Mr. Chairman’s Devious Wife by Brey Mitchylle
Chapter 74

Chapter 74

Sofia awoke facing the intricate patterns of the red curtains. Despite the smile adorning her face, attempting to stretch, she frowned upon recalling the bathroom incident, which occurred after her bath. She couldn't help but bury her face under the blanket.

"How did I end up falling asleep in the tub?" In the end, he had to check on her, and that was when it happened. Alexander, with his hair unkempt and sleep clinging to his eyes, leaned against the bed, the sight sending shivers down her spine. The memory of last night was something more primal.

"Maybe you should let me tuck you in tonight," he murmured, his voice husky with a hint of mischief.

The safest way to spend the night, she thought, her voice barely a whisper. She couldn't deny the allure of staying tangled in the sheets with him. It felt really great, she mumbled, the words etching into her mind.

Alexander propped himself up on one elbow, his gaze still holding hers. The air crackled with unspoken desire, the playful banter morphing into something more intimate, a delicious awareness raging between responsibility and a yearning she couldn't quite place.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted into the room, snapping the tension-fed silence. Alexander's smile turned soft as he scratched the back of his neck. "I already made breakfast. Care to join me before you head out?"

She hadn't even noticed the smell of coffee when she woke up! How ridiculous! Tangled in the sheets with the shirtless Alexander, only in his pajamas, the fabric clinging to his form, she felt a wave of warmth wash over her. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating Alexander, who stood shirtless at the counter. He turned, a playful grin spreading across his face.

He gestured towards a plate piled high with golden brown pancakes, crispy bacon, and fluffy scrambled eggs. Beside it sat a steaming mug of coffee and a delectable-looking Monte Cristo sandwich cut in half.

Sofia’s stomach rumbled, betraying her earlier denial of the enticing aroma. The sight of the breakfast spread, with its mix of comforting classics and a touch of indulgence, made her smile widen.

"Wow," she breathed, stepping closer. "This looks amazing."

He winked. "Thought something hearty was in order after last night's adventures."

His words sent a blush creeping up her neck. "Coffee?" he asked.

"Yes, please," she mumbled, "Make it black. No sugar." She needed the bitterness of the coffee to wake her up from all this.

"If you tell anyone that you made breakfast for me, they probably won't believe me," she smiled.

This man was feared in the business world! No one would believe that he had the habit of making breakfast for a woman. "I don’t usually make breakfast for anyone."

Taking a tentative bite of the fluffy pancakes, Sofia savored the sweet, buttery flavor. "This is seriously good," she mumbled through a mouthful.

"I’m taking that as a compliment."

Sofia smiled. This was not the first time that she tried his cooking, but it still amazed her every time. To be honest, just the fact that he is a very good cook was something that she would not associate with his persona in the business world.

"It's already noon," he said. "Are you still planning to work? You can call Miss Amores and have your files sent here."

"No. There’s no need. I have a meeting in the afternoon with the board," Sofia said. "How about you?"

"I can have my meeting in the office."

"Oh..." Sofia nodded before she took a sip of her coffee. As expected, the bitterness jolted her awake. It was like a kick in the head—a good kick, of course.

"I received a call that Daniel wanted to get inside the building last night. I asked security not to let him in a few weeks ago. I believe he realized that we are still together and wanted to come."

To Sofia’s surprise, the mention of Daniel's name did not immediately ruin her mood. In fact, she felt like this was but a casual conversation about an acquaintance. She lifted her head and looked at him. "Are you going to tell me why you actually decided to offer me marriage?"

"What do you mean?"

"I meant..." Sofia composed herself. To her, the best time to talk about crucial issues is while both of them are in a good mood! "You can get my shares without marrying me."

"I just wanted to keep you safe. I don’t want you suddenly changing your mind and marrying my brother instead."

"That’s it?" she asked. She refused to believe that he did not have some sort of mysterious reason for marrying her.

"That and... you are my fiancée."

"Huh?"

"Your grandmother did not tell you," he chuckled. "I am only claiming what’s mine, to begin with."

"What-What are you talking about?"

"How about you come with me?" he asked. "After breakfast, of course."

Sofia could only nod in response. She thought about the past, trying her best to recall if she was engaged when she was younger, but she couldn’t remember anything.

After breakfast, Alexander took her to Jenny Thomas's house, where he showed her images of their parents. Those were images of Sofia’s father and Alexander’s mother.

Sofia was unable to say a word.

"They were not really lovers," he chuckled. "However, they agreed to have their children marry each other."

"Can you tell me why this was the case?" Sofia asked.

Jenny entered the study with a tray of snacks. "His mother used to say that your father was really smart and it would be nice for his child to marry hers. I told her she was stupid," Jenny rolled her eyes. "However, we lost contact with your father when he went to Europe."

Jenny made a deliberate pause. "The next thing we knew, he already passed. It took us a long time to realize that he had a daughter."

"I told Alexander about you when I heard that you were Daniel's girlfriend," Jenny said. "Naturally, I did not want Daniel to marry you instead." Jenny pointed at another image of her, Alexander’s mother, and Sofia’s father together.

Who would have thought that they actually knew each other?

Sofia would never have thought about this! However, everything was really clear. There was even a yearbook of them! It seems that they went to the same high school and became friends.

The thought of her father somehow made her chest a little heavy. She wondered what life would be if her mother did not marry Lawrence. If she was still with Sofia’s father.

Surely, her mother would be alive and well.

"Can you tell me about my father?" Sofia asked. Sadly, she doesn’t know anything about the man because her mother did not say much about him. When Sofia was big enough to understand, she had already accepted Lawrence as her new father.

"Of course," Jenny smiled and started talking about Sofia’s father.

After hours of laughter, Sofia and Alexander left Jenny’s house with smiles on their faces. Sofia actually spent the rest of the day at Jenny’s house! However, she was able to casually do it without guilt as she was also there for another business.

Sofia wanted Jenny to become the new ambassador of LH Design, and Jenny agreed without asking any questions.

"Thank you," Sofia smiled as Alexander drove back to his place.

"For what?"

"For everything..." Sofia said. Alexander did not need to tell her why he did not tell her about their parents’ connection when they met. She understood that the man wanted to save her from Daniel, and what better way to do it than to show her Daniel's true colors?

Knowing about her father, despite the bittersweet nature of it, brought a sense of closure. It wasn’t just about filling the gaps; it was about understanding her own story, the one that had shaped her into the woman she is today.

As Alexander drove, the familiar streets of Springfield seemed different, imbued with a new layer of meaning. They held not just memories but also a connection to her heritage, a thread that stretched back in time and intertwined with the man beside her.

A soft smile tugged at her lips as she turned and stared at his side profile. However, this smile did not last too long when she saw two police officers waiting for them in the lobby of their place.

“Are you Miss Sofia Lockhart?”

“Yes,” Sofia frowned, her heart already racing against her chest.

“Then please come with us to the hospital," the police officer said. "We are here investigating a woman that we found this afternoon, and we have reasons to believe that the woman is someone that you know very well.”