Cafeteria?
Sienna Monroe was slightly taken aback and instinctively looked at Sebastian Prescott, who happened to be looking back at her.
"If we go back at this ti, there will be traffic jams."
Sebastian’s voice was calm.
But the implication was that they could eat first and avoid the rush hour before heading back.
Sienna had only eaten a few bites of ran at noon, and she was already feeling a bit hungry now. Even without traffic, it would take more than two hours to get back.
She had low blood sugar and couldn’t stand being hungry.
Thinking of this, she didn’t beco shy or pretentious but smiled at Joy Prescott, "Then we’ll trouble you, Joy. We are at your disposal."
We?
Sebastian instinctively raised his eyelids, his indifferent eyes reflecting her charming and bright profile, with her red lips and white teeth, looking vibrant and beautiful.
A sudden ringtone interrupted the slight stir in his heart.
He calmly and naturally retracted his gaze and answered the phone.
anwhile, Joy had already taken Sienna out of the office, "What’s all this trouble? I’m just showing you the way and swiping a card. Let’s go."
Once the two of them entered the elevator, Sebastian only then caught up.
Joy grumbled, "Hurry up, we’re just waiting for you."
The research and testing center had three cafeterias, two large ones and a small one, sowhat scattered around. Joy led them to the nearest and smallest cafeteria.
Although it was the smallest, the food there was the most expensive and the tastiest.
People who ca to this cafeteria were mostly from the office building, greeting many along the way.
Though Joy and Sebastian were twins,
they didn’t look alike, and their personalities were extre opposites.
Even though Sebastian was a lawyer, he rarely spoke. Unless necessary, he was always concise.
Joy, on the other hand, was clearly sociable. Since eting, her conversation with Sienna had never lapsed.
On their way there, she even asked if Sienna had a boyfriend.
But Sienna’s answer was evidently disappointing to her.
Married, huh.
Joy sighed helplessly; she thought her brother was going to get into a relationship.
Turns out, she was mistaken.
Alright, then.
Sienna wasn’t aware of her many thoughts. After grabbing a tray, her attention was drawn to the twenty or so dishes.
But she didn’t dwell too much and picked a few things she wanted to eat, then found a seat by the window.
Before long, night had silently fallen, and rain suddenly began to pour outside, with a thin mist rising in the mountains.
The cafeteria gradually beca lively.
So people even complained about the rain.
In Westwood, it had been raining for almost a week.
Sienna used to dislike rainy days, always feeling they were dull and lancholic, making trips inconvenient.
Now...
She looked at the glistening beaded curtain outside the window, the rain pattering down.
The surrounding chatter gradually blurred.
It seed...
She wasn’t that annoyed by it anymore.
After finishing her al and tidying up the tray, she and Sebastian were ready to bid farewell.
Joy didn’t try to keep them, knowing that the mountain roads were difficult to traverse in the rain, and it would be even harder if they left later. So she handed them a clear umbrella.
Sienna took the umbrella, "Thanks for today, Joy. When you have ti to co back to Southcroft, I’ll treat you to a al or visit the art gallery."
"Sure, I rember that," Joy replied with a smile, also telling Sebastian, "Drive slowly, be careful, and let us know when you get ho safely."
"Mm."
Sebastian let out a nasal sound, and just as he turned, Joy’s voice sounded again, "Sebastian, you haven’t been back since after the Mid-Autumn Festival, have you?"
Sebastian paused.
The Prescott Estate was in Westwood.
But he usually lived on the Southcroft side.
Joy knew he didn’t like going back to the estate, but he got along well with the old lady there.
She hesitated, "I heard from our big brother that grandmother will co back from Aunt’s place next month, around the twenties. Do you want to pick her up together?"
Sebastian didn’t turn back; he just replied coldly, "Got it," then walked under the umbrella Sienna was holding, his long legs stepping into the silver threads of rain.
The mountain’s temperature was lower than in the city. A gust of cold wind blew, and she couldn’t help but shiver, tucking in her neck and wrapping her coat tighter.
Though she wore flat shoes, she wasn’t short; it was just that Sebastian was a head taller than her.
The walk from the cafeteria to the entrance was a bit of a distance, and she felt a bit tired holding the umbrella.
Just as she was about to switch hands, a well-defined, long, fair hand reached over to take the umbrella.
With her hand now empty, she turned to look at the man beside her, the arm that had been suspended now hanging by her side.
The umbrella tilted.
Shielding her from the raindrops blown in by the wind.
From afar, the silhouette of the man and woman seed to be stepping into a beautifully misty rainy painting.
