CEO's Beloved: Your Presence Flutters My Heart

The first stream of sunlight shot through the glass window and danced across the edges of the luxurious double bed.

A slender figure twisted under the fur blanket as her body sank deeper into the comfortable cushions. As her milky arms reached out of the covers, Sophia Yang's eyes fluttered open.

Once her vision adjusted to the blinding light, her memories started rushing back to her like a raging tsunami. She glanced at her naked body and sat up with a jolt. "Ah!" An uncontrollable scream ripped out from the back of her throat. Upon realizing the noise she was making, Sophia Yang hastily covered her mouth and ducked her head, trying to piece everything together.

She furrowed her eyebrows. Did something terrible happen last night?

At the thought, her eyes widened in horror, and she immediately glanced to the side of her bed.

She raised her head and looked around the empty room. Seeing that nobody else was with her, her shoulders sagged in relief. Just as exhaustion was about to take her once more, her phone rang, knocking her out of her reverie.

Wrapping herself with the quilt, Sophia Yang stumbled out of the bed and staggered towards the sofa to grab her phone. Just as she pressed the button, a ferocious roar sounded from the other end of the line. She stiffened.

"Sophia, I cannot believe you!" her manager snapped. "Where the hell were you last night? You think you can leave before your shift ends just like that? Do you think your family owns this bar? The only reason I've given you a chance was because you're Cathy's friend! Seeing that you're not taking this seriously, then you'd better not come back here tonight."

Sophia Yang fell onto the couch, wincing from the pain that had shot through her waist. Her hand immediately went down to rub the sore area as her other hand gripped her phone even tighter. "No, please." Her voice cracked. "Something came up last night--that's why I left in a hurry. I swear this won't happen again."

In the past, she would have snorted at the thought of begging someone for such a measly salary.

But now, she had no other choice but to swallow her pride. This was the only job that had taken her in. If the manager fired her now, she was back to square one.

"Spare me with your bullshit! We don't need a flake like you in our bar," the manager snapped and hung up.

Hearing the beep, her heart sink to the bottom of her stomach. At this point, Sophia Yang felt as if she was living her worst nightmare, and she wanted nothing more than to wake up. The warm sunlight did nothing to the iciness that had swept over her conscience.

She placed a hand over her chest and took a deep breath, struggling to calm herself. Once her heartbeat had been subdued, she slowly stood up and headed to the bathroom to change into her previous clothes. Just as she did, her hands wandered across her worn pockets only to freeze. 'Where the hell is my wallet?'

Sophia raced out of the bathroom and glanced at her surroundings to see if she had left anything behind. When she was met with only white sheets and decorative pillows, she gritted her teeth. Her wallet was missing! Her ID, credit card, and the salary that she had just received from two days ago--all of them were gone!

"Just my luck," she murmured under her breath as she tugged her hair in frustration. She threw one of the pillows onto the ground out of anger and dragged her tired body out of the bedroom.

Once she left the hotel, she immediately made an appointment with her best friend Cathy Shan at noon. "You have to help me find a job," Sophia Yang pleaded. Not being the type to keep secrets, she found herself accidentally spilling out everything that had happened to her that night.

Cathy Shan almost spilled her water in surprise. She doubled over in excitement as her eyes shone like stars. She looked like a homeless man who had just been given something to eat. "Oh my gosh!" she shrieked. "After twenty long years, you finally got laid!"

Sophia Yang instantly covered her friend's mouth. At the same time, she glanced around the room. Fortunately, there were only a few people in the coffee shop during this time, and nobody heard them.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she turned to Cathy Shan. Her face was beet red. "If you say something like that again, I'll cut your tongue out!" she warned.

Cathy Shan shrugged, unaffected by her threats. Instead, she gushed, "Aw, don't you look cute when you're all angry like that! But still, don't you think you've been a little bit impulsive in giving yourself away? Who's the guy? What does he look like?" Cathy Shan tapped her chin thoughtfully and knitted her eyebrows together. "In fact, he even stole your wallet. Is he a prostitute? I mean, I've been hearing a lot of gossip about male prostitutes lately."

A prostitute?

Sophia Yang stiffened. She hadn't thought of it like that.

Noticing her silence, Cathy Shan comforted her, "It's really not a big deal. Just take it as... as the first step to becoming a woman!"

