CHAPTER 41: CHAPTER 41: YOU WANT TO WATCH ME TAKE A BATH?

After dinner, Audrey took General for a walk around the yard. When she returned, Shane still hadn’t replied to her message.

Sighing, she tossed her phone onto the bed and grabbed a nightgown from the closet, heading to the bathroom.

While enjoying a bubble bath with her eyes closed, she heard a "ding dong—" from outside the room.

Audrey’s eyes snapped open, and she hurriedly grabbed the towel beside her to wrap around herself before rushing out.

Checking her phone, she saw that the pinned "Five" avatar finally had a little red dot above it.

Shane replied with a line of text: Have you returned home?

Audrey sent a cat emoji saying "Mmm" and then typed: School’s on holiday, so I brought General home with me.

Soon after, his name indicated he was speaking, and the chatbox popped out with a voice message.

Audrey eagerly tapped to listen to his voice message, which sounded even more magnetic: "Without its own familiar nest, it might crawl onto your bed to sleep tonight."

After hearing his words, Audrey glanced at General. Sure enough, it wasn’t in the bed she had made for it but was sleeping at the foot of the bed, occupying a small space.

Audrey replied: No worries, my bed is big.

Shane: But I haven’t even slept on it yet.

Audrey froze for a moment, her face slightly flushed.

Was he subtly teasing her, or was he jealous of General?

Before Audrey could reply, another voice message arrived: "Who are you planning to keep? I’ve only been out for two days, and you’re already eyeing some pretty boy?"

His tone was light, without any noticeable displeasure in his voice.

Upon hearing Shane’s words, Audrey remembered the post she had put on her social media.

Smiling at the screen: Just kidding, but those sunflowers are mine. I can harvest the seeds by August or September.

Shane: Have you finished your homework? Thinking about harvesting seeds.

Audrey: I’ll write it after I finish my bath.

Just as the message was sent, her phone started to ring with "beep beep beep," and an invitation for a video call popped up in the top right corner from "Y."

Audrey was taken aback, feeling a bit nervous.

Looking down at her current towel-clad appearance, she opted for "switch to audio."

"Really in the bath?" As soon as she connected, his deep voice, enough to make one’s heart flutter, echoed.

Hearing the slightly teasing tone, Audrey retorted, "Do you want to see me bathing?"

He was more cheeky than she imagined: "Yeah, so should we start the video?"

Audrey: "Didn’t expect you to be this kind of person! So indecent!"

He seemed to chuckle, his laughter sounding briefly, making Audrey wonder if she misheard.

"Actually, I wanted to see General," he said.

Audrey: "..."

Why did she feel like she meant less than a dog?

"Finish up and send me a video, I’m about to start a meeting, so let’s leave it for now."

"Oh."

"Sounds like you don’t want to hang up?"

Audrey paused and tapped the screen, decisively ending the call.

Staring at the screen for a few seconds, he didn’t send any more messages; guessing he was preparing for his meeting, Audrey finally set her phone down.

Returning to the bathroom, she found the water in the bathtub had gone cold.

She stood under the shower for a quick rinse, changed into her pajamas, and took a video of General with her phone.

General was asleep, so the video was quiet, and she didn’t say anything.

Unbeknownst to her, Shane wanted to see her face or hear her voice in the video, but she didn’t even show a hand.

After watching it once, Shane closed the video and sent her a message: Finish your homework and get some rest.

Audrey was finally content, setting her phone down with a heart full of ease and speculation.

During the days he wasn’t around, Audrey realized she missed him quite a bit.

Not sure what she missed about him, just felt like something was missing when he wasn’t around.

Shane’s flight arrived Monday afternoon; Audrey skipped class to pick him up at the airport.

After countless glances at the VIP arrivals, she finally spotted him turning the corner of the hallway.

The VIP channel wasn’t crowded, and Audrey immediately spotted Lan Irving walking behind him.

This time, Faye Xavier wasn’t there, but two other assistants and the same translator lady were.

Lan Irving walked on Shane’s right, looking up and talking to him.

Shane seemed somewhat absent-minded, searching until his gaze fixed on Audrey waving at him from outside the channel.

Lan Irving saw the sudden smile on Shane’s face, puzzled, and then followed his sight to see Audrey, understanding the reason for his smile.

"President Warner, there are a few contracts waiting for your signature at the company, so are we heading straight there?"

Shane’s eyes set on Audrey ahead, lightly replying, "A bit tired, have Faye bring the documents to my place later, and remind the design department I need the drawings by Wednesday."

Lan lowered his gaze, pausing, but before he could speak more, Shane quickened his pace towards Audrey.

"I recall you have an afternoon class today," Shane said, pulling at her ponytail.

Audrey smiled and handed him the bouquet, glanced at Lan Irving, then followed his steps, walking outside the airport while asking, "How do you know I have an afternoon class?"

"Getting hold of your schedule isn’t a challenge for me."

Audrey turned back to look at Lan Irving, exchanging eye contact for about two seconds, before turning back, looking at the coat draped over Shane’s arm, reaching out, "Let me help you with that."

Shane lowered his arm to pass her the coat, freeing a hand to casually place on her back, with a hint of protectiveness.

The car drove away from the airport, directly heading home.

As the car stopped downstairs, Audrey got out and noticed a red Maserati parked by the curb.

While puzzling over that car, the door opened, and a long, fair leg stepped out in red high heels.

A woman clad in a red bodycon dress, hair cascading down to her waist, removed her sunglasses, walking towards them.

At first, Audrey found her face familiar, and once the sunglasses were off, she realized it was Clarissa Morgan. She immediately became alert, raising the protective barrier to keep other women from enticing the man listed as her spouse.

Clarissa elegantly approached, smiling at the visibly displeased Audrey, then turned to Shane, saying with a smile, "Shane, I’ve waited for you."

Shane locked the car, alighting to stand beside Audrey, coolly asking, "What’s up?"

Clarissa lowered her head with a charming smile, taking out a red invitation from her bag: "I’m getting married the day after tomorrow. This is the wedding invitation, I hope you can attend."

After speaking, Clarissa turned to look at Audrey: "If convenient, I hope Mrs. Warner can join."