In the evening, Shelley appeared at the dinner table with one side of her face swollen and red.
Her hair was let down, trying to cover it up, and she kept her head low, only slightly raising it when speaking, embodying the image of a virtuous woman.
Ian sat right next to her, and she didn’t even dare to breathe heavily.
As the dinner began, Zeke Lowell joined the table, but he didn’t look well, and the atmosphere among the Lowell Family was sowhat somber.
However, fortunately, nothing went wrong.
There was mostly small talk between the two families, without any hidden agendas, so they didn’t drink much either.
After the family dinner, Zeke Lowell and Sophia Lowell distanced themselves from the crowd, walking on the grass for a post-al stroll.
"Sophia, I’m sorry you all had to endure this." Zeke felt full of guilt.
He hadn’t slept well in the past few days; because of this matter, no one was doing well.
His heart was heavy with remorse.
"Grandpa, we don’t feel wronged at all," Sophia smiled, "actually, being able to reunite is already Mom’s greatest wish, everything else is just external possessions."
"If it were you, what would you do?"
"Actually, no matter what you do, you can’t satisfy everyone at the sa ti. No matter what decision you make, soone will feel it’s unfair, so why make the decision at all? Aunt and Uncle don’t like doing business, not to ntion Brother-in-law, and Mom doesn’t need it either."
Ultimately, it was only Shelley who was fighting and competing.
Sophia continued, "You’re about to retire, taking it easy sounds pretty good."
Zeke listened attentively, hanging on every word.
"You are just like your husband."
"Huh?" Sophia was startled, "He..."
"A few days ago, he ca to and gave an idea." Zeke smiled, "I was looking for you today to hear your opinion, but I didn’t expect you two were on the sa page, having equally matched artistry in speech."
Sophia felt her face heat up and didn’t respond to his comnt.
She didn’t expect Zane knew about this a few days ago, but he said nothing.
The listing of the company was already keeping him busy enough, and yet he found ti to help her handle these trivial matters.
Initially, Zeke felt a bit conflicted when Zane spoke to him, but then Ian casually brought it up as well.
Now, Sophia’s words made him more certain of the next steps.
Not far away, Shelley saw the two talking and laughing, feeling frantic and uneasy inside.
*
At night, they stayed over at the Sterling Family ho.
Ian had sothing to do and didn’t plan to stay, but hadn’t left yet.
Willow planned to stay at ho a few more days, and Shelley also remained.
In the rooftop garden, a group of won continued chatting together, while the n drank tea and discussed matters in the study.
Shelley found an excuse not to stay with them and returned to her room instead.
She changed into a sexy red nightgown, quietly waiting inside the door.
The n finished their discussion and dispersed after sitting for a while.
Shelley waited at the door until she almost dozed off.
But persistence paid off, and the door to Zane and Sophia’s room opened, left ajar.
Sophia and Willow hadn’t returned, so obviously it had to be Zane inside the room.
Her face flushed, and her hands clenched into fists, she hesitated over whether to proceed.
No man could escape her charms, or so she thought to herself.
Though she didn’t like Zane.
She stepped out of her room and headed towards Zane’s room, opened the slightly ajar door, and went in, turning off the light.
The May moonlight was quite bright, faintly revealing a man undressing in the suite’s living area.
Without thinking, she stepped forward and hugged the man’s waist from behind.
"Sterling..."
The man froze for a second.
Seeing the man not moving, Shelley raised her head slightly, took the shirt from his hands, placed it on the sofa, turned around to face the man, and stood on tiptoe to kiss him.
The man placed one finger on her forehead and pushed her away.
At that mont, the lights in the room were turned on.
Zane stood at the entrance, witnessing this scene.
Ian’s face was cold, filled with anger as he looked at Shelley, dressed in a sexy red slip.
Just monts earlier, Ian had spilled tea on his clothes while drinking and, not having planned to stay over, hadn’t brought a change of clothes, so he borrowed a set from Zane and ca to the room to change.
Unexpectedly, Shelley was in such a rush, a girl in her early twenties, doing sothing so shaless.
Trying to climb into another man’s bed, particularly a married one!
"You go out first." Ian told Zane at the door.
Zane said nothing, closing the door as he left.
Ian picked up a nearby clean set of clothes, casually putting them on.
"Bro, why are you here..." Shelley was terrified, her limbs trembling.
"I should be the one asking you that." Ian held back his temper, "Have you forgotten what I told you this afternoon?"
Ian tossed one of his suit jackets to her.
Shelley hunched her shoulders, putting on the jacket.
She felt utterly humiliated, her eyes turning red.
She was at a loss for words.
"Pack your things in the next couple of days, I’m sending you abroad for further studies." He said blandly.
"Bro, I don’t want to go..." Shelley’s voice was small, clearly frightened.
If Zane had been there tonight and sothing indescribable happened, maybe he would persuade Sophia to give up on the Lowell family business.
But she had never expected the person in the room to be her brother.
"With your behavior, you think Zane would look at you?" Ian buttoned up his shirt, sitting on the sofa, looking at his useless younger sister.
Ian, at thirty-five, was more than ten years older than her, with a gap as vast as The Yarro River between them. He used to adore his sister, but she was spoiled by the family, and he eventually couldn’t be bothered to care.
As long as she didn’t go overboard or stray onto the wrong path, he was too lazy to intervene.
"..." Shelley didn’t dare to make a sound.
"Zane isn’t the type of person you think he is. If you tried to get into his bed tonight, you wouldn’t see the light of tomorrow’s sun!"
Ian was not one to lie.
Shelley shivered at his words, tears streaming down her face.
How could she be so foolish?
"Did Tim Sawyer give you this idea?" Ian looked at her accusingly, scrutinizing her.
Shelley remained silent, which was as good as admitting it.
Ian knew it!
Tim Sawyer and Shelley had known each other for quite so ti.
"There’s no negotiation. Get back to your room, and you’ll head abroad in a few days," Ian finished, standing up, and before leaving, added, "With your current attitude, don’t even think of coming back this lifeti without a change!"
Shelley fell to her knees with a thud, grabbing Ian’s pant leg with her hand.
"Bro, give one more chance. I don’t want to go abroad. I have no objection to Grandpa’s shares; give them to them, just please don’t make leave..."
Ian pulled his leg back, speaking in a cold voice, "Grandpa’s shares never belonged to us in the first place. If he decides to give them to Mom and Aunt, you wouldn’t get a penny!"
Shelley wept bitterly.
Ian dragged her up, pulled her out of the room, and led her back to her own room.
"Shelley, even if Grandpa gave you all his shares, with your intellect, you’d squander it in less than half a year. You’d better focus earnestly on mastering your specialty. If you achieve sothing, I can still help you. But if you continue down this path, once Mom and Dad are old, no one will be there to back you up!"
This was said behind closed doors.
After saying this, Ian opened the door and left, shutting the door firmly behind him.
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