Half-Hearted: Mr. Sinclair, Stop the Act!-Chapter 83: Then Let This Official Wife Show Off Too
The next morning, after more than a week of clear skies, the weather in South Imperial City was about to change again.
The weather forecast said there would be light snow in the next two to three days.
Sienna Monroe hadn’t slept well the previous night and it was already half-past eight when she got up. She frowned slightly as she looked at the overcast sky outside the window.
She turned around, washed up in the bathroom, went downstairs, and sat directly at the dining table, where Auntie Miller immediately served breakfast.
The breakfast wasn’t much, but it was quite rich.
There were shrimp dumplings, a small bowl of pumpkin millet porridge, two currant waffles, two pan-fried buns, and a small plate of sliced fruit.
Auntie Miller said with a smile, "The pumpkin millet porridge and waffles were specially made for you by the young master this morning."
Hearing this, Sienna’s gaze fell on the waffles.
A touch of surprise surfaced in her calm, beautiful almond eyes. "Did he just learn this?"
Auntie Miller nodded, "When I arrived this morning, it was still dark, and the kitchen was the only part of the whole villa with lights on. I thought someone forgot to turn off the light last night,
but when I went over, I found the young master kneading the dough inside. These waffles failed twice and only succeeded after seven o’clock. Why don’t you try them first and see how they taste? See if you like them?"
Across the entire Imperial City, which wealthy young master would get up before dawn to knead dough and cook for his wife?
Other than him, there might not be a second person.
He was always willing to put in the effort for her.
And he was very patient.
A ripple seemed to spread in her heart, and after a few seconds of pause, she picked up a fork and tried a piece. The outer crust was crispy, the inside fluffy and layered.
The taste was quite good.
However, before she could swallow, a message flashed on her phone screen on the table.
[Half an hour ago, Caleb Sinclair delivered a serving of waffles and pumpkin millet porridge to Vivian Nash. The waffles were what Vivian had mentioned she wanted to eat.]
Sienna was momentarily stunned.
The calmness in her eyes instantly turned icy.
Oh.
It wasn’t for her, but instead for Vivian Nash.
Her portion, as usual, was just incidental.
How familiar these words sounded.
She let out a mocking laugh, gripping the fork tighter involuntarily.
The kindness, tenderness, and deep affection he once showed her dissipated like foam in the bright blue sky.
Now, he was also starting to cook for another woman.
A churning sensation rose in her stomach, and Sienna furrowed her brows, hurriedly grabbing a tissue to spit out the uneaten waffle.
"The butter taste is too strong for me. Take it away, please."
Then she pushed the pumpkin millet porridge aside as well and stuffed shrimp dumplings into her mouth, trying to cover the waffle’s taste lingering in her mouth.
Auntie Miller was a bit surprised, but she thought Sienna was pregnant and now was the most sensitive to tastes.
She didn’t say much and quickly took the two items away.
"I noted it down. I’ll let the young master know when he returns, and I’ll pay more attention to the meals in the future."
Sienna just nodded.
Perhaps it was because of that waffle, she lost her appetite. She barely finished four steamed dumplings and then put down her chopsticks, not even touching the milk Auntie Miller brought afterward.
Just as she was about to go upstairs to change clothes, her phone chimed again.
[Vivian Nash brought the waffles Caleb Sinclair gave her to the art gallery, sharing them with colleagues and showing off that her boyfriend made them for her.]
Sienna paused in her tracks.
Showing off?
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
It suddenly seemed laughable.
Alright then, as the mistress, Vivian Nash was showing off this and that as a sidepiece. Perhaps it was time for the legitimate wife to do some flaunting too.
"Auntie Miller, how many waffles are there left?"
"The young master made too many this morning and didn’t control the amount well. He took three with him when he left, and now, except for the one you didn’t finish, there are four,"
"Then please pack those four for me."
Auntie Miller didn’t ask where she was taking them and agreed, going to the kitchen.
Sienna went upstairs to change her clothes and took the waffles Auntie Miller packed to the art gallery.
When she arrived at the exhibition group’s office area, she saw several people of Group A, including Cecilia York, almost finished with the waffles.
She smiled and asked, "Still having breakfast, huh?"
