You're not leaving this time.

Chapter 54: Chapter 54: What’s Wrong with Being a Simp?

Selene Sterling arrived in Quartos in the early morning hours. Instead of disturbing her parents, she had the driver take her directly to Ian Sterling’s residence, Calyx Hall.

She knew the code to Ian’s place, so she opened the door, dropped her suitcase in the entryway, and walked right in.

Ian Sterling was still at Nys, completely unaware that someone was lying in wait at his home, ready to take him to task.

”You two can head back to the hotel. I’m staying here tonight.” Selene glanced around before turning to the assistant and driver, who were hesitating awkwardly behind her. ”Come get me tomorrow morning.”

The assistant and driver exchanged a look and left. Selene took a slow walk around the house, her lip curling in disgust.

’Such a nice house, yet it has absolutely no warmth.’ Selene couldn’t be bothered to look any further. She grabbed a bottle of fine wine from the liquor cabinet, sat on the living room sofa, turned on the TV, and began to drink and watch.

Ian Sterling stumbled home at two in the morning, reeking of alcohol. When he saw the living room lights on, he frowned, instinctively assuming his mom was staging a surprise inspection.

He slowly opened the door and stepped inside.

Selene was sitting on the sofa with her arms crossed. When she saw him, she slowly raised her eyelids to look at the obviously drunk Ian.

”What time is it?”

When Ian first saw her, he thought he’d had too much to drink and was hallucinating. He didn’t realize she was real until he heard her icy voice.

He said lightly, ”What? I’m a grown man. Are you really going to tell me what time I have to be home?”

As he spoke, he walked over to the long sofa and threw himself down, lounging lazily and completely ignoring Selene’s increasingly icy expression.

”It doesn’t matter how old you are, you’ll always be my little brother.” Selene stood up, reached out, and tugged at Ian’s hair. ”What the hell is this color?” she said with disgust. ”Dye it back.”

Ian swatted her hand away. ”Don’t start acting like Mom. Mind your own business.”

His tone infuriated her. ”I don’t care if you want to act high and mighty with Mom, Dad, and our siblings, but you’re going to pull that attitude with me, too? Get up. Or I’ll go have a little chat with Lynn Winslow right now.”

Ian’s eyes snapped open, a flash of displeasure in their depths. ”You dare,” he said coldly. ”If you go looking for her, this isn’t over between us.”

”You think this isn’t over? Let me ask you, what were you doing at the Clayton’s? Do you want everyone in Quartos to laugh at you for being a fool who never learns his lesson? Or do you want them all whispering about how stupid and gullible you are, completely wrapped around Lynn Winslow’s little finger?”

The more Selene spoke, the angrier she became. Ian’s face darkened, his gaze turning sharp. ”Would they dare?”

”They might not dare say it to your face, but what about behind your back? You begged Lynn Winslow not to break up with you in front of a huge crowd, and now you’re groveling before them all over again. What, you enjoy being her lapdog?” Selene kicked the sofa. ”Get up! I’m not Mom. I won’t indulge you.”

Ian pushed himself into a sitting position. ”So what if they mock me?” he said coldly. ”So what if I’m a lapdog? I want Lynn Winslow. Nothing else matters.”

Selene gritted her teeth. ”Fine. You’re a hell of an actor. After Lynn Winslow left, you pretended you didn’t care. Now she comes looking for you, clings to you for two days, and you show your true colors, is that it? There are so many eligible young women in Quartos. If not here, then in Pyralis, or anywhere in Veridia! You could like someone from a normal family, a celebrity, a supermodel—we wouldn’t care! Why does it have to be Lynn Winslow? Hasn’t she hurt you enough?”

”I already told you. I only want Lynn Winslow. I only love Lynn Winslow,” Ian repeated, enunciating every word.

His words made Selene laugh in anger. ”Fine,” she nodded. ”You want her. You love her. Just don’t blame me when she’s never allowed through the Sterling family’s gates.”

”Then I’ll just marry into her family,” Ian retorted, a smirk playing on his lips as he met her gaze without flinching.

Selene abruptly raised her hand, but Ian didn’t even flinch, just stared right at her.

”Suit yourself.”

In the end, Selene couldn’t bring herself to strike him. Her eyes turning red, she spun around, grabbed her bag, and headed for the door. When Ian saw her red-rimmed eyes, he felt a pang of guilt. He stood up and asked awkwardly, ”Where are you going?”

”None of your business,” Selene snapped, turning to leave.

Ian caught up to her, grabbing her arm. He pursed his lips. ”Stay here tonight. It’s too late for anyone to come get you.”

Selene looked back at him. All four siblings took after their father, except for Ian, who resembled their mother. Only his eyes were their father’s.

In the end, she couldn’t help but feel for her little brother. Her tone softened. ”What’s so great about Lynn Winslow that you can’t let her go? Especially after what you... because of her...”

”Don’t talk about the past,” Ian said stiffly. ”You’re staying here tonight.”

Selene sighed, shook his hand off, and went upstairs alone.

She sat on the sofa for a little while before a call from Nina Norton came in.

Selene glanced at the time—it was nearly three in the morning. She answered with a frown. ”Mom, do you know what time it is? Why aren’t you asleep?”

”Selene, I can’t sleep,” Nina said, her voice heavy with concern. ”Listen to me. Your brother has been stubborn since he was a boy. He won’t listen to anyone. Even your grandfather couldn’t manage him when he was alive. You’ve seen it yourself. When you come back, please don’t fight with him. I’m not taking his side, I’m just afraid you’ll get upset.”

She truly wasn’t trying to favor her youngest son; she just knew his temper all too well. He was completely unmanageable, and trying to rein him in would only leave her fuming.

Selene rubbed her chest, which felt tight with anger. ”Too late,” she said coldly. ”We already fought.”

”What?” Nina was stunned. ”You’re back already?”

”Yes. I just got in this morning. And we just finished our fight,” Selene said, exasperated. ”Who does he even take after with that rotten temper of his?”

Nina gave an awkward laugh. ”Maybe I ate something I shouldn’t have when I was pregnant with him.”

”Forget it. Mom, go to sleep. Staying up late will give you wrinkles. I’ll come home tomorrow morning. We’ll talk then.” After comforting her mother, Selene hung up and went to the bathroom to wash up.

Nina sighed and quietly returned to the bedroom. The moment she stepped inside, the person who she thought was fast asleep on the bed spoke. ”Where did you go?”

Nina jumped, clutching her chest. ”You scared me to death.”

Spencer Sterling turned on the bedside lamp and squinted. ”It’s three in the morning. Why are you still up?”

”I was on the phone with Selene. I wanted to convince her not to argue with Finn.” Nina walked to the bed, kicked off her slippers, and slipped under the covers with a yawn.

Spencer tucked her in. Even though summer had begun in Quartos, the nights were still a bit chilly.

”It wouldn’t be a bad thing for Selene to give Finn a piece of her mind,” he said quietly. ”We can’t get through to him, but maybe she can.”

”Selene’s already back. She just had a fight with Finn, and now she’s furious with him.” Nina sighed again. ”She even asked me who Finn takes after. How should I know? No one in the Norton or Sterling families is that stubborn. Tell me... you don’t think we brought the wrong baby home, do you?”

Spencer chuckled at her wild idea. ”Finn looks so much like you,” he said comfortingly. ”How could he possibly be the wrong one?”