Chapter 44: Head Shipper
Julian Faulkner turned and left as soon as he finished speaking, giving Vance Wyatt no chance to respond.
Vance Wyatt panicked. His face turned as red as a boiled shrimp. He felt like crying, but he knew his president was an unyielding man.
He could only look at Vivian Lowell with a pleading gaze.
Vivian wanted to laugh.
She gently patted Vance Wyatt’s shoulder. She knew that when he’d mouthed words to her just now, he was trying to say that Julian Faulkner was just making an excuse.
’Our president has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. He’s completely devoted to his wife, so of course he came to give you a ride!’
’Looks like Wyatt is a shipper for her and Julian Faulkner!’
Vivian found Vance Wyatt rather amusing. As she walked toward the elevator, she gestured for him to follow her and get in with them.
Vance Wyatt looked as if he’d been granted a great pardon.
The lanky, six-foot-tall man trailed timidly behind Vivian Lowell like a frightened little hamster, periodically peeking up at Julian Faulkner.
’The president is so scary!’
’I have to stick close to the madam’s side!’
Inside the elevator, Julian Faulkner ignored Vance Wyatt, but his gaze was still icy. When his eyes swept over Wyatt’s face, it was as if he were silently interrogating him.
’What are you doing in here?!’
However—
Perhaps because Vivian Lowell was the one who had let him in, Julian Faulkner didn’t say anything, likely to save her face.
"President Faulkner."
For Vance Wyatt’s sake, Vivian Lowell had no choice but to lean closer to Julian Faulkner and whisper, "You have a meeting this afternoon, for company business, right?"
"Doesn’t Wyatt still have a lot of materials for it?"
After asking, Vivian shot a meaningful look at Vance Wyatt.
Wyatt understood immediately. He took out his briefcase, which contained a thick stack of documents. It was clear he had prepared a great deal in advance.
Seeing this, Vivian silently affirmed Wyatt’s work ethic. She then said to Julian Faulkner, "See? Wyatt is very diligent."
"These reports will be useful for the meeting. He’s an assistant and a driver—isn’t that like getting two jobs done for the price of one?"
"If I were a capitalist, I’d definitely want to hire an assistant like him!"
After listening, Julian Faulkner turned to look at Vivian Lowell, then at Vance Wyatt.
The latter was staring at Julian with an incredibly earnest expression, looking like a pitiful maiden who desperately didn’t want to be abandoned.
"..."
The look probably gave Julian Faulkner goosebumps. He quickly averted his gaze and said, "If Vance Wyatt is so great, why don’t you take him as your assistant?"
???
’How did he pass the buck to me?’
Vivian Lowell was taken aback for a moment before replying, "Oh, that won’t be necessary. My current assistant is a pretty good fit for me, and she can drive too, so I don’t need Vance Wyatt, do I?"
"Vance Wyatt is yours. I won’t fight you for him."
Vivian said this with all sincerity.
But for some reason, Julian Faulkner seemed even more displeased. His brows and eyes twitched slightly, and his entire demeanor seemed to grow colder.
He asked, "Oh, is that so?"
??
Vivian Lowell was baffled, having no idea what she had said wrong. Vance Wyatt, on the other hand, was so anxious he was on the verge of tears. He could only tug on Vivian’s sleeve.
"Madam, don’t say any more! The president is jealous!"
’Jealous?’
’What does he have to be jealous about?’
Vivian didn’t quite understand. Wyatt explained, "You said your assistant is ’a pretty good fit.’ The president is jealous of your assistant!"
"Because you like your assistant, and you used the phrase ’a pretty good fit.’ This, this... that phrase, it’s not exactly inappropriate, but—it still seems a little... off."
??
’What on earth is he talking about?!’
Vivian wanted to roll her eyes at Vance Wyatt. ’How could Julian Faulkner possibly get hung up on such a small detail and feel such bizarre jealousy? He’s completely reading too much into it!’
However—
Seeing how anxious Vance Wyatt looked, Vivian couldn’t bring herself to say anything more. After all, his intentions were good. Even if his interpretation was wrong, he was just trying to help the two of them as a couple.
*Cough!*
Vivian nearly choked on her own thoughts.
’What "couple"?’
Her marriage to Julian Faulkner was only on paper!
Shaking her head, Vivian immediately swept these strange thoughts from her mind and followed Julian Faulkner to the underground parking garage.
Thankfully, the rest of the drive to Aethelburg University was uneventful.
Vivian sat with Julian Faulkner in the back seat. She gazed out the window while he sat there, diligently reading through the documents. Vance Wyatt drove, and a sense of peace settled over them.
The three of them were in harmony, and no one said much.
They soon arrived at Aethelburg University.
Looking at the familiar campus, Vivian felt a wave of nostalgia. The days of pulling all-nighters to study and save seats in the library were so simple and wonderful.
"President Faulkner, this is my stop."
Vivian gestured for Vance Wyatt to pull over, then said to Julian Faulkner, "Come home early after your meeting. You don’t need to come pick me up!"
Julian Faulkner frowned. It was unclear whether he was just in a bad mood today or what, but he only gave a faint nod and replied, "Alright."
As for Vance Wyatt...
The moment Vivian got out of the car, he looked like he wanted to speed away, as if afraid she might linger and say something wrong again.
’As if I’d say something wrong!’
Vivian grumbled internally but didn’t dwell on it. She turned and walked onto the Aethelburg University campus.
Professor Sterling’s lab was relatively close to the south gate. Vivian scanned a code for a shared bike and had just started riding when her phone rang.
It was a call from Eleanor Rhodes.
"Vivian—where are—"
Eleanor had just started to ask.
But Vivian had already spotted her—Eleanor Rhodes, standing by the path near the lab entrance, waiting for her.
"Tanya, I’m over here!"
Vivian immediately waved and called out to her.
Hearing her voice, Eleanor Rhodes lowered her phone. The moment she looked over and saw Vivian, her face lit up with a brilliant smile, like a little sunbeam.
"Vivian!"
Eleanor responded in kind, then adjusted her small bag and started to walk in Vivian’s direction.
"I’m coming."
As Eleanor spoke, she started to cross the path to meet Vivian.
But just then...
Eleanor had been standing next to a tree, which was in a blind spot. Just as she stepped out, a student riding a bike from the other direction didn’t seem to see her.
His bike shot out, and the two were about to collide.
"Tanya!"
Vivian was too far away. By the time she saw what was happening, it was too late. She cried out instantly.
Eleanor Rhodes was startled. She felt a sudden rush of air beside her and turned to dodge, but there was no time.
The male student on the bike was frightened too. He pulled the brakes, but it was too late. The two people and the bike crashed into each other.