was sharp and heavy, landing on Sophia like a weight.

"!!" Sophia forced a smile, about to agree, but she couldn’t help asking, "Isn’t there a better way?"

"You could just say nothing, get in your car, and leave," Zane said, turning away without looking at her.

"If I leave like that, won’t you get your head bitten off?" She met his deep, oppressive gaze head-on.

"That’s none of your business."

His jaw clenched, eyes sharp and angular.

"..." Sophia gulped, looking guilty. Those piercing eyes made her want to shrink back. "I’m really sorry..."

Zane let out an almost imperceptible sigh, then turned and walked over to Grandpa Sterling, helped him into the car, and drove in without looking back at her.

Sophia just stood there, wringing her hands together.

"You brat, are you upsetting her?!" Grandpa Sterling grumbled from the front passenger seat.

"Finally found such a pretty granddaughter-in-law—can’t you just open your mouth and talk? What, is your mouth made of stone?"

Zane stayed silent the whole way, face dark, letting Grandpa yell as much as he wanted.

"Look at you, how old are you already? Still saving yourself for that ex who wasn’t even official? Has she come crawling back?"

"When are you going to quit that stubborn streak of yours?"

"Grandpa, I don’t like her." Zane suddenly blurted, eyes a little unfocused.

"Don’t like her? Who are you trying to fool? You don’t like her but you two chatted forever? You don’t like her but you sewed the buttons on her torn clothes?

And aren’t you a clean freak? Why’d you throw that hundred-thousand-yuan coat over her shoulders and not over mine?"

...

The car rolled to a stop in the parking lot next to the castle. Zane figured that rebel Sophia would turn right around and leave, but to his surprise, she followed him in.

The two locked eyes, not saying a word. Grandpa Sterling saw this and hurried away.

The weight of his gaze landed on Sophia again. Under his rimless glasses, deep eyes flashed with a glimmer, but it vanished just as quickly.

Who would believe that beneath that suit and gentlemanly facade, he was so cold and distant?

"Do you know what coming inside means?" Zane didn’t move, but Sophia, standing by the car, already felt the pressure in the air.

She shook her head, took two steps back, and ended up with her back against the door.

"Step inside with me, and you’re not getting out. Just the two of us tonight, one bed, and tomorrow—marriage registration."

Sophia tried to play it cool: "Heh, well, I’m already here..."

But she couldn’t finish the sentence.

Zane went quiet for a few seconds, his eyes on her growing darker and heavier.

He swallowed, then nodded slightly.

"So ’I’m already here’—does that mean you’re considering actually being Mrs. Sterling?"

"Today I can pretend, at least you won’t look so bad." Sophia didn’t dare meet his eyes.

"So I should thank you for that?" Zane had this look of utter exasperation, as if she was going to drive him insane.

Felt like she was keeping him hanging—and yet there was nothing he could do about it.

"Sophia, if you haven’t really thought this through, I think you should just go home. I’m not going to push, and I’m not into playing games either." He spoke calmly, but there was steel in his words.

Sophia was only trying to be nice, but seeing how he wouldn’t appreciate it, she gripped her car keys tighter. "Sorry for the trouble."

She finished, then got in the car without hesitating, flooring it as she shot back out of the estate.

Zane stayed where he was, watching her car disappear in a cloud of exhaust, his expression unreadable.

"Serves you right if you get chewed out tonight!" Sophia fumed, clenching the steering wheel angrily.

She pulled over by the side of the road, unable to stand the thought of him getting yelled at. After all, she was the one who stirred up the mess. Sighing, she took out her phone and messaged Grandpa Sterling.

[Sorry, Grandpa, something urgent came up. I’ll visit another day. Just give the finished clothes to Zane. [Transferred ¥20,000]]

To her surprise, the money was sent right back.

[Granddaughter-in-law, don’t be so formal! Zane already told me, said you had to leave for something urgent and you’ll come back to see me next time! I won’t accept payment for the clothes—I’m sure you’ll make him more in the future anyway.]

Wait, did he just admit their relationship in front of his family?

Sophia pressed her forehead, Zane’s words echoing in her mind: ’Wanna try being Mrs. Sterling?’

She laughed under her breath. These days, who still thinks sleeping together means you have to be tied down for life? Especially in a family like his.

She opened Zane’s WhatsApp.

[Transferred ¥20,000, note: For the shirt.]

Right after she sent it, a big red exclamation mark popped up!

Seriously? He actually blocked her...

He was really going to make her blow a fuse! Traditional, hopeless straight man!

Her dainty fingers tapped at her phone screen a few times and deleted him.

Sophia locked the screen. Well, so much for that ambiguous relationship. Done.

She bit her lip, drove downtown, grabbed something to eat at random, then headed back to her apartment.

The living room was stacked with already packed suitcases. She’d been looking for a new place for days and couldn’t find anything suitable—so they just sat there, making her anxious every time she looked.

——

Early the next morning, she headed out carrying a plain gift bag, head down, playing with her phone as she followed people into the elevator.

The moment she got inside, she caught a familiar scent—she knew exactly whose it was. Sure enough, Ethan Sinclair was standing right beside her.

She didn’t dare look, just backed into another corner, keeping as far from him as possible, but she could feel those sharp eyes glancing her way.

The elevator kept filling up, getting more and more crowded, with all sorts of strange smells wafting over.

Sophia covered her mouth, turned away, and couldn’t help dry heaving a couple times toward the wall. Once the elevator doors opened and people started to disperse, she finally started to feel okay again.

"Sophia, you alright? Haven’t seen you eat much lately," Lily Ellison came up, looking at Sophia’s pale face.

"Just trying to find a new place to live. Looked at several, none feel right." She set the gift bag down.

"Hey, single again! Want me to introduce you to some handsome guys?" Lily said, full of playful mischief.

Sophia frowned at her.

"If I wanted a boyfriend, would I need you to set me up? The line of guys chasing me could stretch all the way to Morence."

"Yeah, yeah! Our future famous fashion designer—never short on men."

"Hm? Ms. Lowell wants to date now?"

And wouldn’t you know, Wyatt Nash happened to overhear as he walked by.

The three of them laughed awkwardly together.