My Mirror Image by Maybe Not (Candice And Alex’s) novel Chapter 305

Xavier saw the searing animosity in Sonia's eyes, but he chose not to react. Instead, he feigned ignorance and asked, "What's wrong? Why do you look so upset all of a sudden?" He gently checked Sonia's forehead and asked, "Do you have a fever again?"

The close encounter, coupled with the warm scent of cologne from Xavier, engulfed Sonia.

She stared at Xavier in bewilderment before acting tough. She shook her head and insisted, "I'm all right."

Xavier's worry deepened. He naturally cradled Sonia in his arms and spoke softly to reassure her. "Silly girl, you know you can confide in me if anything's troubling you, can't you?"

Sonia's hold on her phone tightened as she became aware of her surroundings, filled with the unfamiliar scent of Xavier. Her initial impulse was to push Xavier away, but he grasped her tightly. After resisting for a minute, Sonia chose to find solace in his arms and began to weep softly.

-

Upon her departure from Aether Corporation, Candice headed directly to the villa. The villa was quiet, with only Yana present, as everyone else had braved the rain to continue work at the construction site.

Candice greeted Yana and planned to retreat to the study to catch up on work. Afterward, she made her way to the study to tackle the fresh assignments that Jessica had given her the previous night.

Yana was engaged in a video game on the sofa. She looked up and asked Candice, "Which hotel did you end up staying at last night?"

Dumbfounded, her heart pounded furiously with that question. "What?"

"Hanley mentioned the rain was too severe for you to head home, so you stayed at a hotel? I was hoping to chat with you last night," Yana said, puzzled. "What's wrong? Weren't you at the hotel last night?"

Candice maintained her composure, responding smoothly, "Yes, I stayed at a hotel."

Acknowledging with a simple, "Oh," Yana returned to her game, and Candice proceeded to the study.

-

Later, as Candice emerged from her work-focused solitude, the downpour had subsided to a gentle drizzle. Hanley and the rest had just returned, and Yana had arranged for a lavish spread of takeout.

"What's the occasion?" Ryan asked upon seeing the feast.

"It's Hanley's birthday," Yana answered nonchalantly.

Candice paused. She noticed that Hanley had completely omitted to mention the fact.

"What's wrong?" Yana asked, noticing Candice's sudden change in demeanor.

Candice frowned, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I had no idea that his birthday was today. I don’t have a gift for him."

"Geez! Don't worry about it," Yana reassured her with a chuckle. "Hanley doesn't really make a big deal about his birthday. Just think of it as enjoying a special meal together."

Ryan caught on and soothed, "Honestly, our boss rarely makes a fuss about his birthday, which is probably why it slipped all of our minds."

The conversation hinted at a deeper reason behind Hanley's indifference toward his birthday celebrations, but before Candice could delve deeper, Hanley made his entrance.

When he saw the feast spread out on the dining table, he cocked an eyebrow. "Why all the extravagance?"

"See?" Yana nudged Candice with a resigned expression.

"It's your birthday, Boss," Ryan chimed in, trying to jog his memory.

Hanley lifted his eyes and appeared disinterested.

Their dinner proceeded much like any other day, with design discussions between Ryan and Hanley and with Nadia sometimes adding in. Candice silently savored her meal until Nadia called her.

"What is it?" Candice asked, looking up.