Ch. 1231..1240
Chapter 1231 Mysterious Man in Black
The more Anya realized that Toby was willing to do it, the angrier she felt. I don’t understand. Is Sonia worthy of his love? After all, he was willing to throw away his reputation and walk around with such a silly thing with him just for her. Does he have any dignity?
Anya bit her lip harshly, and she gripped the tablet so hard that the screen began to flicker as if it was going to break anytime soon. After all, she couldn’t accept Toby in this state.
She remembered when she had done everything just to be with him, and he had ‘loved’ her. However, never did he do such things for her. Is this how it is? Even if the relationship is affected by something, is it still better than natural love? As Anya thought about it, her eyes were red, and she looked as if she was about to tear someone into pieces, which was terrifying.
This isn’t the end. I won’t let Sonia or Toby get away with this. After all, I was in this state because of them. If I didn’t make them pay the price, the torture and pain I endured these few months would be a waste. Since they are so in love and have feelings for each other even after the divorce, I wonder if they can still be together when I intervene. If I can’t have it, no one can either. Since I can’t have Toby, I don’t want him anymore and will destroy him. As Anya thought, she curled her lips into a twisted smile and laughed evilly, which was creepy.
However, Sonia didn’t know the reaction of Lynette and Anya when they saw the news. At this moment, she had finished her work and was leaning against the chair. While she rested, she moved her hands around to ease the numbness of her wrists. When she was almost done, her phone that was on the table rang.
Then, she leaned forward and looked at the caller ID. After seeing who it was, she picked up her phone and answered it. “Hello, this is Sonia speaking.”
On the other end of the phone, a polite female voice sounded. “Hello, Miss Reed. I’m Ms. Sophia’s assistant. We met at the shop before.”
When Sonia heard her voice, she was not surprised since she had seen the caller ID. When she got her dress, she kept the number of Sophia’s workplace. Thus, she was sure that the call would be made by Sophia’s assistant and not herself.
“Hello.” Sonia slightly nodded her head.
Then, Sophia’s assistant smiled and continued her words, saying, “Are you free right now, Miss Reed? Two hours ago, we got a call from President Fuller, and he told us to contact you at 4.00PM to see if you have any free time. That way, we can have someone over to do your makeover.”
Hearing her words, Sonia recalled that Toby had indeed told her about this matter. So, she nodded and replied, “Since I’m done working, you guys can come over. I’m at the company now, so you just have to tell the receptionist, and they will guide you to me.”
“That’s great. We’ll be there soon, Miss Reed.”
“Okay.” Then, the call ended. After that, Sonia put her phone down and opened the workgroup, telling the two receptionists about this matter.
Since she was the president, she was easily noticed by others. Thus, when she sent the text to the group, someone noticed her immediately, even though there were hundreds of messages in the group since there were many people. At that moment, everyone welcomed her, and she couldn’t help but smile when she saw it. Then, she greeted them and added a cute bunny emoji, which caused her employees to greet her back. The atmosphere was lively and cheerful.
However, when Sonia noticed that the receptionist had replied to her, she left the workgroup. Otherwise, her employees would keep on responding to her if she did. When that time came, who knew how long it would take to end?
After putting down her phone, Sonia took a sip of her coffee before she heard someone knocking on her door. Then, she raised her head and saw Rita standing by the door with an exquisite handbag while smiling. “President Reed, the dress that you asked for is here.” As she spoke, she withdrew her hand that was knocking on the door and walked toward Sonia.
At that moment, Sonia smiled and stood up. “Okay. Thank you.”
“No problem, President Reed.” Rita handed the bag to her with both hands. “I didn’t take the wrong one, did I, President Reed?”
Hearing her words, Sonia looked at the box in the bag and shook her head, “No, you didn’t. This is the dress. Thank you.”
“Alright then. I’ll be heading out now, President Reed.” Rita smiled and nodded.
When Sonia heard her words, she hummed in response and was about to tell her to leave when she heard a ruckus from outside.
“Who are you? What are you doing?”
When Sonia and Rita heard it, they looked at each other.
“What’s going on?” Sonia asked while frowning.
“I’m not sure,” replied Rita as she shook her head, her face filled with confusion.
“Let’s check it out,” said Sonia as she quickly put down the box in her hand, not caring to hang her dress to reduce wrinkles, and immediately walked toward the door with Rita following suit.
When they both walked out of the office, they saw a man in black standing outside of the secretary’s office. Inside the office stood her assistants and secretaries, and they had their arms out, blocking the door to prevent the person from entering. On the other hand, the person didn’t back away either. So, both parties were standing against each other, and none of them was willing to take a step back.
Seeing this situation, Sonia pursed her lips. “What’s going on?”225565
When the secretaries and assistants heard her voice, they immediately turned to look at her as if she was a lifesaver. Then, they said, “You came just in time, President Reed. This person was going to take Miss Daphne’s belongings.” As they spoke, they pointed at the person outside the door.
Hearing their words, Sonia frowned unhappily. “He is here to take Miss Daphne’s belongings?”
“Yes.” The secretary nodded.
Hearing her words, Rita was slightly confused about the entire situation. “You guys know that Miss Daphne has already resigned. Due to the sudden news, all of her things are still in the office. Maybe he is a friend of hers and was asked to take her belongings. Why are you all blocking him outside?”
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Sonia nodded in agreement too. After all, it was incorrect for her employees to stop someone from getting inside the office and helping Daphne take away her things.0
However, the employees started explaining to Sonia. “It’s not that, President Reed. If he is really Miss Daphne’s friend and was here because she told him to, we wouldn’t have kept him outside. However, we know that Miss Daphne didn’t have any other friends. So, we are still unsure if he is indeed her friend or not. Moreover, he didn’t answer when we asked him about it.”
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When Rita heard their words, she was stunned momentarily. Then, she looked at Sonia and explained, “President Reed, I remember that Miss Daphne, indeed, doesn’t have any friends aside from us. Still, could it be her relatives?”
However, Sonia shook her head. “No, it can’t be. Miss Daphne’s parents have divorced, and she is living with her mother. All her relatives from her mother’s side had passed, and none of the relatives from her father’s side wanted to acknowledge her. Thus, this man isn’t related to her.” As she spoke, she squinted her eyes and looked at the man in black cautiously. “Who exactly are you?”
Chapter 1233 Proven Innocent
Daphne didn’t have other friends or other relatives. Yet, this person appeared out of nowhere and kept claiming he was getting something for Daphne. He looked very suspicious indeed.
“If you don’t come clean, I’m calling the police. Also, this is Paradigm, my turf. As soon as I say the word, you won’t even be able to leave.” Sonia stared intently at the man in black. If he dared do anything reckless, she was ready to do something about it.
Even though she was just a feeble woman, many people were with her. If they attacked all at once, they could easily overpower the man.
Sonia wasn’t the only one on guard. Lina and the others were also prepared to fight, and some of them had even taken out their phones, ready to call the police at any moment.
“I’m not Daphne’s friend, nor am I her relative.” Just then, the man in black finally spoke up. He turned around to face Sonia. Before this, the man in black had kept his head slightly lowered, so Sonia couldn’t see his face in full.
Now that she could see him clearly, she was stunned. Weird, she thought. I think I’ve seen him before. She could feel a sense of familiarity with this man.
Was it just her? Sonia pursed her red lips and scoured through her memories, but she still couldn’t figure out where she had seen this person before.
Exasperated, she could only suppress the doubt in her heart as she stared at the man and asked, “Since you’re not her friend or her relative, who exactly are you? Also, how did you get up here?”
That was the key question. Whenever a stranger came to the company, the receptionist would ask about their purpose of visiting, and the visitor would be allowed passage only after a clear answer was given.
Of course, this permission was not granted by the receptionist alone. A call would have to be made to the department or person whom the visitor wished to visit, and passage would only be given after the other party agreed. Simply speaking, permission wasn’t freely given.
