The air inside the car suddenly became quiet, perhaps because Ava Sterling had just finished speaking; the moment was eerily silent, as if a pin drop could be heard. Ava Sterling’s eyelashes fluttered. Was what she said wrong? She looked at the person before her, and as the partition rose, the back seat grew even darker, making it harder for her to see him. But at this moment, looking at his face shrouded in the dim light, there was a sense of a king in the night. He controlled the night, controlled everything with the darkness, making one feel fearful, afraid, yet mysterious, urging you to explore further. Ava Sterling’s eyelashes fluttered twice more, and she said, "You understand, right? I will never cheat while married." "Even though our marriage is a collaboration, a sham, I will never disgrace you." Poe Vaughn pressed his thumb against the phone, listening to her straightforward and forthright words, he couldn’t help but feel that she left no room for doubt or deception, making him want to say something, anything. After a long while, a low hum finally escaped his throat. Ava Sterling instantly smiled. She gave him another pat, stronger than before, and laughed, "I knew you weren’t the kind of braindead guy, you’re so clear-minded, you’ll never be fooled by appearances." "You’re really outstanding, just perfect to be friends with me, Ava Sterling!" While speaking, Ava Sterling opened her arms, draping them over his shoulders, in a brotherly manner. Poe Vaughn’s body stiffened. He turned his eyes, looking at the person beside him. She was very close to him, her body almost leaning on his, without the slightest awkwardness or feeling that anything was wrong. And this was the first time she was so proactively close to someone outside the Vaughn Family. Poe Vaughn looked at those bright eyes, removed her hand, and with a very low voice said, "Stay away from me." Ava Sterling was stunned. Instinctively, Ava Sterling looked at the distance between them, only to realize they had become so close at some point, incredibly intimate. Uh, she forgot, he found her annoying. He just didn’t show it in front of the Vaughn Family, but now away from them, he didn’t need to hold back. Ava Sterling immediately retracted her hand, sitting aside, almost positioning herself near the car door, and said to him, "Sorry, got carried away for a moment." That’s just how she was, once happy, she easily forgot her place and surroundings. Finishing her sentence, she turned her gaze to the window, a smile playing on her lips. Genuinely, talking to a smart person is so easy, not exhausting at all; you don’t need to overthink or over-analyze. She loved such communication, effortless. Ava Sterling was once more in a pleasant mood. However, Poe Vaughn’s mood was rather somber. He looked at the person with a radiant smile, his eyes turning deep and dark. He saw her as a wife, she saw him as a buddy. Ava Sterling, who gave you the courage? An hour later, the car stopped at the villa, and Ava Sterling stepped out joyfully. Before reaching the villa, her voice had already reached Mrs. Wei’s ears. "Mrs. Wei, I’m back!" Her crisp and vibrant voice enlivened the villa, which had been quiet for a day and night. Mrs. Wei was tidying up the house, arranging anything she found out of place. Upon hearing her voice, she quickly descended the stairs, a smile instantly spreading across her face. Noticing Mrs. Wei holding a rag, Ava Sterling frowned and said, "Why are you still cleaning?" "It’s so late, you should rest early." Checking the time, Ava found it was indeed past ten, already quite late. "Hehe, it’s okay, I was waiting for you and Mr. Vaughn to return. Now that you’re back, I can stop tidying up." "Alright, go rest now." Poe Vaughn walked in, and Mrs. Wei bowed to him before heading to the restroom to wash her rag and retire. Meanwhile, Ava Sterling glanced at the spot where her phone had been charging earlier. It was still there, seemingly untouched. She smiled, immediately picked up her phone, and went upstairs, not sparing Poe Vaughn a glance. The quick tap of her footsteps soon faded, and Poe Vaughn stood in the living room, watching her tall figure vanish from sight, his thumb lightly moving, heading upstairs. Upon entering the bedroom, Ava Sterling dialed Jace Kingsley; he must have called for a reason. Having seen it, she naturally had to respond. Jace Kingsley stood outside his study’s balcony, holding a glass of wine, overlooking the city’s lights. His eyes were deep, void of any warmth or gentleness. He was about to sip from his wine glass when his phone rang. He paused, a peculiar spark flickering in his eyes, and immediately turned inside. Original content can be found at novel·fire.net The phone was on his desk, lighting up, buzzing softly. He swiftly picked it up, the name "Ava Sterling" clearly flashing on the screen. His previously calm heart suddenly warmed. Eyes filled with mirth, he quickly answered the call, "Ava." His voice carried a hint of urgency, joy mixed with loss, apprehension, and nervousness. Ava Sterling immediately detected the difference in Jace Kingsley’s voice, frowning, "What’s wrong, did something happen?" With that, her expression turned serious. Jace Kingsley must have had a reason, but calling him back now, she wondered if she delayed him. Hearing her voice filled with concern and care, Jace Kingsley smiled, his whole face blossoming with warmth. "You didn’t answer my calls, nor reply to my messages, I thought you were ignoring me." Ava Sterling was taken aback, "Huh?" Her voice was full of confusion and doubt, without a trace of difference from before, and at that moment, relief washed over him. "No problem, where are you now? Are you busy?" Hearing his voice return to normal, seemingly without any issues, Ava Sterling grew increasingly puzzled but did not ask further, saying, "I went to a friend’s birthday party, left my phone at home and forgot to bring it." "Sorry, Jace, I just got home." The warmth on Jace Kingsley’s face, his genuine smile filled his eyes, now devoid of any chill under the light. "It’s alright, as long as you’re okay." Hearing this, Ava Sterling immediately laughed, "What could happen to me? I’m doing well, don’t overthink." "By the way, did you want to tell me something? Just let me know, I’m listening now." "Yes, actually. The shoot in the Maldives went well, but when editing, I felt like something was missing, but just couldn’t pinpoint it." "I was thinking of seeing when you might have time to join me and take a look, help find out what’s wrong." Ah... so that’s what it was about. Ava Sterling pondered for a moment, then asked, "Is it urgent?" "Not particularly urgent." Understanding this, she knew that while it wasn’t urgent, it couldn’t be delayed either. "Alright, tomorrow I’ll ask Eric how the search for a new model training venue is going. Since we have to train new models, the time isn’t fixed, but once confirmed, I’ll give you a precise schedule, ok?" "Rest assured, I’ll make time for it." "Haha, I’m not worried." "Alright, it’s late now, get some rest, we can talk tomorrow." After the call ended, the smile on Jace Kingsley’s face faded. He looked at the night scene, the full city lights, picked up his wine glass, and drank. At that moment, he narrowed his eyes.