Chapter 140 - 138: I Look Better Without Clothes
In the past, Shawn Lane would have been delighted to hear his father say such things.
But now, after what had happened with Beatrice Lynn—who might even be pregnant—Shawn Lane felt he couldn’t face Cecilia Sterling anymore whenever he thought about it.
When they ran into each other at the restaurant the other day, his first instinct was to hide.
"Dad, I’m tired. As for Cecilia Sterling and me..." Shawn Lane’s eyes dimmed as he lowered his head. His voice was listless and weary as he said, "Let’s just leave it at that."
With that, Shawn Lane turned and left the study, clearly unwilling to discuss it any further.
Seeing this, Walter Lane could only sigh and shake his head. ’Our son has been too sheltered,’ he thought. ’So much so that "a little" emotional setback can leave him this dejected.’
’Eventually, he’ll understand. The one thing a successful man should never do is invest too much energy and emotion in a woman.’
*
On the last day of the month, the auction for the Genesis Fashion Park was held at the Sunstone District Real Estate Trading Center.
Cecilia Sterling had already visited the relevant departments to obtain the auction documents, submit a bidding application, and pay the bidding deposit.
Whether a corporation or an individual was bidding, the preliminary procedures were the same. Once her application was approved, Cecilia Sterling officially became a registered bidder for the land auction.
As it was an official government auction, the trading center wasn’t elaborately decorated—just a simple banner hung for the occasion.
And since it wasn’t a project tender meeting, no refreshments were provided.
Cecilia Sterling had never attended an event like this before. After asking a staff member for directions, she went to the registration desk, presented her bidder identification, and received her bidding paddle.
Number 47!
It wasn’t yet time to enter the auction hall, but the lobby was already filling up with teams representing major corporations. Bosses rarely attended these events in person. Instead, their teams came prepared, having already calculated the maximum bid for their target properties. They would only contact their superiors for remote instructions if an unexpected situation arose.
Surrounded by a sea of sharp-suited elites, Cecilia Sterling’s breezy, casual outfit was particularly conspicuous. She stood quietly in a corner, an effortless beauty behind her sunglasses, yet she still drew surprised glances from those around her.
It was because she was holding a bidding paddle.
Individual bidders were a rare sight at official government auctions. The few who did appear were typically well-known investment tycoons.
But Cecilia Sterling looked like just a young woman, and an unfamiliar one at that. It was only natural that people grew curious about her.
Cecilia Sterling ignored the various stares, busying herself with her phone. She was chatting with her sister, patiently waiting for the auction to begin.
Just as she was absorbed in her phone, a surprised voice suddenly sounded from above her.
"Babe?"
Cecilia Sterling instinctively looked up at the sound of the voice. She was taken aback when she saw Saul Thorne’s handsome, surprised face. "Huh?"
The next second, they looked at each other and said in unison, "What are you doing here?"
Cecilia Sterling laughed first. She openly brandished the paddle in her hand. "I’m a bidder."
Saul Thorne was in uniform today, a first for Cecilia Sterling to see. It made him look even taller and more upright, lending him an air of dignified authority that was completely different from his usual casual look.
’Still handsome either way!’
Saul Thorne looked slightly stunned. This was a government land auction. Every plot cost a fortune—so much that even smaller real estate companies might not be able to afford one. And yet, here was his girlfriend.
And she clearly wasn’t just here to watch the show. Becoming a bidder required a hefty deposit. ’Who would pay that just for fun?’ Saul Thorne knew Cecilia wasn’t that kind of person.
But he quickly recovered from his surprise, simply looking at Cecilia and asking softly, "So when you said you had something important to do today, this was it?"
Cecilia Sterling nodded. "Yep. Surprised?"
Saul Thorne nodded without hesitation. He was more than surprised. They had a sort of unspoken agreement not to pry into each other’s family backgrounds, but Saul had always figured Cecilia would be the one in for a surprise when she eventually learned about his.
He never expected to be the one getting a shock first.
Cecilia Sterling’s smile widened. Looking at him, she said, "You’ll get used to it."
’Future?’
’Get used to it?’
"Captain Thorne, entry starts in ten minutes."
Just then, a young police officer in uniform ran up to Saul Thorne. His eyes instinctively flickered to Cecilia Sterling, who was talking with him, and then he froze, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Hey! Aren’t you the young woman from the fight at the barbecue place the other night...?"
This young officer had been one of the responders that day. He remembered her clearly because she was so beautiful, and he recognized her in an instant.
The young officer stared at Cecilia in astonishment before his gaze shifted back to Saul Thorne. He found the captain staring him down, his handsome face cold and imposing. The young officer blinked, then hastily said, "You two carry on, Captain Thorne. I’ll go on ahead."
As he turned away, the officer couldn’t help but mutter under his breath, ’Damn, the Captain is on another level. How does he do it?’
"Aren’t you going to introduce me?" Cecilia asked Saul Thorne, her eyes crinkling with a smile.
Saul Thorne replied, "They’re all a bunch of gossips. The whole station will know by this afternoon."
Cecilia wasn’t bothered by the prospect. She suddenly reached out, linking her arm with Saul Thorne’s. Her voice was low but held a playful, gentle tone. "Are you upset about this?"
She wasn’t worried he was angry; she just suddenly felt like teasing him.
Sure enough, Saul Thorne’s expression stiffened for a moment. But an instant later, an irrepressible joy spread across his face. He turned to her, a smile glimmering in his eyes, but he put on a serious tone to remind her, "Hey, watch it. I’m in uniform!"
’This feels amazing,’ he thought.
"I’m not upset," Saul Thorne said, letting Cecilia hold his arm. His voice softened unconsciously. "It was just so unexpected. Next time, give me a heads-up, or I’ll look like some country bumpkin who’s never seen anything."
When a man who appears aloof and stoic in public reveals a side of himself that no one else sees, his charm is magnified infinitely.
Cecilia was no exception, and she was thoroughly enjoying it.
She raised a hand and gave his forearm an intimate squeeze. "Alright, I’ll be more careful next time."
Saul Thorne could barely suppress his smile. But he was on duty today—government events required a police presence. Seeing it was almost time, he reluctantly took Cecilia’s hand. "I have to get going. I’ll be busy after the auction ends, too, so be careful getting home on your own."
Cecilia nodded, praising him generously. "You look really good in your uniform."
Saul Thorne met her eyes, then suddenly leaned in and whispered suggestively in her ear, "I look even better with nothing on."