CHAPTER 18: CHAPTER 18: FROM NOW ON, YOU BELONG TO ME

The two sat across from each other, silently eating their food without saying a word.

Late at night, after a day of exhaustion, she finally lay down on the bed.

The next morning, she slept until ten.

Dragging her almost broken body up, fortunately, her face had swollen less, but the pain in her hand was still annoying, even brushing her teeth hurt.

She changed into casual wear and walked out.

Zane Sterling still sat on the sofa in the living room, a pillow on his lap, and a laptop on the pillow, wearing frameless glasses as he handled work.

Beside him was a neatly folded quilt.

Did he sleep here last night?

"Morning." Sophia Lowell.

"Morning."

He looked up, finally giving her a glance but quickly withdrew his gaze.

"Go downstairs for breakfast, then have a checkup, and later we’ll get the certificate," he said, head lowered, busy working.

"...Alright." Sophia tugged at her coat corner and went downstairs.

He’s moving too fast, does he mean marrying him?

Wasn’t it meant to start with being boyfriend and girlfriend?

Sophia’s mind was still buzzing, unsure if there was still time to regret.

"Good morning, Miss Lowell!" Maid.

"Morning."

Breakfast was yam and lean meat congee, quite to her liking.

After breakfast, she wandered on the first floor and only then noticed the villa’s appearance.

The front courtyard was a vintage little garden with some flowers and plants; the rear was like a farm stay yard with pebble paths, a square pavilion, and a semicircle artificial fish pond along the walls, providing a unique style.

She quietly observed, having peculiar thoughts in her mind.

[Climbed 16 flights of stairs, my legs are breaking.] Ethan Sinclair messaged early.

[Did you offend the elevator, and it won’t let you in?]

Sophia recalled how out of breath he looked running in last night.

[Wanted to take the elevator but received your call at the entrance, it was crowded, it just went up, so the boss worried you might be in trouble, decided to take the stairs, couldn’t wait for the elevator.]

They took the stairs?

floors...

At some point, Zane stood beside her, "Let’s go."

She hesitated a moment: "Okay."

——

Today, the former Butler Langley, who had taken leave to return to his hometown, drove. She had seen him once or twice after work.

Ethan sat in the passenger seat handling documents.

This time they changed cars, to one with a partition, and as soon as they got in, the partition rose.

Sophia seemed a bit uneasy, the two sat properly in the back, separated by a boundary.

"If not pregnant..." Sophia said halfway.

"If not pregnant, then next time, don’t worry about it."

Next time...

Oh God, her face turned red again.

"Did you bring the household registration book?" he asked.

"I did."

"Do you have any requests for me?" Zane tilted his head, looking at her.

Sophia looked at him, quickly withdrawing her gaze, "I... I’m not used to it yet..."

"That’s alright, take your time."

——

Arriving at the hospital, she got the pre-arranged order from the nurse’s station, heading straight to the ultrasound room, no need to queue.

Sophia followed him entirely like a puppet, needing to do nothing herself.

Until she lay on the examination bed, Zane stood beside her waiting.

"Could you step outside first?" Sophia asked shyly.

"No need, it will be quick, just take off your pants," the female doctor smiled, presumably she had been informed.

Sophia pulled her clothes tightly, blushing: "Zane, you really should step out..."

"Alright."

It was so embarrassing, having to do a vaginal ultrasound—

Less than two minutes, Sophia emerged.

Zane immediately took her to his aunt’s office.

"Aunt."

Zane walked to her desk, pulling Sophia over, signaling her to sit.

Sophia obediently sat down, "Hello, Aunt."

"Oh!" Aunt smiled, opening files on her computer, "Grandfather’s birthday was a few days ago, heard you came, but didn’t see you upstairs, such a pity. Didn’t expect to meet here!"

"..." She smiled awkwardly.

Does the whole family know they ’argued’?

"Not pregnant, Sophia, you’ve likely not been eating properly," Aunt frowned, "Are you skipping meals again?"

Sophia was stunned, the burden was instantly lifted! Luckily, she wasn’t pregnant!

But indeed, she hadn’t been eating regularly due to Henry Quinn’s issue, sometimes she couldn’t even eat.

"Zane, that’s on you! Last time she was hungry with stomachache, now starving her again!"

Aunt murmured, "Skipped meals make the stomach rebel, send signals; everyone’s constitution varies, gagging is normal, but remember to eat regularly, avoid junk food."

"Aunt’s right, I’ll remember next time."

Zane pat Sophia’s shoulder with both hands.

"You’re here for a gynecological checkup, so I’ll say, take folic acid before conceiving, you’re only twenty-two, no hurry, try for one or two months, then consider having kids." Aunt’s words were open-minded, Sophia dared not listen anymore.

Finally, leaving Aunt’s office, Sophia felt relieved.

"Not eating much recently?" Zane effortlessly picked up her hand.

Sophia did not hide: "Handling personal matters, didn’t have much appetite lately."

She wanted to let go of his hand, but he held on tighter.

"Hmm." Zane didn’t pry further.

Sophia hesitated for a long while, deciding to share the ex-boyfriend matter, gathered courage, stopped at the hospital entrance.

"Zane, Henry Quinn is my ex-boyfriend, you know, the one you met at the hospital yesterday was..."

Zane watched her like a child who made a mistake, he touched her head interrupting:

"It’s past, don’t think of him, I don’t care about your past, doesn’t belong to me, but the future does, and that’s what I care about."

Sophia looked up at him, for a moment she thought Zane looked really handsome.

"Don’t dwell on it, little one, let’s go eat." He smiled slightly, holding her hand, leading towards the street.

He smiled! He actually smiled at her!

Sophia suddenly felt relieved, less tense.

——

He took her to The Grand Eatery.

They sat at the previous window seat, Sophia couldn’t help but ask, "Who was the person dining with you last time?"

"Ex-girlfriend."

"Ah?"

After ordering, Zane looked at her seriously.

"She just returned from abroad, I treated her to a meal, but rest assured, there’s no possibility between us."

"Then, do you recall how you got home that night?" She felt guilty.

"I wasn’t drunk." He maintained his cold tone.

"..." Sophia awkwardly drank water, not daring to look at him.

So he did it deliberately, aware of her hitting him, probably heard the things she cursed him with.

Sigh, could it be more awkward—

"Zane." Sophia

"Speak."

"Just, at the company, could it remain confidential? I’m afraid of affecting your work."

After stammering through, suddenly she felt she was overstepping.

She wasn’t scared of affecting his work, but hers instead.

If the department knew she married the boss, how would she fare in the future?

He was silent for a while, nodding in agreement.

It was apparent he wasn’t very pleased.

"Do you have requests for me?" Sophia quickly changed the topic.

"Just don’t break the law." His response was surprisingly candid.

Steak arrived, Zane didn’t let her do it, he sliced hers first, handing over, letting her eat, before cutting his own piece.

Sophia watched him earnestly while eating.

Actually, being married didn’t seem so unbearable.

During the meal, Sophia explained her family situation, unexpectedly, he didn’t mind, it seemed he thought as long as it was Sophia, nothing else mattered.

This increased Sophia’s affection for him even more.