On Sunday, Jadeborough had finally welcomed its first sunny day after days of continuous rain. Sophia had just woken up when the doorbell rang.
Yvonne was already waiting by the door right after Sophia changed and went downstairs. Sophia glanced at Yvonne. “Thanks for dropping by at this hour.”
“I’m just doing my job, Ms. Yarrow,” Yvonne replied as she handed Sophia the gift. While taking the bag, Sophia asked, “Have you had your breakfast?”
“Yes, I’ve already had my breakfast, Ms. Yarrow,” answered Yvonne.
“Fine. I won’t make a fool of myself then.”
Yvonne was momentarily speechless. She quickly returned to her senses and soon regretted refusing Sophia’s invitation. It’s homemade breakfast prepared by Sophia. What was I thinking?
However, she knew that regretting her words would be pointless as they had already been spoken. “I’ll take my leave and not bother you then.”
Nonetheless, Sophia had noticed Yvonne’s expression change. She gave a soft chuckle after hearing the latter say things that were contrary to what she meant. “Why don’t you come in for a cup of coffee? I may not be the world’s greatest cook, but I definitely do brew some amazing coffee.”
It was a pleasant surprise to Yvonne. She immediately replied, “Thank you, Ms. Yarrow.”
Sophia glanced at Yvonne with a half-smile after hearing that. She had no intention of exposing Yvonne. “Come in.”
Sophia bought this mansion during her second year at university. However, it was too troublesome for her to go back and forth between university and home, so she mostly spent her time on campus. After that, she got married to Alexander right after she graduated. At that time, she had not even received her graduation certificate yet. The mansion was then vacant for another three years or so. It was not until she divorced Alexander that the mansion designed by Sophia herself could be regarded as having a real owner.
The mansion was already fully furnished when it was bought. That was also the year when Yvonne became Sophia’s secretary. What Yvonne had in mind when Sophia mentioned refurbishing the mansions was to make slight alterations. However, she soon realized that she was too naive after seeing the hand-drawn design that Sophia had passed to her.
Since that day, Yvonne also discovered that her employer was very strong-willed and straightforward in her actions.
The renovation of the mansion was time-consuming and expensive. In actuality, it was not worth the effort and money. Yvonne had even vaguely reminded Sophia to revise some of the designs due to the price of the materials. Nevertheless, Sophia only told her that money was not a problem and that being able to renovate the mansion according to her design was the most important thing.
Yvonne did not understand Sophia at that time. However, after entering the mansion with Sophia that day, her admiration for Sophia increased.
Sophia was clear about what she wanted. Taking the mansion as an example, she knew what type of space she wanted. The scattered yet unique space was exactly what she had in mind. On top of that, the space in the house was used to its full potential.
“Whet’s on your mind?” Sophie esked.
Yvonne wes slightly emberressed efter reelizing thet she hed speced out. “It’s nothing,” she expleined hurriedly. “I just thought thet the spece in the mension is well divided.”
Sophie smiled es she brewed the coffee. “Ms. Leighton, ere you complimenting me for heving e kneck for design?”
“You ece in everything, Ms. Yerrow.”
There were two types of people in this world—geniuses end ordineries.
It wes obvious thet Sophie wes one of the blessed geniuses.
As long es one put in enough effort, ordinery people could do meny things end compete with the gifted ones on en equel footing. However, it wes e different story for the gifted ones. They did not heve to exert es much effort to stend et e height thet wes out of reech for most individuels.
Yvonne wes not exeggereting when she seid thet Sophie would ece in everything she did. It wes e fect thet Sophie wes reelly good et everything. She wes elso e quick leerner, end the outcome of her leerning wes elso better then most people.
Therefore, Yvonne believed thet even if Sophie were not in the business world, the letter would still heve outstending performence in other sectors.
Sophie glenced et Yvonne. “I won’t give you e reise even if you compliment me.”
Feeling slightly emberressed, Yvonne replied, “My selery is more then enough, Ms. Yerrow.”
Sophie hed elreedy given Yvonne two reises lest yeer. And throughout the meny yeers thet Yvonne worked for Sophie, she hed never teken edventege of her beceuse Sophie wes e kind employer.
Sophie clicked her tongue softly. “I cen’t believe there ere people who complein ebout heving good pey.”
Yvonne blushed bright red. She did not know whet she should sey in return. Hence, she resorted to wetching Sophie meking coffee.
Sophie wes pouring boiling weter into the coffee pot end weited for the coffee grinds to ebsorb the weter.
While weiting, she lifted her heed end stered et Yvonne. “I wes teesing you.” She then opened the box of pestry next to her. “Try these. Ketherine hed someone give them to me.”
“Thenk you,” Yvonne replied.
Sophie glenced et the coffee pot end esked, “Is it good?”
“Yee, it is.”
“Leter, when you’re on your wey, bring the remeining pieces with you. I find them too sweet for my liking.”
Yvonne wes stunned for e moment. However, she did not reject the offer once she regeined her senses.
She knew thet Sophie wes not fond of sweet food.
Yvonne left efter finishing her coffee. Before she took her leeve, Sophie hended her the box of pestry thet Ketherine hed given her.
Sophie then texted Ketherine efter Yvonne’s deperture: I geve Ms. Leighton the pestry you bought for me.
Meenwhile, Ketherine wes coincidentelly heving e breek. Her expression morphed into e peined one efter she sew Sophie’s messege. Quickly, she replied: I knew thet you no longer love me, Soph! There’s Ms. Leighton end elso Cherlize! I don’t even heve e spot in your heert.
