Chapter 210: Chapter 661-670

“Seeing that you’ve done me such a huge favor, I don’t see how I can turn down the offer, Elliot. It’s so nice of you to put in a good word for me. Shall I buy you lunch as thanks for the recommendation?”

Lorelai asked, sliding the lunch invitation in as naturally as she could.

Elliot wasted no time in rejecting her politely, “No, thank you. I have something else planned for noon.

Maybe next time.”

“Well, when exactly is next time?” She was not going to give up on spending time alone with him.

“It depends,” he answered vaguely. He had no plans on accepting her gratitude. “I’ll let you know when I have the time.”

“Really? I’ll hold you to that,” she said cheerily, flirting subtly as she backed off. She knew that pressing him further would only irritate him, or worse, make him suspicious of her. Nevertheless, she did not leave the office after that and merely fanned herself so that the faint fragrance of her perfume would waft over in his direction. “By the way, I’m a little parched from rushing over here. Could I have a cup of tea, please?”

Realizing this, he turned to address Rey, “Go fetch two cups of tea.”

When the assistant left the office, Lorelai rose from the couch and walked insouciantly over to the glass wall, basking herself in the afternoon sunlight that spilled generously into the office. She knew her years of toning her figure in the gym had rendered her completely irresistible to men, especially her cinched waist and her subtle curves which inspired most of their scandalous thoughts.

If Elliot was looking at her, or even daring a glimpse, it would be more than enough for her.

However, when she glanced into the reflection on the sparkling glass wall, she saw that he wasn’t even looking in her direction. In fact, he had his head down as he flipped through work documents.

The only thing that she saw on that glass was her own disappointment. She spun and returned to the couch, then picked up her cup of tea. Taking a sip, she asked, “I’m not bothering you, am I, Elliot?”

“No,” he replied distractedly as he glanced up at her, then signed the document with a flourish. “I’ll be taking my tea in a bit.”

He was just about to reach for his cup when his phone rang. He took a look at the caller ID and smiled warmly. Knowing immediately who was on the other line, Lorelai pointed out hastily, “Is that Anastasia?

Don’t let her know I’m here; I don’t want her getting the wrong idea.”

Elliot chuckled. “Anastasia is better than that.” Naturally, he did not plan on telling his wife about Lorelai’s visit either. He picked up his phone and greeted in a voice like velvet, “Hey, sweetheart.”

“So, I just had an informal meeting with Larry, and I told him to get an office ready for me. Guess we’ll be going to work together from now on, honey.”

His eyes positively glimmered when he heard this, and he chortled as he said, “You know what, I’ll get him to set up an office right on my floor so that we can see each other all the time!”

Unfortunately, his suggestion was rejected by his wife, who countered, “No, I don’t want to be on the same stuffy floor as you. I want to have my own space on the same floor as Bourgeois.”

He was admittedly hurt, but he brushed it off and gave an exasperated laugh, “Alright, we’ll do it your way.”

Across from him, Lorelai held her teacup to her lips and glanced at the man who was standing by the glass wall. She took in the sharp lines of his silhouette longingly, and her heart twisted with bitter jealousy when she heard the gentle way he spoke to Anastasia.

She had not seen him for close to a dozen years, but his figure was imprinted in the back of her mind, and she never forgot him even though her father had forced her to stay abroad for years. If it weren’t for her father, she would have returned to Elliot’s side years ago.

Alas, fate had a cruel sense of humor, for her existence got in the way of her father stealing the Presgrave family fortune. She never even got the chance to tell Elliot of her feelings for him, and all this while, she remembered him as the boy-next-door who had sent her heart racing since they were children.

She could still remember how they used to run around the Presgrave Residence gardens together, and how he would take her hand to help her to her feet whenever she fell; he would comfort her when she cried, and stand up for her when she broke a vase or two. He was the only religion she ever knew as a child, the one person she wanted to devote herself to on a daily basis.

But the universe clearly hated her, because by the time she saw him again after all her years abroad, he was already married with a kid, and he had become devastatingly handsome, more so than she remembered.

“Yes, I promise I’ll take a break when I need to and that I won’t be a workaholic,” Elliot murmured into the phone with a lovesick grin on his face. He then went on to ask about her morning, and after reminding her to keep warm during her time of the month as well as exchanging sweet nonsense with her, he hung up reluctantly. He turned around, and he seemed surprised to see that Lorelai was still there. Following, he walked over to the couch and took his seat.

“So, it was Anastasia after all. You’re so lucky to have found a wife like her. She’s wonderful,” Lorelai praised with a smile.

