CHAPTER 64: CHAPTER 64: BLAKE SINCLAIR’S FOXY TACTICS

The three-hour drive was quicker than Holly had imagined and they arrived just around lunchtime.

The Maybach had just driven into Port Kallow and already attracted quite a few curious glances.

There was a stretch of road that wasn’t easy to drive on, with many turns, often confusing first-time visitors.

Holly had been worried, but she wasn’t sure if it was Blake Sinclair’s excellent driving skills or the performance of the Maybach, as he smoothly drove all the way to the doorstep.

The family house, newly renovated, was a self-built three-story building. As soon as the car turned into the road, Holly spotted a familiar figure standing at the door from a distance.

She covered her face with her hand, a look of resignation on her face.

Seeing her like this, Blake Sinclair chuckled softly, placing a reassuring hand over hers, "Don’t worry, I’m here."

Holly forced a stiff smile.

The car stopped at the gate of the front yard, and they both got out with their belongings.

Holly walked forward and called out to the man standing at the door, "Dad."

Blake Sinclair followed behind, nodding slightly and calmly also called out, "Dad."

Jasper Crowe had just turned fifty-one this year, wearing a dark green polo shirt that Holly bought for him last Teacher’s Day.

As a music teacher, he had a refined, scholarly air. Holly sometimes wondered how her dad, such a gentle man, managed to marry a strong woman like Director Lennon.

Jasper Crowe adjusted his glasses, the crow’s feet at the corner of his eyes blooming into a smile when he saw his daughter, but frozen instantly after hearing Blake Sinclair call him ’Dad.’

He squinted slightly, sizing up the man who was half a head taller than him from head to toe, responding nonchalantly, "Come in."

Holly let out a sigh of relief, quietly tugging at Blake Sinclair’s arm, giving him a look that said, "My dad’s just like this, don’t take it to heart."

Entering the yard, she whispered to Jasper Crowe, "Where’s Director Lennon?"

Jasper nodded towards the kitchen, lowering his voice, "Been making soup since early this morning."

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, someone walked out from inside.

Mrs. Josephine Lennon, Jasper Crowe’s wife, Holly’s mother, the current headmistress at Port Kallow Elementary, wielding the highest authority in the Crowe household.

Mrs. Lennon was still wearing an apron, her light blue dress made her appear less stern and severe than usual, though her gaze was still full of presence.

The four stood in the yard, staring at each other.

The air seemed to be frozen.

In the face of smiles, politeness doesn’t strike. Holly quickly ran up to Josephine with a flattering smile, "Mom! We’re back!"

Josephine didn’t even lift her eyelids, merely hummed from her nose, her gaze fixed on Blake Sinclair.

Blake Sinclair stepped forward with a perfectly balanced smile, and added his own "Mom" to the scene.

Holly hurriedly offered the gift in her hands, "Mom, this is Blake Sinclair, the one... the one I mentioned to you."

Blake Sinclair followed up, his voice clear, "The ’Blake’ as in ’farewell feast at the departure pavilion’ Blake."

Josephine raised her eyebrows subtly, not accepting the gift, threw a glance at Jasper Crowe.

Jasper Crowe cleared his throat immediately, "Sinclair, what do you do for a living?"

Sincl... Sinclair?

Holly almost bit her tongue.

This was too presumptuous, Dad.

Do you know who you just called ’Sinclair’? This ’Sinclair’ can change half of the financial world with a single decision!

Her heart pounded wildly, afraid that Blake Sinclair would feel offended, just as she was about to mediate, Blake Sinclair lightly tugged her hand.

He looked at Jasper Crowe, his smile unchanged, "I run a small company, mainly responsible for decision-making and management."

Holly rolled her eyes internally.

Calling the multi-billion-dollar Sinclair Group a ’small company’?

Managing to make the role of CEO sound so unassuming, only you could pull it off.

Jasper Crowe nodded, then asked, "Do you usually keep busy?"

Blake Sinclair turned to look at Holly, giving her a gentle smile, "Not busy, I cook dinner for Holly every day."

Jasper Crowe’s eyes lit up, almost slapping his thigh on the spot.

"Alright then."

Standing nearby, Mrs. Josephine Lennon finally spoke.

She looked at Holly, "We’re out of soy sauce at home, go buy a bottle at the corner store."

Holly was stunned, pointing to herself, "Huh? Me?"

Mom, this excuse is too perfunctory! Do you think I’m a three-year-old? What era is this, still using such an outdated way to get rid of someone?

She looked worriedly at Blake Sinclair, and whispered in negotiation, "Well... how about I go with Blake, driving would be faster."

The headmistress air of Mrs. Josephine Lennon flared up instantly, "You need a car for such a short walk? Always glued to your phone, can’t even manage to walk now?"

Holly was left speechless, looking at Blake Sinclair, then glancing at her mom.

But Blake Sinclair winked at her, giving her a ’no worries’ look.

Holly resignedly complied.

The corner store wasn’t far, just a couple of turns away.

Even though Blake Sinclair had seen big scenes and possessed a strong heart, two fists were no match for four hands. She worried he couldn’t withstand Josephine’s authority, so she ran the whole way.

With the scorching July sun overhead, and a bottle of soy sauce in hand, Holly returned home panting. Upon entering the yard and seeing the scene, she realized she might... have worried too much.

In the yard, Blake Sinclair and Jasper Crowe were engaged in a chess game, using a new set of pieces he’d brought.

Even more surprising, the usually stern Josephine stood beside them with a smile, "Sinclair, don’t let him win, his chess skills are terrible, always competitive, can’t handle losing."

Sin... Sinclair?

Holly almost doubted she’d entered the wrong place, standing at the door with the soy sauce bottle.

In just a moment, what had happened?

Had Blake Sinclair cast a spell on them? How did he charm Josephine?

It wasn’t until they sat down for lunch that Holly snapped back to reality.

At lunch, Josephine kept piling food onto Blake Sinclair’s plate, "Eat more, Sinclair, you look so thin."

Thin?

Holly held her bowl, looking at Blake Sinclair, over six feet tall, with a bowl full of food in front of him, then back at Josephine’s loving smile, left speechless.

Mom, you’ve never shown me such a loving smile...

After lunch, the elderly couple went for a nap, and Holly led Blake Sinclair back to her room.

As soon as they entered the bedroom, she couldn’t help but ask Blake Sinclair, "What did you do? How did my mom suddenly become so nice to you?"