Shane parked the car by the roadside, worried that driving into the yard might disturb Audrey.
The bodyguard on duty said the villa was very quiet, with no unusual signs spotted.
Shane pushed the door open and entered the house without changing his shoes and went straight upstairs. Standing by the bedroom door, he observed her with one foot hanging out of the blanket; her sleeping posture had changed sowhat since he left, but she didn’t seem to have awakened.
She should not have seen the photos Phoebe sent, or else, knowing her temperant, she likely wouldn’t be able to sleep after seeing those.
Under the dim light of the bedside nightlight, Shane walked lightly to the bed and reached out to pick up her foot, tucking it back under the blanket.
Within a couple of seconds, she frowned and muttered unhappily, "It’s so hot."
And then she kicked away the blanket Shane had just tidied up.
Shane reached behind her head to feel her forehead and realized that the roots of her hair were soaked with sweat. He picked up the remote control from the bedside and lowered the temperature of the air conditioning, then went to the bathroom, ca back with a damp towel, and wiped her face.
Audrey seed to be sleeping uncomfortably; when he wiped her face, she woke up, blinked, and asked him, "What ti is it? Am I late for school?"
Shane couldn’t help but smile, teasing her, "Well, it’s almost eight o’clock."
"Ah?" Audrey sat up in surprise, looked at the pitch-black window outside, and said after a mont of confusion, "I forgot; I don’t have classes this morning. I can sleep a bit more."
With that, she flopped back onto the bed, and after a couple of seconds, frowned and mumbled to him, "I’m so hot, all sweaty."
Shane reached out and turned on the bedside lamp, asking her, "Does your stomach still hurt?"
Audrey shook her head, as if only then recalling sothing, picked up the phone from the bedside and glanced at it, "Ten o’clock? I’ve just been asleep for such a short while?"
"You’ve already dozed off in that short while."
Audrey lay on her back in bed, rested for a bit, and told him, "I want to drink so water."
Shane reached for the thermos on the bedside table, unscrewed the lid, and handed it to her, "It’s still a bit hot, blow it a bit."
Audrey was probably not fully awake, seeming a bit dazed, hugged the thermos, drank a few gulps, sat blankly on the bed for a while, then turned on the room’s main light and asked him, "Do you think I should take a shower?"
Shane, who had gone to draw the curtains, turned and asked her, "Do you want to help you take one?"
Audrey said, "It just feels sticky and uncomfortable all over, but I don’t want to move."
Shane said, "Then doesn’t that an you want to help you bathe?"
Audrey glared at him, only to notice his leather shoes, "Did you just go out?"
Shane sensed her gaze, smiled, and said, "Went to the hospital."
Audrey did not grow suspicious and asked him, "To see Brother Xavier? How is he?"
Shane replied, "Discharged, already back. Do you want to take a shower? Should I help you find pajamas?"
Audrey said, "You go first; I’ll lie down a bit longer."
With that, she tilted her body and fell back onto the bed, picking up her phone to play.
She saw a ssage from Phoebe, then withdrew it, frowned, and sent an audio ssage over asking Phoebe, "Sister Phoebe, what did you send? I just fell asleep."
Shane, who was at the wardrobe looking for pajamas, froze slightly, hearing Phoebe’s response from the phone, "Oh, nothing, I sent it to the wrong person. Has your husband returned?"
Shane stiffened his back, feeling that Phoebe might chat him up.
He heard Audrey respond to Phoebe, "Yes, he’s back. Did you also go to the hospital to see Brother Xavier?"
On the other side, Phoebe was slightly taken aback, thinking that Third Master Warner could really play dumb. With a handle caught in Shane’s hands, Phoebe didn’t dare to stir things up, so she had to follow Audrey’s words, replying, "Yes, right, sister-in-law, go ahead and sleep; I am playing cards right now."
Watching Audrey set down the phone, Shane finally breathed a sigh of relief, pretending as if nothing happened, and took the pajamas to the bathroom.
The air conditioning humd inside, gradually cooling the room down.
Outside, a cool breeze was blowing, accompanied by the patter of rain.
Currently, Phoebe was living at Stephen Sutton’s house; she was still mindful of her actions. Even if she went out to have fun, she wouldn’t return ho past midnight.
Moreover, she used to be bored at ho without a man, drinking, and playing cards with "old friends." Now there’s a man waiting for her at ho, she always had in mind to go back early.
The card ga ended at eleven o’clock, she won a bit of money, and everyone was reluctant to let her go. She had to settle the bill at the reception to extricate herself.
It was only when she got outside she realized it was raining; her little moped was carefree but neither windproof nor waterproof.
Usually, she wouldn’t bat an eye at this light rain and would continue riding her moped through wind and rain.
But now it was different; even if she intended to feign, she’d have to feign being delicate.
Thus, she stood at the bar’s entrance and called Stephen Sutton.
The call connected swiftly, but Stephen remained silent.
Phoebe cleared her throat softly, and then intoned sweetly, "Teacher Sutton, it’s raining~ Can you co to pick up?"
The phone transmitted Stephen Sutton’s icy voice, "Can you speak properly?"
Phoebe continued to act sweetly, "What’s wrong? Why are you scolding ? If you don’t co, then don’t; at worst, I’ll return ho soaked by the rain~ At worst, I’ll catch a cold~ At worst, I’ll just take so cold dicine~ No worries, there’s no need for you to worry about ~"
Stephen Sutton said, "If you keep this up, I’ll hang up."
Phoebe paused, then responded in her normal tone, sowhat displeased, "Are you picking up or not?"
Stephen seed to co interrogating, saying, "I thought you were staying out overnight."
Phoebe retorted, "If you don’t pick up, I’ll just sleep on a bench in the park. I’ve lost even my underwear, no money for a taxi."
Stephen Sutton asked, "Should I transfer money to you via WhatsApp?"
Phoebe said, "Transfer your sister! Hurry and drive over."
The tone was feisty, but having said that, she dared not hang up imdiately, as she believed Stephen Sutton might really go ho and not care if she lived or died. So, without his affirmative response, Phoebe was unsure.
After two seconds of silence, Stephen Sutton’s voice sounded, asking her, "Address."
Phoebe laughed happily, promptly answering, "Nightshade Bar, I’m at the entrance, wearing a red dress; you’ll see when you arrive."
"Beep—" He hung up.
Phoebe made faces at the phone, but could only stand obediently by the road waiting for him.
Before Stephen ca, Phoebe saw Lan Irving walk out of the bar alone, wearing high heels, swaying a bit, clearly tipsy.
Nevertheless, as the Celestine’s young lady now, she had a chauffeur to pick her up, and a car was waiting for her as soon as she stepped out.
Watching Lan Irving get into the car, Phoebe thoughtfully watched the car drive away, stomped her high heel-wearing foot, and bent down to scratch a mosquito bite.
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