There was a bright gleam in Elliot’s eyes as well as he said, “She’s the best. I’m telling you, I don’t know what I did to deserve someone like her.”

The childhood memories flitted through Lorelai’s mind like scenes from some old movie, emboldening her. Hence, she couldn’t help bringing them up as she asked, “Elliot, do you still remember the time when I broke the vase in your family home? I think I was about eight at the time, and I was so scared I couldn’t stop shaking. You were the one who took the blame for me, and I managed to get off without punishment!”

Elliot was a little taken aback by this as he asked, “I did that? Huh. I totally forgot about it.”

Her lips curled up in a smile. “Well, I still remember, because those are the happiest moments of my childhood. They say that a happy childhood is a soothing balm to the pains of growing up, you know.

So, I guess I should thank you for giving me some of the best childhood memories.” She looked up at him after finishing her sentence and her gaze lingered on the features that she so adored.

Hearing what she said, Elliot gave her a perfunctory smile. “Did you have a good time abroad?”

“I suppose I did, though I was a little lonely,” she admitted with a sigh.

“If I ever come across someone suitable, I’d be sure to send them your way.”

She feigned embarrassment as she mumbled, “You don’t even know my type.”

“Oh, that’s right,” he said. “Come on, tell me.” He wanted to know what he should look out for if he wanted to set her up with someone.

She narrowed her eyes as if in thought. A sweet smile broke over her face as she gazed at him and said, “I’m not asking for much. I want someone as handsome and capable as you.”

Elliot’s instincts were sharp to begin with, and he could sense that the admiration she had for him was beyond platonic the moment he saw the smoldering gleam in her eyes. If he were any other man, he might find her love for him a triumph, something to gloat about to his peers. But he was not such a man, and her unsolicited affections only served to push him away.

He eyed her sullenly as he said, “Lorelai, I do not wish to hear such things again. Anastasia is the only woman for me, and nothing will ever change.”

He ended his sentence calmly, but there was no hiding the dangerous warning that belied his words.

At once, Lorelai bristled and quickly explained, “I think you’re getting the wrong idea here, Elliot. I’m not trying to come between you and your wife.”

“You’re like a baby sister to me; always have been, always will be,” he continued while his gaze darkened. At some point, it was like staring into the icy depths of some pitch-black abyss.

A chill ran down her spine when she heard this. More than anything, she was surprised to be rejected by him. “I’m sorry if I cracked a joke and it went too far, Elliot. I guess I thought it was okay for me to say something like that because of how much we used to hang out as children,” she apologized lamely, attempting to salvage the situation.

However, Elliot did not bother letting her continue with her explanation, be it true or false. “I have a meeting to get to, so you should go.”

With that, he picked up the documents he had signed earlier and walked back to his desk.

Lorelai, on the other hand, rose in a daze and said slowly, “I’ll get going now then. Goodbye, Elliot.”

When she was out of the office, she clutched the front of her shirt and stared into space helplessly. She never imagined him to be so loyal to his marriage, much less so protective over his wife.

This could become a hurdle to her father’s plans, but she figured this hiccup was only due to the fact that Elliot was newly married. At some point, he would grow weary of Anastasia and begin to resent her for chaining him to a miserable marriage. If Kendra’s advice was anything to go by, he would start feeling that way around the time Anastasia fell pregnant again, and that would be Lorelai’s window of opportunity.

Meanwhile, a fleet of cars was passing through the fields in the countryside, cruising down the road that led into the woods in the distance. Sophia was in the backseat of the second car in the fleet, and after taking a short nap, she woke up only to find that she was surrounded by acres and acres of farmland. As such, she rested her arms on the edge of the car window and peered out of the glass at the idyllic scenery.

Arthur was going to evaluate a place that was famed for its serenity, and he had brought along with him a renowned medium.

It was around noon when they arrived at a restaurant that looked heavily outback-inspired. The four cars of the fleet pulled into the parking lot after Arthur decided that they were going to have to settle for lunch here. They had driven close to fifty miles out of the city, and as things were, it was impossible for them to find a decent restaurant in that area, much less high-end dining establishments.

When the second car rolled to a stop, Sophia happily got down from the vehicle. She was just about to stretch to loosen her joints when suddenly, a large and aggressive dog came rushing out of the doghouse on the premises and began barking ferociously at them.

Being the closest one to the dog, Sophia visibly blanched, and fear made her seek out the person most likely to protect her. Without a word, she instinctively latched herself onto said person and clung to him for dear life.

Just like that, the young, handsome, and muscular bodyguard became Sophia’s shield. She clung to him like an octopus as she yowled, “Ahhh! Save me!”

Her bodyguard carried her into his arms while kicking the dog in the snout as the animal reached her.

