CHAPTER 175: CHAPTER 175: DECLAN PIERCE’S SUBTLE SCHEMING

Tanya Sinclair looked up, just in time to meet Declan Pierce’s gaze. He had obviously heard her, and a playful smile appeared on his lips.

"Phoenix Court is my home." He explained leisurely, his eyes drifting with a hint of teasing. "Why, do you want to come over and sit for a while?"

Tanya: "..."

She noticed that anything coming out of Declan’s mouth tended to sound unserious.

"No need to be polite, please just drop me off at my neighborhood, President Pierce."

Upon hearing her deliberate distancing by calling him ’President Pierce,’ the curve on Declan Pierce’s lips faded. His expression softened slightly, and he said, "Too troublesome, I don’t want to take you."

Tanya: "?"

She was simply being courteous, wouldn’t a normal person’s reaction be ’it’s no trouble’ at this point?

Zion Monroe, on the other end of the phone, heard what was happening and perked up immediately.

Tanya was in Brother Pierce’s car!

Alright, alright, he was definitely scoring points as a wingman this time!

"Ms. Tanya, just come to Phoenix Court and hang out! It’s so much fun, the internet speed there is super fast, gaming is awesome! There’s even a huge outdoor swimming pool where you can host a hundred-people party!"

He racked his brains to promote Declan’s place, speaking with great enthusiasm.

"Oh, and my Brother Pierce’s basement has a boxing ring where some people play big, you sign life-and-death waivers to fight! The blood can spray into the audience, super thrilling! There’s a game room too, not just any game room, we all say Brother Pierce’s place is like a mini Las Vegas! Cool, huh?"

"..."

Tanya’s expression grew increasingly complex as she listened.

This didn’t sound like a proper place... at all.

Declan stretched out his long arm and, just as Zion Monroe, this pig teammate, was about to dig more holes for him, he took Tanya’s phone and hung up, casually blocking Zion’s number.

In the next second, the screen of his own phone lit up briefly.

Zion Monroe: [Brother Pierce, did I get the publicity right this time?] accompanied by a silly smile emoji.

Declan’s mouth twitched slightly and he blocked him with one hand.

He casually reminded Tanya, "Don’t play with Zion Monroe so much in the future, it’ll affect your IQ."

"...Alright." She did not argue, knowing that neither Declan Pierce nor Zion Monroe truly intersected with her life. Their paths crossed by chance and would inevitably diverge.

Declan looked down at her obedient demeanor, understanding her thoughts.

Tanya had never categorized him as part of her world.

He had to carve out a path himself to get in.

"President Pierce, please stop at a convenient place for catching a cab. I’ll take a taxi myself, so as not to trouble you." Tanya said good-naturedly.

Since Declan Pierce found it troublesome to take her, she would simply return home on her own. It wasn’t a big deal.

Declan did not respond.

Tanya took the initiative to tell the driver, "Sir, could you please stop at the bus stop ahead?"

However, the car showed no sign of slowing down, smoothly passing the bus stop Tanya had pointed out.

It seemed the driver only listened to Declan.

Tanya felt a bit helpless; she was already exhausted tonight and hadn’t had anything to eat either.

"President Pierce..."

Declan tilted his head back and closed his eyes, an unparalleled handsome face covered with a faint layer of fatigue.

He said, "I’ll take you back."

With Declan Pierce’s words, Tanya felt at ease sitting.

She kept her head down, scrolling through her phone en route.

Zion Monroe acted quickly, uploading the video from the police intervention to extracting Mother Hawthorne, Yvonne Hawthorne, and the four men onto the Vanguard Entertainment website. The process was fast-tracked into a two-and-a-half-minute video, creating a buzz.

Yvonne Hawthorne clung tightly to her coat, covering her chest, while Mother Hawthorne reached out to block the camera, a scene captured separately for the cover.

—[Shocking! Prominent family mother and daughter scantily clad, spending a delightful night with four sturdy men?]

