Tanya Sinclair’s face turned completely cold, and she tightened her grip on the clothes in her hand. Since soft tactics were not working, she couldn’t be blamed. Just as Vincent Hawthorne’s fingers slid toward the second button, she internally gathered strength to raise her knee, aiming between his legs. At the instant she was about to hit him, Vincent’s phone rang first. This ringtone wasn’t the default phone ringtone but was Joy’s voice, sweetly singing a children’s song. Vincent must have recorded it on purpose. Except for Cindy Lynn, Tanya couldn’t think of anyone else he would use Joy’s voice for as a special ringtone. Sure enough, when Vincent heard the call, the heat in his eyes faded instantly. He didn’t immediately answer the phone. "Go ahead and take care of it, don’t overwork yourself." He thoughtfully rebuttoned the front of her shirt and gently touched her face, "Aunt Tawny will stay at home for a while, so let her know if you want a late-night snack anytime." He didn’t mention the unexpected late-night call at all. The caller was also sensible, hanging up after a few rings when Vincent didn’t answer, nor did they call again. "Who was calling?" Tanya asked curiously, "The ringtone was Joy’s voice, wasn’t it? Who made you use Joy’s voice as their ringtone?" Vincent replied calmly, "It must be Joy messing around with my phone, setting it herself. Either my mom or Yvonne." "Oh." Tanya nodded, appearing to believe it, then feigned concern for the caller, "It’s so late, perhaps mom or Yvonne called for something urgent. You should call them back quickly." As Tanya spoke considerately, she was already walking towards the bedside to pick up Vincent’s phone. However, just as she reached out, before she touched it, Vincent came over with long strides, stretched out his arm, and grabbed the phone first. Tanya’s empty hand paused slightly. She had her head half-lowered, her long hair covering her face, a cold, sarcastic gleam in her eyes. If she was merely suspicious before, now, seeing Vincent’s reaction, she was certain the caller was Cindy Lynn! "I’ll handle it. You focus on your work these days." Vincent’s warm hand landed on her shoulder, turning her around, "Tanya, make sure to secure the collaboration with Westgard Pharmaceuticals, just for me." Latest content published on novel✦fire.net "..." Tanya smiled faintly and said softly, "Alright." After Tanya left, the curve on Vincent’s lips fell as he turned to walk out to the balcony, dialing back the call that just came in. Tanya closed the door and threw herself into her work, having scheduled a video call with Professor Yates to discuss work-related matters. Immersed in work, time flew by, and when Tanya put down her pen after recording notes, an hour had passed. "Professor Yates, thank you for your hard work today. I’m wondering if you have time on Sunday; I’d like to invite you for a meal. You can choose the place." Professor Yates thought for a moment, "Sure, Sunday evening works for me. There’s a nice restaurant near Northwood University. I’ll send you the location then." "Sounds good, your choice, my treat." Tanya agreed with a smile. After ending the video call, Tanya went for a shower. Once she was done, she lay on the sofa bed, browsing her phone before sleep. She received a few messages from Mia, Daisy Bell’s little assistant, reporting that she had prepared the medication according to Tanya’s prescription for Daisy. Though the message was sent hours ago, Tanya glanced at it quickly while busy at that time, replying mentally. Tanya replied to Mia: [Thanks for your hard work.] She then opened her chat with Daisy, knowing sometimes her phone was taken away by the manager, and after a brief consideration, she sent a message to Daisy’s secondary account, Odyssey. Tanya: [I had Mia brew the medicine for you; drink at least one packet before bed. It has calming and heart-nurturing effects. Even if it’s bitter, be obedient and drink it all.] Daisy was someone who couldn’t stand bitterness, even complaining about the taste of an iced Americano. The opposite side replied with a question mark immediately, then withdrew it. After a few seconds, another message came through. Odyssey: [Why aren’t you resting?] Tanya found it amusing that Daisy, a night owl, was concerned she was sleeping late. Tanya: [I’m about to sleep. Are you filming all night today?] On the other side of the phone, on the hilltop estate of Phoenix Court. Every light was on, cutting through the deep night, creating a bright, daytime-like atmosphere. In the exaggeratedly large living room, explosive, riotous music waves surged and boiled as dozens of young men and women treated the place as a venue to freely unleash their hormones. Some were dancing wildly, flipping their heads, twisting their waists, their young, heated bodies engaged in close-up hot dancing, while others played games or billiards. Tonight, Zion Monroe led a group here to warm up Declan Pierce’s new house. Declan himself sat in the corner of a sofa, dressed in white, lazily propping up one leg, holding a phone in one hand, eyes lowered to the screen reading Tanya’s message, long lashes hindering the flirtatiousness in his eyes. She really thinks he’s Daisy Bell’s secondary account. Declan casually tugged a corner of his mouth, tapping the screen meticulously, replying to her letter by letter. Odyssey: [Can’t sleep.] It wasn’t a lie; he really couldn’t sleep. Yet the next moment, Tanya’s voice call came directly. Declan’s deep eyes squinted slightly as he stood up and pulled out the sound system plug. The noisy world turned quiet instantly. Everyone was dumbstruck. Mid-party, with the background music abruptly stopped, Zion Monroe was about to curse. "Who the..." As he turned around and saw it was Declan pulling the plug, the ’mother’ word he nearly uttered got swallowed back. He immediately deflated, laughing awkwardly, "Brother Pierce, didn’t song, huh? I’ll avoid it next time." Declan ignored him, stuffing one hand in his pocket, while holding the phone to his ear with the other, slowly strolling into the private elevator, pressing for the third floor. He adjusted to silent mode, so Tanya couldn’t hear his side, although he could hear hers. As the elevator doors closed, her soft, gentle voice, filled with concern, bloomed in his ear. "Why can’t you sleep? Are you having insomnia? Have you drank the medicine I gave you?" A series of inquiries, that gentle and anxious tone seemed to bypass the ear, securing itself rudely in the heart. "Daisy? Why aren’t you speaking? Did your manager show up?" Declan walked out of the elevator. At the end of the corridor facing him, a huge painting hung on the wall, an ominous background with a puppet letting itself be manipulated, then appearing in the frame was a pair of scissors cutting the string over its neck... Meanwhile, Tanya waited for ages without hearing anything from Daisy. She couldn’t help checking her phone, the call wasn’t disconnected. So it must be inconvenient for Daisy to speak. She was about to hang up when suddenly a message popped up. Odyssey: [Tanya, say goodnight to me.] As if concerned she wouldn’t, a second message followed promptly. Odyssey: [If you do, I should be able to sleep.]