The pain sent it running back to its den and hiding from them.

Getting out of the first car, Arthur narrowed his eyes at the sight. As someone well-attuned with his surroundings, the bodyguard soon noticed Arthur and hurriedly lowered Sophia down. “It’s over now, Miss Goodwin. ”

“Thank you, sir.” She grinned at him with gratitude evident in her eyes.

“You’re welcome,” he stiffly replied, looking down at his feet in fear.

She shyly glanced at the bodyguard’s face. She had noticed this man for a while now. He was the youngest of Arthur’s men, and despite being of a mixed-race descent, he spoke fluent English.

Whenever he was at work with an earpiece on, he looked so very handsome.

When Arthur saw the admiring look in her eyes, he tuned out the fortune teller standing beside him.

Did Sophia have a crush on his bodyguard?

Stepping out of the third car, Emily elegantly sashayed over to Arthur. “Are we having lunch here, Artie?”

It was obvious from her tone that she did not want to dine here since this place was below her station.

Furthermore, the ground was so filthy that just standing there had sullied her exquisite shoes.

“I’m so sorry about that. Did it hurt you?” The friendly owner of the shop came rushing over to welcome them. “Are you dining here?”

“Oh, yes!” Sophia answered with a smile.

When she later saw the bodyguards dining outside while Arthur and the others headed into a private room, she said to him, “I’ll be dining outside, Mr. Weiss.”

She wanted to dine with the handsome bodyguard, after all.

“We will dine together,” Arthur replied.

“Artie, she’s just a servant,” Emily protested. “Let her dine outside with the bodyguards!”

“Miss Jennings is right,” Sophia said in agreement. “I’ll take my leave now.”

She then walked over to the table with the handsome bodyguard and sat down by his side.

Emily linked her arm through Arthur’s and led him into the private dining room. As the place was not busy, their food had arrived quickly. Sophia’s head spun when she saw just how fast and quietly the men ate. In around ten minutes, everyone was done eating.

“Take your time, Miss Goodwin,” said the bodyguard sitting beside her.

“Are you guys done?”

“We’re all done eating,” he replied before heading outside with the rest of his coworkers to keep guard.

With a resigned sigh, she pulled out her phone and began eating while scrolling through the news.

Meanwhile, inside the private room, the fortune teller was continuing about the complexities of his field.

Arthur solemnly listened to every word being said, but Emily was bored out of her mind as she had no interest at all in fortune telling.

Finally, they returned to the cars. When Sophia saw that the bodyguard she had a crush on was opening the door for her, she felt happy.

However, just as they were about to leave, Sophia’s car suddenly halted. The door to the back of the car was opened to allow Arthur to enter.

She was shocked. Arthur was meant to share a car with the fortune teller, right? Why was he here?

As soon as Arthur entered the car, the bodyguard driving immediately sat up straight and put on a serious face.

Meanwhile, Emily, who had seen Arthur getting into Sophia’s car, was seething. It was too bad that the cars had already started moving. Otherwise, she would have demanded he move to her car instead.

After entering the car, Arthur closed his eyes as though he was going to take a nap. The afternoon sun splayed across his face, emphasizing the elegant and refined features of his handsome face.

He did not say a single word, which caused the air inside the car to feel awkward and heavy. Everyone could feel an immense yet silent pressure bearing down on them.

All giddy joy had fled Sophia’s mind. Why was he even here?

After half an hour of driving, they finally arrived at a dense forest. The remaining parts of their journey would lead them along dirt paths instead of paved roads, so the ride turned bumpy.

Large trees lined both sides of the road, providing them shade and turning the summer heat into a breezy spring air.

With the fortune teller leading the way, the train of cars successfully navigated through the mountain roads ahead of them. Sophia’s heart was pounding the entire time. When the slope reached nearly 60 degrees, her hand flung out to grasp at another arm in panic.

That arm belonged to Arthur.

“It’s going to be fine,” he said when he saw how pale she was.

“Are we still going up?” She was beyond herself with fear. Just then, the SUVs pulled to a stop on a grassy plain that was flat and even.

Emily immediately dashed out of her car and fell to her knees as she began puking. She had been raised in luxury. The ride up the mountains had been extremely hard for her to stomach.

Out of the kindness of her heart, Sophia handed her some tissues. “Are you okay, Miss Jennings?”

Although Emily accepted the offered tissue, she still shot Sophia a glare. Was Sophia laughing at her?

“Young Master Weiss, we will need to walk for a while longer before we arrive at our destination.”

“What? We still have to walk!” Emily loudly protested. Why did she come along? All she got was pain and suffering.

“How long do we have to walk?”

