Chapter 139 Adrian Hawthorne Proposes to Sophie Winslow in Front of Julian Sterling! Does Sophie Winslow Agree?

Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Adrian Hawthorne Proposes to Sophie Winslow in Front of Julian Sterling! Does Sophie Winslow Agree?

Time seemed to stand still for a moment.

Amidst the bustling crowd, Sophie Winslow thought she might be hallucinating. She stared in astonishment at Adrian Hawthorne’s exceptionally handsome face. The man kept his head bowed, looking at her with a gaze that somehow held an indescribable...

Deep affection.

She was actually being proposed to by Adrian Hawthorne...?

This thought tugged back and forth in her mind. What snapped Sophie back to reality was the sound of sharp gasps echoing around her, followed by increasingly loud cheers and applause.

"Oh my god! What a surprise!"

"So the other couple was the one to tie the knot first."

"Eating here today totally paid off! I can’t believe we get to see such a dramatic scene. This gentleman is so proactive, say yes to him quickly!"

Wave after wave of voices filled her ears. It seemed as if everything had descended into chaos all at once.

The expression on Stella Sutton’s face froze. Her original confident arrogance seemed to have been crushed. Everything she had meticulously arranged, the plot that was supposed to develop perfectly on track—from the moment Adrian intervened—instantly derailed and shattered.

Did it turn her from the center-of-attention protagonist into... a mere foil?

Her proposal was cut short, the ring she offered was taken away, and her side of things had practically ended in failure. She tightened her lips uncontrollably. Although she was angry at Sophie for stealing her thunder, what shocked her even more was that Adrian was acquainted with Sophie—and even to the point of wanting to marry her?

Given Adrian’s status, how did Sophie even hook up with him?

In that split second, Stella’s heart skipped a heavy beat. She unconsciously looked at Julian Sterling, who was sitting across from her.

Julian was still leaning against the backrest, his hand pausing its rubbing motion on his wine glass. His eyes, as profound as ink, were looking in Sophie’s direction. There was no sudden fury, no unseemly attempt to stop it—he was calmly inscrutable.

Stella couldn’t discern anything from his expression and wanted to breathe a sigh of relief. But the cheers around her deafened her ears once more.

None of the guests at the many tables in the open-air restaurant were paying attention to her anymore, much less urging her to hurry up and propose. Everyone’s interest and enthusiasm had been ignited by Adrian’s straightforwardness.

Adrian didn’t seem to mind being the subject of discussion. Still holding the women’s diamond ring, he said slowly, "You don’t need to feel any pressure. Take your time to consider it. A major life event requires a calm and clear mind. Of course, you have the right to refuse me. Don’t let anyone coerce you."

Sophie’s brain was BUZZING. Yet, she understood what Adrian meant. He was saying that she didn’t have to give him face just because there were so many people watching. It was perfectly fine to refuse. She could follow her heart.

"Mr. Hawthorne, you..." Sophie’s lips trembled. She truly couldn’t figure it out. Just moments ago, she had been the embarrassed party, provoked to her face by the other woman. But in the blink of an eye, she had become the unrivaled star of a marriage proposal.

It was an absolute reversal.

In a daze, Sophie felt a deep, piercing gaze. She lifted her eyes to look over.

Julian sat calmly amidst the boiling crowd that was urging her to say yes to Adrian. His posture remained indolent and noble, without a trace of the panic or anger of a man whose former wife was being snatched away. She couldn’t see through the emotions in his eyes, but she could see the undisguised indifference on his surface.

It was as if he wore a sign that simply read: Utterly unconcerned.

A mocking smirk tugged at the corners of Sophie’s lips. Before she could react, the sound of applause suddenly rang out from the crowd.

Peter Preston and Helios, along with a few employees, had actually come over. Who knew how long they had been watching. The emotion on Peter’s face had stabilized; only the other employees wore looks of excitement and gossip.

Peter stepped forward, laughing uproariously. "Our Sophie is so excellent and beautiful. It’s not surprising that so many men admire her. Unlike some people who lack personal charm and rely entirely on snatching what’s in other people’s bowls. Honestly, seeing Sophie and Mr. Hawthorne standing together, it really feels like a match made in heaven."

His voice was pitched high. He deliberately didn’t speak English, but rather Chinese, as if he were speaking directly to someone.

Stella didn’t know if Peter knew something, but she felt as though his words carried a hidden meaning. It made her face darken slightly in spite of herself.

But Peter wasn’t finished. He blurted out in English, "Hello everyone, the leading lady of this proposal is my friend. Today is a day of consecutive joyous events. How about this—it’s on me! I’ll treat everyone here to a celebratory drink to thank you all for your beautiful wishes for our Sophie."

As Peter’s words fell, thunderous applause erupted. Many weren’t cheering for the free drink, but genuinely felt this moment was worth celebrating. The scene instantly grew even more heated and lively.

Sophie practically guessed why Peter was acting like this. He was doing it on purpose. Deliberately throwing shade at Stella and intentionally provoking Julian. He was returning all the humiliation she had just suffered.

The restaurant manager clearly knew how to read the room. The moment Peter spoke, he immediately had someone open several bottles of fine wine.

Peter went straight over and grabbed a bottle himself. He walked directly toward Julian’s table.

Smiling, he said, "Mr. Sterling, let’s have you share in the joy too. With things like this, it really looks better when the man takes the initiative. When a woman takes the initiative, it just makes her look desperately eager to get married."

Stella was already feeling disgruntled. Her thunder had been completely stolen. Peter’s words felt like a veiled jab aimed squarely at her.

And most importantly...

Julian glanced at the "celebratory drink" that Peter had deliberately poured for him to share in the joy. His deep, magnetic voice was quite calm. "Mr. Preston, you’re celebrating too soon. Miss Winslow hasn’t accepted the ring and said yes yet, has she?"

Whether intentional or not, he spoke in fluent English. So much so that the nearby tables belatedly realized it and all turned to look at Sophie and Adrian.

Sophie was caught off guard, meeting Julian’s gaze. The man’s eyes were fixed on her with a sharp and profound intensity.

In that moment, Sophie suddenly let out a soft scoff. She raised her hand and grasped the ring that Adrian was holding into her palm.