CHAPTER 50: CHAPTER 50: SETH STERLING IN TEARS

The elder Mrs. Sterling froze, not expecting that after half a year, her obedient and understanding great-grandson had become so willful and unreasonable!

Ethan Sterling noticed his grandmother’s expression turning exceptionally unpleasant. She didn’t say a word for a long time. Afraid she might fall ill from anger, he quickly interjected to smooth things over, "Mama Bennett, take Seth to his room first."

"Yes, sir." Mama Bennett, who was preparing things in the kitchen, quickly washed her hands and jogged out.

"Dad!" Seth gazed at him, confused and angry.

Ethan Sterling winked at him and, pretending to be a strict father, reprimanded, "How can you be so rude? Hurry and apologize to your great-grandmother."

Seth stared at him, sulking for a while before finally lowering his head and murmuring, "Grandma, I’m sorry."

The elder Mrs. Sterling’s mood eased somewhat, thinking the child wasn’t too far gone. She smiled gently, "Go play with Mama Bennett first. I need to talk to your father about something."

Seth sighed deeply. Though frustrated, he obediently followed Mama Bennett as told.

Once he reached his room, he uneasily grabbed Mama Bennett’s hand, "Will Auntie Wenny and Honey leave?"

Mama Bennett sighed, "Seth, adults will handle their own affairs. Don’t worry about it."

He nodded helplessly, still feeling that apart from making money, his father was utterly useless.

In the living room, the elder Mrs. Sterling glared at her grandson, scolding, "Look, it hasn’t even been that long, and Seth has become so ill-mannered? Honestly... what can I say about you?"

Ethan Sterling knew his grandmother was an immensely stubborn person. His grandfather passed away early, and she managed The Sterling Group alone, waiting for her son to grow up, only to bury him before her.

Afterward, she placed all her hopes on him, initially hoping for his family’s happiness and to be surrounded by descendants. Instead, the daughter-in-law she personally chose left without a word, sending only a divorce agreement.

As for her daughter-in-law, she resented Mrs. Sterling all her life.

After Mr. Sterling passed, Mrs. Sterling took her younger siblings abroad and didn’t even let her see them.

The elder Mrs. Sterling was left only with Ethan Sterling by her side, and she couldn’t let anything go wrong in his life again.

"Grandma, don’t you find this Wenny a bit familiar?" Ethan Sterling continued smiling, dismissing her rebuke.

The elder Mrs. Sterling raised an eyebrow, "Speak plainly, don’t circle around with Grandma."

"I suspect Ruby Sullivan might not be dead..."

The elder Mrs. Sterling didn’t let him finish, got up abruptly, and slapped him on the head, "You rascal, this old lady isn’t senile yet. Look at that woman, how is she anything like Ruby? Back then, if that silly girl had some determination and lost weight, would you still give her such cold treatment?"

Ethan Sterling was bewildered by the slap, rubbing his head, he emphasized, "That’s why it’s just a suspicion!"

"You fool!" The elder Mrs. Sterling became even angrier, hitting him again, "Seth is five years old, even if he gets swayed, are you three? Bringing an illegitimate child home was bad enough, but now you’re smitten to such stupidity! What sin have I committed to watch a thirty-year-old grandson regress so much!"

Ethan Sterling raised his arms to defend himself, "Grandma, it hurts, it hurts!"

"Good, then it should hurt. If I had hit you more back then, maybe you would have known how to cherish Ruby!" Thinking of that honest and kind child, the elder Mrs. Sterling felt a pang in her heart, sitting down with a sigh. Tears welled up in her eyes, "We... have wronged The Sullivan Family, I absolutely can’t watch Rhonda suffer any more injustice."

Ruby Sullivan came out of the bathroom with Honey, having witnessed the scene just now. In her heart, she thanked the elder Mrs. Sterling. She calmed herself, picked up Honey, and walked over slowly, "Mr. Sterling, I’ll take Honey and leave The Sterling Family immediately."

The elder Mrs. Sterling snorted coldly, turned her head, refusing to look at her.

Ethan Sterling frowned at his grandmother and stood up, "I’ll walk you out."

"Sit down! Does The Sterling Family lack drivers?" The elder Mrs. Sterling glared.

"No need. My car is here, so I can drive myself." After saying that, she carried Honey back to the room.

Ethan Sterling looked at the elder Mrs. Sterling, full of helplessness, "Now, if there’s nothing else, can I take you to your room to rest for a while?"

The elder Mrs. Sterling arrived in Ariston yesterday afternoon, staying at a hotel for the sole purpose of coming early in the morning to "catch" them. The servants who accompanied her said she didn’t sleep well last night.

Ethan Sterling was well aware of the old lady’s schedule, and seeing her unwell face now, he was somewhat worried. She was over seventy now, and no matter how spirited she looked, it was merely a facade.

The elder Mrs. Sterling glanced at him, "You are not allowed to escort them."

"Got it, come on, I’ll take you to rest." Saying this, he helped the elder Mrs. Sterling up, guiding her to the room opposite Ruby Sullivan’s.

The elder Mrs. Sterling used to live on the second floor, but as her legs and feet worsened these past two years, she stayed in a ground floor room whenever she came home.

After settling his grandmother, Ethan Sterling came out of the room, just in time to see the Sullivan mother and daughter ready to leave with their luggage.

Ethan Sterling approached, "You’d rather let Honey face danger than tell the truth?"

Ruby Sullivan sneered, "If I am Ruby Sullivan, what relation would Honey have with you?" Aren’t you afraid of your daughter being in danger? If you’re not, why would she be any safer if I told you?

Ethan Sterling was stunned, unable to respond.

She finished changing her shoes and took Honey’s hand.

Honey waved to Ethan Sterling as she turned to leave, "Goodbye, Mr. Sterling." She glanced at the second floor, sighed with some disappointment, "Could you say goodbye to Seth and me?"

Ethan Sterling looked down, feeling complex emotions as he gazed at this little girl. Just as Ruby Sullivan was opening the door, he reached out and grabbed her, "Tell me... is Honey my child?"

Ruby Sullivan frowned, hesitated for a long time before resolutely shaking his hand off, leaving without answering.

Once in the car, she called Nathaniel Truman, arranging a meeting place, intending to take the child directly to him.

Ethan Sterling numbly watched the closed door, his heart full of conflicting feelings. At this moment, a servant approached quietly, "Sir, the young master is crying in his room."

"Crying?" Ethan Sterling doubted what he heard, his son’s tears were rarer than words, how could he be crying?

He quickly went upstairs, knocked politely on the door, and after no response, pushed the door open.

There he saw his son kneeling by the bed, head buried under the blanket, sobbing intensely.

For a moment, he found it amusing yet heartbreaking, somewhat feeling guilty. He walked over slowly, sitting beside him, "What’s the use of crying here? Go cry to your great-grandmother."

Seth’s crying suddenly stopped, taking a while before sniffling and saying, "Dad, you always say such sarcastic things."

He cried, feeling embarrassed and helpless. For the first time, he felt useless, despite promising to protect Honey, he watched them get driven away. Like his father, he was so useless!

Ethan Sterling blinked, fearing his son would get prickly heat in the hot weather under the covers. He forcibly pulled the blanket off him, "Rest assured, I will bring them back eventually."

Seth, eyes red and swollen, looked at him doubtfully, crying, "Don’t make big promises." He had seen his father’s performance in front of the great-grandmother today.

Ethan Sterling placed a big hand on his head, promising, "If you can’t change your great-grandmother’s mind, trust me."