On the Day I Was Kicked Out of the Wealthy Family, I Had a Flash Marriage with a Tycoon

Chapter 204: Why Care About Her?

「In the elevator.」

Jean Kensington’s eyes darted playfully, a mischievous smile touching her lips.

Even though she knew Tristan Sinclair couldn’t possibly be interested in Esther Sterling, she still asked deliberately, "President Sinclair, have your affections shifted... or have you just grown tired of her?"

Tristan Sinclair’s brow furrowed, a clear look of disdain flashing in his eyes. He glanced sideways at her. "What? Curious about my love life?"

"I am a bit curious. After all, there have been rumors about you and that woman for a while."

Tristan Sinclair scoffed, his voice laced with a hint of chill. "Then I take it you haven’t heard that the people who spread those rumors have already been run out of Crestfall?"

"..."

Jean Kensington immediately shut her mouth.

When they reached the top floor, the elevator doors opened and the two of them stepped out.

Jean Kensington suddenly stopped in her tracks. ’Why am I following Tristan Sinclair to the executive office?’

Noticing she hadn’t followed, Tristan Sinclair stopped and looked back at her. "What are you standing there in a daze for?"

"That’s not it." Jean Kensington looked bewildered. "What am I doing here?"

Tristan Sinclair replied, "Go to my office. Wait for Dean Lynch to come get you."

Jean Kensington froze for a moment, then looked at him and said seriously, "President Sinclair, I’m an adult now..."

’I’m not that underage little girl anymore. I don’t need a guardian to pick me up.’

Tristan Sinclair replied with a straight face, "I’m not senile. I know you’re an adult."

"..."

"Are you going to walk?"

Jean Kensington glanced at him, then toward the office, and said, "President Sinclair, I really appreciate your help from earlier, but there’s no need to have my uncle come. I won’t disturb you in your office, either. I’ll be leaving now."

With that, Jean Kensington turned to leave.

Tristan Sinclair’s expression flickered with displeasure. "Suit yourself!" he snapped.

Jean Kensington didn’t linger and turned to press the elevator button.

But Tristan Sinclair suddenly strode forward, grabbed her arm, and started pulling her toward the office.

Jean Kensington was aghast. "You... what are you doing?" She tried to pull her hand back but couldn’t break free, and he ended up dragging her into the office.

The other staff in the executive office stared in shock.

’What was going on?’

’The big boss was dragging a woman into his office? That was a sight no one had seen in years!’

Once they were inside, Tristan Sinclair finally released Jean Kensington. "Stay here quietly," he ordered. "I’m going to a meeting. If you’re not here when I get back..."

He let the threat hang in the air, leaving her to imagine the rest.

Jean Kensington was completely bewildered. She couldn’t figure him out at all and subconsciously asked, "Why do you care so much about me?" The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them.

’Then again, this probably doesn’t even count as caring. Though Tristan Sinclair wasn’t much older than her, he always put on the airs of an elder, just like her own uncle.’

’At most, this was just him being controlling, not caring. And this time, it felt a little too ambiguous.’

After a long silence, Tristan Sinclair finally said, "If something were to happen to you, do you think your uncle would be able to focus on his work?"

Jean Kensington: "..."

’Good thing I didn’t get the wrong idea.’

「Evening.」

Chloe Sterling walked out of the laboratory. She took her phone from her pocket and glanced at it, noticing a missed call from Julian Xavier. She immediately called him back.

The call connected quickly, and Julian Xavier’s voice came through. "Chloe, what have you been up to? How come you haven’t been to The Medical College?"

"I’ve been busy with some other things. What’s wrong? Is there a problem at the lab?"

"No, nothing like that. But there is something I think I should tell you."

"What is it?"

"Your mother, Ms. Lynch, came to The Medical College twice recently. She even went to my bar to ask me where you are. She said she has something important to tell you. If you don’t want to see her, I’ll make that clear the next time she comes by."

Chloe Sterling clutched her phone, her weariness setting in. She knew that every time Rose Lynch wanted to see her, it was because of something to do with Esther Sterling.

"I have nothing to say to her. Don’t let her know where I am."

"Alright, I understand." After a pause, Julian Xavier added, "Are you doing okay otherwise?"

"Yes, I’m fine."

"That’s good to hear. I’ll let you get back to it."

Chloe Sterling changed her clothes and left the Nocturne Group building.

Inside a van parked by the road, Charles Sterling noticed Chloe Sterling walking out of the Nocturne Group headquarters, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.

’Chloe Sterling hadn’t been seen at The Medical College for over a month, and now she was emerging from the Nocturne Group!’

After mulling it over for a long moment, Charles Sterling wondered, ’Could she really be Lynn Chester?’

’If Chloe Sterling is Lynn Chester, then everything makes sense. She must have struck some kind of deal with the Nocturne Group. That’s the only reason Silas Coldwell would have helped her and Jasper Lockwood out of that tight spot.’

’It seems she’s been working for the Nocturne Group this whole time.’

Charles Sterling found himself admiring the exceptionally talented young woman more and more, as if he had discovered a treasure. At the same time, a flash of disappointment crossed his eyes. With Chloe Sterling’s multiple identities, it would be extremely difficult to win her over.

Still, he wanted to try.

A week ago, Ava Rhodes had returned to Country A to see her child, but Charles Sterling had been unable to go with her due to some business. Coming home now, the house felt empty and quiet.

Just then, an assistant came in and said, "President Sterling, there’s a Ms. Lynch here to see you."

"Lynch?"

"She says her name is Rose Lynch."

Charles Sterling’s brow furrowed slightly. "Tell her I’m busy. I don’t have time to see her."

"Yes."

Just as the assistant turned to leave, Rose Lynch walked in.

"Charles, do you really want to avoid seeing me that much?"

"Since you already know, why ask?" Charles Sterling’s tone was frigid. He glanced at his watch and added, "I have an online meeting in a moment, so I won’t see you out."

With that, he glanced at his assistant and ordered, "Show this woman out."

The assistant immediately said, "Ms. Lynch, this way, please."

Seeing the man who had once been so good to her now treat her with such coldness, Rose Lynch’s pride couldn’t bear it. She found herself unable to utter a single word of what she had come to say.

She hadn’t intended to reveal the truth about Chloe Sterling’s birth—it wasn’t the right time. She just wanted to test Charles Sterling’s attitude toward her. If he still had even a trace of lingering affection, she would have returned to his side without hesitation.

But Charles Sterling’s increasingly cold attitude made her see the truth. He no longer cared about her. The one he cared about now was another woman.

A sharp pain twisted in Rose Lynch’s heart at the thought.

"Charles, can’t we even be friends?"

Charles Sterling said coldly, "We can’t!"

’He would never again get involved with someone who had betrayed him.’

"Do you hate me that much? Can’t you forgive me, even if I had my reasons back then?"

"Ms. Lynch, it’s not a matter of hate. You’re simply in my past now. It’s best we go our separate ways and not disturb each other’s lives."

Rose Lynch’s hands clenched into fists. She stared at him for a long moment, then said abruptly, "If we’re not to disturb each other, then why are you getting close to Chloe?"

Charles Sterling was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

Rose Lynch said, "Chloe is my daughter."