Chapter 69
While Willow was still hesitating, the figure ahead of her suddenly stopped.
"Didn't you say you wanted to thank me?" Sterling turned to look at her. "Or was that just talk?"
Willow snapped back to attention, realizing he expected more than words.
"Of course not," she quickly caught up to him. "I just wasn't sure when would be convenient for you. May I treat you to lunch, Mr. Lancaster?"
Sterling made no definitive response.
Though Willow had offered to treat him, Sterling drove them directly to a restaurant of his choosing.
On the way, Willow felt anxious. She had just paid her grandmother's medical bills and had little money left.
Given Sterling's status, even a casual meal might cost thousands of dollars. While she genuinely wanted to thank him properly, spending that much on a single meal would be painful right now.
Sterling took her to a private chef's restaurant. The owner personally greeted them and led them to a private room upstairs.
Willow had hoped to see a menu to estimate the prices, but this establishment didn't offer one—the chef simply prepared dishes according to his mood.
She resigned herself to the expense.
---
"How far along are your divorce proceedings?" Sterling asked once the owner had left.
Willow turned to see Sterling rolling up his shirt sleeves, revealing his forearms. His well-defined fingers adjusted the incense burner on the table.
As he did so, the scent of sandalwood permeated the room, creating a calming atmosphere.
She answered honestly, "We're still discussing it. Charles is reluctant, but I feel there's no point continuing this marriage."
Sterling was their elder and the head of the Lancaster family. There was no reason to hide this from him.
If he could help convince Charles, all the better.
A server brought in tea. Willow rolled up her sleeves to prepare tea for Sterling, waiting for his response.
"I can't help you with this," Sterling said, clearly reading her thoughts. "It's between the two of you."
Willow wasn't disappointed. She looked up and smiled. "I'm just grateful you're not opposing it, Mr. Lancaster."
Initially, she had worried Sterling might take the Lancaster family's position and prevent a quick divorce.
Sterling lowered his gaze to Willow's wrist, partially obscured by the tea steam. For a moment, it overlapped with his dream from the previous night.
He knew that with just a slight grip, that wrist would bruise.
The next second, that same wrist extended toward him, offering a cup of hot tea.
"Your tea, Mr. Lancaster," Willow said.
Sterling's eyes darkened slightly as he raised his hand while Willow withdrew hers.
He didn't correct her formal address but instead asked about Gloria. "How many years did you live with Gloria?"
"Seven years," Willow replied. Gloria had come to the Spencer family with her adoptive mother when she was eight, and was taken away by the Brown family at fifteen.
Willow guessed that Sterling had invited her to lunch to discuss Gloria.
Gloria had mentioned they were about to get engaged. Perhaps Sterling wanted to learn about Gloria through her?
Indeed, Sterling's subsequent questions all revolved around Gloria.
"What's your impression of her?" Sterling studied her carefully. "Last time, you advised me to reconsider my relationship with her. Why?"
Before Willow could answer, he added coldly, "I know your relationship with her is strained. I don't need to hear about your conflicts. I just want your assessment of her character."
"In that case, you don't need to ask me," Willow replied. "I have nothing good to say about her. My only thought is that she should be grateful the Brown family found her."
Otherwise, if she had stayed with the Spencer family to continue harming Maria, Willow would never have let her off.
Her answer was what Sterling had expected. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Is she bold?"
"In what way?" Willow was confused.
"Do you think she would dare deceive me?" Sterling clarified.
Willow's brow furrowed slightly. If Sterling was asking this, he must already have suspicions. What had Gloria lied to him about?
Willow doubted Gloria could fool Sterling, yet he seemed uncertain about something. What could it be?
As Willow pondered this, Sterling spoke again.
"The night you married Charles, someone drugged me. She saved me."
A deathly silence fell over the room.
There was a sound of Willow's teacup falling onto the table, spilling tea all over her. She seemed not to notice, too shocked by what she'd just heard.
Sterling hadn't specified how Gloria had "saved" him, but Willow knew exactly what it meant. Gloria had... taken her place that night!
This explained Gloria's behavior recently. Her claim about getting engaged to Sterling must also stem from that night.
And Sterling's uncertainty about the matter was understandable.
Willow's expression changed several times. Sterling had helped her so much; she didn't want him to be blackmailed by Gloria over that night.
But if she denied it outright, Sterling might suspect her instead... What should she do?
As she struggled with this dilemma, the restaurant owner entered with servers bringing their food, breaking the silence.
"Miss, your hand appears to be injured. Would you like us to treat it?" The owner noticed Willow's scalded hand.
Willow snapped back to reality, meeting Sterling's piercing gaze with a casual smile. "It's fine. The tea wasn't very hot. Could I just have a new cup, please?"
The owner agreed, and after serving the dishes, left with his staff.
Willow felt Sterling's scrutinizing gaze on her, making her scalp tingle.
"Do you think she would dare play games with me about this?" Sterling pressed.
Willow swallowed hard. No matter what, she couldn't let him believe Gloria.
"I think... yes, she would," she replied, feigning composure.
Sterling didn't respond, his eyes urging her to continue.
Reluctantly, Willow went on, "Gloria has always competed with me since childhood. Seeing me marry Charles, she might want to outdo me in marriage, even if it means manipulating you."
Her stiff expression was completely visible to Sterling.
"So if it wasn't her who helped me that night, who do you think it was?" Sterling's gaze deepened.
Willow, who had been busying herself with the food, nearly bit her tongue at his question.
She knew it—if there was any evidence it wasn't Gloria, Sterling would immediately suspect her.
That night at the guest house, there were only a few of them staying there. Besides Gloria, she was the only other woman.