Chapter 803


    Chapter 803 Drawing Competition


    Denise stared at Thalia and exined, “It''s just a guess based on what you said earlier and also the


    fact that you''ve been looking around non-stop since we sat down, almost as if you''re looking for


    something.”


    Thalia forgot others were observing her while she was doing the same.


    She pinched Denise''s chin yfully and said, “Not bad, huh? Your observation and deduction skills are


    perfect.”


    Denise smiled, basking in her praise.


    “So, will he really be hereter?” Anthony asked.


    Thalia nodded and poured herself some tea. “I''ve done my research on him before we came here. Our


    target likes the dishes at this restaurant andes here every week. Whether he shows up today or


    not would depend on our luck.”


    During Thalia''s exnation, Anthony''s assessing gaze swept across the restaurant.


    Miguel listened carefully to them. He did not know why, but at least he knew they were here to track


    someone down. With that in mind, he asked, “Do you have a photo of him? We can look for him


    together.”


    “I asked my friend for a photo of him, but I haven''t received it yet.” Thalia whipped out her phone and


    checked it for new messages. “Nope, still nothing.”


    “Have you seen this person before?” Miguel continued.


    She nodded. “I have.”


    Exasperated, Miguel suggested, “Then you can draw his face!”


    “Erm...”


    Benjamin did not pick up on Thalia''s hesitation and chimed in, “Oh yes! Why don''t you draw his face?


    We can all keep a lookout for him, then.”


    After some thought, Thalia nodded and replied, “I''ll give it a try?”


    And so, she found herself asking a waiter for a pen and paper under everyone''s expectant gaze.


    They scrutinized her drawing from the very first stroke.


    Feeling pressured by their staring, Thalia proposed, “Just give me a sec, all right? Order some tea or


    something. I''ll be done in a jiff!”


    Thankfully, they all looked away and obediently sipped on their tea.


    Thalia began drawing in earnest, her brows scrunching and rxing as she worked through the sketch.


    She was still drawing when all the dishes had been served.


    Anthony, on the other hand, continued observing their surroundings. He had never seen their target


    before, but his gut instinct told him that he would be able to recognize the person at first sight.


    “Please go ahead and eat. Don''t wait for me. I''m almost done,” Thalia offered.


    Everyone was too hungry to stand on ceremony and dug in.


    Finally, a few minutester, Thalia set her pen aside, looking almost relieved. “Done.”


    Everyone looked up from their food and at her.


    Thalia flipped the paper around and showed them the drawing. Miguel, who had just taken a gulp of


    tea, spat it out when he saw her drawing.


    Thalia was not amused.


    The children were not any better. Anthony appeared to freeze in astonishment while Benjamin frowned.


    Denise struggled to describe the painting.


    Their silence caused Thalia''s brows to knit in displeasure. “Hey, what''s with that reaction?”


    “What did you draw?” Miguel tried his best to repress hisughter.


    Thalia replied, “It''s a portrait. Can''t you tell?” As she spoke, she leaned forward andmented on the


    drawing, “There. That''s the face and the eyebrows. And here are the eyes, the nose, and the mouth.


    Isn''t it obvious?”


    “Well, now that you mention it, I guess I can see the features. But your drawing... how should I put it? A


    kindergartener can probably draw better than that.” s, Miguel failed to hide hisughter.


    He earned a murderous re from Thalia, who demanded, “Ever heard of social courtesy?”


    Miguel instantly made a zipping motion across his lips.


    “Well, what do the rest of you think?” Thalia turned her attention to the triplets.


    Anthony pretended to cough and picked up his teacup, abstaining frommenting.


    “It''s not bad,” Benjamin said kindly.


    Thalia puffed up in pride. “I always knew you had the best taste, Benjamin.”


    The young boy ruined it a secondter by adding, “It''s definitely better than a kindergartener''s doodle!”


    Miguel piped up, “Really? Have you seen kindergarteners'' drawings these days? They''re quite good.”


    Thalia''s smile froze as she gritted out, “Shut up!”


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Benjamin and Miguel zipped their lips.


    “What about you, Denise?” The youngest of the triplets was Thalia''sst hope.


    Denise stared at the drawing for what seemed like an eternity before saying seriously, “I think it''s quite


    well-drawn!”


    Once again, Miguel jumped in and asked disbelievingly, “Are you sure?”


    Benjamin tamped down his amusement and added, “Don''t be so surprised. My sister can''t draw half as


    well as this!”


    Thement took Miguel aback, though he soon burst intoughter. “I see!”


    Thalia shot Denise a disgruntled re. The young girl''sshes quivered as she cajoled Thalia, “I really


    mean it. I do think you drew the portrait very well. And it''s better than what I can draw.”


    “Just being better than you is hardly worth a celebration,” Thalia mumbled.


    It was a most inopportune time, but Anthony chose that exact moment to burst intoughter.


    Soon enough, everyone except Thalia dissolved into giggles.


    Thalia could only pout in displeasure. Miguel''s overflowing amusement had her staring daggers, and


    she barked, “Was that funny to you?”


    “No, I''m sorry...” he replied through fits ofughter.


    “Why don''t you draw his portrait instead?” challenged Thalia.


    Before Miguel could reply, Thalia leaned closer and threatened, “If you can''t draw better than me, don''t


    me me for sending you back to your master in a sack!” She even cracked her knuckles to send the


    hint across.


    Miguel lost the urge tough and swallowed nervously. “I''ll give it a try.”


    Thalia tossed the pen and paper at him. “On with it.”


    “But I don''t know what he looks like!”


    “I''ll describe his features to you, and you can draw.”


    Miguel nodded and conceded, “Fine. Start exining.”


    “Male. Thirty-six years old. Just under six feet tall...”


    “And his looks?” asked Miguel.


    Thalia side-eyed him and drawled, “He has a squarish jaw and thick brows. Single eyelids, but his eyes


    aren''t that small...”


    Miguel began sketching with intense concentration as Thalia''s description went on. Anthony and


    Benjamin scooted closer to observe him. It was not yet apparent from the first few strokes that Miguel


    was drawing a portrait, but as Thalia''s descriptions became more detailed, a distinct face started to


    take shape on the paper.


    Thalia continued describing their target in between mouthfuls of food. Her seat across from Miguel did


    not give her a good view of his drawing, even as she nced at his paper from time to time. Atst,


    she exhausted all the descriptions she could think of and dered, “That''s all.”


    The artist continued drawing after the cues were over. Several minutester, he stared at the portrait he


    had drawn and frowned.


    “What''s wrong?” asked Thalia.


    Miguel''s expression remained troubled.


    Assuming victory was hers, Thalia said generously, “Don''t worry. Nothing''s wrong if your drawing''s a


    disaster. You just have to admit you''re wrong.”


    “I tried my best.” Miguel tossed the paper at Thalia.


    When she finally got a good look at the drawing, she dropped her cutlery on the table in shock.


    The drawing urately epassed about seventy to eighty percent of her descriptions.


    The triplets were clearly in agreement with her. Though they had no idea if the portrait was a precise


    representation of their target, they could tell that Miguel was no amateur artist.


    The prolonged silence prompted Miguel to ask, “Does this work?” Naturally, his question was directed


    at Thalia, the only person who had seen their target.