CHAPTER 204: CHAPTER 204: NOT INTERESTED (REVISED)

Declan Pierce took a light breath, the cautious hope rising in his heart receding like the tide — retreating to where it came from.

He was almost laughing from exasperation.

How could he have expectations for Tanya Sinclair’s mind?

The distance was too close, a strand of her hair brushed past his neck, bringing a tingling sensation, accompanied by her fragrance, seeping into his skin.

Declan Pierce’s eyes grew two shades darker, but in the next second, Tanya Sinclair had already straightened up, pulling away.

He gazed at her unclouded brow and eyes, just planning to say something, when Julian Poole’s clear voice interjected, slightly elevated.

"Sorry, there might be a misunderstanding. Ms. Sinclair and Mr. Pierce are just in a superior-subordinate relationship."

Declan Pierce’s gaze swept coldly over, but Julian Poole wasn’t even looking at him; he was explaining to the host and other guests.

Julian Poole emphasized the words ’superior-subordinate relationship.’

— Not even close to friends.

Declan Pierce pressed his tongue sinisterly against his back teeth, his eyes cold.

Well done.

So, that’s how you’re playing it?

The host, who couldn’t ignore the brewing tension at the table, was just about to follow Julian Poole’s lead and make a couple of jokes to move past the topic, saying, "Looks like I misunderstood..."

He hadn’t finished his sentence when he suddenly felt a chill at the back of his neck. A glance out of the corner of his eye and he noticed Declan Pierce’s half-smirk, as the man’s gaze swept over him like an icy blade pressed against his throat.

Host: "..."

Not someone to be trifled with.

These two men, each more intimidating than the other.

He chuckled dryly twice, continuing to push the process.

"Ahem, let’s move on to the next round! Would the guests with over fifty percent correct answers please come up to the stage. The beautiful ladies, please head backstage."

"Gentlemen, please stay on stage, put on a blindfold, and see if you can recognize your lady partner by touch alone! Just one hand, only allowed to stay for three seconds."

After finishing, the host glanced at Tanya Sinclair’s table again.

The situation seemed a bit complicated.

He added, "Of course, only one gentleman per table can come up."

Tanya Sinclair held her forehead: "..."

Even more socially dead.

Julian Poole suddenly stood up, a playful look on his face, extending his hand to invite Tanya Sinclair: "Tanya, since sitting here means participating in the activity by default, why don’t we go play quickly and finish it."

After speaking, he made a point to glance at Declan Pierce.

"Mr. Pierce just won a round by cheating, this round’s on me, you don’t mind, right?"

Declan Pierce met his gaze, though seated and at a lower position, he didn’t lose an iota of aura.

He unexpectedly responded amiably: "Go ahead."

The guests from other tables had already begun going up the stage one after another.

The host was also urging from the stage.

After all, the service staff had made it clear earlier that sitting in the hall meant agreeing to participate in the activity.

Tanya Sinclair felt like she had dug a pit for herself to jump into.

She could only tough it out, heading backstage under the guidance of a server.

Julian Poole adjusted his cuffs and stepped onto the stage as well.

He turned back for a glance, only to see Declan Pierce sitting in place playing with his phone, not lifting an eyelid, seemingly uninterested in the stage’s activity at all.

Julian Poole felt a bit relieved.

The female guests stood behind a curtain sectioned off by red cloth, not showing their faces, only their hands, with rings and bracelets temporarily removed.

And the male guests queued up, blindfolded, going forward one by one to find their lady partners.

Julian Poole lowered his head, cooperatively letting the service staff blindfold him.

He thought he should be able to recognize Tanya Sinclair’s hand...

Below the stage, Declan Pierce slowly put away his phone, stood up, his dark eyes swept a glance at the lively activity on stage, and he quietly walked backstage...

Everyone was focused on the commotion outside, in a corner backstage, Tanya Sinclair sat on a small stool, sending a message to Caden, telling him to wait at the cashier’s place and not run around, they would be out soon.

Kaj Poole was with him, so Tanya Sinclair wasn’t worried, and as the entire Hawthorne Family recognized future successor, there was a dedicated driver and bodyguard with Caden.

He must be standing guard outside.

Someone directly arranged by The Hawthorne Family’s council, only needing to report Caden’s situation to the family council, without going through Theodore Hawthorne and Vincent Hawthorne.

It seemed that the game at the front was in full swing, and the sounds of merriment and laughter faintly came through.

This round required one female guest not to go on stage, with a male waiter mixed in to add fun.

Tonight, some of the guests in the hall came especially for the activity, not wanting to drop out, so Tanya Sinclair, having little interest, voluntarily gave up the spot.

Another ten minutes, Tanya Sinclair waited in boredom.

