Chapter 8 Hugh

Sophia swallowed the food in her mouth before speaking, "Mom, I have a contract signing tomorrow. I won't be home for dinner. It's a pity because I really love your food."

"Sign a contract? Where? At a hotel?"

"Yes." 'With my ex, ' thought Sophia.

"It's okay. I'll have it delivered to the company when it's ready."

Sophia, "... Mom, please don't worry so much. How about the day after tomorrow?" She wanted to cry. 'What should I do?'

Sophia felt so fortunate to have such a kind mother-in-law! Wendy was much kinder than her own mother!

"You don't have to wait until the day after tomorrow. I'll bring it to you tomorrow. That way, I can visit the company!" Wendy had been to SL in Ascea but not to SL's branch at Zugrurg. She was curious about where her son and daughter-in-law worked.

"Ah? Mom, please, please don't. How about I ask for a leave and come back tomorrow afternoon for lunch?" At the company, nobody knew of her relationship with Colin. If Wendy visited, she would probably find out everything they were hiding from her.

"Why not?" Wendy hit the nail on the head.

Out of guilt, Sophia stammered, "To...tomorrow... I...I...will go to the...the cooperative company... for...for some work. Maybe...maybe... it will be very late when I return. I'm worried you'll have a wasted trip."

They were so busy talking that they didn't notice Colin was standing behind them.

Colin leaned against the door with arms folded, thoughtfully looking at Sophia.

What had this woman done to his mother? Why was his mother so nice to her?

What's more, why didn't he know about her trip to the cooperative company tomorrow?

"Mom, don't you understand? She doesn't want to eat your fish."

The two women were taken by surprise when they heard Colin. At his statement, both women turned to look at him.

"Why?" Wendy was looking at her son curiously.

Sophia's heart missed a beat, 'Didn't he agree not to make a scene in front of mom?'

"Mom, Colin was just kidding! I do want to eat any food you make."

"Oh." Wendy believed Sophia.

Colin mockingly glanced at Sophia, and then left the kitchen.

"Colin, have you had dinner yet?" Wendy stopped him as Colin was about to leave.

Colin turned around, "Didn't enjoy it. I don't mind eating more."

"Well, wash your hands and wait a moment. Dinner will be ready soon." Sophia and Wendy continued to speak while cooking. "I knew he didn't eat well outside. You should wait with Colin now. That way I'll finish faster. I'll teach you how to cook another day."

Wendy wanted to give the young couple a little space to grow more attached to each other.

Sophia nodded, "OK. I'll go out."

Sophia left the kitchen and headed for the living room. When she switched on the TV, an entertainment news was playing, "... Two popular stars, Leila Wilde and Hugh Moron, will perform the same costume drama again! Handsome Hugh and beautiful Leila respectively act as King and Queen. It would be interesting..."

Hearing Hugh's name brought back Sophia's memories.

'Hugh, how's everything going...'

Seeing her eyes were thoroughly fixed on the strange man on screen, Colin sneered, "Do you worship that star? Are you still a teenage girl?"

His cynicism brought Sophia back to reality. She threw Colin a cool look before pointing at the disappearing Hugh and said, "He is my brother! Also your brother!"

Colin was surprised. He looked at Sophia's serious face, "His last name is Moron, but yours is Bailey. I wasn't born yesterday, okay?"

"We were childhood sweethearts." 'We were closer than siblings.'

'Childhood sweethearts...' His eyes grew darker. Colin was not unfamiliar with what the phrase implied.

He pulled a long face and pointed at the disappearing Leila on the screen, "She is my sister. Also your sister!"

Sophia rolled her eyes and said, "Were you born yesterday?"

To think that he would be petty enough to copy her! He had to be kidding, but she wasn't.

Colin threw up his hands. Through the corner of his eyes, he saw Wendy arranging dinner dishes on the dining table. "Mom, please tell Sophia who Leila is."

"Oh, Leila had been in the same school with Colin since childhood. But they went to different universities. She was the daughter of Lieutenant General Wilde. He is your dad's comrade-in-arms..."

Hearing that, Sophia got a shock. How... campy.

A couple watching TV together should happen on another couple, albeit celebrities now, but who were once their childhood sweethearts!

She still remembered Hugh's feelings for her...

With a little frown, Sophia turned to Colin, "Please don't tell me Leila likes you."

He paused. Reminded by Sophia, he recalled something before university, "Colin, I like you. I don't want to go to the drama academy. I want to study business management with you..."

Looking at his expression, Sophia knew that she was right.

The corner of her mouth twisted. How campy!

"What? Does Hugh also like you? Or do you like him?" Sensing the possibility, Colin sank into deep thought.

"..."

Wendy came out again. Seeing the young couple with their thoughtful expressions, she asked, "Why did you up bring Leila?"

Sophia explained, "We've just seen her on the news."

"Oh!" Wendy returned to the kitchen.

After a while, she informed the young couple that a fancy dinner was ready; four dishes and a soup.

The young couple moved to the dining table. After washing her hands, Wendy returned to see them eating silently, "Colin, did Daniel say when you could visit Ascea?"

Their home is in Ascea but her oldest son often worked out of the country. It had been very inconvenient not to have the family together.

Colin swallowed a mouthful of soup, "Daniel doesn't care."

"... When do you plan to go back?" Wendy sat down beside Sophia.

He glanced at his mother and noted her expectant expression. He had planned to return to Ascea when he got married and after setting up the company in Ascea as the intermediate point of his several companies.

However, Sophia disrupted his plan.

He now intended to take advantage of his mother's absence, invalidated his marriage, and find a woman he could love before returning to Ascea.

"It depends." Not wanting to elaborate, Colin focused on eating.

In the evening, Sophia stayed in Colin's room. While she was brushing her teeth, Colin entered without knocking.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm used to being alone. You first."

Colin left after he saw Sophia brushing her teeth.

She ignored him, took a shower, and walked out of the bathroom.

Colin was attending to a phone call when he saw her in a pajama with a pig on it. He came over and tugged on her pajama.

Sophia was surprised with his action.

After hanging up the phone, he told her, "Please stop wandering around in such childish pajamas. I find it immature."

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