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Chapter 193: Chapter 193: Pure Hate Couple?

Lynn Winslow said solemnly, ”Then he’ll never be better than you!”

”Why not? If we look exactly the same, who knows if you’ll even be able to tell us apart.”

Lynn Winslow stood on her tiptoes and cupped Ian Sterling’s face, smiling brightly. ”Even if you look the same, so many other things would be different. For example, the way you look at me, and every tiny mole on your body—I remember them all perfectly.”

”See how much I love you? Enough to remember every little detail.” Lynn Winslow’s lips curved as she left a kiss on the corner of Ian Sterling’s mouth.

Aiden Powell, who had been standing behind them full of curiosity, let out a little ”Yikes!” when he saw them kissing, then turned and ran.

Lynn Winslow watched his retreating figure and chuckled.

Ian Sterling glanced back as well, then lowered his head to continue nibbling on Lynn Winslow’s lips.

He said hoarsely, ”You’d better keep your word. Love me properly, and try to bully me a little less from now on.”

’Did she not know him by now? If she actually stopped teasing him, he’d get restless and ask for it. But for now, Lynn Winslow was willing to humor him.’

”Alright, I won’t tease you anymore.” She said that every day, countless times, but she never actually changed.

Ian Sterling rolled his eyes and planted a hard kiss on Lynn Winslow’s forehead. The force of it made her jerk her head back, almost snapping her neck.

”Ow.” Lynn Winslow rubbed her neck and glared at Ian Sterling. ”Are you trying to kill me?”

Ian Sterling raised an eyebrow. ”You caught me.”

Lynn Winslow reached out to smack him, but Ian Sterling dodged backward, turned, and ran. She chased after him, leaped onto his back, and pretended to choke him.

”Well now, what’s all this? A lover’s quarrel?”

A teasing voice suddenly cut in from the side. They both turned to see it was Zane Lancaster.

”What are you doing here again?” Ian Sterling didn’t put Lynn Winslow down, staring coldly at Zane Lancaster, displeasure written all over his face.

Zane Lancaster crossed his arms and chuckled. ”You’re not happy to see me?” he retorted.

”...”

”Weren’t you just calling me your brother-in-law? And now you’re pretending you don’t know me?”

”...”

Lynn Winslow patted Ian Sterling’s shoulder, signaling for him to put her down. Ian Sterling pursed his lips but squatted slightly, setting her gently on the ground. Once she was steady, she took his hand and gave his palm a little squeeze to placate him.

Although Zane Lancaster was slowly starting to move on, seeing their small, intimate gestures still caused a pang in his chest. He averted his gaze and said coolly, ”I’m going to Griermount with you.”

”What?! Why!” Ian Sterling was clearly upset, his voice rising in volume.

Zane Lancaster shot him a look. ”I’m going to visit the school I funded. I already asked Mr. Winslow and Mr. Powell, and they said you two would be going there as well.”

”Can’t you go by yourself?”

Hearing this, Lynn Winslow tugged on Ian Sterling’s hand and whispered, ”Don’t be so petty.”

’How could he not be petty?!’ Ian Sterling was seething.

Lynn Winslow smiled at Zane Lancaster and said, ”He’s just kidding. Are your things packed?”

Zane Lancaster, clearly unhappy, just grunted in response. Ignoring them, he turned and walked out of the villa into the yard to find Mr. Powell and Mr. Winslow. Lynn Winslow froze for a second, then pursed her lips, her mood plummeting.

’It seemed she was failing to manage the relationship between them, a thought she found hard to accept.’

Ian Sterling, standing beside her, glanced over and read her expression perfectly. After a moment’s hesitation, he said, ”Fine, I won’t fight with him. Just don’t be sad.”

Lynn Winslow’s head snapped up, her beautiful eyes glistening. Ian Sterling reached out and touched the spot on her forehead he had just kissed. ”I won’t fight with him,” he said softly. ”As long as he doesn’t provoke me on purpose, I’ll do my best to keep the peace. Alright?”

”Thank you.”

”Oh, come on. I’d rather you hit me a few times than be so polite.”

Ian Sterling looked visibly uncomfortable. He truly hated it when Lynn Winslow was polite with him; it made him feel like they were distant strangers.

Lynn Winslow raised her hand and slapped him on the back, so hard her palm went numb. ”How’s that for impolite?” she asked through gritted teeth.

Ian Sterling winced, rubbing his back. ”Okay, that’s a little *too* impolite,” he muttered.

Lynn Winslow was already walking away. Pausing at the doorway, she glanced back at him and raised an eyebrow. ”Every time I try to be serious with you, you’re just asking for a smack. You only seem happy after I hit you. You have a thing for that, don’t you?”

”I do. So what are you going to do about it? You gonna satisfy me?” Ian Sterling said, slowly walking toward her. Before she could react, he suddenly lunged forward, grabbed her, and hoisted her over his shoulder in one smooth motion, then started striding upstairs.

Lynn Winslow struggled, yelling, ”What are you doing! You change your tune so fast! A second ago you were being all sweet, and now this.”

”Me changing my tune? I’m not as fast as you. You hit me the second you said you would, right after promising you’d stop teasing me.” As he spoke, he gave her a light pat on the rear, followed by a mischievous squeeze.

Lynn Winslow’s eyes flew wide at his action. ”You... you pervert!” she sputtered, a mix of embarrassment and anger.

”Yep, yep, that’s me.”

He was thick-skinned, anyway; he didn’t mind one more label.

Lynn Winslow kicked her legs and pounded on his shoulder, yelling, ”When did I promise not to tease you? You were just talking to yourself! Let me go! What if my grandpa and Mr. Powell see us? And there’s a child in the house!”

Ian Sterling just said, ”Oh?” His hand on her moved mischievously again. With just a single touch, Lynn’s arms and legs went weak. She let out a little whimper and collapsed obediently against his shoulder.

Her voice was small and soft as she purred, ”Asshole.”

A smile flashed in Ian Sterling’s eyes as he opened their bedroom door and tossed Lynn Winslow onto the bed.

He hadn’t actually planned on doing anything; he’d teased her more than enough last night and just wanted to give her a little scare. He hadn’t expected this reaction, though, and now he felt it would be a shame not to do *something*.

He only used his hands.

But that was enough to leave Lynn Winslow teary-eyed and begging for mercy. In the end, she was left leaning against the headboard, sobbing as she cursed, ”I want to sleep in a separate room!”

”In your dreams.” Ian Sterling stood to the side, wiping his hands with a smirk. ”Daydreaming in broad daylight.”

That only made Lynn Winslow angrier. ”So you *do* know it’s broad daylight.”

”I know. But I’m shameless. What can you do?”

Lynn Winslow was too angry to speak. She snatched her clothes from where they’d been tossed, pulled them on, and on her way out, she pinched the flesh on Ian Sterling’s waist. Hearing him hiss in pain, her anger finally dissipated.

Her anger came and went quickly, and the one who caused it was the one to resolve it.

As she was heading downstairs, Lynn Winslow got a call from Ethan Powell.

”I’m having someone drop off Aiden Powell’s homework at your place. Could you make sure he does it? If he doesn’t listen to you, get Ian Sterling to watch him. He’s scarier when he’s stone-faced and should be able to intimidate Aiden.”