"But I..." Sophia trailed off, not wanting to look at her friend. Her bangs swept against her forehead, blocking anyone from seeing the hesitance that flashed in her eyes. Her hands clenched.

"It's just something you have to accept." Cathy reached over and held her clenched fists. "It's just that...I couldn't believe it. You've been married to the man for two years, and he hasn't even touched you. Whether he's abstinent or gay, I'm not so sure." She sighed, shaking her head. "Nevertheless, now that you've decided to divorce him, it's time to let these things go. You're about to enter life as a single woman once more. Imagine the hot guys waiting for us."

Although Sophia knew what Cathy had said made sense, her mind was still blank. As she stared at the table in front of her, she found herself at a loss of what to do next.

Maybe it was really time that she started filing for divorce.

"Enough!" Cathy waved her hand dismissively, wanting to get rid of the morose atmosphere. "Don't pull that long face anymore. Didn't you tell me about losing your job? I have a friend who's a manager at some hotel. They're recruiting right now, and the salary's way higher than the one at the bar. I'll tell her that you can start first thing in the afternoon."

Sophia took a sip of latte and gratefully nodded. "Thank you for this."

"As if we haven't been friends for years." Cathy rolled her eyes, pushing the menu towards her. "It's my treat today, so order whatever you want."

The two of them parted ways after lunch. Not long after, Cathy sent Sophia the address of the hotel.

In N Hotel.

At six o'clock in the afternoon, after changing into her uniform, Sophia rushed into the hotel lobby and began to work.

Although her family ran a small company, she was nowhere near to being spoiled. In fact, she had always been self-reliant. She had never asked for anything from her family, and the habit stuck with her through the years.

Just as she had finished tidying up one of the hotel rooms, two black figures flashed in her eyes. A man and a woman walked side by side down the corridor and entered the room next to the one she was cleaning.

Her body stiffened, and Sophia narrowed her eyes at the man. He looked vaguely familiar.

With a little uncertainty in her heart, she left the broom against the doorframe and subconsciously followed them.

Noticing that the two people had locked the door, Sophia bit her lips and thought for a moment. At this point, she could only stand and wait. If she would disturb them, she might get fired.

Sophia had been waiting anxiously by the door for nearly half an hour. Just as she was about to lose her patience, the door creaked open.

A young woman stepped out of the room, looking around less than twenty-year-old. She had chestnut curly hair that framed her youthful face and a pair of rimless glasses to highlight her large eyes.

The girl turned around and waved at the other guest in the room. She smiled, "You got a deal. See you next time!"

Without another word, she left.

Upon taking in the scene, Sophia's fingers dug into her palm. After a moment's hesitation, she entered the open room.

The light's reddish hue seeped through the huge French window. A tall and handsome figure stood under the afternoon shadow. Although his back was facing her, there was something about his stance that gave off a certain elegance and nobility.

Sophia hesitated. The man was far different from what she had remembered.

Not wanting to act out of impulse, she stepped forward. "Hello, Sir. Do you need room service?" she asked tentatively.

When the man heard the voice, he was stunned. He turned his head, leaving her a clear view of his featured profile. "Room service?" His voice sounded like soft symphony. "What service are you implying?"

"Ah... I mean..." Although only a side of his face was seen, she could make out the sharp outline of his jaw and his thick eyebrows. His eyes flashed with an unspeakable emotion that she found herself unable to react immediately.

"It's you!" she uttered, pointing at him. "I knew it!"

He was the man she had met last night! She could even recognize him.

Kern Ye finally turned around after a few seconds of silence. He fixated his gaze at the woman in front of him, and a playful smile slithered into his thin lips. "Are you here for me then? Don't tell me you've fallen in love with me that quickly."

His slightly ambiguous expression made her flash back to what had happened yesterday. Her face immediately flushed. "Are you joking or something? I don't even know you," she sputtered out. "I'm here to ask for the money you've stolen!"

Kern Ye walked towards the table leisurely and poured himself a glass of red wine. After swirling the liquid, he took a sip. "Could you still say that after sleeping with me?"

"I... I was drunk! Not only have you taken advantage of me, but you also took my wallet!" She clenched her fists.

