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Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Treated Like Bebe

Half a month later, Ian Sterling was finally released by Mr. Sterling.

The first thing he did upon getting out was go to Amberly Bay to find Lynn Winslow.

It was evening and they were stuck in rush hour traffic. Jared Sterling, who had insisted on a ride and was now lounging in the passenger seat, was playing on his phone. He drawled lazily, ”What’s the rush? It’s not like Lynn Winslow is going to run away if you’re half an hour late, is she?”

”Easy for you to say,” Ian Sterling shot back, glaring at him with a frown. He pursed his lips and picked up his phone to send Lynn Winslow a message, telling her not to go out and to wait for him at home.

Lynn Winslow replied quickly, telling him not to rush.

He felt much more at ease and forced himself to wait patiently for the traffic to slowly clear.

After dropping Jared Sterling off in front of his company building, he completely ignored Jared’s attempt to say something more, stomping on the gas as the car shot off into the distance.

What he didn’t expect was to see Lynn Winslow standing at the main gate of Amberly Bay as soon as he arrived, waiting for him in a shady spot.

Ian Sterling didn’t even bother driving to the parking area. He pulled over to the side of the road, opened the door, and got out, striding over to pull Lynn Winslow into a tight hug.

”I’ve missed you so much.”

Before Ian Sterling could even speak, Lynn Winslow hugged him back and murmured softly.

”I’ve missed you too.” Ian Sterling turned his head to kiss Lynn Winslow’s hair. ”Why are you waiting for me out here? Aren’t you hot?”

Lynn Winslow pressed her lips together and didn’t say anything else.

Over the past few days, her parents had called several more times. They had even taken it upon themselves to come to Veridia and were now staying with the Powell family. They had even tried to see her, using Mr. Powell as an intermediary.

Lynn Winslow didn’t want to see them. The resentment in her heart didn’t lessen just because the first thing they did upon their return was ask to see her.

Ian Sterling knew about this—Ethan Powell had told him. He understood Lynn Winslow and had a good idea why she was unwilling to see her parents. He rubbed her back comfortingly and led her into the car.

”Should we grab Kiki and have you stay at my place for a while?”

Lynn Winslow looked at him quietly. His eyes were filled with endless tenderness, warming her tormented heart a little.

She nodded. Without her getting out of the car, Ian Sterling went into Amberly Bay himself, emerging with Kiki tucked under his arm. Once inside, he thoughtfully sent a message to Mrs. Sterling before starting the car.

In the car, Lynn Winslow just stared out the window, combing through Kiki’s fur with her fingers as if they were a brush. Ian Sterling glanced at her a few times, knowing she must be feeling down.

”Is there anywhere you’d like to go? Veridia has lots of fun places. Why don’t we pick somewhere to escape the summer heat and stay for a while? Until summer’s over.”

Lynn Winslow hesitated.

’Ian Sterling has his company to run, I have my investment in Zane Lancaster, and then there’s Kiki...’

Ian Sterling knew her concerns. He reached out, took Lynn Winslow’s hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze.

”I’ll have my people keep an eye on the company; I don’t have to be there all the time. As for Zane Lancaster, I’ll have Nigel Abbott help out. Given the Abbott family’s standing, they’re the best ones to step in if Zane is starting a company. And as for Kiki,” he glanced in the rearview mirror at the huge cat lounging contentedly on the back seat and chuckled, ”we can take a road trip. We’ll bring Kiki with us.”

Lynn Winslow turned to look at Kiki. Seeing her suddenly turn around, Kiki stared back with a curious expression, which made Lynn Winslow laugh.

”Okay, so where should we go first?”

Lynn Winslow agreed, taking out her phone to start searching for places to escape the summer heat.

The car stopped in the underground garage. Ian Sterling got out, holding Kiki in his arms, and took Lynn Winslow’s hand. ”Don’t worry about researching just yet. Come take a shower with me first.”