Suddenly, she perked up, alertly turning her head towards the door direction.

Outside, footsteps grew clearer, heavy and slow, drawing closer one step at a time.

Tanya Sinclair became increasingly wary, her hand subtly reaching for a wrench left behind for some reason, hiding it quietly behind her.

In the next second, the door was pushed open, and seeing who came in, she was momentarily stunned.

"Declan Pierce?"

The man entering was Declan Pierce.

The man was tall with long legs and wide shoulders, possessing an excellent physique, along with an aura of strong presence, instantly making the whole backstage feel cramped.

He approached with long strides,

The backstage had only one dim ceiling light, with a bluish hue blending with the few streams of moonlight through the small skylight, creating a mix of illusion and reality. Tanya sat under the moonlight.

She looked at him, utterly bewildered.

"Why did you come here?"

Declan Pierce stopped in front of her, his brow arching high, casting a shadow over his eye sockets, making his gaze even darker than the night.

"Didn’t you say you recognize people by touch?" He looked down at her, his voice gently indifferent.

On stage, many hands reached out, but none of them were hers.

Tanya was momentarily stunned.

Her thoughts were drawn into Declan Pierce’s bottomless black eyes, unexpectedly recalling that time in university when the name tag tearing game was popular.

The class committee organized a name tag tearing game, and the whole class had to participate.

Tanya was good at everything, except sports competitions, which was her weak point. Yet, by lottery, she was grouped with a few athletes, so their team became the prime target right from the start.

Several groups allied to eliminate their strongest team first.

Tanya was innocently unskilled.

To avoid becoming a burden to her teammate Frey, she found a hiding place early, planning to stay hidden as long as possible.

She managed to hide for less than ten minutes before a shadow loomed over her.

Looking up, she saw Declan Pierce’s annoyingly familiar face.

"Caught you, Tanya..."

Nineteen-year-old Declan Pierce overlapped perfectly with the man before her, matured and even more handsome with time.

Now too, he had caught her.

Her heart beat unusually in her chest twice. Tanya almost panicked, avoiding Declan Pierce’s straightforward and frank gaze, and abruptly stood up, instinctively wanting to escape.

"This game is quite boring, Caden is still waiting for me, I should..."

The word "go" hadn’t left her mouth before her arm was grabbed.

"Tanya." Declan Pierce turned his eyes to her, his handsome face showing no emotion, and asked slowly, "Are you afraid of me?"

Tanya could almost smell the cold incense-like aura emanating from the man, dangerous yet highly seductive.

Indeed, she was a little afraid of Declan Pierce.

Actually, if she was willing, she could perceive the intentions of those around her.

Except for Declan Pierce.

She couldn’t see him clearly.

He seemed hidden deep within the clouds and mist, one layer peeled back only to reveal another.

In the past, he clearly disliked her, opposed her at every turn, bullied her, yet upon meeting again, he helped her in every matter...

"Declan." Tanya’s tense body softened, she looked at him, frowned slightly, genuinely confused, "What do you want from me?"

Vincent Hawthorne, under the guise of loving her, used marriage as bait, with the family she longed for most, luring her willingly into hell.

In the end, she barely escaped death, shedding layers of skin in the process.

What about Declan Pierce?

What does he want from her?

"..."

Declan Pierce tried to find a trace of emotion on Tanya’s face, but there was nothing.

The warmth in his eyes slowly cooled.

He couldn’t rush it.

He had waited so many years, he couldn’t scare her away now.

"Gentlemen who win two rounds tonight can ask a lady to agree to one reasonable condition!" The host’s voice, amplified by the microphone, clearly penetrated backstage.

"Tanya." Declan Pierce said slowly, "Tonight, I won."

He answered all the questions and he found her.

Tanya couldn’t help but smile; he had actually taken this event seriously.

"Declan..." She was about to speak when the large hand gripping her arm suddenly tightened.

Declan Pierce looked directly into her eyes, his voice hoarse, speaking lowly, "Don’t fall for Julian Poole so quickly."

Tanya was taken aback.

The man’s dark eyes fixed firmly on her, with little emotion to discern.

He always showed only the tip of the iceberg.

"..." Tanya’s throat went slightly dry.

The atmosphere was off, very off!

Her hand hanging by her side, clenched the fabric of her clothes.

Tanya was no longer a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, but her emotional world remained pure.

From twelve to twenty-seven years old, there was really only Vincent Hawthorne...

"Declan..." Tanya gathered her courage, choosing to be direct, "...do you like me?"

She recklessly charged into his eyes, wanting to see for herself.

But Declan Pierce knew her too well, she was prepared to run at any moment.

As long as he dared to nod his head...

"No, I don’t."