Ch. 546..550

Chapter 546

later that night, after Sylvia put Isabel and Liam to bed, she went to the living room Aunt Tonya put her phone down when she saw Sylvia appearing and informed her, “Sylvia, | just talked to Sebastian. He said ever since the divorce, Odell has pretty much always been in the office as long as it is a working day Sometimes, he even spends the night in his office instead of going home. Even at this hour, he’s still at the office, so there’s no chance that he’s going to be home tomorrow’ Sylvia smiled. “Alright.”

Since he was not going to be home, she could bring Isabel and Liam to see Madam Carter

Meanwhile, in Carter Tower, in the central district of the city, the lights were still turned on inside the office on the top floor After all his work was done, Odell leaned against his chair and did some reading

Ding ding

His phone suddenly chimed. It was Sebastian calling him.

Odell put the phone to his ear.

“Sebastian, what’s the matter?” he asked.

Sebastian cautiously whispered into the phone, “Sir, Tonya just called me to ask if you are at home tomorrow. | think she’s asking for Ms. Sylvia. She might be coming around tomorrow with the kids to see the madam.”

Odell sell silent for a moment before answering, “Got it.” He hung up. He set down the book and turned to look out the window and behold the night view of the snowing city.

There was looming darkness inside his eyes. It had been almost two months since their divorce, and even now, she was still unwilling to see him.

The next morning. Sylvia woke Isabel and Liam out of bed and had them change into a set of adorable winter coats. She then wrapped a scarf around them and gave them a hat to wear. Alter everything was set, she look Aunt Tonya, and they all went to Odell’s place.

Sebastian knew that they were coming and kept the door open for them.

Sylvia went straight into the house with the kids and Aunt Tonya and went to Madam Carter’s Toom

Violet was still tasked with taking care of Madani Carter during the day. Sylvia greeted her and sat down on the chair by the bed

Isabel took off her shoes and climbed onto the bed, then she plopped hersell down next to Malam Carter while flani sat down beside the bed.

Sylvia checked in with Violet. “Violet, how has Grandma been doing these few days?” Violet answered obligingly. “No worries, she’s doing the same as she was before.”

Sylvia nodded firmly. Isabel began babbling into Madam Carter’s ears. She told her great-grandmother all sorts of stories, ranging from random gossip at the school to her outings with Liam, Sylvia, and Odell. Sylvia chuckled at the tales Isabel told, and Violet and Aunt Tonya were just as entertained. The atmosphere in the room was very wholesome. Meanwhile, outside the room, a tall man was leaning against the door. He crossed his arms and quietly listened to Isabel relaying her stories. He would also hear Sylvia snicker from time to time. Soon, a subtle smile formed on his lips.

Before they knew it, it was already noon. Isabel got tired of talking and was cuddling next to Madam Carter and yawning. Liam seemed to be fighting waves of drowsiness as well, and he struggled to keep his eyes open. Sylvia spoke softly to Madam Carter, “Grandma, I'll be taking Isabel and Liam home. We'll see you again sometime soon.” With that, she and Aunt Tonya took Isabel and Liam out of the room. Inside the living room, Sebastian greeted them with a polite smile. He promptly informed Sylvia upon seeing her, “Ma’am, lunch is ready. You should let the young master and miss eat something before going home.”

Sylvia returned a kind smile. “Thanks for the hospitality, Sebastian. But | think it’s better that | don’t linger too long since I’m already divorced with Odell, so we'll be heading back first.”

 

Chapter 547

Chapter 547 Sebastian darted a look at Aunt Tonya. “I...” Aunt Tonya supplied, “Sebastian, Sylvia is right. We need to head back first. Don’t worry about us, we'll be fine.”

Sebastian glanced in a particular direction upstairs before giving in. “Okay.” Sylvia said goodbye to him and walked out with Liam in her arms. Aunt Tonya followed closely with Isabel in her arms. They crossed the yard and went past the gate in no time.

Meanwhile, in a bedroom upstairs, a tall man was stalking them near the window. He had a deep and thoughtful look in his eyes as he stared at Sylvia in particular.

The sun cast its gentle rays on her slender back, the warmth of the sun making her seem especially delicate. The academy would be having their winter break as well. This Thursday was going to be Sylvia’s last class for this semester.

