After His Sweetheart Moved In, He Came Home Every Night-Chapter 31: He Took Her Hand in Public

When Alice York saw Wyatt Sterling, he was sitting under the veranda, laughing and chatting with his contemporary, William Churchill.

His long legs were crossed. Though his black shirt was buttoned neatly, the silhouette of his powerful frame gave him an air of languid nonchalance.

As usual, Melody Lancaster was by his side, poised and graceful.

"Third Uncle."

Alice York’s arrival interrupted their conversation.

She walked straight up to them. "Third Uncle, I need to talk to you about something."

Wyatt Sterling glanced up at her, his tone light and distant. "Can’t you see I’m talking with Uncle Churchill? Whatever it is, we can talk about it later."

"But what I have to say is important." Alice York didn’t want to delay.

She was afraid that if she delayed, she would end up having to stay the night at the Churchill family’s home.

Wyatt Sterling’s gaze sharpened. "Do you not understand me?"

The atmosphere froze for a moment.

Anyone could tell that Wyatt Sterling’s tone was heavy, carrying a clear warning.

Alice York’s fingertips curled into her palm. She had to restrain herself repeatedly to keep from losing her composure on the spot.

Across from them, William Churchill looked on as if enjoying a show.

Just then, Melody Lancaster stood up to smooth things over. She took Alice York’s hand, tapping her finger against her palm. "Alice, come sit down and have some tea. This is a famous tea from Rivertown that Uncle Churchill brought back from a business trip. It’s quite good."

Alice York knew Melody Lancaster was sending her a signal.

She suppressed her restlessness and frustration, and sat down.

At that moment, William Churchill spoke up from across the table. "Washington is close to Rivertown, so I often travel there for business. I’ve brought back quite a few famous teas from Rivertown. Please, Miss York, have a taste. If you like it, you can take some home with you."

’When an elder offers a gift, one should accept it graciously.’

Alice York picked up her teacup. "Thank you for your generous offer, Uncle Churchill. In that case, I’ll happily accept."

A satisfied smile appeared on William Churchill’s face. He turned to Wyatt Sterling, who was sitting beside him, and said, "This young lady is quite something. Poised, graceful, sensible, and well-mannered."

Wyatt Sterling lowered his eyes and sipped his tea. The curled tea leaves were reflected in his dark pupils. As he placed the cup back on the table, he looked up, his expression placid. "Could anyone raised by the Sterlings be anything less?"

"That’s true enough." William Churchill’s smile deepened.

The two men continued their conversation, all of it about business. Alice York had no opportunity to interject, growing more anxious and uneasy.

Half an hour later, William Churchill stood up, his face wreathed in smiles, looking at Wyatt Sterling with a mixture of admiration and respect. "I’m very optimistic about this. But, Wyatt, you know as well as I do that I’m not the one calling the shots for the Churchills just yet."

The implication was that he still needed to discuss it with the old patriarch.

Wyatt Sterling also stood up. "I will await your good news."

"I’ll be on my way then," William Churchill said, patting Wyatt Sterling’s arm.

Wyatt Sterling nodded, watching William Churchill leave.

"Third Uncle!"

Alice York stood up. She had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

Wyatt Sterling turned and sat back down, not looking at Alice York. "You’ve been holding back for this long without leaving. What is it you want to say?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Melody Lancaster glanced at Alice York, also curious about what had made her so anxious and uneasy earlier.

Alice York asked, "Third Uncle, did you agree to stay at the Churchill family’s home tonight?"

Wyatt Sterling’s expression was indifferent. "I did. What do you have to say about it?"

Alice York stated her intention directly. "I want to go back to the hotel tonight."

"No."

Wyatt Sterling rejected her request outright.

Alice York didn’t understand, but instead of immediately demanding a reason, she used it to make a point. "Uncle Sterling is not in good condition. I don’t recommend he stays at the Churchill family’s home tonight."

Wyatt Sterling lifted his chin slightly, his voice laced with coldness. "You’ll stay whether you want to or not."

Alice York grew agitated. "I’m talking about Uncle Sterling, he..."

