Shane hadn’t always been like this. His temper had grown increasingly volatile recently.
When he shouted in sudden fury, it almost scared Jeremy into dropping to his knees on the
spot.
“Who does she think she is that she tells you to throw something away, and you just do it?”
Shane roared.
Jeremy’s body trembled at the reprimand, and he stammered in a panic, “Mr. Lundberg, it’s because Ms. Schultz has a heart condition. We were afraid to upset her, so we had no choice…”
Jeremy’s explanation was quite tactful. The heart condition was only a secondary reason. Everyone knew that Shane’s indulgence of her was the real issue.
Shane knew this, too. He waved impatiently, frowning. “Go tidy up. We’ll rearrange things when Mrs. Lundberg comes back.”
“Yes, sir.”
Looking thoroughly drained, Shane hurriedly finished his breakfast and then went back to
work.
However, Amber showed up uninvited.
As she arrived, she saw her belongings being packed away and immediately put on a long face. “Shane, what are you doing?”
Shane slowly lifted his head, his gaze toward her clearly different from before.
She noticed the change as well. Looking wronged, she clung to his arm and pleaded, “Shane, did I do something wrong? I’ll apologize. Please don’t be mad at me, okay?”
This was Shane’s greatest weakness. Unlike me, who always had to argue about what was right and wrong, she knew how to feign vulnerability.
“What are you doing here?” Shane asked, his tone laced with scrutiny as he pulled her hand
away.
Amber must have sensed that something was off. A flicker of complexity flashed across her eyes, but she quickly put on a smile.
“Shane, I know you’ve been feeling down ever since Allison disappeared. You’ve been looking so haggard lately. I woke up early this morning and made you some soy milk and steamed buns. Give it a try!”
Shane took a bite, and Amber beamed at him. “Is it good?”
“It’s good, but you didn’t make it, did you? These are from Woody’s Bakery,” he said flatly.
Chapter 80
Amber’s expression turned pitiful. “Shane, I know his buns are delicious, so I went to learn how to make them from him. I know I can’t compare to Allison.
“She used to make porridge for you, and I just wanted to do something to make you happy,
too.”
He sipped the soy milk, then spoke slowly. “Why do you always have to compare yourself to your sister?”
Amber froze. When she met his gaze, she found his eyes were deep and inscrutable. Not even I could discern what was behind them.
“Shane, why are you acting so strange today?”
“Am I the strange one, or are you the one lying through your teeth? Woody’s buns are not like San Pedro Seafood’s porridge. San Pedro Seafood is a franchise. You can buy their recipe as long as you’re willing to pay.
“On the other hand, the owner of Woody’s Bakery has been perfecting his buns for 30 years. Do you have any idea how many people have tried to get his recipe over the years?” Shane bit into the soft, doughy bun. Its juices seeped out, slowly saturating his tongue.