What reason did the man provide to the receptionist for her to let him in? Who did the receptionist contact, and who gave the receptionist the green light to let the man up here?225566
At that thought, Sonia turned to look at Lina and gave her a look. Lina nodded in understanding, then took out her phone to contact the receptionist to ask about the entire process.
Of course, while querying, Lina walked further away on purpose, fearing that the man in black would hinder her investigation. Unexpectedly, the man in black simply glanced at Lina briefly before turning back to Sonia. He didn’t have the slightest intention to stop her.
“I’m sorry for not introducing myself earlier, Miss Reed. I’m Daphne’s neighbor.” The man in black bowed slightly at Sonia while introducing himself politely.
Sonia hesitated. “Neighbor?”
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“Yes. Before Daphne boarded the plane, she asked me to come over and help get her things. Her mother has a problem with her legs, so I was the only one she could ask for help. If you don’t believe me, you can contact Daphne or her mother, Miss Reed,” replied the man in black with a nod.0
Seeing him being so honest about all this, Sonia began to trust him somewhat. However, in case anything happened, she still decided to get someone to contact Daphne or the woman’s mother for verification.
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She entrusted this task to one of the secretaries.
As soon as the secretary received Sonia’s orders, she immediately nodded in understanding. At the same time, she glared viciously at the man in black. “Even if you say so, who knows if you’re just getting us to let down our guard? Although Daphne has resigned, her things are still here. Her pay is quite handsome, and all her stuff is quite expensive. Who knows if you’re some robber near Daphne’s home? For all we know, you might’ve found out that Daphne resigned without taking her things, and you’re pretending to be her neighbor so that you can sell off her stuff later. Hmph, just wait and see. I’ll call them, and if I find out there’s something wrong with you, you’re dead meat.”
“Yes, that’s right.” The other secretaries and assistants nodded as well.
When the man in black saw this, he felt nothing but exasperation.
He was simply following his boss’ orders by coming here to get Daphne’s things.
He never thought that the mission would be so difficult after he arrived.
The man in black didn’t know how to respond. He had never been good with words, or he wouldn’t have gotten into a stalemate with these people for so long without a self-introduction.
As he watched these people fussing about making calls to verify his identity, he didn’t bother to say more. He gestured for them to go ahead, then fell completely silent.
Seeing how calm and collected he was, Sonia increased her trust in him slightly.
Now, they could only wait for the secretary to finish the call and come back with the results of the verification.
Two minutes later, the secretary returned. Her expression was a little odd.
Especially when the others asked about her findings and if the man in black was indeed a bad guy, the secretary put on an even more awkward expression.
She glanced at the man in black, then lowered her phone and shook her head. She smiled apologetically as she said, “Um… I just called Daphne. It’s probably nighttime over there, so no one picked up. I then called Daphne’s mother, and she said that Daphne did ask their neighbor to get her things at the company. He’s the one. I even asked Daphne’s mother about the neighbor’s clothes and features. It’s the same guy.”
As soon as she said that, the others started to feel guilty when they looked at the man in black.
“Oh, so you’re her neighbor, huh? Haha…”
“Looks like we’ve misunderstood him after all.”
They smiled apologetically.
Just then, Lina returned as well. After glancing at the man in black, she reported to Sonia, “President Reed, I asked the receptionist. He claimed to be Daphne’s neighbor and that he was there to help move her things. He even showed the message Daphne sent to him requesting his help, and the number shown was indeed Daphne’s. That’s why the receptionist didn’t notify us before letting him in.”
“I see.” Sonia nodded slightly. She finally figured out how this man managed to make his way up.
When Daphne was around, she was considered the company’s second-in-command since she was Sonia’s secretary. Whenever people wanted to look for Daphne, the receptionist would contact Daphne straight away without informing Sonia.
Also, since this man had a message from Daphne, it was only reasonable that the receptionist allowed him passage without informing Sonia.
“Don’t worry, this man indeed came on Daphne’s request. We’ve already asked Daphne’s mother about it.” Sonia patted Lina on the shoulder as she spoke.
Hearing that, Lina finally sighed in relief. “I see. Since he’s not a suspicious figure, I’m not worried anymore. However…”
As she spoke, Lina stared in dissatisfaction at the man in black. “Since you have a message from Daphne, why didn’t you show us right away? Why didn’t you tell us that you’re Daphne’s neighbor?”
“Yeah, you caused us to misunderstand.”
The others were upset as well.
Knowing that he was at fault, the man in black replied, “Sorry, it didn’t occur to me to show you the message. I did say that I came here to help Daphne get her things, though. You’re the ones who didn’t believe me.”
They even assumed he was bad and threatened to send him to the police.
When the others heard his explanation, they rejected it.
“What do you mean by that? You just said that you were here to get Daphne’s things, but you didn’t mention that you were her neighbor, or that Daphne asked you to come. When a stranger comes out of nowhere and says those things without related evidence, we’d naturally refuse to let the person in.”
“That’s right!”
The man in black also knew his statement was flawed, so he shyly squeezed out a smile. “Sorry, I’m not very good at talking, so—”
“Fine, forget it. Since we’ve confirmed your identity, just come in and get her things. We still have work to do!” a secretary interrupted.
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Chapter 1234 Your Subordinate
The man in black looked at Sonia, seemingly asking for the woman’s permission. After Sonia nodded lightly at him, he followed the secretaries and assistants into the vast office, then began gathering Daphne’s things.
Because of the increased speed from working together, within a few minutes, Daphne’s things were all gathered and placed into two large cardboard boxes.
The man in black bent over and carried the two boxes in his arms. After informing Sonia, he walked straight toward the elevator.
Sonia and Lina stood outside the large office, watching him leave. Lina sighed. “I know that Daphne resigned in pursuit of a better future; it’s a good thing, but when I saw her leave, I still felt sad inside.”
With that, she turned to look at Sonia. She thought that Sonia would feel the same, but unexpectedly, she saw Sonia frowning while looking in the direction the man left.
“What’s wrong, President Reed?” Lina glanced in the direction the man in black went, then back at Sonia, hastily asking, “Is something off about that man?”
If not, Sonia wouldn’t have such an expression. Sonia shook her head, then nodded. “No, it’s just that I feel like I’ve seen this man somewhere before.”
She had originally decided to ignore that notion. However, when she watched the man in black leaving with the boxes, a sense of familiarity surged in her mind once again.
The sense of familiarity invaded her twice, so she didn’t think it was just an illusion.
Therefore, she had seen this man before but couldn’t remember where.
“You’ve seen him before?” Lina was stunned. “That’s impossible, though. Unless you’ve been to her house, how could you have met Daphne’s neighbor before?”
Sonia shook her head. “That is exactly what’s bothering me. I haven’t been there, but I feel like I’ve seen this man before. I wouldn’t be acting like this otherwise.”
“That’s weird.” Lina rubbed her chin. “Logically speaking, you wouldn’t have met him before if you’d never been to Daphne’s house. Could it be that you’ve seen him somewhere else?”
“I think so too. Perhaps you’ve seen him somewhere before,” answered Sonia while rubbing her temples.
Lina said, “But if that man can easily carry two large filled boxes, he must be undeniably strong. He also has an uncommon aura about him, and I don’t think he looks like a normal guy. He looks more like a soldier or a bodyguard.”
“Bodyguard?” A flash of inspiration occurred to Sonia as she instantly thought of something. She widened her eyes.
When Lina noticed this, she promptly asked, “President Reed, do you remember now?”
Sonia nodded, her expression a little serious. “When you mentioned the word ‘bodyguard’, I remember now that I’ve seen this man before. It was at Charles’ company. He is indeed a bodyguard; one of Charles’ bodyguards, to be exact. However, Charles doesn’t like having his bodyguards with him, so they are usually stationed in the security department of Lane Corporation. I must have seen him at Lane Corporation before.”
“I can’t believe he’s President Lane’s bodyguard,” Lina exclaimed in surprise. “Are you sure, President Reed?”
“Absolutely.” Sonia nodded earnestly.
