Chapter 17: Chapter 15: Castle in the Air

Isla Prescott felt a flicker of uncertainty.

“Sean, please don’t joke about this. I’d be accepting your help and taking advantage of you.”

Shane Sterling pursed his lips. “You have a point. I can’t play the hero only to end up footing the bill myself. That’d be a terrible deal.”

The atmosphere cleverly shifted.

“I have something in the morning, so I need to head back.” Shane Sterling looked at her. “Are you leaving?”

Isla Prescott shook her head. “The doctor said my sister has to be hospitalized for a few days for observation. I’ll wait until she’s discharged.”

“Alright. I’ll head out then. Call me if you need anything.”

“Okay. Thank you, Sean.”

Shane Sterling left, and a moment later, a stylishly dressed middle-aged woman approached her.

“You’re Miss Prescott, correct?”

“And you are?” Isla Prescott, still shaken by the incident with Autumn Wyatt, was naturally wary of strangers.

“I’m the owner of the clothing boutique across the street. A handsome man came in just now and asked me to put together a few comfortable outfits for you.” The woman handed over a very large paper bag. “He wasn’t sure of your exact sizes, so I picked a few sets based on his description. See if any of them work for you.”

“A handsome man?”

“Yes, exceptionally handsome, even more so than a movie star. He drives a white Bentley Continental. You could tell he was wealthy just by looking at him.”

’A white Continental… that had to be Shane Sterling.’

Isla Prescott took the bag and glanced inside. Besides a few changes of clothes, he had even included a pack of disposable underwear.

“This… was all his doing?”

“Yes.”

A warmth spread through Isla Prescott’s heart.

Lately, with her and her sister taking turns being hospitalized, she couldn’t help but feel her luck had run out. The only thing she felt grateful for was that every time she thought she had reached a dead end, Shane Sterling would descend like a godsend and show her the light again.

For the next few days, Isla Prescott took time off from school and The Lanthian Club to care for her sister, Sienna Prescott, at the hospital.

Sienna Prescott continued to give her the cold shoulder, but thankfully, her mood was stable, and she no longer harbored any suicidal thoughts.

Five days later, the doctors determined that Sienna Prescott could be discharged, but she would still need to rest at home until her fractured rib was fully healed.

Isla Prescott called her mother. She didn’t bring up Sienna’s romantic troubles, saying only that her sister had accidentally taken a fall at school and needed to come home to recuperate for a while. She asked her mother to get her sister’s bed ready.

After finishing the call with her mother, Isla Prescott took the accumulated forms from the past few days and went to process Sienna’s discharge.

She had just stepped out of the hospital room when she saw Julian Finch walking toward her.

Isla Prescott never imagined she would run into him here, and Julian Finch was clearly just as surprised. After a brief moment of shock, a sneer flickered in his eyes.

“Miss Prescott, what a coincidence. Fancy meeting you here.”

Isla Prescott simply nodded at him, seeing no need for pleasantries.

After their blind date, Julian Finch had gone to Mrs. Lockwood, Yvette Shaw, and complained bitterly. Consequently, when Yvette Shaw called Isla Prescott the next day, she told her point-blank that she had disgraced the Lockwood family.

Isla Prescott tried to walk past Julian Finch, but he suddenly grabbed her by the arm.

“Miss Prescott, you’ve got a lot of nerve! It’s one thing to stand me up at the restaurant during our date, but to not even offer an apology when we meet again?”

His voice was loud and his grip was powerful. Isla Prescott felt as though the flesh of her arm would be crushed in his grasp.

“Mr. Finch, have some self-respect! Let go!”

“I should let go just because you say so? You dare order me around? Do you really think you’re the esteemed young lady of the Lockwood family?” Julian Finch glared at her. “I see you just don’t know your place. To put it nicely, you’re the Lockwood family’s adopted daughter. In reality, you’re not even worth as much as a dog they keep! If I hadn’t seen that you’re somewhat attractive and taken the initiative to ask Mrs. Lockwood for you, someone with your background could struggle your entire life and never even cross the threshold to meet me.”

Passersby in the hallway heard the commotion and started looking their way. Far from backing down, Julian Finch became even more aggressive.

“You have no idea, do you? Because of that little stunt you pulled, Mrs. Lockwood was bowing and scraping to apologize to me. She even said that as long as I want you, she can have you tied up and delivered to my bed.”

A chill shot through Isla Prescott as if her chest had been filled with ice.

’There were some things she knew in her heart, but hearing them said out loud by someone else still sent a bone-deep, heart-wrenching pang through her.’

’She had been with the Lockwood family for ten years. The so-called warmth and affection were all just a castle in the sky. In that instant, it all turned to ash.’

“Isla Prescott, I’m telling you, it’s your good fortune that I’ve taken an interest in you. You’d better know what’s good for you and come with me!”

“She has to be with you just because you’ve taken an interest in her? What kind of messed-up law is that?” Shane Sterling appeared from out of nowhere and viciously kicked Julian Finch in the ribs. Julian cried out in pain and collapsed. Shane then pulled Isla Prescott behind him, planted his foot on Julian Finch’s shoulder, and ground it back and forth. “Well then, I’ve taken an interest in your mom. Does that mean you have to call me Dad?”

Julian Finch was used to people fawning over him. Being kicked to the ground and made a fool of in public was a first.

He leaped up in a fury, his fists clenched, but when he looked up and saw Shane Sterling, the fire in him instantly died.

“Young Mr. Sterling…”

Shane Sterling watched him, perfectly composed. “Why not call me Dad?”

Julian Finch ground his molars so hard they audibly clicked, yet he still had to force a smile. “Young Mr. Sterling, you’re joking. I’m not worthy of being your son.”

“Good, you know your place. So you’re not entirely useless.”

Swallowing his resentment, Julian Finch looked past Shane Sterling at Isla Prescott. “May I ask what the relationship is between you, Young Mr. Sterling, and Miss Prescott?”

“Why would I need to report our relationship to you?” Shane Sterling said, his patience gone. “Get lost.”

“Yes, yes, of course. I’ll get lost right now.”

When a small-time player meets the real deal, they’re bound to be cut down to size. Julian Finch knew what was good for him and scurried away.

Seeing that the show was over, the onlookers in the hallway dispersed.

Isla Prescott turned her head and saw her sister, Sienna Prescott, standing in the doorway of her room, gazing at her with a complicated expression. The moment their eyes met, Sienna turned and retreated back into the room.

’She heard everything.’

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