SWNOVELS Chapter 217 No One is Perfect
Lorraine could no longer keep smiling. She was done pretending that she was okay with all these. She could tell that Wendy did not like her as she did not even urge her to stay. She knew that from the very beginning.
Looking in his intimidating and imposing self, Levi strode downstairs and walked up to Selina. He sat down beside her and sweetly put his hands around her waist. He whispered in her ear, trying to seduce her, "I have to go to the army right now. Wait for me tonight and we'll do something real good..."
With her face turning red because of dismay, Selina lowered her head and pinched his arms. She exclaimed loudly, "Then leave! Go right now!"
"Don't be so mean! I don't want to go there as well. I really want to be with you all day. But I'm just a little busy now. I have to go." His mouth slightly twitched as he felt a bit of pain when Selina pinched him. Wendy grinned at their interaction and told her son, "Just leave. I'm too old to watch the both of you being so sweet to each other."
Levi let go of Selina after he kissed her on the cheeks. He stood up from the sofa and saluted to his wife before walking out the door. "Your Majesty, I'll leave then!"
Selina did not expect that he would say such words in front of Wendy. She was totally ashamed as she was not used to this kind of romantic gesture. Her face flushed as she deliberately glared at him, "Don" call me that! Just leave! You're so naughty!"
But Levi still found her so cute when she pouted. He wanted to hug and kiss her again.
Selina knew that Levi was harboring dirty thoughts yet again. She was worried that he would do something out of the line. Then she determinedly pointed to Lorraine near them and said, "Lorraine had been waiting for some time here! Look at her!"
Levi's good mood was all swept away at the mention of Lorraine. Immediately, he felt so frustrated. He didn't want anything to do with that woman.
He caressed Selina's hair and finally gave up, "I should leave now!"
The manor became awkwardly quiet soon after he left.
When Wendy went out of the kitchen, she saw Selina sitting squarely on the sofa, seemingly immersed in deep thoughts, face flushed crimson.
Wendy suddenly had the urge to tease her. She cleared her throat and deliberately asked, "Selina, why has your face turned red? How are you feeling now?"
"Um... Um..." Selina did not know what to say now. She was still not used to telling her mother-in-law about her sensitive feelings. Actually, Levi's recent actions and gestures reminded her of how he treated he in bed. But that would be too embarrassing. That would mean that she was an easy woman. "It's nothing, really. I'm all right. Aunt... Mom, why not come with me to the kitchen to check on the ingredients and the recipe?"
But in fact, Wendy knew the reason too well. She was too old not to know what the young couple was going through. She put up a smile and went to the kitchen with her.
The first thing Hugh did when he returned from his three-day business trip is to call Sophia into his office, and talk with her about the assassination happened the other day.
"According to my sources, they've found out about what happened that day, and had it taken care of." Huge's face became stern and serious. This was a grievous issue that needed to be urgently resolved. They all knew who and how they did it. Yet, there was something that hindering them from moving forward. They did not have the evidence to sue Jonas and Gregary yet, and would have to make some strides in pursuing that matter.
Joining together, Jonas and Gregary were extremely prudent and scrupulous in doing their dirty work. They did not leave any obvious trace of evidence.
"It doesn't matter. They'll soon pay for what they did." Sophia then put the final design on the desk.
Hugh's stiff expression was gone after he went through Sophia's own design. He smiled and said, "It's actually very good. How could I not know that you are gifted in designing clothes back then? We could have worked on many projects already."
Smiling, Sophia shook her head and exclaimed, "I wouldn't call it a gift! I don't have any innate talent in this area. I just became familiar with it after I have experienced enough in this industry. I perceived and worked hard to be where I am right now."
"Your design is absolutely fabulous! I haven't seen anything like it! But there are minor flaws in it. Do you have any idea what those flaws are?" Hugh sincerely asked her while grinning. He then put aside the design and met Sophia's confused eyes. He believed that Sophia knew what he meant. She was an intelligent woman after all.
