My Mirror Image

Chapter 282

Sonia glanced at Alex nervously and said, “Lex, your mother arrived unexpectedly this morning. You

weren’t here, and I was at a loss. I think I might have upset her.”

As she spoke, she looked up, trying to read Alex’s reaction. For the first time, she sensed a daunting

presence around him and instinctively stepped back.

Alex’s face was stoic. The somber mood that had enveloped him during Helen’s visit didn’t lift but

appeared to intensify.

Candice nodded at Sawyer and then departed. With her extensive experience, she realized that it was

unwise to engage with Alex while he was in such a mood. Representing Burning Star Studio, she

couldn’t risk leaving things on a sour note with Alex.

Once Candice was gone, Sonia gazed pitifully at Alex. She asked Alex in a soft tone, “Lex, are you

upset?”

i

Sawyer couldn’t just stand aside. He interjected, “Mr. Elysian just got back from a demanding

negotiation and needs rest. Ms. Summers, maybe it’s best to let Mr. Elysian rest.”

Sonia’s face changed slightly. Her eyes became misty as she implored, “Should I not have sought

answers from Burning Star Studio? They’re responsible for your injury, isn’t that right? Or is it because

—”

Her voice faltered into a soft cry, pressing on, “You can’t let go of Candice, so you don’t want to

confront them?”

Alex looked down at her silently.

Under his intense and dark stare, which felt like an endless abyss, Sonia shivered and was

overwhelmed with a profound coldness.

In the following moment, the iciness in Alex’s gaze vanished completely. In a low, emotionless tone, he

advised, “Let Sawyer manage external affairs. It’s hot outside. You should stay inside the office.”

Sonia was taken aback. She swiftly understood Alex’s meaning and tightened her fists.

Alex was essentially urging her not to interfere with the Burning Star Studio situation. Clearly, he had

done this for Candice.

Her gaze to

fell. She couldn’t help but recall Xavier’s revelations about Candice and Alex’s history.

Disturbed by these thoughts, Sonia’s attention was drawn away from her distress when a text

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message appeared on her phone. After reading it, she bit her lip and stepped out to make a call.

Sawyer went upstairs and followed Alex back to his office. He hesitated to broach a subject.

Impatient, Alex prompted, “Go ahead and speak if you have something to say.”

Sawyer hesitated for a bit before saying, “I wanted to talk about this when we got back. This morning,

Ms. Summers called me, offering assistance with the Burning Star Studio construction

site. I wasn’t expecting her to suggest ending the contract. I learned of this only when Hanley

mentioned it, and he seems dissatisfied with the situation.”

Unknown to Sonia but evident to Sawyer, Aether Corporation couldn’t just sever ties with Burning Star

Studio due to the involvement of Blue Artifact and the government. Terminating the partnership would

reflect poorly on everyone connected to the project.

Furthermore, and maybe most crucially, Burning Star Studio’s prowess in Dorrington was top- notch.

Finding a replacement might not ensure the same level of quality.

The money Aether Corporation had invested could very well be wasted. Nobody liked to watch their

investments go down the drain.

The moniker of Burning Star Studio alone carried significant weight and allure.

“Is Hanley displeased?” Alex queried with a hint of detachment. “How is that my concern?”

Sawyer remained silent for a brief moment, then added, “My point is, Ms. Summers might not fully

understand the complexities here. I fear she might create more issues at Burning Star Studio.”

Alex paused before responding in a flat tone, “Aren’t you capable of handling such minor matters?”

Sawyer, touching his nose, admitted, “I was hesitant to upset her.”

Alex’s eyes narrowed as he peered at Sawyer.

Feeling the intensity, Sawyer quickly affirmed, “Understood.”

After departing Aether Corporation, Candice arrived back at the villa.

Both Nadia and Yana were there. There, Nadia and Yana shared the complete story about Shaun

with her.

Shaun came from a humble background. He never got along with his coworkers and typically stayed to

himself. He could not accept his dismissal. Therefore, Shaun considered apologizing to Alex in the

hopes of being able to return to Burning Star Studios.

Reflecting on the situation, Nadia remarked, “Shaun is not a bad person. Maybe the boss was too quick

to fire him.”

She turned to Candice for her thoughts.

Before Candice could reply. Yana chimed in with a smile and said. “You just said it yourself. Shaun was

cutting corners to save cost and time. It wasn’t his first time, but this incident involved Alex. What if it

had been someone else who got hurt next time?”

As she leisurely peeled an orange, Yana continued, “Moreover, old habits die hard. Why should

Hanley Jeopardize the studio’s reputation for one person’s mistakes?”

After finishing her orange. Yana suggested, “Let’s go out for lunch. A friend opened a new place

that’s quite good.”

Candice was still preoccupied. She replied, “I need to finish some work first.”

They agreed to wait until Candice was done in the afternoon to have lunch.

Upon arriving at the busy restaurant, they unexpectedly spotted Sonia and Xavier. What drew their

attention was the bouquet of flowers in Xavier’s hand. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Yana quipped, raising an eyebrow, “Looks like we’ve walked into something interesting.”

Candice gave them a brief glance before diverting her attention, indifferent to any potential

relationship between the two, as she wasn’t particularly close to either.

Nadia, on the other hand, discreetly snapped a photo of them on her phone.

Yana asked with a frown, “What are you doing?”

With a sly grin, Nadia responded, “Just keeping a memento.”

After Sonia and Xavier made their way to their private booth, Sonia peered outside with a

,concerned expression, as if sensing that she had been observed.

Noticing her action, he asked kindly, “Is something troubling you?”

Sonia considered being honest but opted not to seem overly paranoid. She dismissed it with a

shake of her head, saying, “It’s nothing. I just feel a bit embarrassed that you’re taking me out to

lunch.”

Xavier was well–groomed and presented a refined appearance. He offered the bouquet to Sonia,

explaining. “You mentioned you were upset because of a disagreement with your boyfriend. I came

across these flowers and thought they might cheer you up.”

The gesture surprised Sonia. She unintentionally blurted out, “He never gave me flowers.”

“What was that?” Xavier queried, pretending not to hear clearly.

+15 BONOS

Quickly hiding her moment of vulnerability, Sonia replied, “Oh, nothing. I really appreciate these

flowers. Thank you.”

Xavier returned the smile, both warm and courteous. He poured tea for Sonia with care and then

Initiated a casual conversation.

He probed, “What was the dispute with your boyfriend about? If it’s okay with you, maybe you could

share? As a man, I might be able to provide a different perspective.”