I Ctrl+Alt+Deleted My Ex and Ctrl+C'd His Uncle novel Chapter 18

**Through Silent Meadows We Trace Stories Left Behind**

**Chapter 18**

Just then, Dr. Mason strolled in, a wide grin plastered across his face, as if he had just uncovered a delightful secret.

“Funny, isn’t it? You were just saying how the entire company is burning the midnight oil for the general manager competition. And here you are, out on a date?” he teased, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Liam’s heart raced as he caught sight of Marcus standing behind him. Panic surged through him like a tidal wave.

“I’ll head back right now!” he blurted out, his voice tinged with urgency.

He shot a frantic glance at Sophie, his expression a blend of embarrassment and concern.

“I’ll talk to you later,” he added, his words rushed as if he were trying to escape a storm.

As soon as he dashed off, Sophie felt the urge to slip away too, but Dr. Mason had already commandeered Marcus, pulling him into a chair with an authoritative gesture.

“You barely touched any of this food, Ms. Chandler,” he chided, his tone almost paternal. “You’re in your first trimester; you really need to eat properly!”

He nudged Marcus playfully, as if trying to spark some warmth between them.

“She’s carrying your child, you know. Say something!” he urged, his eyes gleaming with a mix of jest and seriousness.

Marcus turned to Sophie, his gaze as cold as the winter wind, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.

“Finish eating before you go,” he ordered, his voice devoid of any softness.

There was no room for debate in his tone. With a resigned sigh, Sophie found herself sinking back into her seat, the weight of his command heavy in the air.

Marcus raised his hand toward the server, his expression unyielding.

“Clear all of this,” he instructed, his voice firm.

“All of it? That’s such a waste!” Dr. Mason protested, his brow furrowing in disbelief.

“She doesn’t like it,” Marcus replied curtly, cutting off any further discussion.

Before Dr. Mason could muster a response, Marcus had already pushed the menu in front of Sophie, his gesture almost demanding.

“Order what you want,” he said, his tone leaving no room for refusal.

Sophie froze, her mind racing. They had never shared a meal together before. How did he know she didn’t like this food?

“I met with Liam to discuss work,” she said, her voice steady, trying to maintain her ground.

“You mean using the child to pressure him into marriage?” Marcus shot back, his sarcasm cutting like a knife.

He had overheard Liam’s desperate attempts to push for marriage, and what surprised him even more was the fact that Sophie hadn’t denied it.

To Marcus, her silence was as good as an admission.

Sophie frowned, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

“That was all him. I’m not marrying him,” she declared, her tone firm, though uncertainty lingered in her heart.

“You’d better not,” Marcus replied coolly, his eyes narrowing. “I have no intention of letting the mother of my child marry another man.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” she blurted out, the words spilling from her lips before she could think.

“I’d rather marry you than marry Liam,” she added, a hint of defiance in her voice.

Marcus narrowed his eyes, confusion flickering across his face.

Why did that sound more like an insult than a compliment?