“About twenty minutes or so,” replied the fortune teller.

“Rest in the car,” Arthur said to Emily. He then glanced at Sophia. “Can you walk?”

Not wanting to stay behind to be at Emily’s beck and call, she hurriedly nodded. “Yes, I am fine with walking.”

“Do not go, Sophia. Stay with me,” Emily suddenly said. She would not give Sophia any chance to go on a stroll with Arthur. She had to split them up.

“Alistair,” Arthur said, pointing to the young bodyguard Sophia had a crush on, “you’ll be staying behind to take care of Miss Jennings.”

“Yes, sir,” replied Alistair with a nod.

“In that case, I’m going with you too,” Emily spat out through gritted teeth, filled to the brim with frustration. However, as soon as she said that, she began vomiting once more.

“We have a tough climb ahead of us. You should rest here instead.” Arthur then walked away toward the path that spiraled up the mountain.

Disappointment flickered through Sophia’s heart. She was hoping Alistair would be hiking with them.

Four of the bodyguards followed them up the mountain, while the remaining two stayed behind to stand guard. As Arthur was dressed in a black athletic outfit with a pair of silver sunglasses perched on his nose, his image of a refined young man remained strong, even deep in the mountains.

Sophia was also dressed in a set of athletic clothing with shoes suited for hiking, but the following hike was still hard for her. There was only a tiny path that meandered through the woods. When they arrived at a slope that was slippery due to the rain, Arthur’s long legs carried him safely upward, while Sophia had to attempt the climb with the help of the branches around her. Just then, a fair hand was held out before her.

She looked up only to see that it was Arthur who was offering to pull her up.

There was a moment of hesitation before she accepted the offer. The moment she placed her hand in his, she was dragged up the slope by a strong burst of force.

“Aah!” She wrapped her arms tight around his waist, afraid to fall while she tried to balance herself.

“I’m sorry!” Afraid that she had offended him, she hurriedly stepped back as soon as she regained her balance.

Arthur turned around and continued to climb up without saying a single word. Unwilling to trouble him further, Sophia cautiously followed after him. Slowly, her mind drifted. She rarely had the time to go hiking. The distant mountains, covered by a hazy layer of cloud and light, filled her heart with wonder. It was a nice feeling.

Bang!

Distracted by the scenery, she walked into Arthur. When she realized she had bumped into him again, she blushed.

The bodyguards who had been following behind them stared at them in disbelief. No one was ever allowed to be so rude to Young Master Weiss. Just how did this girl do it?

What gave her the courage to constantly annoy him?

If Sophia could read minds and knew what the bodyguards were thinking, she would have the urge to bury herself alive. She was not trying to annoy him!

“We’ll have a better view once we’re at the peak. Let us keep moving, Mr. Weiss,” said the fortune teller.

Arthur nodded. There was no way he would cut corners when it came to selecting a spot for his grandfather’s grave. He then turned to glance at Sophia as if he were worried that she could not continue the climb.

“Don’t worry. I can keep going,” she hurriedly said when she saw the look in his eyes.

The group gradually made their way to the peak of the mountain. Whenever she needed help, Arthur would always turn around to give her a hand. Even though there were four burly men right behind her, Arthur still persisted in helping her.

The peak of the mountain was a flat, grassy field with no trees to be seen. The field of grass stretching far into the horizon made it seem like they were closer to the sky.

The fortune teller began rattling off calculations based on the complex formulas of his profession. While Sophia was left confused by his words, Arthur nodded along as if he understood what was being said.

That surprised her. Had Arthur learned how to tell fortunes just from reading books on the subject over the past few days?

No way! Just how strong of a learner was he?

The fortune teller pointed to a spot halfway up a mountain. “Young Master Weiss, that is the spot I have selected for your grandfather. It is surrounded by mountains, which means he would be surrounded by protectors. It is a great spot.”

Arthur stared at the spot being pointed at. It had a great view while being surrounded on all sides by mountains. There was nothing that loomed over it, which meant there was no weird imbalance. It was certainly a good spot.

He had planned to purchase the entire mountain as his grandfather’s eternal resting place if he could find a good spot.

The mountain peak was covered in grass that came up to their knees. It was an incredible sight to behold. Standing beside him, Sophia solemnly listened to the lecture on fortune telling.

The fortune teller began walking in excitement with Arthur following behind him. Enthralled by the lecture, she followed after them.

The fortune teller came to a stop. Suddenly, something near her began wriggling, startling her. It was a sunbathing snake that was currently licking the air in her direction while rearing up as if to attack her.

