He Buried Me But I Painted My Own Resurrection novel Chapter 23

Grant slammed his pen onto the desk, his expression turning thunderous.

He had negotiated hundreds of deals in the corporate world, and he could count the number of times he had been flat-out rejected on one hand.

Yet Hunter Hale hadn't even shown his face, sending an assistant to brush him off.

“Schedule another one.”

“Mr. Gauthier, we've already sent three...”

“I said schedule it!”

The executive didn't dare say another word, nodding quickly before backing out of the room.

As the office door clicked shut, Grant leaned back in his leather chair, his temples throbbing.

The situation with Hunter was infuriating enough, but right on cue, someone else forced her way into his thoughts—Sienna.

Security footage from the estate showed she had left alone earlier, and her phone's location pinged in the West End.

According to his informants, Lucas Lowery was also in the West End today.

Back at the coffee shop.

Hunter was in the middle of discussing Artemia's plans for the Asia-Pacific region next year when he suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

His gaze drifted over Sienna's shoulder, landing on the sidewalk just outside.

“Well, well,” Hunter set his mug down and jutted his chin toward the window. “Isn't that Lucas Lowery?”

Sienna followed his gaze.

Lucas Lowery wore a dark charcoal cashmere coat. He was tall, his posture broad and sharp.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting scattered shadows that danced across him as he walked.

Hunter stood up, pushed open the window, and waved wildly.

“Lucas! Come grab a coffee!”

Lucas used to collect art, which naturally put him in contact with Hunter, the most prestigious agent in the industry. Over time, the two had become good friends.

He looked up, spotted Hunter's charismatic wave, and then noticed Sienna sitting across from him. His footsteps paused for a fraction of a second.

When he pushed the door open, several other customers couldn't help but stare.

“Mr. Hale. It's been a while,” Lucas said, pulling out a chair. His tone was polite but not overly formal.

“Drop the formalities. Just call me Hunter.”

Lucas took a seat. When the waiter approached, he ordered an Americano.

Hunter looked between the two of them, a knowing smile playing on his lips. “I take it you two don't need an introduction?”

Lucas replied smoothly, “No need. I'm a massive fan of Ms. Sawyer.”

Sienna smiled. “You're too kind, Mr. Lowery. I merely painted a few pieces. I should be thanking you for appreciating my work enough to purchase it for such a high price.”

After he left, the coffee shop suddenly felt a lot quieter.

Now it was just Sienna and Lucas, and the atmosphere shifted into something slightly awkward.

Outside the window, the traffic blurred by, casting moving shadows across their table.

Sienna picked up her bag. “I should head back too.”

“Do you need a ride?”

“No, I'll grab a cab.”

With that, she pushed herself up, the legs of her chair scraping loudly against the wooden floor.

She stood up too fast, her low blood pressure causing her vision to go completely black for a second. She instinctively reached out to grab the edge of the table, but her foot tangled in the chair leg.

Just as she pitched forward, a strong hand locked onto her arm.

Lucas reacted instantly. His other hand supported her waist, steadying her completely.

“Are you alright?”

“I'm fine, just stood up too quickly.” Sienna tried to step back, but Lucas didn't let go.

His gaze was fixed on her ankle.

Her pant leg had ridden up during the stumble, exposing a patch of pale skin. Two clear rows of teeth marks were visible, the surrounding flesh bruised and purple. A few spots had scabbed over, but the edges were still angrily inflamed.