Sophie blinked her eyes open, caught in the warm embrace of azy summer afternoon.


    "Is this... my brother''s ce?" she wondered, a bit dazed.


    Reality slowly trickled in, and Sophie jolted up from the rocking chair, her gaze fixed on the swing set nearby. It felt like she''d been dreaming.


    "Ms. Sophie," a voice called out, snapping her back to the present. "The gentleman''s wondering why you haven''t changed yet. It''s your eighteenth birthday today, after all. Quite the asion!" "Oh no, I dozed off!" Sophie gasped, suddenly remembering. "My brother''s going to give me an earful!"


    She dashed off, not bothering to pick a path. Rick, the ever-watchful assistant, called after her, "Ms. Sophie! Take it easy! Watch your step!"


    "Got it!" she yelled back, lifting her dress and sneaking through the garden''s back door.


    The maids at Burke Estate paused, surprised to see her rushing by. She quickly gestured for silence, putting her fingers to her lips and whispering, "Please,dies, cover for me! Don''t say a word." They chuckled softly, turning away in unison as if they hadn''t seen a thing.


    Just as Sophie thought she was in the clear and started towards the stairs, a hand caught her ear from behind.


    "Caught you, Sophie! Thought you could sneak away?" Harold teased.


    "Ouch! Harold! Let go! Seriously, let go!" she protested.


    "Nope! Not this time! Let''s see how you wriggle out of this one. Come on, upstairs!"


    Harold tugged her along, while Sophie pleaded, "Ow! Okay, okay, I get it! Let go, please!"


    "Sophie, you''re getting impossible! When you were a kid, you''d always hang around our ce. Now you''re eighteen, and I''m the one setting everything up! I''m running around like crazy while you nap in the backyard. What did I do to deserve this?" "I didn''t mean to..."


    "Save it! No more excuses for beingzy! I''ll make sure my brother sets you straight!"


    "Please, no! I swear I won''t do it again."


    Sophie put on her best pouty face,plete with pretend tears.


    Seeing this, Harold eased up, frowning a bit, "Did I really hurt you? I was just messing around..."


    "Boo-hoo. Sophie feigned wiping her eyes, then grinned


    mischievously. "Just a little joel


    Osta kel


    Harold."


    With that, she darted away.


    Harold stamped his foot, exasperated, "Sophie! You got me again!"


    "Neener neener!" Sophie taunted, sticking her tongue out before zipping up to the third floor.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Upstairs, the makeup artist and


    stylist had been waiting. Jenna greeted her with a mock sternness, "Sophie, what took you so long?"


    "Really? I thought I was quick," Sophie replied with a cheeky smile, ducking into the dressing room.


    Inside, she was greeted by a dazzling array of outfits.


    The stylist beamed, "These are all handpicked by the gentleman, just your style!"


    "Wow..." Sophie''s eyes sparkled with delight.


    "Gordon sure knows how to spoil


    you. Unlike me..." Jenna sigaret


    shaking


    her head. "Dating a younger


    guke I''m destined to y


    it''s


    mom!"


    "Jenna, another new romance?" Sophie teased.