Mr. Warner, Your Wife is Running Away Again!-Chapter 170: Tomboy

Phoebe found it hard to keep the smile on her face. With her usual temper, she would have simply thrown out a, "What the hell is this?"

Then haughtily turned around and left.

But in front of Stephen, it seemed like she was forced to put away all her pride and temper, and she plastered on a smile, saying, "Don’t speak so harshly! I mean no harm, just came to bring you a gift."

"Turn off the music," he said, his tone displeased.

Phoebe bent down to gently place the gift box by her feet and hurried to turn off the music playing on her phone.

Without the BGM, the silence only made the atmosphere more awkward.

Stephen walked past her, heading towards his own room’s door, kicking aside the heart-shaped petals she had arranged, without even looking down. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

He stood by the door, pressed the code into the lock while saying, "Take your stuff and leave, or I’ll call security to escort you out."

Phoebe could tell he was really impatient now, so she didn’t dare to continue her plan but instead picked up the gift box from the floor again: "Just take this and I’ll go."

Stephen pointed to the corner of the stairway: "The trash can is over there, help me throw it away."

Watching him open the door and getting ready to close it, she quickly reached out to block the door with her hand.

Had Stephen not stopped quickly, her hand would have been injured greatly.

"Playing tough, are we?" Stephen looked at her coldly over his glasses.

"I brought it all the way here, just accept it, and I’ll leave immediately."

"And what if I don’t?"

"Then...I’ll just wait outside."

She heard him scoff, then for a moment thought he had compromised when he opened the door, but her arm was grabbed and she was pushed outside.

As she stumbled to stabilize herself, he slammed the door shut with a "bang."

Phoebe stood there blankly, looking at the scattered petals on the floor and the gift he despised by the door, feeling a bit deflated.

Torn between staying or leaving, she thought about how much effort she’d put into this night and didn’t want it to go to waste.

She didn’t believe he could be this heartless.

She decided to wait a bit, just half an hour, if he really didn’t come out, she’d pack up and leave.

But she wouldn’t let this slide; she’d find another method. She refused to believe she couldn’t win him over.

She retrieved her backpack from behind a wall, too lazy to change out of her clothes. They may be ugly, but they were warm.

Sitting heavily on the gift box, she pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from her bag, lighting up one to ease her frustration.

Suddenly, hearing a noise from the door next door, Phoebe turned her head.

The female teacher from earlier poked her head out to check the situation outside and her gaze met with Phoebe’s irritated one.

The teacher swallowed, initially wanting to go out to throw away some trash, but Phoebe barked at her, "What are you looking at?!"

The frightened teacher quickly turned back into her room, audibly locking the door multiple times.

Phoebe took a deep drag from her cigarette, her legs crossed, eyeing the tightly shut door of the room behind her, wishing she could find a way to break in.

But knowing the impression she’d already left on Stephen, she refrained from doing anything else that might irritate him. She came here today to change how she was viewed by him.

Stephen came out of the shower to find a new message on his phone.

It was a few minutes ago from Teacher Linton next door: Professor Sutton, did you get yourself into some trouble? That person is still outside your door. Do you want to call the police?

Inwardly, Stephen mused: She really isn’t leaving?

Thinking about it, he checked the outside camera, and sure enough, Phoebe was still sitting outside.

Legs crossed, looking obnoxious.

Stephen wondered how he managed to attract such a troublemaker.

Thinking it over, he decided things couldn’t continue like this.

Stephen opened the door, and Phoebe immediately looked over, standing up and saying, "I knew you’d soften up."

"If you don’t leave, I’m calling the cops."

"Don’t! I haven’t done anything bad. If you just take the gift, I’ll leave immediately, I promise!"

Stephen, not willing to prolong the entanglement, spoke coldly, "Leave it here and go."

"But you can’t throw it away."

"Leave!"

Phoebe pushed the box towards the door, picked up her backpack, swung it over her shoulder, and waved at him with a smile: "So I’m leaving?"

Seeing Stephen’s stern face with no response, Phoebe turned to leave, then looked back to ask, "Would you invite me in for a cup of tea?"

"If this happens again, I’ll get the police involved," he warned, picking up the box from the ground into his room.

"Bang—" The door shut again.

Seeing him take the gift inside, Phoebe finally breathed a sigh of relief.

As for next time, they’d address it then.

After all that fussing for a night, though it didn’t result in the reconciliation she imagined, there was still a scrap of progress.

Stephen stood on the balcony, watching Phoebe ride off on her motorcycle, quickly disappearing into the night.

Although Phoebe’s actions didn’t exactly make Stephen think she was a good person, seeing that she seemed to be around his younger sister’s age, and hadn’t done anything substantially bad yet, a girl waiting outside a man’s door alone at night was anything but secure.

Disliking her was one thing, but Stephen still didn’t wish harm upon her.

He just hoped she wouldn’t come bothering him again.

...

Two days before the exams, Audrey was fully immersed in her studies, often pulling Flora and others to the library.

She still occasionally encountered Simon at school, but there wasn’t any real contact, mostly just a distant nod and smile when they spotted each other.

Knowing now that Simon was her chubby brother made him seem less annoying.

But with the school full of gossip, it was important to maintain proper distance.

Otherwise, it would cause trouble for Shane.

Yesterday, Shane went on a business trip, so Audrey was taking care of General and Pea, thus didn’t stay in the dorm but went home.

Though she and Shane usually slept in separate rooms, being home alone was entirely different from having him around.

Even with the good security in the affluent area, Shane gone made her mind wander at night.

Luckily, with General and Pea’s company, she wasn’t too scared.