On the Day I Was Kicked Out of the Wealthy Family, I Had a Flash Marriage with a Tycoon-Chapter 23: The Madam Has Many Secrets

Esther Sterling was secretly plotting her next move.

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside. Warren Sterling was back.

"Your father’s back," Rose Lynch said. "I’m going down to greet him. You should come with me. He hasn’t seen you in days."

Esther Sterling nodded. "Okay."

The two of them went downstairs together.

Warren Sterling walked into the villa, his face wreathed in smiles. He seemed to be in an excellent mood.

"Dad, you’re back," Esther Sterling greeted with a smile, the gloom on her face vanishing for the moment.

Rose Lynch walked over, took the suit jacket from his hand, and asked, "What’s put you in such a good mood?"

Warren Sterling grinned. "Good news, of course."

"What good news? Do tell."

Warren Sterling looked at Esther Sterling, his eyes filled with adoration and approval. "I ran into Third Master Rivers and his wife at the bid meeting today. I just went over to say hello, and Third Master Rivers was surprisingly friendly. Mrs. Rivers praised our Esther, saying she’s sensible and elegant, plays the piano beautifully, and is a testament to the Sterling Family’s excellent upbringing."

Rose Lynch smiled. "Mrs. Rivers is very fond of our Esther. She even wanted to invite her to another banquet."

"My daughter is just that outstanding. Anyone who meets her has to say a few words of praise." Warren Sterling looked utterly triumphant. "Because of that unfilial daughter breaking off the engagement, Old Holt has been giving me the cold shoulder. But today, when he saw me talking with Third Master Rivers, his attitude changed in a flash!"

Warren Sterling had only approached the Rivers on a whim. Even though they were just from a branch of the family, they were still part of a major clan. He never expected them to be so receptive; not only did they not look down on him, but they were actually quite pleasant. It gave him a huge boost in status.

The Holt Family’s attitude toward him changed instantly, and there was even a hint of sycophancy.

Esther Sterling just smiled without saying a word, but a flicker of unease crossed her eyes.

’Just a branch of the Rivers Family is enough to make Father so smug and change the Holt Family’s attitude. If they knew that the Heir of the Rivers himself was pursuing Chloe...’

’No, I have to deal with this as quickly as possible. I absolutely cannot let Chloe have any chance of returning to the Sterling Family.’

「The Lockwood Residence.」

In the study.

Jasper Lockwood was reviewing a file when, after a moment, Henry Chamberlain knocked and entered.

"Sir, the number you had me investigate is from a burner phone. I can’t trace its owner."

Jasper Lockwood looked up. "A burner?"

"Yes," Henry Chamberlain said. "And it was only recently activated."

"Can you trace the call logs or messages?" Jasper Lockwood asked.

Henry Chamberlain hesitated. "...Those are untraceable too. The number has a very high security level, and a hacker is blocking our investigation."

"A hacker..." A small smile played on Jasper Lockwood’s lips as he murmured, "It seems my wife has many secrets."

A top-level hacker had helped Chloe Sterling hide her personal information before, and now even the people she contacted were this mysterious.

"Is this number related to the missus?" Henry Chamberlain asked curiously.

Jasper Lockwood shot him a look.

Henry Chamberlain immediately bowed his head. "I overstepped... Sir, should I continue the investigation?"

After a moment of silence, Jasper Lockwood said, "Forget it. Drop the investigation. What’s my wife up to?"

"Right before I came up, I saw the missus in the courtyard... moonbathing. Absorbing the essence of the sun and moon." Henry Chamberlain answered. After a pause, he added, "Those were her words."

The weather had been getting cooler lately. A servant saw Chloe Sterling lingering in the courtyard for a long time and asked why she was still outside, reminding her to be careful not to catch a cold. That’s when he personally heard Chloe say she was "moonbathing, absorbing the essence of the sun and moon."

Hearing this, Henry Chamberlain suddenly wondered, ’Could this woman be some kind of spirit?’

Jasper Lockwood put down the file, walked to the massive floor-to-ceiling window, and gazed down at the grounds below.

