He crossed his legs and unconsciously narrowed his eyes, sizing her up.
'She doesn't seem like the type to make a fuss.'
'Even if she and Preston Keaton break up eventually, she probably isn't the type to cause a scene.'
Perhaps his gaze was too sharp. Evelyn Grant seemed to sense it and lifted her head slightly. Her eyes met his and paused for a moment, but she didn't look away. Calmly, she said, "Mr. Sterling."
Her voice was soft and slow. It seemed like a polite acknowledgment after their eyes met, but one could feel she was issuing a reminder that his stare was making her very uncomfortable.
Henry Sterling raised an eyebrow and smiled, looking away.
'So she's a girl with some personality, not a total pushover.'
Dinner was as quiet as ever.
The only difference was Henry Sterling's presence tonight, so one could occasionally hear him exchange a few words with Preston Keaton at the table.
After the meal, the two men went into the study.
Henry Sterling had been holding back his thoughts all evening.
His words came rushing out as if a floodgate had opened. "She's a pretty interesting girl. Good personality, neither servile nor overbearing. But it feels like she's really scared of you. And it's not just that she's a stranger to you..."
"She also doesn't seem interested in you at all."
That was a rare sight.
Preston Keaton pinched the bridge of his nose and lifted his eyelids, cutting him off coolly. "She has someone she likes."
"Oh..." Henry Sterling didn't process it at first. "Huh?"
He thought he'd misheard.
Preston Keaton was a man of self-restraint and propriety. Though his methods were stern and his words sharp, inspiring fear in others, he embodied the etiquette and morals instilled in him since childhood.
'But the girl has someone she likes...'
In that instant, there was a sudden sense of heresy, of going against the norm.
Preston Keaton's tone was nonchalant, as if it were nothing. "Not for long."
It was a very casual tone.
But for some reason, Henry Sterling detected a hint of cold indifference in his words—callous and autocratic.
It was as if he was determined to have his way.
His pupils contracted, and he couldn't help but shiver.
—
Sophie Keaton returned to Corvin, and Evelyn Grant suddenly found herself with free time again.
Although she had Preston Keaton's WeChat and saw him at dinner every day, she didn't have the guts to ask him. In the end, she contacted Wyatt Walsh.
His message was that no matter how many days the young lady stayed in Veridia or how many days Evelyn had actually worked, the contract was for ten days and would be calculated as such.
So even though Sophie Keaton was gone, she had to stay in Veridia.
The upside was that even though she had only worked for two days, she would still be paid for the free time she had for the rest of the period.
Yara Summers was stunned into silence for a long time before blurting out, "Are you still looking for an assistant to help you out?"
Evelyn Grant couldn't help but laugh, teasing her, "Ryan Hayes wouldn't be able to stand you coming to Veridia."
Even after being together for so many years, Yara still blushed at her friend's teasing.
After the rain the other day, the temperature had dropped a bit before warming up again.
It was around twenty-seven or twenty-eight degrees, on the hot side.
She took some time to go buy gifts for her friends, but after that, she didn't want to go out anymore. She was too afraid of the sun. She spent her time in her room trying out new makeup looks and hairstyles, and a few days passed quickly.
Her flight to Kryllos was scheduled for nine the next morning. Leo Lawrence called, his voice gentle and tinged with a sigh of disappointment.
"I miss you so much."
Evelyn Grant was writing a script for a video shoot. "But you went to Bexley."
He was supposed to wrap up filming in Kryllos after another week, but the production team suddenly had reshoots. They said the previous scenes filmed in Bexley weren't good, and the investors weren't satisfied, so they had to go back to Bexley to reshoot for about another week.
This meant that filming, which was supposed to wrap up around the twentieth, was now delayed until the end of the month.
Leo Lawrence was helpless about it too.
It was the first time he'd encountered a situation like this.
He said gently, "It's okay. I have a half-month break after filming wraps. I can come find you then."
"It's a long break this time, so it's fine even if you're in Veridia. There's plenty of time."
Before Sophie Keaton left, she had told Evelyn she would be back at the beginning of next month. Evelyn did a quick calculation. She would indeed be in Veridia when he had his break. "Okay."
They were both busy, so they could only make time to see each other whenever possible.
After hanging up, she fell into a slight reverie.
Leo Lawrence was a thoughtful and gentle person. When they went out for dinner or a movie, he would plan the whole day's itinerary. All she had to do was follow along without having to think about what to do next.
He was also very respectful of her. On their occasional walks, he would only grab her wrist to pull her to the safer, inner side of the path when a speeding car went by.
A few days ago, she had been a little angry, and he had taken time off from his busy schedule to come and see her.
He was gentle, patient, and always provided emotional support.
She loved Leo Lawrence.
Yara was right.
'The worries and problems will always be there. The only way to solve them is to move forward.'
On her last day in Veridia this month, she went back to the dessert shop she'd really liked, bought some ice cream, and wandered around until she returned to The Mid-Levels drenched in sweat. After showering, she didn't blow-dry her hair, instead wrapping it in a hair-drying towel and sitting on the rug to reply to messages.
Liam Aldrin's birthday was next month, and he was pestering her for a gift all day.
He kept asking like a child if she would come back to Solara to celebrate with him.
He'd even sulk when he got an uncertain answer.
'All grown up but still no brain.'
The sky gradually darkened. Just as she finished drying her hair, a maid knocked on the door to call her downstairs for dinner.
The living room had a three-story high ceiling and 270-degree floor-to-ceiling windows. A glance up revealed a panoramic view of Veridia at dusk.
Looking down slightly, below the glass railing was the living room. Preston Keaton had just returned to The Mid-Levels. He took off his suit jacket and vest, handing them to a nearby servant. His cool, pale fingers nonchalantly loosened his tie, then unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a hint of his collarbones and the outline of his arm muscles. He had broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Even looking down from above, his long, slender legs were particularly striking.
The man's eyelids were lowered, obscuring his emotions, but his every move was like the finest suet-white jade—smooth, refined, and exuding an air of unattainable nobility.
Perhaps sensing her gaze, the man looked up, and their eyes suddenly collided in mid-air.
An intense sense of pressure washed over her.
Evelyn Grant's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly lowered her eyes and headed downstairs.
Preston Keaton's eyes darkened imperceptibly.
He took half a step back and sat on the arm of the sofa, his long legs slightly bent, his gaze following her as he waited patiently.
He watched as she walked to a safe social distance—neither too close nor too far—and obediently lowered her head to greet him.
"Mr. Keaton."
Her voice was low, soft, and pleasant. Even with him sitting, the young woman was still shorter than him. She was petite and delicate, and a faint fragrance wafted over.
She seemed extremely fond of gardenia fragrance. It lingered in the air, somewhat intoxicating.
Preston Keaton's expression softened slightly. His Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke in a low, deep voice, "Come here."
Evelyn Grant froze, instinctively holding her breath as she looked up, unconcealed astonishment in her eyes.
He didn't speak, just sat there like a towering mountain, gazing at her. The darkness of the night behind him seemed to merge with his form, revealing an inscrutable nonchalance amidst the calm.
"..."
Evelyn Grant bit her lip and slowly took two small steps forward. "Is there something you need?"
Preston Keaton had clearly run out of patience. He reached out, grabbed her wrist, and forcefully pulled her into his arms.