Everyone looked up and greeted her, and Cecilia York replied, "We’ve all eaten. These are what Vivian’s boyfriend gave her. She said she couldn’t finish them, so she brought them for us to try."
Vivian Nash was a bit regretful, but there was unmistakable glee in her eyes.
"So sorry, Sienna, if you came ten minutes earlier, you could have tried some..."
"No worries," Sienna interrupted her, a faint smile in her eyes as she looked at her. "Coincidentally, I also brought some waffles over, made by my husband himself."
"They look quite similar to Vivian’s. Why don’t you all give them a try? I believe the taste should be good too."
Saying this, she handed the bag to Cecilia, "Cecilia, share these with everyone, please. I can’t really stand the butter smell."
Cecilia stepped forward and took it, smiling as she agreed, "Sure."
Sienna looked at Vivian Nash, her voice gentle, "Vivian, it’s alright I didn’t get to try yours. You can taste what I brought."
Waffles made by Caleb Sinclair?
Wasn’t that...
The color drained from Vivian Nash’s face at that moment.
Watching the waffles Cecilia was handing out, something seemed to clutch Vivian’s heart tightly, bringing a sharp pain with each breath.
She forced herself to remain calm, trying hard to cover her embarrassment, "Sure... sure."
When she received the waffles from Cecilia, her eyes darkened, and she lightly bit her lip.
Indeed, they were the same as the ones Caleb gave her.
She clenched her fist.
What was Sienna implying?
Was she deliberately trying to slap her face? 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮
But how did she know?
Could it be... just a coincidence?
As she pondered, those who tasted them started giving feedback.
"Director’s waffles taste a lot like the ones Vivian brought."
"Yeah, even the sweetness seems the same."
"And they’re both currant flavored."
"..."
Sienna Monroe looked at the tension and panic in Vivian Nash’s eyes.
Inwardly, she found it ironic, but outwardly she feigned appropriate surprise, "Oh, really? The same? Vivian, did your boyfriend make these waffles?"
"I mentioned a few days ago that your boyfriend is quite similar to my husband, and now even their waffle-making skills are alike. It must be fate; we must arrange for them to meet sometime."
Vivian Nash’s breath caught.
Facing the confused and inquisitive gazes of others, she suppressed the hatred and anger in her chest with a smile, "He’s a rich kid, how could he possibly cook? He can’t compare to Caleb Sinclair.
I bought these from a bakery; do they taste similar? Let me have a taste."
Saying that, she took a bite of the waffle and praised, "Mm, delicious, Caleb Sinclair’s skill is impressive, good enough to open a shop with this taste."
Sienna Monroe watched her genuine smile.
She truly admired Vivian Nash’s ability to adapt on the spot.
Just look, with a few words, she easily dispelled the doubts everyone had.
However...
Her eyes glanced at Cecilia York, who was frowning in deep thought.
Hmm, it doesn’t matter if the others have doubts now; as long as Cecilia York is suspicious, that’s enough.
She pulled the topic back, "That’s an exaggeration; it surely can’t compare to what your boyfriend bought."
Vivian Nash’s smile faded slightly at the corners of her lips, "You’re being modest. I think Caleb Sinclair’s waffles are just as good as those from the bakery."
Ding!
The unexpected sound of a text message notification came from Sienna Monroe’s bag, interrupting the undercurrent in their conversation.
Her fingers paused momentarily on her bag handle.
Since the goal had been achieved, there was no need to continue the pointless chatter with Vivian Nash.
"Alright, I will pass on your praises to him," she smiled, "You all take care."
Cecilia York frowned as she watched Vivian Nash’s figure, recalling the words Sienna Monroe had said to her that day.
Stay away from Vivian Nash.
A bad influence.
She looked down at the waffle in her hand, and a bold guess suddenly formed in her mind.
Sienna Monroe returned to her office and took out her phone to check the text message.
[June Ewing is holding a management meeting at 2 PM at Radiance Beauty Spa; the spa will reopen in three days.]
Her eyes moved; she had been pondering the inactivity at Radiance Beauty Spa the day before, and without a reason, visiting would seem abrupt.
The opportunity had arrived.
