Chapter 4

For the second act, my old man was just as eager to call.

"See? I told you! Chloe did nothing wrong!"

"If the water heater hadn't broken down, she wouldn't even have paid attention to you."

"Seriously, call a plumber and have them check all the appliances. I don't want Chloe to be uncomfortable."

I was utterly speechless. He actually believed the water heater broke on its own. He didn't doubt her intentions for a single second.

Luckily, his lovesick genes weren't passed down to me, or else the Sterling men would have been conned out of every penny.

"Ah!"

It was Chloe’s voice, coming from the bathroom.

I hung up the phone and walked toward the sound.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

"Miss Bennett, is everything okay?"

"I... I slipped when I got out of the tub. I can't move."

Her voice suddenly carried a hint of tears. "Mr. Sterling... did I... did I injure my spine?"

A spinal injury was no joke; it could lead to paralysis.

I didn't hesitate. I kicked the door open. Chloe was lying on the floor without a single thread of clothing, her eyes brimming with tears.

She held her arms out to me. "Mr. Sterling, save me..."

As she moved, her curves shifted subtly.

I awkwardly looked away, grabbed a nearby bath towel to cover her up, and scooped her into my arms.

"Ow... it hurts..."

She whimpered softly, but her arms wound tightly around my neck.

I laid her face down on the sofa, then immediately called the family doctor to come over.

"Miss Bennett, you seem to have a lot of accidents since you moved in."

"Maybe..."

"I'm fine," Chloe quickly interrupted, "I was just careless."

"I'll be more careful next time. I'm so sorry for causing you trouble, Mr. Sterling."

She seemed to realize I was about to kick her out, so she cut me off instantly.

I looked at her with amusement. Since our first meeting, she hadn't mentioned saving my father even once.

To her, he was probably already a useless pawn.

Only my old man was still blind to reality, thinking she still loved him.

The doctor arrived within half an hour of my call.

He used his equipment to examine her. "Don't worry, your spine is fine."

"An injury of this level will heal in a few days with some rest."

After giving his diagnosis, his gaze flicked back and forth between Chloe and me with a knowing look.

"Ahem, but I should warn you both. Try to avoid such... intense activities in the future."

"This lady was lucky this time. Next time might be different."

My mind raced, and I immediately realized what the doctor was implying.

He actually thought Chloe's injury happened because we were doing... something intimate.

Chloe understood too. Her face flushed, and she looked at me with a shy, bashful expression.

I quietly escorted the doctor out, offering no explanation.

To Chloe, my silence was as good as confirming our affair.

My phone kept vibrating in my pocket. I knew my old man was losing his mind.