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“I just feel like I’m the one who indirectly caused this to happen.”

Zane Lancaster sighed helplessly, then said seriously, “It has nothing to do with you, and it has nothing to do with Ian Sterling either. So you don’t need to blame yourself, and you certainly don’t need to apologize to me on his behalf.”

“I…” Lynn Winslow bit her lip, saying with a mix of frustration and embarrassment, “I told you, I’m not apologizing on his behalf.”

Zane Lancaster snorted, turning his head to gaze at the countless liquor bottles on the table.

Lynn Winslow was about to say something more but was pulled away by a beautiful blonde, blue-eyed woman who had just walked over.

*

Ian Sterling had been silent ever since getting in the car. Edward wanted to strike up a conversation, but seeing Ian’s expression, he awkwardly shut his mouth.

Just as he swallowed the words he was about to say, Ian Sterling spoke up. “Where has Lynn Winslow been staying recently?”

“Miss Winslow used to live at Winslow Manor, but she recently moved to southshore.”

“Then let her stay there. I’ll stay at a hotel for now. You can make the arrangements.” After speaking, Ian Sterling turned his head to look out the window.

Edward nodded and casually pulled out a cigarette to light it. But as soon as he looked up, his eyes met Ian Sterling’s renewed gaze.

There wasn’t a ripple of emotion in his eyes, yet it sent a chill down Edward’s spine.

Edward forced a smile and tossed the cigarette onto the center console. ‘How is it that this young master of the Sterling Family has such a powerful presence?’ he thought. ‘He’s nothing like someone who was pampered and coddled his whole life.’

Ian Sterling sneered silently. ‘How could the eldest son of the Cruz family be such a coward?’

Edward parked the car outside the hotel and was about to escort Ian Sterling upstairs, but Ian flatly refused.

“You don’t have to see me up. Leave the car for me. You can go. Don’t come looking for me until the house is fixed.”

Edward froze, opening his mouth to say something, but Ian Sterling had already extended his hand, waiting for him to hand over the car keys.

“Alright then. If you need anything, Finn, just give me a call.”

Ian Sterling grunted in acknowledgment, took the keys, and walked into the elevator.

He was utterly exhausted. Upon learning that Lynn Winslow’s memories stopped right after their breakup, he found himself unable to accept the reality of it.

Back in his room, he leaned against the door, too drained of strength to even walk to the bedroom. He could only slide slowly to the floor.

Ian Sterling raised a hand to rub his forehead. A sourness pricked his nose, and tears began to fall, splashing onto the floor with a crisp sound.

He couldn’t talk himself out of it; wave after wave of constriction in his chest made it hard to even breathe.

Just as he was weeping silently, his phone began to ring. Ian Sterling wiped away his tears and stared at the phone’s screen through a blurry haze.

It was a call from Nina Norton. But his hands were slick with tears, and he couldn’t get the screen to unlock. This final frustration shattered his already frayed composure. Ian Sterling broke into audible sobs, crying until the call disconnected, only for it to start ringing again.

He wiped the tears from his hands with his shirt, answering the call between sobs.

The moment Nina Norton’s voice came through the phone, Ian Sterling couldn’t hold back his choked sobs.

“Son, what’s wrong?” Nina Norton’s tone was cautious.

Ian Sterling’s voice was thick with tears as he mumbled, “It’s nothing.”

Nina Norton sighed before she spoke. “I already heard from Jared. Son, don’t be anxious. Your connection with Lynn Winslow isn’t over. If you were given one chance, it doesn’t mean there won’t be a second. Keep trying, and stop crying.”

‘Ah, this youngest son of hers,’ she thought. ‘The older he gets, the more he cries. She’d lost count of how many times Ian Sterling had cried since he and Lynn Winslow broke up.’

Ian Sterling hummed in response, pushing himself up against the wall while still sobbing. He walked to the window and stared at the traffic flowing below.

Nina Norton had thought he wouldn’t want to talk anymore and was just about to find an excuse to hang up when she suddenly heard Ian Sterling say, “Mom, I’m scared.”

His panic was palpable, laid bare for her to see. A pang of pain shot through Nina Norton’s heart, and she almost burst into tears herself.

“Don’t be scared, don’t be scared. Mom, Dad, and your siblings are all here. If it really comes to that, Mom and Dad will go to Morelia and force a marriage, force Lynn Winslow to marry you.” She said with a trembling voice, “And if worse comes to worst, there’s still Jared Sterling. If all else fails, we’ll make him figure out a way to send you two back again. Then we’ll lock him up so he can’t cause any more trouble.”

Nina Norton knew her youngest son was on the verge of a complete breakdown. She had to deliberately try to cheer him up, even if it only helped a little.

It worked. Ian Sterling let out a small chuckle, exhaled, and wiped away his tears.

He suddenly remembered something and frowned. “Mom, can you do me a favor? I’ll give you an address, it’s a pet shop. I need you to go and ask the owner what their source is for competition-grade Maine Coon cats.” ⅇℯ𝚕.

Nina Norton agreed. Before hanging up, she reminded him, “Son, keep trying your best. Don’t be afraid. Mom and Dad will have your back no matter what.”

A slight smile touched the corners of Ian Sterling’s lips, and he gave a crisp “mhm” in response.

After hanging up, he felt a little better. He sat on the chaise lounge on the balcony, scrolling through the photos of them together and the chat logs he still had on his phone.

A thought inexplicably burrowed into his mind, one he couldn’t figure out for a long time.

‘If Lynn Winslow was being controlled when she broke up with him during that previous time, then why would she want to break up with him now, when there’s no device controlling her?’

‘She couldn’t have actually gotten sick of me, could she?’

Ian Sterling’s brow furrowed tightly as he called Nina Norton again.

Nina Norton picked up quickly. “What is it? Did you forget to say something?”

“Mom, where’s Jared Sterling?” As Ian Sterling thought of Jared Sterling, a ruthless glint appeared in his eyes.

“Your father has him locked up in the Sterling Family’s ancestral hall. He’s only given water and steamed buns every day, nothing else. Your dad also shut down his company.” Nina Norton sighed as she explained this. “I really don’t know what caused him to become like this. No matter how your father interrogates him, he can’t get a reason out of him. He—”

“Mom,” Ian Sterling interrupted her, pressing, “did he say anything about Lynn Winslow?”

Nina Norton thought hard for a moment, then shook her head. “No. He only mentioned using you two for an experiment. He didn’t say anything else.”

Ian Sterling lowered his gaze, his mind a chaotic mess. He mumbled another excuse and hung up the phone.

It was daytime in Veridia. Nina Norton was so worried about her son that she couldn’t bear to stay at home any longer. She instructed her driver to take her to the address Ian Sterling had sent.

The pet shop wasn’t busy. When an employee saw Nina Norton, dressed as a wealthy socialite, walk in, they hurried over.

“Hello, Madam. Are you looking to choose a cat or a dog? We have a very complete selection of breeds, most of them are competition-gr—”

Before they could finish, Nina Norton interrupted with a smile and a gentle voice, “Hello, is the owner of the shop in? I have something I’d like to discuss with him.”

The employee was a bit taken aback but quickly went to make a call.

The owner was nearby. Hearing from his employee that a wealthy lady had arrived at the shop wanting to speak with him—which could mean big business—he hurried back. When he saw the gentle and elegant Nina Norton sitting by the sofa, he was truly stunned.

He enjoyed watching financial news and was fairly familiar with the major prominent families of Veridia. The lady before him looked very familiar.