On the Day I Was Kicked Out of the Wealthy Family, I Had a Flash Marriage with a Tycoon-Chapter 99: Buying Gifts

In the skyscraper restaurant.

Chloe Sterling glanced out the window at the night view. A vast expanse of the city, glittering with countless lights, stretched out before her—a stark contrast to the pitch-black nights of the countryside.

Bustling. Prosperous.

However, the restaurant was practically empty. This should have been the peak dinner hour, so it shouldn’t be this quiet. They were the only customers in the entire place.

Chloe Sterling looked away from the window and glanced around again. Still no one else. A flicker of confusion crossed her mind.

Noticing her expression, Jasper Lockwood asked, "What’s wrong?"

Chloe Sterling said, "Something feels a little strange."

"Strange?"

"Haven’t you noticed? We’re the only ones in the entire restaurant. It’s the middle of dinner time; it shouldn’t be this empty."

Jasper Lockwood didn’t tell her that he had booked the entire restaurant, which was why there was no one else there. He glanced around, his expression calm as he said, "Hm, you’re right."

After a moment, as if a thought had just struck her, Chloe Sterling stared at Jasper Lockwood and asked abruptly, "Don’t tell me... you booked the whole place?"

The corners of Jasper Lockwood’s lips curved up slightly, but he didn’t say a word.

But that was all the confirmation Chloe Sterling needed. "That explains it."

’That had to be the reason there were no other customers.’

Since she’d already figured it out, there was no longer any need for Jasper Lockwood to hide it. "I didn’t want us to be disturbed," he said.

"Then why didn’t you just book a private room?"

"They don’t have any here."

Chloe understood.

Just then, her phone rang. Seeing it was Jean Kensington, Chloe Sterling glanced at Jasper Lockwood. "I need to take this."

Jasper Lockwood gave a slight nod. "Go ahead."

Chloe Sterling picked up her phone and answered, "Hello?"

Jean Kensington’s excited voice came through the phone. "Chloe, the baby just made a sound! He said ’Mommy’! He called me Mommy!"

By the end of her sentence, Jean sounded like she was about to cry. She had finally heard her son call her Mommy.

The results came even faster than Chloe had expected. She smiled and said, "That’s wonderful. Congratulations."

"Oh, sweetie, thank you."

"I’ll come see him tomorrow," Chloe added.

"Tomorrow?" Jean sounded a little surprised.

Picking up on her tone, Chloe asked, "What’s wrong? Are you busy?"

"No, I’m not busy or anything. But you’ve been away from Crestfall for so long. As they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Shouldn’t you be spending more time with your President Lockwood?"

"..."

Chloe glanced at Jasper, who was sitting across from her. "I’m just going to check on the baby’s voice. It’ll be quick."

"Oh," Jean chuckled. "Okay. By the way, are you two together right now?"

"Yes."

"Then I won’t disturb you two! I’ll let you get back to it. Bye!" With that, Jean hung up.

Chloe: "..."

Putting down her phone, Chloe spoke again. "Jasper, I’m going to see the baby tomorrow. He’s able to make sounds now."

"Okay." After a brief pause, Jasper added, "I’ll go with you."

"Huh? You’re going too?"

Jasper replied, "As his godfather, shouldn’t I go see my godson?"

Chloe said, "...Alright."

Right after, Jasper picked up his phone and called Henry Chamberlain, instructing him to prepare some gifts for a young child.

"Wait!" Chloe interrupted him. "Henry’s a single guy. Do you really think he knows what to buy for a little kid?"

Jasper said, "Don’t all kids like toys?"

"The baby isn’t like most kids," Chloe said. "How about... we go shopping and pick something out ourselves after dinner?"

Jasper immediately spoke into the phone again. "You don’t need to prepare anything. My wife and I will go ourselves."

Hearing the words "my wife," an awkward expression flashed across Chloe’s face.

Everyone at the Lockwood Residence called her "Madam," including the bodyguards who had followed her to the countryside. She seemed to have grown accustomed to it, no longer feeling as awkward as she had at first.

But it was different coming from Jasper. Every time he called her "my wife," she felt flustered, as if he were teasing her. Yet he always said it so naturally, with a completely straight face.

...

Esther Sterling and Ruby Lynch had switched to another restaurant. After dinner, Ruby personally drove Esther back to the Sterling residence.

"Auntie, come in and stay for a bit," Esther said.

"Alright."

The two got out of the car and walked into the Sterling villa together.

Warren Sterling wasn’t home, and Rose Lynch had only just returned herself.

"Ruby, Esther, you’re back." Rose Lynch smiled as she came down the stairs to greet them.

Esther looked at her. "Mom, where were you today? I called, but you didn’t answer."

"I went for a beauty treatment with Mrs. Aldridge, and I didn’t have my phone with me." Rose Lynch smiled as she descended the last few steps. "I’m sorry, my darling daughter."

Esther stepped forward to examine her mother’s face closely. "It does look really good," she said admiringly. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Rose Lynch touched her own face, looking very pleased. "It’s a new treatment. I think it’s wonderful. The three of us should go together some time."

"Okay," Esther agreed, glancing at Ruby. "Auntie, when are you free?"

Ruby replied, "I don’t have much going on lately. I’m free anytime."

"Don’t just stand there," Rose said. "Let’s sit and chat."

The three of them sat and began to chat happily.

After a little while, Esther’s phone chimed. She had a new message.

It was from the head director of the piano competition.

[Esther, you’ll be performing in the finale slot tomorrow. Prepare well. I have high hopes for you.]

His attitude was a complete one-eighty from before.

Esther smiled and replied, [Okay, I understand. Thank you, Director Sheffield.]

’She was actually quite grateful to the director. If he hadn’t suddenly thrown a fit yesterday, Tristan Sinclair would never have noticed her and come to her rescue.’

Director: [Don’t mention it. Get some rest tonight. Good luck with the competition tomorrow.]

Esther: [Okay. You get some rest too. See you tomorrow.]

’Even though Tristan Sinclair was treating her differently, Esther knew it wasn’t nearly enough yet. She couldn’t afford to get complacent. She still had to be respectful to the director; it was crucial for the rest of the competition.’

"Esther, who are you texting? You look so happy," Rose asked.

"The head director of the competition, Director Sheffield," Esther replied.

"Why is he messaging you so late at night?"

Esther hadn’t yet told Rose what had happened at the competition, and she didn’t plan to for the time being. She wanted to wait until her relationship with Tristan Sinclair had developed further.

"He thinks highly of me. He told me to prepare well and that I’ll be performing in the finale slot tomorrow."

Ruby Lynch smiled. She knew exactly what was going on. Tristan Sinclair was treating Esther differently, which must mean he was interested in her. It would be strange if the director *wasn’t* trying to get on her good side.

The mall closed at ten in the evening.

There was some traffic on the way from the restaurant to the mall. As time grew short, Chloe said, "It’s already past nine. At this rate, we probably won’t make it before the mall closes. Why don’t we just go tomorrow morning?"

"No need." Jasper took out his phone and called Tristan Sinclair. "Tristan, have the mall on Klaros Street stay open an hour later."

"Hm?" Tristan Sinclair laughed. "Jasper, what are you up to this time?"

Jasper replied matter-of-factly, "I’m going to buy a present for my godson."