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Chapter 97: Chapter 97: It’s a Pity Your Sister Only Likes Me

Lynn asked Joel to show Ian around Winslow Manor while she stayed behind to keep Elder Winslow company.

Ian Sterling pursed his lips, but after catching Lynn’s eye, he had no choice but to follow.

”You wanted to talk to me?”

”Yes.” Lynn had the butler and other staff move away before she took Elder Winslow’s arm and sighed softly. ”Grandpa, you don’t like him, do you?”

Elder Winslow just huffed. He didn’t say much in front of Lynn, only stating flatly, ”I don’t see what’s so special about him.”

”Grandpa, I know I’m always teasing him, but I know better than anyone,” Lynn said softly, leaning her head on Elder Winslow’s shoulder. ”If you’re the person who loves me most in the world, then he’s a definite second.”

”Don’t be so dramatic.” Elder Winslow patted the back of her hand and sighed. ”I called your father the other day and gave him a piece of my mind. He said he’ll come see you once he’s through this busy spell.”

”I don’t need them to come see me.” Lynn’s lips twitched into a wry smile. ”I have you, and that’s enough.”

Elder Winslow patted her hand again. ”Alright, fine,” he said, resigned. ”I’ll be a little nicer to him.”

Meanwhile, Ian Sterling followed slowly behind Joel Winslow, neither of them saying a word.

It wasn’t until they reached Lynn’s sunroom that Joel stopped and turned to look back at Ian.

”Mr. Sterling, do you think you’re worthy of my sister?”

Ian Sterling took a few steps forward, leisurely surveying the furnishings in the sunroom. He chuckled. ”What? You think I’m not worthy? Does that mean you are?”

The gentle smile Joel Winslow perpetually wore vanished. His gaze darkened as he stared at Ian. ”I’m not worthy of her,” he said coldly, ”but there are certainly others who are more worthy than you.”

”Is that so?” Ian stepped closer, a smirk playing on his lips. ”What a shame. Your sister only likes me.”

”You’re jealous seeing your sister with me, aren’t you?” He shrugged. ”You’ll just have to stomach that jealousy, because you don’t have the guts to let her know you harbor such disgusting thoughts about her.”

He strolled past Joel and out of the sunroom. Once he was some distance away, he glanced back, his eyes meeting Joel’s. He gave a mocking smile and a raised eyebrow.

He returned to the front garden to find Lynn. Elder Winslow cleared his throat twice. His tone toward Ian was no longer as harsh as before as he said awkwardly, ”Staying in a hotel can’t be as comfortable as staying at home. I’ll have someone bring your luggage over later.” He then stood up, walked over to Ian, and patted his shoulder. ”Dating is fine,” he whispered, ”but don’t cross any lines.”

Ian’s eyes lit up, and he agreed without a moment’s hesitation.

The moment Elder Winslow was gone, Ian wrapped his arms around Lynn, nuzzling her cheek like a pouting child and complaining in an aggrieved tone.

”Your brother said I’m not good enough for you.”

Lynn stroked his hair and asked with a smile, ”And what did you say back?”

”I just told him, ’Tough luck, your sister only likes me.’” After speaking, Ian pushed his luck, nibbling on Lynn’s earlobe. He gently grazed it with his teeth as he murmured, ”You do only like me, right?”

”Of course. Why else would I bring you to meet my grandfather?” Lynn’s eyes curved into crescents. ”From now on, that’s exactly what you’ll tell them.”

Ian huffed. Lynn laughed, amused by his childish whining. She pushed him away gently. ”You’re two years older than me, you know. I don’t remember you being like this before. How are you getting more and more immature?”

Ian’s eyes widened in disbelief. ”Are you saying I’m immature?”

”Of course not.” Lynn cupped his face, playfully squishing his cheeks. ”Putting on such a pitiful, wronged act... I wonder who it was that made me bleed yesterday.”

”Who? I have no idea,” Ian said, his eyes crinkling into a smile as he pulled her back into his arms. ”Your grandfather told me not to cross any lines.”

”What? After hurting me last night, you’re still not going to let me off the hook?”

”That’s not what I was thinking. I meant, does staying here mean I can’t even kiss you anymore?”

”That’s right,” Lynn teased. As she expected, Ian hugged her and started shaking her playfully. Lynn patted his back, laughing. ”What are you doing? If you can’t kiss me, you’re just going to shake me until I pass out?”

Ian hummed in affirmation. Lynn had no choice but to concede, ”Then we’ll just have to kiss in secret.”

They horsed around in the garden for a while longer before the butler came to call them to the dining room for lunch.

Joel didn’t return for quite some time. When he finally did, Lynn glanced at him. He seemed perfectly normal, with no trace of the attitude Ian had described, so she looked away.

During the meal, Joel suddenly spoke up. ”Sister, Iris heard you were back and wants to invite you out.”

”Where?” Lynn frowned. Her friendship with Iris was superficial at best, and Iris’s idea of fun was far too wild for her taste. Lynn wasn’t keen on going.

”Probably at one of the clubs she owns.”

Lynn thought about it but decided to refuse. The things that went on at those clubs were anything but simple, and at the very least, she didn’t want Ian to know about them.

Ian glanced at her but said nothing. It wasn’t until after the meal that he asked in a low voice, ”Why didn’t you want to go?”

”The games those people play... they’re not exactly wholesome,” Lynn told him honestly. ”If I took you, they’d definitely make a point of playing them right in front of you. I’m afraid it would be a bad influence.”

Class divisions in Morelia are particularly stark. No one dares to rein in this crowd of wealthy heirs and heiresses, so when they party, they do it as wantonly as possible. Lynn had gone before, but because of the Winslow family’s status in Morelia, they were somewhat restrained around her. Plus, Zane Lancaster used to be there. To him, their antics were just child’s play, so they wouldn’t have dared try anything.

But Ian was different. Even if they knew he was from the Sterling family and wouldn’t dare to cross a line with him, Lynn was still afraid something unexpected might happen.

She led Ian to the room the butler had prepared for him and told him to rest for a while, promising they would go to a concert together that evening.

Ian grabbed her and wouldn’t let go, insisting she stay with him. Lynn pointed toward the door. ”I could stay, but aren’t you afraid my grandfather will find out and forbid us from being together?”

”Fine.” Ian let go of her hand. But just before she left, he added, ”Remember to put on the ointment when you get back to your room. If it’s difficult, just tell me. I’ll do it for you.”

Lynn still couldn’t bring herself to discuss the matter as openly as he could. She shot him a glare before returning to her own room.

She went into the bathroom for a shower and carefully applied the ointment. When she returned to the master bedroom, she noticed a call on her phone from a Morelian number.

Lynn couldn’t for the life of her remember who the number belonged to. After a moment’s thought, she frowned and called it back anyway.

The person on the other end picked up almost instantly. The first thing Lynn heard was a petulant complaint. ”Lynn, I heard from Joel that you aren’t coming to my party. Why not?”

Lynn immediately knew who it was. She chuckled lightly. ”Iris, it’s not a good time. My boyfriend is here to see me, and I need to spend time with him.”

”Then bring him along! Don’t worry, Lynn, we won’t get into any of that stuff.”