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Chapter 111: Chapter 111: The Exemplary Boyfriend

As Mrs. Jennings and Lynn Winslow walked ahead, arm in arm, Jasper Jennings finally teased in a low voice, ”How’d you end up as the bag boy?”

”I enjoy it,” Ian Sterling said, shooting him a sidelong glance.

Jasper Jennings laughed even more brazenly at that. He raised an eyebrow. ”Aha, getting defensive, are we? Who was it that wouldn’t listen when I told him to stay away from Lynn Winslow, and then wouldn’t listen when I told him to make up with her? Now look at you, the ultimate doting boyfriend. You do whatever she asks. You’re so obedient it’s scary.”

”...” Ian Sterling was left speechless. After a long moment, he lifted his chin and repeated, ”I enjoy it.”

”Alright, alright, you enjoy it.” Jasper Jennings threw his hands up in mock surrender. He pulled his phone from his pocket and started typing in the group chat. Taking advantage of the fact that Ian Sterling’s hands were full, he brazenly snapped a picture and sent it to the group as well.

Ian Sterling glared at Jasper Jennings sinisterly. He suddenly called out to the two women walking ahead, ”Auntie, Jennings says women are the biggest hassle and so high-maintenance.”

Mrs. Jennings let out a cold laugh. She spun around and strode over to Jasper Jennings’s side in her high heels. In one swift motion, she grabbed his ear and gave it a vicious twist. ”So,” she said, enunciating every word, ”your mother is a hassle, is she? I’m high-maintenance, am I?”

”Damn it, Mom, don’t listen to Finn’s nonsense! There’s no way I would say that,” Jasper Jennings cried out in frustration. ”He’s just making stuff up to frame me!”

”If you behaved yourself, would Finn have anything to frame you with? You must have said something for him to tell me,” Mrs. Jennings said through gritted teeth. ”Fine. You’re all grown up now, huh? Starting tomorrow, you’re going on blind dates. You can stop when you succeed. Finn is two years younger than you and he already has a girlfriend! And you? You don’t even have a female mosquito buzzing around you. If this keeps up, I’m sending you to a monastery!”

”...”

Ian Sterling pressed his lips together, trying to stifle a laugh. Lynn Winslow took one look at him and knew he was the one behind this. Leaning close, she whispered in his ear, ”Was this your doing?”

”Yep,” Ian Sterling admitted readily. He whispered, ”He had it coming for making fun of me. I mean, I could’ve let it slide if it was just him, but he had to post it in the group chat for everyone to laugh at me.”

Lynn Winslow really wanted to praise him, but she felt it wasn’t the right moment.

Still twisting her son’s ear, Mrs. Jennings smiled at Lynn Winslow and Ian Sterling. ”Finn, Lynn, you two continue your shopping. I’m taking this disobedient son of mine with me. Lynn, you should come over and visit with Finn more often.”

Lynn Winslow nodded obediently. ”Okay, Auntie.”

Ian Sterling surreptitiously fanned the flames. ”Yes, Auntie. And don’t be too angry. Maybe Jennings’s sexual preferences are just a bit different from ours. We should respect that.”

Upon hearing that, Mrs. Jennings’s anger flared. Forgetting all pleasantries, she flashed a strained smile and dragged Jasper Jennings by the ear toward the elevator.

Even as they walked away, the two could still hear Mrs. Jennings scolding Jasper Jennings in the distance.

On the drive home, Ian Sterling was behind the wheel while his phone buzzed nonstop. He asked Lynn Winslow to unlock it and take a look.

Lynn Winslow looked and saw it was full of sixty-second voice messages from Jasper Jennings, along with his tirades in the group chat and the others making fun of him.

Lynn Winslow played one of the voice messages, and a stream of creative insults spewed from the phone’s speaker.

”@#$%! IAN STERLING, I’LL @#$%! YOU...”

”YOU @#$&...” Before the message could finish, Ian Sterling told Lynn Winslow, ”Turn it off. It’s filth.”

At that, Lynn Winslow couldn’t hold it in any longer. She burst out laughing, tears streaming from her eyes.

”This is hilarious.”

