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Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Love-Brained, Scorned Even by Zombies

Ian Sterling fought the urge to go and hold Lynn Winslow, simply asking coolly, "What’s going on here? The gala is about to start."

His gaze fell on the suit jacket draped over Lynn Winslow’s shoulders. Then, he noticed the man standing very close to her was wearing only a shirt. Ian’s eyes turned as cold and sharp as blades of ice, and the man shivered in fear.

When Mia Rhodes saw him, she ran up to Ian Sterling and said urgently, "Ian, my cousin is accusing me of pushing her, but I really didn’t! I have no reason to do something like that."

Lynn Winslow shot Ian Sterling a pitiful glance, then lowered her eyes, pursed her lips, and wrapped the jacket tighter around herself. Seeing this, the onlookers’ suspicions stirred once more.

Jasper Jennings glanced over at Ian Sterling. Seeing Ian’s clenched jaw and balled fists, he knew Ian’s heart ached for Lynn. Jasper sighed, walked over to Lynn and crouched down in front of her. "Whether you fell or were pushed," he said calmly, "the first thing you should do is go change. You don’t want to catch a cold."

Lynn Winslow tilted her head and looked toward the expressionless Ian Sterling, then bit the corner of her lip and nodded.

She struggled to her feet, staggering so badly she almost fell. Out of the corner of her eye, Lynn saw Ian Sterling lurch forward a step, only to freeze when Jasper quickly steadied her.

Once steady, Lynn pushed Jasper Jennings’s hand away and walked slowly to stand before Ian Sterling. In a voice just loud enough for those nearby to hear, she said, "You of all people know. I fell into the lake at the compound and nearly drowned once. Ever since then, I haven’t even been able to take a bath."

Ian Sterling’s jaw worked, but he said nothing.

Lynn averted her gaze and brushed past him.

’She didn’t have to explain herself—after all, she was the one who ended up in the lake. But she was afraid Ian would be manipulated by the original story’s plot and believe what Mia said.’

’She couldn’t care less what anyone else said, did, or believed. But if Ian suspected her... she thought she might just break down.’

After Lynn left, Mia Rhodes was still trying to explain herself to Ian Sterling. His brow was furrowed as he looked down at her. "So, you’re saying," he began, his voice frigid, "that Lynn Winslow was willing to risk her own life just to frame you?"

Mia frantically shook her head. "I really didn’t push her! She fell on her own! Ian, you have to believe me."

Ian Sterling glared coldly at Mia Rhodes, the menacing aura radiating from him causing the onlookers to shrink back and give him a wide berth.

Joanna Jacobs and Veronica Leighton ran over, followed by others who had heard the commotion and come to see what was happening.

While in the auditorium, the pair had heard someone say a person had fallen into the lake—and had apparently been pushed. Their immediate assumption was that Lynn Winslow had pushed Mia Rhodes, so they had rushed over.

But this situation before them...

Mia Rhodes was in the middle of explaining herself to Ian Sterling, while Lynn Winslow was nowhere in sight.

The pair had no choice but to approach Mia.

"What happened, Mia? What’s going on?"

Seeing them, Mia Rhodes grabbed their hands and shoved them forward. "Ian, these two used to be good friends with Lynn Winslow. You can ask them! They know what she’s really like better than anyone. She really did jump in herself just to frame me!"

The two exchanged a look and quickly caught on. "Lynn has always been arrogant and domineering," one said. "She’d stop at nothing to get what she wants. If she decided to frame Mia, she’d definitely be willing to risk her own life to do it."

Ian Sterling suddenly laughed. He looked at the trio before him as if they were the punchline to a bad joke.

’Others might not know, but how could he not? He knew just how terrified Lynn was of water. She used to be so scared she couldn’t even take a bath, so scared she’d needed him to stay nearby even when she took a shower. And she would risk her life for the sake of framing Mia Rhodes, who was her inferior in every way? Impossible.’

’Even though he gritted his teeth in resentment over how she’d abandoned him, he had never once believed any of the brainless, groundless rumors about her.’

Ian Sterling couldn’t be bothered with the trio any longer. He shot one last cool glance at the man who had given Lynn his jacket, then turned and walked away.

A smirk Jasper Jennings couldn’t suppress played on his lips as he followed. Zachary Quincy, who was never one for subtleties and couldn’t read the situation, scratched his head in confusion. Seeing the other two getting further away, he hurried to catch up.

The three of them were alone on the path. "I’m totally lost," Zachary said curiously. "What just happened?"

Jasper raised an eyebrow, tilting his chin toward Ian, who was stalking ahead and radiating pure gloom. "It’s because of Finn, of course," he teased. "A classic case of jealousy."

Ian’s brow furrowed, and he shot Jasper a look over his shoulder.

Jasper drew closer, a smirk playing on his lips. "Are you really so sure it was Mia who pushed Lynn?" he asked casually.

"What are you getting at?" Ian asked, his tone grim.

"Ah, women. They’ll do anything when jealousy is involved. The whole incident with Lynn falling in the water is suspicious to begin with. As stupid as Mia might be, she’d know better than to pull something in front of a crowd. And yet, Lynn just so happens to fall in right in front of everyone. A bit too convenient, don’t you think?"

Watching Ian’s expression darken further, Jasper continued with a smile, "Did you really think Lynn is some kind of pushover? If she were, she wouldn’t have taken over the Winslow family, handed the enterprise over to her adopted brother, and then come to Veridia all by herself."

Ian’s eye twitched. He narrowed his eyes, his tone turning hostile. "You can’t be prejudiced against her just because she dumped me. I’m the only one who knows how terrified she is of water. She would never risk her own life to frame someone else." He spun around and started walking again, his voice firm. "Stop looking at her with such biased eyes!"

Jasper stifled a laugh. Zachary finally seemed to understand what was going on. Frowning at his friend’s indignant retreating back, he asked, though he already knew the answer, "Is he...?"

Jasper nodded. "Yep. So lovesick, even a zombie would turn its nose up at his brain."

"..." Zachary agreed. "Yeah, you’re right."

Lynn got back to the car and changed into the fresh set of clothes she had prepared. Only after she was done did her driver, Mr. Lowe, get back in. "Miss," he asked, "shall we head back?"

Lynn had originally planned to return to the gala, but on second thought, she decided against it. She had just forced herself to jump into the water, fighting down her terror, and her heart was still pounding in her chest.

"Let’s go home."

Mr. Lowe saw her pale face and dripping hair and worried she would catch a cold. While stopped at a red light, he quickly sent a text to the family doctor, asking them to wait for her at the villa.

The moment Lynn stepped out of the car, the family doctor, Holly Joyce, rushed over. She immediately aimed a thermometer gun at Lynn’s forehead for a temperature check, then tried to take her pulse.

Lynn speechlessly pulled her hand back, looking at the woman—the doctor who had cared for her since she was a child.

"Auntie, what are you doing?"

Holly Joyce said anxiously, "Are you feeling unwell? Dizzy? That lake water is so filthy, did you swallow any? Let me give you a check-up, quickly."

Lynn said helplessly, "Auntie, I’m really fine."

"No. I’ll only be at ease once I’ve checked you myself. Your grandfather gave me strict instructions to send him a report on your health every single week. If you get sick, he’ll definitely blame me for not taking proper care of you."

Lynn: "..."

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