Delayed Passion: Miss Lynch's Unrequited Love-Chapter 27: Ian Preston and Nina Sinclair Once Dated

Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Ian Preston and Nina Sinclair Once Dated

Silas Cheney hinted desperately, almost blurting out the name directly.

Thea Lynch wasn’t foolish, she could tell he was implying something.

Was it just because of what she said?

She mentioned Nina Sinclair provoked him that night, and he did this just because of that?

She asked Silas, "Is it really him?"

"What else?" They didn’t mention names, but they both understood.

With his affirmative gaze, Thea’s tone wasn’t joyful; there was more of a lack of understanding.

"He’s really not showing any sentiment, going this far?"

Silas flicked her forehead with his finger, "What kind of thoughts are swirling in your head?"

Thea covered her head, her lips slightly parted, "Is there something wrong with what I’m saying?"

"What sentiment should he have with Nina Sinclair? If there’s sentiment to speak of, shouldn’t it be with you?"

"Can you be compared to an outsider? Doesn’t Ian Preston know what’s important?"

"Even if he were kicked by a donkey, he wouldn’t disregard you in favor of an outsider."

"You seem smart, how come you’re always talking nonsense about serious matters? Has working overtime lately been too exhausting, using too much brain power?"

"Do you need me to give you a few days off to rest your mind?"

Thea: "..."

Catching the resentment in her eyes, Silas leaned back to keep some distance, mainly to avoid getting hit.

"Don’t glare at me like that, I’m serious. Your little head is full of wisdom; it’s really precious. So, when you need a break, take it."

She was too lazy to bicker with him, pulling the topic back to serious matters, "What I mean is, aren’t Ian and Nina university classmates? I’ve heard there’s a story?"

Whatever happened when they were studying abroad, Thea didn’t know. Her relationship with Ian developed after he returned home.

Before that, after Ian went abroad, she only occasionally heard his name from her brother and the others.

Besides that, Ian would come back during New Years, bringing her a gift. But every time they met, their communication was limited. Ian would ask about her situation symbolically, and then there’d be no conversation.

Back then, she didn’t like being with him either. When he stopped asking, she’d turn and find someone else to hang out with.

It was okay if she didn’t know; Silas surely did.

Among their group, the one with the closest private relationship was Silas and Ian.

Silas genuinely treated Ian as a brother. If one day things fell apart among them, Silas would undoubtedly stand by Ian.

It’s no exaggeration; if Silas had to choose between her and Ian, he’d choose Ian without hesitation.

There had always been plenty of secrets between these two.

"Stories, huh..." Silas paused, thought for a moment, and nodded, "There is a bit of one."

Thea lowered her eyes and refilled his teacup, looking like she wasn’t interested in knowing what he was about to say.

"I don’t know much, but it’s definitely true that Nina pursued Ian. As for whether they were together... What did Ian tell you?"

Speaking of this, Silas secretly inspected her facial expression.

He surely knew there was nothing between Ian and Nina; he asked as bait to see if he could catch a big fish to sell to Ian later.

Ah, a sure profit.

Noticing Thea’s hand tremble as she poured tea, Silas’s smile deepened, the fish had bitten.

Indeed, as he expected, Thea’s first thought upon hearing his question was that Ian had lied to her.

Ian had told her that he wasn’t involved with Nina. If that was true, Silas wouldn’t need to be evasive. Asking now seemed more like a way to hear what Ian said and then have the brothers corroborate their stories together to deceive her.

But soon after, Thea realized.

Silas, that guy, was a sly fox. What he asked was probably to elicit information.

At least, having known him for so many years, Thea wasn’t foolish enough to deliver herself into a trap.

"Ian, huh?" She pulled a slight smile, poured his tea to seventy percent full, and only then continued, "He told me that when they were studying abroad, they dated for a while."

As soon as she finished her sentence, she looked up at Silas, directly meeting his eyes. His fleeting surprise didn’t escape hers.

After a brief staring contest, she smiled, and so did Silas.

He shook his head and lazily leaned back, "Studying abroad for several years changed things; not as easy to deceive as when younger."

"Still not easy to deceive? Huh, that’s not what you said when you tricked me into joining Stratus."

"Hey, hey, hey, why bring that up again? Can I not listen to Ian? I didn’t have a choice."

"So, between Ian and me, you’re still more inclined towards Ian, huh? What blood is thicker than water, sibling love, huh?"

"Hahahahaha." Silas covered his eyes, laughing so hard his shoulders shook. "Oh no, Ian really dragged me down this time."

"Our relationship is like this tea, diluted now."

"What are you saying?" Although knowing she was joking, Silas still added, "Let’s say it like this, if you both were to fall into the river, I’d definitely save you first!"

Thea scoffed, empty words.

"Next time I find out you’re conspiring with him to deceive me, we’re really over."

"..."

Seeing the brief pause in his smile, Thea widened her eyes, "Are you still hiding something from me?"

Silas clenched his fist and coughed lightly, trying to cover up. "What are you taking us for? We’re family, what deception?"

"Right, what were we talking about? Oh Nina, right. There’s nothing between Ian and her; Nina’s infatuated, nothing more."

"The day I went on a blind date, I saw them eating together with people from other companies."

How is that not familiar?

"Oh, you mean that." Silas breathed a sigh of relief, "It has something to do with Nina’s dad, invited by others. It’s unrelated to Ian."

After finishing, he stood up and checked the time, "It’s getting late, want to stay for dinner tonight?"

Having intended to change the subject, Thea gave him a deep look and chuckled.

He responded with an awkward smile, failing to hide his guilt.

——

Thea watched the clock as she returned home; The Rhodes family mother and son had already left.

Auntie was tidying up the tea set on the table. Seeing the photo album, Thea stopped, "Who took out my photo album?"

Auntie came out of the kitchen, "Earlier, Little Rhodes and his mom came over, and while chatting they mentioned your childhood. So, they took out the old album."

This photo album, Thea hadn’t looked at in a long time.

It had pictures of her from birth till now, and after she went abroad, she regularly sent photos back home, which were kept by her grandfather.

She skimmed through it, suddenly spotting a photo of six people tucked in the middle.

In the photo, Ian Preston stood behind her, his gaze falling on her.