Chapter 168 Rival in Love
Sophia arrived in her car, also ten minutes early.
To avoid making Sophia uncomfortable, Jake had specifically reserved a table in the lobby, rather than a private room.
As soon as Sophia entered, Jake spotted her and stood up, waving his hand. Sophia walked over with a smile on her face.
"Kelly," Jake called out warmly.
Sophia looked at him with a flash of admiration in her eyes. Jake was dressed in fresh attire, looking sunny and bright when he smiled.
She sat down in the chair he had pulled out for her.
"I've been to this place many times, just not sure if it suits your taste," Jake said, handing her the iPad to order.
Sophia didn't hesitate, choosing two dishes before handing it back to him. "You pick two as well," she said.
"Okay."
He obediently took the iPad from her.
The waiter brought them each a glass of lemon water. Up to now, this was only the fourth time Sophia had seen Jake, with their previous encounters being rather brief and with little communication.
Gabriel had said Jake was no simple character, but to her, Jake seemed like a sunny, big boy. His smile revealed his clean and white teeth, giving him a warm and healing glow.
"You've lost weight since I first saw you," Jake initiated the conversation, breaking the silence. His voice was different from Gabriel's deep tones; it was a crisp yet mature man's timbre, somewhere between mature and immature.
After looking at his outfit today, if she remembered correctly, it was a new release showcased at this year's International Fashion Week.
Could he be from a rich family?
But somehow, he didn't quite fit the mold.
Every time she saw Jake, Sophia felt she had seen him somewhere before.
"I've been busy with work lately, and I'm trying to lose weight," she said.
"You're not fat," Jake muttered, puzzled.
Sophia laughed, lifting her glass of lemon water. "I drove here, so I can't drink alcohol. I'll toast with lemon water instead, thank you for saving me that time."
Jake appeared flattered, "You've thanked me many times already. It was just a small effort on my part, but you've remembered it for so long. However, after this drink, are we friends now?"
He paused, then added somewhat awkwardly, "I've only recently returned to the country and am not familiar with the city, nor do I have many friends. Could you show me around when you have time?"
"Of course," Sophia agreed readily.
"Then cheers," Jake said, his smile blooming.
It didn't matter to him that Kelly had forgotten him; he was determined to make her remember him again, and this time, he would become the closest person to her, someone she could never forget.
Sophia didn't know much about Jake, so during their conversation, Jake revealed some basic information about himself.
Jake had grown up abroad and had successfully started a business with a partner a few years ago. This year, he opened a branch of his new business in City B. The day he met Sophia was his second day back in the country. He was bored and strolling around when he happened upon the scene of Sophia being attacked in front of the kindergarten.
Jake was still indignant, "If I ever encounter them again, I'll make sure to teach them a lesson they’ll never forget, so they won't dare to trouble you."
Those were Gabriel's bodyguards; Jake wouldn't easily meet them again, but his intentions were good, and Sophia wouldn't dampen his spirits.
"You're not even asking what the conflict was about with them?"
Jake snorted coldly, "A group of men ganging up on a woman is wrong, no matter the conflict. Besides, I don't think you're someone who likes to cause trouble."
Sophia chuckled, finding him quite endearing. Suddenly feeling playful, she teased, "With such enthusiasm, you must have played the hero many times. Have any beauties offered themselves to you in gratitude?"
Jake was momentarily taken aback, then he became serious, "No, this was the only time, and no one has offered themselves to me, nor would I accept such an offer."
He was not a frivolous person; he was very self-disciplined, and he had already set his sights on Sophia.
Sophia was stunned for a moment; she was just joking, but he took it so seriously.
The next second, Jake grinned again, "Don't be nervous, I just don't want to be misunderstood as a frivolous person."
His description was... quite unique.
The atmosphere, which had just become tense, relaxed instantly.
Sophia laughed, and Jake quickly changed the subject, engaging Sophia in a conversation about the fashion industry. She discovered that despite his youth, Jake was knowledgeable about many fields, capable of understanding a bit of everything. His logical thinking was no less than that of Gabriel.
At just 26 years old, he had already successfully started a business and even opened branch offices. His abilities were not to be underestimated.
Outstanding people have their own attractive charms, and Sophia found herself increasingly admiring Jake.
"Does your company also work in technology?" Sophia was a bit surprised; wouldn't that make them competitors with Lancaster Group?
"Yes, but we still have some way to go to catch up with Lancaster Group."
Jake's eyes flickered slightly as he spoke.
Sophia heard a hint of disappointment in his voice and cheered him on, "Keep it up, you'll definitely be able to catch up with Lancaster Group."
"Yeah, I'll work hard," Jake said.
The meal went smoothly, and although Sophia had planned to use the restroom as an excuse to sneak away and pay the bill, she was surprised to find that the bill had already been settled when she went to the cashier.
"The bill has been automatically deducted from Mr. Hughes's account, as he is a senior VIP here," the cashier told her.
"Can you reverse the charge back to him?"
"I'm sorry, we can't do that."
Sophia walked back to the table, speechless.
After noticing her dejected expression, Jake couldn't help but snicker secretly and asked with concern, "What's wrong?"
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Sophia glared at him.
Jake feigned ignorance as a blank expression crossed his face.
"What did I do?"
"The cashier just told me that our meal was automatically charged to your account."
Jake suddenly "remembered" and scratched the back of his head awkwardly: "Sorry, I forgot I'm a senior VIP here. They recognized me and thought I was hosting a guest."
Sophia didn't believe such a far-fetched excuse.
Jake said, "How about I make it up to you by treating you to dinner next time? I know a lot of nice restaurants."
Sophia sighed inwardly, "Forget it, next time I'll treat you, and you're not allowed to do this again."
Jake smiled. "Yeah!"
Both had driven separately to the restaurant, so Jake didn't offer to take her home. They left one after the other in their own cars.
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