Chapter 287 Putting on the Green Hat
The private negotiations had failed, and a public courtroom battle seemed inevitable.
The court had accepted the case, and they were just waiting for the trial to begin.
Jake Hughes noticed that Sophia had been very tense lately, constantly running to the law firm.
Today, Sophia had come to the law firm again to continue strategizing with Lawyer Twist about how to up the ante and win the fight. As she left, Jake Hughes was standing by her car.
"Why have you been coming to the law firm so often lately?" Sophia approached.
"You too," he said.
"I'm just confirming some details," Sophia said as she opened her car door.
"I didn't bring my car; can you give me a lift?" he requested.
Sophia agreed, "Sure."
Jake Hughes got into the passenger seat.
"Tomorrow's the fashion show by Katherine," Jake Hughes brought up the event as if it was a casual afterthought.
Sophia had completely forgotten about it. She simply wasn't in the right headspace to attend any shows.
"Sorry, I might have to let your ticket go to waste," she apologized.
"Do you have something important to do tomorrow?" Jake inquired.
She simply replied, "No."
"Then why not go? Isn't Katherine your idol?" he asked, insistently.
Sophia gave a wry smile and said, "I'm just not in the mood."
"Kelly, you've been too stressed lately. You've even started breaking out," Jake Hughes mentioned, coaxing a smile as the corners of his mouth turned up warmly.
Sophia reached up to feel her face and indeed found a small bump on her cheek.
"Stress is the most useless emotion. You should relax a bit. Being relaxed can help you fight better," Jake Hughes said, smiling warmly.
"I'm free tomorrow. Let's go to the show together for a change of scenery," he encouraged.
Sophia replied, "Okay."
She was persuaded by Jake Hughes.
Indeed, she had been too tense, under colossal pressure, her whole body wound tight as a spring. At night, she would dream of losing the lawsuit, her children being taken away by Gabriel, never to see them again.
She was terrified of losing them.
In the past few days, whenever she returned home and didn't sense the children's presence, panic would grip her heart.
The following morning, the two of them attended Katherine's show.
They sat in prime seats, the music filling the atmosphere and slowly drawing Sophia's attention to the event unfolding before her.
She watched intently, critically evaluating each piece of clothing that was showcased.
The design of outfit number five was truly innovative. The skirt on number seven oozed fashion sense.
I must say, stars will be stars. The show was perfect!
There were quite a few celebrities in attendance, one of them being Noah.
Noah was seated right behind Sophia.
The seating arrangement at the event was quite telling, with Sophia's row reserved for the most influential guests; even someone with Noah's clout didn't qualify.
As a result, Noah gave Sophia a few extra glances.
This designer had left a strong impression on her.
After all, she had been plagiarized by a colleague, and the gown she designed had made quite a splash on the red carpet.
Was she not a designer for Lancaster Group? With CEO Lancaster absent, how could she get a seat in this row? Could she be representing CEO Lancaster here?
Looking at how close she was with the guy next to her, the one with the porcelain-smooth skin, they were whispering and discussing something throughout.
That guy had a face that, if he were in showbiz, could eclipse many of today's young heartthrobs. Especially with that sunny smile of his, it was utterly soothing.
Just standing on stage, doing nothing but smiling, would have fans screaming for ages.
She was thinking of setting up her own studio and wondered if she could sign this guy up. If it worked out, she was confident she could make him a star!
Sophia too was curious how Jake Hughes had managed to score such prime seats for them. She recognized many of the surrounding attendees from television and the news. They were all high rollers, far beyond her usual reach.
When the event wrapped up, Jake Hughes leaned over, "I'm going to say hi to some colleagues over there; wait here for me."
Sophia replied, "Sure."
"Hey." Noah lightly tapped Sophia's shoulder.
Sophia turned around.
She had noticed Noah when she came in, but they had only met once, and she felt too shy to cozily approach her.
She hadn't expected Noah to take the initiative to greet her.
"Hey there, Miss Kelly," Noah greeted, then asked, "Miss Kelly, can I add you on Whatsapp? I'd like to discuss a potential collaboration, but I've got to rush to an appointment now."
Sophia agreed, "Of course."
After exchanging Whatsapp contact information, Noah hurried off.
Sophia glanced at Noah's status. It was all work-related.
Jake Hughes soon returned, and they left together.
Descending the stairs, Sophia slipped on some thoughtlessly discarded fruit peel.
"Careful," he advised.
Jake Hughes, quick as lightning, steadied her.
One of his hands held hers, while the other hovered near her waist, almost as if he were embracing her, bringing them close together. He felt his heart thumping wildly; a blush unexpectedly blossomed on his pale cheeks.
Sophia replied, "Thank you."
As soon as she steadied herself, he immediately let go of her, careful not to overstep any boundaries.
Watching his ears turn red, Sophia's mischievous inner demon bared its fangs. He was too innocent, she thought; such a simple action had made him blush.
She chuckled teasingly and said, "You've never been in a relationship before, have you?"
Jake nodded sheepishly.
Sophia was surprised. "Really?"
Jake revealed, "I have someone I've been secretly fond of, but I've never been brave enough to confess."
Sophia suggested, "You should go for it boldly, otherwise someone else might sweep them off their feet, and you'll be left with regrets."
Jake agreed, "Yeah, I'll do it."
This time, he was determined to pursue her boldly, never to let go!
The two got into the car, oblivious to the bustling crowd around them. They didn't notice someone nearby snapping many photos.
...
Tiffany was reclining on the couch with a facial mask, her eyes closed in bliss, pondering how she could reconcile with Gabriel.
Should she leverage the fact she'd saved him? But Gabriel only had eyes for his child; such a favor no longer held sway. At most, Gabriel might feel obliged to ensure her well-being out of gratitude.
Her phone kept buzzing, and Tiffany picked it up, annoyed.
One photo after another came into view.
Tiffany sat up abruptly, so agitated that her mask nearly slipped off.
Then a call came through.
"My dear niece, did you get the photos?" the voice from the other end asked.
"How did you get these?" Tiffany inquired.
"Don't worry about that. You could send these photos to Gabriel, let him see how his ex-wife has been playing with him,” the voice suggested.
Tiffany replied, "I got it, I'll handle the photos."
"Don't forget what you promised: once you're back with Gabriel, the house is mine. And if I lose at cards, you cover the debts," the voice reminded.
"Yeah, I know," Tiffany said irritably.
After hanging up, Tiffany looked at the photos of Sophia in a cozy embrace with a man.
This man... she recognized him from the hospital! He and Sophia surely had something going on!
Oh, Sophia had picked well, hadn't she? She chose someone with good looks and youth. Was Sophia keeping him for herself?
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
