Next One Is a Babe novel Chapter 152

Sophia didn’t quite understand the old man’s remark.

The old man then slowly got up from the sofa and headed toward her and Ian with his cane. He was stooped since he was in his twilight years, thus appearing an entire head shorter than Ian who was standing ramrod straight. Nonetheless, his aura more than made up for that fact. He stared at Ian for a long time before nodding. “You’ve lost weight.”

All at once, Sophia turned and looked at Ian as well, finding this interaction between father and son rather strange.

At this precise moment, the woman stood up and came over to help support the old man. “You must have waited here all morning. Now that you’ve seen him, you can rest easy. So, let’s go upstairs and rest, okay?”

The old man’s gaze shifted to Sophia but he said nothing, merely nodding in utter satisfaction. Such an attitude had goosebumps rising all over Sophia’s body. Then, he turned around. “Okay. I’m tired, so help me upstairs to rest.”

The woman held the old man’s arm, but the moment she pivoted, she threw Sophia an intense look. As Sophia had a bad impression of the woman, she outright rolled her eyes at her.

Only when the two of them had left did Ian drop his arm from around her and breathed a sigh of relief. “Take a seat. I’ll just go and put my stuff away.” That was in reference to his guitar.

Nodding, Sophia plopped down onto the sofa unceremoniously. Meanwhile, Ian strode up the stairs. However, he took a long time just to put his guitar away, and when he came down, he was with the woman. The two of them came down one after another, both their expressions forbidding.

Ian got to the landing first and walked over to Sophia, upon which she stood up. Then, he declared, “Let’s go and grab a bite.”

Just as his words reached them, the woman behind him spoke, but this time, her voice was acrid and derisive. “You’ve just come home, yet you’re going out to eat. If your father learns about it, he might think that I’m mistreating you.”

Stiffening, Ian retorted caustically, “Does me having a meal here prove that you’re not mistreating me?” The woman was stunned, and she stared at him in disbelief.

Ian then snorted. “Let’s go.” Taking Sophia by the arm, he walked out of the living room. The yard was very spacious, with a simple garage at the side that housed two cars, and Ian went into the garage right away.

Heading toward one of the cars, Ian grabbed the car key and unlocked it. Sophia gave the car a once-over. This car doesn’t seem cheap either. Looking back at her, Ian said, “Get in.”

Giggling, Sophia hurried over. “You’re loaded, huh? I couldn’t even tell since you kept too low a profile previously.” Ian said nothing, merely starting the car and driving out. When they left the villa, they could still see that woman standing at the entrance to the living room, staring at them with her arms crossed, the expression on her face mildly resentful.

When they were a distance away, Sophia asked, “Who was that woman?” Her relationship with that old man doesn’t seem platonic, but Ian said she isn’t his mother.

Ian pursed his lips. As he stepped harder on the gas pedal, the car instantly picked up speed. After a while, he answered, “My stepmother.”

His stepmother? At this, understanding began to dawn upon Sophia. Smacking her lips, she nodded. “It seems that your father is truly affluent.” At his age, the only reason he has such a young wife can be nothing other than his money. That woman is no fool. While the old man has decent looks, his age is plain as day. If he doesn’t have something enticing to offer, she couldn’t possibly have just sacrificed her youth.

While they were still driving, her cell phone rang again. It’s still Zack! Aggravation swamped her. John isn’t even worried, yet he’s exhorting me time and again. This time, she answered the call. “Yes?”

“Miss Gwendolyn, my boss is currently in trouble, yet you’re not in the least concerned. Are you truly not worried? H-H-Have you forgotten your identity?” Zack’s voice was filled with incredulity.

Leaning back against the seat, Sophia guffawed. “H-H-Have you forgotten my identity? Think carefully.” Zack paused and went silent at once. Since she’d told Ian plenty before, Sophia wasn’t at all afraid to speak in front of him. “John and I got divorced a long time ago. Now that he’s in trouble, I can only do my best to help him out, but worry? Do you think that’s something I should be doing?” she said into the phone.