Free Web NovelChapter 116: Chapter 117: The 1st Gift for Felix
"Tch. Why do you always want me to do your digging for you?" Renee Sinclair asked, puzzled.
Sonia Quincy raised an eyebrow, her reply surprisingly honest. "It’s a little embarrassing, but I have to admit I can’t compare to you in certain areas. Like power, money, and connections."
"Huh?" Renee Sinclair chuckled, amused by her words.
Sonia Quincy took a sip of the juice the waiter had just delivered, her gaze dropping to her hands. "It’s like you said, I’m the fake heiress who was kicked out of the Quincy Family. My reputation is in tatters, but more importantly, I have no money, no power, and no connections. I wouldn’t even know where to begin if I wanted to investigate something."
"But you’re different. You’re the heiress to the Sinclair Group. You have money, you have connections. What’s an impossible task for me is a trivial matter you could solve with a flick of your wrist."
"I can be stubbornly proud most of the time, but I have my moments of self-awareness. I know perfectly well I can’t handle this on my own, so I figured I’d make use of you. Our relationship might not be good, but at least it’s not so bad that we’re completely estranged."
"So you were certain I’d agree to your deal?" Renee Sinclair finished for her.
Sonia Quincy nodded. "You could say that."
"Hmph." Renee Sinclair lifted the mug in front of her and downed the last of her coffee. "You’re quite the schemer."
A faint smile touched Sonia Quincy’s lips. "Scheming and ambition have never been pejorative terms. Everyone’s selfish. If a person doesn’t even know how to be calculating, they’re simply a fool."
"Well said." Renee Sinclair set down her mug, praising Sonia Quincy with genuine sincerity for the first time. "Sonia Quincy, if we weren’t on opposite sides, I think I’d actually like to be friends with someone like you."
Sonia Quincy picked up her bag and rose to her feet. "I charge a protection fee for my friendship. You’re welcome to be my friend if you can afford it."
"...Huh?" Renee Sinclair knew she was joking but still couldn’t quite grasp the bizarre nature of her humor.
"I’m off." The deal was made, and she had nothing more to say to Renee Sinclair. Tossing out those two light words, she grabbed her bag and walked away.
This time, however, Renee Sinclair didn’t fly into a rage and shout threats at her retreating back as she usually would.
She beckoned a waiter over and ordered the same juice Sonia had.
The café’s juices were all freshly squeezed. When the waiter placed a full glass, wafting a sweet fragrance, in front of her, she could see plump bits of pulp bobbing up and down in the clear glass as the liquid swirled.
’It looks pretty good,’ she murmured to the glass. ’A shame I don’t actually like juice. Never have, never will.’
’Just like Sonia and me.’ Although she truly admired Sonia’s personality, their opposing positions meant she could never truly reconcile with her.
...
Everything went smoothly that day, and just as Felix Preston had hoped, Sonia Quincy returned early.
When she got back to the hospital room, Felix Preston was having his dressings changed. The doctor unwrapped all the gauze, large and small, and used forceps and sterilized cotton swabs to clean the blood and pus from his wounds. Then, he applied fresh ointment and re-bandaged him with clean gauze.
The process was slow and painful, yet Felix Preston didn’t make a sound. If it weren’t for his tightly furrowed brow and the fine sheen of sweat beading on his temples, Sonia would have thought he’d lost the ability to feel pain altogether.
"All done." After bandaging the final wound, the doctor casually tossed the forceps and used cotton swabs into a metal tray held by a nurse.
"Due to the weather, a few of Mr. Preston’s wounds are showing signs of infection. His family members need to be extremely careful when giving him a sponge bath. You must not let the wounds get wet, understand?"
Mrs. Preston nodded repeatedly. "We understand. Thank you, Doctor."
The doctor waved a hand and headed for the door. "Get some rest. If you need anything, just press the call button."
"Yes, of course," Mrs. Preston replied.
Then she turned to Sonia with a smile. "Now that you’re back, Sonia, I can head home and heat up dinner without worrying."
Sonia replied, "Go on, Mom. I’ll be here with Felix."
"Alright." Mrs. Preston picked up her purse from the sofa and left the room with a light step.
"Hiss... That hurts."
The moment Mrs. Preston was gone, Felix Preston clutched the wound on his chest, his brow furrowed as he cried out in pain.
Sonia rushed to his side. "Where does it hurt?" she asked anxiously. "Let me blow on it."
Felix shook his head. "There’s no point. I won’t be able to feel it through this thick gauze."
Sonia was suddenly at a loss. "Then what should I do? How can I help ease the pain?"
Felix didn’t answer. He just closed his eyes and tilted his chin up slightly.
’His intention was obvious. He wanted a kiss.’
Sonia gently pinched his lips. "How about I show you something? I guarantee it’ll work better than a kiss."
Felix opened his eyes, looking a little hurt. "What is it?"
"Wait here a second," Sonia said.
She walked over to the side table and pulled a small, palm-sized, perfectly square box from her shoulder bag.
The box was entirely jet-black, with only a minimalist logo on its lid.
Felix’s eyes widened in curiosity. "What’s this?"
Sonia sat on the edge of the bed and, meeting his tense and expectant gaze, slowly opened the box.
"...A watch?" Felix asked, surprised.
Sonia held the watch out to him, suddenly a little shy. "It’s a watch. One I bought for you. It’s not that expensive, but I guess it’s the first official gift I’ve ever given you."
Sonia had spent over a week picking out this watch. It wasn’t wildly expensive, costing just under ten thousand.
The watch’s overall design was understated, a perfect match for Felix’s reserved, steady demeanor. The dark metal band was on the wider side, but it suited the lean, defined bones of his wrist perfectly. The dial, crafted from meteorite, was both unique and captivating; even without diamonds, the entire face gave off a subtle, distinctive shimmer in the light.
The black-and-silver color scheme might have been common, but its exquisite craftsmanship and unique materials made it stand out.
Felix stared at Sonia for a long moment before reaching out and gingerly taking the watch. It wasn’t heavy, but his hand was, for some reason, trembling slightly.
"You... you got this watch for me?" he asked, sounding a little uncertain.
Sonia nodded. "I bought it for you, with my own salary. So... do you like it?"
A slight tremor entered Felix’s voice. "I love it. I really do. But... why a watch? Why not something else?"