A shocked Lina stared in the direction the man in black had disappeared, then gulped. “Didn’t he say that he’s Daphne’s neighbor? Why is he President Lane’s bodyguard now? Is he lying?”
She immediately looked at Sonia.
Sonia pursed her red lips as she remained silent, for she couldn’t understand it either.
If he were Charles’ bodyguard, why would he tell them that he was Daphne’s neighbor?
Could it be that this man was indeed Daphne’s neighbor, and he lived near Daphne’s house while coincidentally working as Charles’ bodyguard as well?
Even though it was possible, it wasn’t likely.
Of course, there could be another reason, and it was just as Lina had guessed; this man had lied. He wasn’t Daphne’s neighbor; he was just Charles’ bodyguard who had come to help gather Daphne’s things under Charles’ orders.
If not, how could Daphne possibly order Charles’ bodyguards around?
After all, Charles hated Daphne. Putting aside the possibility of him lending his bodyguard to Daphne, the two were no longer involved, so Daphne wouldn’t have the guts to ask Charles for someone to help her collect her stuff.
What exactly was going on here? Sonia could only give Charles or Daphne a call to get an answer.
Also, for some reason, she had a feeling that there must be a secret within there somewhere.
“President Reed?” Noticing that Sonia was in a daze, Lina couldn’t help but wave as she called out.
Sonia’s eyes twinkled as she recovered her senses, then smiled at Lina. “It’s nothing. I’ll give Charles a call and ask him why his bodyguard was moving Daphne’s stuff for her. I wonder if he knows what’s going on.”
Lina nodded.235723
Sonia turned and went back to her office. After sitting down, she instantly took out her phone and dialed Charles’ number.
Charles answered the call immediately. His casual voice sounded right away as he asked, “Hey, why the sudden phone call? Do you miss me or something? Hehe, did you suddenly realize that I’m way better, so you want to dump Toby and come back to me?”
Of course, Sonia knew he was kidding and that he had no intention of probing her on purpose. After all, he knew well that she would never break up with Toby.
At least, not for now.
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He had joked about those things to tease her a little.0
Sonia rolled her eyes. “Enough, Charles. Stop the nonsense and get serious. I have something to talk to you about.”
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“Fine, I’ll stop fooling around. What is it?” On the other end of the line, Charles was also sitting in his own office. He was leaning lazily in his office chair, and his feet were propped on his office desk.
As soon as he heard that Sonia had serious business to talk about, he immediately adjusted his slack posture and hastily lowered his feet, proceeding to sit upright.
“It’s not something too important, but it’s like an itch I can’t scratch if I don’t get to the bottom of it.” Sonia rubbed between her eyebrows as she spoke in a slightly laden tone.
When Charles heard that, he was instantly worried. “What exactly is it, Sonny? Tell me.”
Seeing that the problem at hand could turn into a bother if she didn’t get to the bottom of it, he guessed that it couldn’t have been a minor problem like she claimed it was.
“Let me ask you this, Charles. Did you send a bodyguard to my place to gather Daphne’s things?” When Sonia posed the question, she pursed her red lips slightly.
On the other end of the line, Charles froze completely.
After waiting for a few seconds in vain for his reply, Sonia already had an answer. “As expected, it’s your doing. That man was lying about being Daphne’s neighbor. He was just following your orders, pretending to be Daphne’s neighbor so that he could come here and get her stuff. In the likely event that we didn’t believe him, you even told Daphne’s mother about it. Charles, what a thoughtful man you are.”
If she hadn’t realized that the man was his bodyguard, she wouldn’t have known that he would go through so much plotting just to move some stuff.
Charles parted his lips a little and finally found his voice after a while. “Since you know that already, I won’t deceive you any longer. I did send the man there, and I did inform Daphne and her mother about it. I did it so that—”
“So that I won’t find out that you’re the one who sent him. That’s why you worked with Daphne and her mother to put on a show so that I would think that he’s Daphne’s neighbor instead of your subordinate, right?” Sonia’s expression was dark as she interrupted him.
Charles lowered his head guiltily. “Yes…
Chapter 1232 He Is Not a Bad Guy
Since Daphne didn’t have any friends or relatives, the man was suspicious for claiming he was there to help her with her belongings.
“If you lie to us, I will call the cops on you. Moreover, Paradigm Co. is my territory. You might not be able to leave this place if I said so.” As Sonia spoke, she stared at the man, seemingly as if she would fight back as soon as he had any sudden movements.
Although she was not strong, she could still subdue him since there were so many people in the room. Not only was Sonia ready to fight back, Rita and the others were just as ready to make a move. Some even took out their phones and were ready to call the police.
At this moment, the man finally spoke. “I’m not Daphne’s friend or relative.” As he spoke, he turned and looked at Sonia.
Before this, he always kept his head down, so Sonia couldn’t see who he was. Now that she had a good look at him, she was stunned momentarily. This is strange. I feel like I have seen him before. He gives off a familiar vibe. Am I seeing things?
Thinking about it, Sonia pursed her lips and went through her memories. However, she couldn’t pinpoint where she had seen him before. Thus, she could only suppress the suspicion in her and stared at him. “If you are not her friend or relative, who are you? Also, how did you get up here?”
To her, this was the most crucial part. Whenever a stranger entered the company, the receptionist would ask about their arrival. When everything was fine, only then would they let the stranger in. However, before the receptionist was allowed to let strangers into the company, they had to contact the department or person which the stranger desired. Only then would they let the stranger in after getting approval. All of these processes would be included. So, what excuse did the man make to have the receptionist approve of his arrival? Moreover, who did they contact and give them the approval to let him up here?
Thinking about it, Sonia turned and looked at Rita. Immediately, Rita knew her intentions and took out her phone to contact the receptionist. Before investigating this matter, she intended to leave the scene since she feared the man would stop her from it.
However, to her surprise, the man only glanced at her before looking back at Sonia. He had no intention of stopping Rita.
Then, he bowed slightly at Sonia and said politely, “I’m sorry that I didn’t introduce myself, Miss Reed. I’m Daphne’s neighbor.”
“Neighbor?” Sonia looked at him questionably.
“Yes.” The man nodded. “Daphne had asked me to help her with her things before she went abroad. Since her mother couldn’t walk easily, she could only ask for my help. You can contact Daphne or her mother if you don’t believe me.”
When Sonia heard his words and saw that he had admitted them without hesitation, she started to trust him. However, due to precautions, she still decided to ask someone to contact Daphne or her mother.
Then, she asked one of the secretaries to handle this. When the said person got Sonia’s order, she immediately obliged.
At the same time, Sonia glared at the man and queried, “Even if you said it to this point, who knows if you are trying to get our guards down? Although Miss Daphne had resigned, her belongings are still here. Since she had a high-paid salary, most of her belongings were valuable. Maybe you are some thief who lives around Daphne’s house and intentionally pretended to be her neighbor when you knew she had resigned and didn’t take her belongings. After having them, you will sell her things for money. Hmph, just wait and see. I will give them a call. If it isn’t the same as you said, you are doomed.”
“That’s right.” When the others heard her words, they nodded in agreement.
When the man noticed this, he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. After all, he was just here to take Daphne’s belongings because his boss had ordered him to do so. Never did he expect that it would be a difficult task. Since he was a quiet person, he didn’t know how to respond. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have dragged the time for so long and didn’t explain himself. Seeing that they were demanding to verify his identity, he didn’t say anything more and gestured to them to do it. Then, he fell silent.
Seeing that he was calm, Sonia trusted him even more. All she had to do now was to wait for the secretary’s verification.
After two minutes, the secretary in charge of contacting Daphne returned with a complex expression. When the others asked if the man was a bad guy or not, her face was awkward.
Then, she put down her phone, looked at the man, and smiled apologetically. “About that… I just called Miss Daphne, but she didn’t pick up since it might be nighttime for her. So, I called her mother, and she said that Miss Daphne indeed had asked her neighbor—that would be him—to take her belongings. I even asked what he was wearing, and it was the same as this man.”
