Jay and Soph finally flopped onto the velvet sofas in the lobby, looking like two soldiers returning from a long war with the fabric mountain.
"Oh god, I'm so tired... I think I'll be hospitalized,"
Sophia groaned, her limbs splaying out as if she had no bones left.
Jay let out a long, weary exhale, pushing a stray hair from her face.
"And why are you tired? You didn't even do anything instead of just chirping around, clicking pictures, and trying on dresses the whole time."
"Hey! Looking that good in fifty different outfits needs energy too, you know!"
Soph said with a shameless, wide grin.
"I'll never, ever help you again,"
Jay said, sounding genuinely annoyed as she sank deeper into the cushions.
"I know you will,"
Soph chirped back confidently.
Jay didn't even have the energy to argue; she just rolled her eyes and closed them, trying to find a moment of peace.
"MOMMMMMMMMMMMM...!"
The sudden, high-pitched scream made Jay flinch violently, her eyes snapping open.
"What happened? Are you hurt?"
Jay asked, startled.
But Soph didn't stop.
She took a deep breath and went again, even louder this time.
"MOMMMMMMMMMMMM....!"
The screeching continued until a sharp, commanding voice echoed from the top of the stairs.
"Shut up, Sophiaaaaa!"
Mrs. Watson appeared, walking toward them with a look of practiced patience.
"What happened? Why are you screaming like the house is falling down?"
Sophia scrambled off the sofa and ran toward her mother, her face twisting into a dramatic, pleading pout.
"Oh, my dear mom!
My beautiful, wonderful mother!
Please give me my credit card backkkkkkkk!
Iiiiiii cleannnnn theeeee wardrobeeeeee!"
Mrs. Watson raised a perfectly arched eyebrow, her gaze shifting from Sophia's messy hair to the exhausted-looking Jay on the sofa.
"You? I mean... you actually cleaned that disaster zone of a wardrobe?"
Sophia gasped, clutching her chest with both hands as if she had been physically struck.
"Oh god! Why didn't I die before listening to this? My mom... my own mother doesn't believe in my growth! The betrayal!"
In perfect, unintended harmony, Mrs. Watson and Jay rolled their eyes in sync.
Sophia immediately straightened up, dropping the act but keeping her hands clasped pleadingly.
"Okay, okay, Jay helped me! But the point is, the job is done.
The floor exists again, Mom! That's the only thing that matters for my poor, trapped credit card!"
Mrs. Watson let out a long, defeated exhale, unable to stay stern against her daughter's relentless energy.
"Fine, fine. I'll give it back."
Before her mother could even finish the sentence, Sophia lunged forward and wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug.
"Thank you, Mom! Thank you sooooo much! I love you! You're the best, most beautiful mother in the world!"
Mrs. Watson couldn't help but break into giggles, trying to push her daughter off playfully.
"Okay, okay! That's enough flattery. Stay away, you're getting hair all over my suit!"
Watching the two of them—the playful bickering, the genuine laughter, and the easy warmth of a mother and daughter—Jay's expression softened.
A small, bittersweet smile spread across her face.
Seeing the Watsons like this made the house feel less like a mansion and more like a home.
___________________________________
The warm family laughter in the lobby was suddenly cut short by a voice that made everyone freeze.
"Elena,"
Mr. Watson called out.
The name was spoken with a softness—a genuine, lingering smile—that caused both Sophia and Mrs. Watson to raise their eyebrows in unison.
Seeing Mr. Watson smile so freely was a rare event, usually reserved for successful board meetings or rare moments of quiet.
"Elena, look,"
he said, stepping further into the room.
"See who's here?"
Suddenly, a woman stepped out from behind him.
She moved with an effortless, practiced elegance—Ruby, the wife of the Chairman.
The air in the room seemed to sharpen instantly.
Mrs. Watson's expression shifted, the playful light from her moment with Sophia vanishing behind a mask of cold politeness.
She had never told a soul, but her dislike for Nicole ran deeper than just the girl's attitude; it was rooted in the woman now standing in her foyer.
Years ago, they had all been classmates. Back then, Mr. Watson had a deep crush on this woman—a crush that had eventually been crushed by the weight of reality and family duty.
His path had led him to an arranged marriage with Elena.
Though their union started as a matter of responsibility, time had turned that duty into something deep and steady.
Their love had evolved into a quiet, sturdy thing, turning their individual pasts into distant memories.
They had never been the type to loudly confess their love to the world, but the bond between Mr. Watson and Mrs Watson was undeniable to anyone who truly looked.
However, because those words were so rarely spoken, the sudden emergence of his "old flame" didn't exactly stir up insecurity at their age—but it certainly sparked a sharp, undeniable flare of jealousy.
