Sophie woke up feeling refreshed and peaceful.
As she opened her eyes, the sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on her room.
She couldn't help but smile and stretched her arms, embracing the new day with a sense of calm and gratitude.
Sophie looked for James on the couch, he was not there, she rose from the bed and headed to the drawing room.
There...she found James watching the news on TV.
James greeted her with a smile and said, "Good morning, dear."
He pointed at the Television and said, "Look, your mother is on TV."
Sophie gave an eye roll and ignored.
"Let me get you some hot coffee…Your mom has her eyes on us, she won't be happy if I don't treat you right" James winked as he said this.
Sophie nestled beside him and gazed at her mom on the TV, with a vacan expression. She hardly ever saw her mom except on the news these days.
As both of them were drinking coffee, James looked at Sophie with concern and asked, "Are you feeling better now?"
Sophie smiled and nodded, squeezing James' hand in gratitude…
As they watched the famous journalist Margaret Grant deliver the news on the TV screen, James turned to Sophie and said "You're Grant's daughter!!?" his voice was full of shock.
He looked at her with curiosity and asked again, "How come you never appeared in any of the glitzy events or photos… how did you keep such a secret?"
Sophie smiled faintly and said, "I don't enjoy this kind of life. When I was younger, I couldn't escape these gatherings. But for the past few years, I've managed to stay away from them."
She paused for a moment and then resumed her speech. "That's why I picked a library that was two hours away and we bumped into each other there."
James was all ears, his eyes fixed on her face. She went on "whenever my identity is revealed to someone, they alter their behavior, they become fake and I loathe it."
She sighed and continued, "That's why I chose a new startup company where my identity is irrelevant and I work from home all the time."
James was about to speak, but Sophie interrupted him sharply by saying "now, don't you dare question why I need to work" ....and they both burst into laughter.
Amidst the laughter, the sound of the television captured their attention, and there it was: the unmistakable voice of Margaret Grant, the renowned news anchor:
"We have a special report on the 'Tech geek' who has been making headlines for his good deeds. His identity is a mystery, but his work is well-known.
He goes by the name of Mr. Virtual, or Mr. V in short short. It was came to hear that, he has created a virtual world for himself from where he does not need to come out. Be it rain, scorching sun or snowfall, he can experience everything inside his home with the help of technology.
Mr. V is a mysterious figure who has never revealed his face or identity to the public, and prefers to work behind the scenes.
But recently, he has been in the spotlight for his courageous and noble actions. He has donated billions of dollars to various charities and causes, such as education, health, environment, and human rights.
He has also exposed a massive corruption scandal in the government, involving several ministers and officials who were involved in money laundering, tax evasion, and bribery.
Mr. V has provided solid evidence and documents to the authorities, and has demanded a thorough investigation and prosecution of the culprits.
He has also urged the citizens to stand up against corruption and injustice, and to demand accountability and transparency from their leaders.
Mr. V has been hailed as a hero and a whistleblower by many people, who admire his vision and values. But he has also faced threats and criticism from some quarters, who accuse him of being a vigilante and a troublemaker.
Mr. V has remained unfazed by the reactions, and has vowed to continue his mission of making the world a better place.
We have with us tonight, our senior journalist and an expert on technology and politics....
James muted the TV and exclaimed, "How does he pull off these stunts alone? Where is his crew? I mean.." he took a pause and further cintempleted, "how does he keep them under the radar? They must be really devoted to him." James looked at Sophie and asked curiously, "Do you ever wonder what he's really like?"
"He never crosses my mind, yet he is the root cause of my parents' conflict, I know this for a fact." Sophie said this with a flat tone.
"And how come that is?"James inquired with a shocked look on his face.
"My father is an industrialist who has to compromise his integrity often. He considers Mr V a nuisance for his business. My mother, on the other hand, is a genuine journalist who aspires for social reforms. She admires Mr V and his work. It's simple to figure out" She ended the line with a shoulder shrug.
Oh, that makes sense," he replied, nodding his head and further asked
" What's your view on Mr V?"
"I admit that our society needs change, and Mr V is doing a great job at that. However, I disagree with his methods. If everyone breaks the law and abuses their power, it will harm our society. Others use their political and financial power to bend the rules, and Mr V uses his technical power to do the same. So, how are they different?" without pausing, Sophie said it with conviction.
"So, you're saying he should stop doing all this…" James inquired further.
...
She disagreed, "No, he should do all this, but in the right way. He can't take the law into his own hands and punish people. That's the court's job, not his."
She paused and added, "He should use his technology to educate the public, fight corruption, and assist the poor. That's what I think."
Sophie saw him grin happily at her answer and say, "You have such a sensible view," and squeeze her cheeks affectionately.
She lowered her eyelids, hiding her emotions and continued "It was Gabriel who taught me to be objective and not biased," she said, her voice tinged with sadness.
James was momentarily at a loss for words…..He paused for a moment and said: "Come on, cheer up. We'll track him down and I'll introduce you to him." He added with confidence.
Sophie was about to say something when her phone rang. She glanced at the screen and saw her mom's name. She rolled her eyes in annoyance and answered the call.
Sophie: "Good morning, mom. What a surprise. Weren't you on TV just now?"
She heard her mom's voice from the other end.
Mrs. Grant: "Good morning, sweetie. You actually watched my show? I'm so touched."
Sophie: "Don't be silly, mom. What do you want?"
Mrs Grant: "Well, I just finished my work for today and I thought we could have a nice brunch together. How does that sound?"
Sophie: "M-o-m. I'm not..."
Before Sophie could finish, Mrs Grant interrupted her and said, "Please, sweetie. Don't say no. I want to spend some time with you."
Sophie sighed and said, "OK, mom. But can we have brunch at home and invite dad too?"
Mrs Grant : "Darling, you know your father. He'll just start an argument with me and spoil the mood. And besides, I have a meeting to attend after brunch. So can you please come to a place near my office?"
Mrs Grant said firmly, as if she was giving an order to Sophie.
Sophie - "Oh, mom..." She said with an irritated tone. Then she said again, "OK, fine. I'll be there in an hour. Bye."
She hung up the phone.