When Sophia arrived at the restaurant, Samuel was already there.
She thanked the waiter for leading her to the table. As soon as she set her bag down, Samuel pulled
out the chair for her.
How gentlemanly of him.
Sophia glanced at Samuel and uttered, "Thank you."
Samuel touched his nose, feeling a bit embarrassed. "We're way past these courtesies, so there's no
need for such formalities."
Then, he handed her a menu.
Sophia's lips quirked into a smile as she took over the menu. After skimming through the dishes and
their prices, she remarked, "You're really generous, Mr. Schild."
The dishes were far from ordinary. Even though it was just the two of them, the meal would easily cost
Samuel three to four thousand.
"It's nothing. If you like the food here, you can always come back and put it on my tab," Samuel offered.
Sophia took a sip of her coffee and said, "I won't spare you the courtesy next time, then."
"You're most welcome."
Samuel was not at all concerned about the money.
Sophia proceeded to order several dishes and some soup without hesitation.
"This should be enough for the both of us. After all, it's just the two of us, and it's not likely that we can
finish it all," Sophia said.
Samuel nodded. "We can always add more later if needed."
Sophia smiled and took another sip of her coffee. "I'm guessing you didn't invite me here just for a
meal, right?"
Samuel let out a chuckle. "Sophia, you're a smart lady. I'm sure you know why I invited you out today."
"I've witnessed almost everything that had happened between you and Alex throughout the years. I
might have been hasty this morning and said some offensive things. Please don't hold it against me. As
you know, I can be quite forthright," Samuel went on.
Pausing briefly, he raised his cup of coffee as a token of apology. "I apologize for my blunt words this
morning. Just think of it as me rambling nonsense."
Sophia regarded him with a raised brow. "What if I mind?"
The response caught Samuel off guard, stumping him.
The atmosphere turned awkward as he struggled to find the right words.
Sophia, however, seemed entirely at ease.
After half a minute, she decided to let him off the hook. "I don't think I'm that petty, am I, Mr. Schild?"
Samuel hesitated, struggling to keep up with her shifting tone. He finally got what she was trying to say
and breathed a sigh of relief. "No, you're not petty at all."
As their soup arrived, the conversation paused.
Once the waiter left, Samuel asked, "So, you've forgiven me?"
Sophia removed the lid of the soup bowl before glancing at Samuel. "I wasn't angry."
She added seasonings to the soup, stirring it as she spoke. "I understand the bond between you and
Alexander. If it were me who had gotten into trouble, I knew that my friend, Katherine, would have done
the same as you and question Alexander."
Samuel hadn't expected Sophia to be so magnanimous. He even felt worse about his actions earlier in
the morning.
He cast a glance at Sophia and said, "Thank you. I was too hasty. It's been six months without news of
him. People have been telling me to move on, but I've never believed that he's gone. I know you think
the same as well. Besides, your presence at Odyssey really gives me hope to hold on. At least, I know
I'm not alone in this."
Samuel had never shared these thoughts with anyone else. Charles and Justin were burdened with a
similar sense of guilt, but such feelings were ultimately futile. After all, no one could predict what the
future might bring.
The news of Alexander's sudden mishap struck them like a bolt from the blue.
Everyone had their own lives to lead, and people came and went with such frequency that Samuel
knew it was unreasonable to expect others to remain fixated on the past, unwilling to move on like he
was.
Though Samuel might be somewhat careless in everyday matters, he could see the bigger picture in
important matters quite clearly.
Charles and Justin were more mature and level-headed than he was, and they were able to accept
Alexander's tragic fate far more quickly.
Samuel didn't blame them, but the thought of people gradually forgetting Alexander caused him great
pain.
However, he knew Sophia was different. She loved Alexander deeply. If it weren't for him, Sophia
wouldn't have joined Odyssey and thrown herself into such a hectic life.
Even though Sophia had never made her intentions known to others, Samuel could guess that her
ceaseless dedication to her work was an effort to protect Odyssey until Alexander's return, at which
point she could hand it back over to him unscathed.
However, after seeing the photo in the morning, Samuel knew it would incite a myriad of gesticulations
within the circle.
He was not in love with Sophia, and he didn't care if she liked him, but if Sophia had moved on with
another man, did it mean that she had given up on Alexander too, leaving Samuel the only fool still
waiting?
It was the first time Sophia had seen this side of Samuel. She pursed her lips slightly and said, "I get it."
Samuel exhaled deeply. "How is he doing abroad?"
Sophia did not wish to dwell on such a heavy subject. Seeing as Samuel had steered the topic of
conversation, she went along with him and smiled. "I think he's doing great."
After a brief pause, she continued, "Right. His name is Claudius Lenoir now. He has a fiancée named
Yasmin Lawre."
Samuel gazed at the smile on Sophia's face, uncertain whether she was jesting or speaking the truth.
I don't recall these ever being mentioned in the documents. Or have I missed out on them?
Samuel couldn't recall anything on the subject, but the question had brought on an awkward
atmosphere.
"Maybe that's not what he wants," Samuel remarked.
Sophia smiled without saying a word, leaving Samuel feeling like a square peg in a round hole.
Fortunately, the waiter arrived with a cart of food, providing the perfect distraction.
Samuel changed the topic again. "There's an auction later. Would you like to go take a look together?
An apology alone is not enough. Let me make it up to you with a gift."
Sophia was not in need of money. Hence, Samuel didn't think it was sincere enough to offer her a
simple monetary gesture.
It just happened that he recalled his secretary telling him an auction was taking place that day. With a
variety of items up for bid, Samuel believed there would surely be something that Sophia would fancy.
Sophia, never one to turn down free money, agreed to the arrangement.
After having dinner, the two drove separately to the auction house.
Sophia had received an invitation as well but had asked Yvonne to decline on her behalf.
However, since she followed Samuel there, she wouldn't have to pay a single dime for any items she
fancied.
With that thought in mind, the seemingly dull auction suddenly didn't seem so cumbersome now and
was worth her time.
There were ten items on auction that evening.
Sophia found herself drawn to two limited-edition designer handbags and a necklace among the
antiques and paintings. She had little interest in the latter, but the handbags piqued her curiosity.
After all, Katherine was an avid handbag collector, and these two bags were indeed hard to come by.
The auction was well-attended, and Sophia recognized many familiar faces.
She greeted them with a warm smile before taking her seat and examining the promotional booklet for
the two handbags' auction hours.
She spared Samuel no courtesy and handed the booklet to Samuel and said, "Mr. Schild, this handbag,
please. Thank you."
Samuel, intent on making a sincere apology, was not one to be stingy.
"All right. Got it."
Glancing at the booklet in his hand, he asked, "There's another one here. Shall I bid this one for you as
well?"
Sophia chuckled. "I'll take no reward when I've done no merit. I'll bid on that myself."
She was, after all, a woman of principle.
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