Don't Be a Tease, Mr. Blackwood

Chapter 116: Chapter 116: I Can’t Lose My Current Home

Sophie Shaw’s eyes widened, her expression turning to one of astonishment as she looked at Anne.

"Aren’t you afraid of working yourself to death?"

Makeup artist, nanny... she was already juggling two jobs, and now she was eyeing the assistant’s work too?

Even a workhorse doesn’t go that hard.

Anne was full of energy. "I’m more afraid of losing the home I have now than I am of working myself to death."

Ever since her parents passed away, she’d been having a recurring nightmare where she and her brother were in ragged clothes, dirty and disheveled, each dragging a filthy woven plastic sack. They were homeless, surviving by collecting trash on the streets.

"You have to save more money while you’re young and healthy. It’s best to be prepared. I was so relieved when Ethan Austin agreed to be a big star’s bodyguard. It really took a lot of pressure off me."

"Then why are you still working so hard?"

Anne gave a bitter smile. "I can’t lose the home I have now."

When she was fifteen, both of her parents were killed in a car accident. Two couples died in that crash: her and Ethan’s parents, and the couple in the other car. The couple in the other car was at fault. The man had been drinking heavily before driving, and they were arguing at the time of the crash. Her and Ethan’s parents were victims of a senseless tragedy, hit by the drunk driver and killed on the spot.

She and her brother received a considerable sum in compensation from the accident, but they no longer had a mother or father.

Since she and her brother were still minors, their uncle became their legal guardian, and the money naturally fell into his hands. The man was a good-for-nothing who squandered the compensation money—which had cost their parents their lives—on his own carefree lifestyle.

It wasn’t until Anne turned eighteen and got into her dream university that she found out her uncle couldn’t pay the tuition. The compensation money was almost all gone, spent by him long ago. freёwebnoѵel.com

Left with no choice, she had to sell her parents’ house and give up on her dream university. Instead, she chose to study makeup for a year to gain a marketable skill.

Then she began her working life. Thanks to her hard work and support, her brother, Ethan, was able to graduate from a four-year university.

She had suffered the hardships of being penniless, enduring the scornful looks of landlords and neighbors while renting. She wanted to own her own home, a safe place for herself and her brother.

"Anne, you’re not going to lose your home. Even if you did lose your job one day, you still have me. What are you so afraid of?"

Sophie’s reassurance made Anne’s eyes well up. She stepped forward to hug Sophie, nuzzling her face into the crook of Sophie’s neck affectionately. "My Sophie is the best."

Sophie patted her on the back. "Don’t be so anxious all the time. Just do your job normally and don’t wear yourself out. Ethan has graduated; it’s time you started caring more about yourself."

Anne wiped the moisture from the corner of her eyes, let go of Sophie, and flashed a carefree smile. "I’m fine. But you, on the other hand—" freewёbnoνel.com

As she spoke, she lightly tapped the tip of Sophie’s nose. "How have you been lately? Are you still in touch with the Shaw Family?"

Sophie shook her head.

Anne said, "It’s right not to be. If I were you, I would have left that family long ago. By the way, is Alaric Blackwood treating you well?"

"He treats me very well."

"That’s good. Marriage is like a woman’s second life. If, after spending time together, you’re sure he’s a good man, then hold on to him tight and don’t let go."

Ethan Austin returned from buying a durian, walking in just in time to hear Anne advising Sophie to hold on to Alaric Blackwood and not let go.

His face darkened. He tossed the durian, along with the bag that had several holes poked in it, onto the coffee table. "This thing stinks. Who on earth likes to eat this stuff?"

Anne shot him a look. "I asked you to buy a durian, what took you so long?"

"I don’t have a car, I had to walk."

"If you want a car, save up for it yourself. I am absolutely not buying you one."

"Who said I wanted you to buy me one?"

Ethan grumbled as he walked to the balcony, slid the door shut, and leaned against the railing to light a cigarette.

His gaze passed through the glass door, studying Sophie.

’I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but Sophie seems to have gotten even more beautiful since getting married. Her complexion is rosy and glowing, her smile reveals pearly white teeth, and she looks much healthier than before. Her face has filled out a bit, too.’

In Anne’s words, she was being "well-cared-for" by her husband.

Thinking of Alaric Blackwood, he frowned deeply. ’That guy really knows how to charm women,’ he thought. ’But I wonder how many other women that playboy is ’caring for’ on the side besides Sophie.’

After finishing his cigarette, he returned to the living room. Anne had already gone to the kitchen to deal with the durian, leaving only Sophie and a sleeping Nina Halloway, who was sprawled on the sofa.

He glanced at Nina, who did nothing but eat and sleep, a flash of disdain in his eyes. Then he sat down next to Sophie, his expression changing to a smile. "Sophie, what are you busy with?"

"Organizing information on investment firms."

"Looking for investors?"

"Mhm."

The money she had on hand was for Nina Halloway’s endorsement fee. If the company was to grow, securing investment was a must.

Ethan leaned in and glanced at her computer screen. She had already compiled several pages of detailed directories and contact information for investment firms.

He knew he couldn’t help much when it came to money, but he still wanted to share Sophie’s burden. "Sophie, if there’s anything I can do to help, just say the word."

Sophie looked at him, her eyes narrowing as she stared at his rolled-up sleeves and the firm forearm they revealed. The corner of her lip curled up. "Does that include manual labor?"

"Yes, anything."

"I want to buy a new cabinet and a new sofa for the company breakroom."

The original cabinet and sofa were both from a second-hand market. They were old but still barely usable. But she had no idea how many times Damian Morgan and Yara Valentine had their ’deep exchanges’ on that sofa. She found it filthy and wanted it gone, no matter what.

"No problem."

Ethan glanced at his watch. "It’s still early. How about we go check out a furniture store now?"

Sophie hesitated, glancing at Nina Halloway. "Shouldn’t you report this to your boss?"

After all, he would be leaving his post, and the trip would take several hours at least.

Without a second thought, Ethan went over and shook Nina’s shoulder. "Wake up."

He didn’t know his own strength, roughly shaking the sleeping Nina awake. She looked at him, dazed. "Ethan, what is it?"

"Sophie wants to buy a cabinet and a sofa. I was thinking of going with her to a furniture store."

Nina rubbed her sleepy eyes. "A furniture store?"

Her interest was piqued. "Can I come too?"

She hadn’t been able to just go shopping properly since her debut.

"What would you go for?"

’She’ll just get in the way.’

He had been hoping to take this opportunity to spend some time alone with Sophie.

"I’ll just browse."

"But what if someone recognizes you..."

"Are you the boss, or am I?"

Nina’s retort left Ethan speechless.

He could only watch as Nina got up and went back to her room to wash her face and change her clothes.

Nina bundled herself up tightly. A hat, a mask, sunglasses, a scarf, and gloves—not a speck of skin was visible from head to toe. She was wrapped up like a bear about to hibernate.

She grinned and looped her arm through Sophie’s. "All set. Let’s go!"