The moment Shawn laid eyes on Candice, an uncontrollable smile lit up his face. "Candy, what brings you here?" he asked warmly.
Candice hesitated for a moment, deflecting the question. "What about you?" she asked.
"Shawn needed to buy something for a friend and asked me to accompany him," Jessica explained with a slight smile. "When we saw you on the road earlier, I suggested giving you a ride. And here we are, it seems like fate has brought us together today."
Shawn playfully reproached Jessica, "Why didn’t you think of taking Candy with us when you saw her?"
"I had something to take care of," Candice responded.
Old Mr. Elysian shrugged it off cheerfully. "Are you done with your errands now? Care to join me for dinner?"
The three of them maintained a pleasant atmosphere, seemingly oblivious to anyone else around them, a fact Sonia noticed from the sidelines.
When Shawn and Jessica approached, they hadn’t even looked at her. The knowledge inflamed Sonia's animosity even further.
Despite her efforts to win over Alex's family, they always seemed to look down on her. Sonia couldn't help but wonder why they favored Candice so much.
A flicker of malice crossed Sonia's eyes as she suddenly called out, "Candice."
Both Candice and Shawn turned their attention to her.
Sonia managed a faint smile, her face pale.
"You asked for my help arranging a meeting with Xavier, and I've done that. Can you please hurry up and help me arrange a meeting with Alex? I have something important to tell him. Can you help me, please? You told me you no longer like him anymore but just want to get revenge on Aether Corporation. Whatever you do is fine; just don't hurt Alex."
Her acting abilities had always been superb, and her pathetic voice evoked sympathy.
Candice's eyebrow twitched imperceptibly as she calmly waited for Sonia's next move.
Sonia's gaze shifted to old Mr. Elysian, her expression momentarily painful. Her vulnerability was capable of tugging a person’s heartstrings.
"I know I was wrong before, but I regret it now. As long as Alex is willing, I'll do whatever it takes to make amends," Sonia pleaded as she bit her lip.
Candice followed her gaze, recognizing that Sonia had changed her target and was now attempting to influence Shawn.
Had Alex still not forgiven Sonia? Candice contemplated this for a while.
Jessica spoke gently, "If I remember correctly, Ms. Summers seamlessly jumped ship to Horizon Holdings after leaving Aether Corporation, right?"
Sonia was taken aback. "I had no choice. I still have my parents to support," she explained with a tinge of grievance.
Jessica smiled without saying a word.
However, Shawn's expression darkened. He took Candice's hand and said firmly, "Let's go, Candy. Let's have dinner."
Candice didn't want to engage with Sonia any further. She could sense Sonia's malevolent glare at her. It was best to exercise caution.
-
Jessica had already booked a nearby restaurant, an old-fashioned Clesian-style establishment perfectly suited to Shawn's taste. The dishes were ordered according to his preferences.
Shawn enjoyed fish, and there were several varieties on the table.
He smiled contentedly at Candice and Jessica before sighing,."Seeing you two makes me feel more at ease than being with those at home."
Jessica let out a giggle. "You're saying this because we haven't seen each other in years. If we met more frequently, you would find us annoying."
Shawn waved off her remark. Then he served Candice a bowl of fish soup and urged, "Try this! It reminds me of my days abroad. I used to crave it every day."
The fish was tender and smelled great. The addition of finely chopped parsley made it appealing. The pungent fishy odor hit Candice like a ton of bricks the second she stirred the soup with her spoon.
She covered her mouth and hurriedly left the room, finding relief only when she reached the bathroom, away from the fishy scent.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: My Mirror Image by Maybe Not (Candice And Alex’s)