On the Day I Was Kicked Out of the Wealthy Family, I Had a Flash Marriage with a Tycoon-Chapter 48: Self-Inflicted Humiliation

Chloe Sterling glanced sideways at Jasper Lockwood, wondering, ’Will he suddenly show up again tonight?’

Jasper Lockwood had no idea what she was thinking. Seeing her give him an unreadable look, he asked in confusion, "What is it?"

Chloe Sterling pursed her lips and blurted out, "Should we switch rooms?"

"......."

After a moment of silence, Jasper Lockwood replied stiffly, "There’s no need."

Looking away, Chloe Sterling cleared her throat. "Fine, then. Let me know when you change your mind."

The corner of Jasper Lockwood’s mouth twitched, but he ultimately said nothing more.

「The next day.」

Chloe Sterling had just arrived at the lab when Maya Jacobs sidled up to her, a look of pure schadenfreude on her face.

"Chloe, you’ll never guess what happened."

Seeing her friend’s expression, Chloe Sterling chuckled. "What’s the latest gossip?"

"It’s not exactly gossip, but it’s hilarious," Maya Jacobs continued. "So, that Esther Sterling... I heard that halfway through her birthday party yesterday, she was suddenly kicked out of the hotel—and all her guests, too! The Sterling Family must be absolutely mortified. Isn’t that hilarious?"

Chloe Sterling paused, a little surprised. Then she added, "Yes, that is pretty hilarious."

"I wonder who the Sterlings could have pissed off to be humiliated like that. I heard people from the Rivers Family were there, so now the Rivers are probably offended, too."

Chloe Sterling’s eyes darted thoughtfully. ’Could it have been Silas Coldwell?’

’But he didn’t seem to know the Sterlings were holding a party downstairs yesterday. Someone so arrogant and high-and-mighty like him wouldn’t normally pay attention to other people.’

’Besides, he was clearly furious yesterday. He wouldn’t have bothered with something like this.’

"You haven’t heard who was behind it?" Chloe Sterling asked.

Maya Jacobs shook her head. "Nope, nobody knows. But it must be some big shot who’s more powerful than both the Sterlings and the Rivers, and who also has pull with the Sinclair Family. Do you think... maybe it was that Crown Prince from the Rivers Family, getting revenge for you? The Heir of the Rivers has a pretty good relationship with the Sinclairs."

Chloe Sterling said, "It probably has nothing to do with me. They must have just offended someone."

’Warren Sterling has been getting incredibly arrogant lately. It wouldn’t be surprising if he unintentionally pissed someone off.’

"Yeah, that’s possible too," Maya Jacobs said with a grin. "Well, whoever it was, it’s still hilarious."

Chloe Sterling chuckled. "I’m a little curious where you hear all this gossip."

Maya Jacobs giggled. "I have my sources. But this business with Esther Sterling is common knowledge. It’d be hard *not* to know."

"Common knowledge?"

"Yep. The news has already spread from the art school all the way to The Medical College. Plenty of people are waiting to laugh at her. I bet Esther Sterling will be too ashamed to even show her face at school today."

That’s what most people thought.

But reality proved otherwise.

Not only did Esther Sterling come to school, but she was personally escorted by the fourth young master of the Rivers family.

In the main square, Esther Sterling said softly, "Young Master Rivers, thank you for dropping me off."

Mason Rivers smiled gently. "Esther, you don’t have to be so formal with me. You can just call me by my name. And if anyone dares to bully you or spread rumors, you have to tell me. I’ll teach them a lesson for you!"

He deliberately raised his voice for the last sentence, making sure everyone around could hear. The warning was clear.

Most people wouldn’t dare to offend a prestigious family like the Rivers.

Yesterday’s incident had been humiliating, but Mason Rivers’s gesture made Esther Sterling feel much better.

’Although she didn’t like Mason Rivers, that didn’t mean she couldn’t use him.’

Esther Sterling smiled sweetly. "Thank you, Mr. Mason."

