My Fiancé's Scandals Never End, So I Married His Uncle Instead-Chapter 86: Unequal Exchange

Summer Sutton gently interrupted, "My career is still on the rise. Auntie and Grandma, you know how it is in our circle. Getting married can be a devastating blow to a career. For the next few years, please don’t worry about my affairs. I have it under control."

"I know you’re still dreaming that the Ninth Master will change his mind." Adeline Lowell directly shattered her fantasy. "I’ve tested the waters with him. It’s a lost cause. I also looked into it. You haven’t been doing well on the mainland. You were forced out of Metropia to Oakhaven, and now someone is starting to trip you up from the shadows there, too. Why not just come back to Port Sovereign and publicly announce your identity as a direct descendant of the Lowell Family? Wouldn’t you thrive far more than on the mainland?"

Summer Sutton’s expression chilled. Ever since she ran into Declan Norwood at Sterling Manor, her studio had been targeted, both overtly and covertly. While none of the attacks were fatal, they left the studio in a state of limbo, causing them to lose several major gigs in a row. As the eldest son of the Norwood Family, his status was the ultimate form of capital in the entertainment industry. No matter how adept and resourceful she was, she struggled to make any headway against such absolute pressure.

She had tried to contact Kian Sterling, but was stopped in her tracks by Evan Rhodes:

"Miss Sutton, a small matter like this is something you are more than capable of handling yourself. If you expect the Ninth Master to step in for every little thing, you’ll only exhaust what little patience he has left for you."

On top of that, Kian Sterling had maintained his cold and indifferent attitude today, even in front of her maternal family, making it perfectly clear that he now considered her a disposable pawn.

Summer Sutton met Adeline Lowell’s gaze and subtly probed, "But the Sutton Family shares my mother left me are still with the Ninth Master..."

’After refusing so many times, she finally comes back on her own, and it turns out she’s hoping to have the Lowell Family get her shares back for her.’

Adeline Lowell gave her a meaningful look, her tone unhurried:

"The Sutton Group’s shares are not something the Lowell Family is in a position to demand. Besides, there are inherent risks in these kinds of trust agreements. Since my sister chose to entrust the shares to the Ninth Master back then, she must have been prepared for the possibility of never getting them back. If the Ninth Master is dead set on not returning them, the Lowell Family stands no chance against the Sterlings. Summer, the Lowell Family can support you and treat you like a young mistress, but in the future, don’t try to drag us into the fire like this."

The color drained from Summer Sutton’s face for a moment.

She quickly concealed her emotions. "You’re joking, Auntie. I wasn’t thinking that far ahead. It was just a casual question. If it’s not possible, then forget it."

Adeline Lowell gave a faint "mm," clearly not wanting to continue the topic.

Summer Sutton understood her aunt’s stance from her cold expression. A chill seeped into her sweaty palms, and she finally found it impossible to maintain her facade. She forced herself to stand and take her leave. "Grandma is tired today, so I won’t disturb her rest. I’ll go back to my room to read my script. You should get some sleep too, Auntie. The great Lowell Family rests entirely on your shoulders."

The old matriarch, seeming to wake from another short nap, only caught the last part. "A young lady needs her sleep even more. Summer, dear, the script can wait until tomorrow. You should rest early too."

Summer Sutton respectfully bowed to the old matriarch as a junior, nodded to Adeline Lowell, and then slowly departed.

Adeline Lowell, however, did not leave right away.

Once Summer Sutton’s footsteps faded, she looked at the old matriarch. "You heard her. Her sudden return to the Lowell Family wasn’t without purpose."

"She is Sylvia’s blood, after all." The cloudiness in the old matriarch’s eyes cleared slightly, and her tone was heavy. "If we can protect her, we should."

"We can protect her, but I cannot use the Lowell Family as a tool to threaten Kian Sterling into giving up those shares." Adeline Lowell frowned. "I’ve looked into Kian Sterling. His rise to power was a bloody path. He’s a veritable god of death who clawed his way out of hell. The Lowell Family cannot compete with him."

"In your younger years, you had that fire in you too. The year your older sister had her accident, you marched right over and broke one of that heartless bastard from the Sutton Family’s legs," the old matriarch lamented. "Now, you’ve become so conservative."

"I still have that fire, of course." Adeline Lowell leaned over and stirred the agarwood incense ash. "But I have yet to see anything in Summer that makes her ’worthy’ of it."

Outside the door, Summer Sutton stood silently in a hidden alcove in the corridor. After hearing Adeline Lowell’s words, she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were devoid of all emotion. She turned and walked away, her steps whisper-light.

Back in her room, she made a call to an unsaved number:

"That... marriage contract between me and Kian Sterling you mentioned last time, Second Young Master Sutton. I was wondering when would be a convenient time for me to see it."

On the other end, Second Young Master Sutton scoffed. "If my dear cousin Summer wants to see it, any time is convenient."

「Port Sovereign International Grand Hotel.」

Assistant Rhodes returned to his room, connected his laptop to a highly secure private network, and soon received a file sent by Kian Sterling.

It was dozens of pages long.

Evan Rhodes recalled the grave expression on Kian Sterling’s face when he mentioned the file. Filled with curiosity and a desire to investigate, he fixed his eyes on the document.

After reading just the first two pages, his expression tightened. The fingers of the hand moving the mouse trembled, almost imperceptibly.

’So it was this kind of document.’

A storm of shock and disbelief raged in his eyes...

The next morning, when Celia Sterling left, it was Evan Rhodes who personally drove her to the Lowell Estate.

Noticing Evan Rhodes’s dark circles, Celia Sterling raised an eyebrow slightly. "Assistant Rhodes, what were you up to last night? Didn’t sleep well?"

Evan Rhodes composed himself. "There’s this really wild web series that just came out..."

Since it concerned Evan Rhodes’s private life, Celia Sterling didn’t ask any further.

When the two arrived at the Lowell Estate, the same large group of perfumers from yesterday was already there. Living nearby, they had come over early to continue their previous discussions, with some even spontaneously starting a game of deconstructing perfume compositions.

After Celia Sterling entered the main hall, flanked by two bodyguards, Evan Rhodes didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he turned, retrieved a briefcase from the car, and waited in the parking lot for several minutes. Then, the Lowell Family’s butler came personally to guide him through a side door into the inner residence:

"President Lowell is already waiting. This way, Mr. Rhodes."

Passing through a series of long corridors and courtyards, Evan Rhodes arrived at Adeline Lowell’s study. Inside, besides Adeline Lowell, was her core legal team, famous for their discretion.

"The Ninth Master is as efficient as ever." Adeline Lowell invited Evan Rhodes to sit. After pouring him tea, the butler who had led him in retreated to guard the study door.

Evan Rhodes took several documents out of his briefcase. "These are the supply chain contracts the BOSS asked me to prepare. Please take a look, President Lowell."

Adeline Lowell picked them up, read through them carefully herself, and then tossed them to her legal team.

During the long wait while the legal team reviewed the contracts, Adeline Lowell personally handed a thick stack of manuscript copies to Evan Rhodes:

"While it may not be as valuable as the Ninth Master’s supply chain, this is a private treasure of the Lowell Family. Please tell the Ninth Master not to let its contents be known to outsiders."

"Rest assured, President Lowell." Evan Rhodes carefully placed the manuscripts into his briefcase.

Adeline Lowell asked casually, "Going to such lengths to please his little sister—does your Ninth Master often do things like this?"