Alexander and Emily step off the elevator, returning to Stone Enterprise. As they ride up, Alexander finds himself still pondering his curiosity about Sophia Johnson. Upon reaching their floor, they are greeted by Laura, who stands by the elevator with a stack of papers in her arms. "I have what you asked for, Mr. Stone," Laura says, her voice professional and composed. Alexander nods to Emily, telling her he will speak with her later, and walks alongside Laura toward his office. Once inside, he settles into his chair while Laura sits across from him. "So, tell me, when have Ms. Johnson and I crossed paths during the last five years? There must be some incident or encounter that led to her acting so abhorrently towards me," Alexander asks. Laura hands Alexander a neatly organized spreadsheet showcasing his and Sophia's schedules over the past five years. "As you can see, there is absolutely no overlap between your events and hers during this time. I even went a step further and
Alexander, unable to resist the temptation, approaches Sophia and Evelyn at the café patio. With a half-joking, half-intimidating tone, he addresses them. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the two ladies discussing their disdain for a certain someone," Alexander remarks, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. Evelyn, wasn't it? I must say, I'm quite intrigued by your strong opinions about this 'egotistical, arrogant, money-hungry man." Evelyn's eyes widen as she recognizes Alexander. She stammers, "Oh... uh... Mr. Stone, I didn't realize it was you. It was all in good fun, you know, just venting with Sophia here." Sophia, maintaining her composure, leans back in her chair and smirks. "You should be flattered, Alexander. I am sure you know that Evelyn's father owns a bank that heavily relies on Stone Enterprises. I'm sure he'd be interested to hear your reaction to his daughter's colorful assessment of men." Alexander chuckles, his gaze alt
"No! This is an emergency. Please," Sophia pleads. She can't bear the weight of the situation, knowing how much she needs to fix it for her best friend. Feeling a twinge of sympathy for Sophia, the receptionist tries to deliver her words as warmly as possible. "I really am sorry, but Mr. Stone has left for some urgent business issues. He's meeting with a client later this evening." Sophia's heart sinks, her hope fading away. She turns to Evelyn, the devastation evident on her face, mirroring the consequence of the situation. "This is entirely my fault, Evelyn. I take complete responsibility for it, and I will fix it," Sophia declares with determination as they make their way back to the elevator. *** Meanwhile, in Alexander's office, Laura finishes up her paperwork. She couldn't help but overhear the conversation between Alexander and the receptionist, and her curiosity gets the better of her. "What's going on?" Laura asks, curious but also concerned. With an unsympathetic look
Before reaching the door, Sophia's determined footsteps come to a halt. With a sense of urgency, she walks back to Steven, who greets her with a curious smile. "One more thing, Mr. Mhyler," she says. Steven leans in attentively. "Of course, go ahead." "It is crucial that you do not mention to Mr. Stone that we met today," Sophia asserts, her eyes locked with Steven's. "And please, do not reveal my true identity to him. I am warning you it would be bad for everyone!" Confused by her request, Steven raises an eyebrow. “Ms. Johnson, you are putting me in a very tricky situation.” Sophia leans closer, her voice almost a whisper, “I realize that Mr. Mhyler, and I am sorry about that; however the best decision you can make is to stay silent.” “But, Ms. Johnson…” Sophia cuts him off, “Steven, it is imperative that this stays between you and me. This is not a request.” Uncomfortable with the demand, but realizing he does not have a choice. Steven relectuanly replies, “Your secret is sa
Once Alexander had made the directive about terminating all collaboration with Crimms, his mood appeared to lighten. However, Steven couldn't shake off the unease that lingered within him. "However, that is not the original reason I wanted to meet," Alexander responded. "I have a new client I need you to meet with." Emily's eyes darted towards the door, a playful smile spreading across her face. "They're here!" she exclaimed, excitement evident in her voice. As the couple approached the table, Alexander eagerly extended his hand and vigorously shook the man's hand, his enthusiasm apparent. On the other hand, the woman let out a cheerful laugh and pulled Alexander into a warm embrace. "Steven Mhyler, this is Daniel and Barbara Williams, Emily's parents," Alexander introduced a sense of dignity in his voice. The air filled with a flurry of greetings, hellos, and friendly handshakes, while everyone settled down at the table. "What can I get you all to drink?" the waiter asked, breaki
As Sophia stands in front of her apartment building, watching Alexander starting to walk into his, her heart jumps as he turns and looks directly at her. Frozen with whether or not to acknowledge him or ignore him, he decides for her. "Sophia!" Alexander shouts, dodging cars like a player in his own version of Frogger to cross the busy street. When he finally reached her, Sophia couldn't help but smile. "Mr. Stone, I had no idea we were neighbors," she said, attempting a flirty laugh that came out more as an awkward chuckle. "It would appear so," Alexander replied, pulling out her green Gucci Marmont card case wallet from his suit pocket. "I believe this belongs to you. I found it at Bistro 45 last night. I was going to have it messengered over to you today, but this takes something off my to-do list." Alexander hands Sophia the wallet and turns to leave. Nervously, she places her hand on his shoulder, stopping him. Filled with anxiety, she musters the courage to ask, "Mr. Stone, I
Sophia's morning at work flew by, keeping her mind occupied and leaving little time to dwell on her situation with Evelyn. However, as soon as she could break free for lunch, she practically sprinted out of the office doors. Eager to avoid the looming dark clouds in the sky, she felt a surge of gratitude for having asked her personal assistant, Trevor, to bring her car to work that day. As she walked briskly around the corner, seeking out her parked Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato—a cherished gift from her late grandfather—Sophia's eyes were drawn to a stunning Cadillac Escalade. Oddly enough, the Escalade was parked directly behind her car in the nearly empty parking lot. A gentle honk and the roll-down of a window caught her attention. "Well, if it isn't the stunning Ms. Sophia Johnson," Benjamin Thompson's voice rang out, his head materializing from the Escalade's window. Sophia's face lit up with an uncontrollable smile. Seeing her dear friend from their shared childhood in Europe
The maître d' gracefully approached, trailed closely by Emily. He swiftly arranged the table adjacent to Sophia's, meticulously placing the silverware and pulling out the chairs. Reluctantly, Alexander moved towards the table, his eyes shooting daggers at Emily. Sophia let out a weary sigh, gathering her belongings and taking a seat at the new arrangement, while Benjamin settled in next to her, a mischievous grin still playing on his lips. Once everyone was settled, Steven cleared his throat politely and smiled. "I really feel we must apologize. I hope we're not intruding on your date, Ms. Johnson." Sophia choked on her wine for a moment, then managed a smile. "Oh, no. Benjamin is my dear friend. We actually grew up together in Europe. You won't find a kinder and more genuine person than Benjamin Thompson," Sophia said, shooting a cold glance at Alexander. "Thompson, Ben Thompson," Alexander mused aloud. "I've heard of your remarkable achievements across the pond. Impressive write