Second-Hand Embarrassment
Rina came up with an excuse and looked at Sonia with envy in her eyes. “You said that I’m the real
Rina because I did the DNA test, right? But my own father thinks you’re the real me just because he
watched your press release. Of course I’m angry about that.”
“I see.” Sonia arched her eyebrow, and she smiled disdainfully. “But you’re barking up the wrong tree
here, don’t you think?”
Rina snorted. “Who knows? You might impersonate me if you know about my father’s suspicions.”
“And why would I do that?” Sonia frowned. Is she stupid or what?
Rina bit her lip. “To bait my parents and take revenge on them.”
“You must think I’m stupid.” Sonia rolled her eyes. “Do you think identity theft is easy to pull off? Even if
I can pull it off, I can’t do it forever. Sooner or later, I’ll be exposed. You might love to be Rina, but I
don’t.”
Even though Sonia said she wouldn’t do it, Rina wasn’t happy at all. Instead, she was overwhelmed by
fear. She’s right. I can’t keep this up for life. Someday, I’ll be exposed. She doesn’t know who she is for
now, but she will someday, and I’ll be finished when that happens. Naturally, she feared that.
When Sonia saw her suddenly turning pale and horrified as if she had seen a ghost, she couldn’t help
but wonder.
What? I didn’t say anything surprising, so why the shock? Sonia tilted her head to the side, but she
didn’t think much about it, and then she left. She’s paranoid. Me, trying to impersonate her? How
laughable. Only a madman would come up with that kind of idea.
It was already five when she came back to the company, so she cleared her table up and got ready to
go home. When she was about to come out of her office, her phone rang, and she took it out. When
she noticed that the caller was Toby, she smiled with delight and took the call. “Hello?” Sonia had truly
fallen in love with him again, for she could get happy just from him calling her.
A gentle smile curled Toby’s lips. “Are you done with work?” he asked.
“Yeah. I’m just about to go home.” Sonia headed to the elevator.
“Great. I’m waiting for you at the parking lot. Just come over.” Toby rolled his window down.
Sonia stopped for a moment, for she was even more delighted. “What? The parking lot? Here? At my
company?”
“Where else?” He chuckled.
His voice was sexy, and it sent an electric current up Sonia’s head. She tensed up, and her throat felt
dry from all her lust burning within her. “Coming right over.” She hung up and hurried toward the
elevator.
Toby looked at the phone. He wondered why she hung up, then he chuckled and put his phone down.
When Tom heard him laughing, he turned around. “What did Miss Reed say, sir? You seem happy.”
Toby looked at the car park’s elevator through the car window, and he answered calmly, “Nothing. She
hung up.”
The corner of Tom’s lips twitched, but he said nothing. She hung up? You’re happy because she hung
up? Are you mad or stupid? He looked at Toby, who was waiting for Sonia to arrive, and he shook his
head. I don’t get men who are in love.
Sonia didn’t let Toby wait for long. She appeared a short while later.
Once she came out of the elevator, Toby stepped out of the car and stood beside it.
Sonia was wondering where he was parked, but the moment she turned around, she saw him standing
right there. He was tall, beautiful, and shining. He stood out wherever he was, so she didn’t have to
look too hard to find him. She waved at him and held her handbag tighter as she trotted over to him.
As Sonia came closer, Toby opened his arms. When she stood before him, she stopped for a while,
then she opened her arms while smiling and went into his embrace as they hugged.
Tom looked at them, then he clicked his tongue and closed his eyes. I’m not looking. I’m not looking.
Ooh, I’m so jealous.
They hugged for a while before Sonia stepped back reluctantly. Toby took his scarf off and wrapped it
around Sonia’s neck. She wanted to take it off and say she didn’t need it, but he stopped her. “Wear it,”
he said imperiously. “Your hands are freezing. You’ll feel better if you wear this.”
Sonia couldn’t win against his obstinance, so she wore the scarf, then she smiled at him. “I made you
this scarf, but I seem to wear it more than you do. I wonder if I made this for you or for me.”
“I might not always wear it, but I take it with me everywhere I go.” Toby straightened the scarf out.
He wasn’t lying. He took it with him at all times, and some of his employees even said he was too broke
to afford two scarves. Hmph. I’m not telling them that no scarf can compare to the one I have. “Let’s get
in the car. It’s warmer inside.” He focused on Sonia and held her hand, then they got in the car.
Sonia followed him quietly. When she came into the car, she realized that it was Tom who was driving,
not Toby. She said hi with a smile, and Tom turned around to smile at her.
Toby closed the door and told Tom, “Drive.”
“Yes, sir.” Tom revved the engine up.
Sonia put her handbag aside and looked at Toby. “How long have you guys been here?”
“Not too long. We just came when I called you.” Toby crossed his legs elegantly.
Sonia blinked at him. “You came just in time then.”
Toby chuckled. “It’s no coincidence. I know you. I heard you went out earlier in the afternoon?”
“How did you know?” Sonia was surprised, then she looked at him suspiciously. “Did you plant spies in
my company again?”
“No.” Toby shook his head.
Sonia didn’t believe him. “Impossible. How did you know I went out then? You must have planted spies
in there again.” Darn. I told him to take all his guys back and only leave the finance department’s head
for me. But now he has more guys in my company again?
“I really didn’t,” Toby defended himself again.
Sonia still didn’t believe him. Just when she was about to say something, Tom looked in the rear-view
mirror and said, “You got it wrong this time, Miss Reed. Mr. Fuller didn’t send any spies over. He knows
because Daphne told him. He called her earlier.”
Sonia paused for a moment and looked at Toby. “You called Daphne?”
Toby nodded. “Yes.”
“Why did you call her? You could have called me if you wanted to talk to me,” Sonia asked curiously.
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