“Aah!” When she saw the snake, she hurriedly darted to the side. However, a greater danger awaited her, for she had lost her balance and was about to roll off the side of the mountain.

“Sophia!” As the person standing closest to her, Arthur moved to catch her. In doing so, he lost his balance as well.

“Sir!” The bodyguards charged over.

It was too late.

They watched as Arthur and Sophia rolled across the grass and over the side of the mountain.

All Sophia knew was that she was being held in a tight embrace while her face was pressed hard against Arthur’s muscular chest. Despite rolling down the hill, he did not let her go at all. Thankfully, they soon arrived at a flat piece of land that stopped their descent.

The moment they stopped rolling, she pulled her face away from his chest. Her nostrils were filled with his cedar-scented cologne and the smell of grass. She looked up to find that he was bleeding from a cut on his forehead while she had come out of the experience unscathed.

“You’re hurt!” Sophia hurriedly got off of Arthur. They were both covered in dirt and grass.

The bodyguards leaped down to them, and two of them helped Arthur up to his feet. “Are you alright, sir?”

He was feeling fine, other than the cut on his forehead that had been caused by a sharp tree branch and the various scrapes that littered his hands.

“I’m fine.” He dusted himself off before turning to look at her. “Did the snake bite you?”

“No, it didn’t.” She shook her head. Her face was still stark white from shock.

As they climbed back up to the peak, her gaze remained fixed on him. Her heart was pounding. When they rolled down the side of the hill, he had wrapped an arm tightly around her waist while his other hand pressed her head against his chest. He had done it just to ensure she would not be injured.

However, that meant he was unable to protect himself during the fall.

Her blood was rushing. The high and mighty young master had actually risked himself to protect her.

What if she had fallen off a high cliff instead? From how tightly he had wrapped himself around her, would he fall with her as well?

The bodyguards pulled out a first-aid kit, then cleaned and dressed the bleeding cut on Arthur’s forehead.

The fortune teller was scared out of his wits by the dangerous situation Arthur had placed himself in.

“Are you alright, Young Master Weiss?”

“I’m fine. Continue!” Arthur said with a wave of his hand.

His bodyguards spread out around them, sweeping the area for any signs of snakes. Even Sophia was starting to feel afraid of the grass around her. That snake had been the longest snake she had ever seen in her life.

By the time the fortune teller was done with his analysis, Arthur had his men take photos of the area instead of making a decision right then and there. He would decide after thoroughly researching the area.

Hiking up a mountain was always easier than hiking down a mountain.

It was a steep climb, which meant their descent was harder. One false move and they would go rolling down the mountain.

With bent legs, she slowly shuffled down the mountain while clinging to the surrounding branches. Her hand reached for the next branch, only to grab a long leaf instead. Suddenly, pain shot through her hand as the sharp edges of the leaf slashed her hand.

She let out a sharp hiss, pulling her hand back to inspect it. It was bleeding.

Arthur was right behind her. He frowned and said, “Let me see.”

She showed him her palm. “Be careful,” he said as he inspected her hand. “Avoid touching leaves similar to this.”

She nodded in response. He then moved to walk in front of her. When they reached a tough part of the climb, he would turn around and give her a hand.

Every time that happened, she would notice the wounds on his fair hands, making her heart throb in pain.

“Young Master Weiss, please don’t save me from danger next time,” she said.

“Why?” He turned around and stared into her eyes.

“I’m afraid you will be injured. I do not want you to get hurt because of me.” She solemnly stared back at him. “I’m a lucky man. I won’t die.” He turned his attention back to climbing down the mountain.

They soon arrived at another steep section. Just as she was cautiously making her way down, he suddenly lifted her up horrizontally since he was already on a safe, flat spot.

Her mind was stuck in a dazed state, and she only snapped back to her senses when she was finally put down. Arthur had carried her.

Finally, they were back on the dirt path they had initially followed and had safely made it back to the cars.

Emily had been waiting for their return. By the time they did, the sun was about to set. After all, it was well past five o’clock.

“Artie…” She happily dashed over to the group but stopped when she saw the wound on Arthur’s forehead. “How did you get hurt?” she asked, upset.

“I’m fine. I was accidentally cut by a branch,” he calmly explained.

She looked him up and down. His black outfit was covered in bits of grass, as if he had been rolling on the ground.

“Your hands! How did you hurt your hands?” Emily let out a painful shriek when she saw the scrapes on Arthur’s hands.

Meanwhile, Sophia lowered her head. After all, he was only hurt because of her.

“It’s nothing. We’ll deal with it when we get back.” Arthur then led Emily back to the car. As she got in, she said, “Artie, I want to ride in the same car as you.”

“I’m covered with dirt,” he merely replied before closing the door in her face.

