Half-Hearted: Mr. Sinclair, Stop the Act!-Chapter 98: The More People Know, the Better

Vivian Nash, not knowing the exact time when Caleb Sinclair would pick up Sienna Monroe in the afternoon, went straight to Caleb’s architectural firm after leaving the art gallery.

She specifically chose a spot where she could see both the entrance and the parking lot of the firm, basking in the warm and pleasant winter afternoon sun.

She forcibly suppressed the unease in her heart and patiently reassured herself.

Today, she was bound to see Caleb Sinclair.

Her now calm mind realized that Jenna Sherman and Cheryl Talbot’s mastermind was likely someone within the high society circles.

This was a realm she could never reach.

After all, she truly had no roots in Imperial City.

The only people she knew were Caleb Sinclair and Sienna Monroe.

But this situation didn’t seem to involve Sienna, so to uncover the person behind it, she still had to rely on Caleb Sinclair.

Moreover, her current situation was dire, and Caleb was the only one who could protect and support her.

Thinking this, she exhaled deeply, calmed her mind, and gazed at the firm’s entrance with determination.

She was patient and composed, waiting for almost three hours before she saw a black Cayenne driving out of the underground garage.

She recognized this car; it was Caleb Sinclair’s personal business vehicle.

Though they had always been in a secret relationship, they had met secretly quite a few times, and she had a certain understanding of Caleb’s usual cars, outfits, and accessories.

The car was driving fast, and Vivian couldn’t catch up to stop it. Fortunately, a taxi passed by, and she quickly flagged it down, saying to the driver, "Please follow that black Cayenne ahead."

The driver didn’t say anything, just stepped on the gas and followed.

After driving for about half an hour, the Cayenne stopped at the biggest money pit in Imperial City - the Elysium Club.

Seeing the person getting out of the car, Vivian couldn’t even bother to scan the payment code; she hurriedly fished out two bills from her bag, threw them in with a "Keep the change," and swiftly pushed the door open, stepping out.

When Caleb Sinclair was about to go inside, Vivian gently called out, like the gentle patter of spring rain, hesitant and soft, "Caleb."

Hearing the familiar voice, Caleb paused, turned his head, and saw the frail and delicate silhouette reflected in his eyes.

He instantly furrowed his brow, and in his surprised tone, there was a mix of displeasure, his gaze scrutinizing, "You followed me?"

Vivian held back the hurt inside her, her eyes reddening. She walked two steps closer, choking back her grievance, "Caleb, are you abandoning me again?"

She sniffled, her eyes welling up with tears, stubbornly refusing to fall.

"You’ve not been answering my calls, not replying to my messages these past few days, and I couldn’t find you. I waited outside your company for you all afternoon today."

As she spoke, tears burst from her eyes. She lifted her hand to take off her mask and wiped away the tears, trying hard to force a smile.

"I know you must have your difficulties, so I didn’t come today to cling. Since you’ve made this decision, I support you. Besides saying goodbye, I have one last request."

Caleb, watching her face grow more severe, was increasingly shocked, "What’s wrong with your face?"

Vivian looked at him with tearful eyes, "Yesterday afternoon, someone came to Rippling Crest Estates causing trouble, putting up banners... I don’t know who the person behind this is, but I can guess it’s someone I can’t afford to offend.

In Imperial City, there’s no one else who can help me except you. If I did something wrong and offended someone, I can apologize, I just ask for a way out, don’t push me like this anymore."

Trouble at Rippling Crest Estates, putting up banners?

Caleb was incredulous.

No need to think, he could guess this was definitely his mother’s doing.

Seeing her pitiful and poised gaze full of hope, a soft spot in his heart unknowingly was touched.

Vivian, after all, had been with him for over a year; there was no reason for her to end up like this.

Moreover...

He felt some reluctance towards her.

Seeing her like this now made his heart even more unwilling; he pressed his lips together, his eyes flickering with complexity.

It was as if he was struggling.

After a long while, he finally spoke, "I’ll help you look into the person behind this. Leave it to me, and don’t worry. Go back first, I have an engagement I can’t get out of now, but I’ll come to see you later after I’m done."

Vivian’s eyes brightened, her lips trembling, "Re... really? You’re not lying to me..."

Caleb squeezed her hand gently, his voice soft, "When have I ever lied to you?"

Vivian broke into a teary smile, "Okay. Then you handle your things, I’ll wait for you at home."

