Chapter 113: Miss Lancaster, Please Have Mercy
Jane Lancaster obediently stood in place and waited.
When she saw Jasper Sterling’s figure moving quickly behind the glass, her heart grew anxious, and she couldn’t help but take two steps toward the elevator.
But she stopped again just as quickly.
’Why does this feel like we’re dating? No, wait, this is more like I’m having a secret affair.’
"Jay."
Hearing the voice behind her, Jane Lancaster turned her head mechanically.
"What’s wrong? You look startled." Caleb Lowell walked up and took her hand. "Is the air conditioning too cold? Your hands are freezing."
As he spoke, he took off his suit jacket and draped it over Jane Lancaster’s shoulders.
His thoughtful and gentle gesture would make anyone sigh at the depth of his affection.
Yara Yates said with a smile, "Jay must just be overjoyed."
Pauline Shaw glanced back at Jane Lancaster, thinking, ’Overjoyed? She’s clearly terrified.’
She was preoccupied with her own thoughts, so she didn’t hear all of Jane Lancaster’s inner monologue, only vaguely catching the last part about a "secret affair."
A secret affair? Who was she having an affair with? Was it just a thought, or was it actually happening? Could it be Jasper Sterling?
Pauline Shaw couldn’t resist raising her head to scan for any suspicious figures.
Upstairs, by the scenic elevator, Jasper Sterling stopped in his tracks.
Through a narrow gap, he saw Caleb Lowell looking sharply toward the scenic elevator while simultaneously placing a hand on Jane Lancaster’s waist.
The intimate gesture was a silent declaration of his ownership.
DING. The scenic elevator doors opened, and Shawn Sutton walked out. He looked up and met Caleb Lowell’s gaze, froze for a moment, then lowered his head and walked away as if nothing had happened.
Pauline Shaw noticed that the man had initially been walking in their direction but changed course the moment he saw her cousin.
Her eyes widened instantly as she stared at Jane Lancaster in disbelief. ’No way, is she trying to seduce Shawn Sutton?’
Even Jane Lancaster herself didn’t notice the brief flicker of disappointment in her own eyes.
In Pauline Shaw’s eyes, this only made her more suspicious. It was as if Jane was heartbroken because Shawn Sutton had turned and left without a second thought.
Jane Lancaster smiled and greeted Auntie Yates, "Auntie Yates, what a coincidence."
"Not a coincidence. Caleb and I had something to discuss, and when I heard you were coming to pick up your bridal bouquet today, I came along with him."
Jane Lancaster said, "I sent Mama Knight to get the bouquet."
Caleb Lowell stared at Shawn Sutton’s back until he disappeared, then finally retracted his gaze.
"Is that so? The bridal shop said the wedding dress is ready. We might as well have you try it on and see if any alterations are needed."
Jane Lancaster was taken aback for a second, but she quickly replied, "Alright, let’s go try it on then."
Caleb Lowell stood still. "Did you have plans to meet anyone else today?"
"No, of course not. Come on, let’s go try on the dress," Jane Lancaster said with a smile.
’I heard several famous designers spent three months handcrafting this dress. Caleb dropped millions on it. For that price, it must be gorgeous!’
Watching her sudden enthusiasm, the suspicion in Caleb Lowell’s eyes faded considerably.
When he heard Jane Lancaster’s inner thought, his first suspicion was that she was waiting for Jasper Sterling.
His masculine pride instantly flared, making him determined to assert his claim no matter what.
But when the elevator doors opened and Shawn Sutton came out instead, he was both disappointed and felt it was to be expected.
Even if Jasper Sterling was truly trying to woo Jane Lancaster, it would only be to oppose him, not out of any genuine feeling.
A hypocritical, opportunistic man like him had no genuine feelings to give. He just treated women as trophies to be won, using them to strike at his rivals.
If Jasper Sterling were actually faced with marrying the current Jane Lancaster, he’d probably steer clear. After all, it wouldn’t maximize his profits.
