You're not leaving this time.

Chapter 77: Chapter 77: I Wouldn’t Mind Taking Your Tongue

Many people had reposted the photo Ian Sterling posted on his social media, and Mia Rhodes had naturally seen it too.

She had just accepted a new script and rushed over from the press conference. When she learned that Ian Sterling had also shown up, and had even delivered a gift on behalf of Lynn Winslow, jealousy twisted her features.

Her assistant, Cindy, was startled by her vicious expression and whispered hesitantly, ”Ms. Rhodes, Ms. Lane said you should head to the office as soon as the banquet is over.”

Mia Rhodes stared at her palm, pierced by her own nails, and hummed an affirmation.

Cindy caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of her eye and quickly looked away, telling the driver, ”Faster.”

By the time Mia Rhodes arrived, Ian Sterling had just escaped his older brother’s clutches and was preparing to slip away.

Just as he was about to get into his car, he heard a soft voice behind him.

”Ian.”

Ian Sterling frowned and spun around, his gaze as cold as frost. When he saw Mia Rhodes, the disgust in his eyes was unconcealable.

Mia Rhodes didn’t seem to notice. She walked up to Ian Sterling, pursed her lips in a delicate smile, and said softly, ”Ian, are you leaving? The banquet is far from over.”

”I wouldn’t call myself your senior,” Ian Sterling said, the corner of his lip twitching. ”Don’t try to get close by making up connections.”

A pampered young master like him never minced words, let alone bothered with gentlemanly conduct.

Ian Sterling said coldly, ”If you have nothing important to say, stop being an eyesore.”

Mia Rhodes had heard about his temper, that he was the type to show no deference to anyone, but she never expected him to be so blunt.

Seeing Ian Sterling about to get into his car, an unwilling Mia Rhodes hurried after him. Her voice, thick with grievance and on the verge of tears, called out, ”Ian—no, Finn, did my cousin say something about me to you?”

Ian Sterling’s eyes were half-lidded, a mocking glint in their depths. When he didn’t respond, Mia Rhodes pressed on, ”Finn, back when my cousin was with you, she used the Winslow family’s influence to bully her classmates. After she returned, she jumped into a lake and then framed me for pushing her! And at the Radiant Eve Gala, she’s the one who faked and released that recording, all to ruin my name.”

”Finn, I’ll admit to my own actions. But when I’m not the one at fault, I have to clear my name.”

Ian Sterling scoffed, his lips curling in contempt. He leaned in slightly, fixing his gaze on Mia Rhodes’s falsely smiling face, and spoke slowly. ”Mia Rhodes, let’s pretend for a moment she actually did those things. So what?”

”I love her. Her, the person. It has nothing to do with her character or conduct. Even if she really were bullying you, you’re expected to take it with a smile.”

”One last warning: don’t come to me with your gossip about her. Otherwise, I wouldn’t mind cutting out your tongue to feed to my wolf.”

With every word he uttered, the color drained further from Mia Rhodes’s face. After his final, vicious warning, she turned deathly pale. She took a terrified step back, watching helplessly as Ian Sterling got into his car and it shot away, the body of the vehicle grazing past her at high speed.

Mia Rhodes’s body went limp, and she collapsed to the ground in terror, trembling as she watched that signature black supercar of Ian Sterling’s drive away.

Cindy and the driver were already waiting for her in the car. They saw Mia Rhodes speaking with Ian Sterling, but they were too far away to hear the conversation. They only realized something was wrong when they saw the car graze past Mia Rhodes, missing her by mere millimeters.

”Ms. Rhodes! Ms. Rhodes, are you okay?”

Cindy helped her up, glancing at Mia Rhodes’s dust-stained dress. ”Ms. Rhodes,” she said cautiously, ”are you injured? Should we go to the hospital to get you checked out?”

A sharp pain shot through Cindy’s wrist. The hand Mia Rhodes had placed on it was gripping her so tightly that her nails dug into Cindy’s skin. All Cindy could do was grit her teeth and endure it.

