CHAPTER 80: CHAPTER 80: WHO’S AFRAID OF WHOM

Ruby Sullivan looked at him awkwardly, not knowing how to respond for a moment.

Leon Sterling, however, chuckled lightly, "Alright, I won’t make things difficult for you, Honey, it seems I can only say sorry to you today."

Honey was momentarily confused, but after looking at her mom and then at Leon Sterling, she seemed to understand something.

Although he was politely rejected, Leon Sterling still insisted on driving the mother and daughter to their doorstep, watching them enter before turning to leave.

In the evening, as Ruby Sullivan was telling Honey a story, she noticed the little girl seemed a bit distracted, as if she wasn’t listening at all. So she closed the book and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Honey pursed her lips and furrowed her delicate brows in difficulty, "I’m thinking about who would be better to be my dad."

Ruby Sullivan was shocked, not knowing since when the little girl started caring about such an important life issue, and thinking about Honey’s recent frequent interactions with the perceptive Seth Sterling, felt both happy and sad, "Why are you thinking about this?"

Honey counted on her chubby fingers and recounted, "Mr. Sterling and Uncle Don have both asked about my dad, and if it would be good to be my dad, so I’m a bit troubled."

Ruby Sullivan was both helpless and amused. Earlier, she had been worried that Ethan Sterling finding out about Honey’s identity might be detrimental to her, but now, since he already knew she was his daughter and seemed to show no aversion towards her, she was no longer concerned about Honey speaking out of turn.

However, this is a matter related to her daughter’s healthy psychological development, and any carelessness is unacceptable!

"Honey, haven’t we discussed the topic of dads before? You do have a dad, and when you grow up, you’ll get to meet him; there’s no need for someone else to be your dad."

"Brother Sterling said, for now, find a dad first, and when I grow up, I can still meet my real dad." Honey reasoned confidently.

Ruby Sullivan inwardly cried, what kind of nonsense is this, Seth, doesn’t your conscience hurt for deceiving a girl who likes you?

She sighed, "Then who do you want to be your dad?"

"I really liked Mr. Sterling at first because he’s very handsome, and I like being with him, but he doesn’t tell stories as well as Uncle Don does." Honey sighed after she finished speaking, tilting her head to look at her mom, her big eyes blinking as she said, "Tonight mom looked very pretty when you smiled, and you’ve been smiling, but you don’t smile like that with Mr. Sterling. Why not let Uncle Don tell me stories at night?"

After a pause, she added, "Mom, Honey hopes you will be happy." She hugged Ruby Sullivan, "Brother Sterling said you raised me by yourself and must have gone through a lot of hardships, so you should find a dad to share the burden."

Ruby embraced her daughter, filled with sweetness and sorrow, "Honey, do you want to go to work with mom tomorrow?"

"Why? Sister Vivian said she’d take me planting flowers tomorrow." Honey looked at her mom confused.

Ruby Sullivan smiled bitterly at her daughter and stayed silent for a moment, "Nothing, since you’ve agreed with Vivian, go plant flowers." Actually, she merely thought her daughter should be apart from Seth Sterling for a few days to clear her mind.

She planted a kiss on her forehead and was about to say goodnight when she suddenly realized, "You call Vivian ’Sister’?"

Honey nodded, "She told me to call her that, and she gets angry whenever I call her wrong."

"And... what does Seth call her?"

"The same."

Ruby Sullivan was momentarily struck by admiration.

After that day, Leon Sterling would come every evening to pick Ruby Sullivan up from work with Honey, and he even made a little list of trending restaurants he had gathered, insisting they visit them all.

Ruby Sullivan assumed he had no friends in the country, and indeed, she felt happy being with Leon Sterling, so she agreed to accompany him to eat as long as she had the time.

That day, she once again received a birthday invitation from Rhonda Sullivan, sent over by a secretary with a message that it was a ball and that she should preferably bring a male companion.

The best way to attend Rhonda Sullivan’s birthday banquet would, of course, be with Ethan Sterling, so she happily went to Mr. Sterling’s office, but Ethan Sterling refused flatly after listening.

Ruby Sullivan was surprised, "Why?"

Ethan Sterling raised an eyebrow, looking at her with a cold smile, "Do I still need to give a reason?"

Ruby Sullivan stared at his face for a moment, suddenly realizing that yes, who was he? Ethan Sterling. Impossible for him to follow her command or cater to her whims. She indeed had been fantasizing with just a few kind gestures from him.

"Got it." Ruby Sullivan got up and left with a belly full of displeasure.

Ethan Sterling continued reviewing documents, but after a few minutes, he suddenly tossed the pen aside, incredibly frustrated.

This woman, how does she not know to smile at him a bit more? Isn’t she good at being coquettish? If she had just pleaded a bit more with him, he would have agreed!

In the afternoon, an hour before work ended, Ethan Sterling personally went to The Fragrance Lab.

Ruby Sullivan was in a white coat, blending essential oils, and looked up in surprise when she saw him, "Mr. Sterling?"

Inside the lab, Claire and Tina, who eagerly awaited Ethan Sterling’s true appearance, were awestruck; this man could have been a superstar if his career hadn’t taken him elsewhere! Those looks, that figure—if he debuted, he’d be everyone’s husband! God is partial!

Ruby Sullivan glanced at the starstruck girls in the lab and became increasingly displeased with Mr. Sterling’s sudden visit, furrowing her brow involuntarily.

Ethan Sterling noticed her expression and was displeased as well, "You... don’t want to see me?"

"Is there something you need from me, Mr. Sterling?" She put down the test tube and looked up at him.

"Get changed, time to clock out," Ethan Sterling commanded, then walked out, not giving her time to ask why.

Ruby Sullivan had no choice but to delegate the remaining duties to Young while taking off her gloves and heading to the office to change.

Among the happiest was Levi Joyce, "Boss, does that mean I can clock out early too?"

"Suit yourself." Ruby Sullivan gave him a sideways glance, clearly annoyed.

At the parking lot, Ruby Sullivan realized Ethan Sterling hadn’t called Howard but was driving himself, indicating this wasn’t about work. She fastened her seatbelt, "Are we going to see Miles Mona or other Sullivan Group shareholders this time?"

"To buy clothes, shoes, bags," Ethan Sterling replied as he started the engine, "after all, how else would you attend the party."

Shopping holds a deadly attraction for any woman, especially with those three items Ethan Sterling mentioned, there’s no legitimate reason not to be happy unless one’s brain is malfunctioning.

But reflecting on his earlier attitude in the office, Ruby Sullivan couldn’t muster any joy, "Does Mr. Sterling think all the women in the world are at your beck and call?"

Ethan Sterling raised an eyebrow, "Not really."

"Alright then, please take me to your place to pick up Honey. I’ll be going with my male companion to select the items you mentioned." Ruby Sullivan looked forward, annoyance etched in her expression.

"Male companion?" Ethan Sterling pondered her words, "Are you telling me your male companion is Leon Sterling?"

"Can’t he be?" Ruby Sullivan retorted provocatively, showing a matching cold smile.

Actually, she had intended to have Levi Joyce accompany her, but since he insisted, she didn’t mind confirming his assumption.