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Chapter 167: Chapter 167: You’ve Cried All the Good Fortune Away

”Make sure you apologize properly to your dad tomorrow. You really made him angry. He’s getting on in years and still has to worry about you.”

Ian Sterling was reluctant, but he still agreed.

The next day, Ian Sterling painfully shuffled out of the elevator. When he saw Spencer Sterling sitting in a rocking chair by the bed reading the newspaper, he felt a little awkward, but he still approached, stood behind him, and mumbled, ”Dad, I’m sorry.”

Spencer Sterling glanced at him and said coolly, ”Well, look at you. So Finn does know how to apologize.”

Ian Sterling: ”...”

His pride was wounded. Nina Norton appeared at just the right moment and coughed to get Spencer Sterling’s attention. Spencer snorted. ”I’m the one who hit you. You don’t need to apologize to me. Go apologize to Lynn.”

”Oh.” Ian Sterling turned and walked to the living room, took a bottle of cold water from the fridge, twisted the cap off, and took a few gulps. Nina Norton followed him and asked, ”Aren’t you going to go find Lynn?”

”She’s coming to see me today.” Ian Sterling shook his head.

”Alright. Your dad and I are going over to Mr. Jennings’ place in a bit. You apologize properly to Lynn, you hear me?” Nina Norton reminded him one last time before leaving.

Ian Sterling stood in the living room staring out the window for a long time before he stepped into the elevator and went upstairs. Back in his room, he remembered to place the ointment on his nightstand, then pulled off his shirt and flopped face-down on the bed.

When Lynn Winslow arrived, the only people in the Sterling home were the butler and servants.

Seeing her, the butler approached with a warm smile. ”Miss Winslow, you’re here at last. Finn is in his room.”

Lynn Winslow gave the butler the return gift from Mr. Powell that she’d brought from the Powell residence, then went upstairs to look for Ian Sterling.

Ian Sterling had been waiting for so long he was about to fall asleep. When he saw her arrive, he excitedly started to get up, forgetting the two glaring, swollen red welts on his back.

He hissed, and Lynn Winslow quickly hurried over to press him back down.

”Don’t move.”

Lynn Winslow looked at his injuries, her heart aching for him. ”How did it get so bad,” she murmured.

Ian Sterling’s gaze never left her face. Seeing her distress made him feel much better inside, but his nose began to sting again.

”I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have been so moody with you. Please don’t be angry with me anymore.”

Lynn Winslow looked at his slightly swollen, glistening eyes, and a wave of tenderness washed over her. She quickly averted her gaze and said, feigning annoyance, ”Cry, cry, cry. You’re going to cry all your good luck away.”

Ian Sterling was stunned, his eyes widening in disbelief as he stared at Lynn Winslow. ”You...”

’How did my baby become like this...’

Lynn Winslow blinked, hiding the amusement in her eyes, and reached out to pinch his cheek. ”Did you put on the ointment?”

”No.” Ian Sterling rubbed his cheek against her palm and told the truth. ”My second brother wanted to apply it for me, but I wanted you to do it.”

”You’re so fussy.”

But despite her words, Lynn Winslow had him lie still, took the ointment, and carefully applied it for him.

He didn’t know if it was psychological or if Lynn Winslow was being deliberately mischievous, but he felt a tingling sensation spread across his back. It was so intense he let out a soft moan, his cheeks flushing red.

Only after she finished applying the ointment did Lynn Winslow realize that her hair had brushed against the small of his back several times. She looked up to see Ian Sterling’s hazy eyes, gave a soft cough, and tucked her hair behind her ear.

Ian Sterling reached up and grabbed her hand, whispering, ”Can you stay with me until tonight?”

”I can.” Lynn had thought it through. It wasn’t like there was anything they *hadn’t* done. Their families had to know what a young couple did when they spent all their time together. As for outsiders... those young masters from the elite families were far wilder.

She stayed with Ian Sterling at Aerie Garden until the afternoon, when she got a call from Ethan Powell.

”Lynn, Zane Lancaster is here to visit Elder Winslow. Are you coming back?”

Lynn, who was toying with Ian Sterling’s fingers, paused. Ian Sterling was so close that he’d heard every word Ethan Powell said.

He pressed his lips together, clearly displeased. But when Lynn looked over, he quickly reined in his emotions and gave her a pitiful look. Amused, Lynn said to Ethan Powell on the other end of the line, ”I’m not coming back. I’m staying with Ian Sterling.”

That satisfied Ian Sterling. After hanging up, Ethan Powell couldn’t stop laughing.

He had called Lynn Winslow on purpose, just to tease Ian Sterling.

Nina Norton and Spencer Sterling were visiting the Jennings family. When Jasper Jennings asked about Ian Sterling, Nina didn’t try to hide anything for her son and told him what had happened. Soon after, everyone in their group chat knew that Ian had gotten a beating from his father.

Ian Sterling blinked, affecting a considerate and generous tone. ”You can go back first. It’s fine.”

Lynn Winslow saw right through his little act. ”If I actually went back, you’d sulk yourself to death and start crying again.”

”...” Though it was the truth, he was still embarrassed to have it said out loud. Ian Sterling pulled Lynn’s hand over his eyes, but he couldn’t keep the corners of his mouth from curving into a smile.

Lynn snuggled down, yawning against his shoulder.

She had stayed up late hanging out with Sheila Lowell, then gotten up early to come see Ian Sterling. Since she hadn’t taken a nap at lunch, a wave of sleepiness washed over her.

”I’m going to take a nap,” she said. ”Wake me up at dinnertime. I should head back to the Powells’ then.”

Ian Sterling agreed, though he had no intention of doing so.

But when Lynn Winslow woke up, the room was dark. She assumed the curtains were just drawn, but as she stirred and turned her head, she saw that the only light from the window was a faint, yellow glow from the first-floor garden. Everything around them was perfectly silent.

’Something isn’t right.’ She grabbed her phone and checked the time. Midnight!

Ian Sterling’s cheek was resting against her, his breathing even and deep. Lynn gritted her teeth, wanting to hit him, but remembering the injuries on his back, she settled for pinching his cheek, and she didn’t hold back.

”What gives, babe?” Ian Sterling swatted at her hand, complaining with a frown. ”I’m sleeping.”

”Sleeping? I told you to wake me up for dinner! Look what time it is!” she snapped, shoving the phone screen right in his face. The bright light stung Ian Sterling’s eyes, and he had to rub them before he could see clearly.

He feigned surprise. ”Oh, I must have fallen asleep too. I have no idea how it got to be midnight.”

Lynn gritted her teeth. She knew he was lying. Everyone in the Sterling household knew she was there; there was no way they wouldn’t have been called for dinner. This had to be Ian Sterling’s doing, but there was nothing she could say.

She sighed helplessly and ran a hand through her hair.

”Don’t be mad,” Ian Sterling said cautiously, scooting a little closer to her.

Lynn glanced at him. The dim light from the window cast his angular features in sharp relief. His narrow eyes glittered, and his expression was pleading.

Seeing him like this, how could Lynn possibly stay angry? She sighed, reached out to smooth the hair back from his face, and planted a kiss on his forehead.

”Have you had dinner?”

Ian Sterling shook his head. Nina Norton and Spencer Sterling had stayed at the Jennings’ for dinner. His brother and sister-in-law had eaten out because of the message he’d sent in the group chat, and they had gone straight to their own rooms upon returning. The whole of Aerie Garden had been basically silent.

Lynn propped herself up, getting ready to order takeout on her phone. It was too late to trouble the chef.