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Chapter 181: Chapter 181: Why Isn’t He Popular?

Ian Sterling stared quietly at his mother as Nina Norton burst out laughing.

”Of course not. It’s not every day you come back, so you have to spend some time with us.”

”Oh. In that case, I won’t be coming home for a while.” Ian Sterling turned to look out the window, his expression a mixture of awkwardness and embarrassment.

Lynn Winslow didn’t dare laugh out loud, afraid Ian Sterling would fly into a rage from the embarrassment and take it out on her. She could only snicker secretly. Nina Norton, however, showed no such restraint. When it came to teasing her own son, she was more merciless than anyone.

Love was one thing, ridicule was another.

The moment Nina Norton laughed aloud, Lynn Winslow knew she was in for it.

Because just as Ian Sterling turned to glare at his mother, he caught the lingering smile on Lynn’s face.

Nina Norton received a call from the family butler and had to leave before seeing the elders. Lynn Winslow walked her to her car, and just as she turned around, she bumped right into Ian Sterling’s chest.

With his hands in his pockets, Ian Sterling looked down at her, his expression unreadable.

Lynn Winslow jumped in surprise, then let out a little laugh. She stood on her tiptoes to pat Ian Sterling’s shoulder. ”Don’t be such a sore loser.”

”Alright, then.” A faint smile touched Ian Sterling’s lips as he turned and headed back toward the villa. Lynn Winslow felt he was being far too agreeable; ’He must be plotting something,’ she thought. But he acted so naturally that she had no idea what to be on guard for, and could only remain wary.

That afternoon, Chloe Clayton texted Lynn Winslow, inviting her to hang out at the Clayton family’s house. Ian Sterling wanted to tag along but was flatly rejected by Lynn.

”It’s a girls’ thing. Why would you tag along?” Lynn said, settling into the driver’s seat. Ian Sterling stood reluctantly outside the car door.

Lynn raised a hand to stroke his cheek, her expression and gesture a perfect imitation of a rogue seducing an innocent maiden. ”I’ll give you a chance,” she said flirtatiously. ”You can come pick me up later. Be good now. Go home and take care of our two boys.”

”...” Ian Sterling glared at her, looking utterly wronged. Lynn wiggled her fingers in a shooing motion, gesturing for him to step back. The moment he obediently took a few steps back, Lynn stomped on the gas. The car shot forward, leaving a frustrated Ian Sterling in the dust, annoyed that he hadn’t gotten his way.

Lynn glanced at him in the rearview mirror and chuckled.

Chloe Clayton had invited her to the Clayton residence without giving a reason, only insisting that she had to come, and that Flora Fairfax would be there too.

Upon arriving, Lynn Winslow frowned. The Clayton estate was far too quiet; this wasn’t Chloe Clayton and Flora Fairfax’s style at all.

Leaning against her car, Lynn pulled out her phone to call Chloe, but a cold voice suddenly sounded from behind her.

”Chloe’s in her room. I can take you inside.”

Lynn turned around. Liam Clayton was standing casually on the path beside the parking area, his eyes dark and profound.

”She’s home?” Something felt very wrong to Lynn. The hand holding her phone tightened, while her other hand hovered, ready to open the car door and get inside.

”She is.” Liam Clayton tilted his chin toward the villa, indicating for Lynn to look.

Lynn looked up and saw Chloe Clayton standing at a window, waving and shouting, ”Lynn! Hurry up! I’ve been waiting forever for you!”

Lynn let her guard down slightly, but she remained cautious. She gave Liam Clayton a nod and followed him toward the villa, her fingers surreptitiously tapping on her phone screen as it hung by her side.

When they reached Chloe’s room, Lynn saw that both she and Flora Fairfax were indeed there. Only then did she truly lower her defenses against Liam Clayton and stepped inside.

Liam Clayton stood at the doorway watching her back. He chuckled softly, then turned and walked away.

Lynn heard his chuckle and glanced back at him. As soon as he was gone, she closed the door and promptly locked it.

”You’re finally here! I’ve been waiting for ages.”

”What’s going on at your house? It’s a ghost town in here.”

Chloe sighed, and Flora Fairfax explained with a helpless look, ”Chloe has fallen for some guy, but her brother doesn’t approve, so he’s locked her in the house.”

”My brother sent all the staff away and surrounded the place with bodyguards to keep me from running off,” Chloe whined pitifully. ”What’s so bad about him? Why won’t my brother let me be with him?”

Lynn had assumed Chloe had fallen for a young master from some other prominent Quartos family, perhaps one the Claytons had issues with, which would explain Liam’s disapproval. She never expected Flora Fairfax to pipe up with, ”What’s so good about him? He’s an eighteenth-tier celebrity. He’s probably only with you for your status and connections, hoping you’ll get him some resources.”

”...” ’This is absurd,’ Lynn thought, slumping onto the sofa. Her head was starting to ache. She sighed. ”Who is he?”

Chloe remained motionless on the bed, her face a mask of dejection. Flora Fairfax pulled out her phone, searched for the guy’s profile, and handed it to Lynn.

Lynn stared at the face on the screen and blinked. Suddenly, her headache didn’t seem so bad.

Whatever his motives for pursuing Chloe were, that face was certainly enough to capture her heart. ’But,’ Lynn mused, ’to have a face like that and still be stuck as an eighteenth-tier nobody in showbiz... doesn’t that seem a little off?’ Not that she knew much about Veridia’s entertainment industry; it was just a personal observation.

”He’s definitely handsome. Why isn’t he famous?” Lynn asked, genuinely curious.

Chloe was about to speak when Flora Fairfax, who usually seemed so bubbly and cute, barked, ”You be quiet.”

Staring at the face on the phone, Flora Fairfax rolled her eyes dramatically. Her tone was sharp. ”He has zero emotional intelligence and can’t keep his mouth shut. He was on a variety show with a top star once. The star said something to maintain their public image, and this guy just called them out on the spot. That star was ridiculed online for ages because of it. Ever since then, they’ve been sabotaging him. Any time he gets a good opportunity, it gets snatched away.”

Lynn pressed her lips together, trying to stifle a laugh. But seeing Chloe’s innocent, wronged expression, she couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. Her laughter was clear and bright, and loud enough to be unmistakably mocking.

”Stop laughing, Lynn! Help me figure something out! How am I supposed to meet him? We have a date to see a movie this weekend.” Chloe scrambled off the bed and sat in front of Lynn, hugging her arm and pleading. ”It took me so long to win him over, and we were about to have a major breakthrough! I have no idea how my brother found out. He locked me up the very next day and even took my phone!”

”Then how did you message me?” Lynn asked, confused.

”My brother sat right next to me and watched me send it. The second you replied saying you’d come, he snatched my phone away again.” Chloe wailed. ”And the worst part is, while I was messaging you, *he* messaged me, asking why I wasn’t answering. I wanted to reply so badly, but my brother was watching me like a hawk!”

Lynn had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. She knew she shouldn’t be laughing when Chloe was so miserable, but she just couldn’t help it.

She was trembling from the effort of holding back her laughter. Leaning against her, Chloe felt the vibrations immediately. ”How can you be so gleeful about my misery?” she protested. ”Are you even my best friend?”

”No, no, I just find it...” For the first time, Lynn felt like she didn’t have the right words for the situation.