Mrs. Watson straightened her posture, her hand dropping from Sophia's shoulder as she smoothed her suit.
"What a surprise,"
Elena (Mrs watson) said, her voice perfectly level, though her eyes were like flint.
"Oh, Elena! How are you?"
Ruby gushed, her voice hitting a pitch that made Jay's ears ring.
She lunged forward, catching Mrs. Watson in a dramatic, airy hug that involved a lot of cheek-patting.
"I'm top notch, Ruby. How are you?" Mrs. Watson replied, pulling back with the grace of someone escaping a spiderweb.
"I'm good too!" Ruby chirped. Her voice was oversweet, dripping with a dramatic flair that made Jay and Sophia exchange a frantic, wide-eyed glance.
Who is this lady? Jay's eyes screamed.
Looks like a walking nightmare, Sophia's eyes screamed back.
They both straightened up like boards as Ruby turned, her perfectly manicured hand reaching out to lightly—too lightly—touch Mr. Watson's shoulder.
"Oh, Mr. Watson! I came to know... Keifer is married now?"
"Oh, yes, Ruby," Mr. Watson replied, his smile widening.
Jay watched as Mrs. Watson's eyes narrowed into tiny, dangerous slits.
Beside her, Sophia winced, sensing the invisible lightning bolts about to fly.
"Oh, my bad," Ruby sighed, pouting her lips like a disappointed teenager.
"I always thought of marrying Keifer and Nicole to each other. They were just made for each other, don't you think? But now it's okay. What can we do? Fate is so cruel sometimes."
Jay felt a sharp, icy pinch in her chest. She looked down at her sneakers, feeling that familiar wave of "outsider" anxiety washing over her.
Mrs. Watson's jaw clenched so hard the sound was practically audible for both jay and Ruby's hand on Mr Watson's shoulder.
Without a word, she reached out and snatched Ruby's wrist, pulling her toward Jay with a brilliant, terrifyingly fake smile.
"Oh, Ruby! I completely forgot to introduce you to my DAUGHTER-IN-LAW!"
Mrs. Watson practically shouted the title, putting so much emphasis on it that it echoed off the marble walls.
Jay, ever the polite soul, stumbled forward.
"Hello, ma'am," she said softly, offering a small, shy wave.
"I am Jay."
Ruby gave Jay a scan that felt like a security X-ray, her smile remaining paper-thin.
She didn't even blink before turning her head back to Elena as if Jay were a piece of furniture.
"Oh, Elena, by the way... where is Nicole? I haven't seen my darling girl all day."
Mrs. Watson rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, muttering under her breath,
"I don't know. Hopefully lost in a forest."
"Did you say something, dear?" Ruby asked, tilting her head with fake innocence.
"Oh, no, no!" Mrs. Watson's society hostess mask snapped back into place.
"She's in her room. I'll send a maid to call her down immediately. I'm sure she's dying to see you."
Soph leaned so far toward Jay that she was nearly toppling over, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial stage whisper.
"Why does it look like something is... ummm... I lost my words,"
Soph said, tapping her chin with a dramatic flair and squinting at the ceiling as if the answer were hidden in the chandelier.
Jay just gave a tiny, helpless shrug, her wide-eyed innocence acting as a silent shield.
I'm just a bystander, her expression said, though her heart was thumping against her ribs.
"OH MOOOOOMMMMMIIIIIIIIII!"
The screech hit a frequency that likely alerted every stray dog in the neighborhood.
Jay and Sophia both flinched so hard they nearly knocked into each other.
Sophia didn't even try to be subtle—she jammed her index fingers into her ears, grimacing as Nicole practically flew down the stairs.
Nicole wasn't just walking; she was performing a grief-stricken daughter sprint, her silk skirts fluttering behind her like a cape.
"What a drama," Soph muttered, her eyes performing a full 360-degree roll.
Smack. Jay's hand landed firmly on Soph's shoulder.
"Ow! What?"
Jay pressed a finger to her lips, her eyes narrowing in a silent command to stay quiet.
Soph just let out a long, suffering exhale and folded her arms, settling in for the show.
Ruby and Nicole met in the center of the foyer and began the "Society Hover-Hug."
It was a marvel of modern physics.
They leaned in until their puckered lips—stretched into identical, extreme "O" shapes—were inches apart.
They carefully angled their bodies to ensure not a single thread of their outfits touched, performing little....
'mwah-mwah'
air kisses that sounded ...
"Weird," Mrs. Watson muttered under her breath, her face a mask of pure unimpressed judgment.
"Oh, my baby! I missed you so much!"
