Chapter 149: Holding Back from Making the First Move
Phoenixia, a villa in a small town.
"Stand up straight! Back straight, shoulders down!"
The woman held a ruler, tapping it against the waist of the girl standing against the wall. Her stern expression was terrifying, like a demon ready to devour someone.
The moment class ended, Emily collapsed to the floor, her yoga clothes soaked through with sweat.
The woman didn't even bother to look at her again, grabbed her bag, and left.
The butler entered right after, speaking in a monotone voice: "Ms. Smith, your piano lesson begins at three o'clock. Please prepare yourself."
After a few minutes' rest, Emily dragged herself to the piano and sat down, taking a sip of water before checking the time on her phone.
Eight minutes of break time left before another piano lesson.
As she glanced at the screen, she noticed a Facebook message from someone she hadn't heard from in ages.
In the five years she'd been here, no one had contacted her. She felt like an abandoned doll. Several times she'd tried calling George and Jane, begging them to come home, only to have them hang up immediately.
She had her documents—she could buy a plane ticket and fly back herself.
But then what?
George and Jane clearly didn't want to deal with her. Andrew and John obviously had their own biases against her. If she returned on her own, she'd probably have nowhere to stay.
This was the first time in five years someone had messaged her.
[River]: Want to come home?
Perhaps it was the years of isolation in this house, but seeing those words felt like a drowning person grasping at the last straw.
She hurriedly typed back: [I do! But my parents won't let me come back. Can you help me?]
[River]: George and Jane said you should stay abroad until you're of marriageable age. You've met that condition now. If your marriage could bring them greater value, why would they have any reason to keep you away?
Emily instantly sobered up. If she could marry into one of Emerald City's most powerful families and bring value to the Smith Group, not only would she gain freedom in the future, but her family would finally value her, too!
But currently, the most powerful young men in Emerald City, aside from Andrew and John, were... Michael?
Michael and Sophia had been together for years. How could she possibly get between them?
[River]: If you want something, you have to fight for it yourself. By any means necessary.
The timely message startled Emily, but River was right—whether it was people or things, you had to get what you wanted by any means necessary!
[Emily]: Can you help me with something?
[River]: Let's hear it.
[Emily]: I want a chance to be alone with Michael.
[River]: No problem.
Getting that confirmation, Emily put away her phone, satisfied.
She had no idea she'd already stepped into a trap someone had laid long ago.
At eleven o'clock that night, the airport gradually emptied out. Occasionally, off-duty flight crew could be seen pulling their signature roller bags past.
Sophia wore a white silk blouse tucked into high-waisted, wide-leg beige trousers. She leaned casually against her car, holding a cup of coffee, eyes fixed on the arrivals gate.
The summer evening breeze was cool and refreshing, far more comfortable than sitting inside with the AC running.
After about ten minutes, she finally spotted a slender, tall figure sprinting toward her from the exit.
"Sophia!" Amelia wore a cropped tank top and cargo pants with Doc Martens, her short hair bouncing in the wind as she ran with arms outstretched, her face bright with enthusiasm.
Sophia straightened up, a smile curving her lips as she welcomed Amelia's excited embrace.
Wayne followed behind with two suitcases, waiting until they finished hugging before asking, "Michael didn't come with you?"
"He's got a video conference. Still at the office working overtime." Sophia pressed the key fob to pop the trunk. She'd specifically switched to a four-seater Range Rover to pick them up. "Get in, we'll talk on the way."
Wayne walked around to the back and loaded the luggage.
Amelia claimed the passenger seat to chat with Sophia while Wayne consciously took the back.
Sophia started the car and pulled onto the airport highway, her tone light: "Are you two CIA operatives or something? Why keep it secret from me?"
Wayne feigned innocence: "How could we announce that kind of relationship? Amelia won't acknowledge me, so I'm just the underground lover."
Amelia whipped around to glare at him, but couldn't find the words to argue back.
"It's your fault for hiding your feelings for over a decade! If you'd told me sooner, we'd have been together ages ago!"
Wayne: "Do you hear yourself? You're the one who was too dense."
"Well, if you knew I was dense, why didn't you just say it? Whose fault is that?"
There was no winning an argument with a woman. Wayne nodded helplessly. "Alright, alright, my fault. Should've just pinned you to the bed years ago."
Sophia, still driving: "Please. I'm right here."
Amelia turned to Sophia with a knowing look, her tone teasing: "Sophia, don't tell me you and Michael are still stuck at the hand-holding and kissing stage?"
The car stopped at a red light. Sophia glanced at Amelia. "So what if we are?"
"Oh my God! You two are impossibly innocent! "
Amelia was utterly shocked, unable to comprehend how Michael could possibly restrain himself.
Sophia smiled faintly.
Everyone expressed love differently. The most basic and fundamental part was respect.
She wasn't craving that kind of stimulation, and Michael respected that. As long as she didn't agree, he wouldn't cross the line.
"Sophia, even if you're fine with it, at least consider Michael's perspective," Amelia said, biting her straw with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "You're not actually opposed to it, right? If you don't give him some signal, he'll keep suffering in silence because he won't dare make the first move!"