Silas Lockwood looked at her, as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself.
"Isla, you're here!" From the second-floor balcony, Mrs. Lockwood, Yvette Shaw, called out from a distance. "Silas, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and let your sister in."
Silas Lockwood stepped aside, letting Isla Prescott in.
Yvette Shaw remained on the second-floor balcony, watching until Silas Lockwood and Isla Prescott had crossed the courtyard.
Unusually, Silas Lockwood's father, Theodore Lockwood, was also present today.
Theodore Lockwood had suffered a heart attack last year. After his surgery, he had been recuperating abroad and had only recently returned to the country.
"Uncle, it's been a while. How has your health been lately?" Isla Prescott greeted him.
"It's fine."
Theodore Lockwood was very indifferent. His attitude toward Isla Prescott had always been this way over the years.
Isla Prescott didn't say anything more.
Lunch was already prepared in the kitchen.
"Come, come, it's rare for the four of us to be together as a family. Sit, sit." Yvette Shaw pulled Isla Prescott to sit beside her. "Isla, I had the kitchen specially make your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs today. You have to try them."
"Thank you, Auntie."
"Don't be so formal. I see you've lost weight recently. Eat more."
Yvette Shaw used the serving chopsticks to place a lot of food on Isla Prescott's plate. Isla was overwhelmed by the attention. She couldn't help but feel that Yvette Shaw was being overly enthusiastic today. This whole feast inexplicably felt like a trap.
Sure enough, a moment later, Yvette Shaw dropped a bombshell.
"Isla, dear, I actually called you over today to share some good news. Your brother is getting engaged."
'Silas Lockwood is getting engaged?'
'They had just broken up yesterday. He's getting engaged so soon… what does that make me?'
A wave of dizziness made Isla Prescott's hand tremble slightly. She could barely hold her chopsticks, but she had to restrain her reaction so Yvette Shaw and Theodore Lockwood wouldn't notice.
"It's Miss Sinclair, right?"
"Yes, your future sister-in-law is Lydia from the Sinclair Family. You two met at the airport yesterday, didn't you? Lydia told me all about it. She said you're such a thoughtful little sister, even bringing a cake to the airport to celebrate your brother's birthday."
The words "little sister" sounded a bit sarcastic, but Isla Prescott couldn't spare the energy to figure out if Yvette Shaw was deliberately taunting her. Just controlling the turmoil of her emotions was taking everything she had.
She took a deep breath.
"Isla, aren't you going to congratulate your brother?" Yvette Shaw smiled at Isla Prescott. "Your brother has always been so busy with work, he never had time for romance. His marriage has been a huge weight on your uncle's and my minds. Now that he's finally off the market, this is a joyous occasion for our family."
"Yes, I should congratulate my brother." Isla Prescott gripped her water glass and raised it high toward Silas Lockwood, who sat opposite her. "I'll use water in place of wine. Congratulations, brother."
Silas Lockwood's gaze fell on Isla Prescott's face. He didn't move.
Yvette Shaw reached out and gently patted the back of Silas Lockwood's hand. "Silas, your sister is congratulating you. Why aren't you showing any reaction? Quick, return the toast. Don't make Isla hold her glass up forever. Her arm will get tired."
Only then did Silas Lockwood raise his glass.
"Thanks."
The two of them drank the water in their glasses, then averted their gazes. For the rest of the meal, their eyes never met again.
After the meal, Isla Prescott said she had something to do at school and had to head back.
She couldn't stand to stay a second longer. Being in the same room as Silas Lockwood felt like being roasted over a fire. She was suffocating.
Yvette Shaw didn't try to make her stay.
"I'll take Isla back to school."
Silas Lockwood started to follow Isla Prescott but was stopped by Yvette Shaw.
"Silas, Lydia and her mother are coming over later to go over the details for the engagement party. You can't be gone. Have the driver take Isla."
Isla Prescott quickly waved her hands. "That's not necessary, Auntie. I can just take the subway. It goes directly to my school, so it's very convenient."
"Alright then. Be careful on your way."
Isla Prescott agreed and quickly left the Lockwood Family estate.
---
Arcadia Heights was as vast as a labyrinth. With her mind heavy with thoughts, Isla Prescott walked quickly with her head down.
Tears fell once again.
'I thought that after crying over the breakup yesterday, I'd slowly start to heal. I never expected Silas could hurt me again like this today.'
The transition from breakup to engagement was too seamless. Isla Prescott even suspected that Silas Lockwood had been lying when he said nothing was going on with Lydia Sinclair. He had been two-timing her all along.
'I can accept a normal breakup, but if it was infidelity, then what did all the love I gave him even count for?'
"Well now, who do we have here?"
A car horn honked from behind her, followed by Shane Sterling's voice.
Isla Prescott turned around instinctively, only to see a car had pulled up behind her. A Maybach G650, a black beast lurking by her side. She hadn't even noticed when it drove up.
Shane Sterling sat in the driver's seat, wearing sunglasses. The window was three-quarters of the way down. He leaned on his elbow, looking at her, his tone roguishly teasing, "Oh, if it isn't the heroine who righteously saved a suicidal man on the rooftop last night!"