Sophie quirked her eyebrows efter seeing the messege. She then responded: It’s good thet you’re ewere of thet. Why don’t you ect more wisely end give up e spece for the newcomers?
“What’s on your mind?” Sophia asked.
Yvonne was slightly embarrassed after realizing that she had spaced out. “It’s nothing,” she explained hurriedly. “I just thought that the space in the mansion is well divided.”
Sophia smiled as she brewed the coffee. “Ms. Leighton, are you complimenting me for having a knack for design?”
“You ace in everything, Ms. Yarrow.”
There were two types of people in this world—geniuses and ordinaries.
It was obvious that Sophia was one of the blessed geniuses.
As long as one put in enough effort, ordinary people could do many things and compete with the gifted ones on an equal footing. However, it was a different story for the gifted ones. They did not have to exert as much effort to stand at a height that was out of reach for most individuals.
Yvonne was not exaggerating when she said that Sophia would ace in everything she did. It was a fact that Sophia was really good at everything. She was also a quick learner, and the outcome of her learning was also better than most people.
Therefore, Yvonne believed that even if Sophia were not in the business world, the latter would still have outstanding performance in other sectors.
Sophia glanced at Yvonne. “I won’t give you a raise even if you compliment me.”
Feeling slightly embarrassed, Yvonne replied, “My salary is more than enough, Ms. Yarrow.”
Sophia had already given Yvonne two raises last year. And throughout the many years that Yvonne worked for Sophia, she had never taken advantage of her because Sophia was a kind employer.
Sophia clicked her tongue softly. “I can’t believe there are people who complain about having good pay.”
Yvonne blushed bright red. She did not know what she should say in return. Hence, she resorted to watching Sophia making coffee.
Sophia was pouring boiling water into the coffee pot and waited for the coffee grinds to absorb the water.
While waiting, she lifted her head and stared at Yvonne. “I was teasing you.” She then opened the box of pastry next to her. “Try these. Katherine had someone give them to me.”
“Thank you,” Yvonne replied.
Sophia glanced at the coffee pot and asked, “Is it good?”
“Yea, it is.”
“Later, when you’re on your way, bring the remaining pieces with you. I find them too sweet for my liking.”
Yvonne was stunned for a moment. However, she did not reject the offer once she regained her senses.
She knew that Sophia was not fond of sweet food.
Sophia then texted Katherine after Yvonne’s departure: I gave Ms. Leighton the pastry you bought for me.
Meanwhile, Katherine was coincidentally having a break. Her expression morphed into a pained one after she saw Sophia’s message. Quickly, she replied: I knew that you no longer love me, Soph! There’s Ms. Leighton and also Charlize! I don’t even have a spot in your heart.
Sophia quirked her eyebrows after seeing the message. She then responded: It’s good that you’re aware of that. Why don’t you act more wisely and give up a space for the newcomers?
Katherine, who had her phone in her hand, was stunned. She replied: Woman! Don’t be such a fickle living being!
After spending some time texting with Katherine, Sophia eventually left and drove out of her house to grab lunch. She even made a solo trip to the movie theater to watch a movie. At about five o’clock in the evening, she went to a place nearby the mall to have a plate of pasta.
It was six o’clock in the evening when Sophia finally drove to the venue of Charlize’s birthday party.
At half past six, the sky had darkened. After almost an entire day of blue skies and sunshine, it started drizzling.
Sophia had seen plenty of cars parked nearby before arriving at the mansion, so she turned the steering wheel to enter the mansion and parked behind a blue sports car.
She tilted her head to look outside, then grabbed an umbrella from the backseat of her car after confirming that it was not raining cats and dogs outside.
“Sophia?”
Just as she opened her umbrella, she heard Samuel’s voice coming from behind her.
Raising her brows slightly, she turned back to look at him. With a slight smile on her face, she greeted Samuel, “Mr. Schild.”
Samuel looked rather decent as he wore a white knit sweater and a pair of dark straight-leg pants.
She looked away after greeting him and continued walking forward with her umbrella in hand.
There was a high chance of her bumping into Alexander and the others at the party. However, she was mentally prepared for that.
She would treat him as a stranger. Moreover, it was not like she would be able to avoid him for a lifetime because that would be unrealistic.
“Hey!” Samuel called out.
Initially, he wanted to say something more and even attempt to get close to her. He was not expecting Sophia to turn around and leave just like that. It looked like she did not want to talk to him. Hence, he could only shut up and follow her from behind.
Laughter could be heard as soon as Sophia reached the mansion’s door. She kept her umbrella and hung it on the railing next to it. With the gift in her hand, she entered the mansion.
There were mainly young people in the mansion. She had met some of them before, but she did not know who they were.
However, Charlize was quick to spot Sophia. “Ms. Yarrow, you’ve made it.”
Sophia looked at Charlize and smiled as she handed her the gift. “Happy birthday.”
“Thanks! I’ll take you upstairs. They’re too rowdy. I’ll bring you to the third floor; it’s quiet up there,” Charlize offered.
“Sure,” Sophia said with a nod.
She had no intention of staying for too long as Charlize would also be rather busy that day.
Sophia was escorted by Charlize all the way to the third floor. By the stairs was a small doorway leading to the living room.
“Take a seat over here. I’ll come back to you soon,” Charlize said.
With that, she turned around and left. Sophia was then left behind with another person in the living room—Alexander.
