After His Sweetheart Moved In, He Came Home Every Night-Chapter 170: He Decided to Give Alice York a Proper Reception
The gash in her palm stretched for nearly three centimeters, growing deeper along its length. A piece of the branch was still embedded in her flesh—a shocking and gruesome sight.
Nathan Sterling stared, stunned, at the wound, silent for a long moment.
"How could you fall so badly..." Finn Hawthorne fumbled for his phone, flustered. "I’ll call 911 for you right away."
"Are you out of your mind? It’s just a cut on my hand, why would you call 911? Help me up first." Alice York gritted her teeth against the pain and held out her other hand.
At her side, Nathan Sterling instinctively reached out to help Alice up.
When Alice looked up at him, he faltered and let go. He realized he wasn’t strong enough to help her up.
Worried that Nathan would blame himself too much, Alice gave him a smile. "It’s just a scratch. I’m okay. I’ll patch it up myself."
Nathan didn’t say anything, but the self-reproach was written all over his face. He regretted his earlier impulsiveness. If he had just listened and gone with her, he wouldn’t have lost his temper, and Alice wouldn’t have fallen and hurt her hand...
"Hey, don’t dwell on it. It’s really nothing. Besides, I heard you call me ’sis’ earlier." Even in this much pain, Alice couldn’t resist teasing Nathan.
With a dark expression, Finn Hawthorne helped Alice to her feet. "This brat is your brother?"
Alice held her injured hand away from her body, worried about getting blood on them.
Hearing Finn’s question, she nodded and answered in an introductory tone, "He’s my biological brother, Nathan Sterling."
"A biological brother... So you have a brother..." Finn Hawthorne murmured, his expression turning grim.
Gritting her teeth against the pain, Alice pulled the sliver of wood from her palm and tossed it into the flowerbed. She needed to treat the wound immediately and was in no mood to worry about what Finn was thinking.
But before she left, she didn’t forget to warn them, "Don’t you two argue or fight again. If you do, I’ll smear this bloody hand all over your faces. It won’t do any damage, but it will be plenty disgusting."
Finn Hawthorne: "..."
Nathan Sterling: "..."
The threat, surprisingly, was incredibly effective!
Though Finn Hawthorne and Nathan Sterling loathed the sight of each other, they took Alice’s warning to heart and didn’t exchange a single word. They did, however, continue to glare daggers at one another.
"Young Master, we’re leaving in half an hour. Miss Alice sent me to remind you to go change your clothes."
A servant had hurried over.
Nathan stopped glaring and turned to leave.
Finn Hawthorne called out to him, "Hey, brat."
Nathan stopped in his tracks. The word ’brat’ made him clench his fists. Fearing he’d lose his temper and start another fight, he pretended not to hear and ignored him.
"Where are you two going?" Finn asked shamelessly.
’Alice did say she had something to do. Looks like they’re going out.’
Nathan replied coldly, "None of your business."
"Sheesh, you’re just a little kid, but you’ve got a big temper..." A surge of anger rose in Finn, but he quickly pushed it back down.
He turned to ask the servant instead. Not daring to offend the young master of the Hawthorne Family, the servant told him their entire itinerary.
"...You’re going to Arden!" Finn Hawthorne broke into a wide, brilliant grin. "Once you’re on my turf, I’ll have to show you some proper hospitality!"
He’d originally planned on staying in Silvanus for a couple more days.
’Perfect. I’ll just head straight back.’
Finn turned to leave, but something in his peripheral vision made him stop. His gaze landed on the blood-stained twig in the flowerbed.
’He hesitated for a moment but ultimately abandoned the idea. Since his brother had already confirmed Tess Thompson’s identity, there was no need for him to do it.’
Meanwhile, Alice had finished treating her hand.
She had treated it herself.
Not wanting to be questioned by the Old Master, she’d deliberately worn a pair of thin gloves to hide the injury. To make them look less conspicuous, she’d even picked an outfit to match.
