Mrs Hale, I Surrender
Chapter 354 - 353 Interested when seeing someone attractive? Trying to poach by showing up at their doorstep?

Chapter 354: 353 Interested when seeing someone attractive? Trying to poach by showing up at their doorstep?

Old House of Hale Family

William Hale had already brought his wife home and was about to engage in some adult activities. He had just taken a bath when his phone vibrated with a call from his younger uncle.

"Younger Uncle?"

"Haven’t gone to bed?"

This wasn’t that a redundant question?

Who could pick up his call if they were asleep?

"Come to the wine cellar; I have something to tell you."

It couldn’t be anything serious if they were meeting there. William could only kiss Zoe Payne on the forehead and say, "If you’re tired, go ahead and sleep first. I’ll talk to the Younger Uncle for a bit."

As expected, the Younger Uncle wanted to know about Sussie Lopez tonight.

"If you’re curious, why don’t you just ask her yourself?"

"She’s too shy; probably wouldn’t say."

"..."

What a thing to say, as if he had such thick skin. When Finn Hale found out that Michale Shaw actually got Sussie Lopez’s contact information, his face turned dark in an instant, looking at William, "Look at the friends you keep."

"How is this my fault?" William chuckled softly. "Why don’t you hurry up and chase after her? If you don’t and nothing’s made official, you can’t blame Michale Shaw for being moved by a pretty girl like Miss Lopez."

"He’s moved?" Finn Hale snorted coldly. "He’s just driven by lust."

"I’m really curious; what exactly moves you regarding Miss Lopez?"

Finn found himself at a loss for words.

The face of Sussie Lopez was indeed beautiful enough to command attention.

——

Meanwhile, Michale Shaw was curled up in bed, suddenly sneezing several times.

The Younger Uncle of Hale Family really had some nerve tonight...

Just because he dressed poorly, he gave him attitude?

He complained to his friends privately, nearly laughing them to insanity.

Michale Shaw was not low in EQ; it was just his romance EQ that wasn’t high. Otherwise, with his relentless persistence, he would’ve chased down Hannah Johnson long ago, and it wouldn’t have been Young Master Shea’s turn.

Whenever it came to matters of men and women, his brain just couldn’t make the turn.

That’s why people doubted whether the person he drunkenly kissed in a frenzy years ago...

Could have been a man!

He was very straight; his sexual orientation could not have changed just because he was drunk, kissing a man in a frenzy.

Others hinted to him obliquely: "Miss Lopez is, after all, Junior President Payne’s junior sister and your sister-in-law’s lifesaver. It’d be troublesome if you don’t handle this relationship well in the future."

Michale Shaw replied nonchalantly: "I’m not the kind of scum who flirts and abandons. What’s there to be afraid of?"

She doesn’t have a boyfriend, so anyone can chase her!

Michale Shaw, under the pretense of sending Sussie Lopez the photos he took today, messaged her again in the middle of the night to chat.

Upon learning she was staying at the Payne Family, his heart soared with joy.

Could this be fate?

After replying to Michale Shaw, Sussie browsed her phone a bit longer. There was a dinner at the studio today, and her colleagues uploaded quite a few photos. After liking each one, she received a message from Declan Saunders: "If you’re free these next few days, I’ll bring you the Christmas and New Year’s gifts from the studio."

Sussie furrowed her brows; she didn’t really care about gifts and preferred not to have him deliver them.

Yet Declan Saunders went on to add another message: "There are also some work matters I need to discuss with you."

The two arranged to meet the day after tomorrow.

The venue was a café close to the Sheng Family Mansion.

"Why are we meeting here?" Declan Saunders knew the location of Sussie’s apartment, which was far from this place.

"I’ve been staying at my senior brother’s place recently, and his house is near here."

Sussie felt it was quite embarrassing to bother someone by herself, let alone bring colleagues over as well.

Declan Saunders felt a slight stir in his heart.

It seemed that her relationship with Junior President Payne was indeed closer than ordinary senior and junior siblings.

He turned on his computer, chatting with Sussie about work. When the screen unlocked, the PPT cover page that popped up read "Purple Gold Cup Architectural Design Competition." She raised her brow, "Are you entering this year’s design contest?"

"Yeah."

"It’s almost the submission deadline, isn’t it? Have you submitted your design?"

"Not yet."

"I didn’t expect our studio to recommend you to participate this year." Not everyone could enter this competition—either outstanding individual designers were invited or studios nominated candidates, and the number of spots was limited.

It looked like Declan Saunders was the pick of the year.

This was an architectural design competition, unrelated to Sussie Lopez, but she still smiled and said, "Go for it, Brother Saunders."

"I will."

"I’m really sorry to take up your free time because of my business, should I ask someone else to help?" Since the two were on the same project team, Sussie Lopez approached him.

"It’s no bother." Declan Saunders would not miss the chance to get close to Sussie Lopez.

Actually, he had finished his design drafts a long time ago.

But ever since he saw Finn Hale’s drafts, those lines seemed etched into his mind, haunting him.

He acutely felt the gap between them, submitting his designs would be nothing less than humiliating.

There was no way he’d win.

A random sketch of Finn’s was better than his own designs meticulously prepared for months.

Talent was something you just couldn’t catch up to, no matter how hard you tried.

Not being able to win meant letting down the entire studio, so he wavered, delaying the submission of his work.

Knowing he had a competition coming up, Sussie Lopez didn’t want to keep him too long. After discussing work, she prepared to leave.

"Shall I take you?"

"Your time is precious, no need to trouble you."

When the two reached the cashier, they couldn’t agree on who should pay, insisting upon treating each other.

At that moment, a familiar voice suddenly came through, "Isn’t that Miss Lopez?"

Sussie Lopez looked up to see Michale Shaw and politely nodded, "Young Master Shaw? What brings you here?"

"What ’young master’? We’re so familiar by now, just call me Michale Shaw."

"..."

That familiar?

We’ve only met once, how "familiar" could we be?

Sussie Lopez forced a smile, realizing this man was overly familiar.

Michale Shaw?

Declan Saunders’ eyes brightened a touch more.

Just how many big shots did Sussie Lopez know?

"I’m buying a cup of coffee." Michale Shaw paid, including for their coffees, "Heading back? Grandma asked me to deliver something to the Payne Family; I can give you a lift on the way."

Sussie Lopez nodded, said goodbye to Declan Saunders, and got into Michale Shaw’s car.

Declan Saunders watched the license plate reading "8000" and the limited edition car, his fingers unconsciously tightening.

Being around such people for so long, how could she ever take a second look at him?

This competition, by any means necessary, he had to win!

**

Sheng Family Mansion

Sussie Lopez knew Michale Shaw had come to deliver a gift, so after getting out of the car, she went around to the trunk to help him with the present. But upon opening it...

The first thing that caught her eye was a large bouquet of roses.

She was startled for a moment.

"Right, these are for you." Michale Shaw handed the flowers over with a cheery smile.

"This..."

Giving roses, even an idiot understood what that meant.

Michale Shaw summarized the lessons from his failed pursuit of Hannah Johnson:

Not proactive enough!

He needed to learn from Young Master Shea’s shameless tenacity.

A woman fears a persistent man. Given that he was both handsome and wealthy, he refused to believe Sussie Lopez wouldn’t be moved.

Nearby, Tim Payne and Finn Hale stood side by side in the biting wind, neither looking too pleased.

Finn Hale was expressionless, only clenching his fingers tightly around the design plans in his hand.

You little rascal, I hadn’t even come to have a heart-to-heart with you yet, and here you are, trying to poach right at my doorstep!