Chapter 11

Chapter 11
Willow POV
I couldn't help recalling scenes from that night. My face flushed.
"Why are you here?" Sterling frowned in surprise.
I awkwardly looked away. "I came to thank you for yesterday. Didn't Charles tell you?"
Sterling said in a low voice, "No."
Hearing this made me even more embarrassed. "Then… am I disturbing your rest?"
"No. Come in." Sterling stepped aside to make space.
I noticed his handsome face was somewhat pale, his brow slightly furrowed, as if uncomfortable.
I suddenly remembered—Charles had mentioned Sterling suffered from insomnia and headaches.
"Water or coffee?" Sterling's voice came from the bar.
"Water is fine." I said.
Sterling brought me water. "Have a seat. I'll go change."
Before long, Sterling emerged in different clothes, sitting on the sofa beside me.
An intangible sense of pressure immediately filled the space.
"Charles already thanked me yesterday for what happened." He said.
I explained earnestly, "I was in a car accident before. My father died in that crash, so I have some psychological trauma. Yesterday, thanks to you taking me to the hospital—I still need to thank you properly in person."
Sterling was noncommittal.
"Also…" I looked at him cautiously. "Were you hurt yesterday? Your car…"
Sterling glanced at me. "I wasn't injured. The car's already at the shop."
Only then did I relax. "That's good."
After speaking, the living room fell silent.
Sterling's complexion didn't look good. He kept pressing his temples with his fingertips.
"The doctor said you often have insomnia. Has it improved lately?" I asked softly.
Sterling's gaze settled on my face. "Do you have a solution?"
I said, "When my father first passed, I couldn't sleep either. Later my grandmother gave me massages, and I got better."
Sterling's eyes deepened. The way he looked at me held scrutiny.
Meeting his gaze, I belatedly realized I'd said the wrong thing.
My relationship with Sterling—I'd crossed a line.
Given Sterling's personality, he'd definitely mind. He might even read too much into it.
"I didn't mean anything by it. I just thought since you've helped me several times…" I hurried to explain.
But Sterling looked away. "We can try."
I hadn't expected him to agree. I froze for a few seconds before steeling myself and standing, moving behind him.
My cool fingers touched his temples.
Sterling's brow relaxed. His headache symptoms seemed to ease.
At first, I was nervous, unsure of the right pressure.
But seeing Sterling never said anything, I gradually relaxed, quietly massaging him.
Sterling's eyes were gently closed. Like this, he lacked his usual sharp edge and coldness, appearing softer.
A phone ringtone jarred the air.
Sterling raised his hand to answer.
I couldn't hear what was said, but Sterling agreed. "Come up."
Hearing his words, I stopped the massage. "If you have a visitor, I'll leave now."
Sterling frowned but nodded.
I didn't expect that coming down from upstairs, I'd run straight into Gloria in the elevator.
"Willow? What are you doing at Sterling's place?" Gloria's eyes widened, as if facing a great enemy. "Where's Charles?"
Acting like Sterling and I had done something upstairs.
I hadn't expected Sterling's visitor would be her.
After a stunned few seconds, I mocked her. "Where I am has nothing to do with you. You're so concerned about my husband's whereabouts—do you still have feelings for him?"
"You…" Gloria's face darkened at my words.
Since childhood, Gloria had liked to compete with me unilaterally.
Whatever Father gave me, Gloria demanded too—even my mother's keepsakes.
Later, when the Brown family found Gloria, they were one of Majestic City's prominent families. Gloria felt she'd finally beaten me.
Even when Charles pursued me, Gloria tried every way to seduce him but never succeeded.
Now it seemed she couldn't steal Charles, so she wanted to get close to Sterling, thinking that way she could win again.
"Since you've returned to the Brown family, you and I have nothing to do with each other." I looked at her distantly. "When we meet in the future, let's just be strangers. Don't you think?"
Gloria's jaw clenched tight.
I guessed she was thinking I didn't take her seriously, hating my aloof, indifferent manner.
Gloria's expression suddenly changed, a triumphant smile curling her lips. "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. Before long, I'll be Sterling's fiancée—the future Mrs. Lancaster!"
She was extremely certain. Even though I'd encountered her with Sterling twice now, I still didn't believe it.
With Sterling's standards, would he fancy Gloria?
Where did she get that confidence?
"You don't believe it? That night…" Gloria's words cut off abruptly.
She glared at me in annoyance. "Anyway, since you've already married Charles, stay away from Sterling."
Which night?
Something flashed through my mind. Suddenly, Charles's voice sounded behind me.
"Ms. Brown, don't worry. My wife and I have a great relationship. She won't fall for someone else so easily."
Charles had returned at some point. His long arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me into his embrace, coldly eyeing Gloria across from us.
Gloria's face looked terrible. She left without looking back.
Distracted by the interruption, I didn't pursue what Gloria had said.
"How did you get back?"
"The client was in a hurry. We talked briefly and they left." Charles feigned anger. "Shouldn't you say my timing was perfect? Otherwise, you'd have been bullied."
Thinking of how he'd stood up for me just now, my expression softened. "I'm not that easily bullied by her."
"Still not okay." Charles frowned. "My wife can't suffer even the slightest grievance."
Hearing this, coldness rippled through my heart.
Back in the car, Charles kept glancing at me.
I couldn't help speaking. "What is it?"
Charles said, "Nothing."
He said that, but his eyes kept wandering.
After quite a while, he probed, "What did Sterling say to you? You two haven't met privately before. Why were you up there so long?"
My fingers resting on my lap tightened slightly. I felt a surge of bitter irony.
Just moments ago I'd been softening because Charles stood up for me. Now Charles was questioning my relationship with Sterling.