At that moment, everyone looked at the man awkwardly.
“Oh… You really are her neighbor…”
“It seems that we have misunderstood you.”
They smiled awkwardly as they spoke.
At that moment, Rita had also returned. After glancing at the man, she said to Sonia, “I have asked the receptionist, Chairman Reed. They said he claimed to be Miss Daphne’s neighbor and was here to take her belongings. Moreover, he even showed them the text Miss Daphne had sent him, which was her phone number. Thus, they didn’t inform us and approved his arrival immediately.”
“I see…” Sonia nodded slightly and knew how exactly the man got here.
When Daphne was still working as Sonia’s secretary in the company, she was her right-hand man. So, the receptionist could contact Daphne straightforwardly if anyone wanted to look for her without Sonia’s approval. Since the man had the text message Daphne sent him, it would only be expected if the receptionist let him in without telling her about this.
“Don’t worry. He is indeed here to help Miss Daphne. We had just asked her mother about it,” said Sonia as she patted Rita’s shoulder.
When Rita heard her words, she sighed in relief. “So, that’s how it is. I’m glad that he isn’t suspicious. However…” As she spoke, she stared at the man with dissatisfaction, “Since you have Miss Daphne’s text, why didn’t you show it to us? Moreover, why didn’t you say that you are her neighbor?”
The others were unhappy too. “Yeah, you gave us the wrong signal.”
The man knew that it was his fault too, so he apologized to them. “I’m sorry that I didn’t think of showing the text. However, I did say that I was here to take Miss Daphne’s belongings. It’s just that you guys don’t believe me.” Moreover, you guys thought that I was a criminal and wanted to call the cops on me.
When the others heard his explanation, they were dissatisfied with it.
“What do you mean by us not believing in you? You only told us that you were here to take her belongings, yet you didn’t say you were her neighbor, and she asked for your help. So, when a stranger came up to us and said such things without any evidence, of course, we would refuse to let you in.”
“Yeah!”
Hearing their words, the man knew that it was his mistake for not clarifying it. So, he felt embarrassed and squeezed out a smile, saying, “I apologize about that. I’m not good at communication, so—”
Before he could finish his words, one of the secretaries cut him off and said, “It’s fine, and stop explaining yourself. Since we know your identity, come and take Miss Daphne’s belongings. We don’t have all day!
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Chapter 1235 What’s So Bad About Me?
Deep down, Sonia was a little irritated. “Charles, what are you trying to achieve here? You hate Daphne, don’t you? Why would you move her things away? Don’t tell me Daphne asked you to do it; she’s terrified of you, so she wouldn’t even dream of asking you for help.
She can ask anyone in my company and does not need to go to you. Even if she did ask you for help and you agreed to it, you could have just sent someone here. Why would you go through the trouble of hiding your subordinate’s identity? Charles, what are you thinking of exactly?”
Charles never expected Sonia to recognize the man he sent so easily, so he felt a little surprised. He thought his subordinate was decent, so how was he discovered?
Well, his subordinate was probably too stupid and accidentally exposed himself. Charles was pissed. “Charles, why are you staying silent?” Noticing that Charles had stopped talking, Sonia was a little upset. “Come on, what are you trying to do exactly?”
Charles couldn’t possibly say that he did it, for he feared Sonia would suspect Daphne hadn’t left the country at all and that he had grounded Daphne instead.
After all, she knew very well that he hated Daphne. If he sent someone to get Daphne’s stuff right now, with Sonia’s smarts, she would wonder what made him change his mind, and she would figure out that he had grounded Daphne.
As such, he could only send a bodyguard she had rarely seen before. To avoid her suspicions, he even had the bodyguard claim that he was Daphne’s neighbor, even asking Daphne’s mother to play along.
Daphne’s mother only knew that he used to be Daphne’s superior, but she didn’t know that Daphne was on bad terms with him. After all, neither he nor Daphne could tell her that.
As such, Daphne’s mother sincerely believed that Daphne had gone overseas to further her studies. She thought that Daphne had asked her former boss to send someone to collect her things. Yet, she also feared that Daphne’s current boss would be pissed about Daphne asking her former boss for help. Perhaps her current boss would even question whether her former boss was more important to her.
Thus, Daphne’s mother readily agreed to play along. If someone called and asked about the bodyguard’s identity, she would say that he was their neighbor.
He thought that he had set everything up perfectly, and Sonia wouldn’t notice anything wrong.
But in the end, he still underestimated Sonia’s wits. Sonia managed to figure everything out, and she called him straight away to ask him about it.
What a headache!
Charles rubbed his cheek, then finally sighed and replied, “Since you want to know, I’ll tell you. You may not believe it, Sonny, but Daphne did indeed ask for my help.”
“What?” Sonia was slightly stunned. “Are you saying that Daphne asked you to help her get her stuff?”
“Yes.”
Sonia snorted. “Charles, do you think I’m so easily deceived?”
Charles lowered his head, hiding the emotion in his eyes. “I know you don’t believe me, but it’s the truth. If you don’t believe me, you can just ask Daphne yourself, then you’ll know if I’m telling the truth.”
Since Charles insisted that she could ask Daphne herself, Sonia wasn’t so sure about it anymore.
After some hesitation, she said, “In that case, tell me why she would ask you for help. Even an outsider like me can see what your relationship is like. Logically speaking, Daphne couldn’t have come to you. Even if she needed help, she’d come to me first, her colleagues, or her mother. She couldn’t possibly have asked you for help.”
When Charles heard Sonia say that, he felt upset somehow.
What did she mean by Daphne not possibly asking for my help?
What’s so bad about me?
Despite thinking that, Charles naturally wouldn’t voice his thoughts. He just sounded a little sullen as he said, “Why not? Hasn’t she already asked for it?”
Hearing the upset tone in Charles’ voice, Sonia raised an eyebrow. In an instant, she recalled what Toby had told her before.
He said that Charles might have fallen for Daphne already, but Charles himself hadn’t noticed it.
Back then, she didn’t quite believe him.
But now, when she heard how Charles spoke, she was already beginning to believe it a little.
Of course, even if Sonia believed it, she had no plans of exposing it yet. After all, some things were better left hidden.
“I think Daphne wouldn’t ask you for help under normal circumstances. Tell me, what did you do so that Daphne would forgo all of us and go to you instead?” Sonia interrogated.
Charles’ expression was even more mysterious now. “I didn’t do anything; Daphne came to me herself, and that’s because of her mother. Her mother never knew that our relationship had turned sour, and she thought that things were like how they had been before. Daphne told her mother about furthering her studies, and her mother wanted to treat her bosses to a meal as thanks for taking care of her. Daphne didn’t want her mother to know about our crumbling relationship, for she feared that her mother would worry. Thus, she contacted me and asked me to help carry her things back. With that, she could prove to her mother that our relationship was intact. As for why I agreed, perhaps it’s just because I’m too kind. I didn’t want to involve Daphne’s mother in our grudges, so I agreed.”
“I see.” Charles had a point. Also, since he dared to let Sonia ask Daphne for verification, Sonia believed him now.
“If so, why did you hide your bodyguard’s identity? It’s nothing unsightly anyway.”
Sonia queried because she couldn’t understand at all.
Charles rubbed his face. “As for that… It was Daphne’s request as well. She didn’t want you to worry and think that something happened between us again. That’s why I hid it from you when I sent my subordinate over. I didn’t want to agree to that, but she begged me to do it, so I finally said yes in honor of our past.”
“I see.” Sonia nodded.
Judging by Daphne’s personality, she would do something like that to avoid making Sonia worry.
Seeing that Sonia gradually believed him, Charles sighed secretly in relief. “Well, I planned everything so extensively, but you still figured it out in the end. Right, Sonny, how did you know that the man is my bodyguard? Did that idiot let something slip?”
Sonia rolled her eyes. “Don’t blame him. He didn’t let anything slip; I was the one who recognized him. I’ve seen him before.”
