On the Day I Was Kicked Out of the Wealthy Family, I Had a Flash Marriage with a Tycoon-Chapter 128: Long Time No See

"Not necessarily. Since she’s in Crestfall, we might run into her someday," Chloe Sterling said nonchalantly.

Maya Jacobs: "The thing is, she’s so mysterious. We don’t even know what she looks like. We could see her and not even realize it."

The two chatted as they walked toward the laboratory building.

The project had recently hit a few snags, and Chloe hadn’t figured out a solution yet.

Inside the lab, several people discussed various proposals but still couldn’t agree on a course of action.

Half the day flew by. At noon, Charles Sterling had lunch with Director Xavier at a nearby restaurant. The two of them were just leaving.

Charles had offered to drive Director Xavier back, but the director wanted to take a walk instead. So, Charles walked with him for a while before returning to the restaurant.

His car was parked in front of the restaurant. Just as he pressed the button on his key fob, a familiar voice came from beside him.

"Esther, aren’t you getting too tired, with classes and piano practice every day?"

"It’s fine, Mom." Esther Sterling smiled. "I’m not tired." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Rose Lynch caressed her daughter’s face. "Look at you, you’ve gotten thinner recently."

"Thinner is better. It saves me the trouble of dieting, and I’ll look better on camera."

Rose Lynch smiled. "My daughter is beautiful no matter what."

"Of course. I inherited my mother’s beauty, after all."

The two were laughing and talking when Rose Lynch looked up and suddenly noticed the man in front of them. Her smile froze on her face. "Char... Charles."

Charles Sterling looked at her for a moment before speaking slowly, "Long time no see."

Esther Sterling looked between the two, confused. "Mom, who is this gentleman?"

"Uh... a friend of Mommy’s." After a pause, Rose Lynch added, "Esther, you should head back to school."

"Oh, okay. I’ll get going then."

Esther Sterling didn’t think much of it and turned to leave. Not far ahead, Chloe Sterling and Maya Jacobs were buying bubble tea. Esther smiled and walked over.

"Hi, I’d like a red bean milk tea."

Maya Jacobs glanced at her from the side but said nothing.

Chloe Sterling kept her eyes on her phone, completely ignoring her as if she were thin air.

But Esther knew they must have seen her with Rose Lynch. She even deliberately took out her phone and sent her mom a message: "Mom, do you want some bubble tea? This place has really good tea."

Rose Lynch, however, didn’t even notice her phone buzz. She was staring at Charles Sterling’s face. More than twenty years had passed, but time seemed to have left few traces on him. He was still so handsome—so much more handsome than Warren Sterling.

’If Charles’s family hadn’t suddenly gone bankrupt back then, I never would have married someone else.’

"Charles, when... when did you get back?"

"A while ago," Charles Sterling said coolly.

"All these years... have you been well?" Rose Lynch asked.

"I’ve been fine." Charles glanced at the back of Esther Sterling, who was standing in front of the bubble tea shop, and suddenly asked, "Is that your daughter?"

"Yes, she is." Rose Lynch nodded, not looking behind her. Her eyes were fixed on Charles. After a pause, she asked again, "Did you... did you come back with your family?"

Charles Sterling said, "With my wife. Our child is at school and couldn’t come back."

Hearing him say the word "wife," Rose felt a pang of discomfort. It seemed she couldn’t accept that the man who once loved her was now in love with and together with another woman.

Charles glanced at his watch and added, "I have something to take care of, so I should get going."

"Charles!" Rose Lynch called out hurriedly, her eyes filled with apology. "I owe you an apology. I’m sorry. I’m the one who let you down back then."

Charles’s tone was indifferent. "It’s been so long. There’s no need."

"Are you still angry with me?"

Charles suddenly let out a small laugh. "You’re overthinking it."

With that, he opened his car door, got in, and drove away.

Rose Lynch’s slender figure remained standing there, her heart heavy with frustration. ’How could he be so cold to me? He used to love me so much.’

"Mom!"

Just as she was lost in thought, Esther’s voice suddenly sounded from behind her. She whirled around. "Esther, why are you back?"

Esther looked at her suspiciously. "Mom, why were you looking at that man like that? What’s your relationship with him?"

"What relationship could there be? He’s just a friend. Weren’t you leaving? Why did you come back?"

"I was asking if you wanted bubble tea." Esther pointed to the shop nearby. "Their tea is pretty good. Chloe is in line there, too. Do you want some?"

Rose Lynch followed her gaze and immediately saw Chloe Sterling looking down at her phone. Her expression darkened. "I don’t want any. Bubble tea makes you gain weight. You can have some. I have a beauty appointment with your aunt, so I’m heading over now."

"Oh, okay. You go ahead. Be careful on the road."

"Mm." Rose Lynch got into her car and sped off.

Esther returned to the front of the bubble tea shop, but Chloe and Maya had already gotten their drinks and left. Watching their retreating figures, she smiled smugly.

’I must have been crazy to be jealous of Chloe Sterling before.’

’Chloe has nothing, while I have a home, a family, loving parents, and fame. I’ll have even more in the future. As for Chloe... once those men get tired of playing with her, what will she be worth? She’ll be nothing.’

At the beauty salon.

Seeing Rose Lynch’s sour expression, Ruby Lynch asked, "What’s wrong? Are you in a bad mood?"

Rose glanced at the beauticians who were giving them massages and instructed, "You two can step out for a moment."

"Of course, ma’am."

After the two left the room, Rose finally said, "I just saw Charles Sterling."

"What?" Ruby was stunned for a second, then immediately asked, "Did he come looking for you? Did he bother you?"

Rose Lynch: "No, he’s already married. It was just a chance encounter."

"It’s good he didn’t bother you. It’s normal to be married at his age." Ruby’s tone was tinged with scorn. "It’d be even more pathetic if he couldn’t even manage to find a wife by now. Still, you should be wary of him. Who knows why he’s back? If he’s doing poorly and sees how well you’re living now, he’ll only be more resentful."

Rose Lynch said nothing, Charles’s cold and distant face flashing through her mind again.

Seeing her sister’s silence, a hint of suspicion appeared in Ruby’s eyes. "You’re not still thinking about him, are you? Sis, don’t be a fool."

Rose Lynch immediately replied, "Of course not! I just... feel like I wronged him back then."

"Wronged him? What’s there to feel bad about! With the state his family was in, what could he have possibly offered you in marriage?" After a pause, Ruby lowered her voice. "You didn’t tell him about... that, did you?"

Rose knew she was talking about Chloe Sterling’s identity. She replied, "No, how could I be so impulsive?"

"Good. He must never find out. If he uses it to blackmail you, or if word gets out, your husband will definitely be furious, and even Esther will be affected."

"I know. I know what I’m doing."

Rose Lynch took a deep breath, forcing herself to stop thinking about Charles Sterling. ’It’s all in the past. The life I have now is what I always wanted.’