When Sophia left the hospital, it was a gloomy, rainy day, the sky was murky, and the road was damp.
After applying ointnt on her leg, moisture clung to it, and by the ti she got back to the villa, it felt sticky and uncomfortable, making the pain worse.
The wound was about the size of a palm, with a small layer of skin peeled off, and it seed to be getting inflad.
Half-lying on the couch in the living room, Zane walked over holding an ointnt, simply dried the wound, and began applying the dicine.
He was quite skilled, and his technique was gentle.
Sophia held her head, watching him, utterly captivated.
"Mrs. Sterling, staring at like this, I might get shy," Zane quipped.
Sophia tilted her head, following his gaze, "You get shy? I thought no one in the world had thicker skin than you."
Zane chuckled, looking up at her. This woman used to see him like a flood or a beast; how could she joke now?
"Sir, ma’am," Aunt Sutton stood by, watching the loving couple, and couldn’t help but smile.
Sophia blushed, lowering her eyes.
Now, even when she’s close to Zane, she rarely blushes, but being seen by outsiders does make her feel shy.
"What’s up?" Zane asked with a smile.
Aunt Sutton seldom saw Zane smile; ever since there was a lady in the house, this man’s smile seed ever-present.
"A flash delivery arrived today with a scar removal cream for the madam," Aunt Sutton took out a small box of blemish cream.
Sophia paused for a mont; she hadn’t received any ssage about a delivery.
Zane glanced at Sophia’s expression, then reached out to take the scar cream; it’s an international brand known for its effective scar removal. Zane had so upstairs, not needed yet.
Who sent this one?
"Did it say who sent it?" Sophia asked.
Aunt Sutton pondered briefly and said, "Seed like it was from soone nad Ye."
Ye? Aside from Faye Ellison, the peacock, nobody seems to have the surna Ye that knows Sophia in this circle.
"..." Zane’s dark eyes deepened; was it intentional?
How could soone be so shaless and still fancy soone else’s wife?
Sophia pressed her lips, carefully observing his expression; he was getting angry.
What is Faye Ellison up to?
Recently, during their design sessions at his studio, they did have quite a bit of contact, sotis working closely.
But it’s inevitable; everyone in the team is like that, and they all openly chat and get along well.
Faye Ellison’s attentiveness to Sophia was quite evident, but he seems to be enthusiastic with everyone.
"He’s rather annoying," Sophia said.
This aspect really does stifle people.
Aunt Sutton awkwardly added, "Should I deal with this then?"
"No need, arrange a flash delivery to return it to him. Let him keep it; if he ever needs it, it might save him the expense," Zane handed the ointnt back to Aunt Sutton.
Aunt Sutton treated it like a ticking bomb, nodding slightly, and walked away.
"When will your project be completed?" Zane continued applying ointnt.
"The factory has started production; there shouldn’t be major issues afterward, but they plan to visit the factory," Sophia cautiously gauged his reaction.
"When are they going? Where is it?"
"In Westre, the timing isn’t confird yet," Sophia hastily added, "The teachers and Ariel will go back, and the team’s teachers will all be there, but it requires an overnight stay in Westre; there may be so social engagents afterward."
Zane nodded slightly, saying nothing, but his expression revealed his thoughts.
Faye Ellison was openly attempting to step in, making him uncomfortable, even though he knew Sophia’s heart was with him. He minded soone coveting his woman.
Such blatant provocation, does he have any face left?
Sophia reached out, pinching his cheek, "Hey, stop being jealous, he can’t take away, I’m all yours."
"It’s not that I’m afraid he’ll succeed; it’s that I’m worried he’s thinking about it."
Indeed, he was both afraid of the thief stealing and the thief thinking.
Zane put the dicine back into the dical kit.
A scar cream wouldn’t stir much trouble, but that man was constantly creating waves.
Zane felt a simring anger that wouldn’t subside.
"Sir, ma’am, it’s ti to eat," Aunt Sutton called from the kitchen.
Zane gathered himself, and Sophia stood up to walk over, but he quickly stepped in front of her, tenderly lifting her.
"I can walk this far," Sophia patted his chest, not having the courage to be so intimate in front of others.
"Aunt Sutton isn’t an outsider; you still feel shy?" Zane laughed, unexpectedly leaning in and kissing her mouth corner.
Sophia turned her face away, blushing intensely.
Aunt Sutton wasn’t surprised; prior to working for Zane, she’d seen similar scenes in other households, and even more open ones.
She smiled, tidied up, and then retreated from the kitchen.
With Aunt Sutton gone, only the couple remained in the dining room, and Sophia’s face slowly returned to normal.
"Eat lighter these days, avoid soy sauce, or it might leave marks," Zane advised while serving her food.
Sophia felt the love he brought; since the company went public, he rarely had ti to dine at ho, so monts like these were scarce.
Just then, Sophia’s phone rang on the table, displaying the na ’Faye Ellison’; he was calling.
Sophia paused, intending to decline the call, but Zane answered it for her.
"Sophia, did the scar cream arrive? My mom sent it from abroad..." Faye rambled.