“You’ve seen him before?” Charles exclaimed, “How can that be?! Where did you meet him? I’ve never brought him with me.”
Sonia smiled. “You never brought him with you, but that doesn’t mean I’ve never seen him before. I saw him when I went to your company. It was a coincidental meeting, but I didn’t have a deep impression of him. That’s why I thought that he looked familiar when I saw him. Afterward, I recalled that he’s your bodyguard, and you know what happened next.”
Charles fell silent, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. A long while later, he finally managed to process the truth.
“I see.” He put a hand to his forehead. “I took the trouble to arrange for an unfamiliar face so that you wouldn’t find out, and I thought you wouldn’t recognize him. I never thought that you might have seen him before. What a huge mistake!”
Even though the process was a little arduous, in the end, he managed to convince Sonia.
By the looks of it, Sonia probably wouldn’t guess that Daphne was with him.
At that thought, Charles allowed a short-lived glimmer to flash across his eyes.
“All right, stop making such a stir. Now that I’ve gotten the facts straight, I’m not worried anymore. Someone is here, so I’ll stop bothering you and hang up now.”
Sonia looked at the entrance to the office, where a few people were carrying bags of varying sizes. She greeted them with a wave of her hand, then bade goodbye over the phone.235725
Charles was also worried that if they continued talking, he might accidentally reveal something, so he nodded hastily and ended the call.
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Chapter 1236 Makeup Artist Team
After putting down her phone, Sonia waved to the person at the door. “Come in.” The few people at the door smiled and entered the room gingerly.
The leader was the assistant who had previously spoken to Sonia on the phone before. She was also the one who acted as her and Sophia’s interpreter in the store earlier on. Besides, she was also a firm shipper of Toby and her. Hence, Sonia had a favorable impression of the woman.
“Miss Reed, Ms. Sophia sent me and our team over to assist in your makeover.” After arriving at Sonia’s desk, the assistant pointed to the group behind her and introduced them to Sonia, “Ms. Sophia intended to come in person, but she suddenly received a call, saying that the material for the wedding dress she ordered a while ago just arrived, so she had to book a last-minute ticket to go abroad and check on the material. I’m here to lead the team instead, but don’t worry, Miss Reed, we guarantee to offer you the best results even if Ms. Sophia isn’t around.”
“I do not doubt all of you since Ms. Sophia personally sent you here. I’ll leave it to you, then.” Sonia stood up and nodded at the rest of the crew.
The assistant waved her hand in dismissal. “You’re being too polite, Miss Reed. Shall we begin now?”
“Come to the lounge. We have a dressing table over there. It’ll be more convenient for you to get started.” She pointed at the door opposite and led the way, while the assistant and her crew followed closely behind.
On the way to the lounge, Sonia suddenly asked, “Did you just mention that Ms. Sophia went to check on the wedding dress material? Does she still design wedding dresses?”
The assistant explained with a smile, “Ms. Sophia was originally a wedding dress designer, and she recently took on a huge deal.”
“Is that so?” Sonia arched a brow.
With a mysterious smile plastered on her face, the assistant explained, “A gentleman with an influential background ordered a wedding dress from Ms. Sophia. He wants her to design the most beautiful and luxurious wedding dress in the world, for he wants his wife to be the happiest bride on earth. Ms. Sophia agreed to his request, and she has been running around these days to get the dress done.”
She continued, “In the beginning, she revised her design many times until the client was satisfied, so now, she has to pick the material for the dress. Once the material is selected, we will recruit more manpower to sew the wedding dress by hand. The client wants us to get it done within six months, so we’ll probably be really busy in the next half of the year.”
“Oh?” Sonia’s interest was piqued by the subject. “The most stunning and luxurious wedding dress in the world, you say? That must cost a bomb. In fact, wouldn’t that make it the most expensive in the world? How else would you be able to give the client what he wants?”
After all, money was the prerequisite to making something stunning and luxurious. How could one dream of having the most stunning dress without paying a hefty amount? In their dreams, perhaps!
Sure enough, the assistant nodded fervently. “That’s right. Ms. Sophia did the calculations, and it’ll cost this amount at the very least.” She spread her palms as she spoke.
“Fifty million?” Sonia made a guess.
“Nope.” The assistant shook her head.
Sonia’s eyes widened as she took another guess. “500 million?”
The assistant smiled. “That’s right.”
Sonia took a sharp breath. “That is the most expensive dress in the world. This gentleman must be generous and loves his wife a lot. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be willing to spend such a large amount of money to order a wedding dress that will only be worn once!”
The assistant looked at her and replied, “Yeah, I’m so envious of that lady. I can tell that her husband loves her wholeheartedly, and she will become the happiest and most dazzling bride in the world.”
Sonia didn’t understand why the assistant was looking at her strangely, but she nodded approvingly. “Speaking of it, isn’t it too high of a requirement if the gentleman wants it within six months? A handmade wedding dress will take at least a year to complete. A bigger one could even take years. Isn’t he making things difficult for you guys to finish the dress within six months?”
“The deadline is quite tight for us, but he told us that he did something wrong in the past and broke his wife’s heart, so he wants to make up for her with a grand wedding. He also hopes to have the wedding earlier so that he can tie her by his side. That is why he has requested us to finish it within six months. He wants to remarry her as soon as possible.”
“I see.” Sonia nodded without uttering another word.
Seeing that, the assistant stopped talking. She didn’t want to get too excited and expose that their client was actually President Fuller!
When they arrived at the lounge, the entourage of makeup artists started doing their job.
Their crew consisted of professional makeup artists and stylists, and they were well-known within the fashion industry. Many wealthy daughters and entertainment artists dreamed of inviting them to do their makeup, but almost all of them were rejected.
Due to their status, ordinary people couldn’t hire them even if they had the money.
But for Toby, inviting them was no big deal, and as his fiancée, Sonia had the honor of being dolled up under their delicate hands. With her status, she wouldn’t even be able to connect with them, let alone invite them.
As expected of the greatest players in the industry, their makeup techniques were seamless.
Sonia sized her reflection in the mirror carefully after the makeover.
The assistant then inquired, “What do you think, Miss Reed?”
Meanwhile, the other makeup artists looked at Sonia nervously.
If she was some other client, they would not have been so nervous about their client’s evaluation. After all, they were highly confident in their skills and never had any technical problems that left clients unsatisfied.
To boast a little, the clients were usually the ones afraid of expressing their dismay and were always careful not to offend them since they didn’t want them to reject their future requests.
However, that only applied to their other clients.
They dared not act proudly in front of this woman, for she had a big shot supporting her. Consequently, they couldn’t afford to offend her, so they would naturally be attentive to her preferences.
If she wasn’t satisfied with the results, they would make amends without a squeak.
After all, it was a makeover they had put significant effort into, so they didn’t wish for it to be rejected. Moreover, they dared not oppose her even if she expressed her dissatisfaction, and it was only natural for them to be nervous.
Although Sonia didn’t turn her head, she noticed the entire crew’s tense expressions through the mirror and understood what they were worried about. She then replied with a smile, “Of course, I am satisfied. Your work is great. There’s no way I wouldn’t be happy with it.”
Sensing how sincere Sonia’s words were, they breathed a sigh of relief. Their heavy hearts were finally set free.
Meanwhile, the assistant also heaved a sigh of relief as she chuckled. “I’m delighted that you’re happy with the results. Shall we change into the gown now?”
“Okay.” Sonia nodded and pointed at the gift box she had brought with her. “It’s inside.”
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The nearest makeup artist walked over to the box in the direction she had pointed at. Then, she proceeded to open the bright red gift box in front of everyone’s eyes.
Except for the assistant, everyone else was seeing the dress for the first time, so they couldn’t help but exclaim, “It’s so beautiful!”
“Ms. Sophia’s design never disappoints!”
“I can already imagine how beautiful Miss Reed will look in it.”
With that said, everyone looked at Sonia, expecting her to put it on.0
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All of a sudden, Sonia became the center of attention. She then chuckled, picked up the gown, and entered the washroom in the lounge to get changed.
