CHAPTER 12: CHAPTER 12: I’LL MAKE SURE YOU... ARE HAPPY EVERY NIGHT!

Substitute?

Julia Chamberlain refuses to accept it.

"But..."

"Enough!" The vice-principal waved his hand, "This is a matter of our school’s overall honor, no one is allowed to let me down, or else, I won’t forgive them!"

Julia Chamberlain was so angry that she almost ground her teeth, but ultimately she didn’t dare to speak up.

The leaders and teachers left together, and the orchestra students began packing up their instruments.

Julia Chamberlain packed her newly bought brand-name violin into its case, and several of her follower girls immediately came over to comfort her while sarcastically mocking Seraphina Thorne.

"Stealing from others, shameless!"

"Exactly, if you ask me, it was deliberate. Why didn’t she come earlier or later, but just now? She’s truly despicable!"

...

No one stood up for Seraphina Thorne.

Including those boys in the orchestra who had once shown her favor.

Good family background, great personality, outstanding looks...

In school, Seraphina Thorne used to be the most popular girl.

Now, the Thorne Family’s millions in debt are enough to make all the boys who once admired her steer clear.

After all, no one is willing to pay for millions in debt for the sake of a romance.

Despicable?

Facing everyone’s ridicule, Seraphina Thorne couldn’t even be bothered to explain.

"This lead position was originally mine. If you have the ability, then take it back. If you don’t... then shut up!"

Julia Chamberlain walked over with her violin case, intentionally knocked over her music stand, and forcefully stepped on the sheet music.

"I want to see how long you can stay proud."

Picking up the sheet music, brushing off the dirt, Seraphina Thorne placed the sheet music back onto the stand.

Now, she is her father and brother’s support. No matter how much they attack her, she cannot fall.

Putting the violin on her shoulder, she practiced earnestly.

Burying all her sorrow, grievances, heartache, unwillingness...

Into the music.

After a simple dinner at the school cafeteria in the evening, Seraphina Thorne returned to the rehearsal room.

At this moment, music is her only solace and also her future livelihood skills, besides hard work, she has no other path.

She practiced over and over until every note was familiar to her before returning from the rehearsal room.

All her dorm mates were already asleep. She washed quietly, climbed into her bed, and instantly felt like she was lying in an ice cellar.

Shivering from the cold, Seraphina Thorne abruptly sat up.

"What’s wrong?"

"What’s happened?"

A few dorm mates were startled awake, one of them turned on her phone flashlight and walked over to her bed.

The light revealed her bed; the quilt and sheets had evident water stains.

Her dorm mates all looked indignant.

"It must have been Julia Chamberlain, I think I saw her leaving our dorm when I came back from getting my meal."

"How can these people be so despicable."

"Next time, we should lock the door."

...

"Seraphina, why don’t you share a bed with me tonight?"

A short-haired dorm mate kindly suggested.

Over her four years in college, Seraphina Thorne hadn’t stayed much at the dorm and wasn’t familiar with everyone.

There were only single beds in the dorm, how could she bear to crowd into one with someone else?

"It’s fine, I’ll just turn over the quilt. Sorry to disturb your rest."

Turning the quilt over, laying it down neatly, Seraphina Thorne climbed into bed fully dressed.

Her dorm mates soon fell back into a deep sleep, while she lay curled in bed, unable to sleep.

On this cold autumn night, although the quilt wasn’t soaked, it was damp from water and wouldn’t warm her up.

The colder she got, the more restless she became. She climbed out of bed, dressed, and grabbed a water cup intending to get some hot water to warm herself.

Digging out her phone from her bag, Seraphina Thorne quietly left the dorm.

She illuminated the phone screen and noticed a WeChat notification on the display.

"Ethan Sterling requested to add you as a friend."

The request had arrived a few hours ago, but she hadn’t heard it while busy practicing.

She couldn’t refuse his request.

Hurriedly pressing accept.

In less than ten seconds, Ethan Sterling’s call came through.

Afraid of disturbing others, Seraphina Thorne answered quickly and stepped into the utility room.

"What’s..." The man’s voice was lazily, slightly raspy, coming through the earpiece and exceptionally alluring in the lonely midnight, "Can’t sleep without me holding you?"

This narcissist!

"I just drank too much last night."

In the cold autumn evening, the utility room window was open. Chilled by the wind, Seraphina Thorne sneezed hard.

Ethan Sterling noticed her nasal voice was heavy.

"Got a cold?"

She sniffed, tightened her coat.

"No."

"Then go to bed early, women easily age from staying up late. I don’t want to marry an old hag."

Can’t this man go a day without mocking her?

In a bad mood, Seraphina Thorne’s words grew sharp.

"Aren’t you also awake? Men age quickly from late nights, and will..."

She held back her tongue at the end.

What she learned from Ivy Langley, that inappropriate joke was truly not suitable for Ethan Sterling.

"What else?" Ethan Sterling asked.

Her face burned, "Will... gain ten pounds and lose hair!"

"Don’t worry, dear. I’ll make sure you... are happy every night!"

The man’s voice was smiling, his tone casual.

Seraphina Thorne could even imagine the mischievous and wicked expression on his face.

No ivory from a dog’s mouth!

"I’m sleeping, goodbye."

She hung up abruptly.

The phone vibrated again.

The screen displayed a WeChat message from Ethan Sterling.

[Ethan Sterling: Come find me at noon tomorrow, remember to bring the equity documents.]

He spoke seriously, Seraphina Thorne replied with an okay.

Bzz!

The phone vibrated, Ethan Sterling’s second WeChat message arrived.

[Ethan Sterling: Next time, say ’Goodnight, darling.’]

Grinding her teeth with frustration, she rolled her eyes at the screen, took her freshly poured hot water, and walked out of the utility room.

Perhaps due to the hot water or the verbal exchange with Ethan Sterling, she felt relieved of her worries.

Climbing back into bed, Seraphina Thorne felt inexplicatedly lighter.

She pushed the wet quilt to the side and wrapped herself in a warm coat, quickly falling asleep.

On the other end.

Sitting at his desk, Ethan Sterling put down his phone and stretched his back.

Imagining the blushing girl on the other end, teeth gritted at his messages, he faintly curled his lips.

"President Sterling, here is Zenith Group’s financial report and the shareholders’ information." Sean Hale entered the office, handing the printed documents to him.

He flipped through the papers, seeing the valuation for The Thorne Estate, he looked up.

"When is The Thorne Estate’s official auction?"

Caleb Thorne’s imprisonment led to all their assets being frozen.

The Thorne Estate would be auctioned by the court to repay their debts.

Sean Hale checked his papers, found the relevant documents, and handed them over.

"According to the ruling, the court’s deadline for reclaiming the property is today. The auction process will take a while and might happen in a month or so."

Today?

Ethan Sterling frowned, stood up, and grabbed his gray coat off the hanger.

"Organize all documents and email them to me."

After instructing Sean Hale, he strode out of the office.

Half an hour later.

The sea blue Phantom sedan turned off the Third Ring Road and stopped in front of The Thorne Estate.

Ethan Sterling rolled down the window and immediately spotted the red-sealed court notice on Thorne Villa’s front gate.

Lighting a cigarette, Ethan Sterling looked up at Seraphina Thorne’s darkened bedroom upstairs, emitting a faint puff of blue smoke.