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Chapter 172: Chapter 172: I’m Not Playing with You Anymore

Ian Sterling was just about to explain when Lynn Winslow asked again, ”Who’s your wife?”

”You are, of course.” Ian Sterling was shameless. He couldn’t care less that Mia Rhodes was staring at them from the front seat. He leaned in and gave Lynn’s cheek a little nip, even sucking on the spot.

Lynn let out a hiss. ”Ow, that hurt!” she complained. ”Don’t you know how to be gentle?”

Ian Sterling chuckled softly. His hand, which was resting on Lynn’s shoulder, found a strand of her hair and began to toy with it. Lynn leaned against him, leisurely playing on her phone.

This time, Mia Rhodes knew better than to interrupt. She looked away and stared at the scenery rushing past the window, her mind racing. ’What can I do? What can I say to convince the Powell family to let me stay, to keep me safe?’

When they arrived at the Powell residence, Lynn Winslow and Ian Sterling didn’t wait for Mia Rhodes. They walked right in, greeted Mr. Powell and Elder Winslow, and then headed for the dining room.

Mia Rhodes followed them in. The moment she saw Mr. Powell, tears started streaming down her face. She ran to his side and sobbed, ”Thank you for saving me, Grandpa! If it weren’t for you, I don’t know how much longer the Yates family would have tormented me.”

Mr. Powell withdrew his hand from Mia’s grasp, his tone flat. ”Don’t thank me. Go thank Lynn. It was Lynn and Finn of the Sterling family who brought you back.”

”I already thanked my cousin, but she...”

Elder Winslow scoffed at her words. He shot a look at Mia, who was clearly about to slander his precious granddaughter again, then stood up and walked into the dining room.

Mr. Powell suppressed his anger as he listened to Mia’s tearful accusations—how Lynn refused to accept her gratitude and even belittled her. Finally, his fury reached its peak. He rose to his feet, stared down at Mia, and said sternly, ”I thought that after all this, you would have at least learned your lesson. I thought you would at least stop spouting lies. Your cousin put aside your past conflicts to rescue you. Not only are you ungrateful, but you’re slandering her.”

Hearing Mr. Powell’s raised voice, Lynn, still holding an apple, leaned against the dining room doorway to watch the show. She showed no sign of being the person at the center of the drama.

Ian Sterling joined her at the doorway. He lifted her hand and took a bite of the apple she was holding. ”Doesn’t she just get on your nerves?” he whispered.

Lynn shook her head. ”Not at all. I knew she’d be like this. Besides saving Grandpa the trouble, I also rescued her so he could see her and her mother’s true colors.”

Ian bent down and rested his chin in the hollow of her collarbone, nudging her with his jaw. Lynn let out a hiss and pushed at his face. ”Get off me!” she grumbled. ”I haven’t even settled the score with you yet, and here you are bullying me.”

”Settle what score?” Ian didn’t let go, but he stopped nudging her. He just held her tight and played dumb.

Lynn turned to face him in his embrace. She narrowed her eyes, pinched his cheeks, and said, enunciating each word, ”The wound on your back. And calling me ’wife’.”

”My back really does hurt, it’s just not as bad as before.” Ian Sterling pouted, still a little defiant. ”And why can’t I call you my wife?”

Lynn glared, and Ian immediately lost his nerve. Still, he tried to sound tough. ”Can’t a guy just talk big?”

”Oh, sure. You can talk big,” Lynn shot back, using his own logic against him. ”So, can’t my hands itch to smack you?” As expected, Ian flashed a placating smile and wheedled, ”Hitting is a sign of affection, and scolding is a sign of love. Babe, you can hit me all you want. I won’t get mad.”

Lynn shuddered at his sappy tone, dropping her hands from his cheeks and pushing him away with a look of distaste. ”You’re not right in the head. I’m done playing with you.”

With that, Lynn turned and headed back into the dining room. Ian trailed after her like a puppy, shamelessly declaring, ”That’s okay. I’ll play with you.”

Meanwhile, after reprimanding Mia, Mr. Powell could see that although she verbally admitted her mistake, her eyes were still full of resentment. A profound sense of disappointment washed over him.

”While you may not have lived in the Powell home as long as Lynn, you used to visit often as a child. I had a hand in raising you for several years. Even knowing you were selfish like your mother, I was still willing to guide you, to at least keep you from straying onto the wrong path. But I never imagined you would turn out like this.”

Mr. Powell sighed. ”I said these things the last time you and your mother were here. I thought you would have changed.”

Mia choked on a sob, unable to speak. But in her heart, she was defiant. ’Why should I have to change? Everything I’ve done has been to secure a good future, a good life for myself! The Rhodes family has already fallen. If I don’t look out for myself, should I just let my good-for-nothing father drag me into the abyss?’

In truth, there was nothing wrong with that thought. Even Lynn would have wholeheartedly agreed. But Mia always did the stupidest things, managing to play a winning hand until it was utterly ruined.

Sienna Powell came down the stairs. Seeing Mia, she rushed over and hugged her, bursting into tears. After she’d cried her fill, she looked up and saw the expression on Mr. Powell’s face. She knew instantly that Mia must have done something to anger her father, the only person left who could offer mother and daughter any protection.

”Dad, Mia’s still young. Please don’t be angry with her.”

Mr. Powell gazed impassively at the mother and daughter for a long moment before finally speaking. ”You should both leave. I won’t ask you to stay for dinner.”

”Dad!” Sienna Powell’s eyes widened in disbelief.

”As your father, I’ve done what I ought to do. The rest is up to the two of you. I’ll help you handle the Yates family, but this is the last time.” Mr. Powell averted his gaze. ”Mia has been in the entertainment industry for many years and earned a good amount of money, so you shouldn’t be lacking. The Powell family dividends will still be paid to you on time. Beyond that, I will not involve myself.”

”You can’t treat us so heartlessly!” Mia shook her head frantically, messy strands of hair falling across her cheeks. She gazed at Mr. Powell with a pleading look, but he simply rose to his feet, acted as if he didn’t see her, and started walking toward the dining room, calling out to the butler as he went.

”Show them out.”

His figure vanished from their sight. Their legs gave out, and both women collapsed to the floor, muttering, ”What are we going to do?”

The butler walked up to them and said calmly, ”This way, please.”

Sienna Powell didn’t want to leave. She loved this carefree life at the Powell residence. She wanted to remain the great lady of the Powell family, one of the elites of Quartos.

Mia suddenly let out a laugh, which then grew into a loud, bizarre cackle.

She scrambled to her feet, hauled Sienna up, and began dragging her toward the door, ignoring her mother’s struggles.

”What are you doing, Mia? Wait, just wait! I’ll go plead with your grandfather. He can’t be this heartless.”

”Mom!” Mia whirled around and glared at Sienna, her voice a shrill question. ”Can you really not see it? Grandpa’s been completely brainwashed by Lynn! There’s no place left for you or me in his heart.”

Sienna was taken aback by her daughter’s crazed expression. ”No, that’s not it, Mia...” she stammered blankly.

Mia had no desire to explain further. Hatred churned inside her as she turned and resumed dragging Sienna toward the exit.

”Wait.”