Chapter 2 More Like a Business Negotiation Than a Family Reunion
Mike Clark, the driver, had the car ready to take Sophia Smith... no, Sophia Johnson now.
After leaving Gemstone District and merging into the heavy traffic on the main boulevard, Sophia spoke up, "You can drop me off here. Just pull over when you get a chance."
Mike looked surprised. "Miss, I can drive you all the way to the Johnson family. Why trouble yourself with catching another ride?"
"A friend is picking me up."
At Sophia's simple explanation, Mike pulled the car over to a bus stop.
Her friend was nowhere to be seen, but an aging white Honda pulled up in front of her instead.
The driver's door opened, and a middle-aged man with graying temples stepped out, rubbing his hands together nervously as he approached her.
"You must be Sophia?" he asked, then introduced himself with obvious anxiety: "I'm your father, Ray."
Perhaps seeing Sophia in her expensive outfit, her refined bearing radiating from every gesture, the honest-faced man couldn't hide his unease.
Sophia offered a polite, practiced smile. "Hello. Did you come all this way to pick me up?"
Ray Johnson nodded. "Would you like to come see our place? Your mother really wants to meet you."
"Of course, I'd like to. Thank you for coming to get me." Sophia's smile was gentle, radiating warmth.
She followed Ray to the car, instinctively reaching for the back door handle before reconsidering and settling into the passenger seat instead.
During the drive, Sophia sent a quick text to a friend explaining the situation, then put her phone away and rested her chin on her hand, curiously taking in the car's interior.
The space felt cramped and dim, filled with a mixture of the man beside her's perspiration, worn leather, and some unidentifiable cheap air freshener.
His phone kept buzzing with ride-share notifications, which he hastily silenced each time.
Ray stole glances at the graceful young woman beside him. She bore a resemblance to his wife in her younger days.
But even Emily, whom they'd raised for seventeen years, had scorned their humble circumstances, walking away without a backward glance for the luxury the Smith family could provide.
How much more so would Sophia, pampered for seventeen years in wealth and privilege?
She was probably just being polite, agreeing to come home and meet her birth mother. Once she saw their living conditions, she'd leave without hesitation.
The car pulled into a residential complex.
Following Ray, she entered one of the buildings. The building number, weathered by years of wind and rain, had faded but still showed a blurry "12."
Each floor housed two apartments facing each other, every unit secured with both an outer security door and an inner wooden door.
By the sixth floor, Ray was breathing hard. He knocked on the left apartment's security door. "Mary, could you get the door?"
"Coming."
A gentle, melodious voice drifted from inside, followed by the sound of the wooden door opening. Sophia found herself face-to-face with a woman of breathtaking beauty despite wearing no makeup.
Seeing those features was like looking in a mirror. Even Sophia was momentarily stunned before smiling. "Hello, I'm Sophia."
Mary Johnson's eyes were still red and swollen—she'd probably spent hours crying over Emily's sudden departure after seventeen years.
But seeing this beautiful, poised young woman with clear, bright eyes seemed to soothe the pain in her heart.
Her real daughter had come home.
Mary quickly unlocked the security door. The hallway was narrow, so Sophia turned sideways to let her pass before stepping through the cramped entrance.
"Please, come in." Mary's face showed the first hint of a smile.
Once inside, Sophia took a quick survey of the space.
The apartment was small, with some yellowing and peeling wallpaper, but it was obvious this family took care of their home. Everything was spotlessly clean, and a small corner table held a glass vase with fresh lilies.
The lilies were in perfect bloom, filling the air with their delicate fragrance.
The environment radiated warmth everywhere, though she could hardly believe such a small space could house six people.
Mary poured a glass of water and handed it to Sophia, her manner somewhat reserved. "Please, sit. Have some water."
Sophia settled onto the fabric loveseat and accepted the glass with a smile. "Thank you."
Her attitude was friendly, yet she maintained a certain distance.
Hearing voices, the other family members began emerging from their rooms.
A young woman in her early twenties appeared wearing a plain white t-shirt and athletic shorts, her long hair damp and draped over her shoulders. Her wispy bangs softened her already gentle features.
A rare, round-faced beauty.
This was the Johnson family's eldest daughter, Evelyn Johnson.
From another room came a pair of brothers.
Nine-year-old Lucas Johnson studied Sophia with wide, curious eyes, though he seemed shy around the stranger.
Beside him stood James Johnson, tall and lean, with gentle features inherited from Ray's smooth lines, giving him a scholarly, refined appearance.
James was completely different from the two brothers from the Smith family, and Sophia couldn't help but be impressed.
She curved her lips into a smile that carried genuine warmth. "Hello, I'm Sophia."
Seeing no disgust or disdain in Sophia's eyes, only that friendly smile, Evelyn's pupils dilated with surprise before she quickly looked down.
"Hi, I'm Evelyn," she said quietly.
"I'm James." James ruffled Lucas's hair. "This is Lucas."
Unlike Ray and Mary's nervousness, or Evelyn's deliberate avoidance, James's manner was the most natural and relaxed, no awkwardness, no distance.
To Sophia, it seemed like James had simply given up hope.
Probably from disappointment over Emily's heartless abandonment, he'd never expected Sophia to truly accept this family either.
At the first meeting, there wasn't much to talk about, especially with everyone obviously intimidated by Sophia's elegant, refined bearing.
Time ticked by, the air seeming to grow thinner with each passing moment, creating an almost suffocating atmosphere.
Sophia had drunk half her water before finally setting down the glass and speaking in a gentle, warm tone, "I understand the Johnson family's situation now. Is there anything you'd like to know about me?"
The whole setup felt less like a family reunion and more like a business negotiation.
Mary's palms were sweating. She wiped her hands on her pants awkwardly before hesitating to speak, "It's getting pretty late now. Would you... like to stay the night?"
Sophia smiled radiantly, "I'd like that. And I will be, going forward."