CHAPTER 69: CHAPTER 69: BUYING A HOUSE FOR ANOTHER WOMAN—DOES SHE KNOW?

When Hugh Irving saw the message, he was busy with Ethan Sinclair, arranging their new penthouse.

"Sophia’s not feeling well at the hospital, and the person who took her is a guy who’s had a crush on her for years."

Ethan sneered, "This kind of thing should be left to Mr. Sterling. He could use a little lesson, instead of always texting me at midnight asking what to do."

"You’re right." Hugh Irving immediately called Zane Sterling.

"Where are you?" Hugh asked.

"Professor Irving, what’s up?" Zane responded.

"Just asking what you’re up to."

"Looking at apartments."

"Looking at apartments?" Hugh was shocked. A CEO needs to look at apartments himself?

Before she could ask, Sylvia Coldwell’s sweet, coquettish voice came from the other end. "Sterling, let’s take this one."

Hugh put Zane on speaker and pulled Ethan over to listen in.

"Mr. Sterling, you busy? Are you checking out that apartment lying down or standing up?" Hugh chuckled.

Zane’s brows furrowed as he glanced at the name saved on his phone. "You need something?"

"Not me, but your wife does. So, you’re out apartment hunting with someone else’s wife?" Hugh mocked coldly.

"What happened to her?" he sounded anxious on the other end.

"Where exactly are you looking at apartments?" Hugh didn’t answer his question.

Zane gave the name of a building, which happened to be the same one Hugh was in.

He was on the 18th floor, Hugh at the penthouse.

Hugh hung up and rushed toward the elevator, Ethan following behind. "What’s the name of that seductress again?"

"Sylvia Coldwell. The one who sat next to him at drinks last night."

"Unbelievable!" She entered the elevator and pressed 18.

"How are you so sure she’s the seductress?"

"Didn’t you see how she acted last night? She nearly threw herself at him. And didn’t you hear? She went straight to their apartment, even threatened Sophia to move out."

After hanging up, Zane immediately tried calling Sophia Lowell. The call barely rang before she hung up. He tried again—instant hang-up.

He frowned, just about to try a WhatsApp video call when suddenly there was the click of high heels approaching fast.

The door wasn’t closed.

Hugh strode in. The penthouse was still empty and echoing—no furniture yet.

Ethan stood behind Hugh, desperately signaling to Zane.

Hugh glanced at Sylvia Coldwell standing behind Zane, seeing her shiver and look pitiful and helpless.

He let his gaze drop to the contract in Zane’s hand.

Coldwell’s name was signed clear as day on it.

"Buying a place for another woman—does your wife know?" Hugh gave Sylvia a disgusted look.

"Haven’t had time to tell her. Where is she? What happened?" Zane walked toward them.

"Same as you: while you’re playing caretaker for another woman, another man’s playing caretaker for her." Hugh didn’t bother to show any kindness.

Zane’s brows pinched into a deep crease.

Sylvia Coldwell quickly jumped in to explain.

"This sister of mine is really sharp-tongued. I’ve called Sterling that for years—him taking care of me is only natural. That woman, how long has she even been married to Sterling? Now another man’s looking after her, isn’t it—"

"Sylvia!" Zane cut her harshly, interrupting Coldwell, then quickly asked, "Where is she?"

"City First."

Zane looked at Ethan, who nodded.

Then he strode out the door in a rush.

"Sterling!" Sylvia tried to dart after him but Hugh blocked her path.

Hugh had seen this kind of scene a thousand times; not a single dirty thought could escape her glance.

Either Zane was totally naive, or he’d been blinded by this walking, syrupy green tea act.

"Well, isn’t this just dandy. We’re going to be neighbors—upstairs, downstairs." Hugh snorted as she walked in to check the layout.

Small apartment. Two units per floor. Probably a hundred and fifty square meters at most.

"Really? Sister, you’re living here too." Sylvia called her "sister" in every sentence.

"I’ve got the penthouse." Hugh gave a dry laugh.

Sylvia’s grin froze instantly.

Past the 25th floor, it was all one unit per floor, luxury layouts, rich people only.

She’d wanted to pick an upper floor too, but for some reason, they only ever showed her the small units.

"If Sterling buys me a place for over three million in cash, I’m already thrilled." She smirked proudly.

"Over three million?" Hugh was shocked, her gaze landing on Ethan.

Ethan seemed deaf, just wandering around absently.

Back up to the penthouse from the 18th floor.

Hugh plopped down among a pile of jumbled furniture and glared at Ethan, "Someone die in that apartment?"

"No such thing," Ethan replied with a wide grin.

"Or is it something shady about the place?"

"Relax, all above board."

"Downstairs, over three million. My three-hundred-square-meter penthouse, just over two million. That relative of yours is tight with you, huh? I owe him dinner someday."

"Just a nodding acquaintance, just a nodding acquaintance..." Ethan was clearly feeling guilty.

"Nodding acquaintance? That’s some deep nodding you’re doing!"

"Hehe..."

Hugh pestered Ethan for ages but he never let slip anything, so she let it go; just assumed she’d gotten herself a steal.

But after Ethan left, she still hired a pro team to sweep the place for pinhole cameras or anything suspicious.

Afraid Ethan was a pervert.

——

Hospital.

Zane immediately spotted Sophia Lowell outside the ER, dozing on a chair.

She had an IV drip in her arm and was wrapped in some strange man’s jacket.

He hurried over.

Then Faye Ellison came out, carrying a cup of warm water.

He gently set Sophia’s head on his shoulder, called her name softly, and coaxed her to take her medicine.

Sophia barely managed to swallow the pills in two goes with what strength she had left.

She swallowed her bitter throat, giving a sideways glance ahead—and saw a familiar figure walking her way.

Faye followed her gaze.

The man approached, tall and lean, hair cropped short with a hint of defiance; his black eyes behind those glasses were intimidating.

Zane met Faye’s gaze; but compared to him, Zane looked easygoing—no threat at all.

You’d think he didn’t even care.

She straightened up, boneless and weak, looking at the man drawing closer. Was it her imagination, or did he look angry?

Or was she just imagining it?

"Zane?"

"You’ve got a fever?" Zane.

The two rival men didn’t even bother to greet each other.

"Yeah, a little." Sophia replied awkwardly.

Zane sat beside her, reaching out to touch her forehead.

As soon as he touched her, she pushed him away. "Mr. Sterling..."

He froze, a sharp chill stabbing his chest.

She called him Mr. Sterling now.

Faye let out a barely-there laugh. "Mr. Sterling, here to see a doctor too?"

Sophia picked up on the meaning, just about to explain, but Zane beat her to it.

"My aunt works here, knows Sophia. Saw her alone with some strange guy, worried she’d get scammed, so she called me over."

Sophia—

Faye blinked in surprise. "Well, Mr. Sterling, you can rest easy. I’m not some scammer. I’m Faye Ellison."

Faye stuck out his hand. Zane glanced at it, gave a perfunctory shake, and said, "Zane Sterling."

Sophia was caught between them, looking left and right at these two childish men, feeling a little awkward.

"Now that you’ve seen her, you don’t need to stay, Mr. Sterling." Faye clearly wanted him gone.

Zane didn’t reply, just turned to give Sophia a sideways glance.