After getting up in the morning and having breakfast with the kids and Aunt Tonya, she hugged and kissed the two little guys in turn before informing them, “Liam, Isabel, Mommy is going to go to work and will be back in the evening. Now, both of you stay home and be good children. Listen to Aunt Tonya, got it?”

Isabel chirped, “Okay!’ Liam echoed, “Yeah.”

With that, Sylvia left. She drove to the academy, and the first thing she did was prepare for her classes, just like she always did. After everything was settled, she went to get lunch.

Since Thomas's office was next to hers, she sent him a text message. “Thomas, are you at the academy today?” She received a very quick answer. “Yeah.”

She invited him to lunch. “Want to get something to eat?” Thomas replied, “Sure.” Sylvia put on her coat and went out.

As soon as she stepped out of her office, out came Thomas from his office as well. He was wearing a long gray coat, and his figure was tall and stately like a statue. His appearance was dashing as always.

Sylvia smiled at him and asked, “What would you like to eat today?” Thomas walked next to her and remarked, “Anything you'd like.” “Alright

Sylvia was in the mood for something on the heavier side today, so they went to a restaurant that served Thai food. She ordered several spicy dishes for herself and made sure to order

something lighter for Thomas, then she handed the menu back to the waiter. The air conditioning in the restaurant seemed to be set to a rather high temperature.

After sitting for just a while, Sylvia began to feel hot and sticky with sweat. She took off her coat and put it aside. Thomas was feeling hot too, so he did the same and hung his coat on his chair.

Upon looking up, Sylvia’s eyes landed on two sharp edges protruding from slightly below his shoulders, and she studied his defined and alluring collar bones. He was wearing a t-shirt with a loose collar, so whenever he leaned forward, one could get a glimpse of the treasures that lay underneath.

Sylvia suddenly felt her temperature rise, as if it was not hot enough already. She averted her gaze. Thomas did not seem to notice anything peculiar. After their food arrived, he made sure to move the spicy dishes to Sylvia’s end of the table All of a sudden, Sylvia gave a few dry coughs. Thomas looked at her with a queer gaze. “What's wrong?” Sylvia looked away and murmured with an air of embarrassment, “Um, could you fix your collar?”

Thomas inspected his collar and answered, “My collar is fine.” Sylvia turned stiff for a moment as her eyes landed on his collar. They were still so revealing... Sylvia immediately lowered her head. “It’s a little low. Could you pull it up?” Thomas made a slight grimace and informed her, “This shirt is designed like this. If you insist, then | will put my coat on.” Sylvia hurriedly changed the topic. “No, no, it’s fine. Let’s eat.” With that, she quickly picked up her spoon and went back to eating. Seeing this, Thomas did not reach for his coat and proceeded to eat as well. Perhaps it was a mixture of the already hot and humid room as well as the sheer spiciness of the Thai cuisine that Sylvia's face turned into a bright red hue by the time she was finished eating

 

Chapter 548

Chapter 548 After they settled the bill, Sylvia grabbed her coat and walked outside

Thomas followed her. Suddenly, she felt the sensual touch of a finger gliding across her face, Sylvia was startled by this and cast a perplexed look at Thomas.

Thomas touched her face again, and this time said in a monotonous voice, “Your face is so red. Did you catch a fever?” Sylvia stammered, “I-I’m fine. Maybe it’s because those dishes are too spicy.”

Thomas looked at her warily. “Then, don’t eat such spicy things next time.” “Okay.” Sylvia looked ahead again. “Let’s go back to the academy.” She sped up her pace and widened the gap between the two of them in the blink of an eye. While Thomas stayed where he was, his lips suddenly twitched as he looked at her fading figure.

Sylvia sat in her office for a long time before her face returned to a normal shade. She remembered that when she first married Odell, Thomas still had a thin buildup of baby fat on his face.

Now, he was no longer as boyish as he was in the past even though he still looked fairly young He was several months older than her, so there was nothing wrong with him wearing a low cut shirt.

Perhaps she was too conservative and thought that she should stop treating Thomas like a child the way she once did.

After clearing her mind, she managed to calm down. She stopped troubling herself with these thoughts and proceeded to lay down on the table for a quick nap.

