CHAPTER 66: CHAPTER 66: OUT DRINKING WITH THE LADIES

Soon, Melora Vance brought Sylvia Coldwell to the private dining room where they were having a meal together.

Everyone hastily made room for her and instructed the waiter to bring extra utensils.

"Sylvia, you came back without a word. We were all free. Why did you go straight to Zane Sterling’s residence?" Miles Lockwood pulled Sylvia’s hand, seating her between Melora Vance and himself.

Zane glanced at her and then turned his gaze away, saying coldly, "There are no spare rooms in my villa this year. You can stay with Melora or Miles."

"Sterling, I’ve always stayed at your place in the past years, I’m used to it. No need to trouble the others." Sylvia looked at Zane with a peculiar gaze that adults could spot instantly, though everyone chose to ignore it.

Besides, since Zane had already gotten married, keeping a distance was appropriate.

He didn’t respond, drank a glass of wine silently, and sent a message to Sophia Lowell.

[Are you angry?]

Sophia didn’t reply.

He stared blankly at his phone.

The men around, seeing this, quickly tried to ease the tension with Sylvia, inviting her to eat.

Tim Sawyer chuckled aside, feeling that things seemed a bit different this year.

"Lockwood, has Sterling kept a mistress?" Her voice wasn’t loud, but everyone in the room heard it.

Tim Sawyer widened her eyes in shock.

What did she just hear?

His eyes were terrifyingly dark, the joints of his fingers gripping the phone turning white.

"Come out with me." Zane’s coldness made her a bit scared.

His gaze was sharp like a sword, chilling like an ice dagger.

Even Tim Sawyer shuddered, still pondering the truth of the mistress comment as Zane had already stepped out.

Melora looked at Sylvia; she was obviously a bit frightened, her delicate face turning pale.

Miles didn’t expect Zane would suddenly get angry either.

When he got mad, even his brothers didn’t dare to speak.

Sylvia cautiously sipped warm water, then followed him out.

Zane walked into an empty private room, with Sylvia trailing behind.

As soon as she stepped inside, Zane shut the door. "What did you tell her?" He stared at her, demanding answers.

"Nothing..."

"Speak!"

"..." Sylvia clutched the edge of her clothes, took a deep breath, "Sterling, you weren’t mean to me before. You promised to take care of me for a lifetime, so how could you bring another woman home? And to keep a mistress at that. If you need a woman, I’m available. I don’t need any status, nothing at all."

"Are you done?" He kept his hands in his pockets, his gaze deep and dark.

"..."

"Sophia is not a mistress. She is the woman I’ve registered marriage with, so you should rightfully call her sister-in-law. I don’t know what made you misunderstand, but I have no feelings for you.

Back then, I considered your health and wanted you to forget those unpleasant things, so I let you stay at my house. Now that your life is back on track, live it well."

"No, Sterling, if you don’t like me, why do you give me so much money every month and have someone to take care of me?" Sylvia stepped closer, attempting to take his hand.

Zane moved aside before she could. "Because of your brother." His bluntness startled Sylvia for a moment.

Back when he was executing a mission, her brother sacrificed himself to save several teammates, leaving her before she graduated.

The comrades in the team took on the responsibility to care for her, fulfilling a dying wish.

Except injured Zane, none had retired yet, so the task naturally fell on him.

"Sophia and I haven’t gone public. I hope you won’t trouble her, otherwise, there’s no need for us to meet again." He gazed at the tearful woman before him, pulling out a tissue to hand her.

"Understood, Sterling." Sylvia received the tissue, quietly shedding tears.

He didn’t linger, walking straight out.

Just as Melora emerged.

"How is it?" Melora asked.

"This girl likes me, you deal with it." Zane pulled the cigarette from his mouth, placing it in his own.

Melora wisely lit it for him and entered the room.

Zane moved to a secluded hallway, took a deep drag, and leisurely exhaled smoke.

He glanced at his phone again; Sophia had replied.

[No.]

For a moment, he didn’t know what to say.

The ash fell from the cigarette, the flame flickered for a moment, then dimmed.

He rarely smoked, but today, for some reason, he suddenly craved a smoke.

——

At T-Bar.

Sophia hadn’t dwelled on this matter.

It would take more than a couple of months to build the kind of understanding they shared.

Besides, the feelings didn’t seem very deep yet, no need to be jealous over such trivialities.

She sat on the sofa, amidst the deafening noise.

Ethan Sinclair and Hugh Irving were whispering to each other.

In just two or three days, they had become inseparable friends, unsurprisingly.

There were a few strangers she didn’t know among the invitees.

One lively second-tier actress, Nina Lynch, who recently starred in a popular period drama.

Her natural beauty and carefree personality made her popular; she wasn’t afraid of paparazzi, focusing on enjoying herself.

Most of her outfits were designed by Hugh, whose fame skyrocketed thanks to her.

"I heard you’re a designer too. Hugh just recommended you to me. There’s a year-end party coming up. Could you design an outfit? She’s busy with a new store, said you’re even better than her." Nina said.

Sophia listened closely.

The bar played loud DJ music, and she shouted to agree.

This was a rare opportunity.

They chatted away, inadvertently spotting familiar figures at a table nearby.

Zane and his group.

Along with Tim Sawyer and Sylvia.

Why was she here too?

Sylvia made the first move, sitting beside Zane as Tim took a seat.

Zane, chatting with Miles, didn’t notice her and sat down with her.

Sophia turned her gaze away.

"I ordered their Peach Blossom Wine here, want to try? They say it’s really good!" Nina pulled Sophia along, pouring half a glass of peach wine without waiting for her response.

"Smells nice." Sophia sniffed, detecting a lingering fragrance from the glass.

The two clinked glasses with giggles, sipping calmly.

The wine was smooth, filled with the flavor of peach blossoms that masked the alcohol.

Sophia couldn’t resist drinking more.

Seeing this, Ethan, having finished chatting with Hugh, grew anxious, hurriedly pressing her glass down.

"Madam, Peach Blossom Wine is fifty-two degrees, drink less, its taste is deceptive."

"Fifty-two degrees? Really? All I taste is peach."

Sophia took another sip, licking her lips.

"Let me tell you, I’m off duty now. If you get drunk, I’m not sending you home. If Mr. Sterling finds out I took you out drinking, he’ll break my legs." Ethan warned.

"Have you been brainwashed by Zane? Your immersion is intense, we’re buddies now." Sophia countered.

Before Ethan could reply, five male models approached their table.

Beside them, Hugh was already getting excited.

"Honestly, better looking than foreign models!" Hugh chimed, Ethan making room allowing her to sit with Sophia.

The male models began dancing for the girls.

The accompanying ladies, loosened by drinks, couldn’t resist touching.

Sophia chuckled quietly, aware of Hugh’s playful side, not expecting her to be so wild.

"Sophia, feel them!" Nina tugged at Sophia’s hand, guiding her to touch the sturdy abs of a model in front of her.

Her delicate hand stroked across those six-pack abs, conjuring an image of Zane’s tanned eight-pack abs.

Sitting at another table, Zane seemed to hear a familiar name and glanced over.

The grip on his wine glass tightened instantly, his back teeth clenched, eyes deepening in shadow.