Shattered Rose He Held On Tight novel Chapter 396

Chapter 396 Extra: If We Had Met When We Were Young (Part Two)

Sterling, who was sitting on the bed changing his bandages, let out a laugh of disbelief. “Didn’t I say I’d pay you back a hundred times over?”

“Don’t be so stingy.” She poked at his back with her finger.

Sterling immediately grabbed her hand. “You’re out running around this late. Doesn’t your family get mad at you?”

Claudia shrugged. “They don’t even know what time I get out of school.”

No one ever made her a late–night snack at home.

She was always hungry from dancing and studying so much.

Sterling paused, biting his cheek as he looked at her pitiful face. “You want more pasta?”

Claudia’s eyes lit up right away. She held out her plate to him. “Just a little bit.”

Sterling had no choice but to put down the bandage and go to the pot to get her more pasta.

“Sterling, why aren’t you in school?” She squatted down to eat, and her legs soon went numb. She sat on the bed and kicked her feet, asking out of boredom.

Based on Sterling’s age, he should have been in 12th grade or just starting college.

Sterling scooped her a plate of pasta, then put the rest in his own plate.

“I already finished college.”

Afraid she’d start thinking he’d barely graduated vocational high school and was bluffing, he added, “I did my master’s straight after I finished my bachelor’s degree.”

Growing up, he’d always planned his time down to the minute.

With so much to do and so many grudges waiting to be settled, he couldn’t afford to waste

time:

Claudia was genuinely surprised. “Impressive.”

Sterling gave a half–smile. “What, did you think I was some street punk who dropped out of

school?”

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Chapter 396 Extra: If We Had Met When We Were Young (Part Two)

Claudia didn’t respond.

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That wasn’t what she thought. With the way he dressed and carried himself, she had assumed he belonged to a gang.

“Your parents must be really proud of you.”

Sterling’s face went cold. “My mom’s dead. My dad will probably die by my hand soon.”

He stared at her, looking for a reaction.

But Claudia only opened her mouth, then after a moment of silence, climbed off the bed and squatted back down by the stool. “Here, eat this.”

With that, she dropped her fried egg into his plate.

In just two weeks, Claudia had gotten used to stopping by the apartment for dinner after school, and the tall man would silently follow her home at night.

Jasper realized Claudia had her own little secret and wasn’t hanging out with him much anymore, so he invited her and Whitney out for Cajun stew on Friday night.

Claudia figured she’d been neglecting her friends lately, so she agreed.

That night, Sterling made her favorite Cajun cuisine, filling the tiny apartment with spicy aromas. He stuck it out and finished cooking, even though it was a struggle.

But by the time the food was cold, that little glutton never showed up.

He waited for hours outside the Fenton Residence. When he finally saw Claudia walking out while chatting with another boy, he frowned.

Oh, so that’s her childhood sweetheart.

h

After Jasper finally left, Sterling finally revealed himself.

When Claudia saw him, she was both surprised and delighted. She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the shadows. “You came to find me? What’s up?”

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