Chapter 966 Toby’s Final Struggle
What did she just say?
No more reward?!
My long-awaited reward disappeared just like that?
Gone?!
As though trying to reconfirm if he had heard or if she had said wrongly, Toby only looked at Sonia in disbelief.
Seeing his gaze, she solemnly nodded and assured him that there was no mistake in the words that he had heard.
She was serious about not giving him his reward!
Toby’s mind was utterly blank at that point. It felt as though his world had crumbled, and he was left to dumbly stand there without knowing how to react.
This was actually the first time Sonia had seen such an expression on his face. She couldn’t help but notice how mismatched that silly, dumbfounded look was with his image.
However, it wasn’t as if she didn’t know why he was reacting this way. It had probably been a blow to his ego when she told him that she was taking back his reward.
After all, men in their thirties had the sex drive of a lion.
From the way Toby desired after her during the few times they were together, she could say for sure that he was definitely a lion in bed.
It was expected that he would look forward to spending a wonderful night if she had made him the promise earlier during the day.
There was no way Toby’s ego would be intact after Sonia had single-handedly destroyed the one thing he anticipated.
It was like a child who had been promised by their parents a bucket of fried chicken if they were to get first place in a school examination.
And yet, all the child got when they one day happily returned home with the test paper in their hand was their parents’ failure to fulfill their promise.
It was easy to imagine how the child would feel—completely and utterly cold. It was probably a coldness that seeped through their skin and into their bones as though cold water had been poured on them, soaking them from head to toe.
And the cold disappointment Toby was feeling now was exactly like how the child would feel.
Still, Sonia mused that it wasn’t her fault. It was that dirty dog’s fault for getting excited over her in the kitchen, in her office, or in the car, where he would steal a bit or two. After all, those were in their own territory.
But he was gradually overstepping the boundary now. He didn’t seem to be bothered by the fact that they were at someone else’ place, and he wasn’t at all scared of being made fun of if caught red-handed.
Toby might be fearless, but Sonia was not.
Canceling the reward she had promised him might be beneficial in the long-run, lest he get more and more out of control.
Toby didn’t pause to think that her intention for revoking his reward was to teach him a lesson.
The only thought going through his head now was that his reward was no more. Gone was the pie that had fallen right from the sky and onto his lap.
How can this happen? he fumed. I refuse to accept this!
His conscience seemed to have manifested into a mini version of him, and mini Toby had his arms crossed in front of his chest as he rapidly shook his head, indicating that Toby shouldn’t allow his reward to be canceled without putting up a fight.
Thinking of this, he reached out and held Sonia by the wrist. “Don’t be like that, Little Leaf. Why do you have to cancel it out of nowhere?”
“Toby.” A half smile appeared on her face as she looked at him. “Are you pretending not to know, or do you really not know why I am canceling it?”
His eyes started drifting sideways guiltily at that. He then pretended like he didn’t understand a word she was saying and with a slight shake of his head, he answered, “I really don’t know.”
Sonia immediately rolled her eyes and grumbled, “Enough. Did you think I wouldn’t notice you looking elsewhere because you can look me in the eye? Stop putting on that act.”
Unable to come up with more excuses for himself, Toby pressed his lips together before shifting his gaze back to her. He somewhat grumpily looked at her.
Sonia’s heart couldn’t help but melt at the sight of him behaving like a big puppy that was looking back at her with innocent eyes while it sat on the floor.
No human being in their right mind would say no to a furry.
“Stop looking at me like that. It doesn’t help with anything. I never change my mind once I have decided on something. Canceled means canceled, and that is final.” She took a breath and tried to shake away the big puppy Toby image she had in her head. She might just get soft-hearted if this were to continue.
Also, she was sure that he would grab hold of her weakness, which was his puppy eyes, if she were to let him off the hook this time. She would definitely go soft again if something similar happened in the future, and he used his gaze to get out of the trouble he had gotten himself in.
In order to prevent that from happening, Sonia had to persist and not be seduced by him.
She would only get more lenient with him and herself if she couldn’t even brace herself against his fake innocence the first time.
Which is why, Sonia Reed, you have to hold on, she convinced herself. You cannot go soft on him. You can never restart the moment this dirty dog puts a leash on you.
Thinking about that, she continued to suck in and let out a few more breaths, and even closed her eyes for a while before she opened them again. However, there was a calm in Toby’s eyes, which were void of worldly desires. There wasn’t any emotion other than peace in those pupils.
With this, nothing can affect me anymore. Ame—bah! What the heck!
Anyhow, after some self-adjustment of her emotion just now, she could look at his pitiful appearance calmly without worrying about getting soft-hearted.
Toby naturally noticed the change in her mood as well. Seeing her suppress herself to the point of calm, he pressed his lips together even tighter.
Darn it! Did I fail? he grumbled to himself.
Yes, indeed. He did it on purpose. He deliberately showed the innocent and sad look in hopes of moving her and changing her mind.
This was something that Tom taught him before.
Men usually couldn’t resist it when women acted coy. Similarly, women had a hard time putting on a tough face against pitiful men.
Tom had told Toby that the latter could pull a trick like this if he ever upset Sonia. Tom guaranteed that she would immediately forgive Toby, and would even coax him in return.
And so, Toby had blindly believed his assistant by doing exactly as he taught him.
But what is this? Toby silently mourned for himself. It is not working.
Sonia looked like she was going to go easy on him at first, but she had hardened her heart and resumed being as cold-blooded as in the beginning.
I shouldn’t have trusted Tom. That damn bachelor! Like hell someone like him who has never been in a relationship would know about how relationships work!
But then again, Toby couldn’t help but think that he was a fool as well for believing in Tom’s words that the method would work. He forgot about how everyone had different preferences. It might work, but only with certain groups of people.
The one thing he found out from this was that Sonia was definitely not in any of those ‘groups’.
Just wait and see! I am going to kick his dumb behind when I go back. How dare he teach me when he hasn’t got any experience himself?
Toby was making a mental note to teach Tom a lesson, but he still kept that innocent look on his face. He then softly parted his thin lips and gave another shot at his happiness. “Is it really impossible for you to change your mind?”
Sonia pulled her hand back and mused, “Of course. We need to have our own principles. I can’t change just because. Also, I am doing this for your own good. I don’t want you to do something like this in the future regardless of the occasion. It would be so embarrassing if we got into trouble because of your recklessness. Alright, now hurry up and leave. I will change out of the dress myself. I don’t need you anymore.”
She stretched out one arm to spin him around and out of the dressing room as she spoke.
Instead of putting up a fight, Toby let her do as she pleased. However, he kept turning backward to look at her, seemingly still trying to make her change her mind. It was only until he had completely stepped out of the room and had watched the door close with a loud bang that he sighed. At this point, the man had finally accepted his fate. He knew that Sonia wasn’t going to change her mind.
He couldn’t help but regret his actions right at this moment.
He would have held back if he had known that his behavior in the dressing room would lead to the cancellation of his reward.
He had taken a lick at the sauce and missed the opportunity to have the steak.
What a loss this is!
Toby massaged his temples, a hint of helpless amusement in his eyes.
