She put the shoe box on the porch. After washing her hands, Sophia sat down for breakfast.
Silence engulfed the breakfast room.
Colin waited until Sophia had finished eating before leaving the table. He walked straight to the door.
Sophia cleaned her mouth, threw the used tissue in the trash, and caught up with Colin.
She wore comfortable shoes but packed her high-heels as she wanted to wear them at the company.
The black Lamborghini sports car was waiting for them as Colin and Sophia stepped out. Wade had driven it to their villa and had been waiting for about half an hour.
Sophia greeted him in embarrassment before sitting in the back passenger seat with Colin.
When Wade began driving, Sophia asked Colin eagerly, "Mr. Li, have you booked your air ticket to A Country for tomorrow?"
Colin cast her a glance. "Yes."
"Mr. Ji, could I get a leave tomorrow?" Since the incident with Quincy, it had become Wade's responsibility to handle all leave related requests from the secretarial department.
Since Wade was in charge of all leaves for the CEO's secretarial room, Sophia thought it prudent to ask him.
"Why do you need a leave?" Colin had an idea why she needed a leave, but asked anyway.
Sophia thought for a while before deciding to tell him the truth. "I want to go back too. I miss... my father!"
Sophia had another reason as well. This, she didn't want to share with Colin. She needed to speak with Jordan about the investigation regarding her mother and brother.
"Er, come close to me." Colin put down the newspaper and waved at Sophia who was sitting at the other end of the seat.
Sophia was confused. "Why?"
Instead of answering her, Colin moved close to Sophia. "Kiss me once, and you can have an hour off work."
Sophia, "..."
Wade, "..."
"How long do you need leave for? You can figure out the hours." With his right arm braced against the car window, Colin had successfully boxed Sophia into a corner.
Sophia pushed Colin away and ignored him. "Mr. Ji, I won't go above your authority and ask for permission."
She would need time to fly to and from A country, plus a little time to handle her affairs. Sophia estimated that she would need at least three days.
That would mean she would need to kiss Colin seventy-two times!
Wade cleared his voice and said. "My Lady, I don't mind you going above me to ask for leave!"
Colin looked at Wade in awe. He had handled this well. He deserved to be Colin's best man. Good!
Sophia looked at the the proud man cluelessly. "I want three days. But I won't give you so many kisses. Give me a discount!"
"Deal. Half off. You can give me thirty-six kisses."
Sophia nodded.
"I can give you a week-long holiday if you come to my villa tonight."
Was Colin asking her to sleep with him? A business where she would give herself for a holiday?
"No, thank you. I think I'll stick with the kisses!" Sophia declined with a smile.
Colin was not angry. He said lightly. "I changed my mind. If you want a three-day holiday, you need to give me thirty-six kisses and sleep with me tonight."
Sophia, "..."
Wade, "..."
Sophia looked at Colin. His haughty smile made her want to sock him in the face.
"You're beginning to sound like Quincy."
"Of course not! You are my wife. It's normal for a husband to flirt with his wife."
Sophia gritted her teeth and leaned forward, "Didn't I sleep with you last night?"
Colin nodded. "I was not satisfied with it."
Of course he was unsatisfied. Because nothing happened between them! What's more, he had to have a cold shower.
Sophia calmed her breathing...
Her hesitation encouraged Colin to continue the temptation. "You should consider a seven-day holiday. You'll have more time to accompany your father."
"Deal!" Sophia was determined to return to A Country and shelved her morals this one time.
Wade, who had been listening to Colin and Sophia, was unable to control his laughter any more.
This was the first time that he was listening to a husband try so hard to sleep with his own wife. He found all the manipulation and coaxing hilarious. What was funnier, was that the husband was Mr. Li!
"Wade..." Colin gave the laughing man a light warning.
Wade stopped laughing and focused on the driving.
"Well, I'm going to take the interest first!" Colin didn't wait for Sophia's answer. He leaned forward and gently kissed her soft red lips.
When Colin, Wade, and Sophia walked into the office together, they earned several odd looks from their co-workers.
Many couldn't believe the change in Sophia's appearance. She usually wore dark colors. Today, however, she was wearing bright colors.
The bright colors flattered her figure and suited her complexion.
The red mark on her neck, however, was so obvious that people continued talking about it after the trio had walked past.
"Did you see it? Oh, my God! Look at the kiss mark on Miss Lo's neck! She does have a busy private life!"
"Yes! She was bold enough to walk into office without covering it. She probably had a crazy night yesterday!"
Sophia stopped after hearing the discussions.
Colin looked at her curiously. He didn't know why she had stopped walking.
Sophia walked up to the gossipers and told them coldly. "I am married. It's normal for me to have a private life. Why do you talk about me like that?"
She couldn't figure out why they liked to discuss her private life. She was just a secretary, not a CEO or a famous star.
The female staff were shocked to hear that Sophia was married. Though they doubted her disclosure, they dared not ask more because Colin was behind her.
They had to continue their work as if nothing had happened.
The three people entered the elevator. Colin stood behind Sophia. "Does this happen all the time?"
"Yes." Sophia replied sourly. She came to work in a good mood, but it had been ruined because of the gossipmongers.
Though she knew that she should pay no attention, Sophia couldn't help feel bad.
However, she knew that all this was because of the rumors spread by Payne, Dorothy, and Jamie.
"Mr. Chi, make an announcement to the staff that if anyone is caught spreading gossip at the company, he or she will be fired."
"Yes, Mr. Li!"
Sophia looked back at Colin in astonishment. Was he doing this for her?
Sophia was still thinking about Colin's decision when she went into the dressing room.
Why did she feel that Colin was protecting her?
Colin protected her secretly in the matter of the apology from Dorothy, the fight between Colin and Payne, and the business with Jamie.
Why?
Only because she was his wife in name... Oh! No! Did what happened between them the previous night make them a couple?
Sophia thought more about the previous night. Why didn't she feel anything after they made love?
Why?
Sophia was brought back to reality when she walked in on the whistling. It was Herring who had been waiting patiently in the private consultancy office.
"Little Sophia, you have come finally! Oh! What's wrong with your neck? Did you make love with Colin?" The yellow-haired man jumped to greet her and smiled at her knowingly.