Chapter 8
Sophia Sullivan hadn't done this kind of work herself in a long time.
During her time with Ethan Roscente, she rarely did any manual labor.
Even during the most difficult early days of his startup, they had a housekeeper who came weekly to clean.
She finished a bucket of paint and straightened her aching back.
She really had been spoiled these past few years.
She walked into the hallway to get the remaining paint.
She accidentally kicked over a bucket.
She righted it immediately, but some had still spilled by her neighbor's door.
She was cleaning it with a mop when the door suddenly opened.
Their eyes met, and both froze.
"You live here?"
"What a coincidence?"
They spoke at the same time.
Alexander Laurent looked down at the floor, then at the apartment behind her.
"You're the one who moved in today?"
Sophia hadn't expected such a coincidence either. "I guess we're neighbors now."
Alexander's gaze shifted slightly.
He chose this place because it was close to the lab and the university.
But why did Sophia choose it?
This environment was clearly unsuitable for a woman living alone. It didn't even have an elevator.
Seeing him stand still, Sophia thought he was bothered by the mess on the floor.
"Sorry, I'll clean it up right away."
She worked faster and soon finished.
On her way downstairs, she noticed a bag of trash by his door.
"I can take that down for you."
He didn't refuse. He turned and brought out a folding ladder from inside.
"This will make painting easier."
"Thank you."
The ladder greatly improved her efficiency.
She finished painting all the peeling walls by noon.
The room instantly looked much tidier.
She then went to a furniture store and picked out a sofa, a table, and chairs.
After some simple arranging, the job was finally done.
By the time she finished, it was almost dark.
Sophia rubbed her sore shoulders and looked around.
Under the warm yellow light, the formerly shabby little apartment looked brand new.
The light-colored cotton duvet cover on the bed smelled faintly of laundry detergent and sunshine.
A row of green plants on the windowsill thrived.
The beanbag chair and plump pillows would be comfortable for reading.
The space was small but had everything she needed.
"Not bad for a new place."
Olivia Lopez remarked over the video call.
"Your DIY skills are still top-notch. You were always the renovation queen of our dorm."
Sophia smiled. "Of course I want to put effort into where I live."
"Sophia, you're stronger than I thought. Starting over again so quickly."
Olivia had guessed part of the reason when she heard the address, but didn't say it.
"I'm glad you can go back."
After ending the call, Sophia felt a little wistful.
She had realized things too late, but it wasn't too late to make up for it.
Six o'clock.
She had been busy all day and hadn't eaten.
There was bread, vegetables, and oatmeal in the fridge.
She simply made some porridge and a sandwich.
When returning the ladder, she packed some dinner to bring along.
Alexander was revising data for his paper.
He came to the door when he heard the knock.
"Thanks for the ladder. I made some dinner. Please try it, if you don't mind."
Under the light, the girl's eyes were clear and bright.
Alexander was momentarily stunned. He took the bag and thanked her.
He went back to his study to continue revising data.
By the time he finished, it was eight o'clock.
His stomach was empty and aching.
He habitually picked up his phone to order takeout.
He noticed the package under the desk lamp.
Opening it, he found it was still insulated. The porridge and sandwich were warm.
He took a bite of the sandwich and paused slightly.
The smoky bacon paired with fresh vegetables, and the fried egg was cooked perfectly.
He then tried the oatmeal porridge. It was smooth, warm, and much better than takeout.
Alexander's eyebrows raised slightly, his expression of approval.
Her cooking was indeed good...
He soon finished every bit of the dinner.
...
Ten o'clock.
Alexander, returning from his night run, ran into Sophia.
She wore casual clothes with her hair in a bun, standing out in the crowd.
"Out for a walk?"
"Just finished your run?"
They spoke simultaneously.
Sophia nodded. "Yeah, and picking up a package."
He adjusted his breathing and walked beside her.
"The dinner was delicious. Thank you."
"You've helped me twice. I should be thanking you."
The sounds of children playing came from a nearby park.
"It's quite lively here."
Ethan's mansion was always oppressively quiet.
Alexander followed her gaze.
He had lived here for over two months but rarely noticed these things.
Remembering a message he just received, he spoke calmly.
"I asked my junior. Professor Eleanor Watson is currently resting at home."
"I'm visiting her tomorrow at ten. Would you like to come along?"
"Ten tomorrow?"
That was fast...
The thought of meeting her professor after six years made her suddenly nervous.
"Is there a problem?"
"No."
Alexander noticed her change in mood but didn't ask further.
He disliked prying into privacy.
They said goodbye at their doors and went their separate ways.
Sophia showered absentmindedly and got into bed, trying to fall asleep.
It started drizzling around midnight.
She tossed and turned all night, sleeping poorly.
She got up early, had breakfast, and waited for Alexander.
Ten o'clock sharp.
A knock sounded right on time.
She opened the door immediately, already ready.
Alexander was slightly taken aback. "Shall we go?"