Chapter 3

Marcus Sterling extinguished his cigarette and took the elevator, not forgetting to taunt Brock Miller about the "wild woman" from the restroom.

Brock Miller frowned, watching Marcus Sterling's retreating form. "Grandfather Sterling just fell ill, and your uncle returns to the country. The timing is too coincidental; he's probably up to no good."

Outside, storm clouds gathered, a strong wind blew – a storm was brewing.

Brock Miller walked ahead, Damon Sterling pulled me along behind him. Trailing far behind was the woman from the restroom.

She followed us all the way into the private room, then casually snuggled into someone's arms, getting intimate. It turned out she was the companion of one of Brock Miller's friends.

Even rabbits don't foul their own nests, but Brock, that horny dog, clearly didn't care who he preyed on.

The private room was noisy, filled with people who were either high or simply drunk. Damon Sterling kicked someone aside and pulled me onto a sofa. Brock Miller sat across from me, drinking moodily, glaring at me hatefully.

The door was knocked open, and a server brought someone in – someone I had seen just a few hours earlier.

"Skylar?" Noah Jensen's face lit up with surprise when he saw me.

"Did you come to the wrong room?" I was startled, a strange premonition creeping over me, but I still held a flicker of hope.

"Didn't you ask someone to tell me to find you here, that you had something to tell me?"

I immediately shook my head. No doubt, this was Damon Sterling's doing.

Damon Sterling gave me a chilling look, then beckoned to Noah. "You, come here."

"Do you know who I am?"

Noah shook his head.

"Reading too much, huh? My name is Sterling. When people talk about the Sterling family in this city, they're talking about my family."

Noah stood his ground, unfazed, his expression calm. "Oh, Mr. Sterling, why did you specifically trick me into coming here?"

*Smack!*

Brock Miller stood up and delivered a hard slap across Noah's face. Not satisfied, he followed it with a vicious kick.

"Oh, 'Mr. Sterling' my ass!"

Noah crashed into the corner of a table, his glasses falling to the floor. A winding trail of blood streamed down his forehead.

"You bastard, who are you trying to impress?"

I couldn't control a scream. I wanted to rush to Noah's side to check his injuries, but Damon Sterling gripped my arm tightly, holding me captive in his embrace.

"Skylar isn't a name you get to use. Stay away from her from now on, or I'll beat you every time I see you."

Noah wiped the blood from his head. "Skylar is well-liked at school. Friends who are close to her all call her that. May I ask, Mr. Sterling, what right do you have to order me around?"

Noah was on the school debate team; he had never lost a competition. But at this moment, I truly wished he was mute.

"Firstly, I haven't heard that Skylar has a boyfriend. Secondly, even if Mr. Sterling is Skylar's boyfriend, treating her so brutally and arrogantly certainly doesn't make you a suitable one."

"Noah, please stop talking!"

Too late.

Damon Sterling grabbed a wine bottle, swung it, and smashed it over Noah's head. I watched, horrified, as Noah collapsed before me.

Brock Miller caught Noah, then patted his face. "Wake up, hey! Are you that weak? Did one hit kill you?"

"Brock, this Noah is quite stubborn. Help me 'reason' with him."

Brock Miller looked at the unconscious Noah and grinned sinisterly.

I was icy cold. How could I leave an unconscious Noah behind? But Damon Sterling forcefully dragged me towards the door. "Let's go. Don't worry, Brock will take good care of your friend."

I clung to the doorframe, refusing to let go. "No, I have to take him with me! I won't leave Noah here alone!"

"Skylar!" Damon Sterling rarely called me by my full name like that.

"Don't add fuel to the fire. Say one more word, and I guarantee your friend will vanish without a trace, never to see tomorrow's sun."

"You wouldn't dare!"

Damon Sterling was furious, gritting his teeth. "What wouldn't a Sterling dare to do?!"

I froze. He was right. There was nothing a Sterling wouldn't dare to do.

Damon Sterling lost his patience. "Skylar, you're done for. Tonight, you'll see how I punish you."

He delivered a chop to the back of my neck. Before I completely lost consciousness, he slung me over his shoulder.

As darkness enveloped me, I vaguely saw Brock Miller moving towards Noah.

Damon Sterling didn't kill me in bed – not because he didn't want to, but because he didn't get the chance.

When I woke up, I was still in the car, my neck aching. Damon Sterling was beside me, unconsciously chewing on his fingers.

He only did that when he was most stressed; the last time I saw him like that was the day his grandfather had a stroke.

"You're awake."

When I stirred, he grabbed me like a lifeline, pulling me into a tight embrace, burying his face in my chest.

"Skylar, what do I do? My parents... they were in a car accident..."

His voice was choked with tears, like a helpless child.

Damon Sterling was the Sterling family's only third-generation grandchild, spoiled rotten since childhood, protected fiercely by his parents and grandfather. He had no ability to stand on his own when faced with a crisis.

The car turned around, speeding towards the hospital.

I felt a persistent unease. While Damon Sterling wasn't paying attention, I secretly called Noah's phone, but it kept going straight to voicemail.

When we arrived at the hospital, as I got out of the car, I immediately felt an undeniable gaze from above.

I looked up. Marcus Sterling leaned against a window, smoking.

This hospital was a Sterling family asset. Although he was a love child, he still bore the Sterling name, and no one dared to stop him.

Through the vast darkness, I couldn't discern his expression, only the crimson glow of his cigarette, flickering on and off.

"Uncle Marcus!"

Damon Sterling, after all, was just a twenty-something young man. With such a massive catastrophe, the first sight of his uncle brought out his vulnerability, and he couldn't help but feel wronged.

Marcus Sterling was still dressed in the same black suit from hours earlier, the only difference being one shirt sleeve rolled up, revealing a bandage on his arm.

He had short hair from living in tropical regions for so long, and a scar on his forehead, giving him a fiercely intimidating aura.

"What happened to my parents?"

"They were on their way to a gala, but they crashed into a truck. Now, both of them are in the ICU."

Damon Sterling's legs gave out, and he sank to the ground.

"What do I do, Uncle Marcus? What should I do?"

Marcus Sterling patted his shoulder. "Don't panic yet. I've already donated blood to your father. Let's wait for the surgery to finish and hear what the doctors say."

"Thank you, Uncle Marcus."

"Don't thank me yet. There's a tricky situation at hand. Tonight's gala is very important. As leaders of the business council, the Sterling family must have someone there to represent..."

Grandfather Sterling was incapacitated by a stroke, and now his parents were in trouble. Damon Sterling suddenly lost all his support.

"Uncle Marcus, can you go in my father's place? I don't understand anything about the company, and I don't want to leave. I want to stay here and wait for them to wake up."

"Me? I don't think that would be appropriate. I've been living abroad for so long, the board members probably won't recognize me."

"No, Uncle Marcus, it'll be fine. I'll have Victor accompany you. He's been with the Sterling family for many years; most people know him. Besides, we both share the Sterling name. You're my uncle, and those people will have to accept you."

"In that case... alright, I suppose. Who else but your uncle would help you? However, besides Victor, I'll need to take one other person with me."