CHAPTER 74: CHAPTER 74: OUTDOING EACH OTHER

Sitting on the bench in the yard.

She bent down, took off her high heels, and rubbed her ankle.

The pearl strap slipped from her round shoulder to her arm.

Before she could pull it up, a long finger, radiating warmth, hooked the strap and moved it back onto her shoulder.

Sophia was startled and dodged to the side, instinctively covering her neckline.

She looked closely, the man in front of her was tall and lean, dressed in black, blending into the night.

Her gaze moved slowly from the man’s strong thigh up to his cheek.

He smiled slightly, took off his coat, draped it over her, and then sat down beside her.

The two sat close, she could feel him intentionally or unintentionally leaning towards her.

"Why are you here too?" Sophia was pleasantly surprised, yet somewhat caught off guard.

"Afraid you might get drunk and get in the wrong car."

Zane reached out and moved the hair on her shoulder to her back.

She tightened the coat around herself, feeling the residual warmth inside, her face heated up and her lips curled slightly.

Ethan’s words seemed blessed.

Just a phone call from her, and this man would come running.

She always thought this man just needed to marry someone and bring her home. With his usual aloof demeanor, he didn’t seem like the romantic or wife-doting type.

But it seemed like he’d changed after getting the certificate.

Zane tilted his head to look at her, his gaze on her flushed cheeks, "Going home?"

"Don’t you need to go to the hospital?"

"Out of danger now, hired a caregiver."

"Oh." She nodded slightly.

"So, going home?"

"Mm."

Zane leaned over and scooped Sophia into his arms, hooking her high heels with his fingertips at the same time.

Sophia instinctively tightened her arms around his neck, turned her head, and hid her face in the crook of his neck.

She greedily inhaled the man’s scent, the familiar and comforting smell.

It seemed she’d gotten used to him carrying her like this.

He walked out the back door, where there were fewer people.

"Ethan is still at the party."

She suddenly remembered there was another person.

"Already called a driver for him," Zane replied.

——

Back at the villa, he directly carried her to the bathroom.

"You go ahead and wash, I’ll..."

Sophia struggled to leave, but he pulled her back, "Sophia, water bills are expensive..."

She was barefoot, standing on his feet, the hot water soaking their clothes.

"Undo it..."

He paused, his voice hoarse as if rubbed by sand.

*

He held her tightly and soon fell asleep.

Sophia gazed at the man inches away, touched the stubble he hadn’t shaved in two days, and frowned slightly.

She chuckled softly, reached out to trace his lips, and carefully observed the man before her.

He slowly opened his eyes, full of depth.

Sophia was momentarily stunned, thinking he was asleep with his steady breaths. How did he pretend so convincingly?

Zane, imitating her, used his fingertip to brush her lips, responding gently.

When it ended, Sophia lay on top of him, listening weakly to his rapid heartbeat.

He tucked her hair behind her ear, and a warm kiss fell on her forehead, gently patting her shoulder.

Sophia didn’t bother with him and fell asleep drowsily.

The next morning.

She received a call from the hospital: Sylvia had woken up.

Zane went to the hospital again.

Coincidentally, Aunt Sutton came back from her vacation.

Sophia asked the aunt to prepare pork rib porridge and some appetizing side dishes.

She also had a meal packed and drove to the hospital.

Following the VIP ward number Zane had given her last night, she found it quickly.

"Sterling, you scared me to death..."

Sylvia grabbed Zane’s hand and cried nonstop.

Zane frowned, subtly pulling his hand back.

"Good thing you were here, otherwise I wouldn’t know what to do..."

"Just woke up, don’t cry, rest well."

He moved aside to call Ethan.

Sylvia watched his back, broad shoulders, narrow waist, the veins popping on his wrist in his pocket, impossibly sexy.

She smiled slightly, recalling the night she saw Melora Vance’s message.

Hearing Melora was on a business trip abroad, she immediately found an empty place and fainted right there.

The bystander called the emergency contact.

The first call went to Melora, who was on a plane, and didn’t pick up.

The second went to Miles Lockwood, who was out of town, then they called Zane.

Her heart had surgery years ago, prone to occasional minor issues, so they weren’t too surprised.

Standing at the door, Sophia pursed her lips, forcing a smile as she walked in.

"Tired from crying, have some porridge."

Drink some porridge then cry slowly, huh!

Sophia somewhat doubted the authenticity of her fainting but couldn’t completely deny her because of her domineering nature.

So the courtesies that needed to be given were still given.

As soon as she walked in, Zane turned around, looking at her with joy in his eyes.

She glanced at his expression and then quickly looked away.

"Sister Sophia, you’re here..."

Sylvia looked at her pitifully, without a trace of the venomous gaze from when she’d told her to move out of the apartment.

"Why the big fuss over crying, do you think you’re still a child who gets candy when crying?"

Sophia cast her a doting look, her face seemingly saying: Don’t pretend, I’m not blind.

Zane chuckled, catching the barbed undertone in her voice.

Much like when he’d asked if she wanted to be Mrs. Sterling, and her fiery temper flared.

He went over to help adjust the bed stand with her.

The two of them took out the food from the thermal container together.

"Sister Sophia, I got so scared, I’m sorry, did I disrupt you that night...?"

Who knew from where she got the courage to ask such a question.

Obviously, she did it on purpose.

That night, when Zane hurried over, the clear hickeys on his neck drove her crazy!

Every breath felt like bleeding!

But she was secretly pleased too.

As it prevented Zane from attending Tim Sawyer’s birthday party and clearly messed up their plans.

Zane’s face darkened, suppressing his anger.

But Sophia wasn’t so easily trapped by her words.

Righteously, she leaned towards Sylvia’s ear, quietly saying in a voice all three of them could hear:

"Good sister, stop talking, your brother is very strong. I was so tired that night, thank goodness he came to accompany you, otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to get up the next day."

Her sweet voice washed into her ear like a spring breeze.

After Sophia finished speaking, her face flushed as she calmly continued to hand her a spoon.

Sylvia’s face, just regaining some color, immediately paled.

She didn’t expect that the seemingly meek Sophia would be so bold at heart!

Next to them, Zane tugged his tie, unbuttoned a button, his Adam’s apple moving intensely.

Oh my, each one more capable than the last...

When asked about last night, whether he was good or not, she stubbornly stayed silent, biting her lip.

Now, in front of outsiders, she was praising him endlessly...

That made him suddenly, want to...