At the car, Sienna bent down to sit in the front passenger seat. As he was closing the door, she noticed the large wet spot on his right shoulder.
She opened her mouth, about to speak, when Sebastian had already closed the door, walked around the car, put away the umbrella, got into the driver’s seat, and turned on the heater and wipers.
He then took off his coat and tossed it onto the back seat, gently pressed the accelerator, and slowly drove down the mountain.
Sienna retracted her gaze from the coat, softly saying, "Thank you."
This "thank you" carried many connotations.
Thanking him for bringing her to the research and testing center and for his care.
Sebastian said nothing, steadily holding the steering wheel.
Sienna knew he heard her, so she fell silent as well.
When the car was nearing the foot of the mountain, the rain suddenly intensified. Large raindrops pelted the car window like water cannons, layer upon layer, obscuring the view.
Within minutes, even the wipers struggled to keep up.
Unable to see the road, they couldn’t continue driving.
Sebastian simply parked the car by the roadside and turned on the hazard lights, "Let’s wait for the rain to lessen."
"Mm."
Sienna responded softly, pulling up the weather forecast on her phone, her brows knitting, "This heavy rain will last for another hour, with light rain afterward, stopping at around ten."
It’s a good thing they had eaten; otherwise, being stuck in the car through the rain would be quite an uncomfortable experience.
They would definitely be ho late today.
She thought for a mont, then apologized to Nora Joyce over WeChat. Nora didn’t mind, as her place was actually not far from the art gallery, only a ten-minute drive.
She had quite a few transportation options available.
The mountain roads were empty, with just their car. Mist clouded the atmosphere, night falling steadily, and apart from the area illuminated by the car’s headlights, everything was enveloped in darkness.
The sound of the rain outside the window was like a symphony, resounding forcefully.
Sienna wasn’t a timid person, but it was her first ti in such a mountainous area, and under these weather conditions.
As ti ticked by, an inexplicable tension settled in her heart.
Ping!
A sudden text notification broke the silence in the car.
[Tonight, Caleb Sinclair took Vivian Nash to Ichiban Restaurant for dinner. He even gave her a Cartier watch as a compensation.]
Sienna Monroe was montarily stunned, her anxiety suddenly froze in place.
In just a few breaths, it shattered into pieces, rging into the mist of the valley.
Caleb had ssaged her at noon, saying he needed to work overti tonight, so she didn’t have to go to the estate and should go ho to rest early.
Ha, so he was off having a candlelight dinner date with Vivian Nash.
Sebastian Prescott caught sight of her clenched fists and tense jawline out of the corner of his eye, but he casually asked, "What’s wrong?"
Sienna heard him, lifted her head to look at him, and unexpectedly t his deep, cold eyes.
She smiled self-deprecatingly, her voice deliberately casual, "It’s nothing major, just that the private detective told Caleb Sinclair is having dinner and a date with Vivian Nash."
It didn’t surprise Sebastian either; he had received quite a bit of evidence from Sienna, especially so photos that clearly weren’t taken by her.
He naturally guessed that she must have hired a private detective.
However, there was always a question about Sienna that Sebastian couldn’t figure out.
But recalling her answer last ti in the parking lot, the question danced on his lips before he swallowed it back down.
He pondered how to change the subject, "There’s sothing you should be prepared for."
The change in topic almost left Sienna unable to react.
But the sadness and bitterness rising in her heart inexplicably subsided sowhat.
"What is it?"
"The test report on that fruit tea is out. Even if it contains elents that could harm you, it doesn’t completely prove that Vivian Nash was the one who spiked it."
"Many people handled the fruit tea, including the shop staff and delivery person. It’s hard to say whether anyone else at your art gallery might have tampered with it unless you have solid evidence or a witness."
Sienna understood his aning, frowning slightly, "With Vivian Nash’s cautious nature, even if she did drug it, she would have avoided people and caras, leaving no trace."
"She wouldn’t have just magically produced that drug."
Indeed.
No matter how Vivian Nash got the drug, there must be a source.
Since there’s no other evidence, we can only start from here.
She thought for a mont and said, "In the coming days, I’ll investigate who she’s been in contact with."
Sebastian nodded, "Alright."
The awkward and tense atmosphere in the car eased considerably.
As it approached eight o’clock, the rain visibly lessened, although the fog seed denser under the car headlights.
Sebastian didn’t drive too fast.
It wasn’t until after ten that they exited the highway near Southcroft. He glanced at the serene sleeping face of the woman beside him and tapped the steering wheel with his long forefinger.