Since all of them wanted to see it, she would satisfy them. She was meant to wear it in the first place, after all.0
Soon, she came out after changing into the gown.
The moment she stepped out, everyone’s jaws almost dropped to the floor in shock.
Even the assistant couldn’t peel her eyes off Sonia, for she was stunning.
Chapter 1237 She Is Beautiful
It was not the first time the assistant saw Sonia wearing this dress. When Sonia and Toby went to the store to pick up the dress, she had tried it on once. Back then, the assistant was also amazed by her beauty.
Hence, it stood to reason that her reaction wouldn’t be as big as before. She should’ve been much calmer than the rest who saw the dress for the first time. However, the assistant was blown away by her beauty once again.
Sonia merely tried it on previously without a makeover, so even though she was considered beautiful, it wasn’t to a shocking extent. Conversely, she had undergone a huge makeover that suited her gown, hence it made her even prettier.
It was no surprise that the assistant was stunned by her beauty again.
“Miss Reed, you are so beautiful.” The assistant was also the first one to react as she leaned toward Sonia and held her hands in hers, her eyes filled with excitement.
Seeing the assistant staring at her with glowing eyes, Sonia felt amused. “Thanks for the compliment.”
“It’s not a compliment—it’s a fact! By the way, Miss Reed, do you have some jewelry? It will certainly enhance your beauty.” The assistant sized up and down Sonia’s slender neck as she spoke.
Sonia needed some accessories to adorn her fair and smooth neck.
The other makeup artists also nodded repeatedly upon hearing the suggestion, expressing their agreement with the assistant’s words.
As professional makeup artists and stylists, they were more sensitive than regular assistants when it came to jewelry matching.
When Sonia put on the gown and stepped out, they had already discovered that she lacked a lost touch of jewelry.
Even though she was gorgeous without it, something seemed to be missing. Due to that, it felt as if there was a hint of imperfection in her beauty.
They rarely offered their services to such a beautiful client, so there was no doubt they wanted to make sure the makeover was perfect.
Even if their client did not possess any accessories at the moment, they could find a way to obtain them for her.
Sonia didn’t know what was going on in their heads, but when she heard the assistant’s question, she pulled the drawer in front of the bed and took out an exquisite jewelry box before opening it.
A complete set of dazzling and beautiful ruby jewelry was revealed, catching everyone’s attention. Once again, all of them gasped in shock.
“Goodness! It’s the finest pigeon blood ruby! Looking at the color and transparency of these gems, they must have come from the same ruby gemstone. That’s rarer! I’ve seen many pieces of ruby jewelry before, but this is the first time I’m seeing a whole set. Whoa, I’ve lived long enough to witness this with my own eyes!”
“Exactly! Rubies of this grade have always been rare. I’ve never even heard of a ruby gemstone big enough to cut into a whole set of ruby jewelry. I can’t believe you have it, Miss Reed. This is unbelievable.”
Everyone stared at Sonia enthusiastically. Sonia handed the box over and clarified, “This is not mine. It used to belong to my boyfriend’s late mother, and he brought them over to match my gown.”
The day after Toby gave it to her, she was worried that it would not be safe to store it in Bayside Residence. After all, this jewelry set was too expensive, so she brought it directly to the company. There was a safe in the lounge where she could place it.
It wasn’t until she came to the company at noon today that she took it out of the safe and put it in a drawer.
The makeup artists stepped forward to admire the jewelry, but no one dared to touch it.
Sonia was amused to see how cautious they were, but she didn’t offer to let them touch it. Firstly, it wasn’t hers, so she had to be careful with it. She didn’t want to damage or lose it, let alone the others.
Since they were afraid that they might damage the jewelry, they tried to refrain from touching it.
Sonia knew very well that even if she permitted them, they wouldn’t touch it since they couldn’t afford to break it. Therefore, she acted oblivious to their thoughts.
“Okay, it’s getting late. Help me put them on.” Sonia went back to the dressing table and sat down.
The makeup artists then nodded before each of them took the jewelry out of the box gingerly.
They were so attentive and moved around so carefully that even their expressions were extra serious and tense for fear that they might accidentally drop the jewelry, which elicited a laugh from Sonia.
Back then, she was as cautious as they were right now.
Toby even told her not to be so nervous, saying that it was just a pile of beautiful stones, so she didn’t have to be so prudent. She also recalled how she rolled her eyes at him after that.
To someone as wealthy as him, these might just be beautiful stones, but to her, they were a pile of cash!
He was pretty magnanimous to give her such a precious thing to wear, and he even claimed that it would belong to her eventually and that he was just giving it to her in advance.235727
If their plans went smoothly, she would inherit all the jewelry left by his mother in the future, but they had yet to seal the deal! Strictly speaking, these were not hers yet. Moreover, they were precious and expensive jewelry. How could she be careless when handling them?!
Eventually, she managed to wear the jewelry with the makeup crew’s assistance.
With the adornment of the jewelry, her hair, makeup, as well as the gown she was wearing, her visuals were instantly unrivaled.
In the professionals’ eyes, she finally looked complete.
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“Miss Reed, you look stunning.” The assistant clasped her hands together and looked at Sonia with starry eyes.0
When Sonia took a glance at herself in the mirror, she was also slightly taken aback.
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She had always known she was beautiful, but she never took her beauty seriously or felt proud of it. She was aware that she wasn’t the most attractive person when there was a cluster of beautiful women in the industry. As a result, she did not define her beauty as something to be proud of.
However, Sonia never dreamed that she would look jaw-dropping after wearing a custom-made designer gown, a full face of makeup, and a set of jewelry.
She suddenly realized how much potential she had in the looks department.
As she touched her face, her red lips curved slightly upward, revealing a radiant and irresistible smile.
Everyone present took a sharp breath as they gaped at her, suddenly unable to form a coherent sentence.
“What a beauty…” Someone couldn’t help praising her beauty.
Toby, who suddenly appeared at the door of the lounge, heard that and nodded in agreement. Then, he looked at the woman sitting in front of the mirror with a burning gaze.
He didn’t expect that he would be so lucky to see her completely dolled up as soon as he arrived.
She looked ravishing after applying makeup, changing into a dress, and wearing jewelry. Without a doubt, she was a temptress.
In the past, he refused to believe old tales of kings being charmed by trouble-making femme fatale, for he always believed that beauty had its limit. No human could be as beautiful and captivating on earth, and those tales were merely exaggerated.
However, Sonia managed to change his mind!
He even felt a little regretful…
Chapter 1239 Reapplying Makeup
They aren’t doing anything? Whoa, I can’t believe Mr. Fuller wouldn’t do anything. He obviously wanted to do something to Miss Reed but if they’re doing nothing, we’d be wasting our time here.
Everyone exchanged a look of disappointment and lost interest in listening to the action. In the end, they left. There wasn’t even a sound inside, so they thought nothing was happening. It would be pointless to keep eavesdropping. If the couple came out and realized they were listening, it would be a disaster. We should leave.
The couple had no idea what was going on outside. They were still engrossed in their kiss. Just a kiss and nothing more. Of course, there was nothing loud going on. The only sound was their ragged breathing and a little watery plop. But these sounds were quiet enough to be stopped by the walls. Nobody heard that.
And that was why they thought nothing was happening inside when in reality, the couple was kissing with everything they had.
A long, long time later, Sonia almost lost all her strength and she started slipping. It was only then that Toby finally let her go. He held her lower back and pulled her up a little, keeping her from plopping down to the ground. He then took her to the dressing table whereby she sat on it, breathing heavily. Sonia was leaning on Toby’s chest, her arms weakly wrapped around his neck. With misty eyes, she looked behind the man and tried to say something, but not even a single word escaped her tongue.
He held her back with one hand and her waist with another. His chin rested on her shoulder as he held her in his embrace. A satisfied smile tugged at his lips.