The exclusive report gained rapid traction; a casual refresh from Tanya showed views increase by the thousands.

Tanya coldly stared at the incoming phone call on her silent mode phone, only revealing the caller: [Theodore Hawthorne].

Most likely he received a call from the police, aware of the events, calling to demand answers.

Tanya naturally wouldn’t answer, tossing her phone into her bag.

The entire Hawthorne Family was about to be thrown into disarray come the morning; that would be her cue to step in...

Tanya gently leaned back, her gaze falling on the moonlit sky.

She recalled Wendy Chester desperately protecting Yvonne Hawthorne.

How ironic, to treasure her daughter yet demean someone else’s.

Tanya closed her eyes, a clear memory of her mother Charlotte Sinclair came to mind.

As a child, when she fell and barely scraped herself, her mother would worry so much her eyes turned red, and her grandfather would immediately tend to her wounds.

Back then, the Sinclair Family was flourishing, lively household affairs were managed by an old butler who had been with them for years, almost like family too, concerned over uneven paths.

"Ah, this garden’s stone path is better off leveled! I’ll find someone tomorrow!"

Tanya silently smiled, those ethereal happiness had passed nearly twenty years ago.

She was unexpectedly overwhelmed with emotion, tearfully wiping them away, aware there were others in the car; she quickly turned aside to face the car door and dried her tears.

Once clean, she turned around to see Declan with closed eyes, seemingly asleep.

Tanya felt relieved.

Unbeknownst to her, as she looked out the window, Declan silently opened his eyes a little, his dark pupils gradually turning towards her...

Across the night’s span.

Two motorcycles parked at the entrance of a filthy, dim alley.

Four men dismounted, two were wounded, supported into a room.

The most severely injured man had been struck with a baton intended for Tanya.

Only in the room did he remove his helmet, revealing a dark, rough face with mutton chops, heavy brows overshadowing sharp and cruel eyes.

The most terrifying feature was his one eye that was merely a flesh hole.

A long-standing scar ran from his brow to his nose, the very cut that blinded his eye!

Tonight, he was just a bit short - a bit from cracking open Tanya’s vile head, avenging the eye she gouged.

But a car charged at them at that critical moment!

"Damn it!" Old Ninth King grew increasingly indignant, kicking over a nearby fan, jarring his wound, hissing in pain.

He recalled viciously, that charging car had indeed been ruthless, aiming to kill them point-blank!

"Ninth Brother, are you alright?" a subordinate expressed concern.

Old Ninth King ignored him, took out his phone, and walked to the dark kitchen to make a call.

The other side picked up quickly.

"It’s me." Old Ninth King said in a low voice, "There’s been a bit of a hiccup tonight. Need to find another opportunity... Since I’m back, I’ll definitely seek revenge for the blind grudge of the past!"

...

Tanya Sinclair initially thought Declan Pierce would stop the car at the entrance of the apartment complex as he had before, but unexpectedly, he registered and drove directly inside.

"Which building do you live in?" Declan asked casually.

Tanya was left with no choice but to direct the driver to the building where she lived.

Once the car was parked, Tanya was about to open the door and get out when she heard the man behind her let out a "hiss."

She instinctively turned back and saw Declan with his hand on his stomach, his handsome eyebrows slightly furrowed, looking inexplicably a bit pitiful.

Tanya Sinclair: "...Are you alright?"

"Not good, my stomach hurts, would like something hot." Declan said languidly, then continued, "You go ahead, don’t mind me."

"..." Tanya really didn’t want to bother with him, anyway, the driver was there.

Considering Declan’s current status, a single phone call could summon top-notch specialists for a consultation, and the best chefs could cook next door for him.

Worrying about him felt unnecessary.

So, thinking this way, Tanya said readily, "Alright, President Pierce, I’ll leave then."

However, she had just stepped one leg out of the car when she heard the man’s resentful voice drift over from behind.

"Go ahead, even though I just saved your life and went out of my way to drop you off at your doorstep."