"Take advantage of you?" Kern Ye raised his voice. His gaze turned cold. "I'm the one who was taken advantage of. Are you even remotely aware what had happened that night? Shouldn't I be the one charging you for money?"

His words made her freeze. She furrowed her eyebrows. "What did I do?"

Sophia only remembered vague pieces of her memory. As for the specific details, she had already forgotten the moment she woke up.

The man downed the drink in his hand. Once he was done, he placed the glass on top of the table and strode towards her.

Before she could react, his hand wrapped around her wrist. A chill shot down her spine. His touch was freezing that she couldn't help but shiver upon contact.

As she tried to squeeze her hand from his grip, he violently pulled her against him. Sophia screamed as her back slammed against the bed. Her body sunk into the cushions as he hovered above her like a predator who had caught up with his prey.

The scent of alcohol forced its way into her nostrils, and soon enough, she found herself pressed under his body. His fingertips swept across her face before they stopped at her chin.

"Since you don't remember what happened, I'll help you recall." There was something about his voice that was mysterious and deadly, like a double-edged knife aimed straight at her heart.

He then moved his hand downwards.

Sophia tensed under his touch, not knowing how to react. Her breath hitched as he gripped her waist.

When she lifted her head, she could see a stack of cash neatly folded by the headboard. Suddenly, she remembered what Cathy had said to her.

'He must be a prostitute!' she thought, eyes widening in realization. 'The woman who has just walked out must be one of his sugar mommies!'

At the thought, she quickly waved her hands defensively. "Wait!" she interrupted. One of her arms rested on top of her chest. To prevent him from misunderstanding her, she quickly explained, "I don't have money on me right now, so I won't be able to afford your service. Y-You shouldn't waste your time."

Kern paused. His eyebrows furrowed. "What?"

Catching him off guard, Sophia used all her strength to push him back. She slid off the bed and shuffled uncomfortably under his confused gaze. "I-I don't want the money anymore," she stammered out. "Just-Just take it as your service fee. I'll be leaving now."

Without another word, Sophia rushed out of the hotel room. Her face was flushed red, and she tried her best to steady her wobbly legs. In fact, she almost fell down several times as she raced across the hallway, but she kept going as if there was some ghost chasing her from behind.

Kern slowly stood up and gazed at the direction in which she had escaped. His dark eyes flashed with an unknown emotion as he fixed his collar.

'Service fee...'

He snorted.

Even after racing out of the hotel, Sophia still couldn't stop the lingering fear in her chest. She didn't calm down until she had reached the other side of the block. She gazed at the towering building and breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed that her wallet was as good as lost.

Cursing under her breath, she slowly walked back. At this point, she might as well start working to make up for all the money she had lost.

Just as she was heading back, her phone rang.

Sophia took one glance at the caller ID. When she saw Denny He's name pop on the screen, her heartbeat suddenly slowed down.

Why did he call?

She couldn't help but recall the time she had suffered under the He Family in the past two years. Her grip on her phone tightened. After hesitating for a while, she answered the phone.

"Hello..."

"Sophia! Well? Have you had enough fun? What the hell are you doing outside alone?" Denny He roared.

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean?" He scoffed. "I'll give you half an hour. If you aren't here by then, your family's about to pay the price."

Sophia didn't even flinch from the threat. After two years, she had already been used to it.

The man was none other than her husband, but ever since they got married, he never really treated her as his wife. In fact, to him, she was nothing more than a servant.

If it hadn't been for the fact that her father was going bankrupt, she wouldn't have married him.

Sophia had tried so hard to maintain their marriage, but after seeing all her efforts go in vain, she realized that their relationship had always been nonexistent.

After a moment's silence, she closed her eyes. "I'll be right there."

Maybe it was time she gave up on him.

Hanging up her phone, Sophia rushed to the nearest bus station and used the little money she had left to get back home.

Once she arrived, she pushed the door into the villa. Soon, she was met by a man with a gloomy face. Beside him sat her brother, Darren Yang.

"I'm back–"

Before she could finish her words, Denny He stood right up and slapped her on the face.

Sophia stumbled and fell onto the carpet from the impact. Her hand immediately clutched her cheek as she stared up at him in disbelief.

There was a faint taste of blood in her mouth. "What the hell?" she sputtered out.

He didn't bother to say another word. Instead, he tossed some glossy papers onto the floor.

