The Sister
950 Words
“Hmm, quite nice indeed. This estate truly has a charm of its own!” Walking along the shady path into the estate, they were first greeted by the spacious and bright hall, where ancient tapestries and gleaming silverware narrated the history and glory of the estate.
Sophia had just finished speaking when a low, magnetic voice came from the entrance.
“Ethan, you're a bit late!”
Sebastian Moran, clad in a dark green bespoke suit that highlighted his well-toned physique, clearly the result of regular workouts and strict self-discipline, made a striking appearance.
“I think I’m right on time,” Ethan responded with a faint smile, as he regarded Sebastian.
“Heh… whatever you say is right. Oh, isn't this the current superstar? Ethan, you should have told me you were bringing her; I would have prepared better!” Sebastian's peach blossom eyes curved with laughter as he looked at Lin Qianyu.
“Mr. Moran, aren't we a bit too formal? We've met before, and I've never seen you prepare for anything,” Lin Qianyu said, directly calling out Sebastian’s laid-back demeanor.
“Miss Lin, they say it’s bad form to expose someone, why are you so unkind?” Sebastian, slightly embarrassed being called out, laughed it off.
Laughter filled the air as everyone enjoyed the joke.
At that moment, Sebastian’s eyes caught sight of Sophia, who had been quiet until now. His eyes sparkled as they landed on her, like a flame ignited.
Sebastian quickly grabbed Ethan’s arm and whispered in his ear, “Bro, you're not being fair. Who's this beauty you've met? You never gave me a heads-up. And here you are, not just with a superstar, but also arm in arm with another stunner. This isn’t right!”
“That’s my sister,” Ethan replied, his eyes softening, as he jokingly punched Sebastian in the chest.
“Your sister? Where did you get a sister from?” Sebastian blurted out, surprised, but then his eyes widened in realization. “Your sister?”
“Yep,” Ethan nodded slightly, affirming.
“Hey, how come you never introduced her when we’ve been friends for years? You've kept your sister well hidden!” Sebastian exclaimed, his face lighting up with excitement.
“No need for that. When you came back to China, she was abroad. You never met,” Ethan explained truthfully.
“Come on, don’t just stand there, introduce me!” Sebastian wasn’t interested in Ethan's explanations; he grabbed Ethan and headed straight for Sophia.
Sebastian’s handsome face was beaming like a blooming flower.
Sophia found Sebastian quite a character, suddenly thinking the gala might not be as dull as she had thought.
Seeing Ethan hesitate, Sebastian couldn’t wait any longer and extended his hand to Sophia. “Hello, I’m Sebastian Moran. I heard you're Ethan’s sister. Great, now we’re practically family! Ha ha ha…”
“Huh?” Sophia was a bit confused by Sebastian’s implication.
Lin Qianyu burst into laughter at the side, while Ethan rolled his eyes at Sebastian.
“Sebastian Moran, since when did you become so eager to make relatives?” Lin Qianyu teased, clearly implying something as she glanced between Sophia and Sebastian.
Unfazed by the situation, Sebastian kept his hand extended toward Sophia.
Sophia smiled lightly and shook Sebastian’s hand before swiftly pulling back. “Hello, I’m Sophia, also known as Amanda.”
“Amanda? Why does that name sound so familiar?” Sebastian frowned, puzzled.
Lin Qianyu quickly jumped in to clarify for Sebastian. “Of course, it's familiar. Amanda is the Chief Designer of Vogue International Group’s China branch and has won the World Designer Award. And this lady is Amanda herself.”
Lin’s manner almost made it seem as though she was the award-winning designer herself.
“God, so you’re the famous designer Amanda! What an honor!” Sebastian exclaimed, surprised to learn that Sophia was not only beautiful but also the famous international designer Amanda.
This realization made Sebastian look at Sophia with newfound respect.
The group entered the gala, chatting and laughing. Sebastian, leaving Ethan and Lin Qianyu aside, treated Sophia like a guest of honor.
Sophia was somewhat overwhelmed by Sebastian’s attentiveness. “Mr. Moran, could you please be a bit... umm... less enthusiastic? Just be casual,” she requested diplomatically.
“Amanda, if you're asking for casualness, then don’t call me Mr. Moran. Just call me Sebastian; it sounds friendlier,” Sebastian suggested, completely at ease and climbing up the familiarity ladder.
“Ah?” Sophia was taken aback but quickly regained her composure. However, she wondered if they were too familiar for a first meeting.
Despite her thoughts, Sophia simply smiled lightly without further comment.
Sophia’s silence didn’t bother Sebastian, who led her around the room, introducing her to several notable business figures.
Everyone praised Sophia upon learning her identity as Amanda, the celebrated designer of Vogue International Group.
“Miss Amanda is not only beautiful but also incredibly talented and capable. It’s a pleasure to meet you!”
“Indeed. A woman like her is rare...”
“I’ve only seen Miss Amanda in the news, never expecting to meet her in person. She's truly stunning!”
Everyone agreed, and Sophia, responding politely, said, “Vogue International Group’s China branch is just starting. We have a lot to learn, so I look forward to guidance from all of you here.”
Sophia’s modesty won her even more admiration from the guests.
Given Vogue International Group’s formidable strength, the only entity in Hilltown City that could rival it was likely Scott Enterprises. These smaller businesses didn’t count for much in Vogue’s eyes, so Sophia’s courteousness was very comforting to them.
- Writer
