Don't Be a Tease, Mr. Blackwood

Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Wife, Did You Miss Me Today?

Sophie took the elevator upstairs. The moment she stepped out, she saw Alaric Blackwood standing in the distance, right in front of her office.

He was knocking on the door very politely.

Hannah Sutton was still at her desk. When she saw Sophie and was about to call out to Alaric, Sophie quickly put a finger to her lips in a ’shush’ gesture, then tiptoed toward him.

He stood ramrod straight, facing the office door. When no one answered his knock, he raised his hand to try again, but a pair of slender arms wrapped around him from behind.

Sophie, not wanting to hurt him, just held him loosely, careful not to press her body against his back.

Seeing this, Hannah Sutton tactfully got up from her desk and left.

"Come on, let’s go to lunch."

She quietly called over two female colleagues, and the three of them walked to the elevators.

Alaric lowered his eyes, looking at the hands wrapped around his waist. He caught sight of the ring on Sophie’s left ring finger and let out a low chuckle. "Darling, feeling passionate today?"

"Why aren’t you resting at home? What are you doing here bringing me lunch?"

"I was worried my darling wife would be too busy with work to eat properly."

Alaric gently patted the back of Sophie’s hand. As she obediently drew her arms back, he turned around. Unable to restrain himself, his large hand cupped the back of her head as he gave her a demanding, powerful kiss.

Pinned by his body, she instinctively stumbled backward, the small of her back hitting her assistant’s desk.

But the expected pain never came. Alaric had placed the lunchbox he was carrying on the desk with his other hand, which he then quickly moved to her lower back, using the back of his hand to cushion her from the edge of the desk.

She was kissed until her head spun. Suddenly, her feet left the floor as he lifted her by the hips and set her on the desk.

"This... This is my assistant’s desk..."

She pushed against Alaric, turning her head to take a deep breath. Her face flushed, she warned, "Alaric Blackwood, don’t mess around."

’Even though everyone from the other departments is out for lunch, there’s a security camera right above us. Someone could be in the monitoring room...’

"Then let’s go into your office."

Alaric picked up the insulated lunchbox with one hand. Before Sophie could get off her assistant’s desk, he swept an arm under the crook of her knees and effortlessly lifted her into his arms.

"Hey!"

Sophie’s heart leaped into her throat. Her hands flew to wrap around his neck instinctively. "You’re injured! Aren’t you afraid of tearing your stitches open?"

"We’ll worry about that if it happens."

"..."

Sophie didn’t dare to struggle, worried that if she did, Alaric would have to exert himself more and really would tear his wound open.

She let him carry her to her office door, push it open, and walk inside.

He set the lunchbox on the coffee table but didn’t put Sophie down. Instead, he adjusted his grip, holding her upright in front of him with both arms.

Suddenly, she was a good half-head taller than him. She looked down at him nervously. "What are you doing?"

"Did my darling miss me today?"

"I did."

"How much?"

"Can you put me down first?"

"Answer my question properly, or I’m not putting you down."

"I missed you so much. I couldn’t focus on work all morning. My mind was completely filled with you... Is that good enough?"

’The truth is,’ she thought, ’before I saw that red sports car, my mind was completely on work. I hadn’t spared him a single thought.’

Having lied, Sophie’s eyes darted away, too flustered to meet his searing gaze. "I already answered you. Aren’t you going to put me down now?"

"I’ll forgive you this time. But don’t you dare lie to me again."

"..."

Alaric loosened his hold, letting Sophie’s body slide down from his embrace.

Her feet on solid ground, Sophie breathed a sigh of relief. She instinctively moved behind Alaric, intending to take off his coat and check the wound on his back.

She had only gotten the coat halfway off his shoulders when he turned his head to look at her. "In such a hurry? Are we going to eat or not?"

She laughed in exasperation. "Can you be serious for one second?"

"You’re the one who started stripping my clothes off."

