"What secret could there be? Don’t overthink it."
"Your Uncle Sterling’s condition has been stable for the past six months. As long as he takes his dication properly, he won’t have an episode. There’s nothing to worry about."
"Okay, okay, I’m completely ssing up this good hand. We’ll talk when you get back."
After saying her piece, Mindy Vaughn hurriedly hung up the phone.
Alice York listened to the dial tone, lost in thought. ’My mother doesn’t know, but Uncle Sterling knows, and Old Master Sterling knows too... so, does Wyatt Sterling know?’
But what on earth were they hiding from her?
"Alice!"
Suddenly hearing Owen Sterling’s voice, Alice York froze for a mont, thinking she had misheard.
But soon she heard the voice call her again. She turned around and saw Owen Sterling walking toward her.
"Owen," Alice York said, a smile blooming on her face. But when she saw the man and woman not far behind him, her smile wilted.
"Sorry I’m late. You were left to handle this all by yourself." Owen Sterling looked weary from his journey, his face and tone full of guilt.
Alice York shook her head. "You’re not late."
"I heard Second Uncle cried until he passed out. How is he now?" Owen asked.
Alice York explained the situation to Owen Sterling. After hearing her out, his expression relaxed a bit. "As long as it wasn’t an episode, that’s good. When I got the call on the way here, I was terrified. I was so afraid he’d have an episode and hurt you."
A warmth spread through Alice York’s chest. "He’s fine for now. We’re just waiting for Uncle Sterling to wake up."
"Alice."
It was lody Lancaster’s voice.
She and Wyatt Sterling had co over.
Alice York looked up at them, her lips curving in a token smile. "Miss Lancaster is here too."
"Yes, Wyatt insisted on bringing along." Perhaps mindful of the somber occasion, lody Lancaster was neither leaning on nor holding Wyatt Sterling’s arm, but simply standing beside him.
Wyatt Sterling’s cool gaze fell on Alice York. "Are you okay?"
Alice York faltered. ’Is Wyatt Sterling asking about ? No, I’m overthinking it. He must be asking about Silas Sterling.’
"Uncle Sterling is fine. He should be waking up in a little while." Her expression was impeccable. She even stepped aside to make way for them. "Third Uncle, would you like to go in and see him?"
Wyatt Sterling withdrew his gaze and said flatly, "We’ll see after he wakes up."
Alice York didn’t reply.
Instead, Owen Sterling’s gaze fell on the door behind Alice York, and he suggested, "Alice, co inside with ."
"Okay," Alice York agreed.
Inside the room, Silas Sterling was still unconscious, showing no signs of waking.
Owen Sterling tucked the blanket around him. Alice heard him sigh. "Old Mrs. Churchill hates Grandfather for what he did to her daughter back then, so she’s never had any contact with the Sterlings. Second Uncle inherited that illness, and Grandfather, concerned for his health, rarely let him co to Washington. That’s why he and his grandmother haven’t seen each other in so many years. Second Uncle must have been devastated, which is why he cried until he passed out."
Alice York said nothing. She had no comnt on the romantic indiscretions of Old Master Sterling’s youth.
Owen Sterling turned to Alice York and said, "I know Third Uncle seems cold, but he was actually very worried on the way here after hearing Second Uncle had collapsed. He told the driver to speed up several tis. If I hadn’t been the voice of reason and stopped him, Third Uncle would have had the driver run a red light."
’Is that so?’
’He was worried about Silas Sterling?’
Alice York smiled. "They’re brothers, after all."
"Yeah." Owen Sterling lowered his gaze to look at her. "I was worried about you, too. It is your first ti at the Churchill house, after all."
Alice York looked up, her expression softening. It was truly comforting to be cared for by family.
She opened her mouth to say sothing, but a man’s cold, deep voice reminded them from outside the door, "It’s ti for the morial service."
Alice York turned her head.
