CHAPTER 12: CHAPTER 12: NOW WE’RE EVEN

"Buzz—buzz—"

Audrey Sutton put down the pencil in her hand and took out the vibrating phone from her bag; it was an unregistered number.

"Hello," Audrey answered politely.

The caller paused before speaking, "Didn’t save my number?"

Upon hearing the voice, Audrey tensed up, "It’s you? You... you didn’t give me your number! Wait, where did you get my number?"

Shane didn’t answer her question but instead asked, "Are you done with class?"

"I’m in the studio; I can leave anytime."

"Come downstairs now."

Audrey was puzzled, got up, ran to the corridor outside the studio, and peered downstairs, noticing a black car parked below.

Not sure if it was his car, Audrey hurried back to the studio to pack her things quickly and rushed downstairs.

As she approached the black jeep, Audrey slowed her pace, looking around uncertainly.

She saw the car window roll down slowly; after seeing the driver clearly, Audrey smiled, circled the car, and quickly slipped into the passenger seat, as if afraid of being seen.

It seemed he still cared about what she said; she had asked him to be low-key, and instead of bringing his eye-catching fancy car to school, he had driven this one.

"What do you want to eat?"

While fastening her seatbelt, Audrey thought for a moment and said, "Fish."

He seemed to have already chosen a place and started the car.

Ten minutes later, the car stopped in front of a fish restaurant.

As soon as they entered, a fragrant aroma hit them, and Audrey’s stomach grumbled twice.

He glanced at her, with a hint of a smile, then walked to the cashier and said something to the staff, leading Audrey to an empty table and sitting down.

When the waiter brought the tea, they said, "The girl you brought last time doesn’t seem to be this one?"

Shane just smiled, and the waiter left after placing the tea.

Audrey frowned slightly, asking him, "Which girl did you bring last time?"

"Curious?"

Audrey hesitated and said, pretending not to care, "It’s none of my business."

Shane seemed to enjoy seeing her annoyed, knowing she was curious but deliberately not explaining.

After a while, she muttered, "Thought you were a gentleman; turns out you’re just a wolf in a suit, a lecher!"

"What are you mumbling about? Speak louder." He obviously heard but purposely teased her coldly.

Audrey "hmphed" and then said, "Tonight, my mom asked me to go home for dinner, so I’m not staying at your place."

Whether she was sulking or it was true, Shane asked, "Why did your mom call you home?"

"My second brother is bringing someone home." After saying that, Audrey realized something and corrected him discontentedly, "Stop calling her ’mom’ so affectionately. Since it’s just us two, stop pretending, hypocrite!"

"The girl last time was my cousin."

Audrey was taken aback; his explanation made her feel better instantly, yet she pretended not to care, "It’s none of my business."

"Girls should be more graceful and not just say ’none of my business’ all the time."

Audrey narrowed her eyes at him, unsure if he was indirectly insulting her.

Halfway through the meal, Audrey suddenly remembered someone and asked Shane, "Are you close with Laura Yates?"

"Who?" His first reaction was genuine; it was clear he was unfamiliar with the name, making Audrey feel relieved.

"She almost became your wife, and you don’t know who she is?"

He said, "Met once."

Audrey hurriedly asked, "Is she pretty?"

He said, "She’s okay."

Audrey: "Compared to me?"

He said, "Far inferior."

Audrey: "Who’s far inferior?"

He said, "You."

Audrey pouted, feeling sullen and stopped talking, as even the delicious food in front of her lost its flavor.

Sitting across from her, Shane had a hint of laughter in his eyes.

He increasingly felt this young girl was very interesting.

After the meal, he sent her back to school. Getting out of the car, he said, "I’ll finish work at five-thirty; wait for me at home, and we’ll go back for dinner together."

At six in the evening, The Suttons’ villa.

When Shane’s car arrived, several parking spaces nearby were already occupied by cars, implying her brothers were there.

"What are your brothers’ names?" Shane asked before getting off.

Audrey said, "They’re quite easy to remember: Franklin Sutton, Arthur Sutton, Scott Sutton, Evan Sutton."

"That’s not easy to remember."

Audrey nodded, "Ah, and Norman Sutton."

Just as they got out of the car, they saw a Bentley approaching.

"That’s my second brother’s car." Audrey took a few steps forward, and after the car stopped, the driver’s window rolled down. Franklin Sutton reached out to rub Audrey’s head with a grin, "You even came out to greet me?"

Audrey said, "We just arrived too."

Curious, she glanced inside the car at her future sister-in-law, feeling she looked familiar as if she’d seen her somewhere before.

After Franklin got out, he was surprised to see Shane before going around the car to help the girl in the passenger seat out.

Audrey saw Shane furrow his brow, and when her future sister-in-law got out and saw Shane, she instinctively hid behind Franklin.

"Laura Yates?" Shane uttered the name casually.

Upon hearing the name, Audrey recalled that she had seen Laura’s photo at Shane’s wedding, which was why she found her familiar.

But... what’s the situation now?

Laura Yates was her future sister-in-law?

Franklin protected Laura and said to Shane, "I admit I took your intended bride on your wedding day, but you’ve now stolen my most beloved sister, so we’re even!"

Audrey didn’t know Shane’s attitude towards Laura Yates or what kind of person Laura was, so she just observed the situation without speaking.

Honestly, she internally considered Laura as a rival but never thought Laura had a relationship with her second brother.

The four entered the house, and since Franklin was the main focus tonight, the conversation rarely drifted towards Audrey and Shane.

Audrey observed that Laura Yates was not the arrogant and haughty person she imagined; instead, she was very gentle, quite well-matched with her brother.

Shane hadn’t lied to her; Laura was indeed beautiful, but Audrey believed she wasn’t lacking either, each having their own beauty. She was confident in her own looks.

Her third brother, Arthur Sutton, was somewhat familiar with Shane, often having business dealings, and they were chatting about business together.

Unexpectedly, Laura Yates took the initiative to sit beside Audrey and chat, " ’The Rabbit That Doesn’t Eat Grass’ was drawn by you, right?"