CHAPTER 194: CHAPTER 194: SHE JUST LOCKED HIM INTO THE ROLE OF A FRIEND

Vincent Hawthorne didn’t drive to the company.

After getting in the car, he circled half the restaurant’s perimeter, then saw the car Tanya had gotten into entering the main road.

Vincent had had a few more drinks tonight, and though the car’s air conditioning was on full blast, he was still restless.

He didn’t care much about whether he was driving under the influence; he casually yanked open his shirt collar, an innocent button flying off, bouncing against the car window and then back onto the passenger seat.

Vincent stared intensely at the car Tanya was in, his eyes, often compared to peach blossoms, now wrapped in some dark emotion, while that persistent red figure flashed in his mind.

Annoying.

Like mosquito blood that couldn’t be wiped away, it had been buzzing in his head all day.

— The way she smiled brightly when she was in the private room.

— In Rhys Lucas’s photo, who was holding her?

— And Felix Kendall!

A man like Felix Kendall, could he really be interested in Tanya?

Yet in those fifteen years, when Tanya revolved around him, she was obviously so unremarkable.

At one point, he even found her lacking...

Now that she’s away from him, has this woman suddenly become so desirable?

Vincent was extremely agitated, the alcohol in his bloodstream making him feverish.

The traffic light ahead was red, the car Tanya was in stopped behind the crosswalk. If he followed directly, it would be too obvious, so he deliberately slowed down, allowed the car behind to overtake, and then followed again.

While waiting at the red light, he lit a cigarette, took two strong drags, and rested the hand holding the cigarette casually outside the window.

His face was severely grim.

His stomach ached faintly, spreading a burning sensation.

So far, he still didn’t know where Tanya lived.

And yesterday, this woman was still his lawful wife...

On the other side of the intersection, an inconspicuous building was actually the entrance to some private club.

Declan Pierce came out from inside, his suit jacket casually draped over his arm.

Zion Monroe followed him out, grumbling, "Brother Pierce, that bastard is so damn ungrateful, looking down on people! You’ve been negotiating for half a month, and at the last step, that bastard changed his mind and signed a contract with Zeke Pierce! Zeke, that sickly guy, who knows if he’ll even live to... um!"

His unrestrained words almost scared Janne Hayes to death, who was following behind, hastily covering his mouth.

"Young Master Monroe, you can’t speak carelessly like this!"

No matter how arrogant Zion Monroe was, he was at least the young master of The Monroe Family, and The Pierce Family, despite their displeasure, wouldn’t go to extremes with him.

But everyone knew Zion Monroe had a close relationship with Declan Pierce.

They wouldn’t settle scores with Zion Monroe, but Declan Pierce would hold a grudge.

Especially mentioning Zeke Pierce’s health, which was a taboo among The Pierce Family, yet only Zion Monroe would dare speak so recklessly.

"Hah, I’m not afraid, bring it on if they’re not happy!" Zion Monroe glanced at Declan, "Brother Pierce, don’t you agree?"

Declan’s tall, elegant figure stopped by the roadside, not moving, his deep eyes slightly narrowed, looking across the street.

The first thing he saw was Belinda’s car.

He knew she had come with Tanya.

The second thing was the Bentley following behind.

There were only a few Bentleys of that model in the whole of Aris...

The cool night breeze swept across the depths of his dark eyes.

Declan suddenly spoke, "Zion Monroe, give me your car keys."

...

The light turned green.

Belinda stepped on the gas, she had been cursing Vincent Hawthorne and Cindy Lynn all the way, and upon hearing Tanya say that these two were involved since college, she got even more angry.

"What a piece of work! Like a turtle partnered with a mung bean, if that cheating pair really gets married, I hope they become infertile!" Belinda’s eyes lit up, "Tanya, if that dog Vincent Hawthorne really can’t have kids in the future, your child would be the only heir of The Hawthorne Family, and then you kick the scumbag out and still have all his assets to yourself! Not bad, right?"

Tanya thought about Joy’s closeness to Cindy Lynn and gave a bitter smile.

Her gaze unintentionally swept past the rearview mirror, it seemed like she saw a car resembling Vincent Hawthorne’s poke its head out but quickly retreat.

Tanya was startled, looking back, but her view was blocked by the car behind, making it impossible to see clearly.

"What’s wrong?" Belinda noticed her oddity.

"...Nothing, I must have seen wrong."

How could Vincent Hawthorne be following?

This route wasn’t to the villa, plus he should be with Cindy Lynn now.

She must be overthinking it.

Tanya checked the route, "Ms. Belinda, let’s take the expressway ahead, it’ll be quicker."

"Okay."

...

Vincent Hawthorne had been tailing Tanya’s car the entire way, occasionally overtaking the car ahead to check on her movements.

Upon realizing that Tanya intended to take the expressway, Vincent switched to the adjacent lane, planning to continue following.

At this critical moment, a Spyker C8 sports car suddenly roared onto the scene from one side, followed by a sharp and graceful drift, turning around to directly block his path in the opposite direction!