She didn’t dare resist. Aside from the ironclad contract she had signed with Mia Rhodes’s studio, the exorbitant salary Mia paid her was another reason she had to swallow her anger.

”No. First, I need a change of clothes. Then I’m going to see my grandfather.”

She gritted her teeth, glaring fiercely in the direction the car had gone.

Aiden Powell had been kept by Mr. Powell’s side all morning. He had just managed to sneak away when he bumped into Mia Rhodes, who was just walking in.

”Aiden, where are you off to?” Mia Rhodes stepped forward, bending down to take Aiden Powell’s hand.

Aiden Powell took a step back, his gaze shifting away, not daring to look at Mia Rhodes.

Mia Rhodes hadn’t expected him to shy away. After a moment’s surprise, she asked gently, ”Aiden, what’s wrong?”

Aiden Powell shook his head, then turned and ran.

Mia Rhodes remained frozen in that pose for a long moment before slowly straightening up. Her mind was in turmoil, filling her with a sense of foreboding.

’Could Grandfather and my cousin have found out that Aiden and I went looking for Lynn?’

She pressed her lips together, summoned her courage, and walked over to Mr. Powell, who was in the seat of honor.

”Grandfather, happy birthday,” she said, leaning in and cooing, ”I’m sorry I’m late. You won’t hold it against your Mia, will you?”

Mr. Powell smiled at her kindly. ”Of course I won’t. Come, sit by my side.”

Mia Rhodes breathed a sigh of relief as she sat down. ’Aiden was probably just in a mood. That must be why he was avoiding me.’

She tentatively began, ”Grandfather, when I came in, I heard someone say that my cousin sent you a gift. A very valuable one, too. Is there any chance I could admire it as well?”

Mr. Powell replied with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. ”I’ve had it put away. With all the guests here, there’s no rush. Perhaps when there’s more time.”

Mia Rhodes nodded obediently, her eyes scanning the expensively dressed guests.

Ethan Powell, sitting on Mr. Powell’s other side, gave a silent, derisive smile after hearing Mia Rhodes’s words.

Mia Rhodes suddenly turned to him and said softly, ”Cousin, why isn’t your wife here? I took a role in a film, and we have scenes together. I was hoping to chat with her about the script.”

Ethan Powell replied coolly, ”She’s busy. She couldn’t come.”

Mia Rhodes was familiar with his disposition, so she didn’t overthink his curt reply. She just smiled and turned back to find another topic of conversation with Mr. Powell.

When Lynn Winslow woke up, the soreness in her body had faded. She slipped on a bathrobe, took the elevator to the lower level for a swim, and Mrs. Sterling thoughtfully brought her a fruit platter, sitting down beside her to chat.

”Mr. Sterling has been visiting quite frequently lately.”

Lynn Winslow, leaning against the edge of the pool, replied lazily, ”Mhm. He’s so shameless you can’t even chase him off.”

Mrs. Sterling said with an amused laugh, ”From what I see, you’re the one who can’t bear to send him away.”

”As if,” Lynn Winslow huffed, popping a piece of fruit into her mouth.

”You must be sure to use protection,” Mrs. Sterling said earnestly, her gaze falling on the marks on Lynn’s skin that were impossible to hide. ”You two haven’t made things official yet.”

Lynn Winslow blushed beet-red. ”Mrs. Sterling, I’m not a child anymore!” she protested.

Mrs. Sterling laughed for a good while before getting up to head upstairs. Suddenly, she remembered something and turned back. ”Lynn, have you contacted your parents recently? Do they still not know you’re in Veridia?”

Lynn Winslow pouted. ”They haven’t contacted me,” she said sullenly, ”so why should I contact them?”

Mrs. Sterling sighed, took the elevator back to the first floor, and came face to face with Ian Sterling the moment the doors opened.

”Finn? Weren’t you at the banquet?”

Ian Sterling frowned, asking with a hint of confusion, ”What’s on the lower level?”