She then watched as he turned to the second car of the group and joined Sophia in her car. Her eyes were blazing with rage. Was a simple maid better than her now?

They started on the journey back.

Sophia could not handle it any longer. Driving downhill was even more frightful than their ride up. She clutched tightly to the handlebars in the car and looked away from the road ahead.

On the other hand, Arthur was as calm as one could be. He had the utmost faith in his bodyguards’

driving skills. Once the cars were finally back on smooth, paved roads, they sped off toward the city like horses dashing through the night.

It was dark outside by now. After an eventful day, Sophia was exhausted. Even though Arthur was sitting right beside her, she could not help but fall asleep.

While she was dozing off, her head lolled to the side and leaned against his shoulder. Instead of pushing her away, he just let her be.

She spent the entire journey back sleeping. By the time they arrived back at the mansion, it was around seven o’clock.

Someone gently patted her cheeks. “We’re home, Sophia.”

She opened her eyes and blinked away her drowsiness. When she realized she had been sleeping against his shoulder, she immediately sat up straight.

Goodness! Had she spent the entire journey sleeping on Arthur’s shoulder?

Emily’s two maids immediately came to greet them as they stepped through the doors.

Arthur instantly went up to his room for a shower. Sophia was about to do the same when Emily called out for her to stop. Her sharp gaze scanned her. With the help of the room’s lights, she could see the dirt and grass sticking to Sophia’s outfit. “Sophia, just how did Artie get hurt?” she suspiciously asked.

Sophia stared back, stunned.

“I will not be merciful if you lie to me,” Emily threatened.

“I was nearly bitten by a snake when we were at the peak, and I lost my balance. Young Master Weiss fell down the side of the mountain with me as he wanted to protect me,” Sophia bluntly answered. She had not planned to lie anyway.

Emily’s eyes went wide. She could imagine exactly what had happened. Jealousy roared through her as she scoffed. “Are you sure you did not intentionally lose your balance so that Artie would hold you in his arms and roll down the mountain with you? You sure are doing a lot just to seduce him. You would do anything, wouldn’t you?”

“I…” Just as Sophia was about to speak, Emily slapped her across the face and shouted, “The nerve of you to assume you deserve Artie risking his life over. Take the slap as your warning.”

Sophia’s head had turned away from the force of the slap. There was a loud humming noise, echoing in her ears.

However, she still managed to hear a man’s voice barking out, “Stop it, Emily.”

Arthur had come back down when he heard the commotion. He moved to stand between them. “You are not allowed to hit her.”

“Artie, she nearly killed you. It was just a lesson.” Emily did not think she did anything wrong. In her mind, Sophia had to be reminded of her place.

A maid did not deserve to be protected by Arthur Weiss.

“Enough. You do not have the right to hit her,” he coldly said. He then turned around to look at Sophia.

When he saw the bright red mark on her skin, he frowned. “Head on upstairs and shower.”

Sophia moved to do as she was ordered. “Artie, do you know how worried I was about you?” Emily cried out, tears in her eyes.

“You must be tired as well. Get some rest,” he said with a frown.

Emily sniffled. “You should have let her roll down the mountain by herself. You did not need to protect her. After all, you are an important person!”

“Get me an ice pack,” Arthur said to the nearby maids, ignoring Emily.

“No, you cannot.” Hate flashed across Emily’s eyes.

In response, the maids merely remained where they were. “Do your job,” Arthur commanded as his eyes darkened.

There was no way any of them would dare go against a direct order from him. After all, they knew who the true person in charge was.

They hurriedly handed him an ice pack and a clean hand towel. He then headed upstairs with those items in hand.

Meanwhile, Emily was gnashing her teeth. She was certain this was all just one of Sophia’s ploys to seduce Arthur.

No way! The only person allowed to be Mrs. Weiss was her. No one could steal the title away from her.

Sitting down on the bed, Sophia gingerly touched her swollen cheek. Pain flared up at the slightest touch.

Just then, she heard footsteps coming toward her room. When she looked up to find Arthur entering her room, she quickly turned away to hide her swollen cheek.

He thrust a towel-wrapped ice pack into her view. “Hold it against your cheek.”

She took the ice pack and held it against her cheek. She let out a hiss at the sensation before looking up at him and saying, “She’s right.”

“What? Do you not know how to fight back when you are hit?” There was a weird mocking tone in his voice. He moved to sit down on the chair opposite her.

“It’s not that. Of course, it is not right for her to hit other people. I meant to say that she was right in telling you to not save me when I am in danger,” she clarified.

“Why?” He frowned.

