CHAPTER 362: CHAPTER 362: KNOW YOUR LIMITS

Just from the outside, Clarissa Morgan is a woman worthy of envy.

She is beautiful and graceful, looking like someone who is intellectual, generous, and particularly dignified.

Vanessa Sterling pursed her lips, her smile a bit stiff, as she invited Clarissa Morgan inside.

Clarissa Morgan walked in, glanced around, and then sat on the living room sofa. Watching Vanessa Sterling as she prepared to make tea, she said, "No need to trouble yourself, I just want to ask you for a favor."

Vanessa Sterling’s interactions with Clarissa Morgan weren’t many, they were quite distant. She didn’t know how she could help Clarissa Morgan, so she looked at her with a puzzled gaze.

Clarissa Morgan then explained her purpose: "A friend of mine is getting married tomorrow and she didn’t find a bridesmaid. I thought of you, because you’re beautiful and the right age, so I wanted to ask you to help out?"

Vanessa Sterling poured the tea and placed it beside Clarissa Morgan, even questioning herself, "I don’t think I can... I have no experience."

Clarissa Morgan smiled, "What experience do you need? It’s just going through the motions. Time is tight, and I can’t find anyone more suitable than you. If you don’t help me, I really don’t know where I’d find someone."

With that, Clarissa Morgan blocked all of Vanessa Sterling’s words of refusal.

Clarissa Morgan knew well Vanessa Sterling’s soft nature. Seeing her biting her lip hesitantly, Clarissa continued, "Audrey will also be there, so don’t worry. Just help with the wedding ceremony."

Vanessa Sterling was a bit troubled, it wasn’t that she didn’t want to help, but it wasn’t up to her whether she could go out.

Her freedom only extended to going downstairs to pick up parcels or buying some daily necessities from the convenience store.

"...I’ll ask my brother, I don’t know if he’ll let me go."

Clarissa Morgan looked thoughtfully at Vanessa Sterling for a couple of seconds, then smiled and nodded, "Alright, ask him. If you can go, you might be back by 8 or 9 PM. Discuss it with your brother, and if it’s really not possible, call me as soon as you can so I can figure something else out. But I really do hope you can come, Vanessa."

As she spoke, Clarissa Morgan chuckled and teased, "Vanessa, you’re so pretty, it’s a shame to stay home all the time. You’re at that age to start dating anyway."

Vanessa Sterling closed her eyes with a dry smile. At the mention of "dating," Quentin Sterling’s face inadvertently appeared in her mind.

But the woman sitting across from her was her uncle’s second wife; she never dared to harbor hopes of love.

"Alright then, I won’t disturb you anymore. Contact your brother, and remember to call me with your decision."

Vanessa nodded, "Okay."

After seeing Clarissa Morgan out, Vanessa Sterling hesitated with her phone, unsure whether to call Miles Sterling.

She didn’t know if he would come back today, and she thought that mentioning this matter over the phone would likely lead to a low chance of getting approval, especially if she accidentally called when he was in a bad mood. She might find it hard to even mention it.

So Vanessa Sterling decided to wait a bit. If he hadn’t come back by the evening, she’d call him then.

Returning to her room to continue working on her puzzle, it felt like not even half an hour had passed when she heard a noise outside.

Vanessa Sterling looked up at the clock on the wall; it was ten minutes past ten.

Setting down the puzzle piece she was holding, she quietly walked to the door and listened to the sounds outside.

She didn’t hear any female voices, so he should have come back alone.

Confirming this, Vanessa Sterling opened the door and walked out.

Miles Sterling had just changed into slippers and was walking from the entrance to the living room when he saw Vanessa Sterling come out and was a bit surprised.

Because at home, she usually avoided meeting him. If he was in the living room, and she wanted to get a drink of water, she’d wait until he went upstairs before coming out for water.

Hearing him return and immediately running out of the room was indeed rare.

However, seeing her looking at him, Miles Sterling guessed she must have come out because she had something to tell him.

He intentionally didn’t ask if she had something to say and silently picked up a cup from the coffee table to pour himself some water.

Sure enough, after several moments of hesitation, she finally spoke, "...um, I was thinking about going out tomorrow."

Miles Sterling, holding the cup, sat down on the sofa and asked her, "Where to?"

Vanessa Sterling: "...Going out with Audrey."

Upon hearing this, Miles Sterling was silent for two seconds, and Vanessa Sterling stood beside him awkwardly and anxiously, thinking it probably wasn’t going to happen.

"Go ahead."

The dim look in her eyes instantly brightened, and she added, "...I might not be back until the evening."

"Hmm, just make sure you know what you’re doing, and don’t let me catch you doing anything bad."

Miles Sterling’s words sounded calm and casual, but it was quite threatening — like a reminder that was neither too light nor too heavy. And Vanessa Sterling knew this was his ultimatum to her.

"...Got it." Having responded, Vanessa Sterling quietly returned to her room, closed the door, and internally sighed with relief. Talking to him always made her feel a strong sense of pressure.

After getting the green light from Miles Sterling, Vanessa Sterling called Clarissa Morgan back.

...

At noon, just like usual, Audrey Sutton went home to cook and brought the meal to Shane Warner at his office.

The rain intensified. The windshield wipers kept swiping across the glass.

Shane Warner had originally said that since it was raining, she didn’t need to bring him lunch at the office, but Audrey wanted to see him.

The driver drove toward the company’s portico, where a car happened to be parked. Audrey Sutton leaned forward to take a look and saw Vincent Warner getting out of the car.

After Vincent Warner had gotten out of the car, the car in front drove away. The driver continued to move forward and parked under the portico.

Vincent Warner seemed to recognize the car as the one Shane Warner had arranged to pick up Audrey Sutton, so he stood by the door waiting for her to get out.

Audrey Sutton had hoped to wait until Vincent Warner went inside before she did, trying to avoid running into him.

But when she got out, she was surprised to see Vincent Warner standing at the company entrance looking at her.

Their eyes met, and out of courtesy, Audrey Sutton forced a smile.

Although her big brother said Vincent Warner was not a bad person, Shane Warner did not share that view, and he repeatedly reminded her to keep her distance from Vincent. Thus, Audrey Sutton didn’t dare to greet Vincent too warmly.

"Delivering lunch to Shane again?" Vincent Warner spoke naturally to Audrey Sutton.

Audrey Sutton forced a smile and nodded, "Yes."

Vincent Warner warmly smiled, "Braving such heavy rain yet still delivering lunch, Shane is really lucky."

Audrey Sutton awkwardly replied, "I came by car, didn’t get wet."

While chatting, they walked to the elevator. Vincent Warner stepped inside, waiting for her, and Audrey, with reluctance, joined him.

After pressing the floor button, he said, "He’s probably about to finish the meeting. You can go to his office and wait for him."

"...Okay."