Zane, with the speaker on, furrowed his brows together.
"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Ellison, but I’ve already prepared so for her, so keep this one for yourself," Zane responded.
"..."
Keep it for himself?
Were they cursing him to get hurt?
Zane’s words were like venom, spoken politely yet laced with underlying barbs.
Faye naturally understood what he ant but didn’t expose it. Zane’s anger made him happy.
Prove that he still counts as an opponent who can exert pressure on him.
"Mr. Ellison, have you eaten?" Zane Sterling impatiently glanced at his phone.
Sophia was really afraid that Faye Ellison would say sothing outrageous; it was very uncomfortable being caught in the middle.
Faye Ellison pondered this sentence, unsure of its aning, "I’m about to eat."
"Alright, then, I’ve got to hang up the phone and feed my wife, as my wife’s foot is injured, not her hand, and she still wants to feed her—such a hard one to deal with."
Zane Sterling muttered, but had no intention of hanging up the phone.
Sophia’s eyes widened, looking at him in disbelief.
She hadn’t said anything!
Who asked him to feed her!
Hard to deal with?
Feeding the wife?
This man really talks without pause.
Just wait and see how I’ll deal with you later!
"..." Faye Ellison frowned, "Then let’s schedule another ti."
Schedule another ti?
Schedule another ti for what!
Zane Sterling hung up the phone directly.
Sophia chuckled, realizing there are indeed people Zane Sterling is afraid of in this world.
"Are you full?" Zane asked seriously.
"Yes."
After settling Sophia down to sleep in the evening, he went to the study to work.
He took off his clothes, exposing his still sowhat reddened shoulder blades, along with a few blisters that had faded but hadn’t fully healed.
He took out ointnt and began applying it while facing a small mirror.
Just as he applied the ointnt, a warm sensation and a familiar fragrance enveloped him from behind. It was the unique scent of his woman.
He turned his head slightly and saw the silhouette of a woman standing behind him.
Sophia silently traced her fingers over his muscular shoulder blades, the perfect curve reflecting in her eyes.
Suddenly, a hot tear dropped on his back, sliding over it, and an icy chill froze him entirely.
He turned around, and Sophia placed her hands on his shoulder, not allowing him to fully turn.
"Why are you crying?" He felt distress and helplessness.
It’s not a serious injury; during his years in the army, he had faced far worse, but he didn’t want his woman to see it or worry and beco upset.
Zane Sterling was always good at hiding it.
Yet today, when he carried her ho, Sophia accidentally touched his wound, and he groaned softly, almost imperceptibly. But Sophia saw his slightly furrowed brow and the faint sll of ointnt on his shoulder.
The past few days, he hadn’t been overly intimate with her, even kisses were re tastes.
Normally, he would never act like this.
He’s not one to let opportunities slip by easily—since when has he been so reserved?
Sophia sensed sothing was odd at first glance.
They hadn’t been very intimate upon returning; he held out for so long, Sophia didn’t believe he didn’t want to.
Sure enough, her suspicion was right; this man was injured and didn’t say a word.
"Why are you so foolish?" Her voice was slightly choked.
Zane Sterling smiled, turned around, and held her on his lap.
Finally, this ti, she was crying for his sake.
The last ti she cried in bed was when she willingly offered herself, and now looking back, it seed like ages ago.
He carefully wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes.
She endured such significant injuries herself without shedding tears, yet Sophia cried this much over his minor injury.
He chuckled, hugged her tightly, and gently stroked her head.
"Don’t cry, it’s alright now, isn’t it?" Zane Sterling whispered in her ear like comforting a child.
Sophia hugged him cautiously, afraid of hurting him.
If she had known Zane was injured, she wouldn’t have agreed to let Ian Lynch rely assign Shelley Lynch to take on simple tasks in remote areas.
She slowly released him and asked, "Does it hurt?"
"It hurts a lot." Zane lowered his eyelids, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
He said, "A kiss will make it not hurt."
Sophia was amused by his words, and gently kissed the corner of his lips.
"Does it still hurt?" she asked playfully.
"Lightning isn’t as fast, this doesn’t help at all." Zane gazed at her cute nose.
Sophia saw he was being persistent and pecked his lips again and again.
"What about this and this..." she asked.
Zane’s eyes were like a muddy pond, and he clasped the back of her head, leaned down, and kissed her. His other hand naturally fell on her waist; the warm touch reached her skin through the pajamas.
"Like this..."
The woman’s eyes sparkled, her face flushed.
A tidal wave of emotions had long been stirred.
After a while, she pushed him away.
"Let help you put on the ointnt..." she said softly, surprised at how seductive her voice had beco, feeling utterly weak.
Zane Sterling licked his lips, reluctant to stop, "Alright."
Sophia stood up carefully, then saw his taut physique.
She picked up the ointnt from the table, and Zane turned his back gently, obediently letting her apply it.
Zane wasn’t unwilling, he was just afraid of touching her scars.
Sophia naturally wouldn’t tornt him; she knew there were still injuries on his back, uncertain if he was capable in this state.
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