Chapter 9
852words
Facing him, I stared in a daze.
He gradually awakened too, and our eyes unexpectedly met. I immediately turned away.
He pulled me tightly into his embrace.
I tried to avoid it.
"What's wrong? We're an old married couple, are you feeling shy?"
I raised my eyes to look at him.
He frowned slightly.
"Did I... say something wrong?"
My eyelids lowered slightly.
"With an eight-year age gap, we should be more like an older husband with a younger wife."
After that, Sterling became even more attentive to his appearance.
Before it was just black and white combinations, now it was multi-element mix and match, quite attractive.
Until one day, he suddenly wanted to upgrade himself.
I looked at him with confusion.
He leaned close to my ear, his voice very soft.
"It seems you've never truly acknowledged my love for you. It's okay, I've learned to comfort myself since I was fifteen."
"Fifteen?"
He curved his lips, his gaze deep and lingering.
"Do you remember our first meeting? I had just turned fifteen, and you followed behind me calling me 'big brother.' You were the first person in the Grant family who noticed me, who was willing to smile at me, willing to follow me."
"So, little Lily, you don't need to question my feelings for you."
I stared at him blankly, looking rather dumbfounded, until he slipped the diamond ring onto my finger—it fit perfectly.
Only then did I realize tears had already welled up in my eyes.
In that moment, I felt as if I had missed out on so much, yet gained so much at the same time.
I embraced him, half of my face buried against his neck, feeling a touch of shyness and warmth beyond anything I'd experienced in our most intimate moments before.
Sterling Grant felt the wetness on his neck, and his embrace paused imperceptibly for a moment before holding me even tighter.
Since moving out of the Lawrence family home, I hadn't seen Frost Lawrence again.
Until once, by chance, when Sterling took me to the old Grant family mansion to meet Old Mrs. Grant.
She pointed at me in front of everyone.
"Don't be fooled by Lily's sweet and obedient face."
"During those years after she and her mother left the Lawrence family, she degraded herself by becoming someone's mistress when she was barely in her teens."
"Shut up..."
Sterling glared at her coldly.
Frost Lawrence saw that Sterling Grant was angry.
Having achieved her goal, she began to establish herself as a good person.
"Uncle Grant, I just don't want you to be continually deceived by a woman like her."
"And Grandmother Grant, the reputation of your Grant family absolutely cannot be tarnished by such a shameless hussy."
Instantly, the other members of the Grant family began to discuss and show their rejection.
"That's right, our Grant family is a prestigious household. How can we allow a woman with a questionable background to become the female head of the family? If word gets out, we'll be laughingstocks."
"Well said!"
Old Mrs. Grant's brow suddenly furrowed with worry.
"Little Frost, tell me the truth, is this true?"
My heart skipped a beat, and as I didn't know how to answer, Sterling took my hand in his firm grip.
"Mother, these things aren't important."
Old Mrs. Grant frowned.
"Not important? Are you saying you knew this was true?"
I tried to signal with my eyes for Sterling not to say anything, but he felt it was necessary to speak up.
"It's true. I'm the one who kept her."
What?
Everyone was shocked, even Frost Lawrence rushed over in disbelief.
I naturally hung my head, too embarrassed to see the expressions on these people's faces.
"Impossible, the man who kept her was much older than her."
Sterling Grant looked at her calmly.
"I'm just eight years older than her, and she had just turned eighteen at that time."
At these words, the Grant family members all stared at Sterling in astonishment, their gazes peculiar, though they only dared to curse him silently in their hearts.
Only Old Mrs. Grant slapped the table.
"You beast..."
Sterling Grant pressed his lips together.
"This beast is loyal and traditional, and will take responsibility to the end, so none of you need to curse me in your hearts."
I couldn't help but find it amusing and after holding it in the whole way, I finally couldn't contain myself in the car.
"Tired from laughing? Have some water."
Sterling Grant thoughtfully handed me a bottle of water.
I pressed my facial muscles that hurt from laughing.
"Sterling, actually I've called you a beast too."
He gripped the steering wheel tightly and glanced at me, not angry, his composure actually quite steady.
"You're not angry?"
He smiled dismissively.
"There's nothing to be angry about, I've cursed myself too."
Then his hand tightened, gripping mine firmly.
"So, I've promised myself that whether we end up together or not, I'll always be good to you in this lifetime."