"No one is perfect. I know my own weaknesses. I'll work on it." Sophia replied in a very determined tone. Her uneasy eyes were brimming with hesitation. She had not opened up her heart for a long time. She had always kept all her feelings inside her.
No... Why was she feeling strange about this? At least she was capable of being sincere and honest around people like Hugh, Ambrose and Aaron.
As for Colin, she did not know if she could really open up her heart to him. She did not want to give him a chance to judge her. Maybe she didn't and maybe she couldn't. She had always been eager to get close to him and make him love her, but she didn't dare to tell him her real purpose. She wanted him to make the first move.
"Sophia, then you know you must do something about it. Isolating yourself from others will do you no good. Your feelings will just burn you inside. You have to share it with someone else." He had seen through her since a long time ago. He knew her very well already.
She never shared intimate feelings with anyone. Whenever there was a person who wanted to know her and get closer, she would always step back, making herself look unapproachable.
Before she could speak, Hugh continued, "Don't you want to improve your influence here in A Country? Then the first step to achieving that is to make friends in this industry. You'll find them helpful when things happen and problems arise. They will be the shoulder you can lean upon."
Sophia sighed a bit. How could she not know all of these? She had always kept herself imprisoned within her own walls. She just hated this hypocritical world and the people in it. She found the people around her to be fake and pretentious.
"Herring will throw a party tonight. Some famous designers will be there. They are about your age and have powerful backgrounds. You have to make friends with them, or just connect with them."
"Herring?" Sophia squinted uncomfortably. If both Herring and Hugh would be there, would Colin be there as well? She suddenly got excited at the thought of seeing Colin. "Yes. I'm so interested. I'll be there!" Surprised by her sudden change of heart, Hugh contemplated for a moment. He could only think of one possibility. "Is it because of Colin? I believe you just want to be there because of him." He did not hold back his thoughts.
Sophia instantly blushed. "Am I that obvious?" She thought to herself. "Hugh, I'll leave then." Sophia opted not to answer the question.
Unexpectedly, Hugh just nodded. He frowned a little as he watched Sophia leaving. He put his palm on his forehead, as if he just had a headache. "Sophia, you still love him so much?" He painfully thought to himself.
At the sixth floor of the No.8 Cruise Ship
Knowing they would probably get drunk, Hugh didn't refuse when the manager asked if he need someone to pick them up after the party. He and Sophia chose the Bentley that the manager offered to them. Then they made their way to the party and pushed open the door. In an instant, Sophia was amazed by the look of extravagance inside.
A dozen of young boys and girls, including several party girls, were enjoying the time of their lives. They were dancing wildly and talking to each other with flirtatious tones.
Noticing that Hugh has arrived, some of them put down their glasses and shouted, "Look who's here!"
"Mr. Hugh, we're glad you came. Did you just come back from your trip?
"Come on, take a seat! Feel at home! Um. Who's the girl behind him? Is that the woman named Sophia?"
As everybody were all talking and gossiping about the couple, Sophia looked around with her signature lovely smile. Soon after, she finally saw the man she was here for. She could see the sour expression on Dorothy's face and wondered why she was not happy to be here. To Sophia's surprise, there was a beautiful girl sitting next to Colin. The girl was pouring drinks for him.
In an instant, the smile on Sophia's face was gone. She immediately felt uncomfortable with what she was seeing.
The first thing Herring did when he noticed Sophia was that he took a quick glance on Colin. He spotted a faint trace of guilt in Colin's eyes. He knew right there and then that Colin still has feelings for Sophia. Colin still looked indifferent despite knowing that Dorothy felt uneasy on having a party girl near her future husband.
But the moment Sophia stepped in, Colin discreetly drew back his hands from the girl's shoulder.
Sneering, Herring stood up and exclaimed loudly, "Finally, here are Sophia and Hugh! Come, the late ones should drink a whole bottle of beer!"☐☐☐☐☐☐☐