Tanya Sinclair: "..."

She steeled her heart and got out of the car, leaving.

In the car, Declan watched through the rearview mirror as the slender figure of the woman left, his thin lips slightly curved, counting silently, "3, 2, 1."

Tanya stopped, turned back, walked over, and knocked on his window.

"I should have some food at home, if you don’t mind, you can come up for a bit and have something casual."

Declan smiled and said, "Since you’re so generous with the invitation, I won’t decline."

He then opened the door, stepped out of the car with his long legs, and followed Tanya into the building.

Tanya pressed the elevator button, walked inside, with Declan following behind. His height and long legs gave him a strong presence, and the originally spacious elevator became inexplicably cramped.

Tanya moved slightly to the side, deliberately keeping some distance from Declan.

Declan naturally noticed but wasn’t bothered to mention it, reaching over with his long, clear fingers to fiddle with the little trinket on her bag.

When the elevator arrived, Tanya opened the door, and Declan followed her in, looking around. On the shoe rack, apart from two pairs of women’s slippers, there were only two pairs of children’s slippers.

No men’s.

"Sorry, I usually don’t have guests here. I only prepared a pair of slippers for my best friend, so don’t change shoes, just come in directly." Tanya explained.

"Mm."

Declan didn’t stand on ceremony, stepped right in with his long legs.

Tanya went to the kitchen, considering that Declan had an empty stomach, taking medicine directly would hurt his stomach more, so she opened the fridge to check the limited ingredients.

"President Pierce."

Tanya peeked out of the kitchen, "I only have noodles at home, would you settle for a bowl of noodles in soy sauce?"

"Whatever’s fine."

The term ’President Pierce’ sounded prickly, Declan walked over, arms folded, leaning against the kitchen door.

"Tanya Sinclair, let’s discuss something."

"Hmm?" Tanya was boiling water to cook noodles, heard this, and glanced back at him.

Declan lazily said, "From now on, privately, call me by my name."

Tanya hadn’t had the chance to speak before she saw Declan slightly curl his beautiful lips, saying with no particular emotion, "Too many people call me President Pierce now, I’m afraid someday I’ll forget my real name."

Declan.

Declan.

The recklessness of life, living as if days were years.

This was his biological mother’s last ’blessing’ to him before she committed suicide.

"..."

Tanya read a kind of nearly desolate emotion on Declan’s face.

She asked nothing, softly said, "Okay."

Then turned back to wash the vegetables.

Declan leaned against the door watching quietly for a while, the kitchen light was warm-toned, she was right there, exuding a warm, homely aura.

He had actually dreamed of such a scene.

Declan took some effort to restrain his impulse to move closer.

He turned towards the living room, Tanya’s bag was just placed on the entry cabinet, the bag was open, and the phone inside lit up, receiving a call.

Declan merely glanced inadvertently, but after seeing the caller’s name [Julian Poole], the steps he was taking towards the living room stopped, he glanced towards the kitchen, Tanya was busy chopping the accompaniments.

Declan walked over, took out the phone, flicked it with his fingers, and answered.

"Tanya." Julian Poole’s voice.

Tanya... Declan sneered silently, calling her so familiarly.

"I wanted to ask if you’re home? I made too much dinner..."

"She’s busy." Declan casually cut in.

On the other end, Julian fell silent for a moment, then asking incredulously, "Who are you?"

Declan chuckled, "Do I need to explain to you? Tanya is making dinner for me."

Just then, Tanya’s voice came from the kitchen,

"Declan, can you eat spicy food?"

Declan intentionally walked to the kitchen edge holding the phone, answering, "Not too much."

Then he was satisfied hearing Julian’s suppressed, altered breathing over the call.

Hmm, pleasant to the ears.

Declan leisurely said, "Is it Mr. Poole? If you’ve made too much and can’t finish, you could send some over..."

"Beep beep beep—"

Julian directly hung up.

Declan raised an eyebrow, putting Tanya’s phone back in place.