CHAPTER 54: CHAPTER 54: TARGETING HIS PREY

Morgan Sloan drove the car.

The drive from Declan Hawthorne’s home to the company, considering possible morning rush hour traffic, takes about half an hour.

Throughout the ride, Poppy Hale kept her face cold, looking out the window without saying a word.

Declan Hawthorne also calmly looked at the report in his hand.

It seemed like there was something separating the two of them.

But Morgan Sloan could see clearly now.

President Hawthorne probably had some interest in Young Hale.

Young Hale, on the other hand, didn’t seem to feel the same.

Indeed.

Before President Hawthorne arrived, Young Hale’s family was harmonious and happy.

Anyone’s expression would sour if someone suddenly intervened.

Poppy Hale’s unpleasant expression was entirely due to a bit of car sickness.

Declan Hawthorne reached out, opened the box beside him, and handed over a peppermint candy.

Poppy Hale looked down.

She saw a hand, fair and slender, fingers like works of art, each joint beautifully sculpted like bamboo, right in front of her.

In the palm, there was a peppermint candy.

"Take this for the car sickness."

The man’s cold, calm voice echoed in Poppy Hale’s ear.

She took the candy from his palm.

As her fingertips brushed against his palm, feeling his warm skin, Poppy Hale’s fingers drew back slightly.

She softly said, "Thank you."

Declan Hawthorne withdrew his hand and murmured an acknowledgment.

"For those who get car sick, driving themselves helps a bit. I once told you to learn driving, but you kept procrastinating."

Poppy Hale hadn’t expected Declan Hawthorne to know about her car sickness.

The mint flavor spread in her mouth.

The dizziness eased considerably.

The man didn’t look at her, holding his phone in one hand, frowning while dealing with some information.

Poppy Hale casually said, "I once thought the car sickness would get better over time. Plus, I didn’t want to..."

...didn’t want to learn to drive by herself.

Each time she saw those posts online about driving instructors being harsh and scolding students, Poppy grew more apprehensive about learning to drive.

She had sought companions to learn driving a few times.

The first time, it was Declan Hawthorne, who refused.

He said he passed his driving test right after high school.

The second time, it was Mason Rivers, who agreed but then suddenly backed out.

The third time, it was Stella Hollis.

After that, Poppy Hale didn’t think about it again.

Probably feeling unwell from the car sickness, Poppy couldn’t hold back and complained.

"I wonder what’s up with Mason Rivers, he promised to go with me."

Declan Hawthorne finished typing the last sentence, sent it off, and put away his phone.

His gaze fell on Poppy Hale.

She was complaining, but there was a hint of playful teasing in her tone.

Declan Hawthorne’s Adam’s apple moved.

Mason Miles agreed to her, but Declan himself had refused Mason.

He didn’t want Mason to accompany her in learning to drive.

At that time, Mason laughed and asked him, "Declan isn’t interested in Poppy, right? I’m just going to learn driving with her, we’re just friends after all."

Declan frowned, "She’s noisy, going with her to learn driving will be annoying."

"Then never mind."

The scenery on both sides quickly retreated.

Declan Hawthorne closed his eyes briefly.

He had never told Poppy Hale that he was the one who didn’t allow Mason to go, and until now Poppy still thought Mason had stood her up.

Declan tiredly pressed his fingers to his brow.

"It’s not too late to learn now."

"Forget it, I don’t have time right now. Thanks for your kind offer, President Hawthorne."

Declan Hawthorne didn’t say anything further.

When they reached the convenience store near the company, Declan asked Morgan to park and watched Poppy Hale get out of the car.

He restarted the car.

Sitting in the front seat, Morgan Sloan felt like his brain was about to overheat.

Listening to the conversation between Poppy Hale and Declan Hawthorne just now, it seemed they had known each other for a long time?

He recalled that every time Rachel Rivers went mad, she would always trouble Young Hale.

Morgan felt like he stumbled onto a juicy piece of gossip.

That matter about Young Hale’s marriage?

Morgan discreetly reminded, "President Hawthorne, Young Hale seems to still have a husband right now."

The man in the backseat remained silent.

A moment later, a trace of laughter, partially pleased and yet emotionally complex, escaped his lips.

His gaze was sharp, like a hunter in the jungle aiming at its prey.

"Not anymore."

Morgan could tell what Declan Hawthorne meant and let out a sigh of relief.

Then with a professional tone, he requested, "President Hawthorne, Young Hale has done well with several projects. I’d like to propose letting her directly interface with you in the future."

"Alright."

-

The latest project Poppy Hale’s team received was from the game department.

A乙游 romance project.

The general project procedures were all laid out, and the necessary revisions were marked by Poppy Hale, sent back for reassessment.

Now it was at the final stage before reporting.

There was a particular game male lead for whom they couldn’t find a suitable voice actor.

The demo audio for the voice-over consisted of a breathy laugh after a kiss between the male and female leads, along with a few simple lines.

It seemed short, but the requirements for the voice actor were high.

Amber Yates beside her sighed deeply.

"I’ve listened to hundreds of men’s breathing sounds these days, my husband almost thinks I’m having an affair!"

Poppy Hale wore her headphones, skipping to the next audio clip.

Indeed, none seemed quite right.

Every voice seemed to miss something.

She couldn’t find the voice that best matched the male lead’s image.

Poppy Hale picked up her water cup, and heard Janine across the table casually say, "I think our President Hawthorne’s voice would be perfect!"

Poppy Hale nearly spat out the water in her mouth.

Janine was audacious for saying it.

And Amber Yates even thought it made sense.

"You can’t deny that our President Hawthorne’s voice is quite fitting. If only he could give us just one breathy sound..."

Janine replied, "Do you dare to ask President Hawthorne for a breathy sound?"

"Wouldn’t that get me fired for entering the company with my left foot first tomorrow?"

The two exchanged glances.

They sensibly abandoned the thought that could lead to their downfall.

Amber Yates remarked, "Just saying it doesn’t hurt, maybe just find someone whose voice is similar to President Hawthorne’s."

"That could work."

Janine and Amber continued listening to the effects.

The more they listened, the less suitable they seemed.

Only Poppy Hale sat at her desk, while the voice of the voice actors floated in her headset, another voice emerged in her mind.

It was a deep, breathy voice, freshly exercised, with perspiration visible on the jawline, about to drip.

Perhaps only she knew that Declan Hawthorne’s actual breathy voice was even more alluring than the audio clip’s requirements.

Enough to make one blush.

Having Declan Hawthorne do the voice acting was absolutely out of the question.

Not to mention that the workload of a voice actor is enormous and Declan Hawthorne doesn’t have the time to spare.

Even if he agreed, as the boss, it would be detrimental to the management of the entire company.

Poppy Hale could imagine that if Declan Hawthorne were willing to do voice acting.

The female employees of Hawthorne Group would probably be infatuated with him every day.

Amber Yates patted Poppy Hale.

"Poppy, are you feeling unwell? Why is your face so red?"

"No, it’s just a bit hot. Probably from listening to too much audio."

It wasn’t exactly the voices that made her face flushed.

It was just that wearing the headphones for long felt a bit stifling.

Amber Yates sighed, but didn’t drop the topic, "Don’t you think that our President Hawthorne’s voice would be the most suitable?"

Poppy Hale nodded.

"It is suitable, especially when he’s scolding someone, it aligns more with this game’s male lead."

Amber Yates quickly dismissed the thought and shut her mouth.

But the topic still arose during the meeting.

Declan Hawthorne looked at the proposal, "What kind of voice actor are you looking for?"