The golden rays of the evening sun, like melted butter, oozed through the windows of the small yet cozy Chen residence. The aroma of freshly cooked dumplings, a fragrant cloud of comfort, filled the air, battling for dominance with the distant chatter of customers in Mr. Chen's family-run restaurant downstairs. Sophia, looking like she'd wrestled a bear and lost, let out a sigh that could deflate a bouncy castle as she kicked off her shoes and plopped onto the couch.
"Welcome home, Miss CEO," a mischievous voice piped up, dripping with sarcasm. Her 12-year-old cousin, Lucas, stood by the doorway with his arms crossed, a smirk that could rival a Cheshire cat's plastered on his face.
Sophia groaned, burying her face in a cushion. "Don't start. I'm running on fumes and the sheer will to avoid paperwork."
Lucas wiggled his eyebrows, a gesture that could launch a thousand eye-rolls. "I heard your company's getting a new CEO. Do you think he's handsome? Or does he look like a wet sock?"
Sophia rolled her eyes, a dramatic, theatrical motion. "Why would I care? Unless he can magically make my workload disappear, he's irrelevant."
"Because…" Lucas drawled, stretching the word out like taffy, "you're single. And apparently allergic to fun. Or men."
Before Sophia could lunge at him and introduce his face to a pillow, Mr. Chen stepped out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a towel, his expression a mix of amusement and weary resignation. "Leave your cousin alone, Lucas," he chuckled, a sound like gentle wind chimes. "Not everyone is desperate to find a rich husband like the girls in your comics."
"They're manga, Uncle! Manga!" Lucas corrected, looking scandalized, like Mr. Chen had just insulted his ancestors. "And they're not all about rich husbands. Some are about… ninjas."
Sophia leaned back, stretching her arms, feeling her spine crack like a glow stick. "Honestly, I bet he's just another arrogant rich guy who thinks he owns the world. The last thing I need is another spoiled brat bossing me around. I have enough drama at work."
Mr. Chen gave her a knowing look, a twinkle in his eye. "Not everyone with money is bad, Sophia. Some of them… buy good dumplings."
She scoffed but didn't argue, her stomach growling like a hungry bear. Instead, she focused on her growling stomach. "Is dinner ready? I'm so hungry, I could eat a small horse."
Lucas smirked again, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Depends. Are you going to share your salary with me? I need to fund my manga collection."
Sophia grabbed a pillow, a weapon of fluffy destruction, and chucked it at him, but Lucas dodged with the agility of a seasoned troublemaker, a blur of limbs and laughter.
As laughter filled the room, Mr. Chen shook his head, amused. "Go wash up. Dinner's almost ready. And Lucas, stop trying to extort your cousin."
As Sophia made her way to the sink, she caught a glimpse of the family photo hanging on the wall. It was an old one—her mother's warm smile forever frozen in time, a bittersweet reminder of a life gone too soon. Her chest tightened, a familiar ache, but she quickly shook off the feeling. Not tonight. Tonight is for dumplings, teasing, and Lucas' endless energy. And maybe a nap.
She had no idea her world was about to turn upside down, like a snow globe in a hurricane.
Later that night, after dinner, Sophia found herself seated at the small wooden dining table, sipping tea while her father washed the dishes, the clinking sounds a soothing rhythm. Lucas, having devoured an ungodly amount of food, lay sprawled out on the couch, rubbing his stomach dramatically.
"I think I overate," he groaned, his voice muffled by the cushions. "I feel like a dumpling myself."
Mr. Chen chuckled, a warm, comforting sound. "That's what happens when you challenge yourself to eat more dumplings than your cousin. You're a dumpling-filled champion."
"I regret nothing," Lucas muttered, then sat up suddenly, his eyes wide with excitement.
"Oh, Sophia, did you hear? There's a rumor that the new CEO might be some rich guy who just came back from abroad. Sounds fancy, right? Like a prince in a fairy tale, but with spreadsheets."
Sophia shrugged, unimpressed. "Probably just another entitled heir who thinks running a company is a game. Like playing SimCity, but with real people's lives."
Lucas grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "What if he's super nice? What if he turns out to be your soulmate? A rich, handsome soulmate?"
She snorted, a sound like a deflating balloon. "Then fate has a terrible sense of humor. And a terrible taste in men."
Mr. Chen shook his head, smiling. "You really don't like rich people, do you? Is it a personal vendetta?"
Sophia paused for a moment, the humor fading, her expression turning serious. "I don't like people who think money makes them better than everyone else. It's not about the money. It's about the attitude. Like they're living in a different reality."
Lucas yawned and stretched, his eyes drooping. "Well, I hope he's cool. I want to see what kind of boss you'll be dealing with. Maybe he'll be a dragon. A rich, handsome dragon."
Sophia smirked, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Who knows? Maybe he'll quit on his first day. Or I'll quit. It depends on who snaps first."
Little did she know, her words would come back to haunt her very soon, like a bad karaoke performance.