CHAPTER 198: CHAPTER 198: BIRTHDAY

Half a year later.

The summer nights are quite sultry.

Sheila Yardley is now an official designer in Aidan Lockwood’s studio, going to and fro work punctually every day, living a stable and orderly life.

She had been busy with work matters lately, yet it was only when her mom called in the morning that Sheila remembered today was her birthday.

When mom wasn’t ill, she would prepare a cake for the siblings’ birthdays, not a luxurious party, but always cozy.

Later on, when mom got sick and couldn’t handle these things anymore, Julian Yardley would buy her a little gift of some sort.

Both of them clearly have the same birthday, but since Sheila was still studying without any income, she never bought anything for her brother.

Julian Yardley usually seems a little careless, yet he actually remembers things pretty clearly in his heart.

Now that she has a job, she took this chance to book a restaurant, planning to celebrate her birthday with Julian tonight.

Just before finishing work, she received a call from Caleb Grant: "Are you working overtime today?"

Sheila dared not lie and honestly replied: "I took leave for the evening; I have something to do."

"When will you be back?"

"Probably... around seven or eight."

The phone was silent for a moment, then Caleb asked: "What are you up to?"

"Meeting my brother."

After two seconds of silence again, Caleb finally said: "Try to come back early."

"Is there anything urgent?"

"Let’s talk when you’re back."

After the call ended, Sheila sighed in relief; she had been worried Caleb might need her to return urgently.

Julian Yardley had already sent a message saying he was at the office entrance; Sheila walked to the window and looked out, seeing Julian sitting on his beloved motorcycle wearing a helmet.

She quickly packed her belongings and hurried downstairs with her bag.

"Let’s go, The Emerald Spire."

"Whoa, treating your brother to a fancy meal, huh?"

Sheila smiled, taking the helmet he handed over and put it on, straddling the seat behind him.

The Emerald Spire is considered the finest hotel in the city, with both its decor and service being first-class.

Most people who dine here are business tycoons negotiating big deals, though there are also a few like them who indulge occasionally.

"How much salary did you get? You dare to spend at a place like this."

Sheila chuckled: "Only once a year, hurry up and order."

Julian took the menu from the waiter, glanced at it briefly, and discussed with Sheila to order three of the restaurant’s signature dishes.

After the waiter took the menu and left, Julian playfully sipped the tea and immediately asked Sheila: "Sheila, honestly, are you seeing someone again?"

Sheila paused while eating her snack, didn’t answer directly but instead asked: "Why do you ask?"

"Yesterday, I was at your company for business and saw you got into a black car. Tell me, whose car was it?"

Sheila recalled that Caleb indeed picked her up yesterday, somewhat nervously stirred the juice with her straw, and then said: "In the afternoon, right? It was the company car."

"Company car?"

"Yes."

Julian eyed her suspiciously, saying: "I’m not prying into your private matters; I just think your taste isn’t great. You’re not young anymore; finding a new boyfriend is good. Just bring him over and let me check him out for you."

"You’re the one to talk, being single your whole life till now. You should worry about yourself."

"Thirty is the prime time for a man, but it’s not the same for you. A few more years and you’ll only be good for being a stepmom."

Sheila rolled her eyes: "It’s my birthday today, can you not jinx me?!"

"It’s a kind reminder, but don’t rush finding someone, lest you end up deceived again."

"You’re the one rambling."

"Hey, look over there." Julian gestured with his chin toward a corner beside Sheila.

Sheila looked in the indicated direction and saw several men and three women seated at a table in the corner, among the women was Lynn Kendall.

Compared to her previously fuller figure, Lynn had lost a lot of weight, to the point of being skinny, with sunken cheeks and eye sockets that made her look older.

Her child, a situation Sheila had heard about from Ryder Griffin through text messages. After Lynn’s incident, they’d fallen out, and Lynn ended up having the child aborted, reverting to her old lifestyle, mingling with men.

After the scandal, she had garnered a notorious reputation in the design circle, coupled with numerous lawsuits and compensation cases, she was forced into a corner, albeit self-inflicted.

Lynn, with smoky eye makeup, was laughing and drinking with the men beside her, the slightly chubby middle-aged man next to her was constantly touching her, and Lynn simply laughed it off.

Sheila had no idea what Lynn truly wanted but thought perhaps Lynn was adept at handling such situations.

"That woman is getting what she deserves, a case of self-inflicted misery." Julian seemed to despise Lynn more than Sheila, feeling gleeful at Lynn’s predicament.

"Ryder Griffin isn’t a saint either; how I used to think highly of him. I’m telling you now, he and Lynn have fallen out, and he might try to rekindle things with you. You better harden your heart, never get back with him, got it?"

Sheila answered thoughtfully: "I know."

Lately, she occasionally saw Ryder nearby the villa but he hadn’t reached out to her directly, possibly observing something.

They finished eating around seven, yet Julian decided against letting Sheila pay, settling the bill instead: "Let’s go, I’ll take you back to your dormitory."

"No need, I’ll take a walk after dinner, it’s not far anyway, and it’s not on your way; you go on ahead."

Since leaving school, Sheila had lied to Julian about moving into the company’s dormitory and hadn’t slipped up yet.

"Alright, watch out for cars on the road."

"I’m not a child."

Julian put on his helmet and left first.

After watching him disappear into the distance, Sheila hurriedly hailed a cab at the roadside, heading towards Caleb Grant’s villa.

She asked the driver to stop at a corner store, where she purchased some items, then walked the rest of the way.

It was merely a five or six-minute walk; Caleb hadn’t called to hurry her yet, so she wasn’t in a rush.

The sky around seven was a dark blue, streetlights dimly lit, accompanied by the sounds of insects and her own footsteps.

This road had few pedestrians, and as she neared the villa entrance, she immediately noticed the man standing under the streetlight.