Chapter 241


    "Mom, I''m bunking with you tonight." Lucinda strolled into Janice''s room, pillow in tow.


    Janice was more than willing, but she shot a nce at Stefan.


    Stefan, ever considerate, piped up, "Mom, let Lucy sleep with you; you guys can have a good heart-


    to-heart."


    Since Stefan was on board, Janice was thrilled and shot Stefan a goodnight with a smile, "Stefan,


    night."


    "Night, Mom."


    Stefan looked toward Lucinda. She had already nestled herself in the room, not even bothering to


    bid him goodnight.


    “No biggie,” he thought. Seeing her happy was worth letting it slide.


    Janice shut the door.


    Stefan stood at the door for a good few minutes, ensuring it wouldn''t be opened again, before he


    finally trudged off.


    Ike was clumsily guiding a totally stered Keith upstairs.


    "How the hell did he get so wasted?" Stefan quickly rushed over to help steady Keith.


    After ate-night snack, the guys cracked open a few cold ones. Stefan opted out but reminded


    them not to drink themselves under the table.


    But Keith went all out and ended up hammered.


    They managed to get Keith into the guest room and onto the bed. Ike plopped down on the edge of


    the bed, panting, "Except for me, everyone else is out cold. I had to help Keith up the stairs. The


    guy can barely stand. I''m beat."


    "Weren''t you guys told not to get hammered?"


    Stefan bent down to remove Keith''s shoes and socks, then helped him out of his jacket. Seeing that


    Keith was totally sloshed but still had his makeup on, Stefan fetched a basin of water from the


    bathroom. He wet a towel and wiped Keith''s face, scrubbing off the makeup after a few attempts.


    Once Stefan had done everything, Ike said, "Keith said after he became the young master of the


    Blue family, he hasn''t had a single day of peace. The pressure is relentless. It''s rare for him to kick


    back, so he got a little carried away because he was so happy and ended up drunk."


    "I figured since he was finally letting loose, I''d let him drink. His life is really tough!"


    Despite his high status, he was under constant scrutiny. Even his own father, Nathan, might not


    have been on his side. Keith was surely under a lot of pressure.


    Ike even doubted anyone in the Blue family could be a trusted ally for Keith.


    Keith was really pitiful and had a tough life.


    Actually, they, as ordinary people, had it easy. Noplex issues, a small ie, but a


    harmonious family. in days were the real bliss.


    "It''s definitely not easy."


    "Stefan, you have to help Keith and Lucy more in the future," Ike said, "I''ll try my best too, to


    be stronger and be Lucy''s support. With us around, even if the Blue family situation gets


    complicated, it won''t affect her."


    "Those who hurt Janice should get what they deserve. We need to help Lucy and her brother hold


    firmly on to what they want most, and not let them seed!"


    With a cold look in his eyes, Stefan said in a low voice, "Absolutely."


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    "Where were you off to just now?" Ike abruptly asked.


    "Nothing. Lucy wanted to sleep with Janice, so I was just taking her there."


    "On the same floor, and you still need to escort her?" Ike teased, "You want to act generous but


    can''t let go, right? If you can''t sleep because of that, then..."


    "Then I''lle to you..."


    Ike paused momentarily.


    Why came to him? He was a guy!


    "Come to you for a chat." Stefan finished his sentence. Looking at Ike, he said irritably, "Stop acting


    like I want to take advantage of you. I''m only interested in Lucy."


    "Yeah, I know you''re only interested in Lucy. You''ve been interested in her for a long time. If Lucy


    wasn''t so much younger than you, or if you weren''t swarmed with work after taking over the


    company, you guys might even have kids now." Ike asked hurriedly, "Stefan, you and Lucy have


    been married for so long. When can I be an uncle?"


    "I wish I knew when I''d be a father."


    They hadn''t been trying to prevent pregnancy; they were legally married anyway.


    If Lucinda did get pregnant, so be it.


    Stefan looked forward to the day when he''d be a father and have a child with Lucy.


    After a moment of thought, Ike said, "Maybe you guys shouldn''t rush into having kids now. Before,


    whenever you guys wanted kids, I didn''t mind. I''m more than happy to be an uncle. But now


    the situation''s different. Lucy''s found her biological parents, and the Blue family is quite


    complicated. If Lucy goes back to the Blue family, she might face a lot of challenges. Now might not


    be the best time to get pregnant."


    Stefan was silent for a moment, then nodded, "You''re right."


    Once Lucinda got her period and confirmed she wasn''t pregnant, he''d take precautions.


    As Ike said, it really wasn''t the best time to get pregnant.


    They were still young; there was no need to rush. They could consider having kids once things


    settled down.


    "You''ve been drinking. You can''t drive. Stay the night here. I''ll have a room prepared for you."


    Stefan was about to call the housekeeper on his phone, but Ike stopped him.


    "No need; I''ll just bunk with Keith. I have to go to work tomorrow, unlike you, the big boss. Even if


    you don''t show up, no one will say a word. Sigh, I''m just a working stiff."


    Stefanughed, "You''re a shareholder in thepany too, a boss in your own right. Stop


    comining about being a working stiff; what would the actual working stiffs think?"


    "Then just bunk with Keith. There are clothes and toiletries in the closet, all sizes. Pick out


    something that fits. They''re all new and washed."


    Ike was taken aback, "You guys have clothes and toiletries ready in your guest room? How do you


    know what size the guest wears, whether they''re male or female?"


    "Like I said, all sizes are avable for both genders and all age groups."


    Not many people actually got to stay over at Ascend Estate. However, all the guest rooms had


    clothes provided in the wardrobes.


    It was a provision for guests like Ike, who, for whatever reason, couldn''t leave on the same day and


    needed to spend the night at the estate.


    "The Anderson family really got their act together; they''re on the ball," Ike praised.


    And that''s why Stefan had been keeping tabs on Lucy for eleven years, unbeknownst to them all.


    Lucy didn''t just fall into Stefan''s trap; she even thought she''d pulled a fast one on Stefan!


    Ike couldn''t help but facepalm. His sister Lucy was such a numbskull!


    It was also because Stefan kept things under wraps so well. He and Stefan were ssmates for


    four years, and they kept in touch even after they graduated college. They may not have been best


    buds, but they definitely shared some camaraderie as old ssmates.


    Back then, when Ike heard from Gabriel Turner that Stefan was getting hitched, he didn''t even wait


    for Gabriel to tell him who the bride was before he was on the phone to Stefan, excitedly offering to


    be the best man. He thought he was just a bystander, but little did he know that Stefan''s bride-to-be


    was his own sister, Lucinda!