Don't Be a Tease, Mr. Blackwood

Chapter 118: Chapter 118: The Real Win Is to Live Better Than Him

Countless gazes shot toward Sophie Shaw like poisoned needles, as if she were truly the kind of woman who’d wasted her beautiful youth, abandoned pure love, and ultimately chosen a rich young master—the type who would rather cry in a BMW than smile on a bicycle, a gold-digger who despised the poor and adored the rich.

She wanted to shout back, to argue about who was right and wrong, but Damian Morgan’s figure was already receding into the distance.

The man didn’t continue the argument. He quickly fled the scene, shielding Yvonne Quinn as he helped her into a car, and sped off, leaving Sophie behind to be gawked at like a monkey in a zoo.

Facing all the probing stares, Sophie felt as if she were caught in a torrential flood, utterly suffocated.

"Sophie, let’s go."

Nina Halloway grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the furniture store, away from the gossiping stares and whispers.

She was led behind a building. Once they were sure no one was around, Nina Halloway pulled down her mask and grabbed Sophie’s shoulders seriously. Fearing Sophie might be led astray by the scumbag’s words, she said earnestly, "Sophie, you didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t let that scumbag’s words affect you. He did that on purpose just now. He was provoking you, trying to make you angry, hoping you’d lose your composure in public. He even wanted you to fall into the trap of defending yourself."

"Just be yourself. That scumbag winning a momentary war of words doesn’t make him the winner."

"The real victory is living a better life than him."

"Focus your energy and thoughts on the people who are worth it."

As Nina Halloway said these words to Sophie Shaw, she was also reminding herself.

"You’re right."

Looking at Nina Halloway’s prim and proper expression, Sophie Shaw suddenly felt a warmth in her heart. She had almost been provoked into losing her mind by Damian Morgan’s attempts to twist the truth.

She took a deep breath to calm herself. Seeing Ethan Austin standing not far away, watching over them, she lifted her wrist to check her watch. It was almost noon.

"Let’s go look at furniture first."

She shouldn’t let one unpleasant interlude disrupt their original plans.

She pulled Nina Halloway’s mask back up, linked arms with her, and this time, instead of letting Nina lead the way, she walked with a clear goal. She went straight into an affordable furniture store, checked the dimensions of a cabinet and a sofa she liked, paid for them decisively, and arranged a delivery time with the owner.

They set it for two in the afternoon.

After filling out the address on the delivery form, she left the store with Nina Halloway and Ethan Austin. Back in the car, she found a nearby Chinese restaurant, requested a private room, and they ordered and ate. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm

Nina Halloway was eating with relish when she seemed to remember something. "Let’s go out tonight, shall we?" she asked Sophie Shaw.

"Go out where?" fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

"Anne mentioned a bar she’s been to. She said the male models there are super hot."

Sophie Shaw: "..."

’That’s a lot to take in.’

’From what I know of Anne, how could she possibly go to bars and hire male models?’

’Is that something the Anne I know would do?’

"So, are you in?"

Nina Halloway looked at her expectantly.

"I think... we probably shouldn’t..."

"I promise I won’t tell Alaric," Nina Halloway said, wiggling her eyebrows at her.

She laughed awkwardly. "Nina, the way you say that... It’s not like I’m afraid of your brother finding out."

"Since you’re not afraid, I’ll call Anne and have her book a private room at the bar."

"Tomorrow’s Monday. We really shouldn’t go."

Sophie Shaw felt uneasy.

"Fine, I’ll just take Anne. I’ll go check out the male models first and see if they’re really as hot as Anne says. If they are, I’ll take you to experience it next weekend."

Sophie Shaw’s face instantly flushed red. "Nina, you’re going to be a bad influence on me."

"Life needs a little excitement. My brother is a block of wood. Stirring him up a bit might not be a bad thing."

"A block of wood?"

Sophie Shaw didn’t understand how Nina Halloway had come to that conclusion.

’How could Alaric Blackwood possibly be a block of wood?’

’Calling *me* a block of wood would be more like it. Alaric Blackwood is a master flirt. He’s so provocative, how is he a block of wood in any way?’

The two women were so engrossed in their conversation about male models that they completely ignored Ethan Austin’s presence.

The man kept his head down, his phone’s recording function on. He had surreptitiously recorded all of Nina Halloway’s words about corrupting Sophie Shaw and sent them in real-time to Alaric Blackwood’s phone.

This only worsened his impression of Nina Halloway.

’She just broke up with her boyfriend. How can she egg on a married woman to go with her to a bar and fool around with male models?’

’It’s simply outrageous.’

...

Just as he received the audio message, Alaric Blackwood was being dragged to the hospital by Evan Ford.

Jaden had been hospitalized.

Ethan Austin’s punch had given him a mild concussion. The doctor recommended he stay in the hospital for observation, so he took the opportunity to play the victim to Alaric Blackwood, bombarding him with calls and texts.

At first, Alaric Blackwood ignored Jaden. Evan Ford had almost had to tie him up with a rope and drag him to the hospital.

Upon entering the hospital room and seeing Jaden lying on the bed, bruised and swollen, he pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and sat down by the bed, blowing smoke at Jaden.

Enveloped in smoke, Jaden glared at Alaric Blackwood. "Have some decency, will you?"

To visit a patient and light a cigarette the moment you enter the room—he was truly a class act.

Jaden rolled his eyes at him. "You call this a hospital visit, coming empty-handed?"

Evan Ford coughed and shot Jaden a look, signaling him to tone it down.

"You begged me to bring Alaric here, and I did. If you piss him off and he leaves, and we stop being friends, you can’t blame me."

Reminded by Evan Ford, Jaden suppressed his anger and asked Alaric Blackwood, "Have you calmed down yet?"

"No."

"You’ve hit me, you’ve cursed me out, I’ve even been hospitalized because of it. What more do you want from me?"

Alaric Blackwood was silent.

Jaden sighed. "You’re not planning to gradually distance yourself from me and disown me as a friend, are you?"

"I’m considering it."

"Alaric, we’ve known each other since we were in diapers. Your sister and I have already cleared the air. You don’t have to be so cold-hearted to me."

Alaric Blackwood’s brow furrowed slightly as he opened the audio message from Ethan Austin.

The back-and-forth conversation between Nina Halloway and Sophie Shaw echoed through the quiet hospital room.

"Let’s go out tonight, shall we?"

"Go out where?"

"Anne mentioned a bar she’s been to. She said the male models there are super hot."

"..."

"So, are you in?"

"I think... we probably shouldn’t..."

"I promise I won’t tell Alaric."

"Nina, the way you say that... It’s not like I’m afraid of your brother finding out."

"Since you’re not afraid, I’ll call Anne and have her book a private room at the bar."

"Tomorrow’s Monday. We really shouldn’t go."

"Fine, I’ll just take Anne. I’ll go check out the male models first and see if they’re really as hot as Anne says. If they are, I’ll take you to experience it next weekend."

"Nina, you’re going to be a bad influence on me."

"Life needs a little excitement. My brother is a block of wood. Stirring him up a bit might not be a bad thing."

...

After the recording finished, Jaden was the first to lose his composure, sitting bolt upright in bed. "Has Nina Halloway lost her mind? She’s actually going to find male models! And she wants to take your wife!"

Alaric Blackwood looked at his agitated state with some surprise. "My sister is looking for male models. What’s that got to do with you?"