After another two minutes, he asked, "Your ho address."
"Are we there?"
Sienna had always been a light sleeper and hadn’t been deeply asleep in the car. Hearing his voice, she opened her eyes, still drowsy, and stared blankly at the endless road ahead, illuminated by the dim streetlights through the windshield.
Sebastian repeated, "Your ho address."
"Aren’t you going back to the law firm?"
"No, taking a detour is inconvenient."
Since he wasn’t going back to the firm, Nora’s car would have to be picked up from the art gallery tomorrow.
Sienna gave him an address, and it seed Sebastian knew it without needing navigation. After about half an hour, they were near the villa neighborhood.
It was then that Caleb’s call ca in.
He asked whether she was still at work and why she hadn’t co back yet.
Listening to the concern in his voice, Sienna found it incredibly ironic.
With a slight smile in her cold voice, she replied, "I’m almost there, just outside the neighborhood. Are you ho?"
On the other end, Caleb’s voice was gentle, "Just got back. I was a bit worried when I saw you weren’t ho. Glad you’re close, I’ll wait for you."
"Okay."
After hanging up, Sienna was about to think of an excuse to brush Caleb off when she heard a low comnt from the man next to her, "You have a knack for acting."
Sienna put away her phone, chuckling, though her eyes didn’t reflect the humor.
"With a few good teachers, it’s hard not to improve in acting."
June Ewing, Caleb Sinclair, Vivian Nash—any one of them alone could be her ntor.
And all three are the type that would eat you alive; without good acting skills, she wouldn’t survive against them.
Sebastian didn’t respond, just subtly raised an eyebrow.
With Sienna in the car, they smoothly entered the villa area, drove for a few minutes, then turned to stop in front of a four hundred-square-ter European-style villa.
As the car turned, Sienna saw the figure standing in front of the door.
It was Caleb Sinclair.
She saw no need to hide it. As the car stopped, she unfastened her seatbelt and got out. Before she could say anything, Caleb took two steps forward, "Darling..."
He was about to ask who drove her ho when he saw the person in the driver’s seat through the crack of the car door.
His brow imdiately furrowed.
Sebastian Prescott?!
Why is it him again?
Recalling previous argunts with Sienna where Sebastian was present fueled his endless irritation. He struggled to suppress it, putting an arm around Sienna’s waist and bending down to kiss her cheek.
His voice was gentle and worried, almost like a sigh of relief, "Why are you ho so late today? I was about to drive out and find you."
Sienna’s body went rigid; she hadn’t expected his sudden kiss.
Images of his intimate tis with Vivian Nash flashed in her mind, filling her with a repulsive and indescribable sensation like molten lava overwhelming her chest.
Keeping her face cool, she held back her anger and glared at him, making sure her tone remained controlled, "What are you doing?"
Caleb playfully tapped her nose, full of indulgence, "You’re my wife. What’s wrong with kissing you?"
As he finished speaking, he seed to just notice the person in the car, looking surprised, "Lawyer Prescott? You brought Sienna back?"
How could Sebastian not see through his pretense?
It was clearly staged for him.
He glanced at Sienna’s face, tense with anger, then at Caleb’s seemingly gentle and warm face, a mocking curve forming on his lips.
A jester.
"I’m leaving."
Upon hearing this, Sienna looked over, clenching her fist, unable to muster a smile, "Alright. Thank you for today. Be careful on the road and stay safe."
Sebastian nodded slightly; once Sienna closed the car door, he turned the car around and drove out of the neighborhood.
Watching his car disappear around the corner, Sienna withdrew her gaze, unable to suppress her disgust any longer, pushing aside his hand from her waist as she walked inside.
She mumbled, "Can’t you be more careful? It’s so embarrassing with soone watching!"
Caleb smiled, following her inside, "I didn’t notice earlier, I was too worried. But... how did you end up with him?"
Sienna turned her head slightly, raising a hand to wipe the spot where he kissed her.
"I went to Westwood to see Professor Irving. There was a heavy rain there tonight, and I just ran into him."
She didn’t offer too many details, just a simple explanation.
Caleb knew the Prescott Estate was in Westwood, so it wasn’t surprising he was there.
The artist about to collaborate with the gallery, Faye Irving, also lived there, so it made sense for Sienna to be there.
But...
Westwood is quite large; did they just run into each other?
He asked, "What a coincidence?"
Sienna rubbed her face twice, still feeling uneasy, not just with disgust but with growing irritation, her voice hardening, "Yeah, just as coincidental as your past encounters with Vivian Nash."
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