After His Sweetheart Moved In, He Came Home Every Night-Chapter 32: Selling Alice York

Alice’s reaction was strong, her resistance obvious.

"Don’t you like me holding your hand?" Kyle seemed completely unaware of how inappropriate he was being.

Though Alice was annoyed, she kept her tone reasonable. "I’m sorry. Maybe I’m just too reserved, but I don’t think we’re familiar enough to be holding hands."

"It’s just holding hands."

Kyle had barely finished speaking when he heard William Churchill’s furious shout, "You bastard! Shut up!"

Kyle’s face tightened.

William Churchill and Silas Sterling walked over together. William put on an apologetic smile. "Miss York, please don’t be angry. Our Kyle has never spent time with girls before, so he doesn’t understand how to maintain a proper distance. That’s why he overstepped."

Alice listened, thoroughly bewildered.

’Why does it sound like Uncle Churchill wants Kyle and me to get to know each other... and start dating?’

"Alice, don’t read too much into it," Silas Sterling quickly interjected, trying to smooth things over. "Kyle probably just really wants to be friendly, but he doesn’t know how."

Silas Sterling’s words only made Alice more certain of her suspicions.

’She instinctively turned, looking for Wyatt Sterling, but he wasn’t there. Even if he were, he probably wouldn’t step in for her. So what was she even hoping for?’

Gathering herself, Alice quickly calmed down. "Then perhaps I was being too sensitive," she said. "I must have misunderstood his intentions."

Even though she felt deeply wronged, she had to swallow her grievance so as not to cause the Churchills to lose face.

Silas Sterling finally breathed a sigh of relief.

A satisfied smile spread across William Churchill’s face. He reminded Kyle, "See? It’s Miss York who is the magnanimous one. You need to take a good, hard look at yourself."

Kyle smirked. "I get it."

’To Alice, that smirk looked completely intentional.’

She couldn’t stay here a moment longer. Forgetting about Silas Sterling, she knew she had to leave immediately.

She made up an excuse about feeling unwell, preparing herself for an argument. But to her surprise, William Churchill simply nodded. "Since Miss York is unwell, you should go get some rest. Kyle..."

Alice’s heart clenched.

William Churchill suddenly changed tack. "On second thought, you gave Miss York quite a scare just now. We can’t have you bothering her any longer. I’ll have a servant show you to your room."

Alice breathed a sigh of relief.

’Thank goodness he didn’t ask Kyle to take her. She was trying to avoid that man like the plague.’

On the way back, Alice asked the servant who was escorting her, "I haven’t seen my Third Uncle or my older brother since the dinner ended. Do you know where they are?"

The servant told her, "Tonight is the final night of the wake, and Old Mr. Churchill has come down. He doesn’t wish to see any of the Sterlings, so the master has invited them to have tea elsewhere."

’So that’s what happened.’

’No wonder she hadn’t seen Third Uncle or her older brother since dinner. While Old Mr. Churchill didn’t hate the Sterlings as fiercely as Old Mrs. Churchill did, tonight was the final wake. He probably wanted to grant his late wife a peaceful, dignified farewell.’

She arrived back at her room.

The servant stopped. "Miss York, this is your room."

"Thank you."

Alice thanked her and watched the servant walk away before turning to open her door. But just then, a head peeked out from around a distant corner, staring at her.

Alice jumped, her face a mask of shock. "Kyle...?"

The figure seemed just as startled by her. Without a word, he turned and ran.

’Alice was furious. She had no idea what this man was trying to do. First, his flippant remarks during the day, then grabbing her hand with no regard for personal space tonight, and now he’d followed her just to scare her.’

’No, I have to figure out what he’s up to!’

Alice immediately gave chase.

Around the corner was a long hallway. ’Kyle’ was pressed against the wall. He probably hadn’t expected her to follow. The moment he saw her, he turned and bolted. His awkward, uncoordinated running style—swinging the arm and leg on the same side together—made Alice falter for a second. In the next instant, ’Kyle’s’ figure vanished.

He disappeared down the hall.

Hurried footsteps echoed down the hall.

’Panting, Alice hesitated. Should she keep chasing him? She wasn’t familiar with the Churchill estate; she could get lost in this vast hallway alone, never mind that it was the middle of the night.’

’Forget it. I’ll confront him tomorrow.’

Alice turned and headed back.

When she got back to her room and reached for the door, she found it was ajar. ’That’s not right...’ she thought. ’I remember being startled by Kyle before I even had a chance to open it, and then I ran after him...’

’Did someone come and open my door right after I left?’

The more she thought about it, the more terrified she became. Alice didn’t dare take the chance. But just then, the door was suddenly flung open from the inside. Alice stumbled back in fright, but before she could utter a single sound, she was yanked into the room.

The room was pitch-black. Alice couldn’t see a thing, couldn’t even scream. Her world spun as she was slammed against the wall.

She struggled for her life, punching and kicking with all her might, until she heard a man’s low, cold reprimand. "You actually chased after him? Do you have a death wish?"

Alice’s struggling limbs suddenly went still.

’It was Wyatt Sterling’s voice!’

’Damn him!’

’He’d scared her so badly her heart had nearly stopped. She thought she was a goner tonight, and it turned out to be him!’

The large hand over her mouth loosened. Freed from his hold, Alice started pummeling him, unleashing all her pent-up fury on his body.

He let her hit him, letting her vent for a moment. But when she showed signs of getting even more frantic, he freed a hand and clamped both of her wrists together. "Had enough yet?"

He couldn’t see her face in the darkness, but he could guess it was flushed with anger. "Do you have any idea how terrified I was?" she sputtered. "I thought it was... it was..."

"Kyle?"

At his words, she fell silent. She didn’t make a sound, and she stopped struggling.

After a long moment, he pulled her up, reached out, and flipped on the light. When he turned back, he was met with her red-rimmed eyes. She looked like a frightened little rabbit.

’His throat felt dry. It must have been from the heat of her struggling.’

Alice straightened up, confronting Wyatt Sterling. "You knew, didn’t you? You knew that Kyle has ill intentions toward me."

Wyatt Sterling’s eyes darkened for a moment, and he furrowed his brow. "We’re in the Churchill home. Watch your words."

"But we’re the only ones here, aren’t we?" Alice said.

Wyatt Sterling turned and pulled the curtains closed, sealing the small gap that remained. "And?"

Alice had been suppressing her feelings for so long, and now she felt utterly wronged.

She looked at his tall, broad back, her voice thick with grievance. "Tonight... Kyle suddenly grabbed my hand."

Wyatt Sterling’s hand paused. His gaze turned grim for an instant, but when he turned back around, his expression was once again one of cool indifference. "He just held your hand. What’s there to be so upset about?"

His casually tossed-out words were like a bucket of ice water dumped over Alice’s head.

A chill shot through her, from head to toe.

"From the moment I set foot in the Churchill home, I’ve felt uneasy. The way they look at me, the things they say..."

At this, Alice couldn’t stop a sob from escaping. With red-rimmed eyes, she finally voiced the suspicion that had been weighing on her heart. "I need to know... are you planning on selling me to the Churchills?"