When it was finally time, Sophia arrived at Hotel du Lac and stepped inside.
Celia was already seated at a table in the center of the room.
Her hair was styled perfectly, long and straight, falling neatly over her shoulders. She wore a glossy fitted top with a matching skirt, the fabric shimmering under the soft lights. A thin silk scarf wrapped elegantly around her neck. Her hands rested gently on the table, fingers folded gracefully.
From a distance, she looked like a gentle, sweet woman patiently waiting for a friend.
The longer she looked, the clearer it became — the innocence was an act. The wickedness in Celia’s eyes was hard to hide, no matter how carefully she masked it.
Ignoring the thought, Sophia walked over calmly.
Without offering a greeting, she reached the table, draped her purse over the back of the chair, and took her seat with unhurried ease.
She wore a short skirt and a fitted top, the long sleeves hugging her arms, a light jacket layered over it. The clothes weren’t overly expensive, yet they looked refined on her.
Celia’s eyes swept over Sophia from head to toe. The jealousy in them was obvious. People around the restaurant kept glancing toward their table, their gazes drifting back again and again toward Sophia, as if she carried an invisible magnet that drew attention effortlessly.
Celia’s jaw tightened.
The anger she had already been suppressing deepened. Still, she leaned back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other, and smirked.
“It’s good to see you’re not a scared little mouse, Sophia.”
Sophia tilted her head slightly, folding her arms across her chest, her smile calm.
“If you’re shameless enough to plaster your intimate photos with a man all over the internet,” she replied calmly, “then how could I not be brave enough to meet you in public?”
Celia’s smile froze.
For a second, the sweetness vanished completely, replaced by a flash of naked frustration. Her fingers curled slightly against the table before she forced herself to relax.
“I have an offer for you,” she said, adjusting her posture.
She reached into her handbag, pulled out a check, and slid it across the table toward Sophia.
“This is ten million dollars. Consider it compensation for the inconvenience of the past few months. You know Magnus and I have been together since college, right?” She leaned forward slightly. “Take the money. Leave Magnus. Let us be together.”
She paused, studying Sophia’s expression carefully.
“I’m sure you don’t want to stay with a man who is in love with me. Do you?”
Sophia stared at Celia for a long second.
Then she suddenly burst out laughing.
Her shoulders shook. She leaned back in her chair, one hand pressing against the table as if she needed support. Her gaze moved from Celia… to the check lying neatly on the table… and then back to Celia again.
“You’re giving me ten million dollars to leave Magnus?”
Celia’s lips tightened. “It’s more than enough for someone who has only lived with him for a few months. If you want more, then—”
“Are you stupid?”
Sophia laughed harder, tilting her head, her eyes bright with mockery.
“You’re offering me ten million to leave a man who’s worth billions? A man who earns more than that in minutes? Celia, do you not understand basic math?”
The calm mask on Celia’s face cracked. Anger flashed in her eyes.
