Sophia raised a brow and took the phone back. She clicked on the album that Alexander was showing her.
There were only two photos in there. Sophia thought the photos looked familiar even from the preview. After getting a closer look, she could immediately pinpoint when and where the images were taken.
She lifted her head to look at him and asked, “New Year this year?”
“Yes.”
As surmised, the photos were indeed taken when he followed her back to Coldbridge during New Year.
Sophia recalled that after leaving her friend’s house, she stood by the roadside to wait for a taxi. Though it was New Year’s eve, there were not many cars on the road. She waited at the bus station all alone for over ten minutes back then.
Alexander was standing somewhere she couldn’t see him. He saw her trying to call a cab using her phone after he hung up on a call.
Though they were about thirty meters apart, the sight of her all alone made his heart ache.
Sophia had lived a carefree and rich life after they got divorced. However, she seemed so forlorn and lonely that night.
For reasons unbeknownst to him, Alexander decided to take a photo of her right then. After getting back to Jadeborough, he would always look at the photo. Every time he looked at it, it would remind him of New Year’s eve when Sophia was all alone, trying to hail a taxi when she was supposed to be with her family.
If their relationship hadn’t been strained back then, he would have approached her and held her tightly.
At the very least, he wanted to let her know that she was not alone.
The other photo was of the condominium that she stayed in. It was taken from a car downstairs at the building. Alexander took the image after making sure that she was safely back home.
The condominium building that she stayed in was really tall, and he actually had no idea which floor Sophia was staying at.
She looked at the photo for a while before commenting, “Great angle.”
Then, she handed the phone back to him. “I would like to eat my pasta now.”
The pasta would go cold if she left it for any longer. Alexander took over the bowl before she could do so and said, “It’s still hot.”
Sophia knew that he must be thinking of feeding her, and her cheeks burned hot. “I can help myself.”
She started feeding herself after three, and she certainly didn’t need anyone feeding her at twenty-seven years old.
Sophia reached out to take her food.
Alexander trained his eyes on her and said, “I’ll feed you.”
Sophia looked at the mouthful of pasta inches away from her. Her stomach grumbled, and she relented to her hunger.
It was already past twelve midnight when they were done. She seldom slept late, and there were only a handful of times she had stayed awake past this hour in the whole year.
Sophia was already tired after the passionate exchange. Her circadian rhythm made the situation worse, and she kept yawning while she ate the pasta.
“Let’s sleep,” Alexander said after seeing her yawn one more time.
His obsidian eyes glinted.
Sophia pulled over the blanket and said, “I’m going to sleep.”
She was struggling to get her eyes open. Hence, she quickly fell into a deep slumber.
She had a dream. She dreamed that she and Alexander were back at her house in Coldbridge. Her parents were sitting right on the couch and chatting.
“I told you our little Soph will surely find a man who will indulge her and make her delicious meals!”
“Our little Soph is an outstanding woman. Any man would be lucky to have her.”
Sophia watched her parents, unsure if they were real or merely a figment of her imagination.
It had been ten years since the accident. Silence would greet her every time she was back home.
She let go of Alexander’s hand and dashed toward the couch. “Mom, Dad—”
However, the moment she tried to hug them, the image of them dissipated into thin air.
Sophia jolted awake. She noticed that light was filtering in through the curtains. It was already bright out.
Still in a daze, she sat upright and wiped away the tears brimming in the corner of her eyes. She finally regained her composure after some time and said, “Genie, open the curtains. Thanks.”
“Yes, Master.”
It was a dream after all.
The curtains slowly pulled open. Glaring sunlight streamed in through the window.
Sophia lifted a hand to shield herself and reached out for her phone with the other. She furrowed her brows when she noticed the time.
It was already eight in the morning.
There was a weekly meeting scheduled at nine-thirty at Sunshine Group later. She got out of bed immediately.
“Aren’t you going to get some more sleep?”
She came out of the shower after washing up and bumped into Alexander. The latter circled her into his embrace. Sophia lifted her head to look at him and said, “Weekly meeting at nine-thirty later.”
“You can choose to skip it.”
Sophia let out a chuckle. “I’m not you, Mr. Xenos.”
She was a dedicated boss.
Alexander knew that she was teasing him, but he didn’t mind. “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”
Sophia nudged him and said, “Aren’t you a dull boy then?”
“Who said so?” Alexander asked.
He let go of her and watched her make her way to the dressing table.
She sat down before the dressing table and clicked her tongue. “Doesn’t everyone know that?”
Mr. Alexander Xenos from Odyssey was a busy man with at least three scheduled appointments per day.
Alexander lifted his brow and observed her intently. He decided to change the topic and asked, “When is your granddad coming over?”
She paused slightly after hearing him. “I don’t know. I have to ask Lukas.”
“Sure.”
Alexander massaged her head and said, “Come have breakfast downstairs when you’re done.”
“Okay,” she replied.
Sophia watched him leave through her mirror on the dressing table, and her lips quirked into a slight smile.
Sophia went downstairs after she was done changing. Alexander, who was in pajamas moments ago, was already dressed in an immaculate suit and was waiting for her by the staircase.
She gave him a smile and strode toward him in her high heels.
Their height difference was a whopping twenty-two centimeters. Even though she was in heels, it had only closed the gap to just a little over ten centimeters. Sophia still had to lift her head to look at him.
Tsk. Why is he so tall?
“What are you looking at?”
Alexander cocked his head to the side and looked at her.
Sophia shook her head. She didn’t want to tell him that she was comparing their height.
Just when she was about to retract her gaze, she noticed marks peeping out from under his collar.
Her brows creased slightly. “Alexander, wait.”
She pulled him close and lowered his collar. “How did you get h—”
She trailed off mid-sentence, and her cheeks burned hot with embarrassment when she realized the answer to her question.
Sophia said nothing further and let go of him nonchalantly. “Let’s go. It’s already nine.”
Alexander did not budge. He tightened his hold on her hand and pulled her into his embrace.
He trained his obsidian eyes on her and asked, “What do I have here?”
He pulled down his collar and showed her the hickey as he talked.
“I’d say it’s a present from you.”
Alexander remained impassive and said it in a deadpan manner. However, Sophia fidgeted nervously in response.
Not only were her cheeks burning, but her ears were getting hot as well. In fact, she felt warm tingles all over her body.
Alexander wanted to push her further and patted the back of her head and whispered, “Why? Did you think I was hurt?”
Sophia knew he was toying with her. She shot him a sideways glance and retorted, “Why? Did you enjoy it?”
“Yes.”
Alexander nodded earnestly.
Flashing a half-smile at him, Sophia remarked, “But I think it’s not that good-looking. Let me just make it look better.”
Then, she pulled at his collar, tiptoed, and planted a kiss on his collar, leaving a red lipstick mark on it.
