#67 “I’d Like to Leave this Watch for Maintenance.”
Sophia’s laughter echoed through the upscale boutique as Evelyn’s excitement reached a crescendo. Evelyn’s enthusiasm was infectious, and Sophia couldn’t help but share in the moment. She twirled in front of the mirror, admiring the stunning red dress that clung to her curves in all the right places.
“You have to buy this dress! Evelyn squealed, her voice not matching the hushed ambiance of the boutique.
Sophia laughed and motioned for her to be quieter. She took another look in the mirror and nodded her approval. She had fallen in love with the dress at first sight.
It was simple, yet its cut was such that it perfectly outlined her body. A blood- red long dress with a daring slit running down to her thigh. There were no straps, and the top resembled a corset, expertly tailored to fit her bust like a glove.
Evelyn continued her enthusiastic appraisal, her words now in a slightly lower, more appropriate tone. “If you don’t buy this dress, I will kill you. You look absolutely stunning and incredibly sexy.”
Sophia considered herself in the mirror once more, her eyes sparkling with a newfound confidence. “Maybe if I tie my hair up, with a few loose strands falling to the side…” She lifted her hair as if experimenting with the look.
“Divine,” Evelyn nodded approvingly. She had taken the role of Sophia’s personal stylist and it seemed like the dress hunt had come to a successful conclusion.
Evelyn, still brimming with enthusiasm, moved around the store and selected a small bag in the same captivating shade of red. She held it up next to Sophia’s dress, her eyes dancing with delight. “There, it’s complete,” she declared.
Sophia gazed at her friend with a warm smile. “So, it’s settled. This is the dress, 11 she affirmed, her excitement now matching Evelyn’s. With the dress and accessories chosen, Sophia couldn’t wait to make her appearance at the concert and celebrate the music she loved so dearly.
Sophia bought the dress and the two headed to a secondhand jewelry store on the corner of the street. Sophia didn’t need jewelry, but they offered the best cleaning and restoration services in town, and she wanted to take advantage.
The moment the girls entered the store, Sophia froze at the door. Inside were Megan and Alexander. They were looking at jewelry. Sophia instantly frowned, wondering if there wasn’t a place in this city where the two of them weren’t.
Evelyn looked at Sophia and immediately caught the change in her mood. The two had laughed until a few minutes ago, and now Sophia had completely put on the mask of indifference.
They went inside with a quick greeting to Megan and Alexander, Sophia hoping she wouldn’t have to talk to them. Meghan, however, had other plans. The moment she saw her she squealed theatrically.
“Oh Sophia, hello sweetie,” Megan exclaimed with a pitch that could rival an opera diva’s.
With a coy smile that didn’t escape Sophia’s watchful eye, Megan initiated the conversation. “Oh, what a delightful coincidence, all of us meeting here,”
Sophia’s guard was up, but she played along with civility, nodding politely. ” Indeed, quite the coincidence.”
Evelyn, ever the peacemaker, tried to keep the conversation flowing. “So, what brings you two here today?”
Megan couldn’t resist the urge to boast, her eyes gleaming with sly intention. “Well, you see, we were just selecting a little something special for Alexander’s mother. A token of our appreciation for her upcoming birthday concert.”
Sophia’s indifference was thinly veiled as she responded, “That’s thoughtful of you.”
Megan took the opportunity to display her gift-a dazzling diamond necklace that seemed to sparkle with the light of a thousand stars. She held it up, allowing it to catch the store’s ambient glow.
“Isn’t it simply exquisite?” Megan gushed, though her words had an air of artificiality. “I thought it would be the perfect gesture of our affection for Caroline.”
Sophia observed the necklace, its ostentation, and opulence practically shouting for attention. It was a piece that didn’t seem to convey genuine sentiment but rather an attempt to impress. Sophia’s voice retained its polite neutrality as she remarked, “It’s certainly… elaborate.”