’She used "Mr. Mason" on purpose. Men liked that kind of respectful affection. And when she rejected him later, she’d have the perfect excuse: she only ever saw him as a respected figure, like an older brother.’

Hearing that soft "Mr. Mason," Mason Rivers’s eyes lit up. He truly loved it; he found it irresistible. His chauvinistic, knight-in-shining-armor complex flared to life.

"Don’t worry about what happened yesterday. I’ll get to the bottom of it and resolve it as soon as possible. I won’t let anything happen to the Sterlings."

"Okay." Esther Sterling nodded. "I’ll be counting on you, then."

Mason Rivers smiled. "I told you, you don’t have to be so formal with me."

The two made a show of themselves in the square for a while longer before finally parting ways.

Esther Sterling walked toward her classroom, head held high.

As it turned out, Mason Rivers’s words had been very effective. No one dared to mock her about the birthday party to her face.

’People always cower before power.’

Esther Sterling smirked to herself. Suddenly, she thought of Chloe Sterling and imagined her rival laughing at her. Determined to prove that she was fine and couldn’t care less, she deliberately went over to The Medical College at noon and waited outside the lab building.

When she saw Chloe Sterling and Maya Jacobs emerge, she immediately stepped forward. "Yesterday was just an accident. It was only a birthday party; I couldn’t care less. My parents said they’re going to throw me an even bigger one to make up for it. But I hope you won’t come next time. My parents don’t want you there either. Why do you insist on making things unpleasant for yourself?"

Hearing this, Maya Jacobs turned to look at Chloe Sterling in astonishment. ’She went to Esther Sterling’s birthday party yesterday?!’

’How is that possible?’

’Wait, if she had gone, how could she not have known that Esther was kicked out?’

So Maya Jacobs snapped, "Are you crazy? Why would Chloe go to your birthday party!"

Esther Sterling smirked. "Why don’t you ask her yourself if she went?"

Seeing that Esther didn’t seem to be lying, Maya Jacobs looked at Chloe Sterling again, her expression a mixture of surprise and confusion. "Chloe, did you...?"

Chloe Sterling sneered. "Don’t flatter yourself. You think I went to the hotel just for you? Are you really that important?"

Esther Sterling’s expression faltered. "Then what else would you be doing there?" She paused, her tone turning mocking. "Were you there for some... shady business? If so, my apologies. I must have misunderstood."

At her words, Chloe Sterling’s gaze turned sharp, and she stepped forward.

Esther Sterling thought she was about to get violent and scrambled backward, only to trip over her own feet.

"AH!" With a shriek, Esther Sterling tumbled to the ground.

Seeing this, Maya Jacobs let out a snort of laughter, unable to hold it back.

Chloe Sterling looked down imperiously at the woman sprawled on the ground. She twisted the cap off the water bottle in her hand, tilted it, and poured the contents over Esther Sterling’s head.

"You insisted on coming here just to humiliate yourself. I’m just helping you out."

Esther Sterling scrambled up from the ground, but her hair was already soaked. She was a complete mess.

A crowd of onlookers was enjoying the spectacle.

Esther Sterling’s face flushed with anger and shame. Before she could figure out how to retaliate, Mason Rivers suddenly appeared. Her eyes immediately welled with tears, and she put on a pitiful, damsel-in-distress expression.

Mason Rivers rushed over. "Esther, what happened? What’s going on?"

Esther Sterling kept her head down, her voice choked with sobs. "I’m... I’m fine."

Mason Rivers shot a fierce glare at Chloe Sterling, but then he froze. He hadn’t expected to find such a beautiful girl at The Medical College.

The sound of sobbing snapped Mason Rivers back to his senses. He resolved to protect Esther Sterling and said, "Stop crying. Do to her double what she did to you. I’m here. Let’s see if she dares to retaliate!"

Hearing this, Esther Sterling looked up, but she didn’t dare to make a move.

’She knew what Chloe was capable of. Mason Rivers couldn’t protect her from that. She’d have to use other methods.’