"Feeling like Jason's treating you better than your own mom, huh? You better appreciate it!" Jasmine remarked with a teasing smirk.
Sophia frowned, "How am I not appreciating it? Wasn't I the first one to think of bringing him Aunt Wennie's fried lotus root balls yesterday?"
Jasmine's tone was suggestive, "You know that's not what I'm talking about!"
Sophia looked down, "Can we drop this, please? You're making our friendship awkward!"
"Fine, won't mention it! But tell me, it's already the 8th, why aren't you back at work?" Jasmine asked.
Sophia rolled her eyes, "I see what you're doing. First, you try to marry me off, and when that doesn't work, you push me to go back to work!"
Jasmine couldn't help but laugh, "I'm just worried you'll get too comfortable at home and end up with cabin fever!"
"Cabin fever?"
"Yeah, lazy fever!"
Sophia chuckled, turning to head upstairs, "I'm going to take a shower and change. I'll go back to J City tomorrow, and don't you dare say you miss me, because I might not come back!"
Jasmine replied with a playful smile, "Go ahead, stay or leave, I'll just adopt Jason as my son!"
"There, you admitted it!" Sophia turned around, sticking out her tongue, "I've always known you had a soft spot for Jason!"
Aunt Wennie, bringing over freshly cooked oatmeal, joined in the laughter, "Everyone else's kids always seem better, but it's just talk. What mom doesn't love her own child? Especially when our Sophia is such a sweetheart."
Sophia grinned, "Sweetness doesn't count for much with my mom. She's all about capability and looks!"
Jasmine waved her off, "Enough with the sass, finish your shower and come down for dinner. We won't wait if it gets cold!"
Sophia stuck out her tongue again and dashed upstairs.
Once she reached her room, Sophia's smile gradually faded.
The new year's work had already kicked off, and the studio was bustling, but she'd rather spend every day in video meetings at home than return to J City.
She knew all too well why she didn't want to go back.
After dinner, just as Sophia took a bite of her apple, Jason called, "Come over for a meeting!"
Sophia crunched on her apple, "What meeting?"
Jason's tone was indifferent, "Not working today? Skipping work?"
"I'm still on holiday break!"
"What holiday are you on now?"
Sophia nearly bit her tongue, "Then I'll join the meeting from home."
"Come to my study, we need to discuss something." Jason's tone left no room for refusal.
Sophia resigned, "Okay, I'm on my way!"
After hanging up, Sophia informed Jasmine, pulled on a light sweater with a down jacket over it, grabbed her laptop, and headed out the door.

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan)
Norah isn't a girl, but a twenty -five year old beautiful woman that loves Xavier Fleming/Gonzalez/Hanson....
Update 3103 hasn't been received and it hold pertinent information. Please fix it for us. Thank you....
This is great! I love the updates....
Now Xavier needs to call in the reinforcement, Gabriel and Jonathan to settle this. Thank you for the updates....
May we please have updates. Thank you...
Xavier will always protect Norah he must admit this to himself and Norah. I believe after they return from this , he'll need to approach Norah 's parents and he'll get support from Jonathan and Ella....
I like how you are getting all the different love interest committed, thank you for the updates....
Hoping Manly have his own love story here, atleast a short one...
Emily has finally stood up for herself. Now with Charlie's support, her mother and sister in law will be as quiet as church mice....
Another epic ten updates... this is great! I'm sooo enjoying this. Thank you for the updates....