On the lawn, Chloe Sterling was lounging languidly on a white chaise, gazing quietly at the distant, starry sky. The silvery moonlight washed over her, lending her already fair skin an extra layer of luminescence.

’She really does look like a glowing, beautiful siren.’

Jasper Lockwood watched her in silence. A moment later, he saw her answer a call. He instinctively thought of the unknown number. ’Could it be that person again?’

Chloe Sterling didn’t notice the man’s eyes on her. She held her phone, listening with an air of indifference as Silas Coldwell spoke.

"There’s a situation in Country E. I have to head back for a bit. Want to come with me? We can return in a while."

Chloe Sterling: "No."

Silas Coldwell: "It won’t be long. A month at most."

Chloe Sterling: "Not even for a day."

Silas Coldwell: "...Do you want to see if I’ll send someone to The Medical College to kidnap you?"

Chloe Sterling’s eyes narrowed. "Do you want to see if I’ll poison you?"

Silas Coldwell chuckled. "An aphrodisiac? I wouldn’t be against it."

After a moment of silence, Chloe Sterling hung up on him.

In the presidential suite of a hotel.

Silas Coldwell’s face darkened.

A subordinate asked in a low voice, "Boss, are we really going to The Medical College to grab her?"

Silas Coldwell glanced up at him. "You want to go?"

The man seemed to recall something, and a look of terror crossed his face. "I... don’t think I’m up to it, sir."

Silas Coldwell sneered. "Then stop spouting nonsense if you know you can’t do it!"

’If it were that easy to just grab her, would I be wasting my time like this?’

She was a gifted top-level Pharmacist. Her skill in brewing potions was first-rate, but her skill with poisons was even better. If she were easy to capture, those other powers would have snatched her up a hundred times over by now. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Chloe Sterling knew Silas Coldwell wouldn’t dare make a move on her lightly. Of course, he had tried to use forceful means to keep her in the past, but it had been useless.

Because she really would poison someone. Her poisons weren’t lethal, but they caused excruciating torment.

For instance, an unbearable itch all over the body, ceaseless pain, uncontrollable laughter, or hallucinations. The specific method she used on anyone who tried to capture her depended entirely on her mood.

Chloe Sterling suddenly realized that she had never once considered using her potions on Jasper Lockwood. Not even when he had forcefully kissed her. It was as if she was especially indulgent with him.

Thinking of his devastatingly handsome face, Chloe seemed to find her answer. ’It’s probably because he’s just too good-looking.’

’I have a soft spot for beautiful things.’

At this thought, Chloe Sterling let out a soft laugh, her gaze returning to the distant moon.

Seeing the woman hang up the phone and then break into a radiant, captivating smile, Jasper Lockwood’s lip twitched. A hint of displeasure colored his dark, almond-shaped eyes.

’Whatever they talked about, she sure seems happy about it!’

Jasper Lockwood suddenly called out in a low voice, "Henry Chamberlain!"

Henry Chamberlain jumped. "Sir."

Jasper Lockwood turned, his sharp gaze fixed on him. "Resume the investigation into the owner of that number. If you don’t have an answer within a week, you can pack your bags."

"Yes, sir! I’ll get on it right away." With that, Henry Chamberlain immediately retreated from the study.

Having had enough time outside, Chloe Sterling headed into the villa. Just then, she saw Henry Chamberlain rushing past. He gave her a quick nod. "Missus."

"Henry, what’s the rush?"

His boss had forbidden him from speaking, so Henry Chamberlain naturally didn’t dare breathe a word. He forced a smile that looked close to tears. "The Second Master has assigned me to an urgent task. If you’ll excuse me, Missus, I must get to it."

"Oh, go on then."

Chloe Sterling didn’t press the issue and headed upstairs.

Just as she reached the top of the stairs, Jasper Lockwood emerged from the study. Their eyes met, and they both spoke at once.

Chloe Sterling: "Are you done with work?"

Jasper Lockwood: "Was it cold outside?"