Lowering her head, she glanced at the pictures scattered all over the carpet. They were clear photos of her and the man she had slept with that night.

"These photos," she murmured under her breath as she grabbed one of the pictures. "Where did you get them?"

"You have to thank your lovely brother," he sneered.

Sophia turned to look at Darren Yang, who had been silent this entire time.

From the moment she had entered the room, he never said a word to defend her. In fact, he looked like a spectator who was here for a good round. He coughed slightly, pretending to be innocent. "I have no other choice," he defended. "I can't just go around and pretend I haven't seen anything. What would Denny feel?"

These photos were taken by his friends that night in the bar. Denny was the Yang Family's backer, and he didn't want to throw his entire family under the bus just because of his sister's ignorance. This was why Darren sucked it up and told him of the pictures.

"Darren, you..." Sophia trembled in anger. Her fingers dug into her palms as she took a deep breath.

"You've already cheated on me, and you have the right to be angry?" Sophia could see the blue veins throbbing on Denny's forehead as he looked down on her. "Who gave you the right to have an affair? Are you really that desperate to get a man to touch you? Huh? You're really a shame to my family!"

She sat on the ground for a long time as she scanned at the scattered pictures. The expression in her eyes had gradually changed from resentment to detachment.

Slowly, she stood up and stared at him right in the eye. "Since you think I'm a shame to your family, then let's file for a divorce," she said indifferently, as if she had already made up her mind.

Now that she had this chance to escape, she wasn't wasting it. She had already suffered enough in the last two years.

"Divorce?" Denny laughed outrageously. "Do you even know how much you owe me for the last few years? After taking advantage of this, you want to divorce me? You're really shameless."

"Then what else do you want?" she spat. "In the past two years, I've tried my best to be a good fucking wife for the He Family while you spend the rest of your time sleeping with other women. Do you see me slapping you on the face? All you've done is humiliate my name and stamp on my dignity. So tell me, what else do you fucking want?" The more she talked, the more agitated she became. Memories of what had happened in the past few years ran through her mind. She had married someone who she didn't love, and he had done nothing but state that fact over and over again. How the hell did she survive in the last two years?

"Yes! I love to humiliate you. So what?" Denny's hand shot up in the air. He grabbed her by the collar and shoved her onto the sofa. He trapped her hands beneath him. "Do you even know what kind of person you are? How dare you have an affair and shout for your innocence. Don't you think I'm good enough that I didn't show any of these pictures to your family? What else do you want?"

Sophia struggled under him. She slammed her fists against his chest. "Let go of me! I want a divorce."

Seeing that the situation had gotten out of hand, Darren was afraid that his sister would ruin everything for them. He quickly bent over. "Sophia, stop being so stubborn!" he pleaded. "Can't you just enjoy your life with him? Have you thought of our family if you were to divorce? What would happen to our Dad? What would happen to me? He has been supporting us all this time. Do you really want our family to fall apart just because of your stubbornness?"

Sophia already had enough of her brother's helplessness. "Fuck off, Darren! I've had enough."

Denny didn't expect that she would give up her entire family just to divorce him. An indescribable anger filled his chest.

Recalling the pictures of her hugging the unknown man, he couldn't hold it back anymore.

"You want to divorce me so you can go after that man?" he snarled. "I won't let you get what you want!"

She liked that man? Then he would destroy her– destroy all her hopes and dreams one by one!

Even if she was a piece of garbage to him, he wouldn't let anyone else have her!

With a flick of his hand, a loud tear echoed across the room. Her mind went blank as she struggled even more. She gritted her teeth, wanting nothing to do with him.

The man had trampled on her dignity so much that she would never break under his gaze!

Underneath all the chaos pouring in her mind, Sophia grabbed a hold of the fruit knife sitting on the tea table.

Without any hesitation, she clenched her hand around the hilt of the knife and proceeded to try and stab Denny.

The cold surface of the blade sent a shiver down her spine, but she didn't care. Without a moment's hesitation, she swung the knife towards him, leaving a small cut on his cheek. He stumbled backwards in surprise.

Drops of blood fell on Sophia, staining her white shirt. Stunned silence fell upon them.

"Sophia..." Denny trailed off, staring at the blood that stained the back of his hand. His eyes clouded over, looking as if the beast inside of him had been unleashed.