A few minutes later, Sonia had enough rest and some of her strength was finally returning. Her breathing was also calming down. As such, she let go of Toby’s neck and placed her hands on his shoulders in an attempt to push him away.
But he was holding her in his arms, and her strength was not enough to shove him back too much. All she did was push his head away. Now there was about a fifty-centimeter distance between them, but it was enough for her to look at him closely.
“Toby, you ruined my makeup,” she complained.
She noticed the lipstick that dotted his lips, and it annoyed and amused her at the same time. He looks so funny. And I thought it was funny enough that someone snapped a photo of his face having a kiss mark on it.
Toby turned his attention to her lips. All the lipstick was gone, revealing the pink shade underneath. Her lips looked swollen from the kiss, and they were a darker shade of pink than usual. And they look glistening. Perfect for a kiss.
Embers of desire stoked Toby’s heart and he gulped. Time was running out and Sonia would get mad if he kept doing this, so he dashed the idea of making out with her. If it were any other time, he would have gone for it. A hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes, but he wiped the small remnants of lipstick from her lips anyway. Hoarsely, he said, “I’m sorry. I’ll reapply your lipstick, hmm?”
Sonia froze at that. “You’re going to do what?” She shot Toby a look of doubt. Naturally, she doubted his skills. He never told her he knew how to do makeup.
Toby saw through her and it irked him. He picked up a pack of makeup-removing tissue and bit a corner of the pack as he tore it open.
A simple act but one that made Sonia blush. Toby tore open the pack the way he would a pack of condoms. They used protection when sleeping together. She might be unable to get pregnant for two years but there were no guarantees of a miracle. As such, they used protection as a precaution. Putting everything in fate’s hands wasn’t their style.
Well, they did start off by not using protection. They thought no matter what they did, they would not have a child for two years. That was the doctor’s diagnosis for Sonia.
But when they went for a follow-up, Tim told them the diagnosis wasn’t an absolute decree. She could still get pregnant, so it would be better if they used protection. Since then, they never had unprotected sex, and Toby had his way of tearing a pack of condoms open. It was the same way he tore the tissue pack open. Tissue packs were supposed to be ordinary items but after what he did, Sonia couldn’t see these items the same way again. The thought of that amused her.
On the other hand, Toby didn’t know the thoughts that just ran across Sonia’s mind. Presently, he pulled out some tissues and answered, “I’ve never taken any classes, but I watched how you put on your makeup. I don’t know everything, but I know a few parts. Reapplying your makeup is one of those parts; only your lipstick is gone. Everything else is intact. All I have to do is reapply your lipstick.”
“Really?” Sonia was still doubtful.
He let her go at that. “See for yourself.”
“Sure.” She hopped off the dressing table and turned around to look in the mirror.
Her makeup and hair were okay. Just like Toby promised, the only thing missing was her lipstick. Everything else was fine. I see he held back. She took a closer look and, upon finding her makeup was intact, happily turned around. “Guess you aren’t a total horndog. You know when to hold back.” She looked at him.
“I always know when to hold back.” He pressed his forehead against hers and smiled.
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Sonia harrumphed. “Just give me the cotton pad.”
“I’ll do it.” He shook his head. Still, he insisted on reapplying her lipstick.
Sonia wanted to say something but the look of resolve in his eyes stopped her. She couldn’t say no, not when he was so eager to show what he was made of. And so, she nodded. “Do it, then.”
She was reluctant to say no when he was so eager about something. That puppy pout alone was too much. Nobody would refuse someone, not when their eyes shone with anticipation for something. Not when they would look like sad puppies if they were refused. I can’t possibly say no to that.
Gah, he knows where to hit. Sonia massaged her temples and smiled dryly. Fine, he can do it. I’ll just patch things up if he fails. I can always remove the makeup and reapply it. And if he fails, I have one more thing to laugh at.0
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The smug look in her eyes failed to escape Toby. He knew what she was thinking about, but he wouldn’t let that scenario happen. Something twinkled in his eyes and he composed himself. Like an artisan, he held the tissue up and gently wiped Sonia’s lips. He needed to get the remnants of her lipstick off, but he wasn’t wiping her lips randomly like an amateur. He started from her top lip before moving to the bottom in a circular motion, drawing out the shape of her lips.
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Chapter 1238 Why Is It So Quiet?
Toby regretted requesting Sophia to design the gown, letting the makeup team style Sonia, and bringing her beautiful jewelry. All of his actions amplified her already-existent beauty, putting her in the limelight.
Toby had a dominant and possessive personality, so he didn’t want to show others this side of her at all, especially men. Instantly, he regretted his decisions. Despite that, he didn’t intend to let her take everything off.
If he forced her to remove the accessories, it would not only show that he was unreasonable, but it would also give her a poor impression of him. It would make her take him as a selfish man who, for his own selfish desire, imprisoned her in his beliefs and took away her freedom.
If he were to be that kind of man, she would certainly distance herself from him instead of falling harder for him. Therefore, even if he didn’t want other men to witness her beauty, he wouldn’t show it, and he wouldn’t stop her from shining.
She had the right to dress up, so Toby chose to respect her. Thinking of that, he entered the lounge with big and confident strides.
Sonia was the first to see the man approaching from the mirror. Her eyes brightened up almost instantly. Then, she stood up, turned around, smiled charmingly at the man, and greeted, “You’re here!”
Sonia’s words brought the others back to their senses, and only then did they realize that Toby had arrived.
“President Fuller.” Everyone hurriedly bowed to Toby and greeted him.
Toby raised his chin slightly in response, then waved his hand to dismiss them. “You guys are dismissed for now. Come in later to fix my hair.”
Although he was talking to the makeup artists, his eyes never peeled away from Sonia.
Since the assistant shipped Sonia and Toby, her gaze darted between the couple. A contented smile crept up her face when she saw the burning gaze shooting out of Toby’s eyes.
He looks ready to eat Sonia up. Hehe! They’re so cute!
“Of course! We’ll be leaving right now. Take your time chatting with Miss Reed, President Fuller. Don’t mind us.” The assistant spoke with excitement while shoving the rest of the makeup artists out of the room.
Heh. She was certain that the couple would definitely be intimate with each other in the lounge. How can any man possibly resist himself after seeing how beautiful Sonia is?
From the look in Toby’s eyes, the assistant was sure that he was going to strip her down and wipe her clean!
Why else would he drive us out of the room? He is definitely up to no good. Heh. I know it all too well. Then again, they’re so cute that I wish I could stay in the room a little longer.
With a hint of enthusiasm and regret, she led the rest out of the lounge and shut the door. Following the sound of the door closing, Sonia and Toby were the only ones left in the lounge.
Meeting the man’s fiery gaze, Sonia felt her heart beat uncontrollably. All of a sudden, she felt nervous because she was fully aware of what his gaze signified.
Every time they spent the night together, those eyes would be present. Subconsciously, she took a step back.
Since the dressing table was right behind her, her waist hit it, blocking her way to escape.
The man pushed forward this time and arrived right before her in no time. One of his hands stretched out to hug her waist while his other gained purchase on the mirror behind her head.
She was completely imprisoned in his embrace, unable to move forward or retreat. His intent stare gradually turned hot and dark as if he was ready to pounce on her anytime from now.
Looking at the man before him, she blushed and gulped. “Toby, calm down. Don’t mess around.”
She was aware of why he dismissed the assistant and the rest of the makeup team.
She wasn’t a narcissist, but she knew how gorgeous she was right now.
I look so different when I’m dolled up that even I don’t recognize myself, not to mention this horny man.
Therefore, she couldn’t allow him to mess with her.
It took so much effort for her to put on her gown and get a makeover. If he ruined it, she would have to touch up again and even become a laughingstock to the people outside.
“My mind is very clear. I’m not trying to pull something on you.” The man lowered his head, stared at the flustered woman in his arms, and reassured her in a low and hoarse voice.
Sonia rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right? If you’re not trying to pull something on me, then what are you doing this for? Why don’t you let me go?”