Downtown, on the top floor of Carter Tower, in Odell’s office... Ding! The display glowed up and the caller ID flashed on the display. Odell took a quick look. It was his grandaunt Ramona calling. He answered and put the phone to his ear, “Hey, Grandaunt, what’s the matter?” Ramona answered cheerfully, “odell, the Springsteen family are moving back to the city in about half a month. Seeing as how Madam Springsteen grew up with me and your grandma, we are going to celebrate with a small party when we get back. After all, the Springsteens have had a lot of relations with your family in the past. Do you have time to join us?” Otell thought about it for a second and answered, “No.”

It was true since he had a business trip in half a month.

“Can't you just spare a few hours? They care a lot about the relationship between your two families, and they will be very disappointed if you don’t show up.”

“| have a business trip around that time, so you can go in my place instead.”

“But...”

“1 still have work to do. See you for now.’ “Alright.”

Odell hung up promptly.

Meanwhile, at the Deckers’, Ramona was sitting at a table with Madam Springsteen who was around the same age as her. Upon noticing Ramona putting away her phone, Madam Springsteen asked urgently. “So? Is the Carter boy joining?”

Chapter 549 Ramona sighed exasperatedly and stared, “He says he’s got this business trip in half a month and won't be able to make it.”

Madam Springsteen frowned sternly. “Even if he’s busy, I'm sure he can make time.” “He's very career-focused. | can’t persuade him.” “I suppose it’s normal for him to be busy since he has to oversee the operations of a corporation all by himself.” Madam Springsteen considered it for a while and noted, “How about | discuss with the old man and see if we can change the date of the party two days earlier?

Ramona sat up, then she asked with concern, “Will this disrupt your schedule?” Madam Springsteen smiled and said, “No, it’s just two days earlier anyway.”

There were two reasons for their return this time. One was to develop their business in Westchester, and the other was to find a prospective partner for her darling granddaughter.

Her granddaughter had minimal interest in anyone in Westchester apart from Odell himself. Although Odell was married and had two children, he was already divorced by this point, and his ungrateful ex-wife was the one with full custody of the children. This meant that the children her granddaughter would eventually give Odell would be the rightful, legitimate recognized heirs of the Carters. As for that vile ex-wife of Odell, she had better not be harboring any sneaky ideas of pilfering even a single cent of the Carters’ assets. All of this was for the future happiness of her darling granddaughter, thus she would not mind moving the party a week earlier if she needed to. Ramona smiled optimistically. “Alright, once you have decided on a date, | will inform Odell again. | will persuade him to come to your party.” “Thanks for the help.”

“You're like a sister to me. No need for such formalities.”

“Have some tea. This is a locally sourced tea leaf that | brought to you from Loughton. Give it a try.” Madam Springsteen picked up the teacup and offered. Ramona raised a teacup of her own and took a sip.

Her dislike for Sylvia had been brewing for a long time even though it turned out that they had wrongfully accused her of what happened to Madam Carter in the end. Regardless, it was her who had the audacity to file for a divorce with Odell and take custody of the children. Let their misery be a window of opportunity for the Springsteen girl to marry into the Carters. If everything bode out well, she would be the one to benefit most from all of this, since she was closely related to the Springsteens,

Odell’s car arrived outside Sylvia’s gate the first thing that morning. He must have found out that Liam and Isabel’s winter break had just begun. The two kids always had fun every time they went out with Oddell. Isabel craned her neck outside the windows in anticipation wlien she found out that her father was there

After Sylvia put on a thick padded jacket and a little hat for her, she shouted excitedly and almost impatiently, “Mommy, get dressed too. Let’s go out and play together!” Sylvia patted her head and rejected the offer, “Mommy has some other things to take care of and can’t go with you. Go ahead with your brother.” Isabel perched her hands on the side of her hips and pouted angrily, “Why do you always have things to do?” “Be a good girl and go with your brother.” Sylvia smiled and caressed her cheeks Liam approached them and hooked his arm around Isabel's. “Come on, Sis. Let's go, Daddy said he’s going to take us skiing today.” Skiing?

Isabel's eyes lit up upon hearing this magical word. She snorted grumpily at Sylvia before tumine to leave with Liam.

