CHAPTER 84: CHAPTER 84: ONLY WIDOWHOOD, NEVER DIVORCE

The distance from the bar to the villa wasn’t far.

Sophia Lowell quickly pressed his hand down.

She felt the cold belt and the burning heat of his hand.

"Zane, control yourself!"

Her voice was very faint, afraid that Butler Langley in the front might hear.

Zane Sterling never listened to those kinds of things.

He held onto her waist, pulling her closer.

Sophia Lowell, blushing, used all her strength to push away this hungry wolf in front of her.

He must have been starving for decades.

"Cool down..."

She shrank to the other side of the back seat, tightly clutching the door handle.

She didn’t want it to be like last time.

Butler Langley parked the car and fled.

The next day, the car was taken in for maintenance...

It was too embarrassing.

"Heh heh..."

He showed a rare smile, like a big kid.

This little woman was actually scared like this.

But he didn’t continue, quietly tidying himself up.

The relationship between this little woman and himself had just started to improve; he couldn’t scare her off with his constant urges.

Sophia Lowell looked at him, feeling a bit incredulous.

This big ice chunk rarely smiles audibly.

Seeing Zane stop acting, she quickly changed the subject.

"Mom is asking if we’re going home for the New Year this year."

He hesitated for a moment.

The smile on his face slowly faded, but there was now a somewhat relaxed vibe.

"Yes."

Sophia Lowell let out an "oh," wondering what to ask but didn’t dare to.

Zoe Walsh said that Zane hadn’t been home for New Year for three years.

After the injury, and since Tim Sawyer broke up with him, he hasn’t been home for the New Year.

His elusive gaze turned to Sophia Lowell, and he slowly reached out to her.

"Come here."

Sophia Lowell paused, not daring to go over.

But she still cautiously scooted towards him.

Seeing her so careful, Zane leaned over to her.

He reached out and held her hand.

He didn’t say anything, but holding her hand seemed to make everything fall into place.

She always gave off a reassuring feeling.

Back at the villa.

Sophia Lowell recalled going to the small courtyard this afternoon and felt a bit guilty.

"I think I messed up today."

Zane grinned and walked into the kitchen.

"Saw Dad, didn’t you?"

"Huh? You already knew?"

He did not answer directly but asked, "Hungry? Want some noodles?"

"Sure."

She wasn’t hungry; Sean Farrell had sent over a lot of snacks in the private booth.

Seeing him eating alone wasn’t quite right, so she joined him.

She followed him, unsure if she should help, so she just sat and watched.

"Will Dad be mad?"

"No, they really like you."

"But I think today I kind of..." She pursed her lips.

Today seemed to have left no good image at all.

What daughter-in-law starts off by scolding the in-laws before they’ve even formally met?

"They’re easy to get along with. Don’t worry too much; as long as you handle me well, they won’t mind anything you do."

She chuckled, "oh-ing" in response.

Thinking to herself, does such a grown man really need to be managed?

Zane rolled up his sleeves, revealing his well-defined veins.

Started the fire to fry an egg.

"I’m supposed to have a few days off next week, but I might be busy for a bit."

Sophia Lowell leaned on the marble table, watching his back.

"Need help?"

Zane froze for a moment and glanced back at her.

He recalled when she rushed backstage at the S Republic Fashion Week, and he was stopped outside.

He knew she wasn’t simple.

"If you can." He smiled with pursed lips.

He was very much looking forward to seeing what else this little woman was capable of.

Noodles with eggs were quickly done.

They sat facing each other.

She had had some wine, felt a bit dazed while eating the noodles.

Propped her head with one hand, picked up chopsticks with another to taste.

"You cook quite well."

"Well, thanks to you."

"Why?"

He chuckled, "Your cooking was so bad back then, I had to learn."

"..." If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say it.

Sophia Lowell took a bite of the fried egg, "but you liked me back then too, didn’t you?"

Zane was stunned; she figured it out?

"I don’t recall poisoning you, so why did you like me? Because my cooking was so bad no one else wanted me?"

"It’s because you said, ’As long as we live, nothing else matters.’"

He recalled when he was young.

It was Zoe Walsh who took him out to lift his spirits.

Sophia Lowell tried to recall.

She couldn’t remember what she told him back then.

But Zane remembered clearly.

Back then, she was lively and cheerful.

Using scissors to make clothes in the yard, wearing clothes she’d made herself, and acting out scenes from TV shows.

She would occasionally knock on Zane’s door for opinions.

But he said nothing, quietly observing her instead.

Sometimes Sophia would get mad.

Especially after a quarrel with Henry Quinn, she’d drink some wine and lean outside Zane’s door.

In the middle of the night, she’d chat to herself at Zane’s door, complaining.

When upset, foul language would spill out naturally.

The next day, she’d be as good as new.

She’d said, as long as we live, nothing else matters.

That sentence made him open the door he’d kept shut for so long.

He wanted to live again.

When he left, he didn’t see her; she’d already arranged to go to the God Temple with Henry Quinn for prayers.

"So you’d better take care of yourself."

Sophia chuckled softly, lowering her head to continue eating noodles.

Zane looked up at her.

Ethan Sinclair must’ve been forced by her.

This little woman was smarter than he’d expected.

Vrr--

Her phone rang, and it was Hugh Irving calling.

[Hello...!!...Really?.. Answer it!...]

She put down her chopsticks, turned off the screen, and set the phone down.

Her eyes were full of joy as she continued eating the noodles heartily.

The design by the clumsy egg was selected by the government; generally, military uniforms have strict requirements.

This time they publicly solicited designs, and being selected was unexpected.

Zane watched her beam with joy, not asking.

Not knowing what could make her so happy.

"Heard from the HR department today that Tim Sawyer resigned," Sophia suddenly said.

"Mhm."

He had no visible reaction on his face.

Tim Sawyer worked his way up from a subsidiary to the manager at the main office because of Zane.

And now he resigned.

Most likely because of Zane’s situation.

"How’s his father, Nancy Sawyer, with our family?"

"So-so."

"Oh." she responded with deep meaning.

She thought of Autumn Lowell.

Perhaps this was for the best.

Everyone has their own lives, without interference or disturbance.

"You said as long as I’m unwilling, you’ll cling to me for life, so stop overthinking unnecessary things," Zane finished his last bite of noodles, "with me, there’s only widowhood, never divorce."

"..."

Sophia was stunned for a moment; did he misunderstand?

Zane: "Did you hear me?!"

Sophia: "I heard you."

That last sentence was so domineering, it gave her quite a scare.