Chapter 165 I Like Sophie Winslow

Chapter 165: Chapter 165: I Like Sophie Winslow

The air seemed to freeze for a split second. Moments ago, the group had been chatting and laughing about industry prospects, pharmaceutical implementations, and the latest medical trends. Now, all of that vanished into thin air.

Julian Sterling’s deep gaze landed on Sophie Winslow’s face. Eventually, his eyes drifted downward to where Lucas Langley was grasping her wrist. Directly behind the two of them was a bed completely strewn with roses.

The intimate nature of their relationship seemed glaringly obvious at this very moment.

Yet Adrian Hawthorne showed no distinct reaction. He didn’t seem to think the scene before him was anything extraordinary. Evan York immediately observed Adrian, and that unbothered expression made Evan frown involuntarily.

Someone in the crowd spoke up. "It’s hardly appropriate to be having a lovers’ rendezvous on an occasion like this, is it? With so many people here, they couldn’t even hold back for a moment..."

"Women really should be more modest. We’re all here to discuss sacred pursuits like scientific research and healthcare. This is just indecent—"

"So Miss Winslow and Mr. Langley have this sort of relationship. Sneaking away for a private tryst—we were completely blind to it."

These murmurs rippled through the crowd. It was nearly impossible to tell who was speaking or who had started the instigation.

Listening to the whispers, Stella Sutton’s lips curled into a subtle, imperceptible smirk. She glanced at Sophie, who was now the target of everyone’s judgment, and turned to the ever-silent Julian. "It seems their relationship has taken a step further lately."

As she spoke, she purposefully observed Adrian standing not too far away. Her inner mockery of Sophie deepened. This was a classic case of chasing two rabbits and catching neither. How could Adrian possibly tolerate Sophie’s promiscuity?

She looked back at Sophie with a soft chuckle and asked with feigned curiosity, "Sophie, did Mr. Langley confess his feelings to you, and you accepted him *too*?"

That single word—*too*—carried immense weight. First came Lucas’s public pursuit, followed by Adrian’s public proposal, and Sophie had apparently accepted both.

Adrian certainly wouldn’t miss the implication in her words. In Stella’s eyes, Sophie was nothing more than a scheming manipulator, and her dreams of marrying into the Hawthorne family were nothing but a fool’s errand. Now, both Adrian and Lucas should finally see Sophie’s true colors. High-quality men ought to appreciate women of their own social standing, not a clown like Sophie.

Stella’s expression remained perfectly pleasant, but Sophie understood exactly what she was insinuating. Frowning, she opened her mouth to retort.

However, Winnie Hayes, who had been silent until now, spoke up. Staring at Sophie, she kept her patience and said, "Mr. Langley, are you here for the Helios project as well? Have you worked things out privately with Winslow?"

With a single sentence, she reframed the scandalous scene as a simple business discussion. The tense atmosphere instantly eased.

Stella’s previously smiling face registered faint shock. She had fully expected Winnie to furiously condemn the indecency and berate them for fooling around in The York Gardens. It wouldn’t have even been out of the question for Winnie to have Sophie thrown out entirely. It was a well-known fact that Winnie suffered no fools and tolerated no disrespect. Yet, she had actually just handed Sophie an alibi?

Sophie knew it, too. Someone had orchestrated this entire spectacle. Almost instantly, her eyes locked onto Evan, who was leaning lazily against the doorframe. A cold glint flashed in her eyes.

Just as she was about to speak, Lucas took control. Still grasping her wrist, he turned to face the crowd at the door, completely unbothered. "The project is real, and my desire to spend time with Sophie is also real. But there’s no need for anyone to let their imaginations run wild. Nothing happened between us today."

Sophie, however, felt a surge of irritation. An entitled young master like Lucas was used to doing whatever he pleased; at a time like this, he didn’t spare a single thought for her reputation. Flat-out denial would have been the best approach, but...

She clenched her fists. "Let go—"

"Mr. Langley, please let go of Miss Winslow."

A steady, deep voice cut through the crowd, drawing everyone’s attention. Adrian’s expression remained as placid as a stagnant pool. He kept his eyes fixed solely on Lucas.