Toby chuckled. “I just said I won’t mess around. It doesn’t mean that I won’t do anything.”
Sonia’s eyes widened in bewilderment. “Toby, you—”235729
Toby put up a finger and pressed it against her lips while interrupting, “Don’t worry. I know my limits. I won’t mess up your hair and clothes, but I just want to ask a small favor from you. I’m blaming it on your beauty.”
It’s only natural that I react this way. She’s too attractive. If I do nothing, wouldn’t that mean that I don’t appreciate her beauty?
In that case, it was a disrespect to Sonia’s makeover today. Toby came up with a great excuse for his following actions.
Although Sonia couldn’t read his mind, her heart beat faster, and her face turned beetroot red when the man called her beautiful.
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She knew she looked attractive since the assistant and the crew praised her, but a compliment from Toby felt different.0
The compliments from the assistants at most made her a little embarrassed, but her heart didn’t race.
0
However, Toby’s praise could have that effect on her. Not only could he make her heart beat faster, but she even felt bashful. All of this was due to the difference between a lover and an outsider.
A compliment from a lover was the most heart-fluttering word one could hear.
Toby calling her beautiful instantly broke all her psychological defenses, making her go limp.
“You…” Sonia parted her lips as if to say something, but as soon as she blurted one word, the man raised her chin, leaned down, and captured her red lips with his.
Sonia whimpered but did not struggle to break free.
After kissing him so many times, she already knew very well that struggling was pointless.
In that case, she would prefer to give in to his kisses.
Eventually, Sonia didn’t resist him, but when they parted to take their breaths, she held his face slightly away from her and warned, “If you dare to mess up my hair and makeup or wrinkle my gown, you are done for.”
The man let out a low chuckle and reassured, “I won’t.”
With that, he pried her hand away and kissed her one more time.
Outside the door, the assistant and the makeup crew pressed against the door panel, trying to eavesdrop on any noises inside.
After all, they were only given one chance to eavesdrop on Toby and Sonia making out since they were invited to style her up. How could they possibly let the opportunity slip out of their hands? Though they couldn’t witness it with their eyes, they could still try to hear them.
With the same thought in mind, all of them immediately leaned against the door after leaving the room.
Much to their disappointment, they could not hear a single noise. Due to that, all of them found it strange.
“What’s going on? Why is it so quiet inside?”
“Exactly. Isn’t intimacy supposed to be loud? Logically speaking, this room should not be soundproofed.”
“Yeah, I wonder too. Maybe they didn’t do anything?”
“No way! Didn’t you notice the look in President Fuller’s eyes earlier when he stared at Miss Reed? It’s obvious that he’s desperate to eat her up! How could he control himself? If they are indeed being intimate, there should be a sound.”
They exchanged glances at each other, wondering what the couple was doing inside and why it was silent in the room.
Chapter 1240 Doesn’t Look Like a Beginner
Wonder if he’s doing that out of habit or something else? Sonia thought it was both. Toby had a very slight case of OCD, so she wasn’t surprised he would wipe her lips in an organized way, but that wasn’t the only reason. He was also trying to flirt with her. Nobody would touch their client’s lips when they were removing their makeup, but Toby did. Not only was he wiping her lips slowly, but he would also touch them in an attempt to make things hot and heavy.
Men. Sonia knew what he was thinking. She had seen through his perverted thoughts, but she didn’t expose him. She wanted to see how far he would take this. I bet he’s going to kiss me once he’s done.
Surprisingly, he didn’t kiss her after he was done. He was trying to flirt with her, so he touched her lips, but he wasn’t planning on a kiss. Time wasn’t on their side so once he was done wiping her lips, he whipped out a tube of lipstick and tried to reapply it on her.
Such action surprised Sonia and she gave him a look of disbelief. It didn’t escape Toby, so he stopped his movements for a while. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
She opened her mouth but chose to not ask him anything. Instead, she shook her head, smiling. “Nothing. Just surprised you know how to remove lipstick.”
Is that so? Toby cocked an eyebrow. He knew that wasn’t what she wanted to say, but he didn’t press on for answers. Instead, he held her chin and applied her lipstick. “Some of my pens spin,” he stated. “I get used to their movement and removing your lipstick involves similar actions, so that’s probably why you thought I knew how to do it.”
“I see.” Can’t nod. Don’t want him to make any mistakes. Sonia blinked at him, telling him she got it. She then closed her eyes as he reapplied her lipstick. She thought he would be slow as he was new at this. This might be a long wait. Should close my eyes for a while longer. Don’t want him to feel pressured in case I stare at him for too long. But to her surprise, Toby was a lot faster than she imagined.
Not even two minutes had passed when Toby suddenly said, “Done.”
Done? Sonia opened her eyes in confusion, and she saw him retracting the lipstick and capping it. So, he was reapplying my lipstick. That’s fast. I didn’t even feel anything.
Still filled with doubt, Sonia turned around to look in the mirror. She expected to see a disaster. She expected to see lipstick all over her chin, an uneven spread of color, or even clumps of lipstick on her lips. That was what she was ready for. Sonia was going to even encourage Toby and tell him it was a good job for a first-timer. But surprisingly, she was worried for nothing.
There was no disaster. No uneven spread of color, no clumps of lipstick, nothing. In fact, it was perfect work, not unlike that of a makeup artist. It felt like the lipstick had never worn off. Impossible! She huddled closer to the mirror to have a better look. No. Still perfect. Her jaw dropped and she stared at Toby’s handiwork in disbelief, shock grasping her heart.
Toby stood behind her, delighted about her reaction. A smile curled his lips as he murmured, “See? Told you I wasn’t lying.”
Sonia turned around stiffly. She stared at him like it was her first time knowing him, and then she slowly nodded. “I believe you.” She gulped and held his arm. Quickly, she asked, “When did you learn this? This doesn’t look like beginner work at all. Did you do this for someone else? Are you cheating on me? Is that why you got so good at this?”
She pointed at Toby, her expression interrogatory. If he said yes, she would kill him.
Amused, he pushed her hand down and patted her head. “What are you talking about? I’ve never done this for anyone else.” Even when he was hypnotized and thought he loved Tina, he had never done this for her. Sonia was the only one.
And Sonia knew that. She was just putting on an act since Toby’s skills were astounding. Naturally, she thought he had training. “So how did you manage this?”
“I told you, I learned from you. I watched how you did it and I got the hang of it. Not like it’s that hard, anyway. As long as I keep within the lines and hold a steady hand, it’ll work. Don’t read too much into it.” He patted her head again.
Sonia opened her mouth but not a word came out. He wasn’t trying to humblebrag or scar her pride on purpose. Reapplying the lipstick might have been easy for him but not for her. He could do it just by watching her, but she had to practice a ton. Her ego took a hit. I had to practice for more than a decade to get to this level, but he did it after watching me a few times. This is unbelievable. That’s a genius for you. She held her forehead and shook her head in amusement. “Fine! I believe you.” She patted his arm.
Toby pulled his hand away from her head. “So, how did I do?” He gave her a look that said, Say it’s good.
Sonia chuckled and gave him a thumbs-up. “You did well,” she praised.
His smile only grew when he heard that. “So how about I apply your lipstick for you from now on?”
“You’d do that for me?” Sonia was surprised.
He held her hand and kissed it. “Of course. Don’t you think doing this for a lover is romantic?”
I mean, it is. She nodded without thinking. “Sure. As long as you don’t mind.”
“I won’t.” He put her hand down.
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Sonia looked at him. “It’s getting late and you still need to get changed and get your hair done. No time to lose. Get the stylists in. We need to set off before seven.”
She had a favor to ask the organizers, so Sonia didn’t want to be late. Even if they gave her the deal for Toby’s sake, they might still get miffed that she was tardy just because she had Toby backing her up. She didn’t want them to think she was rude and thought lowly of them, or they might sabotage the store even if they rented it to her. I don’t want to be late. I have to leave a good impression on the couple, and I don’t want to let anyone think that I’m a bully just because my husband is Toby.