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Chapter 207: Chapter 207: Baby, You’re So Good

”How is it any different?” Zane Lancaster retorted with a smile. ”Aren’t we both just coveting someone we can’t have?”

Joel Winslow had no desire to argue with him and turned back toward the hotel.

*

After the proposal, most of the guests, who had jobs to get back to, stayed for one night before flying back to Quartos. Mr. Powell and Elder Winslow had also had their fill of the place and left with them. The only ones who remained were the leisurely Nina Norton and, by extension, Samuel Shaw. They stayed and had fun for another week before they, too, headed home.

The moment Lynn Winslow returned to Calyx Hall, the first thing she did was go hug Kiki and Huhu.

”Oh, did you miss Mommy?”

As soon as she scooped them up, the purring Kiki and Huhu began rubbing their heads against her nonstop. Ian Sterling stood off to the side, sipping his coffee and leisurely watching their display of ”mother-child affection.”

He lowered his gaze in thought for a moment before taking the initiative to ask, ”When do you want to get engaged?”

Lynn Winslow let out a confused ”Hmm?” before saying, ”There’s no rush, is there?”

Ian Sterling set his cup on the table, walked over to Lynn, and took both Kiki and Huhu out of her arms before wrapping her in a hug himself.

He wheedled, ”Can we just have the engagement party first, please? The wedding doesn’t have to be right away.”

”Why?” Lynn blinked, reaching up to pinch Ian’s cheeks. She couldn’t help but chuckle as his words became muffled by her grip.

”I want everyone—not just the people closest to us—to know that we’re engaged and that we’re never going to be apart,” Ian said, tightening his arms and squeezing Lynn in his embrace. ”Can we do that?”

Lynn narrowed her eyes, feigning hesitation. The moment Ian saw this, he lost all patience and started shaking her by the waist, rocking her so hard her vision blurred.

”Okay, okay, fine! Yes!” Lynn patted his chest, signaling for him to stop.

Having secured her promise, Ian finally let her go, planted a kiss on the corner of her lips, and trotted upstairs.

’I don’t even have to guess. He’s either going to brag to someone or call the Sterling family.’

Lynn watched him go, her own reaction surprisingly mild. Perhaps it was because everyone around her, from her parents to her friends, seemed so happy in their marriages, which left her with no aversion to the idea.

’Then again, it probably has to do with who you’re marrying,’ she thought. Lynn flopped onto the sofa and stared upstairs for a while. In the end, her curiosity got the better of her, and she got up and headed upstairs herself.

Ian was in the study, looking incredibly busy in front of his computer.

Lynn poked her head in for a look, then went back to her room to take a shower. After changing into a nightgown, she padded barefoot across the carpet and slowly entered the study.

The villa was always kept at a constant, warm temperature, so it wasn’t cold even if you were wearing very little.

Ian heard her approaching and looked up at Lynn. His pupils contracted sharply at the sight of her, and his Adam’s apple bobbed a few times.

”You...” ℯ

Lynn walked right up to him and draped an arm over his shoulder. She leaned in to give him a quick kiss before settling onto his lap. Her light, warm breaths ghosted across his neck, making the skin flush.

”What are you so busy with?”

For the first time, Ian seemed genuinely shy, and his words came out haltingly.

”I-I was telling... them... about the, um, the engagement party arrangements...” Before Ian could finish, a slender finger pressed against his lips. The woman in his arms shifted, and every muscle in his body tensed.

Lynn placed her hands flat against his stomach in feigned surprise, her eyes wide. ”When did your abs get so—”

Ian buried his face in the crook of her neck as if begging for mercy, his senses filled with her scent.

”Please, don’t say any more.”

Lynn couldn’t hold back her laughter, her whole body trembling with mirth.

The price for her deliberate teasing was an afternoon that stretched from noon until dusk.

Lynn wanted to cry but had no tears left. He held her tightly until the sky grew dark and lost all light.

After they finished, Lynn wished she could hide far, far away from Ian. She lay there with her eyes closed, looking deceptively serene.

’Marriage isn’t without its downsides,’ she thought. ’When Ian decides to ”bully” me, he’ll be even more unrestrained than he is now.’

’I only just accepted his proposal! We’ve only just agreed to hold an engagement party—nothing’s even finalized yet, and he’s already ”bullying” me like this.’

Lynn lifted her leg and gave Ian a kick. He opened his eyes in a daze and looked at her. Seeing her wince in pain from the movement, he just chuckled and scooted closer to hug her.

”There, there. I won’t do it again. Don’t be mad.”

Lynn gritted her teeth. ”Like hell I believe you, you bastard.”

”Shh, be good. We can talk about it after you’ve slept,” Ian said with his eyes closed, patting her gently. He added with a grin, ”You can settle the score with me tomorrow, okay?”

Lynn was sleepy too, her mind a complete fog, so she just leaned against Ian and drifted off.

They slept until the middle of the night, got up for a quick bite to eat, then went right back to sleep until the next morning.

Lynn was yawning as she came downstairs, but her eyes flew wide in surprise when she saw who was in the living room.

”Mrs. Sterling!!!”

Mrs. Sterling turned and hurried forward to catch Lynn as she threw herself into her arms. ”Oh, I’ve missed you so much,” she sighed.

”Mrs. Sterling, what are you doing back here?”

”There wasn’t much for me to do back there. I kept the Madam company for a few days, but I missed you terribly, so I came back. I was originally going to head to Amberly Bay, but as soon as I landed, Finn called me. He arranged for a driver to pick me up and bring me here.”

She smiled and reached up to smooth a stray strand of Lynn’s hair, studying her face. ”You’ve filled out a little,” she said, pleasantly surprised. ”You look much healthier than before.”

Ian was coming down the stairs just in time to hear this. He shot Lynn a meaningful glance, earning a fierce glare in return.

There was nothing innocent about that look, and Lynn knew exactly what he was implying.

Mrs. Sterling ignored the suggestive atmosphere between the two of them and stood up. ”I’ll go make you both some breakfast.”

Lynn agreed and followed Mrs. Sterling into the kitchen. As she passed Ian, she lifted her leg to give him a swift kick. But the motion pulled a sore muscle, making her grimace in pain. Afraid Mrs. Sterling would see, she could only suffer in silence.

Standing behind them, Ian saw her reaction clear as day. He ducked his head to stifle a laugh, which earned him another furious glare from Lynn.

He put a finger to his lips and made a zipping motion. Lynn couldn’t be bothered with him anymore.

In the kitchen, Mrs. Sterling glanced over at Lynn as she cooked some noodles. ”I heard Finn proposed to you,” she asked gently.

Lynn pursed her lips and gave a shy nod. She started poking at some ingredients laid out on the counter, only to have Mrs. Sterling gently slap her hand away with a look of mock disapproval.

”The Madam sent me a video of the proposal. Even I was moved, and I’m just an outsider,” Mrs. Sterling said with a small smile, her tone tinged with regret. ”If I hadn’t been tied up those couple of days, I definitely would have come with the Master and Madam.”

Lynn went and linked her arm through Mrs. Sterling’s. ”It’s okay,” she said softly. ”There’s still the engagement party and the wedding. You have to be there for those.”

Mrs. Sterling was different from everyone else. She was not just a housekeeper, but also the woman who had been like a mother to Lynn as she was growing up.