Chapter 159: Seizing Every Chance to Show Off
James let out a sigh and ruffled Sophia's long hair with a touch of helplessness.
Though she'd been back with the Johnson family for five or six years now, everyone had been so consumed by their careers that they rarely gathered together. As a result, Sophia's understanding of familial bonds remained frustratingly vague.
She'd grown up steeped in fame and fortune, her values and worldview tilted heavily toward profit and practicality. Emotional sensitivity? Not her strong suit.
She'd accepted the Johnson family. She'd accepted her new relatives. She even worked hard to contribute to the household. But she still hadn't grasped what family actually meant.
"Sophia, we can't help you in business—at the very least, we want to do more for you in your daily life."
Sophia blinked, clearly not understanding. If something could be solved with money, there was no need for her family to get their hands dirty. Even if they did, it wouldn't lighten her workload.
Wasn't that just... redundant?
She'd still face the same mountain of tasks, while her family—who could be resting—would waste their time on a bunch of trivial nonsense.
What was the point?
Emotional comfort?
Sophia kept those thoughts to herself. She knew saying them aloud would only hurt her family more.
Tonight was the party. She didn't want to stir up drama at a time like this.
Lunch was somber. Aside from James and Lucas, everyone else seemed cautious when speaking to her, their words carefully measured.
It felt like that summer day all over again—when she'd slung a small messenger bag over her shoulder and taken a cab to that cramped rental apartment, meeting her blood relatives for the first time.
They'd looked just like this: awkward, nervous, careful. Wanting to do something for her, but afraid she'd push them away.
Sophia felt a pang of melancholy. To this day, she still didn't know the right way to interact with her family.
She'd tried to be good to them in her own way—helping them build careers, helping them live better lives.
But their values were different. Many things simply couldn't be understood mutually.
So over these five years, aside from helping her family grow in their respective fields, she'd also been... avoiding them, if she was honest.
Once everyone got busy and saw each other less, she'd actually felt a bit relieved.
Yet she also cherished being surrounded by people who genuinely cared for her. She couldn't bear the thought of hurting them again, so she'd stayed.
Conflicted. Tangled. Emotions she'd never experienced before.
She didn't like this feeling. It was exhausting.
So she avoided pouring energy into solving emotional problems she didn't understand.
The atmosphere at the table remained heavy. Sophia let out a quiet sigh and steered the conversation elsewhere. "Have you all settled on your outfits for tonight? I'm having some gowns sent over later—do you want to take another look?"
Evelyn set down her utensils, took a sip of juice, and said evenly, "I don't have a gown."
She wasn't angry. Her tone was as calm as ever—just stating a fact.
Between five or six surgeries a day and collapsing into bed the moment her shift ended—not to mention emergency surgeries that could pop up at any time—she barely had the energy to think about dressing up on her rare days off. Forget gowns; she didn't even own a decent dress.
Otherwise, when she'd gone out with Bruce that day, she wouldn't have had to borrow Sophia's clothes.
Sophia smiled warmly at her. "Then pick out a few later. You'll need them for formal occasions eventually."
She could choose a few less extravagant pieces—something suitable for everyday wear. And when it came time to meet Bruce's parents, at least she'd have something proper to wear.
Evelyn considered this for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
Ray chimed in. "Sophia, I don't need to pick anything, do I? I can just wear one of my usual suits, right?"
James smiled. "Same here. I've got plenty of clothes."
"I want some!"
Lucas's hand shot up, frantically demanding attention. He wore his school uniform every day, and his parents always said a middle schooler didn't need expensive clothes. Now he finally had a chance to dress like someone with money!
James smacked the back of his head. "You've got enough clothes already. Right now, the most important thing for you is to keep a low profile."
Lucas rubbed his head, indignant. "Those clothes are totally basic! Tonight's Sophia's birthday party—there'll be business titans everywhere. I can't embarrass Sophia, can I?"
His righteous tone made James sigh in exasperation. "Fine. Then wear mine."
He had a habit of studying fashion trends, and with all his high-end brand endorsements, his closet was stuffed to the brim. Some pieces still had their tags on.
Lucas had grown taller. His build wasn't far off from James's anymore. They could share clothes now.
"Can I pick whatever I want?" Lucas's eyes sparkled with anticipation. He'd had his eye on James's wardrobe for ages.
"Help yourself." James's eyes softened with affection. He'd always been generous with his brother.
Lucas could pick whatever he liked. Hell, he could empty the entire closet if he wanted to.
Lucas nearly jumped for joy. He'd try on a bunch of outfits later and snap photos to send to Elodie.
Who didn't want to look cool and dashing in their girlfriend's eyes?
Shortly after lunch, sales associates from a high-end boutique arrived with an array of formal gowns.
All of them wore black suits and white gloves, the picture of professionalism.
"Ms. Johnson, these are all the new arrivals from this season's formal collection. We hope you'll find something to your liking."
"Thank you." Sophia responded politely, settling onto the sofa and accepting the seasonal lookbook one of the associates handed her. She began flipping through it, page by page.
The Johnsons were similar in build, but their heights varied significantly, which meant choosing the right silhouette required careful consideration.
"Mom, this gown would look great on you."
Evelyn pulled an elegant red gown from the rack—heavily embroidered with gold thread, its neckline modernized just enough to look dignified without appearing stiff.
"Another gown? Mom already has so many." James had a different opinion. He selected a soft, flowing teal chiffon dress instead, its hem light and airy. Just looking at it evoked grace and warmth. "This one's beautiful. Mom would steal the show in this."
Mary waved them off, flustered. "Oh, stop it. I'm too old to be stealing any shows."
"Why not try them both?"
Sophia's voice cut in. Everyone turned to see her lounging on the sofa, legs crossed, her air of authority unmasked.
A sales associate stood beside her, leaning in to listen as she flipped through the catalog. "Numbers 12, 17, 21, and 31—have my mother try these. Numbers 7, 9, 14, 32, and 33—give those to my sister."
James's inner monologue: Wow, Sophia's kind of a boss right now.