After His Sweetheart Moved In, He Came Home Every Night-Chapter 81: Confession, I Like You

Alice York interrupted with a hiccup. "I’m out at a work dinner. It’s noisy, so I didn’t hear you right away."

Mindy Vaughn: "A work dinner? With your colleagues?"

Alice York: "Yes."

Mindy Vaughn was skeptical. "A dinner on your first day back at the hospital? What a coincidence."

Alice York was getting annoyed with the interrogation. "If you have any doubts, you can call the hospital and ask. Why do you—HIC—why do you always have to be so suspicious of me? I’m twenty-four, not fourteen."

Mindy Vaughn was rendered speechless.

After a few seconds of thought, she asked, "Have you been drinking?"

Alice York hummed in affirmation.

Mindy Vaughn: "How much?"

’How much?’

’Red and white wine, mixed. Two glasses? Three? I think it was three...’ She couldn’t remember clearly, so she just blurted out, "One glass."

Mindy Vaughn didn’t quite believe her and asked again, "Which restaurant?"

"Jade Pavilion."

Her head was spinning more and more violently. Even people walking past her seemed to be swaying. The kick from mixing red and white wine was a bit much. ’If I’d known, I would have just taken a sip.’

"Jade Pavilion, right? You wait there. I’ll send someone to pick you up." On the other end of the line, Mindy Vaughn had already made a plan.

Alice York pressed her temples and squatted down against the wall, closing her eyes. "You don’t need to send anyone. I’m not going back to the old residence tonight. I’m going... I’m going back to..."

"Back to West River?" Mindy Vaughn asked.

Alice York hummed. "Back to West River."

For once, Mindy Vaughn was agreeable. "Fine. If you’re not coming back to the old residence, then so be it. I’ll arrange for someone to take you back to West River."

Alice York opened her eyes halfway.

’How strange. Wyatt Sterling was especially nice today, and now Mindy Vaughn is being surprisingly agreeable too.’

She was afraid that if she refused again, Mindy Vaughn would change her mind, so she tacitly agreed to let her arrange for a car.

After ending the call, she remained squatting, hoping to sober up a bit before getting up. But the longer she squatted, the drowsier she felt, to the point where she could barely stand.

"Alice York, what are you doing squatting here?" Seth Sawyer came over to help her.

Alice York looked up. "Dr. Sawyer, what are you doing out here?"

"I came out looking for you. I know you get tipsy easily after just a few drinks. When you took a call and didn’t come back for so long, of course I was going to worry." As he spoke, Seth Sawyer helped her to her feet.

Once she was steady on her feet, Alice York asked, "Is everyone still eating?"

"We’re pretty much done. Director Linden’s assistant is calling designated drivers for everyone. We both drank, so we’ll just have to wait for a ride," Seth Sawyer said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Mixing drinks really packs a punch. The aftereffects will be even worse tomorrow."

Alice York knew the aftereffects Seth Sawyer was talking about—a headache, though it varied from person to person.

Downstairs.

The designated drivers arrived one after another.

Alice York squatted in the night breeze under the dim yellow glow of a streetlight. The soft light seemed to coat her in a sheen. Her bangs were tousled by the wind, creating a unique kind of beauty.

The collar of her coat was pulled up to her chin. Her bright eyes were fixed on a single spot without blinking. She looked sober, but in reality, she couldn’t even make out the road.

A discreet Cayenne with its hazard lights flashing slowly drove toward her, stopping three to five meters away.

The car door opened, and Owen Sterling got out of the back seat. A cashmere shawl was draped over his arm. He locked his eyes on Alice York and strode toward her.

"Alice."

Just as Owen Sterling was about to step forward, Seth Sawyer blocked his path. "Who are you?"

Owen Sterling: "I’m Alice York’s brother, Owen Sterling. I’m here to take her home."

Hearing the surname Sterling, Seth Sawyer studied him carefully for a few moments. He had never met this member of the Sterling family before and was still wary. "How can you prove who you are?"

