Sonia Quincy's design sketch caught the eye of a local studio, but they didn't believe the design was her original work. This was because Sonia Quincy's professional alias had zero recognition in Aethelburg; you could even say she was a complete unknown.
To prove the design was hers and to close the deal, Sonia arranged to meet the person in charge of the studio at a coffee shop the next day. The representative promised that if Sonia could prove she was the true author of the design, they would raise the price to her desired amount.
Sonia Quincy had no reason to refuse.
Carrying her laptop and a thermal lunch box, she arrived at the coffee shop's entrance on time. As she looked up, she saw her husband, who hadn't come home last night.
Before leaving, Sonia had sent Felix Preston a message. Felix replied that he was still busy with work and told Sonia not to worry.
Sonia had obediently not worried, but she never expected to run into Felix Preston here.
Through the glass door, Sonia could see Felix Preston clearly. He was sitting at a table by the window, engaged in a cheerful conversation with the woman across from him.
The woman was stunning and possessed an air of grandeur. Her long, wavy hair was casually draped over her shoulders. Her palm-sized face was adorned with exquisite makeup, and every frown and smile exuded charm.
Felix Preston sat leisurely across from her, his handsome profile exuding an otherworldly aura. A pair of simple, rimless glasses rested on the bridge of his nose, accentuating his cold, exceptional demeanor. He and the woman looked like a match made in heaven.
Sonia Quincy stood at the entrance of the coffee shop, staring intently at the woman, and had a vague guess as to her identity.
'Renee Sinclair, Felix Preston's canonical love interest from the original novel, the only daughter of the Sinclair Group.'
In the original novel's plot, after the villainess had an abortion and divorced Felix Preston, Renee Sinclair appeared by his side.
She didn't mind that Felix Preston had fallen from grace, and she used nearly all of the Sinclair Group's resources to help him make a comeback.
With her companionship and support, Felix Preston quickly got back on his feet. Moreover, in a very short time, he defeated a host of competitors and leaped to become the richest man in Aethelburg.
On the day he achieved fame and success, Felix Preston proposed to Renee Sinclair in public. Blushing, Renee let Felix personally place the engagement ring on her finger.
From then on, the two lived a blissful and shamelessly affectionate life together.
Sonia Quincy vaguely remembered that while the novel was being serialized, the "Felix-Renee" ship was far more popular than the main male and female leads. Many fans of the pairing, desperate for more content, took it upon themselves to write dozens of fanfictions about the two.
Every single one was incredibly steamy! Sonia once had the misfortune of reading a few, and they were so explicit they made her feel like she needed to wash her eyes out.
BZZT—BZZT—
The sudden buzz of a notification pulled Sonia from her wandering thoughts. Sonia took a deep breath, pretended she hadn't seen anything, and pushed open the coffee shop door to walk inside.
Felix Preston had his back to the entrance and didn't know Sonia had arrived. But Renee Sinclair had sharp eyes and spotted Sonia with just a casual glance toward the door.
But she said nothing. She quickly averted her gaze and continued to chat idly with Felix Preston about everything and nothing.
When Sonia Quincy arrived, the representative had already ordered coffee.
"I wasn't sure what you like to drink, so I got you a latte. If you don't like it, you can get something else."
The sharp, capable woman pushed the coffee in front of Sonia, a hint of a smile in her voice as she spoke.
"I'm sorry." Sonia's hand, which was under the table, touched her lower abdomen. "I'm pregnant, so I can't drink coffee."
"...Pregnant?" The woman was taken aback and sized up Sonia in disbelief. "You look so young, and you're already pregnant?"
Sonia Quincy smiled. "I got married rather early."
"Oh... I see." The woman quickly composed herself and raised her hand to call a waiter over. "Hello, could you bring this lady a glass of orange juice?"
The waiter noted the table number and the order, then turned and quickly walked away.
Only then did the woman introduce herself. "My surname is Jennings. I'm probably five or six years older than you, so you can call me Ms. Jennings."
Sonia Quincy took the initiative to extend her hand and shake Mina Jennings'. "Hello, Ms. Jennings. I'm Bloom Preston."
"Bloom Preston?" Mina Jennings was amused by the name. "Is that your real name or your online handle?"
Sonia Quincy: "...Online handle."
Mina Jennings: "Then what's your real name?"
"..." Sonia Quincy fell silent. 'The villainess's reputation in Aethelburg is just too awful. I'm afraid if I say my name, I'll scare Mina Jennings right off.'
Mina Jennings saw her hesitation and offered a reassuring smile. "It's alright, you can just tell me your name. Our studio requires the author's real identification for contracts and payments. If we end up reaching an agreement in a bit, you'll have to tell me anyway, won't you?"
Sonia Quincy raised an eyebrow. "...That's true."
Before she transmigrated, she had sold quite a few designs, so she knew she couldn't hide her name even without Mina Jennings' reminder. She had only given her online handle during the introduction simply because she was afraid the name "Sonia Quincy" would immediately torpedo the deal.
But now that the topic was out in the open, she had to be honest, no matter how scared she was. She looked Mina Jennings straight in the eye, enunciating each of the following words with perfect clarity.
"Bloom Preston is my online handle. My real name is Sonia Quincy."
"Sonia Quincy?"
As expected, Mina Jennings' expression changed the moment she heard the name.
"You..." She scrutinized Sonia's face, her expression cracking slightly. "You can't be *that* Sonia Quincy, can you? The one who was kicked out of the Quincy Family?"
"Yes," Sonia admitted without hesitation.
"Oh my god..." Mina Jennings was incredulous. "It really is you. A-Are you selling design sketches to make money because the Preston Family went bankrupt and you've fallen on hard times?"
Sonia: "Yes. But I don't think that has much to do with the purpose of our meeting today."
"Ms. Jennings, you're here to buy a design, and I'm here to sell one. Our conversation should revolve around the design, not idle gossip, don't you think?"
Mina Jennings leaned back, resting against the back of her chair. Her gaze toward Sonia Quincy was hard to describe. "I think you're absolutely right, but I don't believe you're qualified to discuss design with me. Miss Quincy's reputation in Aethelburg is known to just about everyone. For a design with so much personality, I don't believe you drew it yourself, Miss Quincy."
"If you don't believe me, you can test me on the spot." Sonia pulled a tablet out of her bag, the corners of her lips turning up slightly in a composed smile.
"Ms. Jennings, you run a jewelry studio, so you must have met countless designers like me. I'm sure you have many ways to test a designer's abilities, Ms. Jennings."
Mina Jennings was taken aback by her confident attitude. "Are you that self-assured, Miss Quincy?"
Sonia: "True gold fears no fire."
Mina Jennings sat up straight and stared into Sonia's eyes for several seconds before saying with a half-smile, "Alright, then. Let's see if you can truly withstand the heat, Miss Quincy."