CHAPTER 140: CHAPTER 140: MY LIFE IS MINE, NOT YOURS

Buzz——

Inside the backpack, the phone suddenly vibrated.

Seraphina Thorne snapped back to reality, hurriedly let go of Ethan Sterling’s shoulder, and snatched her bag and violin from his hand.

"There’s no time, I have to go. Drive slowly."

Turning around, she jogged up the steps.

"Be careful, don’t fall."

Ethan Sterling stood on the steps, reminded her briefly, watched her walk into the entrance of the music hall, then turned his face with a smile and sat back in the driver’s seat, dialing Sean Hale’s number.

"President Sterling, your call is just in time. If there’s nothing else, you’d better come to the company right away."

Ethan Sterling heard something off in Sean Hale’s tone, "What’s up?"

On the other end of the line.

Sean Hale peeked through the crack of the door at the man standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, raised his hand to cover his mouth.

"Your father is here."

"What’s he here for?"

"I’m not sure, but he’s in your office now."

"I understand, I’ll be there soon."’

Sean Hale hung up the phone, took the hot tea handed to him by the assistant, and personally brought it into Ethan Sterling’s office, placing it on the desk.

"Mr. Sterling, please have a cup of tea first. President Sterling should be arriving soon."

Upon hearing his voice, the man standing by the window slowly turned around.

The tall middle-aged man was none other than Ethan Sterling’s biological father, Arthur Sterling, the head of The Sterling Family of Varden.

Thanks to proper maintenance and fitness, Arthur Sterling, who was over fifty, didn’t show much signs of aging, looking barely over forty.

Dressed in a black suit, his face was gloomy.

Simply standing there was already putting a lot of pressure on Sean Hale.

Walking over to sit on the sofa, Arthur Sterling glanced at the tea on the table and slowly picked up the teacup, sipping the tea.

"I heard Ethan got married, is it true?"

As the head of The Sterling Family of Varden, the man’s every move exuded an innate authority.

Sean Hale stood beside him, too nervous to breathe.

Upon hearing the question, Sean Hale nodded lightly.

"It’s true."

Ethan Sterling’s marriage was no secret, with Arthur Sterling’s information network, he must have already known the truth.

The sudden visit might have something to do with this marriage.

Sean Hale knew that lying would be of no use now.

"The Seraphina who was in the same high school as Ethan back then, right?"

"Yes."

Arthur Sterling raised his face, his sharp brown eyes meeting Sean Hale’s.

"Do you think Ethan will agree to return to the Sterling?"

"This..." Sean Hale nervously swallowed a gulp, "I... I’m not sure."

Arthur Sterling cast a glance at him, leaned back against the sofa, and didn’t speak any further.

By the time the tea on the coffee table turned completely cold, Ethan Sterling finally walked into the office.

Seeing him, Sean Hale felt as if he’d seen a savior.

"I’ll brew a new pot of tea for you two."

"No need." Ethan Sterling walked indifferently behind the desk, "Mr. Sterling will be leaving soon anyway."

"Why..." Arthur Sterling raised his eyes, meeting his son’s gaze in mid-air, "Are you sending me away just as I arrived?"

Feeling the clash of energy between the two, Sean Hale instinctively shrank his stomach.

It’s hard to imagine how Ethan Sterling lived with such a father.

"You may leave."

Ethan Sterling gestured to him, and Sean Hale, as if granted amnesty, quickly exited the office and closed the door tightly behind them.

Leaning languidly against the back of the chair, Ethan Sterling lightly stroked the wedding ring on his finger, "What brings you to visit, Mr. Sterling?"

Arthur Sterling glanced sideways at his finger, "I came for that ring on your hand."

"Ha—" Ethan Sterling chuckled, "So that’s the wind that brought you here. Do you want to give your daughter-in-law a red packet or something? I appreciate the thought, but no need for money."

In this world, the only person daring to talk to Arthur Sterling like this was Ethan Sterling.

Arthur Sterling’s brow slightly twitched as he took a deep breath, about to lose his temper.

Seeing Ethan Sterling’s face reminiscent of his mother’s, he forcefully suppressed his anger.

"Since you want to develop your career in the country, why not... come back to Sterling, learn for a few years, and then..."

"I already said before, I took the surname Sterling because my mom’s surname is Sterling, it has nothing to do with you." Ethan Sterling coldly interrupted him, "If Mr. Sterling doesn’t have any business-related matters, please leave."

Arthur Sterling stood up, walked over to Ethan Sterling’s desk with long strides.

Bristling his hands on the table, he somberly met Ethan Sterling’s eyes.

"Whether you wish to admit it or not, I am your father, and that is an undeniable fact. So I absolutely won’t let you ruin your life because of that Seraphina."

Ethan Sterling raised his long leg and placed it on the desk.

"My life is mine, it’s none of your business."

"Ruining yourself once for her wasn’t enough, how many more chances do you think you have to start over? Do you think you’re still eighteen?" Arthur Sterling yelled.

"My life was ruined even before I was born."

"You..." Arthur Sterling took a deep breath, adjusting his emotions, softened his voice, "Divorce her, return to the Sterling Family, and I can meet any of your requests."

Ethan Sterling pressed the intercom button, "Sean Hale, escort the guest out!"

The door opened, Sean Hale walked in humbly.

"Mr. Sterling... please!"

"Don’t think you can do whatever you want, now that you’ve grown wings."

Arthur Sterling adjusted his suit, his gaze deeply fixed on Ethan Sterling’s face.

"One day, you’ll obediently stand in front of my desk."

Turning, Arthur Sterling strode out of Ethan Sterling’s office.

Grabbing the teacup on the table, Ethan Sterling threw the cup against the door.

When Sean Hale returned after seeing Arthur Sterling off, he saw the broken pieces and water on the floor, and hurriedly cleaned up.

Ethan Sterling tugged at his tie, his face still simmering with anger.

"Tell the security not to let him into my office ever again!"

"This..." Sean Hale stood up with a mop, "Don’t blame me for speaking out, but this might not be so simple. Just now... Mr. Sterling asked me about your wife."

"He asked about Seraphina?" Ethan Sterling’s expression immediately tensed, "What did he say?"

"Just asking if you’re married and if your wife was in the same school with you..." Sean Hale’s face revealed Arthur Sterling’s gloomy expression, "Mr. Sterling doesn’t seem to like your wife."

"I don’t care if he likes her or not."

Ethan Sterling turned around, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.

"Make arrangements so that when Seraphina performs in Elysia in a few days, I’ll join her. Set up a meeting with the world’s most renowned wedding dress designer."

"Are you ordering a wedding dress for her?"

Ethan Sterling frowned and turned his face, "What else?"

"Don’t be angry, that’s not what I mean..." Sean Hale smiled apologetically, "I’m just worried if Mr. Sterling might target Miss Thorne."

Ethan Sterling scoffed, "He wouldn’t dare!"