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Chapter 11: Chapter 11: The Sterling Family’s Previous Head Was a Simp?

”What rumors did I spread about you?” Mia Rhodes struggled to pull her hand back, but Lynn Winslow held it fast, enunciating each word. ”Spreading rumors that I bullied you at school, got people to ostracize you, and that I’m arrogant and domineering.”

”I didn’t! That was all them, it had nothing to do with me.” Mia Rhodes bit her lip, glaring viciously at Lynn Winslow. ”Does Ian know this is what you’re really like? He’s probably still fooled by your act. Aren’t you worried he’ll find out?”

Lynn Winslow chuckled and shot back, ”Why should I be worried about him finding out? I want to win him back, but I have no intention of changing my personality for him.”

’After coming to Veridia, I did act pitiful and innocent in front of Ian Sterling. But he’s known my true nature for a long time. Even if he didn’t, and even if he truly disliked it, I wouldn’t change. And I can guarantee, I wouldn’t like Ian Sterling anymore, either!’

Lynn Winslow flung Mia’s hand away and glanced at her own palm with disgust. The gesture made Mia Rhodes’s cheeks flush red with anger. Unable to win a physical fight, she just turned and stalked off.

Lynn Winslow shook her hand out and snorted softly.

The sound of clapping came from the side. Lynn Winslow glanced over and was surprised to see it was Esther Abbott.

Lynn Winslow raised an eyebrow, a slight smile playing on her lips. ”Good show?”

”Very,” Esther Abbott said, crossing her arms and looking at Lynn Winslow with a teasing expression. ”Zachary Quincy told me you were back. I just hadn’t seen you around.”

A smile remained on Lynn Winslow’s lips as her mind started replaying the original plot of the book.

In the original book, this eldest daughter of the Abbott Family, Esther Abbott, had a character profile similar to her own. She was arrogant and domineering, and because she’d grown up with Ian Sterling and the others, she couldn’t stand the ”delicate, pitiful damsel in distress” types. That’s why she had repeatedly mocked Mia Rhodes. As for how her story ended, Lynn Winslow didn’t know, because by that point in the book, Lynn had already been kidnapped and killed.

’But going by the author’s plot, where the female lead is adored by everyone, her ending probably wasn’t good either.’

”You must know that Ian Sterling gave Mia Rhodes career resources, right?” Esther Abbott said softly, moving closer to Lynn.

Lynn Winslow’s expression didn’t change. She just gave a soft ”Mm.” ’How could I not know? I was furious when I found out.’

Esther Abbott smiled. ”After that, rumors started spreading all over Quartos that Mia Rhodes was going to become the Sterling Family’s fifth young mistress. When people asked Mia about it directly, she played dumb and didn’t deny it, which only made them believe it more.”

Lynn Winslow only knew the general plot. She had no idea what happened after her death, and she certainly didn’t know why Ian Sterling had suddenly given Mia Rhodes those resources. That’s why she was so angry. But on the day she jumped into the lake, she got the feeling that Mia Rhodes wasn’t that important in Ian Sterling’s eyes after all.

”What are you trying to say, Miss Abbott?” Lynn Winslow asked with a bright smile, speaking bluntly. ”Why don’t we be direct? I’m not a fan of beating around the bush.”

Esther Abbott was a little surprised. After a brief pause, she laughed. ”I like your personality.”

”I can’t stand people who are full of schemes but pretend to be innocent and naive. You came back to Veridia to settle the score with Mia Rhodes, didn’t you? How about we team up? I can even help you win Ian Sterling back.”

Lynn Winslow’s heart stirred, but she feigned confusion. ”Why do you hate Mia Rhodes so much, Miss Abbott?”

”Ah, that’s a secret.” Esther Abbott winked. ”So, are we partners?”

Whatever Esther Abbott’s reasons were, as long as she couldn’t stand Mia Rhodes and posed no threat, Lynn Winslow was more than willing to befriend her. Besides, the terms Esther offered were just too good to pass up, especially since Lynn wasn’t sure where to even begin.

”Alright.”

Lynn Winslow took the initiative to add Esther Abbott as a friend, then made an excuse and left. Esther watched her retreating back, her own expression unreadable.

A man emerged from around a nearby corner. He stood behind Esther Abbott, watching Lynn’s retreating figure alongside her, and said with a smile, ”This Miss Winslow is truly a different person from how she was in the book.”

”Mm. She was more or less like this back when she was with Ian Sterling. She’s just a lot smarter now,” Esther Abbott said flatly.

”Well, she has ’awakened’ from the book, after all. There’s bound to be some changes. It would be so boring if she really ended up like how that stupid author wrote her,” the man said with a shrug, then turned and left on his own.

Esther Abbott didn’t even glance his way. She just rubbed her slightly sore shoulder and walked off in the opposite direction.

When Ian Sterling came out of his room, he saw Nina Norton and his older sister, Zoe Sterling, huddled together, whispering.

’They must be talking about me,’ he guessed. Ian Sterling lightened his steps as he went downstairs. The two women had no idea he was already standing right behind them.

”Who on earth does my good-for-nothing little brother get his personality from?”

”...” Nina Norton replied awkwardly, ”Your father.”

”Was Dad like this back then?”

”Of course, he was.” Nina Norton immediately started fabricating a story, describing the previous head of the Sterling Family—a famously stern and proper man—as a lovesick fool who would do anything for love.

Ian Sterling was speechless with exasperation. He bent down to look at the mother-daughter duo, his voice floating into their ears like a ghost.

”Does Dad know this is what he was like?”

Nina Norton yelped in fright, jumping to her feet and stumbling back a few steps. Zoe Sterling quickly steadied her dear old mom before rolling her eyes at Ian Sterling.

”Is that any way to treat your own mother and sister, scaring them like that?” Zoe Sterling scolded.

Ian Sterling retorted, ”And is it right for a mother and sister to call their own son and brother good-for-nothing?”

The mother and daughter were speechless.

Ian Sterling straightened up, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and said lazily, ”Stop worrying about my affairs. I’m heading back.”

Seeing him turn to leave, Nina Norton nudged Zoe Sterling’s arm. Zoe hurried after Ian Sterling and asked with a frown, ”Do you still like Lynn Winslow?”

Ian Sterling glanced down at his slightly shorter sister, then looked away and said flatly, ”No.”

”Really?” Zoe Sterling didn’t believe him. ’If he really doesn’t like her, why would their mother be in such a rush to call me back?’

Ian Sterling pressed his lips together. He thought back to himself three years ago. He had only just managed to escape that torment, and he didn’t want to go through it all over again.

”Really,” Ian Sterling said coldly.

Zoe Sterling snorted. ”Good, then.”

Ian Sterling left without a backward glance. The driver was smoking by the car. Seeing Ian approach, he looked a little embarrassed, quickly stubbed out the cigarette, and waved the smoke away.

”Sorry, Finn. Couldn’t help myself,” the driver said apologetically.

Ian Sterling shook his head. ”It’s fine.” He looked down at the cigarette the driver had just crushed under his foot. People always said that when you were troubled, you either drank or smoked. After Lynn Winslow left, he had made alcohol his companion, but he’d never tried smoking, only because Lynn had once said she didn’t like the smell of smoke.

He held out his hand. ”Give me one.”

The driver was surprised but still fumbled for the pack in his pocket and handed it to Ian Sterling.

Ian Sterling lit one for himself. He took a single drag and immediately broke into a fit of coughing. The driver grew nervous, but Ian waved his hand, suppressed the cough, and tried again.

”Finn, maybe you should just let it be...” the driver said, trying to dissuade him as he watched Ian Sterling cough until his eyes turned red.