Wyatt Sterling cut her off, enunciating each word. "I’m talking about you."

Alice York froze. ’Wyatt Sterling’s attitude makes it clear there’s no room for negotiation. We have to stay at the Churchill family’s home tonight!’

"I understand." She agreed, disheartened, and no longer tried to convince him to change his mind, ’knowing it would be pointless to say more.’

Wyatt Sterling’s gaze darkened. He forced himself to look away from Alice York, then turned and left.

Melody Lancaster was about to follow, but Wyatt Sterling tossed a sentence over his shoulder. "Watch her."

’Watch her?’

’What is there to watch?’

’It’s not like she’s going to run off on her own!’

Oh well. She couldn’t just ignore what Wyatt had told her to do, so she turned to comfort Alice York.

"Can you tell me why you don’t want to stay at the Churchill family’s home tonight?" Melody Lancaster asked, placing a hand on her.

Alice York had calmed down. She didn’t mince words. "Being at the Churchill family’s home makes me feel very uncomfortable."

Melody Lancaster was sharp. She leaned closer and asked, "Did someone from the Churchill family treat you rudely?"

Alice York met Melody Lancaster’s gaze and shook her head. "No, it’s just my intuition."

"Sometimes intuition isn’t always accurate," Melody Lancaster said, patting Alice York’s shoulder comfortingly. "It’s probably because the Churchill family is in mourning today. That’s why you feel uncomfortable."

Alice York gave a forced smile. "Maybe so."

With that, she stood up. "I’m going to go stay with Uncle Sterling."

"I’ll go with you." Melody Lancaster followed her.

The matter of staying overnight at the Churchill family’s home left Alice York unsettled, and to top it off, Melody Lancaster chose that moment to mention in her ear that the relationship between the Sterling and Churchill families was about to thaw.

’Thaw?’

’How could it thaw?’

’For years, the Churchill and Sterling families have been like fire and water. They have had almost no business dealings, which has caused both families to miss out on many mutually beneficial opportunities.’

’If they really want to ease the tension between the two families, there must be some kind of catalyst. What could that catalyst be?’

"Now that Old Mrs. Churchill has passed away, the younger generation of the Churchill family doesn’t want to be held back by the grudges of the previous generation. That’s why the Sterlings are taking this visit to the Churchill family very seriously."

After speaking, Melody Lancaster suddenly took a large step to block Alice York’s path. "Your Third Uncle must have taken these factors into consideration. He can’t slight the Churchill family. You should try to understand him."

Alice York sidestepped Melody Lancaster. "Yes, I understand."

’And what if I didn’t understand? What could I do about it?’

That evening, the Churchill family hosted a banquet. Alice York remained a wallflower the entire time. Fortunately, no one directed the conversation toward her, and she managed to get through the meal peacefully.

After dinner, she stayed by Silas Sterling’s side, quietly watching him chat animatedly with elders he hadn’t seen in years. Whenever he got too worked up, she would step forward and gently remind him not to get too excited.

When they reached William Churchill, Alice York noticed Kyle Churchill was there too. Kyle greeted her directly, "I noticed you didn’t eat much tonight. Was the food not to your liking?"

It seemed like a casual inquiry, but to any onlooker, it sounded like Kyle Churchill was interested in her. Why else would he have been observing her so closely?

Alice York offered a gentle smile. "I have a small appetite, so I don’t eat much."

William Churchill chimed in, "Kyle, your problem is you’ve never been in a relationship. You don’t know that young women these days are all focused on managing their figures, especially eating very little at night."

"Oh, is that so?" Kyle Churchill looked as if he’d had an epiphany. He looked at Alice York. "But you’re already very slim."

"If you don’t know what to say, then don’t say anything," William Churchill chided him with a laugh, then added, "I’m here. Why don’t you take Miss York for a walk outside? Don’t let her lose her good impression of you."

Hearing this, Alice York sensed something was off. She was just about to politely refuse when Kyle Churchill, as if no one else was present, directly took her hand. "Alright, let’s go then."

Alice York violently snatched her hand back and retreated. "What are you doing!"