Ian Sterling risked a glance at her. ”What’s so hilarious? Me getting cursed out, or Jasper Jennings getting duped?”

Lynn Winslow answered sincerely, ”Both.”

Ian Sterling huffed. ’I’ll deal with this when we get home,’ he thought. ’Then I’ll properly ask her just what’s so hilarious.’

If Lynn Winslow had known what he was thinking, she would have surely asked him: ’Who’s the petty one here, you or me?’

When they got home, Ian Sterling first carried Lynn Winslow’s purchases upstairs. Once Lynn had finished unpacking and arranging her new things, Ian swept her up into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

Soaked in sweat after his ’interrogation,’ Lynn Winslow still had to answer Ian Sterling’s relentless questioning.

”Tell me. Was it funnier seeing me get cursed out, or seeing Jasper Jennings get taken down?”

”Don’t use this as an excuse to torment me.”

”If you don’t answer, I’ll torment you even more.”

Lynn Winslow whimpered a few times before finally yielding to him. ”Seeing... Jasper Jennings... get taken down,” she said, her words halting and broken, ”was funnier.”

Ian Sterling grunted in acknowledgment but still didn’t let her off the hook. ”Too late,” he whispered.

”You...”

Before Lynn Winslow could finish, Ian Sterling covered her mouth. Gazing into her helpless eyes, he gave a faint, wicked smile and intensified his efforts, pushing her until she fainted from pleasure and exhaustion.

Lynn Winslow woke once in the middle of the night. After turning the air conditioner down a bit, she dove straight into Ian Sterling’s open arms and fell back asleep in less than two minutes.

As she lowered the temperature, Lynn wondered, ’Ian is like a little furnace every day. How come he’s never bothered by the heat, while I’m the one who can’t stand it, even though my hands and feet are always ice-cold in the winter?’

Ian Sterling dropped Lynn Winslow off at the gate of the Powell family estate. He got out of the car to straighten her hair and collar, reminding her, ”Remember, you have to call me if anything happens.”

Lynn Winslow nodded. She stood on her tiptoes to pat his shoulder. ”Don’t worry. You should get going, it’s too hot out.”

Ian Sterling insisted she go inside first, saying he would leave after she did. When Lynn Winslow reached the villa’s front door, she glanced back and was surprised to find him still standing there, watching her with a worried expression.

”Go back,” Lynn Winslow mouthed, signaling for him to leave.

Lynn Winslow only relaxed after Ian Sterling got back in his car. The butler, who had been standing to the side, smiled and said, ”Young Miss, you and Finn of the Sterling family seem to have a wonderful relationship.”

Lynn Winslow hummed in response and followed him inside.

Mr. Powell was sitting at the tea table in the living room, his fingers restlessly turning a teacup. Lynn Winslow pursed her lips and called out softly, ”Grandfather.”

”Mm.” Mr. Powell looked up at her, his weathered eyes glistening.

He stood up, his voice thick with emotion as he scolded her, ”You ungrateful girl! Is there only room in your heart for your other grandfather, and none for me? You listened to that scoundrel Aiden Powell and didn’t come to see me.”

Lynn Winslow rushed forward and hugged Mr. Powell, crying as she spoke. ”I was afraid... I was afraid that after hearing what everyone was saying, you wouldn’t love me anymore.”

Mr. Powell patted her on the back and sighed. ”To be honest, I did believe it at first. Then, somehow, I came to my senses and realized just how foolish I had been.”

Lynn Winslow shook her head. She let go of Mr. Powell and wiped away her tears. ”It’s all your fault,” she said, her tone turning playful. ”You made me cry and ruin my makeup.”

”My fault, my fault.”

Just yesterday, Ethan Powell had told him that Lynn Winslow was being very distant, implying between the lines that she wanted to cut ties with the Powell family. Hearing her playful, affectionate words now, Mr. Powell breathed a sigh of relief.

He undoubtedly doted on this granddaughter more than anyone. She had the temper of a little princess—a bit spoiled and willful, yet kindhearted and well-intentioned toward everyone.

That was why the doubt had always weighed on his heart, something he could never quite figure out.