CHAPTER 16: CHAPTER 16: THAT IS ART

The next day.

Just like yesterday, Audrey Sutton got up early to prepare a sumptuous breakfast.

After Shane worked out in the gym, washed up, and dressed, he could enjoy a hot breakfast as soon as he came downstairs.

Being taken care of feels pretty good.

Audrey had spent the night wrestling with her thoughts, determined to integrate as much as possible into Shane’s life, and she was full of fighting spirit once again.

She didn’t aim to make Shane hopelessly fall in love with her, but at least wanted him to miss her or feel uncomfortable after leaving her.

Audrey was quite confident about achieving this.

As Shane was heading out to the company, Audrey ran to the door and asked him, "What would you like for lunch? I’ll bring it to the company?"

He buttoned his sleeves and turned his head to ask her, "Not going to class today?"

"I’m going in the afternoon only, so I’m planning to cook at home for lunch."

Shane nodded: "I have a meeting at noon that will end around eleven-thirty, so come by twelve."

"Okay, be careful on your way."

Watching his car drive away with a face full of anticipation, Audrey only then realized he hadn’t told her what he wanted to eat.

But considering his habit of fitness, preparing a fitness meal would surely be right.

This was the first time Audrey came to his company, and just as she entered the lobby, before she could fully explore, a receptionist girl quickly approached: "Madam, you’re here? The president just went out and instructed me to take you to his office to wait for him."

Audrey didn’t expect that he had already informed them, smiled dryly and nodded, following the receptionist girl to his office.

When the receptionist girl pushed the door open, thinking Shane was out and the office would be empty, she was surprised to see a girl emerge from inside, and they collided directly.

"Secretary Irving?" The receptionist girl recognized the girl.

Secretary Irving glanced at Audrey and hastily said, "Hello, Madam," before turning to leave.

Audrey looked at Secretary Irving’s departing figure with some puzzlement, feeling that something was odd.

The receptionist girl explained, "Secretary Irving should be here to deliver documents to the president."

Audrey nodded and walked into Shane’s office, indeed finding a folder on his desk.

But since it was for delivering documents, why did Secretary Irving have such a weird and even seemingly guilty look when she saw her?

Could it be... some sort of clandestine office romance?

Considering Shane, a man blessed with good looks, talent, wealth, and power, naturally, there would be no shortage of women coveting him. It’s not impossible for female secretaries around him to harbor fond thoughts.

It seems she not only needs to win over Shane’s stomach, but also be wary of someone stealing her thunder!

While Shane hadn’t arrived, she quietly went to the secretary’s office to take a look and found half male and half female workers.

Particularly focusing on Secretary Irving, who was dressed in decent professional attire with a low ponytail, looking pretty pure and simple in appearance - perhaps she was just overthinking?

"Ouch!" Audrey suddenly clutched her head, frowned, and looked behind.

"Catching anyone’s eye?" Shane leisurely withdrew his hand, which had just tapped her head, and casually glanced in the direction she was looking.

Audrey rubbed her head and answered sourly with a frown, "They’re all more handsome than you!"

"Really? That just shows your poor taste."

While the two were chatting by the door, the same Secretary Irving came over again: "President Warner, I’ve already sent the documents you asked for to the office."

Shane just nodded, then led Audrey toward his office, inattentively asking her, "How long have you been here?"

"For a while."

"What dishes did you make?"

"You’ll know when you see them."

Secretary Irving stood in place, staring at their backs as they left, with an elusive hint of unwillingness in her eyes.

In the afternoon, while Audrey was still in class, she received a friend request from Laura Yates.

Laura texted saying: I’ve been following your work for a long time. The themes are innovative and the style is good, but your updates are intermittent, so the website can’t recommend them. From now on, report progress to me every night and submit a draft once a week.

Audrey then realized that the admired editor was a relentless "update demon."

But in the past, previous editors didn’t care much about her; she wasn’t famous at all, and editors preferred to focus on those who had somewhat established works.

So Audrey had become lazy herself, sometimes updating only once a month.

With Laura guiding her and thinking about the works and authors Luna has promoted, Audrey began to look forward, thus gaining motivation.

After class, she didn’t follow her dorm roommates to watch a movie but immediately returned home, opened her computer, and took out the sketch she edited a few weeks ago to continue drawing.

Barry Barrett even said she was putting romance over friendship, rushing home to be with her husband.

After seven, Shane left the dinner party.

Back home, as soon as he pushed open the door, it was pitch black inside, making him feel a certain bad premonition again.

Could it be that this girl was out with her friends again?

She hadn’t replied to his messages in the afternoon - looks like she was having a lot of fun.

He turned on the lights at the entryway and noticed her black leather shoes from the day were casually placed around - she hadn’t gone out?

Shane changed his shoes and walked upstairs, puzzled, lightly knocked on her room door, and when there was no answer, he directly turned the door handle.

The room was pitch dark without any lights on; only the computer screen on the desk was glowing, with a shadow sitting in front.

Shane’s brows furrowed even tighter, and he squinted to look at her computer screen, realizing she was sketching a draft.

From an outsider’s perspective, she might be mistaken for a game-addicted youngster obsessed with online gaming.

He reached to flip the light switch by the door, and the room lit up abruptly, briefly startling Audrey.

She turned around to look and finally realized Shane was standing by the door.

Only then did she take off the headphones on her head, the music from which he could faintly hear.

"You’ve come back?"

Looking at her with a mischievous smile, Shane asked sternly, "What were you doing?"

Audrey quickly reacted, remembering the picture of a boy cornering another boy on her computer, and quickly slammed the laptop shut: "...Homework."

"Doing homework without turning on the light?"

"When did it get dark? What time is it? Haven’t you had dinner?"

Facing her barrage of questions, Shane’s face darkened further as he walked out of the room, saying, "You’re so focused on drawing those little racy pictures that you don’t even eat?"

Audrey hurried out to explain, "I wasn’t drawing racy pictures; they’re... they’re art! Just like you said!"

Shane didn’t respond, heading downstairs.

Audrey chased after him, watching him reach the kitchen area, open the fridge, glance at the vegetables inside, and ask, "What would you like to eat?"

Audrey only then realized his intention, smiling as she asked him, "You can cook?"

"I can do a lot of things, like some poses you haven’t drawn before."

Audrey was stunned, not because she didn’t understand Shane’s innuendo, but because she didn’t expect him to suddenly steer the conversation in that direction, always assuming he was a reserved and serious old man.

No way! His words imply, maybe...

"You have real-life experience?"