Tanya knew Vincent was waiting to see her make a fool of herself.
Her hands hanging at her sides stiffened slightly, and her fingertips tingled with numbness.
She had just blurted out Declan’s name in a moment of heat.
It wasn’t surprising, even if she racked her brains, the only person who could consistently outshine Vincent was Declan; she couldn’t think of anyone else. Read full story at 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✶𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✶𝓷𝓮𝓽
"Go ahead and call him. What, afraid now?" Vincent seemed to see right through her, his eyes full of mockery.
He approached Tanya, hands in his pockets, with a cold and sinister air, "Tanya, do you really see yourself as a heartthrob?"
Since she was twelve, Tanya had revolved around him—first hand-hold, first hug, first kiss... even the first time in bed! Every one of Tanya’s youthful firsts had been with him!
During those years, there wasn’t any man around her that warranted his attention.
Or rather, what man would pay her any mind?
Tanya was indeed beautiful, but she was a wallflower to the point of boredom. Sometimes, on a whim, Vincent would take her out, but at the dinner table with his friends, she would always sit quietly in a corner, constantly attending to his needs.
There were always dishes he liked in his bowl, and shrimp she had peeled.
No one would shift the conversation to her.
Calling her an adornment would be less fitting than calling her air.
While Tanya went to the restroom, one of his friends who drank a bit too much approached Vincent with a smug smile and asked, ’Brother Hawthorne, is Tanya this quiet and boring in bed too? Aren’t you tired of it? Let me introduce you to a few dynamic ones, and consider us even on all counts!’
’Get lost.’ Vincent laughed and kicked him away at the time.
But after that, the guy actually sent over a few WeChat contact cards...
That night after returning, after being intimate with Tanya, Vincent went to the balcony to smoke, took out his phone, and added the one he found pleasing. They chatted a few times.
The other party was very forward, sending some provocative photos late at night.
’Brother, want to meet up?’
He glanced at Tanya sleeping soundly beside him, her breathing steady, her face serene and elegant, bathed in a sliver of moonlight. He looked at her for a long time before leaning over to kiss Tanya’s cheek.
Then he deleted all of them.
Men like him, even after marriage, had plenty of women throwing themselves at them.
He considered himself quite faithful to Tanya over the years!
Vincent towered over Tanya, unable to tolerate the indifferent front she put up before him!
He sneered, "Tanya, who would want you without me? Declan, hmm? Ha."
Tanya’s breathing deepened, genuinely wanting to stab him in the face with scissors.
Suddenly, her phone rang.
Tanya pulled out her phone, stunned when she saw the caller ID.
The words "Declan Pierce" stared back at her.
Vincent stood right in front of her, narrowing his eyes. He hadn’t expected Declan to call Tanya!
Was it just someone with the same name, or was this woman doing it on purpose?
He scoffed, "Tanya, you’re quite the actress."
Tanya steeled herself and answered the call right in front of Vincent.
"President Pierce..."
On the other end was a man’s deep and raspy voice, "Tanya, what have I taught you?"
Tanya was slightly taken aback.
Then, not knowing if she was imagining it, she seemed to hear footsteps—not from the phone, but from behind her.
Tanya didn’t have time to turn around; she first noticed Vincent staring intently behind her with an expression like he had seen a ghost in broad daylight!
In her ear, Declan’s cool, thin voice mixed with the increasingly clear sound of footsteps.
"Haven’t I told you that if someone bullies you, you need to learn to tell..."
Tanya quickly turned her head and saw Declan’s figure, dressed in black, walking step by step towards her, the basement clearly dark and lightless.
But his presence was so intense and overwhelming that it seemed to darken everything around him, leaving only this coup de grâce of black.
Tanya had never imagined that Declan would really appear here; she was momentarily stunned, until he was close, she came to her senses and ended the call.
"President Pierce, how did you end up here?"
Declan lifted his eyelids, glancing at Vincent, who looked gloomy and annoyed across from Tanya. His beautiful yet sharp lips curled as he spoke in a lazy yet luxurious tone.
"Obviously, I’m here to support my people."
With that, Declan took a deliberate half-step forward, looking at Vincent with a gaze so cold and sharp it could slice off a layer of flesh.
"Didn’t President Hawthorne want to see me? Now that I’m here, what do you want to say?"
