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Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Jealousy Incarnate

"Of course I believe you. Of course I do." Lynn Winslow gave him a little shake, coaxing him with a grin.

Ian Sterling was incredibly easy to please. After Lynn Winslow put on a little charm and left a kiss on his face, he obediently and considerately scooped her up to go wash up.

"I need to call my sister."

Ian Sterling sat down beside her, tugging on her arm and insisting she wrap it around him.

"Go ahead. Can’t I listen?"

No, that wasn’t it. It just felt awkward for Lynn Winslow to hold him like that; it created the bizarre illusion that *she* was the domineering CEO and Ian Sterling was her pampered little wife.

"Then make the call." Ian Sterling lifted his chin, leaned against her, and pulled out his phone to start a game.

Lynn Winslow was speechless. ’...Fine.’

She dialed Claire Grant’s number. The moment the call connected, an angry shout erupted from the other end.

"Do you have any idea what time it is here? You’ll get bad karma for waking people up like this!"

Lynn Winslow snorted with laughter, her tone utterly devoid of remorse. "Well, you never told me where you are. How am I supposed to know what time it is?"

"How was I supposed to know you were going to call me?"

"Well, it’s your own fault for disappearing off the face of the earth."

The woman on the other end gave a cold huff. "Alright, spit it out. What do you want?"

"Can’t I call you just because?" Lynn Winslow shifted her position to let Ian Sterling lean more comfortably against her, her voice softening. "I miss you, that’s all. When are you planning to come to Veridia and see me?"

Hearing this, Ian Sterling shot her a frowning glance, but Lynn Winslow caught his chin, turned his head back to face forward, and smoothly covered his eyes with her hand.

His disgruntled expression had been all too obvious.

Claire Grant’s voice drifted slowly through the phone. "You missing me is never a good sign. Out with it. Is it about those two girls who were recommended to you? Want me to let them cut the line?"

"Not at all. If they want to make an appointment, they can do it themselves. I really do miss you. It’s been so long since I saw you."

"No time. I just took a new gig, so I won’t be free until next month. I’ll try to find time to see you then, okay? And you can introduce me to your boyfriend." Claire Grant yawned, rolled over, and pulled her blankets tighter, ready to go back to sleep. She mumbled, "Zane Lancaster told me you ditched him for your new man. I’ve only seen him in your profile picture, so I’m dying to see what he looks like in person to have made you fall so hard."

Claire Grant knew Lynn Winslow’s type. She knew her friend had zero immunity to a handsome face, so any boyfriend she picked was bound to be gorgeous.

Lynn Winslow scoffed. "He’s just being petty. Besides, the man I like has to be the best-looking one, of course."

"Alright, I’m hanging up. I’m beat."

And with that, she hung up without giving Lynn a chance to object.

Lynn Winslow removed her hand from Ian Sterling’s eyes. He glanced at his phone and saw that he’d lost the game. He’d even been reported for being AFK and had a few points deducted.

Lynn Winslow propped her chin on her hand, watching him exit the game. Then, in a swift motion, he rolled over, pinning her beneath him.

"Why do you miss her?"

Lynn Winslow arched an eyebrow. "And why can’t I?"

Ian Sterling pressed his lips together, unsure what to say. He felt that any response would sound petty. But Lynn Winslow decided to call him on his little insecurities, reaching up to toy with his earlobe.

"You know things aren’t allowed to achieve sentience these days, right?"

Ian Sterling was confused. "What does that mean?"

"It means you’re a jealous monster incarnate! You’re like a centuries-old vinegar vat, so sour you’ve been pickled through and through."

Ian Sterling’s face fell. He lunged forward and started tickling her mercilessly, teasing her until she broke out in a sweat, laughing and cursing him at the same time.

"Lashing out because you’re embarrassed, huh? Ian Sterling, let me go, you jerk—"

"So what if I am? What are you going to do about it?" Ian Sterling shot back defiantly.

"I—HAHA—I was wrong, I was wrong! I won’t call you out next time!" Lynn Winslow threw her head back, her cheeks aching from laughter and tears streaming from her eyes.

Only then did Ian Sterling release her. He got up and pulled Lynn to a sitting position. He was crouching beside her when her words suddenly registered. ’What did she mean, she wouldn’t call him out *next time*?’

His eyes widened as he stared at Lynn. "You..."

Lynn Winslow shoved him hard, scrambled to her feet, and bolted from the room.

His reaction had been a dead giveaway. ’If I stay here any longer,’ Lynn thought, ’I won’t be getting out of bed tonight... no, I won’t be getting out of bed *tomorrow*.’

She had just run out of the room when she nearly collided with Mrs. Sterling, who was about to take Kiki for a bath. Mrs. Sterling took one look at Lynn’s flushed face and watery eyes and assumed the two of them had been... busy.

...

Lynn Winslow’s already flushed face turned crimson. She stammered, "Um, Mrs. Sterling, he was just... tickling me, so I ran out."

Mrs. Sterling just blinked, her expression screaming, *You don’t have to explain anything to me, I’ll see myself out.*

She moved with surprising speed, holding back Kiki, who was craning its neck to find Lynn. In a few quick steps, she was down the stairs, leaving Lynn behind, misunderstood and with no idea how to explain the situation convincingly.

Ian Sterling, who had just stepped out of the room, saw Mrs. Sterling and immediately ducked back inside. Only after she was gone did he saunter out. The moment he appeared, Lynn kicked him.

"Ow! Domestic abuse!"

Lynn Winslow rolled her eyes and started down the stairs. "Stop being so dramatic. I barely touched you."

Ian Sterling burst out laughing. He caught up to her, slinging an arm over her shoulder and murmuring, "Don’t be mad."

Lynn Winslow shot him a sidelong glance, too lazy to argue. "Weren’t you supposed to be taking a nap? Why’d you follow me down here?"

"I was afraid you’d get mad and run off."

"This is my house. If I got really mad, I’d be the one kicking you out, not the other way around."

"So, when are you going to come stay at my place for a few days?"

"In your dreams."

’Go to his place? There’d be no escape. It’d be no different from walking into a tiger’s den, completely at his mercy.’ Lynn Winslow wasn’t that foolish. She shrugged his arm off her shoulder and scoffed. "Stop getting ideas."

"Alright, alright." Ian Sterling shrugged. He remembered the message Kenneth Keller had sent that morning and decided to ask for her opinion.

"Kenneth Keller said there’s an underground auction at Umbra tonight. He said if we’re bored we could go check it out, and asked if we wanted to go."

Lynn Winslow agreed immediately. "Who’s running it? What kind of lots will there be?"

"It’s hosted by people in the know. I’m not sure about the lots, but it’s been interesting in the past. They have all sorts of weird and bizarre stuff. We can just go for the entertainment. It’s kind of like Nys."

It wasn’t until that night that Lynn Winslow found out exactly what "all sorts of weird and bizarre stuff" meant.

Snakes, eagles, tigers, and wolves were one thing; she knew many rich scions liked to keep such pets. What she hadn’t expected were the women. Women being auctioned off to the "regular" guests. Lynn Winslow’s expression turned grim.

She sat on the second floor, arms crossed, her gaze fixed on the woman below who was being wheeled out in a cage. She remained silent.

Ian Sterling’s brow was tightly furrowed. He grabbed Kenneth Keller and demanded, "Hey, what’s going on this time? The lots later on are normal enough, but why the hell are they starting with this?"

Kenneth Keller saw the icy aura radiating from Lynn Winslow and quickly explained in a low voice, "I don’t know what’s going on either. I’ll go find out."

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