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“I asked my cousin. He said that before you came to Morelia, the Sterling Family locked up Jared Sterling.”

Ian Sterling’s heart skipped a beat. Under Lynn Winslow’s intense gaze, he struggled to remain calm. “It’s true,” he said. “He misbehaved and did a few things, so my dad had him locked up.”

“What things?” Lynn Winslow moved closer, staring intently into his eyes. “The Sterling Family never has internal disputes. I don’t need to tell you what the atmosphere is like among you all. You haven’t forgotten what you’ve told me, have you?”

Ian Sterling took a step back, averting his gaze. He pursed his lips. “There’s always a black sheep,” he said. “Besides, he was just put in confinement. Nothing else happened to him.”

“Is that so?” Seeing his guilty conscience, Lynn Winslow let out a soft laugh and finally relaxed her intense stare.

She turned and sat on the sofa, then gestured with her chin for Ian Sterling to sit as well.

Once Ian Sterling was seated, she asked softly, “All right. You can talk now.”

Ian Sterling, already bewildered by her barrage of questions, was slow to react. “Huh?” he managed.

Lynn Winslow sighed in resignation and asked again, “When you came to see me, the first time we met… what did you mean by what you said?”

Ian Sterling said, “Oh,” again, looking completely dazed. He was nothing like the man Lynn Winslow remembered.

“I just… I had a dream. And when I woke up, things weren’t like they were in the dream, so I was a little out of it.”

Lynn Winslow narrowed her eyes. “Then why did Kiki and Henghang both recognize you? It was clearly the first time you’d met.”

Ian Sterling pressed his lips together, unwilling to speak. ‘If I tell her and she accepts it, that’s fine. But what if she doesn’t? What if she thinks I’m crazy? What am I supposed to do then?’

Lynn Winslow stood and walked over to him, squatting before his knees. The serious expression on her face had vanished. She said softly, “Did you have a dream that I was always with you? And when you woke up, you realized it was just a drunken fantasy you had while you were in the hospital… is that why you came looking for me?”

A sudden calm washed over Ian Sterling. He nodded, his voice low. “Yes.”

“So, you didn’t come looking for me because you couldn’t forget me. You only came because the dream was so memorable.”

“No!” Ian Sterling was stunned. He rushed to explain, “How could you think that? I came looking for you because I love you, because I couldn’t forget you! It might be related to the dream, but how can you just dismiss my love for you?”

He was getting angry. Lynn Winslow watched him silently as he stood up and looked down at her, enunciating each word. “You don’t have to take me back right away, but you can’t think that of me.”

He bit his lip, then turned and strode away, leaving a stunned Lynn Winslow in his wake.

She slowly rose to her feet, staring blankly at his retreating figure until he disappeared from sight. Then, her secretary walked in.

“Mr. Winslow, was that…”

Lynn Winslow snapped out of it and shook her head. “Follow him,” she told her secretary. “Come back only after you’ve seen him return to where he’s staying.”

She was worried Ian Sterling would wander off in his anger. She also wanted to know whether, after storming out, he would go back to her place or to his hotel.

After her secretary left, Lynn Winslow went to her desk and sat down. She had just lit a cigarette when she remembered how bothered Ian Sterling had been by the smell of smoke. Her fingers paused for a moment before she stubbed the cigarette out.

She was frustrated with herself. She hadn’t actually meant to deny Ian Sterling’s feelings for her with what she’d said. It was just that sometimes, when you’re with someone you love, insecurities bubble up. In those twisted, awkward moments, you just want proof of their unique, unwavering devotion.

‘How melodramatic of me,’ Lynn Winslow thought with a sigh, but her eyes began to redden anyway.

*

Ian Sterling strode out of the skyscraper, turning to glance back at the imposing structure that reached for the clouds. An endless sense of being wronged washed over him. 𝖿𝖗ⅇℴ𝑚

He clenched his jaw, grinding the words out through his teeth.

“Cruel woman.”

He let out a few sobs, then hailed a cab. He stared stone-faced at the passing scenery, and when he arrived at his destination, he entered the hotel, his expression just as cold.

The secretary tailing him sighed inwardly upon seeing him enter the hotel.

He had been with Lynn Winslow ever since she took over Winslow Corp, so he had at least some understanding of the young heiress who had been doted on since childhood. Furthermore, Elder Winslow had previously summoned him for a thorough lesson on how to properly care for Lynn.

When Mr. Winslow had sent him to follow Ian Sterling, she was clearly hoping he would go to her residence. He never expected Ian would actually go back to his hotel.

He rubbed his forehead and turned the car around to report back, completely oblivious to the fact that just as his car was pulling away, Ian Sterling was walking right back out of the hotel.

Ian Sterling watched the car drive off and scoffed.

He’d known a car was tailing him ever since he got in the taxi. His bodyguard had asked if they should intercept it and had secretly snapped a photo of the driver to send to him.

‘Isn’t that Lynn Winslow’s secretary?’

He quickly put two and two together. Lynn was worried about him and probably wanted to know where he would go.

Ian Sterling hailed another cab and gave the address of Lynn Winslow’s villa community. As the car pulled away, he made a call to the group of people from earlier.

The crew must have still been nearby, because they arrived even before he did. After getting out of the car, Ian Sterling stood with his hands on his hips, watching them carefully move his things into the villa right next to Lynn’s.

Thankfully, there wasn’t too much stuff—just a few valuable items. They finished moving everything before the midday heat became unbearable.

Ian Sterling hired a few Filipina housekeepers to clean up, then sat on the sofa and checked the messages on his phone.

It was already the middle of the night in Veridia, but the night owls in his group chat were still awake, apparently out drinking at a bar.

[Such a shame. We opened some good bottles, but I guess it’s just us enjoying them.]

A shame for whom? For Ian Sterling, of course. Too bad he didn’t really drink anymore.

After the breakup, Ian Sterling had almost never missed one of their get-togethers, and he’d gone home dead drunk every single time. His constitution was impressive; he’d never have a hangover the next day and would be ready to go out again that night.

He crossed his legs and typed back: [Yeah, yeah, what a shame. I’ll just have to settle for holding my girl and looking on with envy.]

A bunch of people suddenly popped up in the chat, sending one eye-roll emoji after another. A few who hadn’t been in touch with Ian lately actually fell for it and asked: [You made up? That was fast. That’s Veridian speed for you.]

Jasper Jennings lazily posted a “hehe” emoji, then added: [Listen to him brag. I bet he can’t even get in the front door of her house.]

Ian Sterling gritted his teeth, immediately started a group call, and roared, “Who jinxes someone like that? What do you mean I can’t even get in her front door? You take that back right now, spit three times, and then apologize to me!”

Jasper Jennings couldn’t stop laughing. “Seriously? You want me to spit? You actually believe in that stuff?”

“I do,” Ian Sterling said solemnly. “Hurry up. Spit, spit, spit!”

“Fine, fine. *Ptui, ptui, ptui.* Happy now?”