Three Years Wasted I Married Mr. Right novel Chapter 164

Sophia wasn’t sure why seeing Richard here made her heart skip a beat. ‘Why am I getting so excited just

because he’s here?‘ she wondered.

Maybe it was just the thrill of bumping into a familiar face in a place so far from home.

Sophia said, “Mr. Sterling, what brings you here? This place isn’t safe right now. The experts say there could still be aftershocks-”

Before she could finish, Richard pulled her straight into his arms, hugging her tightly out of nowhere.

Sophia’s lips parted in shock, frozen like a statue.

What the hell is going on?‘ she thought.

Annabelle had been following right behind Sophia, and when she saw what had just happened, she nearly gasped out loud, instantly slapping a hand over her mouth in total shock.

She thought, ‘Holy crap!

Did Uncle Richard really travel all the way to the disaster area just to come clean to Sophie?‘

Her eyes literally sparkled with stars, lit up from excitement.

Just then, the military guy beside her grabbed Annabelle’s wrist. “Ms. Quinn, a batch of relief supplies just arrived.”

Annabelle was dying to stay and watch the drama unfold, but the guy dragged her away before she could even

protest.

Sophia stood frozen for a few seconds, until the subtle scent of ocean air and cool mint from Richard washed over her, snapping her back to reality.

His embrace was solid and warm–so addictive, she almost never wanted to leave.

But Sophia reminded herself that she and Richard were worlds apart. She couldn’t afford to lose herself in

this.

“Mr. Sterling, I’m all covered in dirt. I’m a mess–please, let go,” she murmured, trying to squirm away.

Richard pressed his face deep into her neck, taking in the raw mix of sweat and earth clinging to her skin.

She looked a wreck, all messy and disheveled, yet when she came over, her eyes sparkled like a sky full of

stars.

Seeing her safe at last, he felt the weight that had been crushing him just melt away.

Just seeing her like this, he knew–he’d never be satisfied.

He wanted to hold her tight, kiss her hard, and wrap her up in him so completely that she’d become part of his very being.

But he couldn’t let himself do that.

Richard hugged her fiercely, squeezing her tight before finally letting her go.

His sudden hug left Sophia’s scalp tingling; when he let go, she actually staggered a little from the rush.

Richard immediately reached out and grabbed her arm to steady her, his eyes dark and intense as he looked

at her.

“What’s wrong?” Richard asked softly.

Sophia’s cheeks flushed hot, and she couldn’t bring herself to meet his frank, unwavering gaze.

“I’m fine, Mr. Sterling. It’s just too risky here–you shouldn’t risk your safety like this,” she whispered.

Richard had hundreds of thousands of employees working for him. If anything happened to him and the company fell into turmoil, all those people would be left struggling just to get by.

“As soon as the news broke, the company started organizing relief supplies, and I made sure to personally deliver the very first batch,” Richard said.

He was the CEO–he could’ve easily left all this to Harley, but he knew Sophia had come here the day before the quake to look into her own story.

He hadn’t been able to reach her, and his worry for her safety drove him crazy–he just couldn’t stay away, so he had to come here himself.

“Thanks for stepping in to help everyone here, Mr. Sterling,” Sophia said sincerely.

Richard gave a wry smile and shook his head. “It’s the least I could do. Just glad I could lend a hand.”

When he’d arrived, he’d seen plenty of people injured, and now he couldn’t help but glance down at Sophia, quietly taking in her condition.

Her whole face was streaked with dust, making her look for all the world like a messy little kitten–and with a spot of mud right on her nose, she somehow looked even more adorable.

“How did you manage to turn yourself into a dirty kitten?” Richard teased, a soft smile playing at his lips.

Sophia cringed inside and self–consciously tried to wipe the dirt off her face, only to realize her hands were even filthier–now she looked like an absolute mess.

Richard leaned closer, gently catching her wrist. “Cut it out, you’re only making it worse.”

Sophia’s ears grew hot, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that they were way too close–close enough to feel his breath mixing with hers.

The whole vibe was way too intimate.

She leaned her head back, putting some space between them. “Mr. Sterling, could you wait a moment? I’ll go freshen up in the tent.”

But Richard still didn’t let go. Instead, he fished a stylish handkerchief out of his suit pocket, and with slow, careful strokes, started wiping the dust off her face.