<b>Chapter </b>390
Before Aubree could even find <b>a </b>chance to <b>reach </b>out to Sheldon, he beat her to it and extended an olive branch first.
Sheldon took the initiative <b>to </b>contact Aubree<b>, </b>dropping hints that he wanted in <b>on </b>the GrabCheap project as an investor.
He’d actually noticed her back at thest Inte Innovation Conference, when Tryfon Marchuk couldn’t stop singing her praises.
“Once I wrap things up on my end, I’ll bring my team <b>over </b>to Rithol City to talk partnership with you, Ms. Miller,” Sheldon said.
The two of them hit it off right away.
*****
(23
With a <b>few </b>days of vacation left after Christmas<b>, </b>Aubree <b>got </b><b>a </b><b>call </b>from Alvin.
He said, “Aubree, remember that thing I told you I was looking into<b>? </b><b>I’ve </b><b>traced </b>it back <b>to </b>an orphanage, and it turns out it’s the one you used to live in.
“I don’t know Ethel, so I <b>was </b>hoping you could help me make <b>the </b>connection ande with me to check it out.”
“Oh, that thing? Sure, I haven’t been back to <b>see </b>Ethel in a while. How about this afternoon?” Aubree agreed without hesitation.
That afternoon, Alvin picked her up, and Aubree brought some health supplements to the orphanage. Thest time she visited, Ethel Yahya hadn’t been in the <b>best </b>health. The doctor had advised her to <b>rest</b><b>, </b><b>eat </b>nutritious food, and keep her stress levels down.
When they arrived at the orphanage, it wasn’t Ethel who <b>greeted </b>them.
“Oh, I’m Ethel’s niece. My name is Ang Yahya. She can’t overexert herself these days, so I’m here to help out,” Ang exined.
Aubree’s heart sank. Ethel had never married or <b>had </b>children of her own. She’d opened the orphanage and treated all the kids like her own.
Now that she’d asked Ang to help out, Aubree guessed Ethel was preparing for the worst and nning to let Ang take over the orphanage after she was gone.
“I’m Aubree Miller, one of the kids who grew up here. <b>We’re </b>here <b>to </b><b>see </b>Ethel,” Aubree introduced herself.
“I know who you are. My aunt mentions you all the time. Actually<b>, </b>someone <b>else </b><b>just </b>came to <b>see </b>her right before you, so let me check if it’s a good time for you to <b>go </b>in,” Ang said.
They made their way to Ethel’s room.
But before Ang could even <b>step </b>inside to <b>ask</b><b>, </b>the door opened from the inside. The person who walked out left both Aubree and Alvin wide–eyed in shock.
“Bowen?” Aubree blurted out.
“Uncle Bowen!” Alvin eximed.
“What are you doing here<b>?</b><b>” </b>Aubree blurted out<b>, </b>still reeling from the surprise<b>. </b>
Bowen didn’t look the <b>least </b><b>bit </b>surprised to see them. His <b>gaze </b>swept over Alvin before he turned to Aubree with a smile. “Didn’t youin <bst </b>time <b>that </b>Ethel <b>wasn’t </b>doing <b>well</b>? I brought in a <b>top</b><b>–</b>notch traditional doctor to check on her and help her recover.
“And what brings you two here?”
Alvin instinctively didn’t want Bowen to know his real reason foring. His <b>eyes </b>flickered with something unreadable, but his face stayed as cool as <b>ever</b><b>. </b><b>“</b>Aubree came to visit Ethel. I’m just tagging along,” <b>he </b>replied.
“Got it. The doctor’s still inside with her, so you’ll have to wait a bit,” Bowen said with a smile.
Then, shameless as ever, Bowen sidled right up to Aubree, naturally slipping his arm around her and resting his head on her shoulder. “My girlfriend finally gets some time off, and she doesn’t even think to spend it with me?<b>” </b>
Aubree couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.
“Use me and toss me away, huh?” Bowen teased.
“Well…” Aubree mumbled.
“I helped you get Sophia to Südlichen Strand, and what do you do, you little heartless thing? You just left me all alone at the hotel and ran off by yourself.” Bowen went on, pretending to be hurt.
Aubree rubbed her nose, feeling a little sheepish. At thest press conference, she’d been so swamped that she’d asked Bowen to help sneak Sophia out from under the Wilson family’s noses and bring her to Südlichen Strand.
To avoid any unnecessary drama, Bowen had waited for her at the hotel, and they’d even nned to grab dinner together.
But as soon as the reporters started swarming her and Manchotech called about a partnership, she totally spaced on Bowen and left him hanging.