CHAPTER 8: CHAPTER 8: WHAT, ARE YOU CRAVING MY BODY?

After wrestling with herself all night, Sophia still decided to go directly to Zane.

After all, it concerned the boss’s business, and she didn’t want to fall out with her either, so she thought to leave her some dignity in the company.

Back at the company, she could still overhear the whispers of other colleagues.

She had always been good at ignoring this kind of gossip, sitting at her desk, she called Ethan.

After a long time, he finally picked up.

[Can you ask if Mr. Sterling is available today? I’d like to make an appointment.]

[Just come up directly.]

She could tell, Ethan didn’t even have to think about his answer.

She entered the elevator, Ethan pressed the button upstairs, and she smoothly arrived at the 30th floor.

Sophia didn’t go straight to the CEO’s office but questioned Ethan nearby: "Was the boss there when you took the call just now?"

"What’s with that brain of yours? So clever!"

She sighed; Ethan hadn’t even reported her request and asked her to come up directly. There was only one possibility, their conversation had been overheard by the boss.

She didn’t like this feeling, it was as if after sleeping with him, he had developed an interest in her.

The red thread of fate seemed to have been forcibly placed into her hands by him.

With a flutter in her heart, she knocked on the door of the CEO’s office.

"Come in." Today, he was still in a black suit; she always felt as if he only had one set of clothes, never changing them.

"Is there something you need?" He put down his pen, looking at Sophia earnestly.

Sophia reported the entire situation to Zane in full detail.

After listening, Zane didn’t respond immediately but said, "I’ll handle this matter."

"I need an apology from her, a face-to-face apology, of course, without affecting the company’s interests."

Sophia, though understanding the bigger picture, could be unyielding at times.

Zane gave a slight hum, leaned back in his chair, and said earnestly, "No matter what decision you make about this, it won’t affect the company. Are you sure you don’t want to go public?"

"The Vance Group’s transport department cooperates with Spectra, there’ll be some impact." Sophia just wanted to minimize trouble.

"Worried about me?"

"..." Clearly discussing business, yet being asked like this made her face heat up: "No."

Silence—

"Chloe is also a girl; she must have her reasons for doing this. Let’s not make things too difficult for her."

"As you wish."

Zane’s words seemed like something one would say to a close partner.

Sophia really wished she could slap herself; she shouldn’t have come up to find him.

Soon, Ethan brought Chloe in, with Sophia already sitting on the sofa.

Seeing Sophia, Chloe looked a bit uneasy, "Sterling, did you ask for me?"

That one call of "Sterling" gave Sophia goosebumps all over.

"What did you just call me?"

Zane, who hadn’t lifted his gaze at her, suddenly darkened his eyes, looking up at her.

Chloe thought showing her connections would earn her some leniency from Zane, but she was hit with a dose of cold water.

She hastily changed her address: "Mr. Sterling."

Zane clenched his jaw, continuing to look at the documents.

"It wasn’t me who called you, it was her."

Chloe’s gaze quivered as she looked at Sophia.

Sophia smiled and beckoned to her, greeting her: "Hello! Mr. Vance!"

She admired her own composure, even being able to fake a genuine smile at times like this.

"Sophia, what’s the matter? Can’t you handle this privately and have to disturb Sterling’s peace?!"

Chloe’s tone clearly changed.

She was still gambling, gambling that Sophia was unaware.

Hearing that "Sterling," Zane felt a blockage in his chest, wanting to speak but was cut off by Sophia.

"I would prefer not to disturb Sterling, but if it disturbs the teachers in the design department, I’m afraid you couldn’t handle it."

Sophia pulled out a video from her phone to show her.

Chloe’s face instantly turned pale, her legs shaking, and her little hands clenched tight.

"Hmph, Sterling..." Zane sighed lightly, his thin lips murmured slightly, ignoring the argument.

"You..."

Chloe couldn’t believe how in just one day, this matter was discovered by Sophia!

"Doing something like this, don’t you care about your reputation as a designer? If Sterling hadn’t stopped me, I would’ve flattened you in the design department long ago." Sophia calmly looked at her.

Sitting in his office chair, Zane frowned, his gaze resting on the calm and composed Sophia sitting on the sofa.

"Chloe, apologize and leave." said Zane.

"Sterling!" Chloe pouted, throwing a little tantrum, turning her head to act cute at him.

"Call me Mr. Sterling."

"Why can she call you Sterling, but I can’t?"

"She can’t call me that either." Zane pointed at Sophia, raising his tone.

Sophia said nothing, biting her lip

Feeling aggrieved, but since Zane had spoken, Chloe had no choice but to reluctantly apologize to Sophia.

"I’m sorry, Ms. Lowell, I shouldn’t have slandered you. I won’t do it again."

"Understood." Sophia felt relieved, letting out a sigh of satisfaction.

Zane waved his hand, signaling them to leave, as listening to two women argue gave him a buzzing headache.

Chloe stormed out in a huff.

"Wait a moment." Zane remembered something.

He lifted his gaze and asked tentatively, "When you left that night, did you run into anyone else?"

Sophia’s small hands clenched; it turned out he saw it too. With this manner, he was more nervous than she was.

Chloe cast a cold glance back at Sophia, who stood behind her, "No."

He nodded slightly: "You can go out now and close the door. Sophia, you stay."

Chloe cast one last cold glance at Sophia and left angrily.

Sophia’s heart skipped a beat: "Mr. Sterling, is there anything else?"

"Come here."

She obediently did as told, walking to his desk.

Zane, looking every bit like someone at the top, leaned against his swivel chair, hands casually resting on the armrests.

"Are you convinced I won’t scold you? Hmm?!"

"Mr. Sterling, I don’t understand what you mean." Sophia feigned ignorance.

She knew someone as smart as Zane would definitely figure out her little scheme, but she still wanted to see his reaction.

To see if what he said about ’trying to be Mrs. Sterling’ was real, or just because his conscience couldn’t bear it after they slept together.

"Hmph, now you know to call me Mr. Sterling. Just now you kept calling me Sterling, does it feel smooth now?"

Zane looked at her expression, trying not to laugh, but was helpless to do anything about it.

"I’m sorry, it won’t happen again."

She held back, her eyes darting around, but settled on the collar of his shirt.

She suddenly remembered the shirt she had torn yesterday.

Zane followed her gaze and glanced at his shirt, "What does this mean?"

Upon hearing this, Sophia immediately shook her head.

He suddenly became intrigued, leaning back with an air of laziness as he gazed at her.

"What, craving for my body?" he asked.

"No, it’s not like that..." Her face turned red, "If Mr. Sterling has nothing else, I’ll be leaving now."

Before Zane could say anything, she dashed out and ran away.

He chuckled softly.

Interesting.