Chapter 138 - 136: You Can Order Me, Too
At that moment, Saul Thorne felt himself drawn to Cecilia Sterling more than ever.
She was so unique. Despite being only twenty, she was so refreshingly direct and clear-headed. She had her own principles and way of handling people and situations, and she never hesitated to speak her mind.
Whatever she was thinking, she said it outright, never making you guess what was on her mind.
It was just as Cecilia Sterling had said: even though they knew very little about each other, he felt an unprecedented sense of ease.
They were together simply because they liked each other. That attraction was more important than any external factor—it was the very foundation of a relationship.
"There is one thing I’m curious about, though."
Cecilia Sterling spoke up suddenly, her gaze turning inquisitive as she looked at Saul Thorne. But before asking her question, she added, "Of course, you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to."
"Go ahead, ask." Saul Thorne immediately perked up, a strange sense of excitement bubbling up inside him. ’This is the first time she’s taken the initiative to ask about me.’
Seeing his reaction, Cecilia Sterling smiled and then said, "I heard what that girl said earlier. You used to be a detective unit captain. Were you demoted to a patrol officer because you violated regulations during a mission?"
Detectives and patrol officers are two completely different types of police, and the responsibilities they shoulder are worlds apart.
Patrol officers are on the ground level, mostly handling civil disputes. The work sounds like something anyone could do, a bit like a nosy neighborhood watch lady. In fact, many patrol officers are auxiliary police who lack professional training, are often unclear on legal statutes, and have never even been to the police academy.
But the requirements to become a detective are extremely high, because detectives handle major criminal cases. Murders, robberies, drug trafficking, vice raids, human trafficking, and rape all fall under their jurisdiction.
The demand for professional competence is extremely high for detectives, and a captain has to be the best of the best. Every call they answer carries a potential threat to their lives. The job is incredibly dangerous!
Hearing this, Saul Thorne looked into Cecilia Sterling’s eyes and fell silent for a moment.
"You don’t have to talk about it," Cecilia Sterling repeated.
Saul Thorne quickly replied, "No, not at all. I’m just thinking about how to explain it."
After a moment, he gathered his thoughts and began to recount, "Two months ago, our Detective Unit took on a child abuse case. I won’t go into the details, but when we arrested the suspect, I lost my temper and couldn’t control myself. I beat him up right then and there. That’s absolutely forbidden by our code of conduct, because even criminal suspects have basic human rights. They can only be judged by the law."
"So that’s what happened." Cecilia Sterling nodded gently. She pictured the scene in her mind, and the aura of righteousness she already sensed from Saul Thorne seemed to grow even more formidable.
"To be honest, it should have just been an internal disciplinary matter. It wasn’t serious enough to warrant a demotion," Saul Thorne suddenly added. "But my family was always worried about me joining the Detective Unit. My grandfather used this as a pretext, pulled a few strings, and had me sent straight down to the rank and file."
Cecilia could tell the key part of that last sentence was his mention of his "grandfather."
’To be able to interfere with the internal disciplinary action of the city’s Detective Unit, the old man must be someone powerful.’
"I didn’t ask about that," Cecilia Sterling said with a smile. She could tell Saul Thorne was telling her this on purpose.
Saul Thorne smiled back. "I just wanted you to know that my family is well-off. So you don’t have to worry about where the money for our dates is coming from."
At his words, Cecilia Sterling casually opened the menu. "Alright then. In that case, should I order the expensive items today?"
Saul Thorne’s eyes filled with adoration as he nodded. "Order away. Order anything you want. You can even order me."
His suggestive, flirtatious tone filled the revolving restaurant with a thick, amorous tension, even in broad daylight.
Cecilia Sterling pretended not to respond, but the corners of her lips curved up slightly.
*
「Meanwhile, at the Lane family villa.」
"Beatrice, dear, have some more. You look like you’ve lost weight recently."
At the dinner table, Beatrice Lynn sat in a guest’s seat, a docile expression on her face as she looked at Mrs. Lane. "Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Lane. I’ve been on a diet, so if you think I’ve lost weight, that means it’s working."
"You silly girl. You’re already nothing but skin and bones, what are you dieting for? It’s not healthy to be too thin. You need to get proper nutrition," Mrs. Lane said.
Walter Lane, at the head of the table, glanced at Beatrice Lynn with an impassive gaze, not speaking a word.
The Lynn Family and his wife’s family had been friends for generations, so he understood why she felt close to Beatrice, having watched the girl grow up.
However, Walter Lane could see that the Lynn girl had a crush on his son, and he did not approve.
The Lynn Family was based in far-off Veridia, and their business wasn’t particularly large—a far cry from the Lane Group, at least. They were nowhere near the status required for Beatrice to marry into the Lane Family.
That was why he always deliberately kept his distance from the girl, never showing her too much warmth.
"Mama Warner, why isn’t Shawn down yet? Go and call him again. The food is getting cold," Mrs. Lane called out to the housekeeper.
Mama Warner nodded and went upstairs to get him. A little while later, Shawn appeared, trudging down the stairs in his pajamas with a dejected look on his face.
As soon as he looked up and saw Beatrice Lynn at the dinner table, his expression instinctively turned cold. "What is she doing here?"
"I invited Beatrice over. Mama Warner made siu mei today, and it’s Beatrice’s favorite." Mrs. Lane, not noticing anything amiss, quickly ushered Shawn to his seat. "Shawn, you have some too."
Shawn felt a surge of irritation, but he walked over and sat down next to his mother anyway.
He still hadn’t forgiven himself for the mistake he’d made that drunken night, so naturally, he couldn’t bring himself to give Beatrice Lynn a pleasant look.
Beatrice, as usual, played her part perfectly. Her small face was a picture of grievance, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, looking utterly pitiful. But Shawn refused to even glance her way.
Walter Lane, however, turned to his son. "Shawn, are you not planning to go back to school?"
He’d been home since before the National Day holiday, and now it had been over a month since he’d been back at school. It was simply outrageous.
Shawn kept his head down, eating with an impatient air. "I don’t feel like going back yet," he muttered. "I’m not in the mood for school."
"Oh, what’s the rush?" Mrs. Lane, however, saw no issue. ’He just needs to rest and adjust at home,’ she thought. ’Get some distance from that Cecilia Sterling, and his feelings will slowly fade.’
She looked at her husband and said, "The Lane Group has donated so much money to that school. Are they really going to expel him?"
"But he can’t just stay home indefinitely! Look at the state he’s in. Does he have any of the energy a young man should have?" Walter Lane said, exasperated.
Just then, Beatrice picked up a piece of char siu. She had barely taken a bite when her stomach churned violently. A powerful wave of nausea surged up her throat, and she quickly slapped a hand over her mouth. Without a word, she shot up from her seat and bolted for the restroom.
Her sudden reaction left both Walter and Mrs. Lane stunned. "What’s wrong with her?" Mrs. Lane asked, bewildered. "Was the char siu too fatty?"
But in Shawn’s mind, a white light flashed as if he’d been struck by lightning. ’Could she be...?’