CHAPTER 157: CHAPTER 157: SORRY, I LOST CONTROL

Sophia finished attending to The Stevens, measured Mrs. Steven’s size, and understood the details of the clothing requirements.

When it finished, it was almost one o’clock, so she asked Nadia to arrange a car to send them to the dining location.

Meanwhile, Zane was still in the tea room looking at documents, and Ethan went out to find Sophia.

"Auntie, hasn’t she come to the studio recently?" Ethan had been coming by for several days without running into her.

Even waiting at her apartment door only showed him her car’s exhaust, and trying to catch a word with her was harder than climbing a mountain.

The studio she went to belonged to Faye Ellison’s team, and without relevant staff credentials, you couldn’t get in; it’s quite strict.

Sophia feared most when he asked this question, "Why don’t you ask her directly?"

"She hasn’t replied to my messages. I’m worried that if I send another message she’ll block me." Ethan looked aggrieved, "I really tried hard to match you two up back then, now it’s your turn to help me out, don’t mess this up for me!"

"..." Sophia had promised Ethan before, to grant him one request.

Yet this, she didn’t know how to intervene.

"You get her to come out, and it’ll be easier." Ethan lowered himself, "Please, Auntie..."

Sophia looked at him, thinking only girls were scheming, she didn’t expect men to be so cunning as well.

"Ariel isn’t like the ordinary women you know; once she makes a decision, there’s no turning back."

"I know." Ethan sighed.

Of course, he knew, otherwise things would’ve progressed after all this time.

Initially, he thought of showing her around his home, to let her feel the vibe, and maybe chat with her, hopefully swaying her a bit.

Unexpectedly, on that night at the racetrack, just as they were about to talk, the matter was finished and he was chased out in the middle of the night, claiming the relationship was over.

Ever since that day, she hasn’t replied to Ethan’s messages.

Seeing her attitude, it felt like he just had a free ride with a duck.

Ethan felt this relationship ended before it even began.

"Not that it’s impossible." Zane leaned against the door edge, holding a file, smiling mischievously at Ethan.

Ethan and Sophia were momentarily stunned.

Does Zane get involved in these kinds of things?

"What, you have an idea?" Ethan smirked, as if he heard something amusing.

Zane’s knowledge of romance was taught by Ethan, and everyone knew how competent he was.

"Well, it’s up to whether you believe me or not." Zane said.

Ethan looked puzzled.

He decided to try anything out of desperation.

"Speak up." Ethan.

Zane took out his phone unhurriedly, and opened a QR code: "Ten thousand."

"..." Ethan frowned, looking at him, "Do you feel okay taking this?"

Sophia stood by, struggling to suppress her laughter.

"President Sinclair, last year you made quite a bit from me." Zane continued pushing his phone forward.

What goes around comes around, heaven spares no one.

Ethan hesitated for a long while, then pulled out his phone and scanned the code, making the payment in installments.

"You’d better come up with a decent idea, or, ah—"

From the yard came Ethan’s heart-wrenching scream.

In the front yard, Eve and Corinne arrived promptly upon hearing the commotion, approaching the scene shyly, secretly observing from the side.

Ethan lay on the ground, punched in the face, with a large swell on his right wrist.

Sophia was holding onto Zane’s waist, pushing him to the side.

"What are you doing!" Sophia bewildered.

Clearly, they were chatting well just moments ago, what made Zane lay hands on him?

Zane smiled, "Tonight Hugh will attend the fashion design forum, find an opportunity to tell her Ethan was beaten by me, she’ll surely come out."

Ethan cupped his face, his distressful sound persisted relentlessly.

"Damn, you really hit hard..."

How did Zane even think of this miserable trick?

"Sorry, couldn’t control it." Zane tugged on his lips, "With Hugh’s nature, the more you chase her, the more she runs, you’ll have to get her to chase you. If she doesn’t turn back, then forget it, there’s no need to chase."

Ethan got up from the ground, his eyes swollen, face full of bruises, wrist displaced and unable to move.

"Then you could’ve hit elsewhere, hitting the face, what is that?"

Sophia sighed with relief but looking at Ethan, it was indeed pitiful, looking at him was painful.

"A surprise attack is most effective, isn’t it?" Zane.

Sophia punched him, "Don’t come up with ideas like this next time, who does that?"

"Getting paid and hitting someone, why not do it?" Zane shook his phone, telling Ethan, "Hey, if it works, next time my advice will be twenty thousand."

"..." Ethan was speechless.

He seemed to have said this line last time too.

That was last October, during the time Sophia got drunk, he gave advice to Zane to take her home, be bold without hesitation.

At this moment, Ethan could only suffer in silence.

Felt Zane was avenging but he had no evidence.

Ethan had swindled so much money from Zane, and Zane now methodically demanded the money back one by one.

Ethan felt humiliated, he acted fiercely back then.

At noon, Ethan didn’t go for lunch; Zane and Sophia accompanied Steven and his wife instead.

And Ethan headed to the hospital.

Zane was also fluent in the neighboring country’s language, seamlessly communicating with Steven.

Initially, Steven was here to design clothing for his wife, unexpectedly had a delightful conversation with Zane, and even discussed a collaboration.

They planned to expand the driverless car business to The neighboring country.

To connect the automotive links between two countries.

This was quite a big project.

Sophia chatted with Mrs. Steven, about clothing, about women’s gossip.

Occasionally, she paid attention to the men’s side.

Zane’s level in business was truly impressive, Sophia’s understanding of him had refreshed to another level.

"Your husband is really handsome, also does business, you two are truly a good match." Mrs. Steven praised, though her gaze was on Steven.

Sophia didn’t refute, instead smiled, "Indeed, lucky to have met him."

"He has his eyes full on you, chatting while looking at you, afraid I might whisk you away." Mrs. Steven joked.

Sophia raised her glass, clinked with Mrs. Steven, and took a sip.

"This man is quite stingy." she said.

"Being stingy means he cares about you."

This meal lasted for two hours.

Finally, they arranged for Steven and his wife to return to the hotel to rest.

Outside The Private Kitchen, Sophia was with a man by her side, calling for a ride service on her phone.

"Don’t pretend, this bit of wine surely won’t get you drunk." Sophia shrugged, lifting the man’s head away.

The first time she experienced him pretending to be drunk was in The Grand Eatery’s basement, that night even gave him a slap.

She remembered vividly.

Though at that time, he wasn’t as bold, just pretended to be drunk, without the urge to kiss whenever he saw Sophia, as it happened later.

Zane smiled softly, the faint wine aroma wafting into her ear, he stood upright, reaching to embrace her thin waist.

"Is asking for some affection not allowed?"

"No, you better behave."

She was now accustomed to Zane’s cheekiness, any time she gave him some sweetness, he could kiss her in public for several minutes.

Especially after a couple of glasses of wine, his courage inflated accordingly.

Her face wasn’t as thick, she couldn’t do such things.

Zane lifted his lips with a smile.