CHAPTER 56: CHAPTER 56: EITHER CATCHING A CHEATER, OR ON THE WAY TO CATCH ONE

"It’s nothing, just work stuff." Elias Spencer said vaguely. Sometimes, vague words only spark more suspicion.

Let him keep guessing.

Ian Sterling didn’t believe for a second that they were just talking about work, but he didn’t press further. He picked up his glass and clinked it with Elias’s, then raised it slightly towards Julian Rivers, and the three of them took a sip.

"So, Young Master Spencer, have you been dating anyone these past few years?" he asked casually.

"...No." Elias paused before he replied with just two words and then asked him back, "What about you?"

He hasn’t? So he and Summer Nolan aren’t a couple. Ian’s lips curved slightly as he replied,

"Too busy with work, so haven’t been dating either."

He’s been frequently abroad expanding the market for Summit Heavy Industries and has even ventured into the luxury industry. His ambition was to surpass The Spencer Group—

"Not planning to go home and inherit the family business, Young Master Spencer?" he asked again.

"We’ll see, being a lawyer isn’t bad either." Elias picked up his drink and took a sip. He quite enjoyed being a lawyer.

They were chatting when Summer walked over and saw someone occupying her seat, so she could only sit between Elias and Julian Rivers and pour herself half a glass of whiskey from the bottle beside her.

She sipped, noticeably in a foul mood.

Ian wanted to talk to her, but they were seated too far apart, so he could only continue the casual small talk with Elias.

Julian quietly asked the woman beside him, "What were you two up to just now?"

Summer glanced at him, "What else could we be doing besides talking?"

"Did you do anything intimate?" he gossiped.

"How could that be possible? Would you get intimate with an ex-girlfriend you broke up with? We’re not even reconciled, what would that be?" Summer didn’t care if this man was Elias’s close buddy; she was tight-lipped.

Don’t try to pry any secrets from her.

Yeah, what is she even with Elias right now?

Ugh, call it her own bad luck!

She can’t let him take advantage of her anymore, bastard—

"Getting intimate with an ex-girlfriend... I couldn’t do it... and most people probably can’t either." he said with a curled lip.

Around ten at night, the four of them left the bar. Summer, having drunk, couldn’t drive. Ian said to her, "Get in my car, I’ll take you home. It’s not safe for a girl to take a taxi at night."

Summer glanced at Elias beside her, and to irritate him, she nodded, "Alright, thank you, Mr. Sterling."

He very gentlemanly opened the backseat door for her, and she got in. Ian waved at Elias and Julian, then got in the car and told the driver to go.

The black Rolls Royce sped off into the distance.

Elias watched the car leave. He took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, opened it with one hand, expertly grabbed one with his mouth, lit it, took a deep puff, and the smoke blurred his deep eyes, obscuring his current expression.

Julian glanced at his close friend, crossing his arms and curiously asked, "Didn’t that Ian Sterling just return to the country recently? How come he’s so familiar with Summer already? Did they know each other before?"

"They just met yesterday." Elias’s voice was slightly heavy.

"Met just yesterday and today they’re drinking together and he’s taking her home? Isn’t that kind of progress too fast? No wonder she’s a renowned attorney, she does everything so quickly!" he couldn’t help but exclaim.

Elias bit his cigarette, his expression indifferent, saying nothing—

"I think Ian Sterling probably likes your ex-girlfriend. With his kind of profile, getting a woman isn’t hard, is it? If you still like her, don’t stay so aloof. If you don’t take the initiative, you might miss your chance." Julian reminded his close friend.

"Who likes her?" Elias snorted coldly with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Then why did you come here tonight?"

"To drink." He spat out the two words coldly.

"Then just keep acting aloof." Julian looked at him helplessly.

In the car.

Ian sat back, legs crossed, not in the casual, languid way like Elias, but in a more proper, elegant manner, reflecting the strict upbringing he’d received.

He turned his head to look at her, deliberately asking, "Are Attorney Nolan and Young Master Spencer dating?"

"How could that be possible? Haven’t you heard that we’re arch-enemies?" she laughed.

"I did hear that, but you’re quite nice to him," he said with a slightly jealous tone, noting how she stopped that man from drinking and shielded his mouth with her hand—

"He saved me." Summer replied with just that, not offering any further explanation.

"If I saved you too, would you be so good to me?" Ian joked, looking at her.

Is he falling for me at first sight? Why does it feel a bit sour? But to take down Summit, she can’t be soft-hearted, Summer silently reminded herself.

His dad snatched her family business, caused her father’s death, leaving her mother and sisters living in misery without a soft heart.

Her father’s belongings are still worn by his father—

"...Sure." she smiled with just the one word.

Hearing her say that, Ian felt a lot better.

The next morning.

Summer received a message from a former colleague. He had unexpectedly sent over phone numbers of five major clients and brief details of their cases.

She didn’t go to Summit; instead, she immediately arranged to meet one of the clients at a café.

With her reputation and eloquence, it was easy to get this client to agree to sign a contract with her. By the morning, she’d dealt with the contract, successfully signed the deal, and transferred 100,000 to her former colleague as promised.

Elias didn’t go to Summit at all today; he handled other cases in the morning and went to court in the afternoon, effortlessly winning another case.

Summer worked alone in the Summit’s meeting room in the afternoon without calling him. He didn’t come; he must have gone to handle other cases, right?

After work, she headed straight to Elias’s house, inputted the password, and prepared to take the dog for a walk, as she had promised Ian the night before.

Hope the man isn’t back yet.

"Click—" she sneakily pushed open the door, only to see the excited dog jumping at the door but not the man.

"Elias, come out... Mommy’s taking you out to play!" she whispered, beckoning.

At this moment, a chilly man suddenly walked out of the bedroom. Seeing her sneaky demeanor and intentionally lowered voice, Elias knew she was up to no good.

In a deep voice, he asked, "Where do you intend to take Elias?"

"Just... out for a walk." she replied calmly.

"I’ll go with you." Elias said deliberately, heading towards the door. Seeing him really coming, Summer furrowed her brows—

With him tagging along, how was she supposed to meet Ian?

She suddenly pushed the man who had just come out back into the room, "No need, no need, no need, you stay home and rest. I can walk the dog; you shouldn’t be running around."

Elias understood. She planned to take his dog to meet that wild man?!

Silently gritting his teeth—

"You rest well at home; I’ll be back soon." Summer told him and then closed the door. The dog was already waiting outside, holding its leash in its mouth.

As soon as they left, Elias and the bodyguard followed—