CHAPTER 59: CHAPTER 59: SHE’S RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING

"You think your money is clean?!"

Henry Quinn clenched his teeth, a wild glint in his eyes, like a ravenous beast ready to pounce.

Sophia didn’t want to provoke him, but there was no way to escape.

She could only secretly share her location with Zane.

"You’re still calling him?!" Henry took a step forward and snatched the phone from her hand.

Sophia quickly turned off the screen.

So when Henry looked at the phone, there was no WhatsApp chat or any sign of a call.

"Henry, I’m married to Zane. Give up already—don’t humiliate yourself." She calmly reclaimed her phone, slow and deliberate.

Henry stood there stunned. He didn’t buy it. Instead, he crouched in front of her, looking up with a desperate devotion in his eyes.

"Sophia, wait for me. Once I marry Sienna Lawson, the Lawson Family will hand us the government project. Then Dad will give me the post at the Ministry of Transport. I’ll have money. Sophia, I’ve already signed the agreement, and after the wedding, Sienna won’t interfere with us..."

Sophia let out a soft laugh. Even though she’d braced herself, tears still escaped her eyes.

"You really are, calm on the surface, thunder in your chest—a general among cheaters." She shook her head, sighed, "You’re truly the elite among the unfaithful. Impressive."

Sophia hadn’t thought the two of them would scheme like this.

One willing to scheme, the other willing to take it.

Sienna had bent so low for Henry, even agreeing to these depraved terms.

Henry actually thought Sophia would come back to him.

That she’d love him mind, body, and soul.

"Whether you agree or not, once I’m rich, once Zane gets bored of you..."

"Mr. Quinn, you sure talk big."

In the dim light, the wooden door creaked open.

Eyes boiling like molten lava cut straight across Henry, who was kneeling on the floor.

Henry jolted, scrambling to his feet in fear.

"Honey." Sophia turned her tear-streaked face toward the man.

Henry’s deep, scrutinizing gaze met her fragile, pitiful face.

This woman actually called him ’husband.’

Zane strode over, long legs flexing beneath his tailored pants. "Mr. Quinn, how many teeth do you have left?"

Henry stiffened, swallowing hard.

"No need for jokes, Mr. Sterling. I was just catching up with Sophia."

"Oh?" Zane stood at her side, taking her icy hand in his.

His stare was like an ice pick, heavy, sharp, sending chills down Henry’s spine.

"Sorry to intrude." Henry glanced at Sophia, steeled himself, and walked out of the room.

——

"Are you alright?" Zane lowered his head, the pad of his finger brushing the corner of her almond-shaped eyes.

"Twisted my ankle." She’d barely spoken when Zane crouched down, lifting her foot to examine it.

White heels slipped off to the side, his rough, warm hand cupping her ankle.

A rush of heat surged upward from her foot.

The tingling made her cheeks flush scarlet.

What is this? She actually wanted...

She bit her lip, heart racing wildly.

She tried desperately to hide it, staring out the door, not daring to meet his eyes.

"Did he hurt you?" he asked.

"No, just twisted it by accident."

"Sophia, I don’t want you to be Moira."

"I thought it was over."

Zane chuckled quietly, "Over? He’s marrying into the Lawson Family just to seize power. Who knows what he’ll do when he gets it?"

"You knew all of this? Ah... that hurts..."

She clung to the armrest, knuckles white.

He carefully massaged her ankle, ignoring her question.

Her voice was so sweetly seductive it almost buckled his knees—he wanted nothing more than to throw her down, right now—

"Just a minor dislocation. Nothing serious. Stand up, try to walk." Zane rose, pulling her up by the hand.

Sophia leaned on him, slipped back into her heels, tried a few tentative steps.

Thankfully, the pain had faded.

——

The banquet stretched on until ten that night.

Sophia sat in a chair in the main hall, sipping red wine.

In front of her was the steak Zane had grilled himself at the buffet.

Meanwhile, Zane had been dragged off to a side room by Aurora Rhodes’ mother for a private talk.

"Sophia."

Sophia, tipsy and sleepy, watched as Aurora Rhodes walked up to her.

"Aurora."

"Why are you drinking here alone?"

Sophia pressed her lips together. The look on her face made her contempt obvious, "Waiting for him."

Aurora sat in the seat next to her, eyes resting on the steak plate set with two sets of cutlery. Jealousy burned in her.

"Zane’s talking with Mother about our future."

"Oh." Sophia took another cool sip from her glass.

"You’re very beautiful, Sophia."

"Thank you." Sophia’s indifference drove Aurora near mad.

"I hope you’ll have the sense to back off."

"In what way?" Sophia put down her glass, poured herself more wine—and topped off Aurora’s glass, too.

"How much do you want?"

"How much do you think Zane is worth? A few million? Ten million?"

"..."

Aurora hadn’t expected that behind Sophia’s pretty face, her tongue was poison—a single sentence could knock the air out of you.

She was nothing like the other mistresses-for-hire.

Sophia drained her glass in one gulp, her hot tongue flicking away a drop of wine at her lips.

Aurora couldn’t help finding her bewitching.

If she were a man, maybe she’d be into women like this, too.

"Being with Zane—it was him, kneeling, who begged me."

That one statement left Aurora speechless.

Zane Sterling, the cold untouchable, would ever kneel?

It was true—Sophia remembered him kneeling on the sofa that day, humbled, pleading, asking her if she’d be with him.

"A hundred thousand a month, even two hundred—I can make that myself, easy. However much you have, how long could you keep me?" She paused, sanity holding her tongue. "So Aurora, if you want to win Zane, neither family nor money will do any good. You need something about you he can crave."

Or, you could bring Zane here, have him tell me to my face to leave. If he does, I’ll vanish in a heartbeat. But if he doesn’t—sorry, but in this life, he’s stuck with me."

"And what do you have, exactly, that makes you worth his love?"

Aurora suddenly realized this woman was dangerous—

"..."

Sophia herself wasn’t sure what Zane really liked about her.

They’d barely slept together, and he liked...

"He likes me to call him ’husband’ in bed."

Sophia lounged back, resting her cheek on a hand, all languid seduction.

Even she blushed a little after saying that.

Aurora’s face flamed, and she leapt to her feet.

Deep down, she was a conservative lady—she couldn’t take Sophia’s shameless teasing.

"You really are a whore!"

"I dare not claim the title."

"Why would Zane ever want someone like you?!"

"Can’t help it. It’s just how he likes it." She smirked.

"If it’s money you want, I can introduce you to other rich boys."

"Appreciate it, but rich boys are easy to find. An eighteen-centimeter one? Not so much."

"You’re disgusting..."

She was livid, storming out in a haze of fury.

Thankfully, the hall was empty—otherwise Sophia wouldn’t have dared provoke her like that.

That rotten blossom is finally settled, huh?

She let out a sigh of relief. Finally, no one was bothering her.

She poured herself another glass of wine, swirling it gently.

Forked a piece of steak, sipped her wine.

Blissful.

Unbeknownst to her, Zane, leaning against the doorway, had heard it all.

He let out a wicked smile.

Aurora, fresh from her tantrum, saw Zane standing there, her face flushed to the roots.

"Zane..."

"Hmm."

"You two..."

"Everything she said was true."

"..."