Shattered Rose He Held On Tight novel Chapter 163

Chapter 163 The Only Photo

(74)

Finished

Clarissa pressed her lips together in a soft smile. “But Sterling and Ms. Lancaster seem really in love. He takes her everywhere he goes. Looks like we all guessed wrong before, something good might be happening for them soon.”

Everyone smiled and chimed in politely, but who knew what they were really thinking.

At the far end of the long table beside the couch, someone quietly lowered their head and poured themselves a cup of tea.

In love, huh?

She actually hoped he had real feelings for her. Wouldn’t that make things even more interesting?

True to its name, the Bamboo Garden was peaceful and out of the way.

Sterling used to live here with Isabella, and even after taking control of the family, he never thought about moving out.

The moment Claudia stepped inside, she felt like she could finally breathe. The air here felt so much lighter than the cramped atmosphere back in the Romeros‘ main living room.

Too bad it was raining, she couldn’t explore the grounds like she wanted to.

Sterling led her straight to his room.

Come to think of it, Claudia had never actually been to the place he lived before.

From the start, they’d crammed into her tiny apartment. Then they moved into that massive villa Sterling bought for her. They’d lived together ever since, and Sterling himself had barely even visited his own old home.

Her first impression of his space? Cold.

Everything was gray and muted, not a trace of warmth.

Everything was neatly arranged, not a single item out of place.

Nothing like their home–where there were snacks, plushies, throw pillows, fresh flowers Claudia had delivered regularly, and Daron’s toys scattered in every corner.

The curtains in the room were thick and heavy. Sterling didn’t bother to open them; he just

11:39 Fri, Oct 10 d.

Chapter 163 The Only Photo

turned on the lights.

:

“Dinner’s still a while off. Go take a shower and change into something dry,” he said.

The rain had definitely soaked through a bit carlier and she had to be uncomfortable.

74

Finished

Inside the spacious walk–in closet was a long row of brand–new women’s clothing from different high–end brands, hanging right next to a sleek lineup of black, white, and gray suits.

Those vibrant dresses were the only splash of color in the entire room.

It was unexpected but oddly harmonious.

If someone didn’t know better, they’d think this room had always belonged to two people.

Claudia didn’t feel like moving, so she waved Sterling off to grab clothes for her from the closet. After all, everything had been bought to her size anyway.

“It’s chilly with the rain, do you want long pants?” he called out.

“Mm–hmm,” she replied half–heartedly.

“What color?”

“Oh, whatever matches you,” she said, already distracted, her fingers tracing the medals on the bookshelf.

Sterling looked down at himself, dressed in black and white. Practically anything matched. So, that was her way of saying just pick whatever.

He glanced at Claudia, who was clearly feeling better and moving around the room, exploring happily. With a quiet sigh, he turned to pick out something himself.

Claudia wandered around, checking out his medals, flipping through the books, running her hands over the pen holder on the desk, the throw pillows on the couch.

Eventually, she stopped at the edge of the bed, her gaze drawn to an old photo on the nightstand.

She stared at it silently.

A soft–colored set of short sleeves and long pants was laid out at the foot of the bed.

Sterling placed the clothes down, then followed her gaze. After a beat, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.

“That’s the only photo I have with her.”

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify