CHAPTER 19: CHAPTER 19: MISS CROWE, SHALL WE HAVE A MEAL TOGETHER?

Blake Sinclair: [Miss Crowe, I’m at the entrance of Glynmere. Is it convenient for me to come in?]

Holly Crowe stared at the text for a full ten seconds.

Blake Sinclair?

Why would he come to Glynmere?

She instinctively sat up, her fingers typing and deleting on the keyboard repeatedly.

Just as she hesitated, another message popped up:

Blake Sinclair: [Last time, Shirley got Miss Crowe’s dress dirty, so I brought a new one over today since I was in the neighborhood.]

Holly was taken aback.

It was just a little tear stain...

She quickly replied: [It’s okay, the dress has been cleaned.]

As soon as she sent the message, Blake Sinclair responded almost instantly: [The car’s already in. Which building?]

Holly was dumbfounded, not daring to keep Blake waiting.

Her hands moved faster than her mind, and she typed the building number.

Five minutes later, the doorbell rang.

Holly went to open the door.

Outside, Blake Sinclair stood, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, a simple basic white shirt tucked into his waist, with a meticulously tied black patterned tie fastened with a metal pin at his neck.

In comparison, the two pink paper bags in his hands seemed somewhat out of place.

Holly recognized the distinctive PADA logo on one of them.

Upon seeing her, Blake nodded slightly, "Miss Crowe, sorry for the intrusion."

Holly smiled politely, "Mr. Sinclair, you’re too kind to come all the way here personally."

She stepped aside to make way, but Blake remained stationary.

Standing at the door, his gaze lingered for a moment on her slightly red and swollen corner of the eye, his voice deeper than usual: "Is it convenient?"

"Of course." Holly paused, then added, "I live alone, so there are no men’s slippers, please just come in."

Blake’s eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

As he stepped into the room, he brought in a faint scent of cedar.

Holly led him to the living room sofa.

Blake kept his gaze forward, refraining from scanning the room’s layout.

Stopping in front of the sofa, he handed her the bags he was holding.

"The dress Miss Crowe wore last time is out of stock, so I could only buy a similar style. Please don’t mind."

Holly took it, catching sight of the embossed gold logo on the bag, thinking the price could easily buy several dresses.

"Mr. Sinclair, you are too generous." Her voice tightened.

Blake’s gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds before quickly shifting away, "The dress will look great on Miss Crowe."

He turned and took out a cake box from the other bag, "Last time, I noticed that Miss Crowe enjoyed eating PADA’s strawberry cake. I brought one along."

Holly froze.

A coincidence again?

But PADA and Glynmere are not in the same direction at all.

As if reading her thoughts, Blake explained casually, "I went to Lunar Lotus first."

Holly suddenly understood, her tense shoulders slightly relaxing.

So he went to the studio to find her first, coincidentally arriving at Glynmere while she was on break.

Blake placed the cake on the coffee table, speaking naturally, "First visits should not be made empty-handed."

Unfailingly gentleman-like, that’s Blake Sinclair.

Holly thanked him again, putting the cake in the fridge before pouring him a cup of water.

They sat on the sofa, and the atmosphere was somewhat stagnant.

Blake’s presence was overpowering; just by sitting there, he elevated her 90-square-meter apartment several levels.

"Miss Crowe," Blake suddenly spoke, startling her into a slight tremor, "I actually have a favor to ask."

Holly: "?"

A favor?

From her?

Countless possibilities flashed through Holly’s mind.

Could The Sinclair Family want ceramic decorations for an event?

Does Shirley want to learn pottery again?

Surely it can’t be that Special Assistant Tate resigned and he lacks a secretary...

"A week ago, I left my watch at Lunar Lotus." Blake lifted his gaze to her, his eyes deep, "I wonder if Miss Crowe has seen it?"

Holly was momentarily at a loss.

The last time Blake came for pottery, he did take off his watch... but where exactly did he leave it? She had no impression.

Failing to notice a customer’s lost item on time was indeed Lunar Lotus’s oversight.

"I genuinely apologize, Mr. Sinclair." She showed a look of apology, "As soon as I find it, I’ll contact you immediately."

Blake: "It’s my own carelessness."

With that, the topic was closed, and the atmosphere fell back into awkwardness.

Blake took a sip of water and set the cup down, glancing at his watch, "I’ll take my leave now."

Holly felt a sense of relief, escorting him to the door.

At the entrance, Blake suddenly turned around.

Holly, caught off guard, nearly fell into his arms, but halted just in time.

The faint scent of cedar seeped into her breath, warming her earlobes, making her oblivious to Blake retracting his half-outstretched hand.

"Miss Crowe, do you have any plans later?" His voice was lower than before.

"Ah?"

"Shirley’s mom asked me to thank you for what happened last time."

Blake’s gaze fell on her tousled hair, clenching an empty fist, "I wonder if you have time for dinner together today?"

Dinner?

With Blake Sinclair?

Just the two of them?

No! Refuse!

The turmoil from Zion Pence’s earlier drama hadn’t fully dissipated, her emotions affecting her appetite, leaving her with no desire to eat.

"Shirley’s mom is too kind." She smiled, politely declining, "Unfortunately, I’m busy today..."

Blake seemed to have anticipated her refusal, gently saying, "If today isn’t convenient, you can come to Sinclair Manor next time; her mom wants to thank you in person."

His eyes slightly squinted behind the lenses, "Last time’s incident with Shirley is a favor the Sinclair Family owes you."

The last two words were emphasized heavily.

Go to Sinclair Manor?

A favor?

The refusal on Holly’s lips swiftly turned around, "I actually have some time today."

She squeezed out a smile, pointing towards the bedroom, "Wait a moment, I’ll change my clothes."

As she turned around, she didn’t notice the brief smile in Blake’s eyes.

When Holly reappeared, she had changed into a sleeveless beige draped top paired with a light coffee high-waisted skirt. As she left, she grabbed the black garbage bag behind the door.

The knot of the garbage bag was loose, and shards of glass frame had pierced through, causing a few petals to fall out.

Holly wrapped another garbage bag around it and tied a dead knot.

Upon raising her head, she met Blake’s deep, inscrutable gaze, defensively explaining, "There was a major cleanup this morning... I accidentally broke a vase and a frame."

She let out a couple of awkward laughs, "You really need to be careful with these things at home..."

Blake nodded briefly, then suddenly leaned closer.

Holly’s breath caught.

He extended his long arm, pressing the elevator button.

"Living alone, you should pay attention to safety."

His voice was so soft it was almost a whisper, his warm breath brushing past her ear, "If necessary, you can call the police."

The elevator descended to the first floor.

A black Maybach was parked quietly not far away.

Holly instinctively moved towards the back seat, but Blake had already opened the front passenger door, resting his arm on the doorframe.

"Get in."