Mr. Warner, Your Wife is Running Away Again!-Chapter 94: I Did Not Lie

At one o’clock in the afternoon, Jasper Jones arrived early at the cinema hall to wait.

He was obviously dressed up today, wearing a neat suit, with a bouquet of burgundy roses placed on the table beside him.

"Vanessa, I’ve liked you for a long time... can we be together?"

Holding the bouquet, Jasper rehearsed in the air what he wanted to say to Vanessa Sterling when they met later.

At half-past one, he saw a girl in a white dress walk into the cinema, holding two cups of milk tea, looking around as if searching for someone.

Jasper immediately stood up and waved at Vanessa Sterling.

Upon seeing him, Vanessa smiled and walked towards Jasper, asking, "Why are you here too?"

Jasper chuckled awkwardly and explained, "Audrey also invited me."

Vanessa suddenly realized and then glanced at the two cups of milk tea in her hand, feeling a bit embarrassed. She said, "I didn’t know you were coming, so I only bought two cups. I can go buy another one."

"It’s no problem, no problem!" Jasper hurriedly said, "Two cups are perfect! Didn’t Audrey tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"That she can’t make it this afternoon."

"What?" Vanessa placed the milk tea on the table, reached into her bag to take out her phone, and murmured in confusion, "I haven’t checked my messages, but Audrey didn’t tell me."

Jasper’s gaze shifted evasively as he smiled and said, "Maybe she hasn’t had time, or she thought I could relay the message to you, so she didn’t tell you. Let’s not worry about her, she invited us out and then left us hanging!"

When Vanessa went to grab the milk tea, she noticed the bouquet on the table and smiled, saying to Jasper, "Is that your bouquet? Who gave it to you?"

Jasper hesitated. The lines he had practiced fluently were now stuck in his throat and wouldn’t come out. Impulsively, he said, "Oh... there was a flower shop conducting a survey earlier, and I completed a questionnaire for them, so they gave me a bouquet. If you like it, you can have it."

Vanessa took the bouquet with a smile, "Thank you."

"You’re welcome, it was free anyway." Jasper, oh Jasper, such a great opportunity squandered by your clumsy mouth once again.

"The movie is about to start, did you get the tickets?"

"I did, I did." Jasper retrieved the movie tickets from his suit pocket. Even though he was the one who wanted to invite her, now that she’s right in front of him, his mind was blank on what topics to discuss.

Vanessa looked at him and smiled, "Why did you dress so formally to watch a movie?"

Jasper scratched his head and joked, "Don’t I look handsome?"

Vanessa thought he was joking, and teased, "Not bad, but you look more like you’re here for a film festival award ceremony rather than just seeing a movie."

"One director even wanted to sign me, but I prefer to keep a low profile."

"Are you really low-key? Master Hylan’s fame precedes him; you can’t be low-key even if you want to."

"Master Hylan, don’t make fun of me, your comic IP sells quite well too."

Vanessa laughed as she urged him, "Enough of the mutual praise, let’s check the tickets."

Jasper held the milk tea she bought and followed behind her to queue at the ticket check.

While waiting in line, he sneakily took out his phone and snapped a photo of Vanessa’s back, then sent it to Audrey Sutton: Thanks a lot.

Audrey Sutton: Sutton can only help you this much, hope you two have good news when I return during summer break.

Jasper was also hoping much the same, and glanced at Vanessa again.

They were familiar from the industry and quite acquainted, but she probably never thought about them becoming more than friends, making it hard to express his feelings.

Primarily afraid of rejection.

She’s just turned twenty, at the prime of her youth, while he, approaching thirty, felt a lack of confidence.

They were peers, so there was plenty to discuss about the animated movie.

After the movie, they seemed to have a pleasant interaction; even though there was plenty to talk about, almost everything was about work, Jasper couldn’t find an opportunity to ask anything personal.

Leaving the cinema in the afternoon, around four o’clock, the sun was quite intense, the weather a bit stifling, Jasper said, "Want to stroll around nearby? Have dinner together?"

Vanessa politely declined with a smile, "I’ll pass dinner. I should head back soon."

Jasper casually remarked, "Family keeps you on a tight leash, huh?"

Vanessa stayed silent at that, but her gaze fell on the silver-gray sedan parked by the roadside outside the cinema. Despite standing in the scorching sun, she felt chills.

"Sorry, I need to go now." Vanessa quickly said and began walking towards the parked car.

Jasper didn’t have the chance to ask why she was in such a hurry, watching her walk away with a puzzled expression.

Halfway there, Vanessa realized the bouquet in her hand, and though she wanted to dispose of it, it was too late, especially with Jasper watching from behind. It wouldn’t be polite to just toss it.

Nervously, she opened the back door, Miles Sterling was seated on the left side in the back, engrossed in his phone, not looking at her.

Vanessa felt a bad premonition, the cold air inside the car made her shiver.

Closing the car door, the driver gently asked, "Young master, where to now?"

Miles responded coolly, "Take us back."

"Yes, sir."

His eyes remained on the phone, not looking at Vanessa beside him.

This was the sign of his anger, Vanessa knew.

Sitting anxiously, fearing even to breathe loudly.

"Ding-dong—" Her phone chimed from inside her bag. Vanessa didn’t dare check who sent the message.

Ten minutes later, the car stopped in the underground parking lot.

"You can go," Miles finally put away his phone and softly instructed the driver.

His tone seemed gentle yet sent a chill through Vanessa, raising goosebumps on her skin.

Watching the driver leave, she knew her nightmare was about to begin...

"Bang—" The car door closed, leaving only him and her inside.

Miles turned his head slightly to look at her, then focused on the glaring red roses in her hand.

"Didn’t you quite like Quentin Sterling? How long has he been married before you’re eagerly looking for new love?" Miles asked as he rummaged for his cigarette box and lighter.

"Click–" The flame lit the white cigarette.

Vanessa explained softly, "...He’s just a friend from the industry."

Miles immediately asked, "Does he go by Audrey?"

"...Audrey invited me and him, but she had something come up and couldn’t make it."

He scoffed, "Your lies are quite seamless."

Vanessa cautiously countered, "I didn’t lie."

"Didn’t lie," he murmured softly, with a tone almost mocking, slowly bringing the cigarette to his mouth, taking a deep breath, and exhaling the smoke.

Soon the car was filled with the smell of cigarettes.