Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Confrontation

“That’s not true at all!” Jessie Sterling mumbled, defending Victor Morgan. “It was Victor Morgan!”

Lynn Jennings: “???”

’She can’t have such blatant double standards, can she?’

When Jessie Sterling turned back, the person in that seat had apparently also been watching her the whole time. Their gazes met mid-air.

Jessie Sterling pressed her lips into a smile, her eyes sparkling.

Victor Morgan’s appearance eliminated all suspense about who would end up with the oil painting.

“President Morgan really spares no expense for his wife.”

“Oh, you’re too kind. I couldn’t let someone else add her work to their collection. It’ll be nice to have it at home to look at.”

Once the auction was over, Lynn Jennings gave Jessie Sterling a push toward Victor Morgan.

As she got a little closer, Jessie heard Victor Morgan talking to a man in a suit.

She had originally planned to wait on the side for a moment and go over after they finished talking. But as if he had sensed her, Victor Morgan’s gaze fell upon her the moment she approached.

Then, Victor Morgan waved her over.

Jessie Sterling felt a little shy. Since their engagement, this seemed to be the first time she had appeared with Victor Morgan at this kind of event.

Seeing this, the man who had been chatting with Victor Morgan teased them a bit, complimented them on being a handsome couple, and tactfully took his leave.

Jessie Sterling had been walking beside Victor Morgan, but he soon reached out and took her hand.

Startled, Jessie Sterling looked up and met Victor Morgan’s smiling eyes.

“How long has it been since we last saw each other? Don’t you recognize me?” Victor Morgan said with a laugh.

Jessie: “…We’re out in public…”

She wasn’t used to being so intimate with Victor Morgan in front of so many people.

Hearing this, the hand holding Jessie’s suddenly tightened.

“Holding my wife’s hand is perfectly normal, even in public.” Victor Morgan looked down at the top of Jessie’s head. “You’ll have to get used to it.”

Jessie murmured, “Oh,” and then asked, “What brings you here so suddenly tonight?”

He hadn’t mentioned it to her before.

Victor Morgan raised an eyebrow. “I was in the neighborhood. Besides, we really are missing a painting at home.”

Not a single one of those words was true.

Victor Morgan was flying to Washington tomorrow. Just this afternoon, he’d been at a trade fair in Port Caldoria. The original plan was to fly directly to Washington after his business there was concluded. If he’d done that, he could have even caught up on some sleep upon arrival.

But Victor Morgan had changed his itinerary at the last minute to see Jessie in Southaven first.

As for the house missing something, that was utter nonsense.

“It’s my wife’s artwork. Of course I had to come and show my support,” Victor Morgan said.

Besides, if he hadn’t come today, Victor wouldn’t have known that someone still had designs on Jessie.

Jessie’s ears suddenly turned beet red. She didn’t need to touch them to know they were burning hot.

“What do you mean, ’your wife’…” she muttered.

“Are you not?” Victor Morgan asked.

Before they went abroad for their wedding photoshoot, the two of them had gone to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get their marriage certificate. Although they hadn’t held the wedding ceremony yet, there was nothing wrong with him calling her “wife.”

Jessie: “…”

“Then are you coming back with me tonight?” Jessie asked.

Victor Morgan shook his head. “I can’t. I’m flying abroad tonight.”

“Is your schedule that tight?” Jessie asked, surprised.

Victor Morgan chuckled. “It’s not so bad. It’s not like I’m the one flying the plane.”

Jessie: “…”

The two of them chatted and laughed as they approached the entrance.

When Victor Morgan looked up and saw the man standing not far away, his gaze turned slightly cold.

It was Julian Grant.

Victor Morgan had no dealings with Julian Grant. If it weren’t for Jessie, he probably would have never even noticed someone like him.

When he’d arrived at the auction earlier, Victor had been just in time to hear Julian Grant making a bid. It looked as though he’d been trying to buy Jessie’s painting.

In truth, Julian Grant wasn’t intentionally waiting for Jessie at the entrance. His driver had gone to fetch the car and hadn’t come back yet, so he just happened to run into Jessie and Victor Morgan as they were leaving.

Julian Grant was also a bit surprised.

Since they had run into each other, it was impossible to pretend he hadn’t seen them.

Jessie took the initiative to make the introductions. “This is Julian Grant. He’s like an older brother to me and lives next door. He basically grew up with me and Lynn Jennings.” Then she gestured toward Victor, though there wasn’t really a need—her hand was still held in his. “My husband, Victor Morgan.”

Victor Morgan’s lips curled into a slight smile. Although Jessie had only used two words to introduce him, it was clear that against the man standing before them, that two-word title held far more weight than all the words she’d used to introduce Julian Grant.

It takes a man to know a man. Victor Morgan could tell at a glance that the relationship between Julian Grant and Jessie wasn’t as simple as that of a neighborhood big brother and little sister.

“Hello, I’m Victor Morgan.” Victor extended his hand. As he did, he released Jessie’s hand, only to slide his arm around her waist.

Julian Grant’s gaze flickered. Of course he had noticed Victor Morgan’s actions.

It was subtle, but the other man had just declared his ownership in front of him.

“Hello, President Morgan. I’ve heard a great deal about you.” The smile on Julian Grant’s face still faltered for a moment.

Victor Morgan said, “I hear you’re planning to start your own business, Mr. Grant? I wonder if you’ll be able to make time for my wedding with Jessie.”

It wasn’t that Victor Morgan was a petty man. But that was a separate issue from him simply not wanting to see someone from Jessie’s past hanging around. He just plain didn’t like it.

Julian Grant’s eyes darkened slightly, then he smiled. “Jessie is like a sister to me. For such an important day, I’ll definitely be there on time.”

Listening to the two men beside her trade barbs that sounded like some kind of code, Jessie grew impatient.

She tugged on Victor Morgan’s sleeve and tilted her head up. “Are you two done talking yet? I’m hungry.”

She made the demand with a completely natural sense of entitlement.

Victor Morgan smiled slightly. Of course he couldn’t refuse Jessie.

Victor Morgan looked at Julian Grant and said with feigned helplessness, “Well then, Mr. Grant, we’ll be seeing you.”

Julian Grant maintained the last vestiges of a smile on his face as he watched Victor Morgan leave with his arm around Jessie.

The driver had actually pulled the car over a moment ago, but seeing his young boss catching up with people, he hadn’t driven forward right away.

Now that the driver saw the others leaving, he quickly drove the car over.

But even though the car had stopped right in front of his young boss, the man didn’t get in.

The driver tilted his head in confusion and saw that his young boss was still staring at the figures of the young couple who had already walked some distance away. He didn’t look away for a long time.

The driver recognized the young couple up ahead. Wasn’t that young woman Miss Sterling, the one who used to always follow his young boss around?

He’d heard that the two had almost gotten engaged, but in the end, for some unknown reason, the marriage alliance between the two families fell through.

’He’d never thought his young boss was particularly interested in Miss Sterling back then. So what was this all about?’

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