Lynn Winslow’s cheeks flushed as she pressed her lips together and looked at him. Ian Sterling chuckled. When the elevator stopped at the living room on the first floor, he set Kiki down and led Lynn Winslow straight upstairs without a hint of hesitation.

Afterward, Lynn Winslow held Ian Sterling’s face in her hands, examining it closely. ”You got a tan,” she said regretfully, ”and you’ve lost weight.”

His hairstyle was the same, but now, with his tan, he looked even more rugged.

Ian Sterling gazed down at her, the fire in his eyes not yet fully extinguished. ”The tan will fade soon,” he said in a low voice.

As for losing weight, Ian Sterling felt he was just right. He looked a bit thinner, but he was leaner and more muscular. Just now, he had been able to lift Lynn Winslow easily with one arm.

He was even a little grateful to his uncle for forcing him to train for nearly a month.

When Lynn Winslow realized what he was thinking, she shot him a fierce glare. ”Can’t you think about anything else?”

”I can’t. It’s not like I’m impotent. How could I remain unmoved in front of the woman I love?” Ian Sterling lowered his head, nudging her shoulder with his chin. ”Besides, you liked it a lot too, didn’t you?”

He could clearly feel that Lynn Winslow’s reaction had been more intense than usual.

His frankness made her blush all over again before the previous flush had even faded.

”Per! Vert!” she cursed, enunciating each syllable.

Ian Sterling accepted the label calmly, his body going limp as he hugged her tighter. He sighed. ”I’ve been going to bed early and waking up early this whole time. They completely fixed my sleep schedule. It’s not very compatible with lazing in bed with you.”

Lynn Winslow chuckled, pinching Ian Sterling’s cheek and giving it a little shake. ”Then can’t you be like one of those CEOs in novels and just stay up late and wake up early?”

”No way. Staying up late is a pleasure, and so is sleeping in.” Ian Sterling kissed Lynn Winslow’s cheek. Their limbs were tangled together, and if the air conditioning hadn’t been set so low, they would both have been sweating profusely.

”Besides, if I just grind myself into the ground every day, what’s the point of having employees? I’d have started this company for nothing. I might as well have just taken a nominal position at the family conglomerate and not worried about a thing.”

His reasoning was so bizarre, yet it made a certain kind of sense. Lynn Winslow didn’t know how to argue with him.

Ian Sterling lowered his head and buried it in her embrace. ”I’m sleepy,” he said drowsily. ”Are you hungry? If not, let’s sleep for a bit and go out for a late-night snack later.”

Lynn Winslow wasn’t hungry either. She had woken up late, eaten lunch late, and had some snacks in the afternoon. She didn’t feel hungry at all right now.

”I’m not hungry or sleepy. You go ahead and sleep. I’ll stay with you and play on my phone.”

Ian Sterling wasn’t having it. He pinned down the hand Lynn Winslow was reaching for her phone with. ”No. You have to sleep with me.”

Lynn Winslow was even more against the idea. She struggled a few times but couldn’t break free, so she had no choice but to stay in his arms. He held her like she was Bebe, and she stared blankly into space, bored.

It wasn’t long before Ian Sterling fell asleep. Lynn Winslow tentatively tried to pull away, but he subconsciously tightened his grip and scooped her back into his arms.

Resigned, Lynn Winslow stretched out her arm, managed to grab her phone with some difficulty, and turned her back to Ian Sterling to look at it.

Perhaps because she was exhausted from earlier, or perhaps because of the familiar scent and embrace beside her, Lynn Winslow didn’t look at her phone for long before she also drifted off to sleep.

The two of them slept until three in the morning.

Lynn Winslow woke up first. She stared into the pitch-black room, feeling a bit dazed.

She hadn’t expected that what was supposed to be a short nap would last until three in the morning.

Ian Sterling was still asleep, so Lynn Winslow didn’t disturb him. She picked up the remote and closed the curtains, then lowered her phone’s brightness and put it on silent. Turning her back to Ian Sterling, she looked at her phone and waited for him to wake up.