Free Web NovelChapter 87: Chapter 87: Conquer Me with Your Body
Sophie Shaw’s assistant, Hannah Sutton, happened to overhear their conversation.
She had just joined the company, so she wasn’t a familiar face yet. When the two managers saw her, one of them teased, "You’d better start looking for a new job, too."
Hannah Sutton remained silent, her expression placid.
As soon as the two left, Sophie Shaw pulled open the conference room door and stepped out.
She had heard the two veteran managers talking. Her gaze fell on Hannah Sutton, the assistant she had personally interviewed and hired. She smiled faintly. "Thinking of finding a new job?"
Hannah Sutton shook her head.
"Aren’t you afraid that working here, you might not even get paid?"
"I don’t think a company started by Mrs. Blackwood would be unable to pay its employees." ƒrēewebnovel.com
Hannah Sutton had stumbled upon the trending topic of the Blackwood Group CEO’s wedding. When she came to interview at Heart of the Ocean, she immediately recognized Sophie Shaw as Alaric Blackwood’s new bride.
"My apologies, President Shaw. I shouldn’t have called you Mrs. Blackwood. I’ll be more careful in the future."
Sophie Shaw patted her shoulder in a gesture of appreciation. "If you’re not planning on leaving, stick with me and work hard. I’ll make it worth your while."
Hannah Sutton was in her early thirties, with extensive experience as an assistant and secretary. She had previously worked for a publicly traded company, but after taking a long leave for her marriage and childbirth, the company had forced her out with a few ridiculous excuses.
She had been a stay-at-home mom for four years. Now that her child was in kindergarten and her in-laws were helping with pickups and drop-offs, she was eager to get back to work.
After several years as a full-time homemaker, her job search had been a series of rejections. Sophie Shaw was the one who gave her a chance to start fresh.
"I need a strong coffee."
Hannah Sutton smiled and nodded. "Of course, President Shaw."
A few minutes later, the coffee was delivered to Sophie Shaw’s office.
"Have the head of HR come see me."
Sophie Shaw said to Hannah Sutton, taking the coffee.
She was planning major layoffs, starting with the heads of the Planning and Design departments. They were two bad apples, and there was no reason to keep them around to poison employee morale. It was time to bring in some fresh blood.
Sophie Shaw worked overtime until just after eight o’clock, and her stomach was rumbling with hunger.
She picked up her phone from the desk, about to order takeout, when there was a knock at the door.
KNOCK KNOCK—
Her heart skipped a beat, and she was instantly on high alert.
’All the employees have gone home. Who could it be?’
"Come in."
She clutched her phone tightly, her eyes fixed on the office door.
With a CREAK, the door was pushed open.
A tall, well-built man walked in, much to Sophie Shaw’s surprise.
It was Alaric Blackwood.
"What are you doing here?"
The man held up a delicate bag he was carrying. Inside were utensils and an insulated lunch box.
"Bringing my wife some dinner."
Surprised and delighted, Sophie Shaw quickly got up to meet him.
"Thank you."
She reached for the bag, but Alaric Blackwood hooked an arm around her waist, guiding her to the sofa. He then took the lunch box and utensils out of the bag, opened it, and set out the stacked containers one by one on the coffee table.
The lunch box’s size had limited Alaric Blackwood’s culinary ambitions. Though sumptuous, the portions were small: salt-baked prawns, blanched asparagus, a bowl of savory steamed egg with soy sauce, and a bowl of rice.
The moment Sophie Shaw picked up her chopsticks, Alaric Blackwood pulled a pair of disposable gloves from the bag. He sat beside her, quietly peeling prawns and placing the meat directly into her bowl.
"This is delicious."
Sophie Shaw beamed at him. He just offered a faint smile in return and asked, "What has you so busy this late?"
"I’m thinking of renting a new space for the factory. The current one is too far from the city, the equipment is outdated, and I’ll need to hire new staff."
