Sophia uttered those words in a calm and unruffled manner. However, the mention of the word "police" was sufficient to render the three women shuddering in fear.
The trio only made those comments out of jealousy that Sophia could take over Odyssey. Nonetheless, their remarks were baseless. If Sophia was determined to pursue that matter further and held them accountable, they would be guilty of spreading rumors and defamation.
That was not all. If they truly offended her, triggering Samuel and Charles to take action against them, their family businesses would likely be in jeopardy.
The market was already tough in the past two years, and even the allowances the three women received from their families had been reduced. If their families' companies were to face further troubles, the consequences would be dire and devastating.
"Ms. Yarrow, please have mercy and forgive us for spouting nonsense."
"We were just chatting casually. Please don't take our words to heart. We're very sorry, Ms. Yarrow!"
Gazing at Sophia, even the woman who had dared to argue with Megan earlier became afraid. "Ms. Yarrow, I'm a halfwit who has a habit of speaking without thinking. I didn't mean anything by it. Please don't hold it against me. I'm terribly sorry, Ms. Yarrow."
The three of them were genuinely frightened, as Sophia was now the most untouchable figure in the city.
Not only was she backed by her own considerable resources, but she was also supported by the Schild, Johnson, and Quail families. Not to mention, Sophia was also protected by the distant Dawson family. Under such circumstances, no one would dare to provoke her.
The trio was indeed accustomed to speaking without restraint. Unexpectedly, they encountered Sophia in person that day, prompting them to yield and apologize at once.
Sophia glanced at them nonchalantly, not wanting to bother pressing that matter further, so she merely uttered with a half-smile, "Gossiping isn't a good habit. Perhaps you ladies should think carefully before you speak in the future."
"You're absolutely right, Ms. Yarrow. We'll definitely correct our bad habit!"
Sophia smiled and disregarded them afterward. She turned to Megan. "Thank you."
Noticing Sophia wasn't paying them any attention anymore, the three women hurriedly scurried away.
Megan glanced at their leaving figures from behind, then looked at Sophia. "I didn't do much."
Sophia curled her lips into a faint smile. "I have some matters to attend to and need to return to the company. Let's have a meal together sometime."
That was the first time Megan had received an invitation from Sophia since they met.
Megan was momentarily dazed before regaining her senses and quickly nodded. "Sure. You should go. My friend is also waiting for me. We'll catch up next time."
That was a courteous response Megan had often said to others, but it was genuine when addressed to Sophia.
Now that she was more mature and viewed things differently, she was naturally willing to befriend Sophia.
Sophia nodded. "See you next time."
"S-See you."
Megan felt surreal as she watched Sophia's retreating figure. Why did I ever think Sophia was difficult to get along with?
While she was lost in her thoughts, the phone inside her bag suddenly rang. Megan was stunned for a few moments before recalling she had taken almost ten minutes to retrieve her bag upstairs. Casper, who was waiting downstairs, must be getting anxious.
She jogged toward the elevator while answering the phone, "I'm coming down now."
On the other end of the call, Casper told her the car was parked at the hotel entrance. Megan hummed in acknowledgment and hung up.
"What took you so long?" Seeing Megan walking out of the building, Casper opened the car door for her.
She bent down and got into the vehicle. It was drizzling outside, and the weather was slightly chilly. In contrast, the car's interior felt warm. She turned to look at him, her face full of joy. "When I exited the room after retrieving my bag, I ran into some people who were badmouthing Sophia."
He glanced at her. "I thought you didn't hate Sophia anymore?"
"That's right. I couldn't stand listening to them, so I went over and lectured them. Unexpectedly, Sophia was right behind them, listening to the gossip. Casper, you should've seen the expressions on those women's faces when they saw Sophia. They turned pale almost instantly. I kind of regret not recording their reaction on my phone."
He chuckled. "You're so happy just because of this?"
Sophia gazed at him and suddenly felt a little self-conscious. "Actually, it's not entirely because of that. Sophia thanked me and even mentioned we should have a meal together sometime. Do you know? That's the first time she's ever said something like that to me. I think Sophia never bothered giving courteous responses like that."
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