Chapter 164 Caught Cheating in...?

Chapter 164: Chapter 164: Caught Cheating in...?

This voice carried a bit of coldness, as well as a subtle hint of possessive reproach. It was as if Sophie Winslow were a woman trying to throw herself at someone else’s boyfriend in a desperate attempt at seduction. Instantly, some people who heard Stella Sutton’s voice looked over from a distance.

Sophie didn’t look at Julian Sterling. Instead, she pressed her hand against his chest and pushed him away, putting some distance between them.

Ivy Hawthorne stepped forward, realizing that Stella’s remark was meant to turn the crowd against Sophie. She immediately sneered, "Miss Sutton, in what capacity are you making this demand? Care to enlighten everyone?"

She wanted to see how a mistress like Stella Sutton dared to put on airs in front of Sophie!

Finn Lockwood looked over. "Just be mindful of it; there’s no need to blow things out of proportion."

Sophie almost wanted to laugh. So they were the ones blowing things out of proportion now? Wasn’t Stella the one who had provoked this whole thing?

Stella knew Ivy was digging at her status, but she ignored the jab. Speaking directly to Finn, she said, "I just wanted to offer a reminder. It’s best not to invite gossip with inappropriate behavior. After all, it’s already hard enough for women in the workplace."

Ivy’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief. So now she was considering Sophie’s reputation? They had been married for years—did they need her "good intentions"?

Finn chimed in, "Too bad others don’t appreciate it. They just think you’re being petty."

Stella shook her head with a faint smile. "It’s just a game. If people insist on twisting my words, there’s nothing I can do."

Sophie had to admit Stella was masterful in the art of conversation. In just a few words, she had turned Sophie into a woman inappropriately entangled with a taken man—someone who rejected good intentions just to engage in petty female rivalry.

"Sophie, come here," Lucas Langley interjected with a taut face, cutting straight in to prevent the conflict from escalating further.

He had just seen the sheer intimacy between Sophie and Julian. In that moment, he actually sensed an exceptionally harmonious vibe, as if the two had always shared a natural chemistry and closeness. It sent his mood plummeting to rock bottom, leaving an indescribably bitter taste in his mouth.

He walked up to Sophie and glanced at Julian. "Mr. Sterling, just now was just to avoid losing the match, right?"

Julian slowly lowered his bow and countered, "What else?"

Relieved by the answer, Lucas looked back at Sophie, his tone pointed. "You heard him. Physical contact is inevitable in a match, so don’t read too much into it. After all, his girlfriend is right here."

He was reminding Sophie not to harbor any improper desires toward Julian again—a warning she understood perfectly. Even before her divorce, everyone had constantly reminded her that she couldn’t compare to Stella, that she wasn’t worthy of competing with her.

She didn’t answer, simply walking away dismissively. She even rubbed the back of her hand where Julian had held it, scrubbing it so hard that her skin turned red.

Julian caught this motion from the corner of his eye. His brow twitched slightly, but the emotion quickly dissipated into thin air.

Sophie didn’t place last in the archery match. She also managed to chat with a few investors as planned. They discussed the major domestic trends for the next three years.

During the tea break halfway through the event, the group headed up to a private tearoom.

Winnie Hayes arrived, checked the time, and asked, "When will Mr. Hawthorne be here?"

Evan York replied, "He’s on his way."

Winnie nodded and turned back to chat with Sophie.

Noticing Winnie’s concern for Adrian Hawthorne and her amiable attitude toward Sophie, Stella narrowed her eyes. She felt a twinge of displeasure at Winnie’s unusually warm treatment of Sophie. Suddenly, she spoke up. "Chairman Hayes, I heard Mr. Hawthorne has a marriage arrangement with the York family?"

Sophie glanced over. This moment had come at last.

Winnie’s expression softened instantly. "Yes. I have a little granddaughter who is betrothed to the Hawthorne family. Both families have the marriage certificates." But then, the usually energetic and stern old lady suddenly looked dim and sorrowful. "But my poor granddaughter... I don’t even know where she is now..."