Recently, some rumors had been circulating that Jasper Sterling was interested in Beverly Lynch and that their two families intended to form a marriage alliance.
Caleb Lowell had heard bits and pieces but didn’t believe all of it. However, he felt the marriage alliance was a definite possibility.
The Lynch Family controlled a vital manufacturing technology. Although their growth couldn’t compare to the Sterlings or the Lowells, if Zachary Lynch was willing to give up that technology, Jasper Sterling would undoubtedly be tempted.
In that case, Jasper Sterling’s motive for instigating The Lynch Group to release that clarifying statement became obvious.
It was all to humiliate him, a slap in the face meant to put him down.
That was probably Beverly Lynch’s pledge of allegiance to Jasper Sterling, wasn’t it? Denying she ever had a crush on him, belittling him—Jasper Sterling would certainly be pleased with that.
Since Jasper Sterling now had a better trophy in his sights, he probably wouldn’t be interested in Jane Lancaster anymore.
As Caleb Lowell mulled this over, he unconsciously released his hold on Jane Lancaster.
——
The wedding dress was intricate and beautiful, rivaling a main gown for a wedding ceremony. It was a testament to how seriously Caleb Lowell was taking this engagement party.
When the staff pulled back the curtain, Mama Knight was the first to gasp. "Oh my goodness, Miss, you look so beautiful!"
Caleb Lowell looked up, and for a moment, he was mesmerized.
So many issues had stood between them recently that he thought his feelings had faded, that the burning passion of once thinking he couldn’t live without her had cooled.
But in this moment, seeing her dressed as a bride-to-be, his heart pounded erratically. He couldn’t wait to marry her and take her home.
Yara Yates studied her for a moment before saying with a smile, "No wonder Jay was once known as the number one socialite in Stratton."
Pauline Shaw felt a pang of bitterness, but she prided herself on being relatively objective. "She is quite beautiful."
In truth, "number one socialite" was just a casual title. Aesthetics aren’t universal, so many women had been rumored to hold that moniker at some point.
But Jane Lancaster was widely acknowledged as the one whose claim to the title was the strongest, her beauty irrefutably unparalleled.
That was why, years ago, when she found out that the cousin she respected most had fallen in love with Jane Lancaster, she felt both dejected and that it was only fitting.
After all, who else but Jane Lancaster could possibly be worthy of her cousin?
The designer said, "We might need to alter the measurements again. We left some allowance, but Miss Lancaster is still a little too slender."
Jane Lancaster replied, "No need. It’s fine as it is. I’ll just eat a bit more these next few days."
’This engagement is doomed to fail anyway, so there’s no need to go to all this trouble.’
A muscle in Caleb Lowell’s brow twitched. ’Fail? How could it? He would never allow such a thing to happen.’
Suddenly, a commotion erupted at the entrance, and a middle-aged woman burst in. "Miss Lancaster! I’m begging you, please be merciful!"
The staff who followed her were about to drag the woman out when a middle-aged man and an old woman, who appeared to be her family, stopped them.
Mama Knight’s head buzzed, and she cried out, "Sir? Madam?"
Rosalind Quill glared at Mama Knight. "Melody Knight! You bitch! If I had known, I would have made sure you rotted in prison back then!"
Old and new hatreds surged through her, and she wanted to lunge forward right then and there to slap Melody Knight’s face until it was swollen.
Jane Lancaster pulled Mama Knight behind her, while the designer and the shop manager hurriedly blocked the lunging Rosalind Quill.
Are you kidding? If anything happened to this dress, they could never afford to replace it!
Caleb Lowell stood up. "That’s enough! What exactly are you doing here?"
Rosalind Quill glanced at him, her eyes showing a hint of fear. Since she had tracked them to the bridal shop, she naturally knew who Caleb Lowell was.
He was not someone she could afford to offend.
Jason Miller was frantic. "Calm down and just talk to her properly!"
Rosalind Quill steeled herself and, with a THUD, dropped to her knees. "Miss Lancaster, I’m begging you, please be merciful! Spare our family’s company!"