Chapter 2475
Chapter 2475
"No problem!" Sophia said with a light smile, "What would you like to drink, Mr. Connor?"
"Anything's fine, I'm easy!" Connor replied with a smile.
Tina ordered him a latte.
Once seated, Sophia asked, "Do you have any specific ideas about the ring, Mr. Connor?"
Connor glanced at Tina and asked with a smile, "Is this your assistant, Sophia?"
"Yes, nice to meet you, I'm Tina!" Tina, quick to pick up on the hint that Connor wanted a word alone with Sophia, stood up and
said, "Sophia, I'll just make a quick call and be right back."
Sophia nodded, "Go ahead!"
With Tina gone, Connor began, "I apologize for calling you out so suddenly."
"Just speak your mind," Sophia encouraged.
"Alright, then. About the diamond my fiancée picked, along with your design fee, how much is it going to cost in total?" Connor
Sophia did a quick calculation and replied, "Ms. Yolanda chose a top-quality diamond. We'll provide a certificate for it. All in all,
it's going to be about $32,000."
Connor gasped, "That much?"
"Yes," Sophia confirmed.
Connor frowned and sheepishly said, "Here's the thing, I've started my own business, but I've just gone through a divorce. Most
of my assets went to my ex- wife, and the company is tight on funds right now. I really can't afford that much cash. How about
this?"
He took out a card from his wallet and placed it on the table. "Here's $3,000 as a token of my appreciation for your hard work.
Could you please let my fiancée know the diamond she chose has been sold to someone else? Have her pick another one, or
perhaps, with your expertise, convince her to choose something smaller, ideally keeping it under $5,000?"
Sophia immediately pushed the card back, "Mr. Connor, I'm sorry, but I can't agree to this. You might want to discuss it again with
Ms. Yolanda. If you're honest with her, I believe she would understand your situation."
Connor showed a pained expression, "You saw how it was the other day; she simply won't believe me. The more I explain, the
angrier she gets. Please, consider this a favor. Even if my fiancée ends up not choosing your design, I won't take the money
He pushed the card towards Sophia again.
Sophia firmly pushed it back, "As a designer, I really can't take your money, nor can I deceive a client. I understand your
predicament, but you must discuss this yourself with Ms. Yolanda. I can delay handing over the design draft to Ms. Yolanda by
two days to give you time to persuade her."
After a few back-and-forths, Connor, seeing Sophia's determination despite her youth, reluctantly took back his card, "I'm sorry
for putting you in this position."
"There are rules we follow in the studio. I hope you understand," Sophia said.
"Of course, I understand. By delaying the design draft for two days, you're already helping me out," Connor said with a smile.
With nothing more to say, he stood up, "I won't keep you any longer, Sophia. We'll talk over the phone if necessary."
"Goodbye, Mr. Connor."
Sophia bid him farewell and watched him leave the coffee shop, sighing softly with mixed feelings.
Connor, always chasing after the new and ditching the old, had discarded his wife for a younger, prettier model. Now caught in a
bind, Sophia pondered whether he deserved sympathy or a taste of his own medicine.
Once Connor had left, Tina quickly returned and asked, "What did he say?"
"He wanted me to convince his fiancée to choose a smaller diamond," Sophia shared, sipping her coffee.
"Ha?" Tina found it amusing, "Why doesn't he persuade her himself? It's not like we're marriage counselors."
"I've already refused. Let's head back," Sophia stood up.
Tina quickly packed her phone into her bag and followed Sophia out.