Chapter 265 Acting in Progress 1
Sterling saw Bella and said softly, "Hey, come here."
Without hesitation, Bella walked over and sat next to him. "What were you guys talking about?"
"How's Anna doing?" Sterling asked, dodging her question.
"She's okay, just needs some rest," Bella replied, pausing before continuing, "How long are we gonna keep this from her?"
Bella really didn't want to keep secrets from Anna anymore. She felt like she was sinking deeper into a pit, and her conscience was troubled.
Knowing Caleb's true nature but being unable to warn her was truly torturous.
"Don't worry, it won't be much longer," Sterling said quietly.
Micah chimed in, "When are we heading to Windsor Villa?"
"Tomorrow," Sterling replied, then looked at Bella with a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Tomorrow, it's your turn to act."
Bella was momentarily stunned before realizing what Sterling meant.
"Oh, and starting tomorrow, we won't be staying at the hotel anymore. We can move into Windsor Villa; it's already been prepared," Sterling added.
Colin and Micah immediately responded, "That's awesome! Finally, we can stay at home. No hotel can compare to the comfort of home."
The Windsor family had their own villas in many cities, and this time they chose to stay at a hotel to keep a low profile.
Starting tomorrow, everyone would know their whereabouts, so there was no need to stay at the hotel anymore.
After a few more words, the group dispersed, leaving only Sterling and Bella in the room.
Sterling suddenly became serious and said, "Tomorrow at Windsor Villa, you might see Blair. Are you scared?"
"Blair? He's coming to Windsor Villa? When? Why is he coming?" Bella asked, surprised.
Sterling sneered, "He's got his reasons. Tomorrow, we just need to find an excuse to get into Windsor Villa. You don't need to do anything else, got it?"
Bella quickly nodded. She figured she could handle pretending.
The next day, sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting dappled shadows in every corner of the room.
Bella and Sterling decided to head to Windsor Villa, but today it was just the two of them; Micah and the others had other things to attend to.
As the sun set, painting the sky with a gentle orange hue, they didn't drive themselves. Instead, a chauffeur drove them in a Rolls-Royce to Windsor Villa.
When the Rolls-Royce slowly pulled up to the curb, Bella gently pushed open the car door but didn't step out with her usual grace. Instead, she began to walk with a noticeable limp.
This sight made Sterling's heart tighten. Memories of the previous night flashed through his mind, and he couldn't help but feel guilty.
Had he been too rough last night and accidentally hurt Bella?
But upon reflection, he remembered controlling his strength and the frequency wasn't excessive. He quickly dismissed the thought.
Sterling hurried forward, gently holding Bella's arm and pulling her close, his eyes full of concern. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Was it because of last night...?"
His voice carried a hint of hesitation and guilt, fearing his suspicion might be true.
Bella saw his reaction and smiled subtly, her voice tinged with playfulness and shyness. "No, don't worry. I just thought pretending to twist my ankle would be a good act."
"This way, we can say I twisted my ankle while exploring, so we came to Windsor Villa to rest. Otherwise, it would be strange to show up unannounced."
Sterling looked at her with a half-smile. "I never knew you were so good at making up stories. Seems like you've been pulling the wool over my eyes quite a bit."
Bella widened her eyes slightly. "That's not fair. Who would dare lie to you?"
Sterling chuckled softly, not denying it. "No need for such a complicated act. Just say we were passing by and wanted to say hello. It's perfectly reasonable."
Bella thought about it and agreed, dropping the act. She confirmed the plan with Sterling again, "We'll stay for dinner, then chat until late, hoping they'll invite us to stay overnight."
Sterling just smiled at her, the twilight casting a mysterious glow on his lips.
Bella repeated the plan twice to make sure he remembered. He casually squeezed her fingers, signaling the chauffeur to ring the doorbell.
It didn't take long for the housekeeper to come out and open the door.
The housekeeper didn't recognize Sterling, but working in a wealthy household, she had some discernment. Seeing their attire and demeanor, she knew they weren't ordinary people.
She quickly adopted a respectful posture. "Hello, how can I help you?"
The chauffeur said, "We're from the Windsor family in Harborvale. Mr. Sterling Windsor is here to visit Mr. Tobias Windsor."
The housekeeper's demeanor became even more respectful. "Please come in. Mr. Blair Windsor and Mr. Tobias Windsor are both in the living room."
Sterling led Bella inside, while the housekeeper went ahead to announce their arrival. Blair, Tobias, and Derek came out to greet them.
Seeing Sterling from a distance, Tobias quickened his pace and said, "Sterling, what brings you here today?"
Sterling, polite and composed, seemed to have completely forgotten the previous incident at Windsor Villa. "Sorry to intrude."
Tobias was extremely courteous. "What are you saying, Sterling? This is your home. Come in."
Blair and Derek remained silent, knowing Sterling was still the head of the Windsor family.
Bella looked at them, scoffing internally, 'They still recognize Sterling's authority, yet they act like this place is their own home.'
Tobias led them into the living room and offered coffee.
Tobias said, "By the way, Elijah was here this afternoon. He left two hours ago. It's a pity you missed him. He mentioned you were in Oakridge, and I was planning to invite you for dinner tomorrow. Why not stay for dinner tonight?"
Everyone was stunned. Elijah was Caleb's former name. Bella immediately looked at Sterling.
Sterling's expression remained calm, but Bella caught a fleeting look of ruthlessness in his eyes.
Sterling picked up his cup, glancing at Blair and Derek. "That's unfortunate."
Blair and Derek had long been colluding with Caleb, deceiving Tobias into believing Sterling had allowed Caleb to reclaim his heritage.
Now, being exposed in front of Sterling, Blair and Derek were sweating bullets, not daring to make a sound, especially after Sterling's piercing glance.
"I took Bella out today. She's interested in gardens, and since Windsor Villa is nearby, I brought her to take a look. We'll leave soon, don't trouble yourself."
Sterling said, realizing they had even brought Tobias as a shield. They were certainly putting in effort.
Bella greeted everyone in turn, and Tobias was very kind and friendly to her.
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