On the Day I Was Kicked Out of the Wealthy Family, I Had a Flash Marriage with a Tycoon-Chapter 157: Are You Jealous?

"Huh? Childhood sweethearts?"

"Looks like it. President Lockwood is probably taking his wife to visit her family."

"Then why are they staying in a hotel? Shouldn’t they be at the Morgan Family’s place?"

"Who knows? Who can figure out what these big shots are thinking? But if they weren’t a couple, why would they be staying in the same room?"

"They could be lovers."

"Please! She’s the daughter of Maridia’s richest man and her grandfather is a big shot in Crestfall. Would she be someone’s mistress?"

"That’s true."

The server handed the to-go coffee to Chloe Sterling. "Your coffee is ready."

"Thank you." Chloe Sterling took the coffee and turned to leave.

’Childhood sweethearts again!’

’So many childhood sweethearts.’

Back in her car, Chloe Sterling set down the coffee. She had intended to drive off immediately, but after a moment’s pause, she let go of the steering wheel, picked up her phone, and started scrolling through the news online.

She instantly recognized the woman walking out of the hotel room with Jasper Lockwood.

It was the same woman she had seen twice before at the Lockwood Group.

Once outside the building, the woman was smiling and talking to Jasper Lockwood. The other time was on his executive floor; Chloe had noticed her from the elevator, and the woman had been looking back at her.

’So she went to Maridia with Jasper Lockwood.’

After looking for a while, Chloe Sterling put her phone down and gripped the steering wheel again.

「Ten-some minutes later.」

Just as Chloe Sterling walked into the lab, Maya Jacobs’s voice reached her ears.

"So this is the rumored Mrs. Lockwood. She’s definitely beautiful, in a classic way. She and President Lockwood actually look quite good together."

Chloe Sterling: "..."

Noticing someone had come in, Maya Jacobs looked up. "Chloe, you’re here."

"Yeah," Chloe Sterling answered, walking into the lab.

Maya Jacobs, phone in hand, added, "Chloe, have you seen the trending topics online? The rumored Mrs. Lockwood has finally surfaced. Turns out she’s the daughter of Maridia’s richest man."

Chloe Sterling: "I haven’t, but I overheard some people talking about it at the coffee shop just now."

Maya Jacobs muttered, "Well, this confirms it. President Lockwood really is married. I can’t imagine how many young men and women are crying their eyes out over this."

Chloe Sterling raised an eyebrow. "Confirms it?"

Maya Jacobs replied with certainty, "Yeah. Jasper Lockwood may be on a pedestal, but he never messes around. Anyone staying with him has to be Mrs. Lockwood."

Chloe Sterling didn’t say anything.

Maya Jacobs muttered again, "It is a little strange, though. If he’s visiting his wife’s family, why stay at a hotel?"

Just then, Chloe Sterling’s phone suddenly rang. It was Jasper Lockwood.

She waited a long moment before answering. "Hello."

"Chloe, the stuff online is a misunderstanding. I’ve already had my people handle it," Jasper Lockwood explained.

Chloe Sterling turned and walked out of the lab. "I know."

’Of course I know it’s a misunderstanding. I’m the real rumored Mrs. Lockwood.’

Jasper Lockwood: "So calm?"

Chloe Sterling: "What else? Is there actually something going on between you two?"

Jasper Lockwood: "...I thought you’d be at least a little upset, or that you’d question me."

Chloe Sterling pressed her lips together, silent. It wasn’t that she wasn’t upset. In fact, when she left the coffee shop, she had wanted to call and demand an explanation.

But she quickly calmed down. It was just some people grasping at straws.

She trusted that Jasper Lockwood wouldn’t do anything to betray her.

Chloe Sterling said, "I trust you."

After a brief silence, Jasper Lockwood said stiffly, "Thanks for the trust!"

Chloe Sterling: "..."

’That "thanks" sounded like it was said through gritted teeth.’

’I trust him, and he’s unhappy about it!’

"Seeing those news reports and photos, you didn’t feel even a moment of unhappiness?" Jasper Lockwood suddenly asked.

Chloe Sterling: "...I did."

"Then why didn’t you call and ask me?"

"Jasper Lockwood, are you some kind of masochist? Do you like being interrogated?"

"Mm, I do. I’d like it even more if you flew straight to Maridia and gave me the third degree."

At least that would prove she cared about him. Her calm and detached attitude made Jasper Lockwood feel as if Chloe Sterling didn’t care about him at all.

Chloe Sterling cleared her throat. "Then I’ll wait for you to come back. I do have something to ask you."

Jasper Lockwood said, "I’ll probably be back a little later than planned."

Chloe Sterling’s fingers subconsciously tightened. "How much later?"

"Not sure yet."

After a short pause, Chloe Sterling said, "Okay, I’m hanging up then."

Without waiting for Jasper Lockwood’s reply, she hung up the phone.

「In the hotel.」

A slight smile touched Jasper Lockwood’s lips. ’Maybe I really am a bit of a masochist.’ Chloe Sterling had hung up on him in a huff, and he was actually a little pleased about it. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

He wasn’t actually going to be back late. He had just said that on purpose to see Chloe Sterling’s reaction.

Henry Chamberlain approached, speaking cautiously. "Second Master, it’s all been handled. Miss Morgan has also issued a clarification."

Jasper Lockwood’s expression turned cold and sharp again. "Find out who was behind this," he ordered.

Henry Chamberlain: "My men are already on it. We should have news soon."

Jasper Lockwood glanced at his watch. "Let’s go."

Chloe Sterling returned to the lab.

Maya Jacobs was staring at her phone, muttering to herself, "It’s been clarified. So that’s not what was happening at all."

Chloe Sterling glanced at her. "The internet is full of baseless rumors. You shouldn’t believe everything you read."

Maya Jacobs: "Then what about them staying together? A handsome man and a beautiful woman... sparks flying... were they really just talking about work?"

Chloe Sterling: "..."

She didn’t want to hear any more gossip about Jasper Lockwood. Even if it was fake, it was really getting on her nerves.

"Did you finish that experiment from yesterday?" Chloe Sterling suddenly asked, hitting her where it hurt.

The gossipy expression on Maya Jacobs’s face immediately deflated. "This experiment is driving me crazy, so I was just looking at something else to distract myself before I start over with a new approach..."

Chloe Sterling: "I think you can start now."

Maya Jacobs put her phone away and got to work.

It wasn’t until noon that Chloe Sterling checked her phone again and saw that Jean Kensington had sent her several pictures and a message.

The pictures were screenshots from the hotel’s security cameras, complete with timestamps.

[Don’t worry, Jasper Lockwood didn’t do anything to betray you. That woman was in his room for less than ten minutes before they both came out together. When Jasper Lockwood returned to the hotel after ten p.m., the woman wasn’t with him.]

[After some digging on my part, I can confirm there was no improper behavior between them. It’s a purely professional relationship.]

Chloe Sterling: "..."

She quickly replied: [I know. I never doubted him.]

「Meanwhile.」

Esther Sterling had already been waiting outside Sinclair Tower all morning.

She didn’t have Tristan Sinclair’s contact information, and the security guards wouldn’t let her in. Her only option was to wait outside for him to emerge.

By the roadside, Jean Kensington got out of her car. Looking at the reply Chloe Sterling had sent, she chuckled. "So full of trust."

As she walked toward Sinclair Plaza, she sent back a reply: [So, were you jealous at all?]