Chapter 378: Envy

At seven o'clock, Sophia Fieschi woke to the sound of her alarm, rising promptly.

She first checked on her son, who had flown in from Europe to New York the previous day. The long journey had left the little one feeling unwell, prompting a call to their private doctor. Thankfully, nothing serious was found, easing her concerns.

Gently touching her son's forehead and observing him for a moment with satisfaction, Sophia then moved to her daughter's room.

Her children were her world.

However, she didn't spoil them without limits.

In Europe, the children were not allowed to sleep in past six from the age of six. They had to be up by seven every morning. Initially adjusting to the time difference in North America, she had planned to let them sleep until eight.

The parents were already up; older people tended to sleep less.

She prepared breakfast with her mother, and they discussed buying a boat for her father.

Of course, it wouldn't be used for fishing, but having been a fisherman all his life, her father felt lost without a boat. In Geneva, he had often taken a small boat out on Lake Geneva, and before moving to the United States, he had inquired about lakes near Greenwich, pleased to learn they were near the sea.

The events of the past had created some distance between her and her parents, but the years had helped dissipate any lingering resentment. There might never have been much resentment to begin with, perhaps just a difference in generational ideals. Her parents loved her, always feeling guilty, and she cared for them as well.

Yet, it was difficult to regain the closeness they once had.

After breakfast, Sophia personally conducted two interviews; the household needed a full-time maid and a tutor for the children.

She was very cautious about hiring, especially when it involved the care of her family.

Initially, she had been upset to learn she had been thoroughly investigated by the "young man" who had taken an interest in her. Later, when managing his property, every maid and servant he hired was subject to a background check by a detective agency.

Once familiar, she occasionally asked Janet if such precautions were necessary, to which Janet relayed something Simon had said.

A couple had employed a maid to whom they were very kind, even lending her significant sums of money, hoping she would reciprocate their kindness by taking good care of their home and children. However, the maid had a history of gambling and theft and had even been to prison. She stole from her employers to cover gambling debts and, in an attempt to cover her tracks, set a fire that killed the woman and her two young children.

Hearing this story, Sophia had immediately ordered a thorough background check on the maid caring for her own parents and children, followed by a second to ensure peace of mind.

Thankfully, there were no issues.

This time was no different.

Before moving to the United States, she had asked Angela Arends, the head of Gucci America, to help identify candidates, leading to the selection of two white women, both with impeccable personal and family backgrounds and good references from previous employers.

Given the need for them to be close to her children, she even insisted that the tutor undergo a psychological test.

Of course, both positions offered generous salaries.

Financially, she was well-off. The "young man" often portrayed a harsh boss, but he had never been stingy with her compensation.

Yesterday, she had invited Simon and his wife for lunch, and as noon approached, she began preparations.

It being Sunday, both Simon and Janet were off work and arrived at Sophia's home on time at noon. They brought gifts for the children—a Lego set for the boy and a beautiful white teddy bear for the girl.

The children, well taught by Sophia, thanked them politely without needing a reminder from their mother.

Janet seemed particularly fond of the little ones, hugging Gemma as she handed over the teddy bear, acting every bit the doting aunt.

After pleasantries, they proceeded to the dining room.

Sitting across from each other at a long table, Sophia served lunch and then mentioned, "There's also mushroom soup, but it will be a little while longer."

Janet, noticing young Daniel looking somewhat listless, asked, "Daniel seems a bit under the weather, is he okay?"

Sophia checked her son's forehead again, "It's probably just the jet lag; he should be fine in a few days."

"Did you have a doctor check on him?"

Sophia nodded, "Last night."

As they spoke, Sophia noticed her son still appeared listless. She helped him with his napkin and kissed his cheek before settling back in her seat, not giving Gemma the same attention, although the little girl managed on her own.

Janet, watching the interaction, couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. She wished for similar moments, though she had not yet had any signs of pregnancy.

She glanced at Simon, noticing a distant look in his eyes, seemingly sharing her sense of envy.

Under the table, she playfully poked his waist.

Simon, caught by surprise by Janet's poke, gave her a puzzled look and then resumed eating, noticing Sophia's parents nearby. Despite their limited English, he engaged them in French.

As the conversation turned to Simon's previous trip to Antarctica, describing glaciers and penguins under perpetual daylight, Gemma looked on with longing. Seizing a pause, she looked expectantly at her mother, "Mum, can I visit Antarctica to see it?"

"That won't be possible, you're too young."

"What about next year?"

"Not next year either, at least not until you're 18."