Isla Prescott, muddled with grief, blurted out, "What are you doing here?"
"Following you, of course."
'Right, the Sterling Family's villa is next to the Lockwoods'. Shane lives here. What a stupid question.'
Shane Sterling pushed his sunglasses up his nose. "Were you crying?"
Isla Prescott wasn't used to showing her emotions to strangers. She quickly turned her head to wipe away her tears and said stubbornly, "The wind is just blowing dust in my eyes."
"Arcadia Heights already has sixty percent green coverage. Say the word, and the property management will have to plant more trees next year."
Isla Prescott didn't want to argue with him. She kept walking forward in silence.
Shane Sterling's car followed her at a snail's pace.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Back to school."
"Get in. I'll give you a ride."
"No, thanks. I'll take the subway."
"Then I'll take you to the subway station. It's on my way."
Arcadia Heights was huge; just walking out of the residential complex would take a long time. Honestly, after a sleepless night, Isla Prescott was too exhausted to walk any further.
"Get in." Shane Sterling stopped the car.
Isla Prescott didn't hesitate this time, pulling open the door and getting in.
A fresh, clean scent filled the car, very similar to the one Shane Sterling wore.
For a second or two, the memory of their hug on the rooftop flashed through Isla Prescott's mind.
"What were you doing at the Lockwood's?" Shane Sterling asked.
"Eating lunch."
"Having to eat together after a breakup… Taboo relationships really are the most exciting, aren't they?"
The moment she settled into the passenger seat, Isla Prescott regretted getting in. "I think I'll get out. I can walk to the subway station myself."
Shane Sterling locked the doors immediately. "Don't. The wind is blowing too much dust around here."
"..."
The car slowly drove toward the complex exit. Isla Prescott was still reeling from the shock of the news that "Silas Lockwood is getting engaged," and she seemed drained of all energy.
While she was lost in a daze, the car drove past the subway station.
"Sean, we passed the subway station!" Isla Prescott pointed at the receding station outside the window. "Stop the car! I'll walk back!"
"I'm taking you directly to your school."
"You don't have to go to the trouble."
It was as if Shane Sterling hadn't heard her. Not only did the car not slow down, it actually sped up a little.
The subway station quickly disappeared from view.
Isla Prescott immediately felt awkward. She had only meant to hitch a ride for part of the way, but now she was making Shane Sterling drive her all the way to her school. The crucial part was that her school was very far from here.
As if sensing her discomfort, Shane Sterling added, "I happen to have some business to take care of near your school anyway."
Isla Prescott suddenly thought of another question. "How do you know where I go to school?"
She had never told Shane Sterling which university she attended.
Shane Sterling's expression didn't change. "Is it some kind of state secret?"
"I just find it strange."
"Your brother mentioned it to me. Oh, or perhaps you'd prefer to call him your ex-boyfriend."
'He's so handsome. What a pity he had to have a mouth like that.'
Isla Prescott leaned back in the passenger seat, turned her head to look out the window, and fell silent.
"Why so quiet all of a sudden?" Shane Sterling asked, feigning ignorance.
"I was just thinking that I should have just pushed you off last night."
"Well, I'm truly grateful you spared my life then."
As they were talking, Isla Prescott's phone rang.
She glanced at it. The name "Silas Lockwood" was flashing on the screen. She immediately rejected the call.
The phone rang twice more, and she ignored it both times.
Shane Sterling glanced at her but said nothing, just focusing on driving.
The rest of the way, Isla Prescott was lost in thought. She didn't snap out of it until Shane Sterling's car stopped in front of the women's dormitory.
"Thanks, Sean. Sorry to have troubled you today."
Shane Sterling gave a nonchalant nod.
Isla Prescott pushed the door open to get out. The Maybach G650 has a ground clearance of forty-five centimeters, much higher than a typical car. Caught off guard, she missed the step and tumbled right out.
"Careful!"
Shane Sterling leaned over, trying to grab her, but Isla Prescott had already fallen to the ground. He quickly got out of the car and rushed around to check on her.
"Are you okay?"
She was a dance student; a sprained ankle was no small matter.
"I'm fine."
"Let me see."
Shane Sterling crouched down and reached out to roll up her pant leg, but Isla Prescott stopped him.
She felt they weren't familiar enough for that.
"I'm really fine." Isla Prescott pushed herself up from the ground and dusted off her pants.
Shane Sterling watched her with a cool gaze. "Did you leave your soul in my car?"
"Your car is too high off the ground."
"So it's all my fault?"
"That's not what I meant."
"Walk a couple of steps. Let me see."
"It's really nothing, I know my body. It's a scraped knee at worst." Isla Prescott waved at him. "I'm heading back. Thank you."
After saying that, she endured the pain in her ankle and deliberately walked away with a brisk pace.
Shane Sterling stood where he was, watching her slender figure retreat.
His phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and glanced at it. In his childhood friends' group chat, someone had tagged Silas Lockwood.
"Silas, I hear you and Lydia Sinclair are getting engaged?"