After Maxim Sinclair left the garden, he stayed in the study the entire time, not even coming down for lunch.
Summer Lowell ate lunch alone, feeling restless. She frequently zoned out and almost scalded herself with the soup, if not for the butler standing nearby, who noticed and reminded her in time.
Otherwise, she would have swallowed that mouthful of piping hot soup.
The onlooking butler assumed Summer was worried about Maxim, so he leaned over and teased with a smile, "Shall I go upstairs and call the young master down?"
Before Summer could respond, the butler ran upstairs, and Summer pulled back her outstretched hand, not opening her mouth to stop him.
Two or three minutes later, the butler came down by himself and explained apologetically at the table, "The young master said he has a very important online meeting in five minutes. He asked me to take lunch up to him; he won't come down to accompany you for lunch today, Young Madam."