If he hadn't moved, the knife would've probably slashed his throat. He would be on the ground, blubbering his last words.

She froze, not knowing how to act.

She couldn't believe that she had it in herself to do such a thing. Sophia straightened her back, trying her best not to flinch from his glare.

Just as the intense air was about to break out, Denny's phone vibrated, breaking the stalemate.

Glancing at the caller ID, a trace of contempt flashed across his furious face. Without missing a beat, he picked up the phone and yelled, "You have the nerve to call me after your daughter tries to commit murder, John? You'd better give me an explanation or you might as well see your company in ruins! I'll sue you for every dollar you have!"

The call was from John Yang, Sophia's father. He wanted to ask his son-in-law for money to pay off his creditor, but he didn't expect to be yelled at.

"What?" John Yang stiffened at the thought of his daughter ruining their chances of having a better life. He hurriedly tried his best to coax him, "Calm down, don't worry. I'll teach her a lesson!"

Once the two reached an agreement, John Yang arrived at the He Family's household in half an hour. After apologizing to Denny over and over again, he forcibly dragged his daughter out of the villa and into his car.

"When will you ever not cause me any trouble?" He sighed in frustration as he took a sharp right. The car sped over one of the alleyways till they arrived at the gates of a condominium. "Don't you think the business has enough problems for me to deal with?" Once they reached one of the familiar corridors, John Yang opened the door and pulled her daughter into the room.

"Sophia, why did you come back all of a sudden?" Selena Lin, her stepmother, screamed in surprise. It was as if she had seen a dead ghost. The older woman waved her hands up in the air, trying to dry off the new polish.

Emily Yang snorted. With a roll of her eyes, she murmured, "Why else would she be here? She must've offended my brother-in-law."

"Sophia, I won't be scolding you since you're not a child anymore, but you still shouldn't act so impulsively! Don't you know how lucky you are to marry Denny?" Selena Lin snapped. She rubbed her creased forehead in frustration, as if she had done this multiple times before. "What do you think will happen if you got divorced? Huh? Do you think you'll be welcomed here? Well, I'll be the first person to say that you won't have a home here if you file for divorce! We don't want to be associated with you."

"Yeah! If I were you, I'd rather die than get divorce." Emily Yang scowled.

Ever since she entered the room, all Sophia had heard were meaningless echoes from both her stepmother and stepsister. However, she had already been used to them.

The mother-and-daughter duo had never liked her.

Well, Sophia couldn't care less for them either way. She already had enough of their harsh words.

John Yang followed his daughter into the room. "Don't think too much of what your stepmother has said. She's only trying to say what's good for you." He sighed. "I've already heard what happened today from Darren. Do you really want to put your family to death, girl?"

"If you are, I wouldn't be surprised!" Selina Lin scowled.

Clenching her fists, Sophia gritted her teeth. "Do you have to force me with Denny just so our entire family could be safe? Why don't you do something for a change?"

Having enough of the two women screaming back and forth, he banged his fist onto the table. "How dare you shout back? Do you know who's been helping us all these years? If it weren't for Denny, I wouldn't have the money to support all three of you! If you really want to divorce him, we'll all be living on the streets! Are you really that heartless?"

"But Dad!" Sophia protested. Staring at the old man who was about to have a breakdown, she couldn't help but feel even more helpless.

Obviously she didn't want to put her family through this, but what other choice did she have? Did she really have to suffer just so her stepmother and stepsister could walk around freely?

Noticing her hesitation, John Yang softened his tone and persuaded, "You know how difficult it's been for our family all these years. I don't want to force you to do this, but I have no other choice. For your mother's sake, please understand our situation and apologize to him, okay? Stop being so difficult."

At the mention of her dead mother, her heart softened.

After all, he was only doing this because of the company's large debt.

A few years ago, the company had been in deep financial trouble. Sophia's father cooperated with one of the major shareholders of the Sky Group, Marcus Cheng, and borrowed money worth ten million dollars. However, ever since then, the company had been stagnant, and her father still couldn't pay off the debts.

Marcus Cheng had stated that the debt should be paid within the month or else he would have no other choice but to sue the company.

If they were to go to court about this, the company would shut down for good.