She was ready to go all in.
Speaking of work, she asked about Nina Halloway. "When is your sister coming back?"
"Soon. In about a week."
"Could you arrange a meeting for me with her?"
Alaric Blackwood gave her a thoughtful look. "Why? Are you hoping to get her as a brand ambassador?"
Sophie Shaw’s eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know?"
"I guessed."
"How expensive is she?"
"Very."
She opened her mouth but was at a loss for words.
Seeing her hesitate, Alaric Blackwood popped a freshly peeled prawn directly into her mouth. "Just eat. If this isn’t enough, I can make you a late-night snack when we get home."
"Mr. Blackwood, are you trying to fatten me up like a pig?"
"You’re not fat."
"If you keep feeding me like this, I’ll turn into one sooner or later."
"I wouldn’t mind if you were a little chubbier. There’d be more of you to hold."
"..."
The atmosphere suddenly grew charged.
Meeting the man’s dark, gleaming eyes, Sophie Shaw bit her lip and instinctively looked away, focusing her attention on the bowl of steamed egg.
As she was eating, her phone suddenly blared.
She put down her bowl, walked over to her desk to get her phone, and saw it was a call from Bianca Kane.
"Hello?"
’She was surprised. Why would someone grieving their father’s death think to call her?’
She had expected Bianca to try and persuade her to attend the funeral, but instead, Bianca’s first words were strictly business. "How are things progressing with Dragonstone Mall?"
"I haven’t..."
"We paid for your dowry and the wedding went off without a hitch. Forget about how you embarrassed us on the day of your homecoming visit. Now my father’s dead, and you, you ungrateful wretch, you don’t even bother to come to the funeral. I ask you to do one little thing, and you can’t even manage that. Tell me, what good are you for anything?"
It was as if Bianca Kane had called just to vent her anger, her voice laced with fury. "I’m giving you three days. Get the Dragonstone Mall situation handled."
Sophie Shaw took a deep breath. After a moment’s thought, she said, "I don’t need three days. Let’s meet tomorrow. I’ll text you the time and place in the morning."
Before Bianca Kane could respond, she hung up and returned to the sofa to finish her meal.
She took a bite of the steamed egg and asked Alaric Blackwood, "I heard the Blackwood Group is interested in acquiring Dragonstone Mall?"
"You’re well-informed."
"I’d like to reserve a counter."
’The cost of opening a physical flagship store is too high. A retail counter in the mall, on the other hand, is the perfect cost-saving option. It could be the first test market.’
"A verbal reservation?"
Sophie Shaw paused. "But isn’t the acquisition process for the mall still underway?"
"The acquisition is a done deal."
"So you mean I need to sign a contract first to reserve a counter, or...?"
"It doesn’t have to be that complicated. You could just give me a kiss."
"?"
The man’s playful side suddenly emerged, the smile at the corner of his lips deepening. "With a little more enthusiasm."
"Say a few sweet nothings. Act a little spoiled."
"Or, you could conquer me with your body."
Sophie Shaw’s mind went blank. Staring at the man spouting such shameless words, her cheeks couldn’t help but flush.
"Mr. Blackwood..."
"Call me ’husband.’"
"Um... Husband... Didn’t we already... you know... last night? Can you handle it? Don’t you need a couple of days to recover?"
Alaric Blackwood shook his head. He took a napkin and gently wiped a grain of rice from the corner of her mouth. "You’ve been through my drawer."
"What things?"
"The first drawer of the nightstand."
’It dawned on Sophie Shaw. He was talking about the drawer full of contraceptives.’
’She remembered taking one out and then tossing it back in. She must not have put it back in the right spot, and he noticed.’
’The man was a devil for the details!’
"Since you saw what was in the drawer, you should know that everything inside is still in its original, unopened packaging."
Sophie Shaw was a little lost. "So?"
Alaric Blackwood laughed in exasperation. "Idiot."