The luxurious and sharp car body, like a lurking beast, pressed upon him step by step. A multimillion-dollar top-tier sports car, the oppressive sense created by the huge engine noise, like the low growl of a beast, came bearing down on Vincent Hawthorne, arrogant and domineering to the extreme!

Even if he couldn’t see the person in the driver’s seat, he could vaguely sense the ruthlessness of the other party.

"Where did this lunatic come from?"

Vincent Hawthorne frowned and honked the horn, but instead of backing off, the other party charged straight at him, carrying a violent yet steady madness.

Seeing that the car in front was about to crash into him, Vincent Hawthorne was forced to reverse.

Meanwhile, Tanya’s car had already disappeared into the traffic on the overpass!

Vincent Hawthorne was incredibly irritated.

The cars behind noticed that two multimillion-dollar luxury cars were confronting each other and quickly avoided them, steering clear of trouble they couldn’t handle!

Vincent Hawthorne retreated step by step, forced back to the previous intersection. Suddenly, the other party retreated, opening a distance, just when Vincent Hawthorne thought the lunatic wouldn’t come back, it suddenly accelerated, seemingly about to crash!

Was this lunatic trying to kill him?!

Vincent Hawthorne broke out in a cold sweat of fear, there was no way to dodge!

He frantically honked the horn!!

The other party came menacingly, and he closed his eyes in terror, but at the last moment, the other party smoothly turned aside, skimming past his car with a centimeter to spare, and sped away!

Vincent Hawthorne’s hands and feet were cold, still trapped in the near-death terror, taking a long time to recover.

"Damn, where did this psycho come from!"

He cursed through gritted teeth.

This was completely messing with him!

He took out his phone wanting to call the police, but considering his current state was also drink-driving, if he called the police, he’d get in trouble too!

Tomorrow is the shareholders’ meeting...

And not many can afford a multimillion-dollar sports car.

A wealthy and powerful madman... At this juncture, he better not stir up trouble.

Vincent Hawthorne suppressed his anger, choosing to tolerate it for now.

But he wouldn’t let it go just like that!

Meanwhile, Tanya’s car was long lost in the flowing traffic on the overpass; Vincent Hawthorne could only reluctantly turn back.

...

Belinda dropped Tanya off at the entrance of the neighborhood.

Tanya bid farewell to Belinda, and after watching her car drive away, she walked into the neighborhood.

"Tanya." Julian Poole’s voice came from the side.

Tanya turned to see Julian Poole approaching in sportswear, obviously just finished a night run, with a sheen of sweat on his forehead.

Since they ran into each other, although a bit awkward, Tanya graciously greeted him.

Living in the same building, they walked back together.

"Moderate exercise is good for your health." Julian Poole suggested, "Tanya, if you don’t mind, we could be running buddies in the future; the neighborhood is nice, suitable for night runs. Or we could go to a nearby gym."

Tanya politely declined: "I will be quite busy soon, probably won’t have time for workouts. It’s also hard to sync with you. But I see there are plenty of people jogging in the neighborhood, you surely can find a kindred spirit."

Julian Poole, being a smart person, naturally understood Tanya’s subtext.

Her polite refusal, not wanting to give him any false hope... even pushing him away.

Julian Poole gave a bitter smile.

He gallantly replied: "Alright, then when you have time, or want a running buddy, let’s arrange something."

The elevator had arrived on Tanya’s floor, she stepped out, but suddenly remembered something and seriously turned back to Julian Poole: "By the way, if you need any help with work, just message me anytime."

She said: "I don’t have many friends, so I cherish every old friend."

Julian Poole: "..."

She was framing him as just a friend.

But Julian Poole did not lack friends, and since reuniting, he never saw Tanya as just a friend...

Seeing the elevator door was about to close, Julian Poole pressed the open door button hard, and the door that was almost closed opened again.

"Tanya!" Julian Poole chased after her, only to see Tanya’s door closing.

’Bang—’

The sound of the door closing drowned out his voice.

Julian Poole sighed helplessly, turning back into the elevator.

Back home, Julian Poole was about to take a shower when his computer, remotely controlled, turned on by itself.

His nephew Kaj Poole’s face appeared on the screen, excitedly saying: "Uncle, I have great news for you!"

Julian Poole frowned: "...If you invade my computer again, I’ll cut off your card!"

Kaj Poole confidently patted his chest: "Uncle, after you hear this good news, you won’t cut my card; you’ll even give me more money!"

Julian Poole, in no mood to entertain him, walked over to shut the computer.

"Uncle!" Kaj Poole shouted, "I’m telling you, I got you a chance to pursue Caden’s mom!"

Julian Poole’s hand paused, he narrowed his eyes, half-skeptically: "What do you mean? What have you done behind my back?"

"Ah, don’t worry about that! Anyway, you’ve passed the assessment!" Kaj Poole instructed seriously, "Anyhow, Uncle, you must dress handsomely tomorrow night, I’ll bring you, Caden will bring his mom, to the most romantic restaurant for a date!"

Julian Poole: "??"