But despite her careful disguise, she couldn’t escape the Old Master’s discerning gaze.
In the stretch limousine, Simon Sterling, who sat opposite her, surveyed Alice’s attire. "You’ve put some thought into this."
Alice understood the implication behind the Old Master’s words. It seemed she’d unintentionally hit the mark.
Simon Sterling then brought it up. "I heard that... what was his name... that Hawthorne fellow was here this morning?"
Alice chimed in, "Grandfather, that would be Finn Hawthorne."
Simon Sterling nodded. "This Finn Hawthorne... you two just had a falling-out, yet he came looking for you first thing in the morning. Why?"
Alice rested her hands gently on her lap. "He wanted to ask me out. I politely declined. Then Nathan showed up and started a fight with him over the incident with the cat."
At this, Simon Sterling smiled and turned to Nathan, who had been sulking since they got in the car. "Did you get physical?"
Nathan huffed, "He killed my cat. I’m gonna kill him."
Simon Sterling: "And in doing so, you got your sister hurt."
Nathan lowered his head. "It was an accident."
Simon Sterling chuckled. Nathan had only swallowed his anger today because Alice got hurt. Otherwise, he would have undoubtedly latched onto Finn Hawthorne and bitten him black and blue.
Alice knew how frustrated he felt, so she reached out and patted his head reassuringly.
Nathan turned his head, avoiding Alice’s hand. "Revenge is a dish best served cold. When I’m older, I’ll get him back for this. I’ll make him pay."
"..."
He spoke through gritted teeth, and Alice knew that the boy had truly taken this feud to heart.
"In my opinion..." Simon Sterling’s smile vanished as he spoke suddenly, "you might as well choose Finn Hawthorne. As they say, conflict breeds familiarity. You could say your connection was ’fought’ for. Compared to the other three strangers, he should be easier to approach."
Alice stated bluntly, "Finn Hawthorne despises me."
Simon Sterling’s gaze sharpened. "Even the most strained relationship can be mended with enough effort. How will you know the outcome if you don’t even try?"
Every single word he spoke was a thinly veiled warning.
Not wanting to displease the Old Master, Alice could only concede. "I’ll give it a try, then."
Satisfied, Simon Sterling nodded. "Good."
Beside them, Nathan listened on, only half-understanding the conversation.
It wasn’t until they arrived at the airport that Alice realized two other people were joining them on the trip to Arden.
"Grandfather, we got here first today!"
A casually dressed young woman was standing ahead of them, waving.
Alice looked up and recognized the young woman as Rhea Sterling. A tall, handsome man with sharp brows and bright, star-like eyes stood beside her.
He was Kenneth Shaw, Rhea Sterling’s fiancé.
Rhea had her arm linked with Kenneth’s, and standing together, they looked like a perfect match.
"Grandfather, didn’t expect this, did you? We actually got here first today!" Rhea said, walking toward them on her fiancé’s arm. She tilted her head, a brilliant smile on her face.
Simon Sterling’s tone was indulgent. "Good for you. You finally managed not to dawdle."
Rhea leaned against him coquettishly. "I don’t normally dawdle, do I? Tell him, Kenneth?"
Perhaps it was the confidence that came from a lifetime of being spoiled, but Rhea always had the disposition of a child—spoiled, troublesome, and always needing to be coaxed and coddled.
But there was always someone willing to indulge her every whim—be it her family, her colleagues, or her fiancé.
Kenneth just smiled, the corners of his lips turning up as he raised a hand to ruffle Rhea’s hair. "My Yara is always the most enthusiastic."
"See, Grandfather? Even Kenneth says I’m the most enthusiastic. I don’t dawdle at all," Rhea said, snuggling against her fiancé’s shoulder in a clear display of affection.
Simon Sterling shook his head. "I don’t have the energy to argue with you. Let’s go to the lounge."
Rhea laughed happily, but as she turned her head, she saw Nathan walk past her with a sour look on his face. He muttered two words at her: "So fake."
