You're not leaving this time.

[Duh, who else would I have a baby with?]

Zachary Quincy replied perfunctorily: [Yeah, yeah, yeah. May you live a long and happy life together and have a baby soon.]

He was really too tired to type, so he held down the voice message button and said lazily, “Anything else? If not, I’m going to sleep.”

Afraid he would actually fall asleep, Ian Sterling called him back.

Worried Lynn Winslow upstairs might hear, he lowered his voice and asked, “How are things between you and Esther Abbott?”

“What do you mean, ‘how are things between me and Esther Abbott’?” Zachary Quincy frowned, not quite understanding. He asked in confusion, “I don’t even talk to Esther Abbott.”

Ian Sterling was stunned for a moment. Zachary Quincy asked, “Why do you ask?”

Ian Sterling snapped out of it and said coolly, “It’s nothing.” He narrowed his eyes and added casually, “Go on and sleep.”

He hung up, clutching his phone so tightly he wanted to go back and beat Jared Sterling to death.

In his memory, Zachary Quincy was in love with Esther Abbott, but in reality, that wasn’t the case at all.

‘What does that mean? It means my memories have been tampered with. And Lynn Winslow’s reason for breaking up with me out of the blue… was that Jared Sterling’s doing too? After all, we were fine the day before we broke up. Lynn even said she wanted to go to Faeland with me.’

Ian Sterling shot to his feet. He had to know the truth. At the very least, he didn’t want to be flying blind while trying to win Lynn Winslow back.

He strode upstairs and knocked on the door to Lynn Winslow’s study.

“Come in.”

Ian Sterling pushed the door open and walked in. Lynn Winslow looked at him, a little confused. Ian Sterling said, “I have to go back to Veridia, but I won’t be gone long. I should be back in a few days. After I get back, I’ll explain everything that happened before, okay?”

Lynn Winslow was quiet for a moment. Ian Sterling walked right up to her, bent down, and hugged her. “Lynn,” he said softly, “I know you’re a bit confused right now. I am too. I promise I’ll come back to you with the truth. When I do, please think seriously about whether you want to get back together with me, okay?”

Lynn Winslow raised her hands, wrapped them around his waist in return, and nodded. “Okay.”

Her response made Ian Sterling’s eyes redden. He lowered his head, resting his eyes against Lynn Winslow’s shoulder, and said in a muffled voice, “Wait for me.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t be mad at me for leaving.”

“Okay.”

“And don’t spend too much time with Zane Lancaster!”

“…We’re usually too busy to see each other anyway.”

“Promise me!”

“Okay,” Lynn Winslow sighed helplessly. If she didn’t agree, he would pester her endlessly.

Ian Sterling was finally relieved. He reluctantly let go of Lynn Winslow, but before leaving, he couldn’t resist stealing a kiss on her lips.

It was a hard kiss. Lynn Winslow was caught completely off guard, and his teeth scraped her lip, drawing a bead of blood.

“You—”

Terrified, Ian Sterling quickly made his escape, afraid Lynn Winslow would get angry and lose her temper.

He fled with hurried steps. Lynn Winslow grabbed a tissue and pressed it to her lips, suppressing a smile as she watched his retreating back. She didn’t say anything else, just, “Be safe.”

She didn’t know if Ian Sterling would face any danger by going back, but Lynn Winslow gave him the warning anyway.

Ian Sterling stopped abruptly and turned back to look at Lynn Winslow. “I will,” he said seriously. “And you have to keep your promise. Wait for me.”

Lynn Winslow smiled lightly and nodded.

She saw him to the door, watched him get in the car, and then watched the car drive away. Lynn Winslow’s shoulders slumped a little. Kiki and Henny squatted by her feet, meowing incessantly.

“He’s gone now. Meowing won’t help.”

The two cats rubbed against her leg, their big eyes staring up at Lynn Winslow as if asking why Ian Sterling had left again.

Lynn Winslow sighed, squatting down to stroke their heads. “He’ll be back soon,” she said earnestly. “But you two, why do you like him so much?”

She pretended to be annoyed. “I’ve been taking care of you for so long, but I’ve never seen you be this affectionate with me.”

Kiki and Henny were about the same size now and looked very similar. They sat on the floor flicking their tails as if they were carbon copies of each other, looking completely innocent.

Lynn Winslow huffed softly, stood up, and went back into the living room. She opened a can of food for the two of them and stood to the side, spacing out as she watched them eat.

It had only been two days, but she’d already gotten used to having Ian Sterling around. Now, faced with the enormous villa, she found it felt empty.

Just then, someone suddenly rang the doorbell.

Lynn Winslow spun around, suppressing her delight as she walked to the door. When she opened it, she found a man in a work uniform standing there. He asked, “Hello, miss. I was called by Mr. Sterling next door to repair his air conditioner, but it seems he’s not home. I called him, and he said you know the code to his house and that I should come find you.”

Lynn Winslow frowned. “One moment.”

She turned to find her phone. Just as she was about to call Ian Sterling, she saw a text message from him.

Just five words—The password is your birthday.

Lynn Winslow bit her lip and had no choice but to lead the repairman next door and unlock the door.

Two bodyguards appeared by her side. Lynn Winslow found them somewhat familiar. The two men nodded at her and explained, “Miss Winslow, we’re Finn’s bodyguards.”

“Didn’t he leave? Why are you still here?”

“Finn was worried your own bodyguards couldn’t guarantee your safety, so he had us stay behind.”

The bodyguards who had been following Lynn Winslow heard this, and their faces instantly turned cold.

‘What’s that supposed to mean? “Couldn’t guarantee your safety”? Is he looking down on us?’

In truth, that wasn’t what Ian Sterling was thinking. He just kept dreaming of the moment Lynn Winslow was abducted. The memory of her careless bodyguards letting Esther Abbott take her away always made his heart pound with anxiety, so he’d simply left these two men behind.

Master Sterling had hired these two men years ago, back when he was still alive, specifically for his most beloved grandson. Their skills were impeccable, and they were very obedient, but they were a bit too direct when they spoke and didn’t understand Chinese.

Lynn Winslow understood. She nodded to show she got it, and the bodyguard continued, “It’s hot out. You should go back and rest. We’ll watch over things here.”

“Alright.”

Lynn Winslow didn’t want to suffer in the heat either. Just as she was about to turn and leave, she caught a glimpse of the living room at the end of the entryway. An entire wall was covered with photos of her.

Her eyes widened. She slowly walked inside, staring at the wall in shock.

It wasn’t just the wall. The corners of the room, the coffee table, the long console table—her photos were everywhere. And they weren’t just from when they were still together; many were candids taken after they had broken up.

She never knew that Ian Sterling had secretly taken so many photos after their breakup…

Seeing her eyes turn red, the bodyguard explained in a low voice, “Finn has actually traveled back and forth to Morelia many times these past few months, just to see you.”

Lynn Winslow raised a trembling hand and placed it on a few of their photos together, muttering, “Idiot.”

Tears were about to fall. Lynn Winslow quickly rubbed her eyes, bit her lip, and said in a choked voice, “You guys watch over things here. I’m going back.”

“Okay.”

Despite the short distance, one of them still followed behind Lynn Winslow until she was back in her own house with the door closed.