CHAPTER 15: CHAPTER 15: ISAAC SUTTON, ARE YOU ACTUALLY SERIOUS ABOUT HER?

After Clara Sterling left, the assistant Zachary Lynch reported to Silas Sheffield.

"President, I found out that yesterday afternoon a woman named Quinn Hughes went to Miss Sterling’s mother’s ward. It’s unclear what she said to Miss Sterling, but they argued outside the ward. After Quinn Hughes left, Miss Sterling’s mother became so agitated that her condition worsened."

"Additionally, I discovered that Quinn Hughes’ uncle, Harrison Shaw, is the deputy director of Crestwood Central Hospital. She likely obtained information about Miss Sterling’s mother’s ward and condition through Harrison Shaw."

Silas Sheffield coldly instructed, "Find out how Harrison Shaw managed to become deputy director."

"Yes, President."

"Also, check Quinn Hughes’ background information."

"Already did. I’ve sent you her information via email."

Zachary Lynch was quite foresighted. After obtaining the hospital surveillance video of Clara Sterling’s argument with Quinn Hughes, he immediately investigated Quinn Hughes.

Quinn Hughes is the only daughter of the Hughes Family, which is engaged in the real estate business. Three years ago, she went abroad to study and recently returned to the country.

Silas Sheffield glanced at the information in his email, then made a phone call.

...

After the phone call with Clara Sterling, Isaac Sutton was distracted.

He felt something strange about Clara Sterling.

Normally, if he canceled plans on her like this, she’d definitely throw a little fit.

But today she was unusually calm.

And her tone seemed indifferent, as if she didn’t care at all.

This wasn’t right.

Isaac Sutton stared blankly at the WhatsApp interface with Clara Sterling.

He had just asked her, "What are you doing, have you eaten?" She didn’t reply.

A few minutes later, he sent another message, "Miss you, babe."

Still, Clara Sterling didn’t respond.

He stared at the chat interface for a long time, hoping to see "The other party is typing" at the top of the conversation box.

But, the status remained unchanged.

Isaac Sutton put down his phone and went to the bathroom.

When he returned, he saw two unread messages displayed on the WhatsApp icon on his phone’s home screen.

Joy surged in his heart; Clara Sterling finally acknowledged him!

He immediately picked up his phone and opened WhatsApp.

However, the pinned "babe" hadn’t responded at all.

The unread messages were from Quinn Hughes.

Two photos of herself.

One was a selfie in a camisole revealing her collarbone, and the other was a photo of her legs in black stockings.

Not Clara Sterling.

A wave of disappointment washed over Isaac Sutton’s heart; he glanced at the photos with uninterested eyes, feeling utterly bland, unable to muster any interest.

Quinn Hughes: "Look good, babe?"

Isaac Sutton replied perfunctorily, "Yeah, looks good."

Quinn Hughes: "When will you come accompany me again?"

Isaac Sutton: "Another day."

"How long is another day?"

"We’ll talk about it later."

Isaac Sutton sat in the chair, his eyes downcast, suddenly realizing he might be serious about Clara Sterling.

When she ignores him, it really bothers him.

Thinking about how he lied to Clara Sterling yesterday in order to take care of Quinn Hughes, a trace of guilt emerged in Isaac Sutton’s heart.

He suddenly felt that what he did to Clara Sterling was quite cruel.

At this moment, a friend from his circle called to invite him out.

Isaac Sutton refused, "I’m going to spend time with Clara in a while."

"You’re not seriously into her, are you?" his friend asked.

Isaac Sutton remained silent.

The words "No" were stuck in his throat, unable to come out.

His friend teased with a laugh, "Wow, you’re really serious about her? Your mom definitely won’t approve of her being with you."

Isaac Sutton did not deny it, he simply said, "I’ll deal with it when it comes to that point."