She had only intended to glance casually toward the door, but the mont her eyes t Wyatt Sterling’s, her breath caught.
There was anger in his eyes.
"We’ll be right there." Owen Sterling’s attention was focused on Alice York, so he didn’t notice the look on Wyatt Sterling’s face.
Before he left, he instructed Alice York, "There are a lot of people at the Churchill house today. Just wait here for us to co back. Don’t wander off."
Alice York’s eyes curved into a beautiful arc. "I’ll wait for Uncle Sterling to wake up. I won’t wander off."
"Then I’ll head over with Third Uncle."
It was clear Owen Sterling was still worried about Alice York, as if he wouldn’t be at ease unless he could keep her by his side.
Alice York walked him to the door. Her gaze seed to accidentally et the cold eyes of Wyatt Sterling, who was standing to the side, and she imdiately looked away.
’Why is he so fierce!’
’I didn’t even do anything.’
Silas Sterling woke up in the afternoon. Old Mr. Churchill ca to see him, as did his uncle and Kyle Churchill.
Old Mr. Churchill didn’t recognize Alice York, so Kyle Churchill explained her identity: "She’s the adopted daughter of Silas, my father’s cousin."
Old Mr. Churchill’s gaze was reasonably friendly. "You look to be about the sa age as our Kyle. You two should get along well."
Alice York felt uncomfortable hearing this. She had a feeling Old Mr. Churchill was implying sothing.
It was just like the feeling Kyle Churchill gave her—an indescribable sense of unease.
Old Mr. Churchill said to Kyle Churchill, who was beside him, "It’s Miss York’s first ti visiting the Churchill family. Be a good host. Don’t let her feel that we’ve neglected her."
Kyle Churchill chuckled. "Now isn’t a good ti. I can show Miss York around our family’s estate later."
Old Mr. Churchill nodded. "That would be good."
Their back-and-forth conversation essentially scheduled Alice York’s ti for her, which made her very uncomfortable. She spoke up at the right mont: "I’m sorry, but it’s not convenient for us to stay the night."
"Why isn’t it convenient?" Though Old Mr. Churchill’s expression looked gentle, his gaze was sharp and imposing.
Poised, Alice York directly used Wyatt Sterling as a shield. "Third Uncle said so."
Old Mr. Churchill suddenly laughed. "Then it seems you haven’t seen your Third Uncle yet. I just extended an invitation, and he has already agreed to stay the night."
The color drained from Alice York’s face.
’Wyatt Sterling already agreed to stay at the Churchill’s tonight?’
After leaving the room, Alice York was completely distracted. Owen Sterling was walking toward her, and she was so lost in thought that she almost ran into him.
"Alice, be careful." Owen Sterling steadied her by the wrist.
Alice York snapped back to her senses. "Owen."
Owen Sterling saw that sothing was wrong and imdiately asked, "You look so pale. Did sothing happen?"
"No." Alice York shook her head, then asked, "Are we staying at the Churchill house tonight?"
Seeing Alice York’s pale face, Owen Sterling had thought sothing serious had happened. When he heard her question, his expression relaxed. "Oh, I thought it was sothing major. So that’s what’s bothering you. Yes, that’s right. We are indeed staying at the Churchill house tonight."
A sense of unease had been nagging at Alice York.
Now that Owen Sterling had confird they were staying at the Churchill house, she felt a strong sense of resistance.
"Can we not stay the night?" she asked.
"I’m afraid not. Third Uncle has already agreed." Owen Sterling noticed the anxiety in Alice York’s expression. He placed his hands on her shoulders and asked in a low voice, "Did soone from the Churchill family give you a hard ti?"
"No," Alice York shook her head.
’It would almost be better if they had given a hard ti. Instead, they’re just... strange.’
"Tell where Third Uncle is. I want to go find him."
’Since Wyatt Sterling was the one who agreed, maybe if I go and plead with him, he might change his mind about staying here tonight...’
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