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Chapter 140: Chapter 140: After All, She’s the Female Lead

The auction was underway, and in addition to donating items, the families would also bid on some of the pieces contributed by others.

As for the item Lynn Winslow had donated, it was won by Wyatt Winslow.

Seeing Wyatt Winslow raise his paddle up ahead, Lynn Winslow pursed her lips, her hand tightening its grip on Ian Sterling’s.

They ended up leaving early, before the auction had even concluded.

Once in the car, Lynn Winslow leaned against the window, not saying a word for a long time. Ian Sterling glanced at her worriedly several times before finally sighing.

Instead of taking Lynn home, he turned the steering wheel and headed straight for Nys.

The owner wasn’t in, and the manager was somewhat surprised to see Ian Sterling.

After all, tonight, all the prominent families of Quartos were gathered at the auction.

Ian Sterling told the manager who jogged over, ”You don’t need to attend to us. No private room, just a booth will be fine.”

The manager glanced at Lynn Winslow, nodded, and left.

”How about I dance with you? Tonight is all about you having fun, whatever that means. When you’ve had enough of this place, we can go somewhere else. We’ll keep going until you’re happy.”

A flicker of light crossed Lynn Winslow’s eyes as she looked up at Ian Sterling. The heartache in his gaze was so apparent it made her own heart ache with a sour pang.

She didn’t want to be sad. She knew that whenever she was unhappy, Ian Sterling would be unhappy countless times over.

”Okay,” Lynn Winslow agreed softly, pulling Ian Sterling by the hand onto the dance floor.

By the time Jasper Jennings and the others arrived, Lynn Winslow was already a little drunk but exceptionally energetic, clinging to Ian Sterling and bouncing up and down.

”What’s gotten into her?”

Zachary Quincy frowned. Esther Abbott poked him, silently telling him to keep his mouth shut.

’She’s not close with her family, so seeing them so suddenly must have been upsetting. How could these men possibly understand that?’

They all sat down in the booth. Lynn Winslow leaned close to Ian Sterling’s ear. ”I need to go to the restroom.”

Ian Sterling remembered the time she’d almost been harassed and was about to go with her, but Esther Abbott stopped him. ”I’ll go with her. Don’t worry.”

Ian Sterling gave her a long look. He couldn’t go into the women’s restroom, so having Esther accompany her was acceptable. After all, few people who frequented Nys would fail to recognize Esther Abbott.

Esther Abbott followed Lynn Winslow into the restroom. Seeing that it was empty, she casually shut the door behind them.

She waited until Lynn came out of the stall and was washing her hands at the sink before approaching.

”Did you need to talk to me about something?” Lynn Winslow, who had sobered up a little, asked while looking at her through the mirror.

Esther Abbott nodded and chuckled. ”I was worried you were too drunk to understand what I was saying.”

Lynn Winslow flicked the water from her hands. ”My tolerance isn’t that bad,” she said coolly.

Her eyes darkened slightly, and she spoke before Esther could. ”I’ve been curious for a while now. Why did you take the initiative to approach me? Was it really just because you can’t stand Mia Rhodes? I don’t think it’s that simple.”

”The Abbott Family is split into two branches. One is the Nigel Abbott Household, and the other—the one in business—is yours. Considering your status as the young lady of the second branch of the Abbott Family, I don’t think I’m important enough for you to go out of your way to befriend.”

Esther Abbott couldn’t help but applaud. ”So, you’d already figured it out. Is that why you never replied to my messages?”

Lynn Winslow hummed in affirmation and turned to face Esther Abbott directly. ”So, tell me. What did you mean by what you said at the auction? Why would I need to thank you for Ian and me getting back together?”

”This whole ’rebirth’ thing is so outrageous. Haven’t you ever been the least bit suspicious?”

Lynn Winslow’s heart skipped a beat, but she smiled, tilted her head, and pulled a paper towel from the dispenser, slowly drying her fingers. ”What’s there to be suspicious about? I’m not one to worry needlessly. Since I was reborn, I’ll just live out this life again.”

But Esther Abbott pressed, ”Then aren’t you curious why the current ’plot’ is different from the one you knew before? Why the Powell family had such a sudden change of heart? Why Ian Sterling suddenly wanted to get back together right after you said you were done chasing him? And the tide of public opinion online, which went from unconditionally believing Mia Rhodes to her now being a public pariah that everyone despises.”

She took a step forward, leaned closer to Lynn, and asked in a low voice, ”Are you really not curious?”

Lynn Winslow met her gaze calmly. ”Not at all. Curiosity killed the cat.”

Esther Abbott couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter. Lynn Winslow tossed the paper towel into the trash, walked around her, and opened the restroom door. She turned back to ask, ”Are you coming? If I go back alone, I’m afraid Ian will blame you for not keeping an eye on me.”

Esther Abbott straightened up and waved a hand at Lynn. ”You go on ahead,” she said nonchalantly. ”Let him blame me. It’s not like he’s ever in a good mood around us anyway.”

Lynn Winslow completely agreed with that, giving a nod before leaving.

Leaning against the sink, Esther Abbott took out her phone and made a call.

”I tried to sound her out. I didn’t expect her to put on such a good act. She really seems like she isn’t curious.”

The person on the other end chuckled. ”She’s the female lead, after all. If she were so careless as to expose her inner thoughts that easily, she wouldn’t be the female lead.”

Esther Abbott hummed in agreement and sighed. ”Gotta go. If I don’t head back, Zachary will start whining again.”

”Hey, just play your part as the supporting female character. Don’t try to steal the spotlight.”

”I’d love to,” Esther Abbott said as she walked out, ”but could I even win?”

She hung up and returned to the booth, where Lynn Winslow was already sitting beside Ian Sterling, leaning against him and acting cute.

When she saw Esther return, Lynn Winslow simply blinked and didn’t say a word to her.

”I’m getting a little sleepy.”

As soon as he heard that, Ian stood up and said to Jasper Jennings and the others, ”We’re heading out.”

Jasper Jennings frowned. ”You just got here and you’re already leaving? When did you become such a homebody?”

Ian was about to shoot back a retort when Lynn interjected, ”Why don’t you all come over to Calyx Hall tomorrow night? We can have a barbecue in the courtyard.”

”Sounds good!” Kenneth Keller was the first to agree, grinning. ”We’ll be imposing then. We’ll head over tomorrow afternoon.”

Lynn Winslow nodded. As the two of them walked out of Nys, Ian frowned. ”Why did you invite them over?”

”We can’t just stop hanging out with our friends, can we?”

”It’s not like they’d actually care.”

”They might not, but I want Calyx Hall to be a bit more lively. Can’t I do that?”

Ian had no choice but to agree. The driver Jasper had arranged was waiting at the entrance. When he saw them emerge, he caught the keys Ian tossed him and drove them home.

Since a stranger was present, Ian didn’t ask any more questions until they were back home.

”What took you so long in there? Did Esther Abbott say something to upset you?”

His expression was dark, as if he was ready to go make trouble for Esther the moment Lynn gave him the nod.

Lynn Winslow laughed. ”No, we just chatted for a bit.” She reached up and gave his collar a playful tug. ”Do I really look that easy to push around?”

Ian wanted to nod, but seeing the faint glint of a threat in her eyes, he had no choice but to shake his head.