Chapter 328 Antonio's Stealthy Pursuit
The tribulation was far from over for Antonio. As the water continued to cascade, a warning sound echoed alongside it. Antonio found himself in the unenviable position of being treated as an intruder.
He was forced back by the powerful jet of water, while the oblivious Century Garden, assuming its master was engaged in a playful game, eagerly pounced on Antonio.
"Century Garden, stand down! Stop spraying, I've just completed my shower!" Antonio pleaded.
His pleas fell on deaf ears. Antonio found himself simultaneously licked by Century Garden and drenched by the robot, leaving him in a state of utter disarray.
The sight of this spectacle sent the three children and Sarah into fits of laughter. The esteemed President of Valencia Inc., pinned down by a dog and a robot, was unable to regain his footing. The laughter echoed throughout the Valencia household, punctuated by Antonio's futile attempts at reprimanding his assailants.
Meanwhile, in the children's room, Brian observed the unfolding scene in the garden through the glass window. The robot had sounded the alarm upon sighting Antonio, a result of Brian's meddling. He had uploaded Antonio's photo into the robot's system and tagged him as an enemy.
"Let's see how you handle this," Brian muttered smugly.
Thus, the robot remained a fixture in the Valencia household, while Antonio was relegated to the outdoors, sharing the garden with Century Garden.
"Just wait until I develop a new robot. I'll ensure it gives you a beating so severe you won't be able to consume oil," Antonio muttered, glaring at the patrolling robot from the window.
Sarah could only shake her head helplessly. She had little time to indulge in the robot's antics. The university's anniversary celebration was the following day, and she had to depart that very day.
"I'm entrusting the household affairs to you. If any issue arises, contact me immediately. I'll have my phone on at all times, barring the flight," Sarah instructed Antonio as she packed her bags.
"Don't fret. You've been reminding me for several days now, and you'll only be away for three days. I'll manage," Antonio reassured her.
However, his attempts at reassurance only served to heighten Sarah's anxiety. If he struggled to cope with her absence for three hours, how could he be so nonchalant about her being away for three whole days? Something didn't add up.
"Why are you gazing at me like that? Shouldn't you be picking up Sofia? We need to hurry or we'll miss our flight," Sarah chided.
Antonio set about organizing Sarah's frequently used items and packing them into the suitcase.
"The mosquito repellent, emergency supplies, identification cards, and credit cards are all packed. Let's double-check to ensure we haven't overlooked anything," Antonio suggested.
After a thorough inspection of the essential and non-essential items required for her trip to City N, Antonio finally felt a sense of relief.
"Sarah, in my absence, you must remain vigilant at all times. Avoid spending time alone with people who harbor ill intentions towards you," Antonio advised.
He was, of course, referring to Asa.
Sarah could only shake her head helplessly. "I understand, let's hurry and depart," she urged.
Sarah had to make a detour to pick up Sofia.
"Alright, I'll accompany you," Antonio conceded with a sigh. "The moment you hear you'll be meeting your best friend, you no longer need me."
"Can you compete with Sofia?" Sarah retorted, rolling her eyes at him.
Antonio clicked his tongue, a hint of jealousy creeping into his demeanor.
Observing Antonio's stern expression, Sarah couldn't help but suppress a laugh. "You're overreacting, Sofia is easy to get along with."
"Sarah, you don't comprehend. Once you meet Sofia's boyfriend, you'll understand. You'll undoubtedly find fault with him," Antonio retorted, following the navigation to pick up Sofia.
Sofia, unable to contain her excitement, was already waiting downstairs.
Upon seeing Sarah alight from the car, she cheered and ran towards her.
"Darling Sarah!" Sofia greeted, enveloping Sarah in a bear hug. Despite her petite stature, she possessed considerable strength, spinning Sarah around while hugging her.
"I've missed you so much. It's been ages, but my darling Sarah remains as divine as ever!"
Sarah was unable to contain her joy either. "You’re still as enchanting as ever."
"Oh, you're such a flatterer!" Sofia feigned a shiver and took Sarah's hand, ready to get into the car.
Meanwhile, Antonio had already loaded Sofia's luggage into the car.
"How could I dare to trouble Mr. Valencia to personally assist with my luggage? I'm truly embarrassed," Sofia apologized, hugging Sarah's shoulder and sizing up Antonio.
She was well aware of their past, even though they were together again now. As Sarah's best friend, she felt obligated to scrutinize this man.
"There's no need for apologies. It's a minor favor. Please, get in the car," Antonio insisted.
Even the esteemed Mr. Valencia couldn't compete with his wife's best friend.
Sofia raised an eyebrow, and a single confrontational remark was enough to silence Antonio.
Sarah and Sofia chatted non-stop during the journey, leaving Antonio without a chance to interject.
"We've arrived," Antonio announced, unloading the ladies' luggage and hauling it to the security checkpoint.
"Sarah, if anything comes up, call me immediately. Take care of yourself these next few days. Be mindful of what you eat and don't let your best friend distract you. If you go shopping, be safe..."
"Alright, alright, I understand. You've been repeating this all night," Sarah interrupted.
She felt a sense of relief. This was the overly concerned Antonio she was familiar with, a stark contrast to his demeanor when they first set off.
"Then proceed quickly," Antonio urged, reluctant to part ways.
He continued to watch Sarah until she disappeared from sight.
On the plane, the two women found their seats in the first-class cabin.
"I never anticipated Antonio would be so considerate now, even more clingy than when you two first started dating," Sofia chuckled, recalling Antonio's recent behavior.
Sarah briefly recounted the recent events to Sofia .
Although Sofia was aware of the general situation, she was unfamiliar with some of the finer details.
Sarah smiled, her lips curling slightly. "He's overly suspicious of others, particularly men. Especially Asa, the senior... Antonio behaves as though he's encountering an enemy whenever he sees him."
Sofia didn't react much to what she heard. "It's normal to be wary of Asa."
"Do you remember how much Asa liked you back then? Weren't you aware? There were rumors suggesting you two were in a relationship. Perhaps Antonio misunderstood," Sarah revealed, taken aback.
"What? I was never aware of this rumor. Who informed you?"
"I can't recall either. It's been so many years, but there might have been something like that. I was privy to all the inside information, and knew it was just a rumor, so I didn't pay much attention to it," Sofia confessed.
Sarah pursed her lips, feeling as though she had overlooked some details.
Sarah and Sofia quickly changed the topic. After years of not seeing each other, there was an endless amount of things to discuss as best friends.
However, neither of them noticed Antonio in the economy class, his face concealed behind sunglasses and a newspaper.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