At 3 PM, she was on her way to the beauty salon, having bought a box of assorted pastries and small cakes.
Upon arrival, she found June Ewing and several management members just ending the meeting.
Seeing her standing outside, June Ewing was slightly surprised, "Sienna? What brings you here?"
Sienna Monroe smiled, "I heard yesterday that the beauty spa is reopening in a few days, so I wanted to come by and see. I also brought some pastries for you."
June Ewing pulled her to sit down, full of concern, "You are so thoughtful. You’re pregnant and managing such a big art gallery, why worry about the beauty spa? Aren’t you tired?"
Sienna Monroe replied, "I just felt uneasy. How has the beauty spa been during the closure? Was it greatly affected by the incident?"
June Ewing poured her a glass of warm water and sighed, "There was definitely an impact. Since closing, 11 ladies and misses have canceled their memberships, despite my efforts to persuade and explain."
Hearing this, Sienna Monroe put on a worried expression, "This is happening repeatedly; the customers are leaving. You’re handling it better than I would."
"There’s nothing I can do but accept it. The real problem was the person who reported us, their heart is truly dark!"
Sienna Monroe paused; she couldn’t respond to this statement.
After all, the person behind reporting Radiance Beauty Spa was her uncle.
She could only take a sip of warm water to soothe her throat.
Not even ten seconds of silence had passed when June Ewing’s phone rang. She stood up, "Sienna, I need to take this call. Feel free to have some snacks."
"No worries, you go ahead," Sienna replied.
June Ewing had a smile on her face as she exchanged pleasantries on the phone, and Sienna Monroe set her water glass down, observing the coffee table.
The coffee table was a two-level oak white design, supported by panels underneath, and if a bug were placed there, it would be easy to spot when bending down to pick something up.
It couldn’t be placed there.
She furrowed her brows and swiftly scanned the surroundings.
Every spot, however, was either unsuitable for hiding a bug or too distant.
None were suitable.
Her gaze returned as she inadvertently noticed the walnut double-layered plant stand on her right with twin green pots.
The top housed a pot of miniature roses, and the lower layer held a pot of clivias.
The bottom shelf was close to the floor, so even if moved slightly, it wouldn’t be obvious that something was glued underneath it.
Unless someone lifted the entire stand to look.
Sienna Monroe’s eyes gleamed as she locked on the target.
She discreetly took the bug from her bag and, after glancing at June Ewing still on the phone, casually walked to the stand. With an air of admiring the clivias, she slowly crouched down.
Her hand, holding the bug, swiftly slid between the shelf and the floor and stuck the bug in the middle beneath the shelf.
She had just withdrawn her hand from the gap but had not yet pulled back when June Ewing turned to see her, "Sienna, what are you doing?"
Hearing this, Sienna Monroe stiffened.
The hand hanging by her leg became momentarily frozen; she could sense the intense gaze locking onto her back, perhaps containing curiosity and suspicion.
It startled her.
"What’s wrong? Are you looking for something?" June Ewing approached, asking with concern.
Sienna Monroe slightly furrowed her brows.
Whether it was the tone or the words, June Ewing sincerely seemed to be caring about her.
Yet inexplicably, in her words, Sienna sensed a bit of coaxing meaning.
That "looking for something" reason was like an innocent trap.
Setting foot in it would lead into an endless pit of darkness.
She pressed her lips together, her gaze falling on the clivias, and she smiled, "No, I was just admiring this pot of clivias; the flowers are lovely."
June Ewing also looked at the clivias, then at Sienna Monroe’s beautiful, delicate face.
She chuckled, "These are easy to care for; I haven’t put much effort into them."
"Really?" Sienna Monroe naturally retracted her hand and stood up, "Then I’ll have to consult you when I next buy potted plants."
"No need to buy; there are clivias in the old house’s garden. If you like them, you can take a few pots home to keep."
"Sure, I won’t be polite then."
Sienna’s face lit up with a bright smile, and as she spoke, her eyes subtly swept towards the cabinet behind the desk.
It seemed like there would be no chance today to retrieve the documents and assessments of the young aristocrats.
Although a bit disappointed, she could finally let out a steady breath that had been stuck in her throat.
