After His Sweetheart Moved In, He Came Home Every Night-Chapter 8: Letting Her Go

"She’s a Sterling."

The words came from Wyatt Sterling.

Alice York froze.

She hadn’t expected Wyatt to confirm her identity right here.

But in a way, his words sidestepped admitting she was his niece.

"Wyatt, I... I didn’t know Dr. York was a Sterling." Her gaze swept over Alice’s name badge, and Melody immediately switched from her earlier references to "that doctor" to "Dr. York."

Alice looked up at Melody and smiled. "I’m just a Sterling by association, not by blood. Few people know about me. But I know who you are, Miss Lancaster."

This time, Melody couldn’t manage a smile.

You couldn’t afford to offend anyone from the Sterling Family.

Melody hadn’t even married into the Sterling family yet, and here she was, already offending one of them. Even if this person was a Sterling in name only, she still felt a flutter of panic.

Seeing Melody’s nervous gaze, Alice said, "You’re the companion who has stayed by Uncle’s side the longest. The outside world, and even the Sterlings, all know about you. I guess Uncle must like you very much."

These words made Melody feel both flattered and overwhelmed.

But more than anything, she was pleased.

’See? Even the Sterlings know I’m the only woman Wyatt Sterling keeps by his side.’ She thought

"Your Uncle is used to having me with him when he goes out. He even said he wouldn’t be comfortable with anyone else," Melody said, her face beaming with happiness.

Alice maintained her smile, though a closer look would have revealed it was a bit strained. "In that case, I’m sure wedding bells will be ringing for you and Uncle soon."

The tips of Melody’s ears turned a little red. She turned to look at Wyatt. "Wyatt, say something."

Wyatt didn’t respond. He turned to the side and pulled out a lighter, with his expression hidden from Alice York’s view.

CLICK.

A faint blue flame flickered to life.

Before he could light his cigarette, Alice chimed in with a timely reminder, "Uncle, this is a hospital. No smoking."

Wyatt turned his head, and his gaze landed on Alice York’s face.

Alice’s smile was completely harmless. Her beautiful, almond-shaped eyes seemed to hold a galaxy of stars, and the curve of her upturned lips was just right—any less, and the sly cunning hidden within would have been invisible.

The faint blue flame went out.

Wyatt put the cigarette pack away, with a barely-there smile playing on his lips. "Eager for my wedding candy?"

"Uncle, you aren’t getting any younger. Grandpa always says that people your age have kids who are almost in middle school. If you’d started a bit earlier, your child would probably be about my age now." After speaking, Alice blinked at him, her expression a picture of pure innocence.

Wyatt narrowed his long eyes, his gaze toward Alice York filled with a dangerous glint.

Alice sensed it and took a subtle step back. "My lunch break is almost over. I need to go eat. I have other things to do this afternoon."

Melody, snapping out of her blissful haze, quickly offered, "Why don’t you come eat out with us?"

Alice politely declined with a smile. "No, thank you. A colleague already got me food in the cafeteria."

The moment she turned around, the smile vanished from Alice’s face, and she quickened her pace to leave.

"It’s all my fault. I made such a silly mistake. How was I to know Dr. York was your niece?" Melody said, pulling her gaze back and reaching out to take the man’s arm again.

The man shifted his grip on his phone, and dodged her hand. "Did you enjoy hearing what she said?"

Melody’s hand grabbed at empty air. She bit her lip, shuffled half a step forward, and pressed herself against his arm. "Your niece probably thinks I’m your girlfriend."

Wyatt’s gaze shifted from his phone screen. He glanced sideways at Melody. "Don’t overthink it."

Melody’s heart sank.

Everyone in their social circle was betting she would marry Wyatt, simply because she had been by his side the longest. But only she knew it wasn’t that easy.

Wyatt doted on her, but she still didn’t have the official title of girlfriend.

She had hinted at it twice, only to be met with the man’s cold reply, which was "You’ve always been well-behaved. You don’t need me to teach you."

’That’s right. I can’t afford not to be well-behaved.’

From then on, Melody never dared to ask for a formal title again.

-

While Alice was having lunch in the cafeteria, she chatted with a colleague from her department about Vernon Lancaster’s condition before he was hospitalized. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

The conversation drifted to Vernon’s family situation.

Her colleague shoveled in a mouthful of rice and mumbled, "I heard the old patriarch of the Lancaster Family is on his way out. The sons are all fighting over the inheritance. Vernon didn’t even stay in the ICU—he probably had to go back to stand guard. And that daughter of his is no pushover, either. She’s really putting the pressure on."

Alice asked curiously, "Who’s pressuring whom?"

Her colleague shushed her. "I just overheard this from the gossip central at the nurses’ station. Vernon Lancaster has always been a bit of a doormat. His wife and daughter both look down on him. He has no interest in fighting for the inheritance, but they’re forcing him to do so."

Hearing this, Alice didn’t ask any further.

They were originally just discussing the medical case. She had no need to pry into the Lancaster Family’s private affairs.

After her shift ended that afternoon, she was planning to go to the pharmacy to buy a pregnancy test, but she had barely stepped out of the hospital when she got a call from Mason.

"Miss Alice, to your right."

Alice turned to her right and saw a black sedan parked there. Its license plate and make were both understated, unnoticeable at first glance.

’The more inconspicuous, the better. Being flashy isn’t always a good thing.’ She thought.

Alice hung up and walked over. The car door opened automatically. She bent down to get in but froze when she saw the man sitting in the back seat.

Honestly, Alice had never met a man with a more powerful presence than Wyatt.

He was just sitting there without saying a word, and she didn’t dare approach.

"Miss Alice, please get in the car," Mason urged from the front.

Alice swallowed hard. Recalling her provocation toward him at the hospital earlier, she was overcome with a tragic sense of impending doom.

She slid into the car, and the automatic door closed slowly behind her.

The car headed toward Shorecrest, which was Wyatt’s private residence. Alice had been taken there many times and she knew the route by heart.

Alice turned her head to look at the man. He was looking at something on his phone. She tried to move closer to him. He sensed it and turned to look at her.

Alice curved her lips into a smile for him., but Wyatt looked away. "Practice your smile when you have time. It’s incredibly fake."

"..." ’So cold.’ She thought.

She scooted a little closer and asked, "Will you marry Miss, Uncle?"

Wyatt turned off his phone screen and said,"That’s none of your business."

"But I want to know."

"And what if you know what I’m thinking?" Wyatt set his phone aside, his eyes fixed on her.

Alice pressed her lips together, warring with herself for a long moment before throwing herself into Wyatt’s arms.

The scent of cedar mixed with the heat radiating from his body. She greedily inhaled it, resting her head against his chest and listening to his strong heartbeat as she said his name. "Wyatt, after tonight, let’s end this sordid relationship of ours."

Wyatt looked down at the woman in his arms. "Trying to draw a line between us?"

Though she was conflicted, her reason won out. "I’m not drawing a line. I’m begging you to let me go."

He tilted her chin up.

Then, Alice heard Wyatt said, "OK."