CHAPTER 167: CHAPTER 167: SHE WON’T BE SMILING FOR LONG

Everyone tactfully didn’t linger, and left once the discussion was more or less over.

Zane Sterling was the last one to leave.

"No problem." Zane smiled.

Ethan Sinclair chuckled.

He had thought Hugh Irving left decisively, so he didn’t return to the room. Had he known she was lying inside, he would have closed the door and had his fun with her long ago.

Since he couldn’t have the person, he had to at least fill his stomach.

Anyway, everyone seemed pretty hungry, so he couldn’t wrong himself.

Zane picked up the documents on the table and returned to his room.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw Sophia Lowell trying on a dress in front of a full-length mirror.

Sophia was startled and instinctively covered her chest.

"Why did you come back so quickly?"

She thought the shareholders’ meeting would at least take another half hour, but it ended sooner than expected.

"Yeah, thanks to your friend." Zane put down the documents, staring at her, and walked towards her.

"Hugh Irving?"

Sophia tried to say something, but then thought of something and said nothing more.

She quickly understood.

Zane stood behind her and zipped up her dress.

Looking from top to bottom, he could vaguely see the marks he had left on her earlier.

Sophia looked at him in the mirror, noticing the smile on his lips, unsure what he was smiling about.

Her dress today had an off-the-shoulder style with sleeves hanging on her arms, an A-line skirt.

The base color was light orange, with an outer layer of white lace with a flowing cut that accentuated her gentle figure, expertly highlighting her curves.

Zane froze for a couple of seconds.

He had seen this design in Sophia’s sketchbook that day.

"Professor Fumble?" He tilted his head to look at her.

Sophia chuckled and turned around, "You just realized?"

Zane’s smile grew wider.

"You’re Professor Fumble?"

"Yes, I wanted to tell you many times, but you never gave me a chance, so I simply stopped trying."

Sophia pinched his cheek.

Zane pulled her tightly into his arms.

He never cared what her identity was, he just needed to know she was his woman.

As long as it was her, that was enough.

Now he realized she had such a significant hidden identity.

It was her who signed with Spectra Apparel Inc., her collaborating with the government, her as the major shareholder of SY Studio, her as another student of Professor Carter...

It was indeed surprising.

He should have realized it sooner.

Ever since he added her alternate account, he had vaguely suspected something, but then his mind never really went in that direction.

"Baby..." he murmured in her ear, "It’s a wrong to you to marry down to me."

Sophia smiled, wrapping her arms around him, "Husband, you have to love me a little more then."

"I’ll pamper you properly when I get back tonight." He buried his head in her neck affectionately.

"Alright, I want to see how you plan on pampering me." She grinned, a blush spreading across her cheeks.

Zane slightly loosened his grip, tracing her lips with his finger.

"However you want me to pamper you tonight, it’s all up to you."

Looking at her bright red lips, he recalled how just moments ago they had driven him crazy.

With just a gentle kiss, he felt like his soul was taken away.

Sophia pushed him away without a word, her earlobes turning crimson.

No matter what happens in bed usually, whatever was said or done, it seemed to naturally be what felt right in the moment, as if it was meant to be.

Remembering it afterward was somewhat of an embarrassment.

Seeing her shy, Zane didn’t tease her but instead pressed her against the vanity to comb her hair.

Sophia thoroughly enjoyed being pampered like this by him.

He skillfully held the comb, tending to the woman he cherished.

Today he styled her hair gently, taking a few strands and pinning them at the back while letting the remaining strands fall over her beautiful shoulders.

Then he helped her put on long dangling Australian white pearls.

The necklace around her neck matched the same style of pearls.

"The pearls grandpa gave you suit you perfectly." Zane praised as he stroked her hair, looking at the woman in the mirror.

"Do these pearls have a special meaning? He took them out from an antique box when he gave them to me." Sophia touched the necklace around her neck.

"Yes, they were left by grandma, her favorite jewelry, originally intended for my mom, but grandpa decided to give them to you right away."

"Ah? Then..." Sophia felt a bit guilty.

They should have been passed down to the daughter-in-law.

Zane sensed her thoughts and patted her shoulder, saying, "It’s all the same; eventually they’ll end up in your hands, it’s just a matter of time."

She pursed her lips.

"Besides, mom has already gotten what she wanted most." Zane smiled.

"What’s that?"

"A daughter-in-law!"

Zane lovingly massaged her shoulders.

Sophia laughed.

----

The celebration banquet was about to start soon.

Zane and Ethan were already backstage, while Sophia and Hugh sat in a corner of the sofa, eating aimlessly.

"Where’s Nathan?" Sophia asked quietly.

After being taken away by Clay Gable in the afternoon, he hadn’t been seen since, nor did he reply to messages.

"Caught in the heat of passion, who knows." Hugh took a glass of champagne from a server and began to drink.

"And you, with Ethan..." Her words trailed off halfway.

"It’s boring talking about him." Hugh adjusted her dress, "I’m going to the bathroom."

The banquet began with the host’s speech.

Zane, in his suit, long legs striding confidently, stepped onto the stage.

He wore a light blue shirt, a black vest, and trousers, without a coat, his exquisite figure subtly outlined in his outfit.

It was his first time wearing a light blue shirt.

This attire was something Sophia had made for him recently, and she finally got around to making him pants.

She smiled.

The man speaking on stage immediately spotted this woman, a barely noticeable smile creeping across his lips.

Sophia pursed her lips, blowing him a kiss from afar.

Zane’s smile on stage grew even more pronounced.

She didn’t pay attention to what he was saying but was entranced by his aura.

This man exuded an invisible charm just by standing there.

"Hey, are you still not tired of swooning?" Hugh returned, looking a bit unwell.

"What’s wrong with you?" Sophia asked.

"Ran into a few ladies in the bathroom, they kept praising Professor Fumble and putting Beau Morgan on a pedestal, but the dress did look good on her."

"Let them praise, she won’t be laughing later."

"That’s what I thought, otherwise I’d have had to do something about it."

Sophia chuckled quietly.

Just as the words left her mouth, that group of women walked over.

Zane was still speaking on stage, and the women couldn’t take their eyes off him.

"I heard Professor Fumble is here, Manager Morgan, introduce us." One woman impatiently clung to Beau Morgan.

Several women gazed expectantly at the dress she wore.

Tonight’s attire was already striking enough, coupled with her consistently fabricating the illusion of knowing Professor Fumble, she was surrounded by more and more women.

Sophia and Hugh listened quietly on the side.