CHAPTER 54: CHAPTER 54: CATCHING THEM IN THE ACT! THEIR BREAKUP ISN’T SO CLEAN, IS IT?

"No, you get up quickly. What if someone comes in and sees? Don’t you care about your image?" Summer Nolan suddenly realized, honing in on the key concern.

Is she afraid that Ian Sterling might see?

Elias Spencer looked coldly at the woman beneath him, a crafty glint flashing in his eyes. He let go of her, stood up straight, and with one hand in his pocket, maintained his aloof demeanor.

Summer Nolan, annoyed, kicked him, and just as she was dusting off her clothes, her phone rang. She went over to see the caller ID. It was an unknown number.

She answered it directly, "Hello, who is this?"

"It’s me. How about a drink after work?" Ian Sterling asked.

"Just send me the address." She glanced at the man opposite, quickly spoke, and hung up. She cleared her throat and said,

"A client wants to meet tonight to discuss a case. I can’t take care of you tonight, so make sure you eat something and be careful in the shower. Don’t let the water touch your wounds."

Elias Spencer heard everything Ian Sterling said but didn’t expose her lie. He sat down, legs crossed against the chair back, and took a sip of hot water, eyes deep.

-

After work in the afternoon.

Summer Nolan first went home to change clothes and put on some light makeup before driving to a high-end bar.

As soon as she entered, she spotted the man at the bar. He wore a white shirt, slightly open at the collar, and held a glass of whiskey with ice, drinking it casually.

Seated there, he exuded the charm of a mature man.

Ian Sterling saw her approach, dressed in a red strap dress, long straight hair casually draped down her back, with full and sexy red lips. Her cold, dismissive steps and unyielding gaze stirred a sense of conquest within him.

Men are naturally drawn to challenging prey.

"Attorney Nolan looks stunning tonight. Is this look specially for me?" He raised an eyebrow, asking.

"Wishful thinking. I dressed up for myself. After wearing professional attire all day, it’s just a change of style to feel better."

Summer Nolan deliberately didn’t give him any face; she really hadn’t dressed up for him.

She sat down on the high stool next to him and ordered a strong cocktail from the bartender. Taking a sip, it was both fruity and scorching in the throat.

Quite invigorating.

"..." Hearing her words, Ian Sterling couldn’t help but smile, albeit a little disappointed. This was his first time actively trying to start a conversation with a woman:

"Is your dog’s name Elias?"

"Yes." She responded.

"That’s a unique, quite pleasant name... I noticed they seem to like each other. Why not let them be together? We shouldn’t deprive them of the right to find a partner," he said.

"Elias was just temporarily tricked by your flirtatious dog; I’m sure it doesn’t like your dog." Summer Nolan took another sip from her glass.

"How do you know it doesn’t like mine?" Ian Sterling asked.

"I’m its ’mom,’ marriage is a matter for parents to decide!" How could she let her dog be with the dog of an enemy?

"Do you look down on my dog or on me?"

"You’re actually quite nice..."

Summer Nolan didn’t have a bad impression of him. She felt her attitude towards him had been rather poor yesterday, but he had always been calm and never argued or fought with her.

He never even said a harsh word and always tried to solve problems, showing responsibility.

If he weren’t Sean Sterling’s son, she would be willing to be real friends with him.

"Is that a subtle way to look down on me?" Ian Sterling felt a bit hurt. Didn’t he have good enough qualities and appearance?

Yet he was being rejected by a woman.

"Ahem... of course not. Mr. Sterling, you’re so well-qualified. It’s my dog Elias who’s not a match for yours," she hastily lied to explain.

"If I think they’re a match, that’s what matters. Why overthink? Let’s settle it: bring Elias out after work tomorrow." He reached over and ruffled her hair, saying domineeringly.

Summer Nolan froze. Why is he ruffling my hair?

Doesn’t he find such a gesture a bit intimate?

Maybe it was just an accidental move, probably not intentional.

"Oh, the money?" Summer Nolan asked bluntly, reaching out her hand, almost forgetting. Going out once for a million dollars, that’s quite a deal.

She could buy a big house. She wondered how her mom’s house hunting was going lately?

Ian Sterling, resigned, placed the prepared check in her hand. This woman was surprisingly such a money-grubber; it was unusual. He genuinely didn’t like greedy, materialistic women, so why didn’t he dislike her?

Moreover, she was even greedier than most women—

Summer Nolan glanced at the amount, delighted, and put it in her bag.

In the corner of her eye, she unexpectedly saw two familiar faces entering the bar and immediately raised her hand to cover her side face!!!

Why isn’t that man home resting his injury but instead coming here?

As soon as Elias Spencer walked in, he saw her, noticing her guilty attempts to hide, his eyes darkened unconsciously, and he deliberately called out:

"Attorney Nolan, weren’t you meeting a client? Why are you drinking here?"

Damn it, the lights here are so dim, constantly flashing, and there are so many people. How did he recognize me?

Summer Nolan was impressed, having to turn her face and explain with a stiff smile, "The client had to cancel last minute, so I came here for a few drinks.

What about you? Why are you here when your injury isn’t healed?"

Standing behind, Julian Rivers touched his nose. Why here? Catching them in the act! Their breakup wasn’t clean, clearly.

No wonder the man didn’t kick Summer Nolan out of the law firm.

Elias Spencer ignored her question and sat on a high stool next to her, ordering, "A whiskey, please," in a low voice to the bartender.

"Don’t listen to him. Get him a juice!" Summer Nolan called out to the bartender, thinking what was he doing drinking alcohol with an injury?

Hearing her words, Elias Spencer’s mood lifted slightly, but the next moment, this woman added, "Once you’re healed, do whatever you want."

"Whiskey for me," he said, his voice low.

The bartender looked at both of them and decided to serve him an iced whiskey, per the customer’s request.

Summer Nolan frowned at him, took two sips from her own glass, then decided to let him do as he pleased.

Ian Sterling watched the two of them, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. What’s their relationship?

"Young Master Spencer and Attorney Nolan aren’t just colleagues?" he asked, hinting at something.

"We’re just colleagues! He got injured because of me, so I have to take care of him." Summer Nolan quickly answered, afraid Elias Spencer might talk nonsense.

Better not flaunt anything in front of him in the future, keep a low profile, and best secretly meet with Ian Sterling—

She could sense Ian Sterling had a really good impression of her. Otherwise, he wouldn’t keep paying for dates ten times over.

She wasn’t stupid.

"..." Elias Spencer turned his head to glance at her, a hint of coldness in his eyes. Was she really so afraid he’d ruin things with that wild man?

Julian Rivers watched the three of them, drinking in silence while watching the drama unfold... This was really interesting!

Hearing her explanation, Ian Sterling relaxed and curiously asked, "How did he get injured because of you? Was it serious?"