Chapter 26: What a Coincidence
Vivian Lowell had settled on the terms with Sharon Lowell and Shelly Lowell.
Sharon Galahad also made Shelly Lowell apologize to Vivian Lowell.
"Mom!" Shelly Lowell seethed, but seeing Sharon Galahad’s harsh expression, she grew afraid and could only reluctantly mutter, "I’m sorry," to Vivian Lowell.
"I’m leaving."
Vivian Lowell ignored Shelly Lowell’s apology, clearly unimpressed. She stood up, grabbed her purse, and handed two of the design sketches to Sharon Galahad.
Sharon Galahad’s eyes lit up. She quickly snatched the sketches, forgetting everything else.
’Hmph.’
’Once I get all the sketches, I won’t let Vivian Lowell have this kind of hold over me anymore!’
With that thought, Sharon Galahad turned to Shelly Lowell and said, "And you—why are you so short-sighted? How much could the things in those wooden boxes possibly be worth?"
"Alright, now. As long as you study design diligently, you won’t have to worry about having a comfortable life!"
Leaving the Lowell residence, Vivian Lowell hailed a cab to Tanya’s Pet Hospital.
A little while ago, while she was still downstairs negotiating with Shelly Lowell and Sharon Galahad, Eleanor Rhodes had texted her, saying she was heading out to rescue some cats soon.
She had asked Vivian to come help if she had time.
When Vivian Lowell arrived, a couple was there adopting a kitten. Eleanor Rhodes had just finished the paperwork with them and sent them off with two bags of cat food and a bag of cat litter as a "dowry."
"If you need to switch the cat’s food later on, just mix the new food in with the old food gradually so the kitty can get used to it. Don’t change it too suddenly, okay?"
Eleanor Rhodes instructed as she personally walked the couple out.
The couple put the kitten in its carrier, their faces full of gratitude. They tried to leave a hundred dollars as a donation, but Eleanor Rhodes refused. She quickly tossed the folded bills back through their car window and dashed back into the pet hospital.
Watching the agile Eleanor Rhodes, Vivian Lowell couldn’t help but smile. She took out a fruit tea and placed it on Eleanor’s desk.
"Here you go. Sorry I’m late. I brought you a fruit tea—it’s your favorite, Succulent Grape!"
As soon as she saw the drink, a huge smile spread across Eleanor Rhodes’s face. She grabbed the Succulent Grape, took a big gulp, and exclaimed, "Succulent Grape, my one true love! This is delicious!"
Vivian Lowell took a sip of her own favorite, a Peach Cheezo, then glanced at the time. "It’s almost noon. Don’t we have to go on that cat rescue a little after one?"
"Come on, let’s go get lunch first!"
"Mhm!"
Eleanor Rhodes nodded, and she and Vivian Lowell went to the fast-food restaurant next door for a combo meal.
After lunch, the two got in the car and headed out. Eleanor Rhodes had just finished setting the GPS when Vivian Lowell happened to glance at it and found the destination surprisingly familiar.
’Ahem.’
’It looked like it was right near Julian Faulkner’s house!’
Before, all Vivian Lowell knew was that a mother cat was in a warehouse with her kittens.
The person who had called for help and her friend wanted to adopt two of the kittens, which was why they’d asked Eleanor Rhodes to go and catch them.
’What a coincidence.’
’The warehouse was in Julian Faulkner’s neighborhood.’
’But—’
Then again, Vivian Lowell thought, ’At this time of day, a busy CEO like Julian Faulkner should still be at the office, right?’
’We probably won’t run into each other.’
At that thought, Vivian Lowell breathed a sigh of relief. But just as they were about to enter the residential complex, a familiar-looking Maybach appeared behind them.
...
’Julian Faulkner’s car.’
’You’ve got to be kidding me!’
’Could it really be this much of a coincidence!?’
Vivian Lowell’s expression froze.
Soon, a man got out of the Maybach. Julian Faulkner seemed to recognize Eleanor Rhodes’s car. He gazed in Vivian Lowell’s direction from a distance. Though his eyes were cool and distant, they gave off the impression...
...that he had something to say to her.
"Is that your husband?" Eleanor Rhodes, still holding the cat trap, nudged Vivian Lowell with her elbow, a curious look in her eyes. "Wow, I didn’t realize he was so handsome!"
"Vivian, he’s still looking at you. Why don’t you..."
Before she could finish.
Julian Faulkner, who had been waiting for Vivian Lowell to come to him, decided not to wait any longer. He took the initiative and started walking toward her.
Julian Faulkner saw the cat trap in Eleanor Rhodes’s hands and realized that since it was still so early in the day, Vivian Lowell wasn’t "coming home" but was here for some other reason.
"Here for a cat?"
Julian Faulkner asked. Vivian Lowell nodded instinctively.
Julian Faulkner reached over to help Vivian Lowell and Eleanor Rhodes with their equipment, then turned and started walking.
"Uh, President Faulkner, it’s this way!"
Vivian Lowell quickly stopped him, pointing in the opposite direction.
"Mm." A faint blush flashed across Julian Faulkner’s otherwise calm face. He said nothing more and followed Vivian Lowell and Eleanor Rhodes toward a small warehouse near the guard booth.
The security guard was playing on his phone.
He saw them approaching with equipment and knew they were there for the cats. He was in the middle of a game of Tetris and was about to say something when he suddenly recognized one of the visitors—it was Julian Faulkner.
"President Faulkner!"
The guard was so startled his phone nearly slipped from his grasp.
Luckily, he had quick reflexes. The phone bounced off his chest, and he managed to snatch it before it fell past his stomach.
Still shaken, he hastily shoved the phone back into his pocket.
"Yes? Where are the cats?"
Julian Faulkner asked. The guard led the way, taking the three of them to the warehouse.
The warehouse was located near the parking lot and filled with all sorts of junk: wooden racks, empty water bottles, cardboard boxes, and the like.
It looked like the warehouse hadn’t been cleaned out in a long time. A layer of dust covered everything.
When they tried to push the door open, it only moved halfway before getting stuck on something. There was too much junk piled inside, and a cloud of dust billowed out into their faces.
!!
Vivian Lowell had been trying to peek inside to see where the kittens were.
She never expected to get a face full of dust the moment the door opened.
"COUGH!"
She dodged back, hiding behind the wall. Then she saw Julian Faulkner, who had been standing off to the side, step directly in front of the doorway, shielding her like a guardian statue.
??
Vivian Lowell was confused. She looked up, about to ask Julian Faulkner what he was doing, when she heard the distinct sound of kittens meowing from inside.
"Mew, mew~"
It was the sound of young kittens.
Their cries were soft and tiny, enough to make Vivian Lowell’s heart melt. She completely forgot about the man standing there and squeezed up next to Julian Faulkner.
"Where are the kitties?"
The doorway was narrow.
As Vivian Lowell squeezed through, her head practically brushed against Julian Faulkner’s arm. She paid it no mind, however; all she could think about were the kittens.
"Mew, mew~"
The cries continued to drift out from the warehouse, but unfortunately, the junk inside was piled so high that it completely blocked Vivian Lowell’s line of sight.
She peered left and right but still couldn’t see a thing.
Eleanor Rhodes had already prepared the cat trap, baiting it with some canned food.
But looking at the cluttered scene before them, they realized there was no place to set the trap.