Ruby cried, clutching Nicole's hands as if she'd just rescued her from a desert island rather than a guest suite with a minibar.
"Mom! Me too!" Nicole squealed, her smile so wide and theatrical it looked like her face might stay that way permanently.
She blinked rapidly, trying to summon a tear that refused to appear.
"But Mom, how are you here? Is something wrong?"
"Oh, sweetie, I'm here to get you!" Ruby announced, her voice trembling with manufactured urgency.
Nicole's dramatic smile faltered for a fraction of a second.
"Why?"
"I know you wanted to spend more time with your... friends,"
Ruby said, casting a glance toward Jay that was as sharp as a razor blade.
"But your father and I are flying to New York tonight to visit your grandmother. And you, my darling, are coming with us."
Nicole's face dropped into a mask of pure tragedy.
She clutched her throat, looking toward the hallway where Keifer usually appeared.
"Oh, Mom! But I want to stay! I haven't even spent much time with Keifer yet!"
She shot a look at Jay that was meant to be intimidating, but with her lips still stuck in that weird pout, she just looked like a very angry goldfish.
"It's sad, sweetie, but family comes first. We leave in an hour," Ruby insisted, nodding solemnly.
"Yes, please, witch... go," Soph muttered into the collar of her shirt.
Nicole's head snapped toward her, her eyebrows practically retreating into her hairline.
She contorted her mouth into a strange, twisted shape—a mix of a sneer and a confused frown.
"Did you say something, Sophia?"
"No, no!"
Soph chirped, her voice suddenly sweet enough to cause cavities. She flashed a thumbs-up that only Jay could see.
"I was just saying... I should go! I mean, you should go! Because your Grandma must be missing you so terribly. We wouldn't want to be the reason an old lady's heart breaks, would we?"
Sophia turned to Jay, her eyes dancing with victory.
The "Great Nicole Invasion" was finally coming to an end.
Mrs. Watson, ever the perfect hostess, offered Ruby a quick refreshment before their departure, but Ruby had declined with a sharp, bird-like tilt of her head.
"Oh, Elena, I simply can't. I'm on a strict cleanse, and we are in such a hurry!"
"I would have been very happy if you had spent more time with us,"
Mr. Watson said warmly, his voice echoing in the marble foyer.
He watched with a pleasant smile as Ruby and Nicole marched out like royalty, trailed by two strained-looking butlers lugging four massive suitcases.
They waved their final farewells, the car engine purring to life outside.
As Mr. Watson turned back to face his family, the lingering, satisfied smile was still plastered on his face—until he locked eyes with his wife.
Mrs. Watson was standing like a statue of ice.
Her arms were tightly crossed over her chest, her eyes narrowed into dangerous green slits.
In a biting, high-pitched mocking voice, she repeated his words:
"I would have been very happy if you had stayed for long..."
Jay and Sophia stood frozen beside her, looking like two confused, unmoving statues.
They didn't dare breathe as the temperature in the room dropped thirty degrees.
"Elena, it's... it's not what you're thinking!"
Mr. Watson stammered, his confident Businessman persona crumbling instantly.
His voice took on a frantic, almost begging tone.
Mrs. Watson didn't offer a single word in response.
She simply turned on her heel and began a military-style march toward her bedroom, her arms still locked in place.
Mr. Watson was practically running behind her, looking less like the head of a household and more like a lost, panicked puppy trying to catch up to its owner.
"Elena! Wait! It was just a polite gesture!" his voice faded as they disappeared down the hallway.
Left alone in the massive lobby, Jay and Sophia stared at the empty space where their parents had just been.
Their expressions were a chaotic mix of shock, amusement, and pure bewilderment—so hard to read that even they didn't know what they were feeling.
Soph finally blinked, turning her head slowly toward Jay.
"Did we... just witness a murder-in-progress, or the start of World War III?"
Jay bit her lip, a tiny, nervous smile tugging at her mouth.
"I think we just learned that the 'CEO' gene definitely comes from your mother's side."
___________________________________
Ok buddies, hey buddies 😁, how are u buddies.
I know this chapter might be bit boring or seem normal and also as you all have expected (keifer's reaction) is not here.
But don't worry, just wait for Tommorow, Tommorow a new phase of their life is going to start.
So ..... Keep supporting, keep smiling.
Btw bye now, I'm too lazy to write more.
(U can skip this upcoming para too, it's just bakwas)
Btw yeah! It just came in my mind that my writing style has really changed means in a way like, I write long chapters, explain more, if you'll ever pay attention then you'll find the difference between earlier chapters and the chapters I write now.
Btw ok bye bye, take care ❤️
Love u 😘 😘 😘 😘 😘 😘 😘 😘