NovelFastAny woman would have been moved by Lester's words.
But Sylvia didn't want to let herself be swayed so easily.
She smiled and shook her head. "Mr. Sanford, you really don't have to say things like that. With your background,
you'll find someone more suitable."
"Shouldn't | be the one to decide who's suitable for me?" Lester replied, his tone serious.
Sylvia met his gaze and, for a moment, didn't know what to say.
He softened. “Alright, | won't push. You've had a long day—get srest.” He pointed at one of the files on the
table. "That school looks promising."
Sylvia glanced down and couldn't help but let out a half-laugh, half-sigh. "Mr. Sanford, | know the Sanford family
has branches all over this country."
Lester grinned. "See? You knowbetter than you think."
He always owned up to his little schemes so openly, never hiding his true intentions.
It was something Sylvia had never experienced before-such straightforward honesty.
As a child, growing up without a father, people had whispered, speculated she was illegitimate. She could never
defend herself, so whenever anyone asked about her dad, she'd dodge the question, embarrassed and
uncertain.
She was always afraid Naomi would be hurt, and she didn't want others to look at her daughter differently.
Later, when she married Rupert, there was no wedding, no vows, not even a simple gold band. She was kept
away from the world, tucked away in a big house with her daughter, as if she was meant to live in the shadows.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtHer whole life, it seemed, she was only ever allowed to exist on the margins.
Even now, she still caught herself wanting to hide.
Sylvia looked at Lester and managed a genuine smile. "Thank you."
Lester just nodded and left quietly.
Sylvia sat back on the couch, staring down at the papers in her hands, feeling a swirl of complicated emotions.
A few minutes later, she heard someone fiddling with the lock at the front door. She hesitated, surprised.
She thought maybe Lester had forgotten something and cback.
But as she got up to answer, she paused.
If it was Lester, he'd just knock. Why was someone trying to unlock the door?
Unless...
Sylvia peered through the peephole—and sure enough, it was him.
Rupert.
He was holding a key, God knows how he'd gotten it.
But she'd changed the locks after she left the hospital.
Watching the doorknob jiggle, she took a deep breath and called out, "That's enough. Go away."
There was a pause outside.
"How's your hand?" Rupert's voice was low, almost a rumble.
Sylvia froze for a second, glancing down at the burn mark on the back of her hand. It had healed up alot after
running it under cold’ water-hardly noticeable now. s
She hadn't expected Rupert to notice.
She let out a bitter laugh, her arm dropping limply to her side. "Don't worry yourself."
"Do you have to talk tolike that?" Rupert said, his voice cold.
"What else do you expect, Mr. Rupert? Why would | have any reason to be nice to you?"
"You can't talk to me, but you can chat with Lester for ages?"
Even through the door, she could hear the rough edge in his voice, the barely contained frustration.
But who was he to tell her who she could talk to?
Irritated and upset, Sylvia clenched her fists, Reese's constant warnings echoing
in her mind-like a wife warning the mistress to back off.
And the person who'd pushed her into this position was Rupert himself.
Taking a steadying breath, Sylvia
spoke slowly, every word deliberate.
"Mr. Rupert, don't rérkermber any of
the oe here's nothing between us
anymore. I'll talk to whoever | want-|
don't need your permission.” s The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
"And besides... the person you should be worried about isn't me. It's Reese."
For a moment, there was silence outside.
Sylvia thought he'd left. Cautiously,
she leaned close toJhEpeepROfE for
Le \ .
apofhetosk The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
Rupert was still there, standing
silently, and after a moment, he
looked up, as if he knew she was
atoning Theireyexrher through the
tihy ‘gla $id something flickered in
his gaze something she couldn't
quite place. The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
belongs to s
His Adam's apple bobbed. His lips moved. Maybe he said something.
But Sylvia didn't catch a word.
When she blinked, he'd already turned away, the tail of his coat sweeping quietly
down the hall.
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