CHAPTER 156: CHAPTER 156: LONG TIME NO SEE

After confirming there were no issues, Sophia had Nadia prepare gift boxes for packing.

Beau Morgan stood by, watching intently, utterly captivated by the dress; after all, it cost two hundred thousand.

Normally, she wouldn’t be so extravagant, and if it weren’t for face-saving reasons when she pleaded with Zane Sterling, she wouldn’t have agreed.

But given the excellent results, she no longer dwelled on it.

Now she was just waiting for the launch celebration dinner to shine brightly.

At this moment, there were three knocks at the door, and Eve Reid stood at the entrance with a translator in her hand.

"Ms. Lowell, The Stevens are here, waiting in the tea room," she said.

Sophia looked at the small green watch on her wrist; they had scheduled for eleven-thirty, and it was only ten o’clock now, yet they had already arrived.

She smiled, "Please entertain them well and let them wait a little; I’ll be ready soon."

"They said they’re not in a hurry and will wait for you to finish your tasks first," Eve faithfully conveyed.

Sophia responded with an "Okay" and no longer paid attention.

Steven Torres?

The prince of The neighboring country’s royal family!

Beau Morgan was taken aback, undeniably shocked.

Steven and his wife have been married for two years, and their affection is like glue; they hate social climbers. Getting to know them is such an honor.

Now Sophia was actually making them wait?

If it really was Steven Torres, how could she afford to snub him?

Or were the Stevens they mentioned not the same ones she thought of?

Beau Morgan hesitated to ask; she had met Steven once when she attended an event with Drake Morgan but barely spoke due to the language barrier, only exchanging a few words through a translator.

You could tell at a glance if it was them.

After packing the dresses, Nadia carried the gift boxes, following Sophia and Beau Morgan downstairs.

"Manager Morgan, if you have any issues later, feel free to contact me." Sophia reached the downstairs hall.

"Thank you for your hard work, Ms. Lowell." Beau Morgan kept her composure.

"Ms. Lowell." Steven Torres led his wife over from the garden.

Mrs. Steven also greeted Sophia.

He wasn’t the type to stay still; he wandered around liking this Western-style decor.

Sophia turned and smiled, "Steven, Mrs. Steven, it’s truly an honor to have you here."

Beau Morgan couldn’t understand; they were speaking in the neighboring country’s language, leaving her shocked once more.

Sophia showed no fear when speaking a foreign language; her tone and intonation were smooth and fluent, as if it were intrinsic.

"Sorry, I was just too excited, so we came early to have a look around," Steven said.

Sophia looked at the translator nearby and said to her: "You don’t need to translate our conversation for others."

The translator nodded.

Steven understood this.

As soon as he finished speaking, Beau Morgan extended her hand to greet Steven, "Hello, Mr. Steven."

Only then did Steven notice Beau Morgan; he looked up and down at her.

Seeing that Sophia gave no sign, Steven forced a smile and shook Beau Morgan’s hand.

"Hello." Steven said this in Chinese.

He then retracted his gaze, showing no intention to continue talking.

"Ms. Lowell, why don’t you carry on with your work?" Steven asked.

"Please wait a moment; I’ll be right back after sending off this guest," Sophia smiled.

Steven and his wife nodded.

"Mr. Steven, do you remember me? I’m Professor Drake Morgan’s daughter, Beau Morgan," Beau Morgan introduced herself, her gaze eventually falling on the translator.

The translator translated accurately.

Steven hesitated, thinking it over but couldn’t recall; he didn’t want to embarrass Sophia’s guest in front of her.

"To be honest, I don’t really remember who Drake Morgan is. No need to translate this part; just say it’s been a long time." He responded blandly.

Sophia smiled contentedly.

Upon hearing the lengthy sentence, Beau Morgan, initially thrilled, was doused with icy water when she finally heard the words "it’s been a long time."

Steven didn’t want to converse with her; he exchanged a few words with Sophia and then left to continue his tour of the backyard.

Beau Morgan, watching their retreating figure, suddenly felt a sense of loss.

Sophia was having such a lively conversation with them, yet she couldn’t understand a word, let alone join in. The translator didn’t even glance at her, much less translate.

"Manager Morgan, shall I escort you?" Sophia noticed in her eyes an expression of unwillingness but helplessness.

"Thank you, but no need." Beau Morgan took the gift box from Nadia, planning to leave, when she suddenly recalled something, asking, "Will Professor Fumble attend the clothing design forum tonight?"

"Certainly." Sophia spoke frankly.

Hearing this, Beau Morgan realized there was still an opportunity; she must meet Professor Fumble.

The launch day was nearing, keeping her anxious.

Just as she was about to go, Zane Sterling and Ethan Sinclair entered.

"Mr. Sterling." Beau Morgan greeted.

"Hmm." Zane Sterling responded indifferently.

"Why are you here so early?" Sophia beamed like a flower.

"Picking my wife up from work; must be early." He approached and gently pinched her palm.

Ethan Sinclair frowned, a hint of disdain in his demeanor.

After surveying the place, he noticed Hugh Irving was not in the studio.

It had been a while since he set a meeting with her, leaving him quite restless.

"You might have to wait a bit; Steven just arrived. Want to wait for him?" Sophia asked.

"No problem." Zane looked at Ethan, who immediately started making dinner reservations.

Beau Morgan paused, reflecting for a while before finally bringing up a topic, "Mr. Sterling, I received the dress today; thank you."

She glanced at Sophia after speaking.

Sophia showed no particular expression but reached out to adjust Zane’s tie.

Zane glanced at Beau Morgan, as if just realizing her presence.

He spoke softly, "No need, but better transfer that two hundred thousand to the finance account soon. Since the money came from the public account, don’t delay too long; finance needs to reconcile."

Beau Morgan didn’t expect Zane to mention this so bluntly, her face turning dark instantly.

"Alright, Mr. Sterling."

Not wanting to linger and face further embarrassment, she left on her own.

Sophia went to the backyard to entertain The Stevens.

Ethan and Zane leisurely brewed and drank tea in the tea room.

"I told you to find two assistants; why is it taking so long?" Zane frowned.

Ethan lazily replied, "To meet my standards, there’s no second one around the world."

Charles Sinclair bought Sterling Group stocks and invested heavily, making Ethan a minor shareholder of the company.

Recently, Ethan accompanied Zane to social engagements, delving into company management, reviewing proposals, making decisions...

He felt overwhelmed, thinking being an assistant was much simpler.

He suddenly realized that Zane’s mind is genuinely exceptional.

Ethan felt his hairline receding.

But Charles just wouldn’t let Ethan be at ease.

He believed Ethan’s inability to win over Hugh was not just due to his nonchalant demeanor but also because his assistant status didn’t match her as a top designer.

Charles thought that teaming up with a designer like Hugh in bed already exhausted all of Ethan’s luck, and he needed to back his son.

As for Hugh, she didn’t dare see him either, feeling that this relationship had to end.

The dream of marrying into a wealthy family was not hers to dream.