CHAPTER 135: CHAPTER 135: DO YOU LIKE SHANNON?

Sheila Yardley looked at Julian Yardley in disbelief, then whispered to him, "We were born and grew up together, do you think I don’t know what’s on your mind? Do you like Shannon?"

"That’s nonsense! You women are just unreasonable! I just don’t want to owe her anything, so I bought something as a token of my gratitude. Make sure you explain that to her clearly later! I’m leaving!"

Watching Julian Yardley leave as if escaping, Sheila Yardley pondered for a moment. Then she picked up the square box he had left on the table and noticed it was from the same brand as the necklace he had given her. Judging from the shape of the box, it should be a bracelet or earrings.

She didn’t open it to look; she took it directly to Shannon Quinn and, following Julian Yardley’s instructions, said it was a thank-you gift.

Shannon Quinn opened the box, looked at the bracelet inside, and smiled, saying, "It’s rare for your brother to be so thoughtful; thank him for me."

"We should be thanking you instead. Whether for my mom’s matters or my studies here, we owe you our gratitude."

Shannon Quinn put the box in the drawer, then asked Sheila Yardley, "...Where is your father?"

At the mention of this, Sheila Yardley’s eyes darkened, and then she answered, "Dead."

"I’m sorry."

Sheila Yardley added, "It’s better that way."

Shannon Quinn was stunned, looking at her in confusion, as Sheila Yardley casually recounted, "My mom was with him when she was about twenty. At first, he treated her well. But later, the company went bankrupt, he started drinking, became abusive, and had affairs. Eventually, he died in a drunk driving accident."

Sheila Yardley spoke about these things lightly, as if discussing something unrelated to herself.

From this conversation, Shannon Quinn inferred that she and Sheila Yardley might be half-siblings, sharing the same mother.

Catherine Yardley must have given birth to her at less than twenty.

What happened before that to cause her to be abandoned?

"Shannon, sorry to bother you again." Lynn Kendall pushed the door open and walked in, bypassing Sheila Yardley to approach Shannon Quinn and ask, "There’s a designer gathering tomorrow night. Are you going?"

"What kind of designer gathering is it?"

"Just some friends from my circle; a lot of them know you. They heard I’m working with you now and insist I invite you to join."

Shannon Quinn was somewhat afraid of June Yardley’s tricks and knew Lynn Kendall wasn’t easy to deal with either. Sheila Yardley had nearly gotten into trouble last time, and this time it’s a group of people Shannon doesn’t know, so she politely declined, saying, "Unfortunately, I have plans with friends for dinner tomorrow night."

"How many friends? Why not invite them too? The more, the merrier."

"They’re friends outside the circle; it’s inconvenient. You guys can go ahead."

"Oh, that’s really a shame. I don’t know how I’ll explain this to them."

Lynn Kendall frowned, looking troubled, then turned to look at Sheila Yardley sitting aside and asked, "Sheila, could you help me pour a glass of water?"

Sheila Yardley raised her eyes from the magazine to glance at her. If it were someone else, she might have gotten up to do it since it’s not a big deal.

But when it comes to Lynn Kendall, she didn’t want to let her boss around, directly retorting, "I’m here to learn from Shannon, not to run errands. Shannon is like my teacher, so it’s right to serve her. But I can’t find a reason to serve you."

Lynn Kendall’s expression changed slightly, then she turned to Shannon Quinn, saying, "Shannon, see how you’ve spoiled her? She’s so disrespectful, no manners at all, a clear case of ingratitude."

"Have you figured out who you are before judging others?"

"Shouting without any restraint. Even if she learns some skill, she probably won’t hold her own."

Shannon Quinn couldn’t help but say, "Sheila is like my student, and I know how to teach her, so don’t bother yourself, Lynn."

"Shannon, I’m just reminding you that it’s better not to teach such a thankless person, lest they turn against you."

"It would be good if your actions matched half your words!" Sheila Yardley couldn’t hold her temper any longer and said things she had dared not say before.

Lynn Kendall, being prideful and vain, couldn’t stand someone saying she was inferior, her face instantly changed, and she stood up looking at Sheila Yardley, asking, "What do you mean? What business do you have commenting on my work? I’ve been in the field for six years, who do you think you are?"

"Being in the field for six years with these skills, you really have the nerve to boast!"

Feeling like her sore spot was hit, Lynn Kendall furiously approached Sheila Yardley and, unexpectedly, slapped her hard across the face, viciously saying, "You cling to power! If your parents didn’t teach you well, I will!"

The heavy slap left Sheila Yardley and Shannon Quinn stunned for half a second. Shannon Quinn immediately stood up, shielding Sheila behind her, and looked at Lynn Kendall, saying, "Arguments are one thing, why did you hit her?"

Lynn Kendall looked at Shannon Quinn, biting her lip, probably holding back as Shannon Quinn had influence with Aidan Lockwood, otherwise she might have cursed Shannon as well.

"Shannon, look how she talks!"

"Both of you were wrong to insult each other, weren’t you? But hitting her was your fault. She’s just entering the field, why would you as a senior hold a grudge against her?"

Until now, the commotion had already attracted Yara Hughes and a group of people who loved to watch drama, inevitably alerting Aidan Lockwood.

Aidan Lockwood pushed the door open, looking at the scene in the room, and asked, "What’s going on?"

Lynn Kendall, skilled at playing the victim, immediately ran to Aidan Lockwood, pointing at Sheila Yardley, saying, "Mr. Lockwood, don’t keep people like her in the company! She doesn’t know anything and yet abuses her position as Shannon’s assistant to bully me!"

Aidan Lockwood glanced at Sheila Yardley, seeing the clearly printed hand marks on her red swollen cheek, could easily guess what had happened earlier.

He didn’t immediately ask about the details of the earlier incident but looked at Lynn Kendall, saying, "During working hours, haven’t I said no visiting and chatting? At the end of the year, work is already busy. If you’re not working diligently and come to other people’s offices to disturb them, it’s delaying both parties’ progress."

Lynn Kendall paused, still unwilling to concede, saying, "I originally wanted to come to Shannon for advice on the themed design drawing, but didn’t expect Sheila Yardley to maliciously humiliate and belittle me! Everyone has strengths and weaknesses; I humbly sought advice, but she just said I’m incapable. What does she know?"

Aidan Lockwood asked again, "Did she hit you first?"

The answer was obvious, and Lynn Kendall remained silent.

Aidan Lockwood said, "Regardless of who is right or wrong in the past, hitting someone is wrong. Even if she really said that about you, does that justify you hitting her?"