"I'm sorry, what was that?" Alexander asked, visibly shifting so Emily's head no longer rested on him.
Sophia took a deep breath, composing herself once more. Emotions had no place in her plans, and she reminded herself of the task at hand.
"Nothing," Sophia replied calmly. "I think I'll be heading home now."
"Really?" Emily chimed in, her voice laced with fake concern. "The party is just getting started."
"Umm, Emily," Alexander interjected, "Why don't you go back in? I'll join you in just a moment."
Emily glared at Alexander, clearly disgruntled, but obediently turned to leave. Sophia couldn't help but watch as Alexander's eyes followed Emily down the hallway.
Once Emily was out of earshot, Alexander turned his attention back to Sophia. "My family and Emily's family have been close friends for many years. She's very ambitious but naive. I brought her into my company after she graduated from the University of Chicago last year. It was a way
As Sophia stepped out of the sleek chrome elevators the following day, she found the usual hum of office gossip conspicuously absent. Instead, the atmosphere was charged with focused productivity. The air reverberated with the clicking of keyboards, the persistent ringing of phones, and the steady whir of the copy machines. Before Sophia could even shut the door to her office, Trevor burst in, loaded with stacks of case files. "Good morning, Trevor," Sophia greeted him with a yawn, the lingering effects of last night's whiskey leaving her slightly foggy. "Good morning, Ms. Johnson," Trevor responded, his voice brimming with eagerness. "All right, I can see you have some important matters. Let's dive right in," Sophia said, sitting at her desk while Trevor settled into a plush wingback chair opposite her. He flashed a reassuring smile and placed the first case file before her. "We have two major cases on our plate. The first is an antitrust investigation involving the Dillon Corpor
Moving away from the polished reception desk, Alexander turns to Laura on the phone again, his deep voice carries a tinge of bewilderment as he asks, "I genuinely cannot fathom what I could have possibly done to make this woman dislike me so intensely." Laura takes a moment to gather her thoughts before responding. "Mr. Stone, I truly don't know why she acts this way or how she truly feels about you. Women are complex, and their emotions can be elusive." "Laura, I'm asking for your perspective as a woman, so enlighten me. Why do you think she's behaving like this?" Alexander inquires, his voice laced with exasperation and a genuine desire to understand. "I appreciate you acknowledging my womanhood, Alexander. Perhaps there's a reason behind her actions that you may not have considered. Sophia is a fiercely independent and driven woman. Maybe she's playing the 'hard-to-get' game, knowing it ruffles your feathers. It could be her way of testing you or eve
Alexander looks at Sophia suspiciously, a hint of curiosity in his eyes as he considers her interest in his ex-wife.However, before he can respond, Emily interjects, her voice laced with defensiveness, "How is this any of your business or concern, Ms. Johnson?"Sophia, growing weary of Emily's presence and eager to distance herself from Alexander, lets out an exasperated sigh and turns to leave.But Emily reaches out, lightly grabbing Sophia's arm, and continues."Alexander's ex-wife was a mistake from the start. She has cost him millions of dollars that she in no way deserves. The woman is trash. She is not even worth still having a conversation about."Sophia shrugs off Emily's hand, her eyes narrowing as she locks gazes with Alexander."Could you please call off your attack dog? You clearly have no intention of answering my question, and I have important work to attend to." A smirk plays at the corners of her lips as she delivers her biting remark。 Emily gasps, her voice filled w
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