Chapter 56: Infiltrating the House

After returning from the hospital, Seren Thorne rested at home for a day, and her body was mostly recovered. During this time, both Evangeline Frost and Sebastian North had sent her messages of concern. On that very day, Sebastian even made a special trip to see her, bringing a bounty of delicious treats.

Seren was walking in the garden at the time. Seeing him come all this way, she was somewhat surprised.

"Mr. North, it was just a minor ailment. You really didn't need to make a special trip."

Sebastian wore a smile, looking every bit the refined gentleman—a far cry from the cold and solemn demeanor he had displayed when they first met.

"Lydia was very worried about you. However, with her current personality, she's still a bit afraid of going out, so I came on her behalf."

"Seeing how full of life you are now, she should be able to rest easy."

Seren hadn't expected the young girl to be so kind to her after only meeting a few times. Her heart warmed instinctively. "When you go back, please tell her I received her well wishes."

"The sun is a bit strong right now. Let's head inside and sit for a while."

Seren assumed that a busy man like Sebastian would probably just take a quick look and leave, so she offered a casual polite remark. To her surprise, he actually agreed.

"The sun is indeed quite intense today. Let's go in."

Seren was visibly stunned for a moment, not expecting him to stay for tea. However, since he had already agreed, she didn't say much and led him into the house.

Mrs. Gable was busy cleaning. Seren called out, "Mrs. Gable, please brew two cups of tea for us."

Mrs. Gable nodded in response, but her eyes lingered on the exceptionally handsome young man standing next to Seren. Although there was no intimate interaction between the two, Mrs. Gable had lived for over forty years; she could tell at a single glance what kind of intentions this young man had toward their Young Mistress.

The Young Master’s head was looking a little "green."

Suppressing her thoughts, Mrs. Gable said, "One moment, I’ll get right on it."

She put down her mop and entered the kitchen. Once she was sure no one was around, she immediately pulled out her phone and sent a message to Alaric Vane: [Young Master, the house is in danger! Return at once!]

Alaric Vane: [?]

After briefing Alaric on the situation at home, Mrs. Gable tucked her phone away. She composed herself and walked out with the brewed tea, pretending to be perfectly calm.

The moment she entered the living room, she saw that Sebastian North had moved from the opposite sofa to sit right next to Seren, chatting about something.

As Mrs. Gable drew closer, she saw that Sebastian was showing Seren childhood photos of Lydia. Even though they weren't touching, Sebastian’s deliberate attempt to get close was almost impossible to hide. He had specifically chosen a time when Alaric was at work to visit; his intentions were as plain as day.

To prevent a "meadow" from growing on her master's head, Mrs. Gable pretended to slip, splashing half a cup of tea onto Sebastian.

"Oh my! Sir, I am so sorry! My foot slipped just now. I am truly sorry for getting your clothes dirty. You should hurry back and change."

Mrs. Gable’s words were practically shouting "Get out" to his face. There was no way Sebastian couldn't see through her meaning.

However, he didn't take it to heart. Instead, he gave a gentlemanly and polite smile, saying, "It's just a bit of water. I can just wipe it off."

Seeing Sebastian refuse to follow the script, Mrs. Gable frowned. In the short dramas she watched, those CEOs all had extreme germophobia—why was this one so tolerant of dirt? By the usual tropes, shouldn't Sebastian have flown into a rage because she ruined his clothes, scolded her, slammed the table, and stormed out?

If she had known, she wouldn't have prepared tea, but rather highly concentrated, dark coffee.

Though this plan failed, Mrs. Gable was not discouraged. She would personally guard the Young Master's dignity!

After setting down the tea, she didn't leave immediately. Instead, she stood right beside them, her eyes wide as saucers, staring fixedly at Sebastian. If the man dared to make even a single improper move, she would immediately call the butler to release the dogs! To try and seduce the Young Mistress while the Young Master was away—not a chance!

Having occupied a high position for a long time, Sebastian had seen all sorts of grand scenes. He was long accustomed to being the center of attention, so being stared at by Mrs. Gable didn't bother him. He continued his conversation with Seren with perfect composure.

Seren, on the other hand, felt uncomfortable being watched. She and Sebastian were just having a normal conversation, but under Mrs. Gable’s piercing gaze, she felt the strange illusion that she was being monitored for an affair.

Sebastian didn't care about Mrs. Gable, but seeing that Seren seemed ill at ease, he realized he had overstayed his welcome. If he sat any longer, he might trigger annoyance instead of favor.

Knowing when to stop, he prepared to leave. "Miss Thorne, I've disturbed you enough today. Since you are feeling better, I shall take my leave."

Seren had been hoping he would go, though she found it awkward to kick him out. Seeing him take the initiative, she immediately replied, "Alright. Would you like me to see you out?"

Seeing her eagerness to see him off, Sebastian felt a flicker of disappointment, but he kept his face neutral. "No need, my car is right at the door."

He stood up and pulled an invitation from his pocket. "By the way, there is an auction next Tuesday. I heard you like bags and jewelry; there will be many fine items there. If you are interested, you should go take a look."

The one interested in jewelry and bags was the original host; Seren was a foodie and had little interest in luxury goods. Just as she was about to decline, she heard Sebastian say, "Miss Frost will also be going that day. You two could keep each other company."

At the mention of Evangeline Frost, Seren’s eyes instantly lit up.

She had the house and the money now; all she lacked was a divorce certificate. She certainly wouldn't pass up an opportunity for Alaric Vane and Evangeline Frost to interact.

She reached out to take the invitation. "Then I must thank you, Mr. North."

However, just as she took the invitation, a large hand snatched it away from behind her.

Then, a cold voice rang out: "Next Tuesday is the engagement of Seren’s eldest brother. She and I have to return to her family home; we won't have time for any auctions. We appreciate your kindness, Mr. North, but you should take the invitation back."

Seren turned around to see Alaric Vane looking travel-worn. His usually meticulously styled hair was slightly messy, looking as though he had just rushed back in a great hurry.