Chapter 358: Chapter 357: Sophie’s Daydream

To force him to lean over, to get him flustered, to stir up that little spark she secretly loved pulling out of him. And judging by the way his throat bobbed like he’d just swallowed fire, the way his hand trembled the tiniest fraction when brushing her side, he was this close to combusting.

Beautiful. Absolutely textbook. If there were trophies for playful manipulation, Sophie deserved a gold medal.

Now, if this were that kind of story , the next logical steps would be painfully obvious. Sparks would ignite, lips would crash, the air inside the Ferrari would heat faster than the V12 itself, emotions spilling over until they found themselves tangled in a heated moment, and before either of them knew it, they’d stumble out into some conveniently discreet hotel, passion overtaking reason, sheets tangled.

Then, of course, the classic aftermath... Rex struck by guilt, Sophie brushing it off with a smile, him swearing responsibility like some outdated chivalric knight, Sophie reassuring him it was fine, and before you knew it the two of them living together, and then the inevitable jump-cut to wedding bells. Fast forward again and you’ve got the full suburban package...three, no, four kids running around the house, maybe even a golden retriever, Rex mowing the lawn while Sophie yells at him to fix the garage light and happily ever after.

But alas, reality rarely played out as neatly as daydreams. Rex, it turned out, had far better self-control than Sophie had given him credit for. He caught himself just in time, snapped the belt into place, and pulled back like a man sealing a door shut before the fire spread. Calm, steady, controlled. Annoyingly so.

Sophie sat there with her lips curved, eyes half-lidded, watching him retreat into composure. Inside though? She was grinning like a fox that had just discovered the henhouse wasn’t locked. He thought he’d escaped, that nothing had slipped, but she saw it. The way his hand faltered. The nervous swallow. That faint red coloring the tips of his ears.

That was all the proof she needed.

Sure, she hadn’t gotten the full jackpot...the kiss, the reckless escalation, the romance-novel rush—but even crumbs were telling. If he was this nervous over something so small, then she was on the right track. His defenses weren’t impenetrable. Just cracks, tiny ones for now, but cracks all the same. And if there were cracks, she could wedge them open.

For Sophie, it was equal parts victory and frustration. Victory, because she had managed to rattle him. Frustration, because it hadn’t tipped over into anything more. No spontaneous kiss, no reckless spiral into passion,just restraint, and calm.

Still, she couldn’t deny it: even if the rest was fantasy for now, fantasy had power. And judging by his nervousness, by that little flash of vulnerability he tried so hard to bury under his usual calm, she knew she was closer than ever. Closer to cracking his armor. Closer to her dream.

Sophie leaned back in the leather seat, smirking at the dash like it was her trophy. Rex adjusted the mirrors, studiously ignoring her, pretending to be calm. Let him play it cool. She wasn’t in a rush. After all, this was a game of patience. And patience? That she had plenty of.

Because one thing was certain: sooner or later, the cool, untouchable Rex was going to slip. And when he did, she’d be there.

Meanwhile, Rex tried to ignore the heat in his ears and focused on starting the engine.

She continued her clueless act and started the conversation. her gaze drifted back to the dash, wide-eyed again. "Still though... this cockpit is insane. It really does feel like a spaceship. Look at all these buttons! What happens if I press one? Does it eject me out of the roof?"

Rex shot her a look. "Touch anything, and I will eject you."

Sophie giggled, settling back against the leather seat, clearly not taking his threat seriously.

Rex adjusted the wheel, double-checked the mirrors, and finally pressed the ignition.

The Ferrari came alive with a deep, A deep, primal, guttural roar that rolled through the parking lot like thunder bottled in steel. and rippled through the parking lot like a beast waking from slumber. The kind of sound that made strangers stop mid-step and look over.

Even with the windows up, the vibration carried through the cabin, a raw power that rattled the chest and demanded attention.

Sophie instantly lit up, both hands clutching the edge of her seat. Her whole body jolted like a kid hearing fireworks up close for the first time. "Oh my god, Rex, do you hear

that?!" she half-squealed, half-laughed, twisting in her seat to soak in every vibration, every note of that engine. "Holy shit ! That’s not a car, that’s—" She cut herself off with a shriek of laughter, clapping both hands to her mouth. "Okay, okay, nope, this is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous."

She slapped the dash lightly as if praising the Ferrari itself. "Rex, do you even hear this? This is sex on wheels."

Rex rolled his eyes, shifting into gear. "Don’t sexualize the car."

"I’m not sexualizing the car," Sophie shot back, eyes sparkling. "I’m respecting the car. There’s a difference."

Rex side-eyed her, lips tugging into a small smirk despite himself. Seeing Sophie react like this made the whole thing feel fresh. Her energy was contagious, almost impossible to ignore.

"Relax," he said, putting the car into gear with practiced ease. "It’s just an engine."

"Just an engine?!" Sophie gasped, whipping toward him like he’d blasphemed. "Rex, this is a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12. Seven hundred and twenty horsepower. Zero to sixty in under three seconds. Do you even understand what you’re sitting on right now?!"

He chuckled low in his throat, eyes on the road as he eased them out of the lot. "Guess I’ll let you keep reminding me, then."

As the Ferrari rolled down the street, its low growl and sudden rev turned heads instantly. The polished red body gleamed under the sunlight, the kind of car you didn’t just see...you stared.

(End of Chapter)

Author’s Note:

Guys, right now this book needs your support more than ever. It has been 8 days since the month started, and we have just gotten 1500 subscriptions, which is very, very miserable as we need a minimum of 3600 to meet the minimum payout threshold.

I’m not aiming for thousands of dollars monthly, I’ll be satisfied with just aminimum income, but looking at the current situation even that seems impossible.

So, I beg you all to please support this book as much as possible and shower with gifts and love so that we can at least meet the minimum payment threshold.

Thank you for your support and gifts. If we were to meet the payment threshold, I promise to do a mass release of 10-20 Chapters (even though it will be super difficult).