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Chapter 183: Chapter 183: Do You Want a Slap?

The message to Ian Sterling, which had been stuck sending, unexpectedly went through right as Lynn Winslow was leaving the Clayton family’s home.

Upon seeing the message, Ian Sterling immediately went downstairs, got in his car, and rushed toward the Clayton family’s house. He called Lynn Winslow on the way, and only felt relieved when she answered.

”What happened?”

Lynn didn’t tell him the whole story, just saying with a laugh, ”It was a false alarm. Chloe Clayton actually did something wrong, so her brother locked her up. He moved all the staff away because he was afraid she’d try to get help.”

Ian Sterling was in his car. His tight grip on the steering wheel finally loosened when he heard Lynn’s explanation, but his voice was still serious. ”Where are you? I’ll come get you.”

”I’m already on my way home, so you don’t need to pick me up. I’ll be back soon. Just wait for me at the house.”

Ian Sterling insisted on picking her up, but Lynn said with an amused laugh, ”If you come get me, what are you going to do with your car? Just park it on the side of the road? Don’t worry, I’ll be home really soon. Talk to you later.”

With that, she hung up. Her earlier bad mood had already improved considerably thanks to Ian.

Lynn started the car with a smile, heading toward Calyx Hall. As she turned onto the long road leading to the estate, she saw Ian Sterling standing by the roadside.

He was leaning against his car, lost in thought, his expression pensive.

Lynn pulled over, hopped out of her car, and ran into his arms, hugging him tightly. ”Why are you waiting for me out here?” she asked with a grin.

Ian chuckled. ”I’d already driven this far when we were on the phone, so I figured I might as well wait for you here instead of turning back.”

Lynn hummed in response. Ian picked her up, carried her to her car, and placed her in the passenger seat. He then walked around the front and slid into the driver’s seat. Lynn blinked at him. ”What about your car?”

”It’s not far. I’ll have the butler send someone to get it later.”

”Okay.” Lynn nodded and settled comfortably into her seat.

Back at Calyx Hall, the two elders were out and about again. Lynn asked after them, but the butler said they weren’t home, so she didn’t press the matter. After all, for the past several days, Mr. Powell had been taking Elder Winslow all over Quartos; they had nearly seen the whole city and didn’t need his granddaughter to chaperone them.

She went to her room and, remembering the number Chloe Clayton had given her, dialed it.

When the person on the other end picked up, Lynn got straight to the point. ”I’m a friend of Chloe Clayton’s. She asked me to tell you—”

”Tell me what?” the man on the other end scoffed, cutting her off. ”Is all this really necessary?” he said sarcastically. ”She’s sending multiple people to talk to me over a breakup? We only saw each other for a few days, not a few years. Did she really think I’d keep pestering her?”

Lynn frowned. ”What breakup?” ’And multiple people?’

He didn’t answer her question, saying only, ”Just tell her I’m not some shameless loser who can’t let go. I won’t keep bothering her, so she can relax.”

He hung up, leaving Lynn completely bewildered. Just then, Ian Sterling walked in, holding two Ragdoll cats in his arms. Noticing her odd expression, he asked.

”What’s wrong?”

Lynn didn’t want to share someone else’s private business, so she just shook her head and took Kiki and Koko from his arms.

Just then, the butler hurried upstairs. Their room door was open, so he stood in the doorway and knocked on the frame. His expression was grim. ”Sir, your car has been vandalized.”

Ian Sterling’s brow furrowed. ”By who?” he asked coldly.

That was the car his older brother had given him. Not only was Calyx Hall located in an affluent district, but anywhere it was parked, anyone with a lick of sense would know not to touch it. And if it were someone from one of Quartos’s prominent families, they would certainly have recognized it.

”It was some visiting relatives of the Thatcher family. A few of them are minors. They saw the car looked cool, so they climbed on it to play, and when they were done, they smashed it with rocks.”

Hearing this, Lynn laughed. ”Well, they’ve got good taste, going straight for the most expensive one.”

The butler suppressed a smile. There were plenty of luxury cars parked on that road, but the most expensive was Ian’s black supercar. With its wrap, decals, and custom spoiler, it was flashy and cool—the kind of thing that would naturally attract a young boy’s eye.

But that said, liking it was one thing; smashing it was another matter entirely.

Ian Sterling was furious, anger churning in his gut. If it had been any of the other cars in his garage, he wouldn’t have been this upset. But of course, they had to smash the one his brother had given him.

”Does the Thatcher family know?”

”I’ve already sent the bodyguards to the Thatcher residence with the boys.”

Ian put his hands on his hips and paced back and forth. ”We’ll wait for the Thatchers to come here,” he said coldly.

He might not be the most composed person, but he wouldn’t stoop to barging into their home with a group of people to smash the place up.

Lynn gently scratched the two Ragdolls’ chins, sneaking a smiling glance at Ian’s face from the corner of her eye.

She offered a word of comfort, ”It’s just a car; it can be fixed. Don’t get too worked up.”

”I know.” Ian pressed his lips together and threw himself onto the sofa with a sigh. ”But when my brother finds out, he’s going to accuse me of not taking care of it. I’ll never hear the end of it.”

Lynn picked up Kiki, walked over to Ian, and unceremoniously dropped the cat onto his stomach. Ian let out a yelp, which made Lynn giggle.

”Ow, that hurt.”

Lynn crouched by the sofa, grinning as she watched his pained yet amused expression.

Kiki, unaware it had been used as a furry projectile, settled comfortably on Ian’s stomach and began to groom itself. Koko, who adored his brother, followed suit and leaped onto Ian’s stomach as well.

Ian was still brooding and completely unprepared. He let out another yelp as Koko, who was nearly as big as Kiki, landed on him.

This time, his doting-fatherly feelings were gone, and so was his gloom. Ian sat up, scooped both cats off him, and dropped them onto the floor. ”You little rascals,” he stood up and declared, ”you’re ganging up on me too!”

Still crouching on the floor, Lynn heard his pitiful complaint and threw her head back with a loud laugh. Forgetting her position, she laughed so hard that she lost her balance and tumbled backward onto the floor.

It wasn’t a hard fall, but for someone like Lynn, who had delicate skin and a low tolerance for pain, it still stung.

Ian jumped, startled. Once he realized what had happened, he held back a laugh and reached out to help her up.

”Ow...” Lynn rubbed the sore spot, pouting. ”That’s definitely going to bruise.”

Even though his car had been vandalized, Ian was still in the mood to tease her.

”Should I rub it for you?”

”???” Lynn raised a hand and unceremoniously pushed his face away. ”Get lost. Behave yourself.”

Ian pouted. ”Why do I have to behave when I’m with you?”

Lynn narrowed her eyes and enunciated each word clearly, ”You don’t want to behave? Then how about a slap instead?”

”No, thank you.” Ian shook his head frantically and let go of her hand. He was just about to change the subject when the butler’s knock saved his life.

”Sir, the Thatcher family’s matriarch is here.”

Ian turned to look at the butler, who continued, ”And Miss Thatcher is with her.”