After His Sweetheart Moved In, He Came Home Every Night-Chapter 27: Why Is He So Cruel to Her

"I found this lipstick in Wyatt’s jacket pocket."

Melody Lancaster pouted, her face a mask of displeasure.

"Miss Lancaster, don’t overthink it. Maybe Third Uncle bought it for you. Have you opened it to see?"

Alice stared at the lipstick. Although it looked just like the one she’d lost, it wasn’t necessarily hers.

’Why would Wyatt Sterling take my lipstick? I can’t think of a single good reason.’

"You and I are on the same page," Melody Lancaster said to Alice with a bitter smile. "But I’m not the type to just stew in my own anger without getting to the bottom of things."

Alice’s heart lurched.

Melody Lancaster slid her fingertips over the magnetic cap, and the lipstick clicked open.

She twisted it twice, revealing a lipstick tip that clearly showed signs of use.

"See? It’s already been used. How could it be a gift for me?" Melody Lancaster held it out for Alice to see.

Alice’s heart sank. The color, the fact that it had only been used a few times—everything matched the one she had lost.

’It’s mine.’

"Alice, do you think the owner of this lipstick is deliberately trying to provoke me?" Melody Lancaster’s expression was grim.

’If she were actually Wyatt Sterling’s official girlfriend, she would have confronted him the moment she found it.’

’But she had no official title, no standing. She was afraid of annoying him.’

Alice could see the grievance and resentment in Melody’s eyes. After a moment of thought, she asked, "So, Miss Lancaster, do you plan to pretend you know nothing, or are you going to find out who this lipstick belongs to?"

"Of course I’m going to find out."

Melody Lancaster said through gritted teeth.

Alice pressed her lips together. She saw a visceral rage in Melody’s eyes—a dangerous signal. If Melody found out who the lipstick belonged to, she would show no mercy!

"Alice, did my tone just now scare you?" Melody Lancaster noticed that Alice looked a little pale. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Alice shook her head. "No."

"Good. I just have a bit of a temper, but I’m actually very gentle at heart." Melody Lancaster gave Alice a soft smile, then put the lipstick away back in her purse.

Alice returned the smile perfunctorily. Seeing Melody put the lipstick away, she asked, "Are you going to keep it? Isn’t that a little... unsettling?"

"It is, but I have to keep it. I need to find out who this woman is that’s provoking me."

With that, Melody Lancaster picked up her purse and walked out.

Alice averted her gaze, looking up at her reflection in the restroom mirror. Her troubles were piling up, and even her makeup couldn’t hide the weariness on her face.

’But I can’t figure it out. Why would Wyatt Sterling take my lipstick, only to let it fall into Melody Lancaster’s hands?’

’Isn’t he just trying to get me into trouble?’

’Although I’ve never experienced Melody’s methods firsthand, I’ve heard stories. She has her ways of dealing with women who try to seduce Wyatt Sterling. And for the most part, Wyatt condones it. If he didn’t, Melody wouldn’t dare make a move.’

’So...’

Alice’s pupils contracted. ’Does Wyatt intend for Melody to ’deal’ with me?’

’But I was the one who asked to end things, and I never demanded anything from him. Why would he be so cruel to me...?’

"Alice?"

Melody Lancaster’s voice called from outside.

Alice snapped back to reality and quickly composed herself. Afraid that Melody might notice something was wrong, she checked her reflection one last time before heading out.

The two of them returned to their table.

Alice noticed Silas Sterling’s face was flushed with excitement; he seemed to be in high spirits.

"Alice, come, let me introduce you. This is a business associate of your Third Uncle, Julian Dalton. The Daltons are very well-known in Washington."

Alice looked over, her gaze meeting Julian Dalton’s. She gave him a radiant smile. "Mr. Dalton, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you."

Julian Dalton raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Silas Sterling immediately spoke up. "Mr. Dalton, this is my daughter, Alice York."

After hearing Silas Sterling’s introduction, Julian Dalton shot a wry glance at Wyatt Sterling beside him. "Your niece, huh?"

"What, you’ve taken a liking to her?" Wyatt Sterling asked casually, with no regard for Alice’s presence.

To Alice, however, the question made her feel like a piece of merchandise being discussed, and she was deeply embarrassed.

Julian Dalton glanced at Alice’s expression, the smile on his lips widening. "Well, if I said I have, then as her uncle, shouldn’t you be the one to play matchmaker for us, Wyatt?"

Wyatt Sterling eyed him coolly. "First, call me ’Uncle’ and let me hear it."

Julian Dalton: "..."

From the side, Melody Lancaster chimed in with a grin, "Oh, leave the matchmaking to me. Wyatt isn’t any good at that sort of thing."

Julian Dalton stretched his legs. "Let’s not take the joke too far. We don’t want to scare our little niece, do we."

As he spoke, Julian Dalton’s gaze shifted to Alice.

Their eyes met, and Alice returned his gaze with a graceful, composed smile.

This wasn’t her first time seeing Julian Dalton. He and Wyatt Sterling were close. Alice remembered that before she had moved out of the Sterling residence, Julian had visited several times. She had only ever seen him from a distance, but she recalled that he smiled a lot and always seemed very approachable.

After dinner, Alice was accompanying Silas Sterling back to the hotel.

Julian Dalton made a gentlemanly offer. "I’ll give you a ride."

Silas Sterling quickly waved his hands. "Oh, we couldn’t possibly trouble you, Mr. Dalton."

"It’s on my way, so it’s no trouble at all." Julian Dalton looked at Alice, a smile playing on his lips. "What do you think, little niece?"

Wyatt Sterling approached from behind, his face devoid of expression. "And you said you had no ulterior motives."

Melody Lancaster, clinging to Wyatt Sterling’s arm, chimed in, "It’s obvious to everyone."

Julian Dalton denied it with a laugh. "You wound me. I’m just trying to be a good host."

Not wanting to be the subject of their teasing any longer, Alice said, "In that case, thank you in advance, Mr. Dalton. We appreciate the trouble."

"My pleasure." Julian Dalton gallantly opened the front passenger door for Alice.

Alice didn’t get in immediately. She turned to look at Wyatt Sterling first, enunciating each word clearly. "Third Uncle, since Mr. Dalton has been so kind as to offer us a ride, Uncle Sterling and I will head back to the hotel now."

Without the formal address, her words might have sounded like a girlfriend or wife reporting her plans to her partner.

But by calling him "Third Uncle," she was merely being an obedient and sensible junior who wouldn’t cause any worry.

Wyatt Sterling’s impassive face betrayed no emotion. He pulled his arm free from Melody Lancaster’s grasp, took out a cigarette and a lighter, and said, "Take good care of him."

Alice nodded. "Yes, I’ll take good care of Uncle Sterling."

The cigarette lit, Wyatt Sterling strode toward another car, and Melody Lancaster hurried after him.

Then, Alice and Silas Sterling got into Julian Dalton’s car.

When they arrived at the hotel, Alice made sure to thank Julian Dalton after getting out of the car.

Julian Dalton’s hand rested casually on the steering wheel as he looked up at her. "You and your Third Uncle..."

The color drained from Alice’s face.

Julian Dalton smiled. "Don’t be nervous. I was just going to say, it seems like you and your Third Uncle don’t have a very good relationship. Is he usually very strict with you?"

Hearing this, Alice breathed a sigh of relief. "Maybe it’s because I’m not really one of the Sterlings."

"It’s a good thing you’re not one of the Sterlings, then," Julian Dalton said meaningfully.