Megan’s curiosity seemed relentless as she probed into their plans. “Well, I see you girls have been shopping. Any special occasion?”
Evelyn, eager to share their exciting news, began, “Actually, we’re going to a concert too, Oliver invited us to…”
But before Evelyn could finish her sentence, Megan cut in with another theatrical exclamation. “Don’t tell me you’re going to be at the birthday party too!” Her eyes sparkled with an almost mischievous delight. “Oliver, the musician, said he’d be there.”
Sophia couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at the timing of it all. “Could be a coincidence,” she suggested, though her tone hinted at skepticism.
Megan, however, was quick to present her case. “The birthday is in two days,” she pointed out with a knowing smile. Evelyn chimed in, confirming their concert plans. “And then there’s the concert we’re invited to.”
Sophia, recognizing the inescapable reality of the situation, sighed and forced a smile. “Apparently, we’re all headed to the same place.” Despite her reservations, it seemed fate had other plans, intertwining their paths once more.
As the conversation continued, Megan’s tone shifted to one of self- importance. She leaned in slightly, her words dripping with an air of exclusivity. “Oh, you simply must attend the after-party as well,” she announced with a triumphant smile. ” It’s exclusively for close friends of the Stone family.”
Sophia, however, was quick to maintain her air of indifference. “Well, I’m not exactly acquainted with the Stone family, so I suppose it doesn’t matter whether I’m invited or not.” Her words were carefully chosen, conveying that she was not overly concerned about social events within Alexander’s world.
Megan’s smile wavered for a moment as Sophia’s response seemed to catch her off guard. It was clear that Sophia wasn’t easily impressed by status or exclusivity, and Megan’s attempt to flaunt her connections had little effect.
Alexander, who had been relatively quiet during the exchange, suddenly spoke up. “Speaking of the party, I have something I need to pick up.” He nodded to the store clerk, who had been patiently waiting nearby.
The clerk handed him a small, inconspicuous package, which he discreetly pocketed without showing its contents to anyone. It was his family’s heirloom bracelet, a piece that had been passed down through generations, and his mother intended to wear it at the concert.
As the conversation shifted away from Megan’s boasting, Sophia decided to seize the moment and approached the store clerk, a kind-faced elderly man who appeared to have decades of experience with watches.
“Excuse me, ,” she began, “I’d like to leave this watch for maintenance.”
Sophia gently placed a worn, vintage watch on the counter. Its leather strap was faded, and its casing showed signs of age.
Megan couldn’t resist a mocking comment, her tone condescending. ” Oh my, that watch looks positively ancient. Are you sure it’s worth the trouble, dear?”
Sophia, unperturbed by Megan’s mockery, responded with a smile, ” This watch has sentimental value to me. I’d like to have it restored.”
Alexander, who had been silently observing the exchange, felt a strange sense of recognition when he caught a glimpse of the watch. Memories from his childhood flooded back, and he suddenly realized where he had seen it before.
After Sophia had left the store, Megan and Alexander found themselves lingering near the counter, unknowingly within earshot of the store clerk. The two overheard the store clerk and another customer, who had come to collect a meticulously cleaned vintage Rolex, engaged in a conversation that left them dumbfounded.
The store clerk chuckled heartily as he shared a piece of watch history with the other customer. “You see, appearances can be deceiving. That young lady who just left has an impeccable taste in watches. The one she brought in for maintenance is a limited edition Patek Philippe from the 1940s. It features a gold and diamond mechanism and is valued at well over six million dollars.”
Megan’s jaw dropped, and her eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn’t fathom how a lawyer like Sophia, whom she had previously underestimated, could possess such wealth. Her mind raced with questions about Sophia’s true identity and background.
Meanwhile, Alexander’s thoughts were in a whirlwind. He remembered seeing the very same watch in his grandfather’s study when he was a child. The implications of this newfound information left him in a state of astonishment, realizing that there was far more to Sophia than met the eye.
