SWNOVELS Chapter 74 A Perfect Match
It was the first time for Sophia to see Leila Ji in person. Leila was wearing a sapphire blue knee-length dress, with a coat of the same color over it. Her long wavy hair was dyed blonde, drooping over her left shoulder.
Everyone said that Leila Ji was a beauty. And for once, the rumors were true.
Leila had wide eyes and thin arched eyebrows that complemented her straight nose. Her lips were painted in bright magenta.
She radiated an air of charisma and nobility.
But the guests suddenly noticed something. They turned to Sophia, who also noticed that her outfit and Leila's... looked alike.
Hers was light green, and Leila's was sapphire blue.
The former brought out Sophia's fair skin, while the latter made Leila look more mature and dignified.
Without realizing it, the crowd began comparing them.
And Leila undoubtedly won, leaving the ordinary Sophia to be jeered at.
But Sophia wasn't looking at Leila's clothes, she was watching Leila's movements.
When Leila saw Colin, she quickly gave him a big hug and happily held onto his arm. Colin also flashed her a smile. They chatted affectionately, looking like a perfect match.
Despite their upbringing, the female guests were still interested in sharing gossip. Soon, all the ladies were gossiping about Colin and Leila. "I heard that Mr. Li got married. Look at them now, is Miss Ji his wife?"
"That's not possible. If that were case, the two families would gather together through their bonding. They wouldn't allow a secret marriage."
"Quite so. But apparently, they've been close friends since childhood. And look, they make a perfect match."
"Indeed!"
Leila had a good relationship with the Li Clan. Wendy and Jordan smiled warmly at her, as did Harold and Angie.
Looking at the scene, Sophia suddenly felt the urge to run away. She didn't know why she felt this way. Perhaps she felt ashamed, or she didn't feel like she belonged at all.
For the first time with Colin's family, Sophia felt inferior.
Remembering that Wendy would come to her after the ceremony, Sophia decided to stay. But she still tried her best to keep herself invisible.
After greeting the Li Clan, Dorothy entered the banquet hall. She glanced around, but to her surprise, she didn't see Sophia.
Dorothy was confused. Why wasn't Sophia sitting with the Li Clan as Colin's wife? She suddenly noticed a figure in green outside by the window.
It was Sophia. And her dress looked familiar.
Dorothy glanced back, and fixed her eyes on Leila. When she realized why Sophia wasn't here, a cruel smile emerged on her face.
Although Sophia was trying to seclude herself outside the hall, Wendy still took her back. Leading Sophia to the dining room, she settled her down in front of the table and got her something to eat. "Sophie, have a snack. Dinner will begin soon!"
Sophia drew her gaze from Colin, and took the plate from Wendy's hand. "Okay. Thanks, mom."
"Why were you hiding away? Have some food, Sophie. Then I'll introduce you to a few friends." Wendy intended to make an introduction for Sophia.
But Sophia shook her head. "No. It's alright, mom... I... I'm not accustomed to such occasions."
Wendy was surprised. Was that the reason she was hiding away outside? Wendy contemplated on it and concluded that it was because she had just gotten out of jail a few months ago. She decided not to push her. "Okay, we'll have other opportunities. I'll introduce you to everyone next time."
"Thank you, mom." Sophia smiled gratefully at Wendy.
The warm interaction between them drew a lot of attention, and raised another discussion.
Some women particularly noticed the diamond ring on Sophia's finger. They gazed at the ring enviously. Even though they were rich, few of the guests owned a diamond that size.
A woman suddenly approached Sophia and said with fake surprise, "Oh! She's wearing the same outfit as Miss Ji!"
The woman's voice was loud. Many guests turned to Sophia, and looked her up and down. Sophia had just taken a bite of a piece of cake when people started looking at her. The mouthful of dessert stuck in her throat, she didn't know if she should swallow it or spit it out.
She looked to Colin, then at Leila.
When Sophia's eyes met Leila's, she saw the evident contempt in the other woman's smile. The actress drew her eyes back, and continued her conversation with Colin cheerfully.
It wasn't until now when Wendy realized Sophia and Leila were wearing clothes of the same style.
She smiled to Sophia in comfort. "Don't worry. Although she's a big star, Leila is very nice. I can introduce you to her, so you two can become good friends!"
Sophia nodded slightly. She turned her back to the dining hall, and quickly ate the rest of her cake.
Before Wendy could take Sophia, Leila had already approached them. Ignoring Sophia, she took Wendy's hand and spoke softly, "Aunt Wendy, I've brought a gift for you. Can I show you?"
"I want you to meet..." Wendy wanted to introduce Sophia to her, but Leila had pulled her away before she could finish speaking.
Sophia watched them as they walked away. She put the empty plate on the table, and prepared to leave too.
"My little Sophia, why are you here alone?" Herring's voice came from behind.
Sophia turned around, and saw Herring and Shelly behind her. Shelly nodded in greeting, "Sister."
Sophia smiled and nodded back. "You must be Shelly. You're as pretty as I imagined."
Shelly smiled. "Thank you, sister. But that's not true."
Herring whispered to her, "Of course it's true! My Shel is the prettiest girl!"
Shel was Shelly Li's nickname. When she was a child, Joseph called her "Shel" and Lillian gave her the name "Shelly" because of it.
Shel? Sophia was confused.
Shelly smiled. "It's my nickname."
Sophia quickly understood that they were in a relationship. Herring brought over a bottle of wine and three glasses. They clinked their glasses together and drank.
"Why aren't you with my brother, sister?" Shelly curiously asked.
After a short silence, Sophia answered, "Colin is busy now. I don't want to disturb him."
He was busy talking and laughing with another woman. Why would she join him?
To ruin their fun?
But Shelly sensed the frustration that Sophia tried to hide. Letting go of Herring's hand, she took Sophia's arm. "Come with me." She led Sophia to the crowd.
Leila had presented her gift to Wendy, and was standing beside Colin, listening to him share stories with Daniel. "Brother!" Sophia wanted to turn back, but Shelly tightened her grasp, forcing Sophia to walk towards Colin. The three stopped talking, and looked to them. Colin glanced at Sophia blankly, then looked away.
With Sophia now standing beside Leila, the audience watched them intently.
"What's up, Shelly?" Colin calmly asked, with a glass of wine in his hand.
Now that Sophia was standing in front of them, she suddenly regained her courage. She raised her head to look at Colin.
Not knowing that Leila was trying to pursue Colin, Shelly said, "Your wife has been standing alone in that corner before I noticed her. You should spend more time with her, brother. Your work can wait!"