Chapter 5 He Didn't Refuse

"It's my boss' car," Gavin casually replied.

Tired of relying on taxis, he decided to drive one of his own cars for a change.

Sophie sighed with relief as she settled into the car, carrying several shopping bags.

She glanced around the spacious interior with admiration. "Your boss is quite generous to lend you his car. I've never been in such a nice car before."

Observing her excitement, Gavin couldn't help but ask, "Are you into cars?"

Sophie shook her head immediately. "No, not really."

Glancing at her reflection in the rearview mirror, Gavin probed, "Why not? Having your own car would be convenient, wouldn't it?"

Sophie's expression turned serious. "Cars are costly to maintain. You need to pay for gas, insurance, parking and everything. Taking the metro is more practical and economical."

Gavin chuckled softly.

Her simple, yet pragmatic attitude was refreshing.

Sophie leaned closer, her voice tentative. "Is your grandfather an easy-going man? I bought something for him, but I'm not sure if he'll like them."

Gavin glanced at the gift bags on the back seat, appreciating her thoughtfulness.

"Don't worry. My grandfather is kind and easy to please. You'll make him happy just by having a meal with him."

Sophie felt relieved. It was all just for show, and she could manage that.

Gavin soon parked the car in front of a restaurant. Sophie gathered her bags and stepped out, taking Gavin's arm with her free hand. She blinked up at him expectantly. "Is this better?"

Gavin's body tensed slightly.

He hadn't been this close to a woman in years.

Seeing the bright smile on Sophie's face, Gavin found himself unable to refuse her and casually replied, "It's fine."

They rode the elevator up to the eighth floor and entered a certain private room.

Inside, a kindly-looking man with grey hair sat waiting.

Sophie released Gavin's hand and respectfully bowed to the man. "My name is Sophie. I've brought you some tonics. I hope you'll like them."

The old man, Rodger Hewitt, studied her briefly and nodded approvingly.

She was naturally beautiful, adorned with minimal makeup. Her smile was warm, her eyes like gentle crescents.

Gavin had mentioned Sophie's preference for simplicity and her desire to marry for stability rather than wealth. In an age dominated by materialism, her values stood out.

Initially, Rodger had considered offering her jewelry, but upon learning of Gavin's deception to hide his wealth to win her hand, he abandoned the idea, knowing she needed time to adjust.

With genuine affection, he said, "Thank you, dear. I appreciate your gifts. Come, sit here."

"Thank you," Sophie replied gratefully, taking a seat beside Rodger and engaging him in conversation.

Listening to the conversation between Sophie and Rodger, Gavin found the young woman incredibly intriguing. How could someone be so naive? How could she really believe such a fabricated story?

Recalling Sophie's anxious demeanor the previous night, Gavin chuckled softly to himself.

He had instructed Sam to handle Vernon, ensuring Sophie got the contract and received the commission she had desperately wanted.

Rodger, observing Gavin's smiles, felt a sense of relief. It had been a while since he had seen his grandson so happy; clearly, Gavin had taken a liking to Sophie.

During dinner, Sophie even attentively removed fish bones for Rodger, leaving him touched. He decided he would stay with the young couple for a few days to experience ordinary life.

Setting down his fork, Rodger smiled and said, "I think I'll stay here for a bit. If it's not too much trouble, I'll stay at your place."

Before Gavin could respond, Sophie eagerly interjected with a smile, "We wouldn't feel comfortable if you stayed alone. We have extra bedrooms at our house. You can stay with us."

Turning to see Gavin's furrowed brow, Sophie suddenly felt nervous. She sensed she might have said something inappropriate.

It dawned upon her-Gavin was obviously not keen on having Rodger staying over. After all, he probably had a boyfriend and never came back to her at night.

If Rodger moved in, it would risk exposing Gavin's secret. But Rodger seemed oblivious to Gavin's reluctance. He happily declared, "That settles it. I'll head to your new home right away."

Sophie immediately stepped in, offering her support. "Be careful with your steps."

Gavin frowned, hastily gathering the gift bags from the floor.

Twenty minutes later, the three returned to the house Gavin had recently purchased to settle Sophie.

Rodger wandered around, hands clasped behind his back, taking in the cozy atmosphere.

Despite being much smaller than his sprawling villa, the house exuded warmth and comfort.

Rodger couldn't help but compliment, "The location is nice, and the layout is well thought out."

Sophie responded cheerfully, "It was Gavin's choice."

Rodger glanced at Gavin with a meaningful look. "He's thoughtful to have picked this house for you. You two must be getting along well."

Sophie nodded, smiling warmly. She then tidied up a spacious bedroom for Rodger, placing a glass of water on the bedside table before quietly leaving the room.

Meanwhile, Gavin sat on the sofa with a grim expression.

Sophie approached Gavin quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have decided that on my own. Perhaps, you can leave after your grandpa falls asleep?"

Gavin weighed his options quickly. He couldn't leave without risking Rodger's suspicion.

"No," he replied in a hushed tone. "We'll just make do with this. Now, I need to use the bathroom."

With that, Gavin headed towards the bathroom, undressing as he went.

Sophie's body tensed suddenly.

Was she going to share a room with Gavin tonight?

Sophie felt a rush of nerves at the thought of sharing a bed with Gavin.

She quickly rationalized that it didn't matter-he wasn't interested in women, after all. Best not to get ahead of herself.

Lost in these thoughts, she was jolted when Gavin emerged from the bathroom.

He wore only a bath towel wrapped around his waist, showcasing his toned physique-muscular arms with droplets of water clinging to them, long legs that exuded strength, all complemented by his chiseled face.

Sophie couldn't help but admire him until Gavin cleared his throat gently.

"Well, I should get you some pajamas," she said.

Blushing deeply, her heart racing, Sophie hurried to the wardrobe. Luckily, she had bought two sets of pajamas the other day when shopping for groceries.

With her head lowered, Sophie handed the pajamas to Gavin and hurried into the bathroom.

The shower helped calm her nerves, and when she returned to the bedroom, Gavin was already lying down with his eyes shut.

Not wanting to disturb him, Sophie quietly turned off the light and tiptoed to bed.

However, since there was only one blanket, she carefully pulled a corner over herself, covering her belly, and settled in.

After a long day at work, Sophie was exhausted and quickly fell asleep.

Gavin listened to her steady breathing and, unable to contain himself any longer, sat up in bed.

The cheap pajamas were really uncomfortable and kept him awake, so he removed them altogether.

Once back in bed naked, he felt much better and, soothed by the sound of Sophie's breathing, began to drift off to sleep.

The next morning, Sophie's alarm clock went off.

She reached out to silence it.

As her eyes fluttered open, she screamed.

Gavin was lying beside her, completely naked!