Sylvia stood behind the living room archway and watched as they ran through the front gate and climbed into the car. It was only after the car had driven off that she tumed to get back to her tasks. She went to the studio and was about to mix her paints when her phone blared.

It was a text from Christopher. “Hey, Sylvia, the Springsteen family just moved back to Westchester. Master Springsteen is a known collector in the international art collectors scene and has been in touch with our Westchester Art Association. They said that they will be hosting a banquet next Wednesday to celebrate their relocation to Westchester and invited me and several other artists. The thing is, he is very fond of your work and named you specifically. | was wondering if you would have time to join us.”

Springsteen? Master Springsteen? When Sylvia was young, she heard from her grandparents that the Springsteens in their heyday were comparable to the Carters. They ended up moving abroad because they wanted to expand the scope of their business in international markets. Sylvia’s grandparents were not very close with the Springsteens. She remembered hearing her grandmother complaining about how haughty Madam Springsteen was, that she only had eyes for venerable families and had no respect for common folks like the Rosses. Still, her grandparents had some good things to say about Master Springsteen himself. Sylvia pondered for a while, trying to decide whether she should accept the invitation when Christopher sent her another message. “Hey, Master Springsteen just called me himself and said that he was really hoping to see you. Besides, there’s going to be a lot of bigwigs showing up at the banquet, so | do hope you'll make an appearance as one of the representatives of our art issociation.”

Since he put it that way. Sylvia had no ground to refuse anymore. She replied, “Alright, President. I'll be there”

Chapter 550

Later that evening, the evening glow basked over the earth and its lands. A black car was coasting down the highway. Inside the car was nothing but unfiltered silence as the driver destly steered the car.

In the back was a man leaning straight against the seat while he held a sleeping Isabel in his arms. Liam was seated to his right. The boy was also asleep, leaning against his shoulder. After a while, the car stopped outside Sylvia's house. Odell gently woke Liam up and got out of the car, still carrying Isabel in his arms.

Aunt Tonya got out of the car after them. She took the still sleeping Isabel from Odell and said with a polite smile, “Master Carter, I'll take the children inside and won't be seeing you off, so goodbye.”

With that, she turned around with Isabel in her arms. Liam rubbed his sleepy eyes and did not follow after her. Instead, he looked up at Odell He stared mutely at Odell for a while before suddenly telling him, “If you want to see Mommy. just go right in.” Odell frowned. “It’s time for you to go in.”

Liam scoffed, “Coward.”

He walked into the house Odell was speechless. If it was not for the boy’s quick escape, he would have grabbed him to teach him a lesson on manners.

Coward?

He wished he was a coward. If he had been a coward, he would not have hurt her so much. The reason he would not enter was to respect her wishes so that she would not be upset by the sight of him again. After the two kids entered the house, Odell tumed and got back into the car.

The engine started with a low rumble.

Shortly after that, the phone in his pocket vibrated. It was Cliff. He put the phone to his ear and asked, “What’s the matter?” Cliff reported dutifully, “Sir, the Springsteens have just sent an invitation. They are hosting a party to celebrate their move back to Westchester. It’s next Wednesday.”

“What's my schedule for next Wednesday?” “You have two meetings on Wednesday. One of them is an international meeting.” exdell dnded briskly. “Turn down the invitation.”

Chul hesitated for a moment before continuing in a low voice, “One more thing, sir. | was told that Master Springsteen has invited meinbers of the Westrliester Art Association, which wwludes Ms Sylvia as well They say she has accepted the invitation”

Odell narrowed his eyes. After a moment, he instructed, “Postpone the two meetings by a day.

Cliff answered swiftly, “Consider it done.”

Odell then hung up Putting his phone away, he looked in the rearview mirror of the car.

They were some distance down the road from Sylvia's house, but he could still vaguely make out the shape of her house. If he was not mistaken, it had been two full months since the divorce when they last met.

Fast forward to Wednesday, Christopher sent a message to Sylvia first thing in the morning to remind her of the party at the Springsteens’ later that night.

Sylvia prepared a simple dress that was fitting for the venue, then she spent the day at home with Isabel and Liam.

She changed into the dress and left in the evening. She first went somewhere near the academy to meet up with Christopher and the others. Then, they all carpooled together to the Springsteens. Their place was not far away. It was a very large piece of land and seemed more like a grand manor.