"The air conditioning is on in the office. I was worried you’d be hot."

"I’m not hot. But if my darling enjoys stripping..."

Alaric relaxed completely, his gaze intense. "Then by all means, continue. You can strip me naked for all I care."

"You’re impossible! I’m not doing it anymore."

Sophie pulled her hands back, her face flushed, and sat down at the coffee table to slowly and deliberately open the lunchbox.

It was a sumptuous lunch prepared by the cook from the family estate. It seemed they had taken Alaric’s condition into account, as the diet needed to be light; most of the dishes today were steamed.

Steamed spareribs with pumpkin, steamed chicken thigh with tofu, steamed winter melon with meatballs, steamed sea bass with egg custard, plus lettuce in oyster sauce and a bowl of slow-simmered soup.

With a side of fragrant white rice, Sophie picked up her chopsticks and began to eat with relish.

’Isn’t this so much better than going out to a restaurant with Yuri? Plus, I have Alaric, this gorgeous man, sitting here with me as eye candy.’

Sophie was in an excellent mood. She glanced over at the man who had walked to the window, his tall, straight figure silhouetted against the floor-to-ceiling glass. "Are we going back to Maplewood Estate today?" she asked curiously.

Alaric turned around. At some point, he had put a cigarette between his lips, but it wasn’t lit. "Do you want to go back?"

"There’s no one to take care of you at home. Why don’t we stay at the family estate for a few more days?"

"Whatever my darling says."

While Sophie ate her lunch, Alaric finally lit the cigarette he’d been holding between his lips.

He smoked as he dialed Lawson’s number.

Receiving an unexpected call from her former employer, Lawson was thrilled. "Sir, is there something you need?"

"How is the new job going, Lawson?"

"Oh, don’t even ask. My new employer let me go."

"Oh?"

"They said the husband’s mother was coming to take care of them, so they didn’t need a housekeeper anymore. I think they probably just thought I was too expensive."

At this, Lawson asked in a wheedling tone, "Sir, by any chance, does your sister need a housekeeper?"

"She doesn’t, but Maplewood Estate needs a housekeeper."

Understanding the purpose of Alaric’s call, Lawson said eagerly, "Sir, I’m available."

"Then come back. My wife would like you to."

Upon hearing this, Lawson’s eyes darted slyly. She said with a grin, "But Sir, for me to return, I have one small condition."

Alaric took a long drag from his cigarette. "Let’s hear it."

"I want to be a full-time, live-in housekeeper. And as for my salary, well... hehe..."

Lawson went on and on.

Her son was graduating next summer and had already found a stable internship. Her retired husband was taking care of the elders at home, so she was honestly getting restless from boredom.

She had been debating whether to contact Alaric or Nina Halloway to ask if they needed a housekeeper, but then Alaric’s call came first.

What a stroke of luck!

Alaric didn’t find Lawson’s requests unreasonable. "Then we’ll sign a contract for a live-in housekeeper."

"How many years for the contract?"

"We’ll sign it for one year at a time."

"Alright, no problem. When can I come back?"

"The security code hasn’t changed. You can move in whenever you’re ready. My wife and I will be staying at the family estate for a few days, so feel free to settle in, Lawson. Consider it a few days to get adjusted."

"Yes, yes, of course."

Lawson was absolutely delighted with this arrangement.

After hanging up, she packed her bags and drove to Maplewood Estate.

She chose a guest room on the ground floor, unpacked her personal items, and then got right to work, meticulously disinfecting and cleaning the entire house from top to bottom.

Afterward, she went out to the supermarket to buy fresh ingredients.

Meanwhile, after delivering lunch to Sophie, Alaric made the excuse that his driver had already left, so he stayed.

He sat on the sofa in her office and waited until she was done with work so they could return to the family estate together.

On the way, Alaric’s phone rang nonstop. Sophie glanced at the screen and saw it was a call from Jaden.

"Why aren’t you answering?"