Chapter 159: I Like It When You Coax Me Like This

Benjamin's arms stiffened as he held Sophia. The joy on his handsome face faded into a bitter smile. He gripped her shoulders, gently pushed her away, and stared into her eyes. "Sophia, if you need my help, just say so. You don't need to force yourself to hug me." Since discovering he as Lucas, she had not initiated any physical affection with him. He knew that he had hurt her deeply and left a thorn in her heart that would take time to remove. He could wait. But he didn't want her using her body and emotions as bargaining chips to get his assistance. He wanted her to stay by his side and do everything genuinely from her heart. "..." Sophia frowned. She tried to explain but hesitated. She felt guilty. She couldn't deny that the hug was somewhat strategic. She knew that being sweet to him usually got her what she wanted, so she did it instinctively. But it wasn't entirely true that she didn't want to be close to him. She loved the feeling of being held tightly by Benjamin's st