Half-Hearted: Mr. Sinclair, Stop the Act!-Chapter 193: I Miss You So Much

At three in the afternoon, a trending topic emerged online accusing Audrey of plagiarizing the retirement work of her predecessor, "Indigo Quill."

Below were comparison pictures of the two paintings.

In just one hour, it swept across the entire internet.

Arrows also pointed directly at Serena Art Museum and Audrey.

By the evening, the museum received two or three order cancellations from previous customers.

Sienna Monroe didn’t take this matter to heart; if they wanted to cancel, so be it.

Once this issue was resolved, they wouldn’t have trouble finding buyers at the closing ceremony.

What she needed to think about now was Nora Joyce’s investigation with Ethan Chapman, though it wouldn’t yield results so quickly.

After much consideration, she made a call to Sebastian Prescott.

After a dozen seconds, the call was connected, and a clear, deep voice came through the receiver, "Hmm? What’s wrong?"

"Are you available now?"

Sienna first asked politely.

Sebastian replied, "Yes, I’m available."

Sienna got to the point, "I’d like to trouble you to write a lawyer’s letter for me."

"A lawyer’s letter?" Sebastian hesitated, asking, "Is it for the online report this afternoon?"

"Yes."

"Alright, who is it addressed to?"

"To Aura Art Gallery’s curator, Ethan Chapman."

Sebastian slightly furrowed his brows.

He had attended the art seminar at Capital University and had some impressions of both Aura Art Gallery and Ethan Chapman.

Somewhat surprised, he asked, "Is the report this afternoon related to him?"

"Probably, with about an eighty percent chance, but I have no evidence."

After her words fell, there was a light laugh from the receiver after about ten seconds, as if in jest and teasing.

"Are you trying to draw the snake out of its hole?"

It’s hard to say if he was clever or if he just understood her well.

It seemed like no matter what happened, nothing could escape his eyes.

Sienna softly said, "Yes, such evidence is hard to find, so I can only make him lose his temper, but I’m not sure it will succeed."

If this was indeed done by Ethan Chapman, it would be understandable behavior.

It was just a matter of competing interests.

Sebastian spoke, "No worries, leave this to me. If he did it, he will confess."

Sienna was momentarily stunned, somewhat surprised.

Hesitantly, she asked, "You... aren’t you afraid I might be wrong about this?"

Sebastian pondered for a moment and then said softly, "I trust you."

His voice was still clear, no different from his usual tone.

But it shocked her.

Just those three words.

It was like a sponge had been placed in her chest, gently pressed down, and it quickly rebounded.

A feeling she couldn’t quite describe.

However, having a professional lawyer take the lead was indeed the most appropriate.

She suppressed her thoughts and spoke with a slight smile, "Alright, thank you so much."

After hanging up, she held her phone in a daze for a moment.

Only when that strange feeling faded did she put the phone aside.

As the clock passed eight, the online reports grew more intense, with some people trying to link it back to the Serena Art Museum plagiarism incident from five years ago.

However, the topic hadn’t fully heated up, and at nine sharp, Audrey posted a status on her Weibo.

In the post, she wrote: "I deeply apologize for occupying public resources over this trivial matter.

As my teacher ’Indigo Quill’ has always kept a low profile, I never disclosed our relationship, and this was my oversight. I hope everyone treats this matter rationally.

Due to my personal reasons causing harm to Serena Art Museum’s reputation, I solemnly apologize. I’m sorry."

Below the post was a video of less than a minute.

In the video, Teacher "Indigo Quill" wore a stern expression: "I have retired for many years, never expecting to return to the public eye because of such baseless reports.

I hereby solemnly state: Although I haven’t spent much time with Audrey, she is my only and most prized protégé.

Her ’Quantum Rose’s Sigh’ was created under my guidance and is part of the same series as ’Crimson Paradox,’ a name I gave.

To those spreading rumors and defaming my student, please stop, or we will use legal means to vigorously defend our rights!"

Sienna felt deeply relieved upon seeing this report.

The tense nerves also relaxed at that moment.

She didn’t specifically check the comments or trending situation on this post.

She understood that this crisis was more or less resolved.

Thinking of this, she called the head of the museum’s public relations department and instructed them to immediately release a statement online to clarify their position.

After resolving this matter, she picked up her bag and car keys, ready to leave work.

Upon reaching the parking lot, Sienna vaguely sensed someone following her, and her heart skipped a beat.

She deliberately slowed her pace and naturally reached into her bag for her phone.

Just as she was about to rummage through it to call 110, a familiar voice suddenly called out from behind, "Sienna."

Her back stiffened, and she furrowed her brows even more, slowly turning around.

Sure enough, a face she found abhorrent came into view.

It was Caleb Sinclair.

She pressed her lips together, but the tension within her didn’t completely dissipate just because it was Caleb Sinclair.

Her tone was somewhat cold, "What are you doing here?"

Caleb stepped closer to her.

He was still dressed in a suit, with handsome features, and those almond-shaped eyes under the glasses remained warm and gentle.

Though they hadn’t seen each other for days, he hadn’t changed much.

The only change was that he seemed to have lost a lot of weight.

There was a touch of weariness between his brows.

He gazed at the person close by, and his throat suddenly felt itchy.

The last time they met was before the New Year, almost a month ago.

Except for the one-and-a-half years abroad for further studies after university graduation, it was the longest period they’d been apart since knowing each other.

Nights without her were incredibly hard; he almost suffered insomnia every night due to missing her, with an empty feeling inside.

Nothing felt right or comfortable.

Yet in the moonlight, he couldn’t find anything of hers to aid his sleep.

She hadn’t left a single item behind when she moved out.

He never realized Sienna could be such a heartless, ruthless person.

Could their six-year relationship be so easily discarded and unwanted?

During this time, he forcibly suppressed his desire to look for her, sometimes standing outside the art museum for a while when he couldn’t hold back.

Sometimes as long as two hours, at least half an hour.

But today was the only time he managed to see her.

He was very excited, emotionally stirred.

Yet facing her now, he was at a loss.

Especially seeing her indifferent and unhappy face, the great disparity in his heart.

Yet there was nothing he could do.

After several swallowing motions, he finally managed to say in a rough voice, "Sienna... how have you been? Is the online matter troublesome? Do you need me..."

He originally wanted to blurt out "I miss you so much," but he knew that Sienna was still angry.

She wouldn’t want to hear that from him now.