Gemma frowned, then asked, "Can I just turn 18 next year?"

Sophia smiled, shaking her head, "You have to celebrate each birthday one at a time."

Janet, seeing Gemma's disappointment, offered, "If you're good, I can arrange for someone to film some videos in Antarctica, so you can see the penguins and glaciers on TV, and maybe even the aurora. We'll make it your birthday present next year."

Gemma looked at her mother for approval, nodded, but quickly asked, "What's an aurora?"

"An aurora is a beautiful light that hangs in the sky at night."

"Can we see it here at night?"

"Probably only at the poles."

Janet, unsure, looked to Simon for confirmation.

Simon nodded, "Indeed, only at the poles."

Gemma, curious, persisted, "Why only at the poles?"

Simon, unsure how to explain the complex natural phenomenon to a child, turned to Sophia and playfully suggested, "Maybe you can ask your mother?"

Turning the question back to her, Gemma asked, "Mum?"

"Sweetheart, I don't know either, but I'll find out and tell you, okay?"

Gemma nodded seriously, then reminded Janet, "Aunt Janet, my birthday is May 19th, next year too."

Janet couldn't help but smile, "I'll remember that."

Seeing his sister negotiating a birthday gift, Daniel looked up at Janet, then at his mother.

Sophia gently wiped his mouth but didn't prompt further.

Janet, taking the initiative, asked, "What would you like for a gift, Daniel?"

Encouraged by his mother's look, he said, "A train set, one with tracks."

"Alright, next year we'll get you a train set that can fill the whole room. When's your birthday?"

"July 23rd."

Daniel's eyes sparkled with the prospect, but he looked at his mother, perhaps having been denied such a gift before.

Sophia smiled and patted his head, offering no objection.

As the aroma of cream drifted through the air, Sophia remembered, "Oh, the mushroom soup," and stood to fetch it.

Returning with the soup, she served everyone but accidentally spilled it on Simon due to the heat, soaking his suit and trousers.

The incident caused a brief commotion.

Both women rushed to help clean up, and Sophia, apologetic and worried about the soup's heat, suggested, "Maybe rinse it off with cold water?"

Before Simon could respond, Janet agreed, "Let's do that. I'll call someone to bring a change of clothes."

With the plan set, Simon followed Sophia upstairs.

In her haste, Sophia mistakenly opened her bedroom but decided to proceed, leading Simon to the bathroom, "Just change in here."

The room's intimate setting and feminine scent confirmed to Simon it was Sophia's bedroom.

A strong impulse surged through him.

As he entered, he impulsively grasped Sophia's wrist and pulled her in.

Startled, Sophia followed him into the bathroom, locking the door behind them. Her heart tightened as she instinctively said, "Simon, not here, not now."

Backed into a corner, she waited as Simon's thoughts cleared. He shook his head, took a deep breath, opened the door, and softly said, "You should leave."

Sophia paused, relieved to see clarity in his eyes, and carefully approached, touching his face gently before quickly withdrawing her hand, "I'll be in Manhattan for Fashion Week for Gucci."

After the Milan Fashion Week, Gucci wasn't staging another runway show in New York but was organizing a promotional event.

Hearing her, Simon paused and then softly responded, his tone gentler, "You should go. I'm sorry for startling you earlier."

"It's alright," Sophia replied, feeling an odd compassion for the young man. She carefully left the bathroom as he changed.

The clothes arrived soon after, and the rest of the lunch proceeded without further incident. Simon's swift action in cooling the burn and his robust health meant he recovered quickly without further treatment.

As the weekend closed and October 1990 began, Simon had many tasks ahead in New York, particularly preparing

 for two major acquisitions, including Bell Atlantic, which was moving forward rapidly.

If Panasonic continued to stall on acquiring MCA, Simon planned to launch a formal bid by early November, starting with MCA and then simultaneously making an offer for Bell Atlantic.

Preparing to acquire a multi-billion dollar company, especially one regulated by the federal government like Bell Atlantic, involved complex and extensive preliminary work. 

This required not only legal barriers to be assessed and strategies formulated by a dedicated law firm but also an evaluation of Bell Atlantic's assets and liabilities to make an accurate offer. Besides setting up contingency plans for potential bidding wars, arranging billions in funding was also a critical aspect of the preparations.

Moreover, maintaining confidentiality throughout the process was essential, making the tight one-month preparation period a significant challenge for Lannister Capital, Reberth Law Firm, and an accounting firm hired for the task.

However, if successful, the multi-million-dollar consultancy fees for the acquisitions would justify the intensive efforts of all teams involved.

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