"Isaac, as a good friend, I sincerely advise you, if you really like her, just be straightforward with her sooner. I can see she’s really good to you. If you keep deceiving her like this, no one would be able to put up with it."

Isaac Sutton paused a moment, then said hoarsely, "I understand."

Once the winter break ends, Isaac Sutton told himself, if Clara Sterling still treats him well and doesn’t mind his "poverty", he will be upfront with her and be with her properly.

As for Quinn Hughes...

Isaac Sutton suddenly felt that Clara Sterling was somewhat more important than Quinn Hughes.

Yesterday at Quinn Hughes’ place, all he thought about was Clara Sterling.

He feared she’d be angry, feared she’d ignore him.

When Quinn Hughes took his phone, he worried she might say something to Clara Sterling; he specifically instructed Quinn Hughes not to make any reckless comments before Clara Sterling.

After hanging up the call, Isaac Sutton opened the photo album, wanting to check his selfies with Clara Sterling.

They had taken many selfies before, and whenever he missed her, he would turn them on to look.

However, when he opened his phone album, he discovered all those selfies had disappeared.

A panic seized Isaac Sutton’s heart, he checked the "Recently Deleted" folder in his album but found it empty.

The photos were gone.

All of them were gone.

The only person who had touched his phone was Quinn Hughes.

Isaac Sutton immediately called to confront Quinn Hughes, "Did you mess with my album? Did you delete the selfies with Clara?"

Quinn Hughes initially denied, "No, I didn’t."

"No one else has touched my phone besides you."

Quinn Hughes simply stopped pretending, "So what if I did? Isaac Sutton, are you seriously into her? You promised me you’d break up with her. It’s been two years, aren’t you done playing yet?"

Isaac Sutton shouted angrily, "Breaking up or not is my business, you have no right to interfere!"

"Alright, alright, I have no right to interfere, huh." Quinn Hughes laughed in anger, "But surely your parents do, right?"

"What do you intend to do?"

Quinn Hughes didn’t reply, she just hung up.

...

Clara Sterling returned to school.

Exams start tomorrow, and all her roommates went to the library to study.

Clara Sterling put away the marriage certificate and household register, then got up to head to the cafeteria.

Just as she reached the cafeteria entrance, Clara Sterling encountered Isaac Sutton.

Isaac Sutton paused, then immediately stepped towards her, "Clara, why didn’t you reply to my messages?"

Clara Sterling lied, "Oh, my phone ran out of battery."

Just as she finished speaking, someone called her.

They were close enough for Isaac Sutton to be certain he heard her phone vibrating.

His expression darkened slightly, "Your phone is ringing."

"Mhm." Clara Sterling answered the call in front of him, "Hello?"

"It’s me." Silas Sheffield’s voice was cool and magnetic.

"I know."

"I’ve made arrangements with the hospital over in Veridian. You can transfer your mother if you’d like. I’ll arrange for someone to take care of her, and you can go after your exams."

Clara Sterling thought about it and felt the proposal was good.

Quinn Hughes had explicitly said she had connections at Crestwood Central Hospital.

If Quinn Hughes could locate her mother’s ward and knew what illness her mother had, it showed that Quinn Hughes’ influence in the central hospital was significant.

This time she stirred up trouble that led to her mother’s condition deteriorating; who knows what kind of a mess she’d create next time.

Clara Sterling replied, "Alright."

Silas Sheffield said nothing further and ended the call.

Isaac Sutton asked, "Clara, who was on the call?"

Clara Sterling coldly said, "Someone you don’t know."

Isaac Sutton’s eyes darkened, "Didn’t you say your phone was dead?"

Clara Sterling walked into the cafeteria, nonchalantly saying, "I got it wrong."

Isaac Sutton followed her, "Are you upset?"

"No."

"Then why are you ignoring me?"

"I’m not ignoring you now, am I?"

Isaac Sutton: "Let’s go to the library to study together after eating."

"There are no seats in the library, I’ll study in my dorm."