Our Love Story: Hard to Guard Against the Sudden Love Strike-Chapter 412 - 391: Warning

Quentin Thorne returned home and locked himself in the study. Ian Grant called him for dinner, but he didn’t come out.

He sat there for an entire day, holding a photo of Melinda Linton from her youth.

After so many years, he understood very well that he no longer loved Melinda Linton. Yet subconsciously, the habit of cherishing and protecting Melinda Linton remained. His actions, still instinctively wanting to take care of the only woman he ever loved in this lifetime.

In fact, a year ago, he already knew Melinda Linton was in Brimfield. He had driven several times to sit outside Sienna Thornton’s former apartment building, watching from afar as Melinda Linton returned from the market carrying groceries.

While he maneuvered around Ian Grant, he silently cared for his daughter, lost out in the world, and for the young lover who bore him a daughter.

He didn’t meet with Melinda Linton back then. Apart from the inconvenience of being unable to reunite with Sienna Thornton at the time, there was another reason— in front of the woman he’d wronged, he didn’t know how to ask for her forgiveness.

If it weren’t for needing Melinda Linton’s consent for Sienna Thornton to change her surname and join the Thorne Family Registry, he might continue deceiving himself.

Unexpectedly, Melinda Linton didn’t make it difficult for him, nor did she blame him. She remained as gentle and obedient as ever, giving him all her trust and understanding.

Before going, he mentally prepared himself, thinking he could control his emotions, but... he still broke down. It really wasn’t the kind of emotional reaction a man of his age should have.

He never expected that his feelings for Melinda Linton were still profound... even though such feelings had nothing to do with love.

.

Meanwhile, finally getting a break on the weekend, Sienna Thornton and Simon Forrester didn’t cook lunch.

They went to the mall downstairs, ate some Japanese food, bought movie tickets, and were about to head into the cinema when Sienna Thornton’s phone suddenly rang.

Seeing Auntie King was calling, Sienna Thornton thought something had happened with Quentin Thorne and Melinda Linton’s meeting, and quickly answered, "Hello, Auntie, what’s wrong?"

The background noise on the other end sounded a bit noisy, like in the street, making Sienna Thornton more worried.

"Lawyer Thornton, your father just left not long ago. I asked him to stay for a meal, but he wouldn’t, saying he wanted to eat at home." Auntie King said, "I’m outside taking out the trash now; Linton and Jenna are having lunch."

It sounded normal enough, and Sienna Thornton breathed a sigh of relief, thinking of instructing Aunt King to come back up for lunch after taking out the trash. Suddenly, Auntie King said again, "It’s just that while your father was speaking in Linton’s room, Jenna stood outside listening for a long time..."

"What?" Sienna Thornton stood up abruptly from her seat, handed Simon Forrester the Coke she was holding, and asked the person on the other end of the line, "What time did she start eavesdropping?"

"While I was cooking, roughly between eleven and eleven-thirty."

The empty hand of Sienna Thornton clenched into a fist, calmly instructing Auntie King on the other end, "I understand. For now, don’t mention this incident to anyone. I’ll talk to Jenna myself."

"Okay, Lawyer Thornton."

Sienna Thornton hung up the phone and just sat down when Simon Forrester brought the straw of the Coke to her lips, asking, "What happened?"

Sienna Thornton briefly explained what Auntie King had reported.

After hearing, Simon Forrester said, "You really should talk to her about it. Otherwise, if she goes back to Wrayhaven and starts spreading stories, things could get troublesome."

Sienna Thornton’s expression turned gloomy, losing interest in the movie. She pulled Simon Forrester along and said, "Let’s go! To my mom’s!"

.

When they arrived at the apartment, Melinda Linton had already gone to her room to rest. Jenna Raines was sitting in the living room watching TV, while Auntie King was tidying up the dining room.

Sienna Thornton changed into slippers, carried her bag, and walked straight into the living room.

Jenna Raines didn’t show a good face when she saw her, but the next moment, seeing Simon Forrester following behind, she immediately broke into smiles.

Sienna Thornton: "..."

She sternly said to Jenna Raines, "Jenna, come to the room with me." Then, she turned and walked toward her room.

Jenna Raines followed, and as she passed by Simon Forrester, she blushed and asked, "Brother-in-law, have you eaten yet?"

Simon Forrester replied expressionlessly, "I ate outside with your sister."

.

Sienna Thornton sat on the bench at the end of the bed in the room, indicating Jenna Raines to close the door behind her: "Close the door and come sit over here."

Jenna Raines turned around, closed the door, and sat next to Sienna Thornton.

Without wasting words, Sienna Thornton got straight to the point: "Do you know what role you play in this family now?"

Jenna Raines shook her head: "What do you mean?"

"An unproductive existence!" Sienna Thornton straightened her back, arms crossed, chin slightly raised, looking at her sternly, "Mom doesn’t need your care now, and you’ve completely shunned household chores ever since Auntie King came over! You now eat at my expense, live in my place. I pay for mom’s caregiver and still have to tend to you! Plus, the tuition fee for the baking school you attended, which was several tens of thousands, I paid for you! Including the pocket money I gave mom in the past, didn’t you take it all?!"

Jenna Raines was momentarily speechless, completely unprepared for Sienna Thornton to know everything.

Afraid that Sienna Thornton might make her cough up the money she had tricked out of Melinda Linton, Jenna Raines nervously leaned back, a subconscious gesture that made Sienna Thornton see her guilt.

Sienna Thornton pressed on: "If you want to continue living in this family, you must remain loyal to it! You can’t speak of anything about this family outside! If I find out you’ve been gossiping about this family back in Wrayhaven, I’ll not only drive you out but make you return the money you’ve tricked from mom and the tuition I paid for you!"

This money amounts to two or three hundred thousand. Never mind Jenna Raines had spent a lot already, the few secretly saved wouldn’t be possible to return.

For someone like her, who was terrified of poverty, Sienna Thornton’s request of keeping secrets was barely any difficulty in the face of money. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

She nodded quickly, "Sis, I understand, I won’t say anything."

"Good that you understand. Now go out."

Sienna Thornton didn’t bother to waste any more words, stood up, adjusted her clothes, and left the room, heading to the adjacent room to see Melinda Linton.

.

Melinda Linton was sitting on the bed enjoying the sunshine, smiling at a bouquet of Jade Lotus on the table. Seeing Sienna Thornton come over, she said with a smile, "Annie, come sit down, I have something to tell you."

Sienna Thornton closed the door and went over, sitting beside her, giving her a hug.

Melinda Linton pointed to the bouquet of Jade Lotus, "Your father bought these for me today."

"They are very beautiful."

Melinda Linton gazed at the bouquet, the corners of her lips holding a sweet smile, thoughtfully stating, "Back then, he didn’t want to abandon us; it was because, after returning to the city, something happened at home."

Sienna Thornton’s nose tingled: "...I’ve learned everything, so I’ve forgiven him."

Melinda Linton gently stroked her long hair, just like when she was little, "Your father hopes you’ll change your surname and join the Thorne Family Registry; I agreed. You were meant to be ’Thorne,’ it was mom who got it wrong, and since there’s a chance to amend it now, let’s correct it."