’I just got back to the country, so it’s normal that these people don’t recognize me.’

He took a wallet from his pocket, pulled out his ID card for Seth Sawyer to see, and then handed over his business card. He was now the general manager of Sterling Group.

With these two items, Seth Sawyer was completely convinced of Owen Sterling’s identity.

He had always held a rather prejudiced view of the Sterlings. Suddenly meeting such a gentle and approachable person like Owen Sterling, he felt he might have to revise his opinion.

Owen Sterling draped the shawl from his arm over Alice York, then bent down to help her up. "How much did she drink?"

Seth Sawyer took off his glasses, breathed on them, and wiped them clean. "Three glasses of wine, red and white mixed. It’s potent."

Owen Sterling frowned.

Seth Sawyer’s designated driver arrived. He put his clean glasses back on. "My ride’s here. I’ll leave Alice York in your care."

Owen Sterling nodded.

Everyone else gradually left. Director Linden was the last to go, supported by his assistant. When he groggily saw Owen Sterling, he sobered up for a few minutes and hurried over to greet him.

"Eldest Young Master Sterling, you were dining at Jade Pavilion tonight as well?" Director Linden asked.

Owen Sterling held onto Alice York. "I came to pick up my sister."

Director Linden was drunk and his vision was tunneled. He didn’t get a clear look at Alice York at first, but now he did.

"Ah, I see. With Eldest Young Master Sterling here to pick her up, I can rest easy." Director Linden smiled like the Laughing Buddha. "Then let’s pick a more formal occasion to get together another day. It’ll be a good chance for me to pay my respects to you, Eldest Young Master Sterling."

Owen Sterling smiled and hummed in agreement.

After Director Linden also left, only Alice York and Owen Sterling remained.

"Alice?" Owen Sterling brushed the hair from her face. The lamplight gilded her exquisite little face, making it look like a piece of precious jade.

Alice York’s eyes were half-open, her pupils shimmering. It was a look that was both innocent and seductive, enough to make one’s blood run hot.

Owen Sterling impassively averted his gaze.

The next second, a pair of slender hands cupped his face and forcibly turned it back to face her.

"Alice? Do you still recognize me?"

"I do..."

Before she could finish, Alice York’s legs gave out, and her body slumped downward. Owen Sterling reacted instantly, catching her in his arms. She ended up pressed against his chest in an extremely intimate embrace.

「In the distance.」

A black Bentley was slowly approaching, then came to a silent stop.

Owen Sterling didn’t notice the Bentley. He helped Alice York stand steady, but she had no strength in her body at all. She stayed upright for less than three seconds before collapsing again.

He decided to just carry her bridal style. ’Let’s get in the car first.’

But Alice York grew restless. She suddenly started to make a scene, and even began to cry. Her shimmering eyes filled with tears, the corners and lids turning a soft pink. She sobbed as she accused him:

"You bastard, you bastard! You’re just taking advantage of the fact that I like you... Aren’t you just taking advantage of the fact that I like you?! You bastard, you damn bastard..."

Owen Sterling froze completely, seemingly unable to process what was happening.

’Who did Alice say she liked?’

Suddenly, he felt a weight on his neck. Alice York had hooked her arms around it, trying to pull him down. When she realized she couldn’t reach, she gave up and instead leaned against his chest, murmuring, "In the Sterling family, there’s no one I’m particularly attached to. Besides Mom, it’s you. I’ve always secretly been in love with you... always..."

Owen Sterling’s heart jolted in disbelief.

Alice York continued, sobbing, "I love you. I want to marry you. I want to be your only wife. But... but that can only be a ridiculous dream."

Owen Sterling gripped Alice York’s shoulders and slowly pushed her away. He asked, word by word, "You love me? And you want to marry me?"

Alice York’s vision was blurry, her consciousness hazy. She couldn’t see the person in front of her clearly, she only knew to nod. "Mhm, I love you. I want to marry you."