After His Sweetheart Moved In, He Came Home Every Night-Chapter 88: He Comes to Declare His Sovereignty
"Owen!"
Before Owen Sterling could finish his sentence, Alice York cut him off and pulled him straight into the room.
CLICK.
With the sound of the light switch, all the lights from the entryway to the living room turned on. At the same time, Owen Sterling got a clear look at Alice York’s face. She was very nervous.
"Alice..." Owen opened his mouth, about to say something.
Alice had already turned and was walking inside with a takeout bag. "Come in and have a seat first."
Owen Sterling followed her in silence. This was his first time visiting the apartment Alice rented. It was clean, cozy, and very well-kept.
Seeing Alice place the takeout on the table, he asked, "Do you order takeout often?"
"Occasionally." Alice set the food down and went to pour a glass of water for Owen.
Seeing Owen standing there awkwardly, she gestured with her hand. "Owen, please, sit."
Some things couldn’t be explained in just a few words. They really needed to sit down and talk it out properly.
He tugged at his pant legs and sat down on the sofa. Alice placed the water on the coffee table, then sat down as well, facing him.
"There are four apartments per floor in this building. It wouldn’t be good if the neighbors overheard certain things."
She was deliberately explaining her earlier tone, hoping he wouldn’t misunderstand and think she had a bad temper.
Owen immediately said, "I was too impatient. I shouldn’t have asked you right at the door."
If he had said even one more word of that sentence, it could have ruined Alice’s reputation. He was filled with regret, but also grateful that Alice had decisively cut him off.
Alice shook her head. "Owen, why did you suddenly come to Jade Pavilion to pick me up last night?"
’I already have a good idea,’ she thought, ’but I still want to confirm it with Owen.’
Owen said, "It was my aunt who contacted me. She told me you were at Jade Pavilion for a dinner with colleagues last night and got drunk, so she asked me to come pick you up."
’Just as I thought,’ Alice mused.
’Mindy Vaughn’s call started off frantic, but as soon as she found out I had been drinking, her tone suddenly softened, and she said she would arrange for someone to pick me up.’
’So she arranged for Owen!’
"I did pick you up last night, but I failed to get you home safely. I never expected Third Uncle to show up and snatch you away, and then do that to you..." Rage churned in Owen’s eyes.
When he looked at Alice, the anger vanished, replaced by heartache and pity. "Where did Third Uncle take you last night?"
Alice pressed her lips together and didn’t answer.
Owen asked again, "You and Third Uncle... how long has it been? When did he first approach you?"
Alice still didn’t answer.
Owen looked utterly defeated. "I’m sorry. I won’t ask anymore. These things have already happened, but I’m only just now showing you any concern. I just hate that I didn’t come back sooner. If I had come back earlier, maybe I could have..."
"Owen, this has nothing to do with you. Don’t blame yourself. Besides, Third Uncle’s interest in me is just a whim. It won’t last," she said calmly.
Owen despised the phrase ’just a whim’. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
All because of Wyatt Sterling’s whim, he had taken what he wanted by force, destroying Alice’s innocent life in the process.
A sudden thought occurred to Owen, and he looked at Alice. "Does anyone else in the Sterling family know? Does my aunt know?"
"In the Sterling family, only you know, Owen. My mother doesn’t know either."
Since they were on the topic, Alice had to add, "I hope you can keep this a secret for me, Owen. Don’t tell anyone in the Sterling family, including my mother. If this gets out, I’ll be ruined."
Owen couldn’t bear to hear such words. He promised Alice, "Alice, don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone. Not even my aunt."
Alice breathed a sigh of relief.
’In Owen’s eyes, what’s happening between me and Wyatt Sterling is coercion. It wouldn’t be a bad thing to let him keep thinking that. When I finally get my freedom, it’ll be easier to put this past behind me.’
With that in mind, she added, "Owen, from now on, just pretend you don’t know about this. Third Uncle has always been tyrannical and domineering. No one can threaten him."
Veins bulged on Owen’s forehead. He brought his fist down toward the coffee table with force, but stopped it just a centimeter away, making no sound. He wanted to vent, but his reason held him back.
Wyatt Sterling ran the Sterling family with an iron fist right now. He didn’t have the power to protect Alice.
"Alice, do you blame me?" Owen asked, his face a mask of restraint.
Alice shook her head. "I don’t. I don’t blame anyone. Everyone has their own fate. This is mine."
Owen said, "This isn’t your fate. And you shouldn’t have to endure any of this."
Alice fell silent.
Just then, Owen reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw his gaze was incredibly gentle, filled with tenderness and affection.
"Alice, do you remember what you said to me last night?"
Alice froze.
She remembered every word she had said to Owen last night. But she had been drunk at the time, unable to tell people apart, and had mistaken Owen for...
’I really need to clear this up.’
But before she could speak, her phone began to ring insistently.
Both of their gazes snapped toward the dining table. Owen said, "You should get that."
Alice hummed in agreement and got up to walk to the table.
The moment she saw the caller ID, her whole demeanor changed. ’Of all the times for him to call...’
She picked up the phone, turned around, and answered it right in front of Owen. "Third Uncle."
Owen, who had been sitting on the sofa, shot to his feet.
Alice raised a hand in a gesture. Owen understood she was telling him to stay quiet and calm.
"Is there something I can help you with, Third Uncle?" Alice’s tone was as calm as ever.
But Wyatt Sterling’s words on the other end of the line immediately shattered her composure. "You’ve been talking for almost ten minutes and you’re still not done?"
Alice: "..."
Wyatt Sterling: "I’m giving you three minutes. Get rid of him."
"You—"
She almost blurted out an accusation, asking if he was watching her. But reason reminded her that Owen was still there, and she forced herself to swallow the words.
Wyatt Sterling’s voice was ice-cold. "What about me? Do you want me to come up here and get rid of him myself?"
"No!"
Wyatt Sterling reminded her, "You have two minutes left. If I don’t see him downstairs in two minutes..."
"I get it." She didn’t want to hear the rest of his threat.
"Good that you know. Be a good girl."
With that, Wyatt Sterling mercilessly hung up.
Alice put down her phone and hurried over to Owen. Grabbing his hand, she started pulling him toward the door while saying, "Owen, I’m exhausted. I need to take a shower and rest. You should go home for now. We can talk about everything else over text."
"Alice!"
Owen stood his ground. "Did Third Uncle threaten you again?"
"He didn’t threaten me. Please, just go. I’m begging you." Alice’s eyes were filled with pleading as she looked at Owen.
Owen wasn’t stupid. Alice suddenly rushing him out had to be because of Wyatt Sterling.
To avoid causing more trouble for her, he had no choice but to pretend he didn’t know anything. "Alright then. Call me if you need anything."
"Okay."
Alice saw him out the door and shut it behind him without another word.
Owen stared at the closed door, disheartened, for a moment before turning to leave. When he reached the elevator, it happened to arrive on his floor.
He hadn’t even pressed the ’down’ button.
Just as he was wondering why, the elevator doors slid open, and Wyatt Sterling stepped out.