Vincent Hawthorne’s face became increasingly grim: "..."
He really hadn’t expected Declan Pierce to show up.
What could he say to this madman, Declan?
Last time at The Thirteen Courses, not long after Cindy Lynn left, it’s true that Declan was also called away by a phone call, but before he left...
"President Hawthorne." Cindy Lynn tugged at Vincent Hawthorne, saying just in time, "We should be going, we have things to do at noon."
Cindy Lynn offered him a way out, quietly reminding Vincent Hawthorne, "President Hawthorne, let’s go. If Professor Carter sees this commotion on the surveillance, he might be even more displeased."
There was no benefit in continuing to be at odds with Declan Pierce.
Vincent Hawthorne slowly unclenched his tightly held fists, forcing out a cold smile, "President Pierce, you truly are considerate of your subordinates. No wonder Tanya Sinclair used every means possible to cling to your mighty tree."
His tone was full of sarcasm, dripping with irony.
Tanya Sinclair didn’t want to make too much of a scene in front of Declan Pierce, so she pretended not to notice his barking.
Unexpectedly, Declan Pierce nonchalantly laughed, "The phoenix has always perched on the parasol tree, while the wild sparrow is not picky, willing to stand on any crooked branch."
He shifted his focus, "Secretary Lynn, wouldn’t you agree?"
He was calling her a wild sparrow, while elevating that witch Tanya Sinclair as the phoenix!
Cindy Lynn was nearly grinding her teeth into dust, yet she dared not truly fall out with Declan Pierce.
"President Pierce, you’re joking. President Hawthorne has affairs at noon, we must take our leave."
"Did I say you could leave?"
Declan Pierce’s tone turned colder by a fraction, almost at the same moment his words landed, several bodyguards in black quietly emerged from the shadows, their cuffs embroidered with The Pierce Clan’s crest.
Out of respect for the nation, the Pierce family’s bodyguards would not enter the center of the Research and Development base.
But this underground parking lot, just happened to be outside the base...
Vincent Hawthorne turned his face in anger: "Declan Pierce, what do you intend to do? Have you thought about the consequences of actually doing something to me?"
Cindy Lynn was even more frightened, hiding behind Vincent Hawthorne.
Declan Pierce didn’t respond to him at all; he simply turned slightly to look at Tanya Sinclair.
The man’s deep black eyes were like the abyssal sea, capable of concealing all hidden currents.
Tanya Sinclair felt an inexplicable chill, just as she heard Declan Pierce hoarsely ask her.
Earlier in the surveillance room, he had heard Tanya Sinclair’s angry accusations crystal clear.
’Didn’t you ever lay a hand on me?’
He didn’t even dare to listen all the way through.
If he continued listening, Declan Pierce thought he might truly go insane today... insane to the point of no return.
Just thinking of that scene, his blood boiled and roared through his veins, clamoring with violence.
"Where did he hit you?" Declan Pierce asked icily.
Seeing Tanya Sinclair remain silent, his lips curled into a frosty smile, hurting three parts the opponent, seven parts himself.
Even , she was still protecting him, still unwilling to let go?!
"Tanya Sinclair, could you debase yourself a little more?"
Declan Pierce’s gaze fell to an icy point, turning back, Vincent Hawthorne was already surrounded by his men.
Fine, she wouldn’t speak, so he would settle it himself!
Since he’d hit her, naturally his hands had been active...
A bloodthirsty scarlet emerged in Declan Pierce’s eyes.
She didn’t expect Declan Pierce to be serious!
He used to utterly dislike her...
’Buzz buzz——’ The phone in her palm vibrated, Tanya Sinclair looked down, it was a message from Janne Hayes.
Janne Hayes: [Ms. Sinclair, stop President Pierce! It’s over if he makes a move here!!!]
There were surveillance cameras all around, and even if The Hawthorne Family was no match for The Pierce Family, they were still an influential household. Furthermore, Declan Pierce’s position within The Pierce Family was not without its awkwardness, and above him was Zeke Pierce...
"Declan Pierce! Stop!" Tanya Sinclair couldn’t get through to him, in her urgency, she rushed forward, hugging the man’s narrow waist.
The originally murderous figure froze in place.
Tanya Sinclair softly pleaded, "Don’t do this, I’m really fine. I’m begging you, calm down... don’t make a move here..."