Making coffee was one of the many things Sophia did not know how to do. She usually got her coffee from a local barista or any other cafe. Right now, she tossed Arthur a pleading look, trying to get help.
When he saw the despair in her wide doe eyes, he repressed the urge to sigh in frustration. She can’t iron, and she can’t make coffee. Is there anything she knows how to do other than talk back to someone?
“We don’t have a proper coffee machine here,” he lied to Emily after glaring at Sophia. “I’ll send someone out to get one for you if you’d like.”
Emily was more than aggravated now. “Well, how about tea? Surely, she can
bring me tea.” She was trying to gauge how important this so-called maid was to Arthur, and there was no hiding the fact that Emily hated Sophia’s guts. Hence, the former was currently thinking of ways to get rid of the latter and eradicate any good impression Sophia might have made on Arthur.
I have to make Artie hate her too. That way, if he decides to keep her, I can order her around as I like.
Emily knew she had to nip this in the bud before she ended up losing Arthur to some tramp maid.
At once, Sophia bustled off into the kitchen to make tea, which, thankfully, was something she knew how to do.
She had made the tea and brought the tray over to the couch, but just as she was setting down the cups on the coffee table, Emily asked, “You’re a maid, aren’t you? Where’s your uniform?”
Emily was immediately unhappy when she noticed that Sophia was wearing a nice dress, not to mention, looking really good in it.
Sophia’s eyes flickered over to Arthur as she said slowly, “I’ve only started work a month ago, so I don’t have a uniform.”
“Then I shall get one ready for you,” Emily declared with a smirk.
“There’s no need for that,” Arthur interjected. “Honestly, I find uniforms to be a stuffy concept.”
This made Emily choke on her tea. She began to wonder just who Sophia was to warrant such concern from Arthur, who was famed for being stoic, and why he kept speaking up for her.
“Thank you, Young Master Weiss,” Sophia said, then backed out of the living room. She had a feeling that her life here wasn’t
going to be all rainbows and butterflies now that Emily had moved in. That woman’s a jealous one, she thought grimly. Still, she would not have to suffer
like this if she could find that man’s. necklace.
Where could that family heirloom possibly be? She wanted to cry out in exasperation. Of all the people she could have a score to settle with, it just had to be an eccentric jerk like Arthur.
Meanwhile, over at the Presgraves’, Anastasia received a call from Lorelai that morning. Lorelai told Anastasia that she was desperate to design the perfect jewelry for her friend’s engagement and that she was wondering if she could drop by to have Anastasia’s input on the design sketches today.
Naturally, Anastasia did not reject her plea for help and invited her over to the house without hesitation.
At 4.00 pm that day, Lorelai drove into the car porch of Elliot’s villa. She walked through the front door and into the living room, whereupon she was greeted by Anastasia, who looked like a vision dressed in a soft-colored long dress. “Lorelai.”
“Mrs. Presgrave.”
“Please, call me Anastasia. Mrs. Presgrave sounds too formal,” Anastasia said kindly.
“I’ve been wanting to address you by your first name since the first time we met, but I didn’t want to offend you,” Lorelai explained. With a self-mocking smile, she added, “Our family’s really strict about formalities.”
“It’s fine. You can call me by my name when it’s just the both of us,” Anastasia said with a smile. She then proceeded to appraise Lorelai’s get-up today. The latter was dressed appropriately in an outfit that included dark academia elements with just an understated, feminine appeal. She was also wearing very light make-up that accentuated her delicate features.
Upon taking the sketch from Lorelai and giving it a cursory look, Anastasia praised, “There’s definitely talent here and creativity too.”
“Just sudden inspiration, I guess,” Lorelai said humbly, laughing. “I don’t have much time usually, what with business
investments and all.”
Anastasia highlighted several parts of the design that needed to be smoothed over and suggested several ways Lorelai could achieve it. The latter nodded delightedly and said. ‘You really are a professional. Anastasia.”