“I had only rolled down a gentle slope today, but what if I had fallen off a high cliff?” she sighed. “Hence, when you saved me, I was scared. What if you were seriously hurt?”

He had to admit that she had a great imagination. Still, she was right. If he died trying to save her, he would have lost everything.

Even so, upon closer inspection of his feelings, he realized he had never once wondered if he should save her.

He had gone to save her without hesitating at all.

It was just like when she nearly drowned in the sea. He had raced toward her without hesitation and offered any help he could provide.

Frankly speaking, even he found his behavior odd. He was someone who cherished life, so why did he risk his life time and time again for Sophia?

When he eventually left the room, Sophia received a call from her mother. Her father had gotten into a car crash that morning and was hospitalized for some broken bones.

She swiftly headed to Arthur’s room, making her way in without even asking for permission. Behind the door stood Arthur, who was only dressed in his underwear while still dripping wet from his shower. He had been planning to put on some proper pants when the door opened.

Startled, he swiftly grabbed his towel and hastily wrapped it around his waist to cover his crotch. “Who said you could come in?”

When she realized what she had walked in on, she hurriedly turned away. Even so, she still saw a glimpse of his black underwear. With a blush burning on her cheeks, she replied, “I’m truly sorry, Young Master Weiss. I did not mean to do this.”

He thought she was doing it intentionally, though.

He picked up another towel to dry his hair with before sitting on the couch. He turned around to stare at Emily while his body remained half-naked.

“I got a call from my mother. My dad was in a car crash, and some of his bones were broken! I want to go home to visit him.” She turned to look at him with pleading eyes.

He stroked his chin, showcasing his jawline as he did so. “How many days?” he asked.

“Three days. I just need three days.” After all, she did not dare go overboard with its finances.

“Okay. Come back to me in exactly three days. If you dare dilly-dally or forget to come back, there will be consequences.” His lips curled up in an obvious warning.

Her heart was racing fast. She never thought of running anyway.

She carried her belongings back downstairs when Emily stopped her from leaving. “No one said you could leave,” she said.

“Excuse me, but I have some urgent family business,” Sophia politely replied.

“Artie’s family will be back in one month, Sophia. His grandmother would never allow a scheming woman near him. You had better leave on your own violation while you still can.” Emily coldly sneered.

However, her warning did not matter to Sophia at all since she had no plans to get anything from Arthur. The only thing she could ever want from him was his forgiveness.

She would be immensely grateful if Arthur could forgive and forget.

“No need to worry, Miss Jennings. I do not have any schemes for Young Master Weiss,” Sophia solemnly replied.

Emily scoffed. “Do you think your innocent face can hide your thoughts? I have already reported to Old Madam Presgrave about your schemes on Artie. Just you wait! You’ll be in for a bad time.”

By now, Sophia had lost all patience with this conversation. She rushed out the door, worried about her father.

At the hospital.

Drake Goodwin was in bed while his wife sat next to him. One of his legs was trapped in a cast.

“How are you doing, Dad? Is it very serious?”

“It’s not that bad. I just need to rest for a month or two. Say, what have you been doing lately? Young Master Weiss did not make life hard for you, did he?” Tiana worriedly scanned her daughter up and down. She was relieved to find that Sophia had gained weight.

“I’m fine, Mom. I have been looking for that necklace with him,” Sophia replied in a placating tone.

In reality, Drake and Tiana were not doing well. They spent their days worrying as Drake had lost his company and owed a huge debt to the banks. However, they did not dare tell their daughter any of their woes.

Without the company’s dividends, the loan repayments were making life extremely hard for them.

Presgrave Residence.

It was Anastasia and Elliot’s first meal home after the wedding. Now that Harriet was an old woman, she discovered her liking for a lively environment.

After dinner, Anastasia took a stroll under the stars with Elliot. With the moon shining brightly down on their winding path through the woods, they felt an unprecedented joy.

He tightly linked his fingers with hers, as if she would disappear if he ever let go of her hand. After the wedding, he realized there was an even more beautiful and genteel aura that hung around her.

The more he looked at her, the more enthralled he was. Thank goodness she was his now.

She belonged only to him.

“Sweetheart.” He pulled her into an embrace.

“Hm?” When she looked up at him, she felt a kiss on her forehead.

She smiled and gazed deep into his eyes where she could see all the love he held for her.

“Achoo!” Suddenly, she sneezed.

He immediately took off his jacket and wrapped it around her. “Don’t catch a cold.”

She chuckled. “I’m happy, even if I fall sick. That way, I can enjoy being taken care of by you.”

He let out a huff of exasperation and tapped her on the tip of her nose. “Don’t say that!”