"Dad... I'll figure out a way to pay the debt. Just please give me some time," she promised. Even so, she had no qualms of going back to Denny. Seeing as she had just tried to murder him, he would probably go out of his way to torture her.

After saying that, Sophia turned around and walked out of the door without turning back. She couldn't stay here for another second.

As she wandered alone down the road for a while, her mind had been swimming with complex thoughts. At this point, she didn't know what else to do.

She walked aimlessly around the sidewalks. Having no other choice, she headed to Marcus Cheng's house in hopes to persuade him to delay the repayment. Maybe then she would have enough time to pay him back.

Marcus Cheng was staying at the famous high-end villa district in the city. It was surrounded by the gifts of nature with its high mountains and peaceful rivers. The people living there were either extremely rich or extremely powerful. The residents there were the city's big shots.

Due to this, the village was naturally very guarded. However, upon seeing the sight of the weak woman, the guards simply took one look at her and allowed her to be on her way.

When Sophia arrived at Marcus Cheng's villa, she rang the doorbell.

After a while, one of his servants opened the door. Glancing at the strange face, he peered closely. "Who are you?"

"My name is Sophia. I'm here for Mr. Marcus," she explained.

The servant nodded awkwardly. "Mr. Marcus will be having an important guest later. We shouldn't let anyone disturb him."

"Please!" she begged. "I have something important to relay to him. Tell him that I'm Sophia- he knows me!"

Seeing the pitiful sight, the servant had no other choice but to nod and agree. "Just give me a few minutes, okay?" he asked softly. "I'll tell him."

"Thank you." She smiled in relief as he closed the door. Ten minutes later, the door creaked open once more.

"Miss, Sophia, right?" When she nodded, he continued, "Mr. Marcus wants you to wait for him in the reception room."

With a sigh of relief, she followed the servant into the reception room of the villa.

The chandeliers' glitter fell from the ceiling like water cascading down the cliffs. They twinkled like thousands of diamonds above her, blinding her almost completely.

Sophia sat on the sofa anxiously, waiting for the man's arrival.

The servants were quick to serve her some tea and desserts. In half an hour, Marcus finally arrived.

"I'm so sorry to keep you waiting. I have some things to deal with the company," he apologized, sitting on the couch adjacent to her. Although Marcus was in his late fifties, his balding scalp and fat figure made him look much older. His lips twitched, and there was something about his smile that made her twist uncomfortably.

"It's my fault for visiting so suddenly." She smiled.

Marcus nodded.

"So you came here for the debt?" "Yes, Mr. Marcus." She took a deep breath. "I know that our family has been in debt for a long time, but you know how hard it has been for us. We really can't pay you back wholly, but trust me when I say that we're thinking of more ways to pay you back. Please, can you give us more time?"

Marcus poured himself a cup of black tea and leaned against the sofa. He shrugged casually. "Sophia, you must know that I've given you a lot of time. It's not that I don't trust you, but it's been years since you haven't paid me back. My company has been investing in several new projects recently, and we need more cash to finance them."

"But we really couldn't afford that much money. Even if we were to sell the company, we still wouldn't be able to cover the ten million." Sophia bowed her head. "Please, Mr. Marcus, if you'd just give us more time. I swear that we'll pay you back once the business gets better."

He sighed. "Actually, there is a way for you to pay me back. That is, if you're willing."

There was something about his voice that made her hesitate. She took another sip from her tea. "What do you mean?"

"Tell me, Sophia, how have I treated you and your family all these years?"

"You've been very kind to us," she complimented graciously.

"And I've never asked for anything in return."

Seeing the glint in his eyes, Sophia knew that there was no point in beating around the bush. "Just tell me."

"I'll go straight to the point." His smile widened. Taking it as an invitation to further his point, he sat beside the woman, letting his hand rest on her legs. She froze. "If you're willing to go with me to the party tonight, maybe I'll be more willing to set this debt aside."

Looking into his ambiguous gaze, she knew that his offer wasn't as simple as one would think.

Sure enough, after seeing the look on her face, he grew even bolder. "Of course, we can watch a movie or have dinner after. I've always appreciated your presence, Sophia, and I want to get to know you more." He smiled. "Of course, I won't let you accompany me without receiving anything in return. What do you think of two hundred thousand a month?"

Now, she was a hundred percent sure that the man wanted to turn her into his mistress!