His sudden intervention changed the atmosphere in a heartbeat. Even Julian, who had been acting like a mere bystander, shifted his gaze, looking at Adrian with dark, indiscernible eyes.

Lucas could vaguely sense a subtle, aggressive confrontation radiating from Adrian—an energy he was acutely perceptive of as a man. He asked, "Mr. Hawthorne, what is the meaning of this?"

Adrian enunciated every word clearly. "Miss Winslow does not appreciate your presumptuous advances. Please respect her."

Lucas tightened his lips. "Mr. Hawthorne, are you protecting her, or..."

Adrian raised his eyes. "I like Sophie."

It was a simple, straightforward statement. Yet it forcefully shattered the farcical situation, dropping a massive bombshell into the room. Those who were out of the loop stared at Adrian in utter shock. The future helmsman of the Hawthorne family, the dignified Mr. Hawthorne, was actually acting like this over such a controversial woman...

The lingering smile on Lucas’s face froze completely. Even Sophie was stunned.

Julian’s cold, dark eyes slowly narrowed, and his thin lips parted in a nearly imperceptible scoff. However, his gaze shifted to the most crucial person in the room: Winnie Hayes.

It took a long moment for many in the crowd to snap out of their daze, and when they did, they immediately checked Winnie’s reaction. After all, a fraction of the attendees knew perfectly well that Adrian was engaged to the York family. This was essentially ripping apart the facade of harmony between the two families right to Winnie’s face. It was an outright showdown.

Winnie’s expression was, understandably, far from pleasant. She had never expected things to escalate like this. Evan flared with momentary rage. His only goal had been to force Adrian to give up on Sophie. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that Adrian wouldn’t just refuse to draw boundaries with her, but would openly declare his feelings right in front of him, his grandmother, and everyone else.

The situation had instantly compounded into an unavoidable mess!

"Miller, please escort the guests to the front hall for a tea break," Winnie ordered, her voice sharp and commanding.

Sophie’s scalp prickled with tension. She was clearing out the irrelevant bystanders so the main parties could hash this out face-to-face. In the end, she had been dragged into the crossfire. Truthfully, she had known this was coming from the very beginning. Ever since she struck that deal with Adrian regarding Lydia, this day was bound to arrive sooner or later.

Soon enough, staff arrived to disperse the crowd. Someone stepped up to Julian, gesturing politely as they respectfully said, "Mr. Sterling, please proceed to the front hall to rest."

At this moment, it seemed even he had been relegated to the status of an outsider.

Julian didn’t move an inch; his gaze remained icy and detached. Evan’s expression was grim, but he waved a hand dismissively. "There’s no need. Julian already knows everything."

Winnie didn’t have the time or energy right now to ask why he knew. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t furious. Having her years of preconceptions abruptly shattered naturally left her with a dark expression.

Stella didn’t interject, merely raising a silent eyebrow. She knew that after an incident like this, Sophie would permanently lose any standing she might have had with Winnie. It was entirely possible that a portion of Sophie’s future prospects and resources would be blocked from now on. After all, she was stealing the ideal son-in-law meant for Winnie’s most beloved granddaughter. Sophie had truly dug her own grave this time.

Lucas was also connected to the York family through marriage, so he understood perfectly well why Winnie was furious. His expression darkened as he looked at Sophie’s still somewhat calm face, and a surge of inexplicable anger flared in his chest. He knew that Sophie had previously been interested in Julian—even attempting to snatch him away from Stella. But he never imagined she was also involved with Adrian. What did that make him?

Now, Sophie had plainly offended the York family!

"How could you..." he started to say.

But Sophie had already shaken him off, coldly reminding him, "This has nothing to do with you."

Lucas choked on his words, his face twisting into an even uglier scowl.

The remaining group moved to an adjacent parlor. Lucas didn’t follow.

Winnie didn’t bother concerning herself with Stella, Finn Lockwood, or the others who were still trailing behind Julian. As friends of Evan, they were probably all already privy to the situation anyway.

Adrian looked the elderly woman directly in the eyes. Rather than issuing a cold notification, he spoke in an incredibly even and composed tone. "Chairman Hayes, I need to make it clear to you that Miss Winslow and I are not together right now. My feelings for her are entirely one-sided. She is completely innocent in this matter."