The Heiress Spoiled by Four Brothers and One Devilish CEO-Chapter 236 Sweet on the Surface, Shadows Beneath

Chapter 236: Chapter 236 Sweet on the Surface, Shadows Beneath

Seeing Tristan Reid getting serious, Stella Banks just nodded. "Got it. Still, that girl looks pretty decent to me."

Tristan let out a faint sigh. "Nathaniel Cooper might be in custody, but there’s no guarantee he didn’t plant other pawns. People who seem harmless on the surface can be the most dangerous. We can’t take any chances. If Jason really wants to pursue something with her, better to know exactly who she is."

Although Stella felt he might be overthinking it—after all, the girl did look gentle and sweet—she couldn’t deny he made a solid point. So she didn’t argue and gave a small nod.

Megan Shaw knew Stella was eager to have a daughter-in-law, but Tristan was just trying to protect them all. "Mom, don’t blame Tristan for being blunt. He’s just looking out for us. The Lewis family can’t afford more trouble."

Stella hummed in agreement.

Right then, the sound of clunky footsteps and faint sobbing echoed through the hall.

Zeta Prime dashed in and threw its arms around Tristan. "Master! Zeta was so scared! I thought you were really gone! I just knew you wouldn’t ever betray Miss Fairy. I’ve been devastated this whole time!"

Then it broke into a weird little chuckle. "But you’re okay! That’s all that matters! Zeta’s so, so happy!"

Its oversized metal head pressed tightly against Tristan’s cheek, and two drops of motor oil trickled down onto his neck and coat.

Tristan took a deep breath, prompting Zeta to immediately stand up straight. It awkwardly scratched its metallic head. "So sorry. Zeta’s just... a very emotional robot."

Tristan narrowed his eyes slightly and gave it a side-eye. "You’re just worried that if I really died, you’d either blow yourself up or be single forever."

Zeta cackled. "Master doesn’t understand me at all! If you were really gone, Zeta would 100% drain all its oil in mourning! But because you live on in Zeta’s heart, that’s why I’m still here!"

Completely ignoring its dramatic moment, Tristan grabbed Megan’s hand as they headed upstairs to their room.

He made a call to Cameron Brooks. "I need everything you can find on Michelle Irwin, the new actress. Full background."

"I’ll have it to you in twenty minutes."

Tristan settled onto the couch, legs apart and leaning forward slightly. He turned a cigarette between his fingers but didn’t light it.

"I’ve noticed you’ve been smoking a lot more these past couple months. Something bothering you?" Megan curled up beside him, looping her arm through his and resting her head on his shoulder.

Tristan held the unlit cigarette between his lips. "I have to make sure you and the baby are safe. There’s no room for mistakes. I’m stepping out for a smoke."

"Oh," Megan murmured softly, watching his solitary figure walk away. A knot of unease curled up in her chest—whatever was weighing on him, it was heavy.

In the bathroom, he flicked on the exhaust fan and flipped open his lighter with a click. The orange flame caught the tip of the cigarette, casting flickering light in the mirror.

Staring at his reflection through the haze, his brows were tightly drawn together. He took a long drag, but it felt like something massive was pressing down on his chest.

After putting that cigarette out, he lit another.

Just then, his phone buzzed. It was the file from Cameron—Michelle Irwin’s background report.It said Michelle Irwin was born into a regular working-class family in Verduria. She did well in school and looked great too—basically the school crush all through primary, middle, and high school. She nailed the college entrance exam, making it into the Film Academy as the second-highest scorer in the country, majoring in acting.

Now a junior, she’s already landed some ad gigs and online drama roles. She keeps things clean—no shady deals with investors—so she hasn’t been in any major film or TV shows yet.

Tristan Reid glanced at her file and felt slightly reassured.

He sent a quick message, “Stick with her for a while, see if anything seems off.”

Cameron Brooks replied, “Got it.”

At dinner, all the Lewis brothers made it home. The whole family gathered around felt super warm and lively.

Samuel Lewis flashed a mischievous grin, “Let’s just hope tonight doesn’t turn into a mess like last time—had everyone losing their appetite.”

Mr. Lewis shot him a glare, “Relax. Your grandma’s grounded at the temple. She’s not going anywhere—Zeta Prime’s watching her.”

Samuel shrugged, “Poor Zeta Prime, stuck babysitting that old witch.”

Mr. Lewis’s face darkened, “Mind your tongue. Like it or not, she’s your grandma.”

Samuel casually picked up a rib and put it on Megan Shaw’s plate. “Sorry, can’t call someone like that my grandma. Always with the prayer beads, preaching about kindness, yet acting like a total monster. Creepy.”

No one argued. After all, Mrs. Lewis drugging Megan recently wasn’t exactly easy to forgive.

Oliver Lewis cleared his throat, changing the topic. “Jason, I heard from Mom you brought a girl over today. Good family?”

Jason Lewis chuckled, “She’s just a small-time actress from the set. Not my girlfriend, you guys are reading too much into it.”

Stella Banks chimed in, “I thought she seemed nice—sweet face, good figure, pretty polite too.” She turned to Tristan, “Anything off with her?”

Tristan replied, “Nope.”

Jason looked surprised. “You checked her background? Well, that’s fair. Guess I didn’t think it through—she is an outsider after all.”

Zachary Lewis nodded, “Yeah, given the current climate, better to be cautious.” 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Stella asked gently, “So, you into her at all?”

Jason paused a beat. “Nah, not thinking about relationships right now.”

Stella looked a bit disappointed. “You’re already thirty. Waiting for what exactly?”

Jason laughed, glancing at Oliver. “He’s thirty-one and still chillin’. Why should I rush?”

Stella gave them a look. “Nope, not buying that. The New Year’s around the corner, you all better bring someone home—except Samuel.”

Samuel blinked, “Why ‘except me’? What, I don’t count now?”

“You’re too unreliable. It’s no surprise the girls aren’t into you.” Her words hit him like a brick.

Samuel let out a huff and picked at a piece of pickled fish. “Who says they’re not into me, huh?”

Megan Shaw giggled, eyes twinkling. “Hey, you know what pickled fish symbolizes?”

Samuel looked puzzled. “Pickles and fish are a great combo?”

Tristan jumped right in, “Nah—‘sour,’ ‘lame,’ and ‘extra’!”

Samuel: “...”

Zachary burst out laughing, “Seriously though, we thought baby number four had to be a girl. Then he popped out—another noisy boy. Talk about sour, lame, and extra!”

Samuel: “...”

He coughed to shake off the awkward vibe. “Megan, Tristan—stick around, alright? Just a few days until New Year’s. It’s our first one together.”