10 “We Need Her, Emily”
Alexander looks at Sophia suspiciously, a hint of curiosity in his eyes as he considers her interest in his ex-wife.
However, before he can respond, Emily interjects, her voice laced with defensiveness, “How is this any of your business or concern, Ms. Johnson?”
Sophia, growing weary of Emily’s presence and eager to distance herself from Alexander, lets out an exasperated sigh and turns to leave. But Emily reaches out, lightly grabbing Sophia’s arm, and continues.
“Alexander’s ex-wife was a mistake from the start. She has cost him millions of dollars that she in no way deserves. The woman is trash. She is not even worth still having a conversation about.”
Sophia shrugs off Emily’s hand, her eyes narrowing as she locks gazes with Alexander. “Could you please call off your attack dog? You clearly have no intention of answering my question, and I have important work to attend to.” A smirk plays at the corners of her lips as she delivers her biting remark.
Emily gasps, her voice filled with indignation, but Alexander swiftly interrupts her. “There’s no need for name-calling, Sophia. And I did intend to provide you with an answer.”
“Forget it,” Sophia retorts dismissively, her frustration mounting. Alexander, attempting to maintain a semblance of composure, responds, “I fail to see why you’re getting so upset. I agree that Emily spoke out of turn, but….
Cutting him off, Sophia’s anger rises, her voice escalating in volume, “To be honest, Mr. Stone,” she interjects, her tone dripping with sarcasm, “I couldn’t care less about your opinions or those of your friend.” She waves her hand dismissively in Emily’s direction.
“I disagree, Ms. Johnson. You seem to care quite a bit about my opinion,” Alexander retorts, irritation seeping into his voice.
Sophia opens her mouth to continue her retort, but Alexander interrupts her firmly, “And I expect you to treat my friend, Ms. Williams, with more respect than you have shown.”
Disgust flickers across Sophia’s face as she locks eyes with Alexander. But instead of responding, she spins on her heels and storms down the hallway.
“Thank you for defending me,” Emily responds wistfully as she watches Sophia disappear down the hallway.” She’s such a bitch.”
Alexander shoots Emily a stern look, silently admonishing her choice of words, before he quickly moves to chase after Sophia, determined to address the brewing conflict between them.
He reaches Sophia just as she frantically presses the down button for the elevator. “Why are you so mad at me, Sophia? I really don’t understand,” Alexander pleads, his voice filled with confusion. Regaining her composure, Sophia turns to face Alexander directly.
“Mr. Stone, I am not angry at you. As I stated before, I have no personal emotions toward you. You are simply a client. However, I do feel sympathy for your ex-wife.”
Baffled by her response, Alexander questions further, “Why, though? Do you know her? Unfortunately, everything Emily said about my ex- wife and our relationship is true. We were incompatible in so many ways. Our backgrounds and values clashed. She just couldn’t understand who I was as a businessperson and as a man.”
That is complete bullshit, and we both know it, she thinks to herself. The real reason was that tramp Emily. You and she were having an affair, and our three -year marriage meant nothing to you. Sophia’s anger surges, her thoughts racing as she gazes at Alexander.
“As a man? Maybe you don’t know how to treat a woman as a woman.” Continuing to press the down button, Sophia retorts with biting sarcasm.
Alexander grabs her hand; exasperation etched across his face. ” Sophia, I have to tell you, this ‘hard-to- get’ game does not work on me, so I suggest you drop it. Many women like to go down that route, but it’s not a great look for you.”
Sophia lets out a disbelieving laugh.
“Now see, a laugh is so much better. What do they say about getting more with honey than vinegar?” he quips, leaning in closer while still holding her hand. Pleased with himself, Alexander allows a small smile to cross his facelets a small smile figured her out.
Appalled by his actions, Sophia quickly pulls her hand away but remains close to him. She whispers, “I am beginning to think something is seriously wrong with you, Mr. Stone. You should probably consider seeking professional help.”
The elevator doors chime and open. Sophia steps into the elevator, her stilettos echoing in the confined space. She presses the hold button for the doors, her sapphire eyes locking onto Alexander’s.
“Mr. Stone,” she begins with a cold determination, “Let me make this very clear so there is NO confusion. You are a client and nothing more to me. The moment this case is over, I promise you, I’ll never think of you again. So please, do not confuse my disinterest with playing hard to get.”
She releases the door button, allowing it to close, but before it does, she delivers her final words. “Do not ever touch me again. Now, run back to your friend and leave me alone.”
After the elevator door closes, Alexander stares at his reflection in the polished chrome, feeling confused and embarrassed by Sophia’s cutting words.
As he stands there, a new idea settles over him. Determined, Alexander turns and returns to the conference room, where Emily is still sulking. He takes out his phone and dials Laura’s number. As Laura answers the call, Alexander wastes no time getting to the point.
“Laura, I need you to do something for me. Pull up my schedule for the past five years and also Ms. Johnson’s schedule. I want a detailed list of any and every time we might have crossed paths.”
Upon reaching the conference room, Alexander finds Emily gazing out the window, clearly pouting and waiting for his return.
“Alex,” she begins, “I really don’t see the need to chase after her.” Taking a deep breath, Alexander’s tone turns firm.
“We need her, Emily. She’s crucial to our success in this share’s business. If you keep saying things that irritate her, she might refuse to help, and both of us stand to lose a significant amount of money. Or have you forgotten about that?”
Emily’s expression softens, realizing the gravity of the situation. “It’s just that I…”
Cutting her off, Alexander’s voice holds a hint of impatience. “I don’t care about the reasons, Emily. We need her on our side, and you need to keep your mouth shut. Do you understand?”
Emily nods, her voice subdued. “Yes, I understand. I’ll be more careful. But still, I don’t understand why you’re so focused on Sophia Johnson.”