They hugged each other for a while longer before the love in their eyes was slowly tainted by lust. “I asked Nigel to take care of Jared for tonight,” he rasped.

Naturally, Anastasia knew what Elliot meant by that. “Is that really okay?” she shyly asked.

“It’s the weekend tomorrow. We can sleep in.” He smiled.

As planned, Jared stayed the night with Nigel while Elliot’s black Bugatti sports car raced back to their home.

Under the moonlight, the mansion glimmered with beauty. The lighting only ever made it seem grander and more mysterious.

He pulled to a stop in the underground garage, opened the door, and led Anastasia into the lift.

The entire villa was so quiet that their whispers echoed through the air as they listened to each other’s heartbeats.

When they arrived on the third floor, he swept her off her feet and carried her to bed. The embers that sparked to life during their stroll through the woods were still burning bright. If she did not help him put the fire out, he would be blazing with lust throughout the night.

The night eventually passed on and the morning soon came.

Anastasia was woken up by her internal alarm clock. She decided to cook some breakfast for Elliot. It had been a while since she was able to show off her cooking skills since they had servants.

Thankfully, she was still skilled enough to cook up two hot bowls of noodles. The fragrant scent combined with poached eggs and slices of beef made the food seem even more delicious.

She even took a photo of it and uploaded it to her social media accounts with the caption, ‘Breakfast with Mr. Presgrave’.

Their morning had started now. Soon, Elliot arrived at the dining room. He had just taken a shower after his usual morning exercise. Dressed in loungewear, he was a walking hormone, yet he was oblivious to how attractive he was.

She knew that the more she stared at him, the better her sense of beauty would be. In fact, if she ever divorced him, she might not be able to marry again.

After all, Elliot was going to make her picky.

Thus, she would do her best as Mrs. Presgrave.

“What an amazing wife I have,” he praised.

“Do you only know that now?” She giggled.

“No. I knew about it from the start. That is why I am so very lucky to have married you.”

All of the sweet nothings being spoken that morning was going to rot her teeth one day. With a chuckle, she pushed his bowl of noodles over to him. “Eat up!”

After breakfast, she read up on the news. What she saw made her guffaw. Her post from that morning was currently trending.

‘The Cooking Skills of Rich Madams Exposed!’ was the headline. Now that she thought about it, she could no longer post whatever she wanted on her social media accounts now. She had to keep a low profile. Perhaps she should set her post privacy to ‘Only Me’.

Anastasia had a new product launch party to attend at Bourgeois that afternoon. As a certain someone had nothing to do, she decided to attend with the best accessory anyone could ever have.

Her husband.

The launch party would be held in an event hall owned by Presgrave Group. Several top-tier celebrities and socialites had been invited, and there would be a fashion runway on which the atelier was going to be live-streamed.

When two o’clock rolled around, people began to show up at the venue. There was an order to everything as the paparazzi all showed up with their cameras and streaming equipment. Larry then received a call that made him drop all work and wait by the front gates.

A Rolls-Royce pulled up, and out walked a couple whom Larry happily greeted, “President Presgrave, Mrs. Presgrave, you’re here.”

“You’ve worked hard, Mr. Young.” Anastasia smiled.

“No, no. I’m only doing my job.” With a wave of his hand, Larry gestured for them to head inside. He then led them to the front row.

It was then that Larry leaned down to whisper into Anastasia’s ear, “We would need you to make a speech later, Mrs. Presgrave.”

She was stunned. “Next time!” she said with a wave of her hand. She had not come prepared. “Today, I am only here to admire the works.”

“Very well!” Larry would never force anyone to do something they did not want to do.

Just then, someone walked over to them; it was Mason.

“President Presgrave, Mrs. Presgrave,” Mason greeted with a smile.

“There’s no need to be so formal, Mason. Just call me Anastasia.”

Mason could not do that. According to what he knew now, Anastasia was the new CEO of Bourgeois.

There was no way he would dare go against societal rules.

Soon, the various celebrities who had been invited greeted the people around them. None of them would dare to provide their benefactors with inferior service.

Every lady present that night had dressed themselves up. However, none of them would dare start up a fuss while Anastasia was standing right there. Still, there were a lot of secretive looks and poses meant to attract Elliot’s attention.

Later that evening, one of the fashion catwalk models, Katrina, walked over to them. Mason’s efforts had allowed her modeling company to take charge of the fashion runway.

When Katrina saw Elliot, she was internally jumping with glee. From then on, she could be found primping before every mirror available to her.

Furthermore, there was going to be a new spokesperson recruitment program happening after the launch. As an ambitious woman, Katrina wanted the chance to be Bourgeois’ spokesperson.