Sophie had no time to figure out what Stella was plotting. She gently patted Winnie’s arm and consoled her, "She’ll come home."

Winnie couldn’t help but look at Sophie. Meeting her sincere and earnest gaze, she comfortably squeezed Sophie’s hand. "Yes, she’ll be back sooner or later. When my granddaughter was born, I obtained a top-quality Emperor Green Jadeite No-Event Token for her to wear. It will bless her with peace and health."

Sophie had been familiar with all sorts of antiques and jades since childhood. She had seen several types of No-Event Tokens in the Winslow family’s antique shop.

"A No-Event Token?" Stella asked.

Whether Winnie heard her or not, she simply sighed and stood up. "You all go ahead and chat."

Stella’s face stiffened slightly. Did Winnie coincidentally just happen to miss what she said?

Winnie waved Evan over. "Come out here for a second."

Evan wouldn’t dare disobey. He followed her out and said helplessly, "Grandma, Miss Sutton was brought here by Julian, after all. You really didn’t give her any face."

He could see it clearly: his grandmother had an instinctive disgust for homewreckers.

Winnie sneered. "If I truly didn’t want to give her face, I would’ve thrown her out. I wouldn’t need you to remind me."

Evan knew the old lady’s temper. Back in the day, even the Sterling Matriarch had been forced to eat humble pie in front of her.

Winnie had no interest in Stella. She clasped her hands behind her back and asked, "That recent project from Helios—have you invested in it?"

Evan casually replied, "No. Industry evaluations say the success rate is quite low."

Winnie frowned and slapped him on the head. "Short-sighted! The National Academy of Somatic Medicine has even dispatched people to support it, and you still think it’s a small-scale operation? It’s tied to the direction of national policies. Go look into it more and keep your eyes peeled."

He was her grandson, after all, so Winnie would warn him when necessary.

A glint of surprise flashed through Evan’s eyes. If it was something his grandmother valued so highly... Did Helios really have exceptional talents gearing up for a major move?

Having said her piece, Winnie waved her hand and went back to chatting with the officials.

Standing at the door, Evan cast a glance at Sophie inside the room. At this moment, his assistant came over to remind him, "Mr. York, Mr. Hawthorne will be here shortly."

Evan’s unruly eyes narrowed slightly. "Go get Sophie Winslow."

When Sophie came out, she met Evan’s assistant. "Miss Winslow, Mr. York would like to consult you about Helios’s surgical robots. Is it a good time?"

Discussing projects was Sophie’s forte. Besides, no one ever complained about making more money. "Yes. Where is he?"

"In the conference room. This way, please."

Sophie followed the assistant through the lush, verdant garden. Once they arrived at the destination, the assistant turned and left. Sophie pushed the door open and walked in on her own.

As she entered, the man standing inside the room also turned around.

Seeing Lucas, Sophie couldn’t help but frown. "Mr. Langley? Where’s Mr. York?"

She looked around and was startled to realize that this was no conference room. Instead... it was a lounge. The pristine white bed was covered with vibrant red rose petals. At a single glance, the overwhelming implication was crystal clear.

A cold glint instantly flashed in Sophie’s eyes.

Lucas didn’t notice. In high spirits, he walked toward her. "Today isn’t appropriate. This is the York family’s territory, Chairman Hayes’s venue. It’s quite formal. We can talk after today is over."

Thinking Sophie had invited him here for a private chat, his earlier frustration had completely lifted. He had been feeling a bit displeased about her archery interaction with Julian earlier. But since she had immediately turned around and arranged to meet him, what did he have to complain about?

Sophie looked at him slowly. "We? What do you mean ’we’?"

Seeing her cold, stunning eyes, Lucas’s heart inexplicably sank. He subconsciously grabbed Sophie’s wrist to say something.

Suddenly, the lounge door opened.

Sophie’s heart jumped, and she looked back. She abruptly saw the crowd standing at the doorway, and among them stood Julian Sterling and Adrian Hawthorne.