Free Web NovelChapter 43: Chapter 43: My Wife is More Important
"Next time, then."
Sophie Shaw was no longer in the mood to find out.
Just thinking about the scandalous rumors surrounding Alaric Blackwood, about how he was seen touching his male assistant’s chest while talking to him... ’It’s not unreasonable to ask for his health report,’ she thought.
Even if he said they wouldn’t sleep together, kissing was a rather intimate act. To maintain that kind of intimacy long-term, she needed to know he was healthy.
"If you’d rather I leave, Mr. Blackwood, I can call a car right now."
"No need to trouble yourself. Get some rest."
The man pulled open the door and walked out, his expression not looking too pleased as he left.
Sophie Shaw watched his figure disappear from the doorway, then immediately shut the door.
Alaric Blackwood had only taken a couple of steps when he heard a CLICK from behind him—the sound of the deadbolt sliding into place. His shoulders stiffened, and he slowly came to a halt.
He turned back, staring at Sophie Shaw’s tightly shut door, and let out an exasperated laugh.
It was true there was some gossip about him online, but most of it was baseless nonsense. When he told her he’d never even had a girlfriend and was still a virgin, he hadn’t been lying.
In the business world, it was sometimes necessary to play along and put on a show. He’d been the subject of rumors, true, but his body and heart were clean.
That night, Alaric Blackwood had trouble sleeping.
And so did Sophie Shaw.
She had another dream, one similar to the erotic dream from before.
When she woke up, she tossed and turned in bed, feeling uncomfortably sticky with sweat. She bolted into the bathroom, turned on the shower, and stood under the RUSHING water.
The shower woke her up completely. For the rest of the night, she simply lay in bed with her eyes closed, unable to fall back asleep.
「The next morning.」
She got up quietly, changed her clothes, and went downstairs. She had intended to slip away unnoticed, but on the first floor, she ran into an older woman carrying groceries.
Seeing Sophie for the first time, the woman was startled and thought a burglar had broken in. She was about to call the police when Alaric Blackwood appeared just in time to stop her.
"Lawson, this is my wife, Sophie Shaw."
Alaric Blackwood liked things clean and quiet, so he didn’t employ many servants. He only had one cook, and she wasn’t a live-in. Lawson only came in the morning to prepare one meal.
Alaric rarely ate lunch or dinner at home.
"My apologies, ma’am. I hope I didn’t frighten you," Lawson said, quickly trying to make amends.
Sophie Shaw offered a gentle smile. "Not at all." freёwebnovel.com
"I’m about to start on breakfast. If there’s anything you prefer, ma’am, please let me know."
"I’m not picky. Anything is fine."
As it happened, the main ingredient Lawson had prepared that morning was carrots. Sophie Shaw had managed to arrive just in time for the once-a-month nutritious carrot meal.
Lawson made steamed dumplings with a carrot and meat filling, a plate of small carrot and egg patties, a side of shredded carrot salad, and even the drink was carrot juice.
Staring at the table full of carrots, Sophie Shaw sat stiffly in her chair, a fine sheen of sweat breaking out on her forehead.
Alaric Blackwood noticed her strange reaction to the breakfast spread. He got up, walked into the kitchen, and whispered something in Lawson’s ear.
A few minutes later, Lawson brought out a sandwich and a glass of warm milk.
"Ma’am, do you not like carrots?"
Sophie Shaw clasped her hands together. She remembered when she was thirteen, how Mr. Kane had disciplined her with a chopstick, rapping all ten of her fingers until they swelled. Her fingers uncontrollably stiffened, a phantom pain shooting through them.
Seeing her pale face and her fingers twisted together so tightly the knuckles had turned white, Alaric Blackwood had the woman take away the carrot juice in front of her.
He moved his chair to sit beside Sophie, then gently began to pry her interlocked fingers apart.
Noticing how rigid her fingers were, even trembling slightly, he began to gently rub her hands, massaging each finger.
"Relax."
Although he didn’t know why she was having such a severe physical reaction, it was clearly related to the carrots.
"Weren’t you ’not picky’?"
Sophie’s eyes reddened. She didn’t know how to explain.
"Besides carrots, is there anything else you hate?"
"No, nothing else."
She had disliked carrots since she was a child. When her mother was still alive, she was never forced to eat them. But after she and Joseph Shaw moved in with the Kane Family, the house rules were strict. To correct her "bad habit" of being a picky eater, Mr. Kane had resorted to force.
Her hands had hurt so much back then. They were swollen for over half a month, and she had thought she was going to be crippled.
"You don’t have to force yourself to eat things you don’t like. No one here can make you," Alaric Blackwood said, continuing to massage her stiff fingers as he tried to soothe her.
Sophie Shaw’s feelings grew complicated. She couldn’t help but remember that when Mr. Kane was hitting her hands with the chopstick, Joseph Shaw just stood by and watched.
Back then, Joseph had only recently married into the Kane Family. He was meek and subservient, watching her get beaten without saying a single word. Only afterward did he try to comfort her and help apply medicine to her fingers.
"From now on, you will never see another carrot on this dinner table."
Alaric Blackwood wasn’t particularly fond of them either. He ate them once a month purely for their nutritional value, but there were plenty of other substitutes. If Sophie detested them so much, then he had a perfect excuse not to eat them anymore.
He patiently continued to rub her ten fingers until her physical symptoms subsided.
"Aren’t you going to be late for work?"
Alaric Blackwood glanced at his watch. "I’m already late."
"I’m sorry for taking up your time."
"It’s fine. My wife is more important."
That one heartwarming sentence made the emotions Sophie had been suppressing well up again.
She looked at the slight upward curve of Alaric Blackwood’s lips. He smiled so casually, and his words were so nonchalant, yet they always managed to strike the softest spot in her heart.
"Mr. Blackwood, you’re a nice person."
"..."
"You don’t have to rub my hands anymore. You should eat," Sophie said, pulling her hand from his grasp. "And remember to book that health checkup."
She composed herself and took a sip of milk. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
Seeing that she was back to normal, Alaric Blackwood didn’t dwell on her "nice person" comment. He smiled, ate two of the small patties, drank his glass of carrot juice, and left.
As per his instructions from the previous night, Preston Chase had arrived early in the morning and driven Alaric’s car over from the barbecue restaurant.
He and the car were now waiting outside the courtyard gate.
Seeing him come out, Preston quickly got out and opened the rear door for him. "Good morning, Mr. Blackwood."
"Good morning."
Alaric got into the car and glanced at his watch again. "Fifteen minutes until the morning meeting."
Preston nodded. "Don’t worry, Mr. Blackwood. We can make it."
The assistant got in, started the car, and pushed it to the city speed limit. He even took a shortcut, successfully getting Alaric Blackwood to his morning meeting on time.
After the meeting, Alaric Blackwood returned to his office and instructed Preston, "Book me a health checkup."
"Understood."
After Preston Chase left the office, Lydia Wynn came by with coffee.
Before the door could close completely, she blocked it with her hand and walked in, coffee tray in hand.
"Mr. Blackwood, your coffee."
Alaric Blackwood glanced at her but said nothing, lowering his head to continue working on the documents on his desk.
Lydia Wynn placed the coffee next to his hand but didn’t leave. She stood before the large desk, hesitating, as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t.
"If you have something to say, say it."
Alaric Blackwood didn’t even look up.
Seeing his cold, distant demeanor, Lydia Wynn looked aggrieved. "Mr. Blackwood, are you dissatisfied with me in some way? Why did you hire another male assistant? Are you trying to fire me, Mr. Blackwood?"