"Mm."

"You must come!"

Caleb nodded, patting her head, a hint of pain in his eyes, "Make sure to pay attention to your face injury, alright? Apply the medicine well. I’ll contact an international beauty product company later to get you the best scar removal medication."

Vivian’s smile deepened as she sniffled and said, "Okay."

With that, she turned to leave, hailing a car by the roadside to return to Rippling Crest Estates.

She looked out at the most luxurious and grandest money-squandering pit of Imperial City, slowly lowered her eyelids, and the depression that had accumulated in her chest slowly exhaled.

Sure enough, with Caleb Sinclair, retreating to advance and pretending to be pitiful and weak always works.

As long as it works... that’s good.

Elysium Club has a total of 14 floors, each with different levels of spending, and, of course, different entertainment programs.

Caleb Sinclair had arranged to meet someone on the 13th floor to discuss business tonight. After exiting the elevator and passing through Area A, there were four or five young gentlemen sitting in the lounge area drinking and laughing.

"Really? No way, they’re known as the model couple in our circle."

"After all these years, their deep love for each other can’t be just an act, right?"

"I still find it hard to believe."

"It’s true, why would I lie to you? I just saw it myself. Right downstairs, very intimate with a woman. On Mrs. Morgan’s funeral day, I saw Sienna Monroe, it definitely wasn’t her."

Caleb Sinclair originally didn’t pay much attention to their conversation.

But when he heard the keywords "Mrs. Morgan" and "Sienna Monroe," he stopped in his tracks, his eyelid twitched sharply.

Downstairs, intimate with a woman?

Are they talking about him and Vivian Nash?

His heartbeat suddenly faltered, but before he could speak, he heard a familiar, carefree voice.

"Hey, everyone’s here, huh? What are you guys talking about? What happened with Sienna Monroe?"

Caleb Sinclair turned his head and saw the owner of that voice.

It was Harrison Hayes.

His breath caught.

The last time, Harrison Hayes even had dinner with Sienna Monroe, and if this talk were to reach Sienna’s ears...

He clenched his fist, looking back at those few, frowning and soberly said, "Gentlemen, you can eat the wrong meal, but don’t speak recklessly!"

Harrison Hayes seemed as if he had just noticed him, looking surprised, "Oh, Mr. Sinclair, sorry about that, I didn’t notice you earlier. You came here for...?"

"I arranged to discuss something with Mr. Keane."

Caleb Sinclair succinctly explained his presence, his gaze falling on the young gentleman who claimed to have seen it with his own eyes, "Did you just say you saw me downstairs entangled with a woman?"

That gentleman leisurely crossed his legs, leaning back in his chair, "Yeah, did I say something wrong?"

"You didn’t. That girl is my cousin. I came here for business; she insisted on coming in to play, and I didn’t allow it."

Caleb Sinclair’s gaze was faint, "I really don’t have to explain to you, but it’s concerning the reputation of my cousin and me. Second Young Master Walsh, I kindly ask you to watch your words."

After saying that, he nodded briefly at Harrison Hayes and turned away expressionlessly.

The tension in his back remained unrelaxed.

What if this matter still ends up in Sienna Monroe’s ears?

How would Sienna react?

Would she investigate?

Or what if it reached his mother’s ears instead?

His heart trembled fiercely, gritting his teeth, absolutely not!

The softness he once felt for Vivian Nash instantly turned immeasurably hard.

Watching Caleb Sinclair’s departing back, Harrison Hayes curved his lips into a smile, giving a thumbs up to his nearby brother, "Great performance, today’s meal is on Sebastian’s tab."

"Sebastian Prescott? From the Prescott Family in Westwood?"

"What does today’s matter have to do with him?"

"..."

Harrison Hayes waved his hand, said, "Secrets of heaven cannot be revealed," and left, sending a voice message to Sebastian Prescott, "Bro, the job is done. You should ask Ms. Monroe if the rumors should continue."

Upon receiving a message back from Sebastian, Sienna Monroe smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

Vivian Nash is indeed quite persistent.

Caleb Sinclair is rather incorrigible too.

She didn’t even know what words to use to describe the complexity of the moment.

But it was a win-win situation for her.

She wanted to extinguish the last hope Vivian Nash had.

She typed back: [Of course, they should continue, let it reach my mother-in-law’s ears, that’s best, known to all would be even better, but don’t let it spread too fast, lest June Ewing notices something’s amiss.]