Chapter 242 Intentional
Bella was floored by what she just heard. When did this happen? How was she completely in the dark?
Sterling's voice cut through the silence, cold and sharp. "Caleb, are you so idle that you have nothing better to do?"
Caleb raised an eyebrow, stood up, and adjusted his tie. "Alright, I'll leave you two to it. Dinner's on me sometime, make sure you show up."
Once Caleb was gone, Bella couldn't hold back her confusion. "When did you buy that dock and give it to Caleb? Why didn't I know anything about it?"
Sterling looked calm, but inside, he was fuming. He explained nonchalantly, "Just a few days ago. We can't have Anna thinking he's only interested in her because of that piece of land, right? It's just a piece of land, no big deal."
No big deal? Sterling made it sound so simple.
Bella felt something was off. He had agreed to find Qiana and buy the dock before Caleb could, but now he had suddenly changed his mind and bought the land to give to Caleb without telling her.
What was going on?
Knowing Sterling, he would never show such brotherly affection. He wouldn't even acknowledge having a brother, let alone buy land as a gift.
Thinking about this, Bella couldn't help but frown, a sense of unease creeping in.
"What are you really up to?" Bella asked. She didn't buy the whole brotherly love act, nor did she believe Sterling would be so kind as to help Anna. He had to be plotting something.
Sterling sighed and looked her straight in the eye. "Bella, do you trust me?"
Bella was momentarily at a loss for words. Could she say she didn't trust him?
"Bella, I'm not hiding anything from you. Every move we make now is part of a plan, every decision is carefully thought out. Trust me, okay?" Sterling said with conviction.
Seeing Sterling so sure of himself, Bella had no choice but to nod silently. As long as Anna wasn't hurt, she wouldn't worry about anything else.
Sterling repeatedly assured her that Anna wouldn't be harmed, and Bella finally felt at ease enough to go home.
Caleb had mentioned dinner that afternoon, and before nightfall, the dinner was set at Whitewater Bay.
When Sterling got the news, his face darkened instantly. He called Bella right away. "We're having dinner at Whitewater Bay tonight. I'll have Ryan pick you up."
Bella already knew who had arranged the dinner but still asked, "Was it Caleb?"
Sterling, though clearly annoyed, confirmed and hung up, tugging at his tie in frustration.
At 5:30 PM, Bella and Sterling arrived at White Bay Restaurant one after the other.
Caleb had reserved a four-person table in the main hall. Yes, besides them, Anna was also there.
After Anna arrived, she naturally sat next to Bella.
Anna didn't know why Caleb had suddenly invited Sterling and Bella to dinner. She hadn't even had a chance to chat with Bella before Caleb spoke up, "Sterling, I didn't grow up in the Windsor family, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm part of the Windsor family, right, Sterling?"
The atmosphere instantly became tense. Sterling remained silent, and Bella held her breath nervously.
Caleb continued, his tone calm and measured, "The elders of the Windsor family are gone. Now, when I introduce my girlfriend to the family, I naturally need your support. You wouldn't disapprove of me and Anna, would you? After all, Anna is Bella's best friend."
He emphasized "Bella's best friend," clearly hinting that Sterling should play along.
They all had their secrets, each holding leverage over the other.
Sterling lowered his gaze slightly, his expression complex and hard to read, his tone carrying a hint of subtle chill. "Of course not."
Sterling's response was brief but conveyed a sense of reluctant acceptance, as if he had weighed the pros and cons before making a compromise.
Bella and Anna exchanged glances.
Anna reacted faster than Bella, her tone tinged with anger. "Caleb, what are you talking about? When did I agree to be your girlfriend?"
Caleb looked at Anna indulgently. "Don't make a scene. You wouldn't embarrass me in front of Sterling, would you?"
Anna felt a lump in her throat, unable to speak.
She remembered Caleb telling her he was the Windsor family's illegitimate child and the hardships he had endured.
Now, in front of Sterling, she couldn't bring herself to reject Caleb.
But Bella anxiously squeezed Anna's hand under the table.
Bella secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Considering Anna's presence, even if Sterling didn't have much affection for Caleb, he would maintain restraint for the sake of the bigger picture, avoiding an overly awkward situation.
Bella thought to herself, if Caleb hadn't done those disgraceful things and could be with Anna, it wouldn't be a bad thing for Bella. After all, it would bring her closer to her best friend, making them part of the same family.
Anna was now in a difficult position. Caleb had publicly declared her as his girlfriend, making her feel uneasy.
Originally, they had agreed to wait until Caleb was discharged from the hospital before giving him an answer, but she still hadn't made up her mind.
Meanwhile, Caleb seemed to have unilaterally decided on their relationship, making it hard for Anna to correct him.
As the waiter presented one exquisite dish after another, Caleb fully displayed his attentiveness as a "boyfriend," his face beaming with happiness and satisfaction. "These are all your favorites. Eat up."
However, faced with a table full of once mouth-watering delicacies, Anna's mood had subtly changed. Her interest in the food seemed to vanish. "Caleb, it's really too much. I can't finish it."
Despite Anna's clear refusal, Caleb seemed oblivious, persistently adding food to her plate until it was piled high with various delicacies. Only then did he stop, satisfied.
"By the way, Sterling, isn't this restaurant owned by your friend Colin?"
Caleb suddenly asked, seemingly casually mentioning Colin's name, but his eyes held a deep and inscrutable gleam.
"Remember, Mr. Rivera treated me to dinner here last time, right, Anna?" Caleb seemed to say it deliberately.
Hearing Colin's name made Anna uncomfortable, especially coming from Caleb.
Sterling glanced at Caleb lightly, secretly pondering Caleb's true intentions in mentioning Colin.
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