Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1711

Sylvia's scalp went completely numb. Panicking, she frantically jammed her finger against the end call button repeatedly. Only when the dialing screen vanished did she finally let out a massive breath. Her heart was hammering so hard it felt like it was going to leap out of her throat. She simply had no idea how to face Steve yet, and she was terrified his venomous tongue would seize the opportunity to mock her again.

Just as she was beating herself up over the slip, her phone vibrated. Sylvia flinched, assuming Steve was calling her back. But when she focused on the screen, the caller ID glaring back at her read Father.

The expression on Sylvia's face instantly turned glacial. Her mother and brother had been dragged into the police station yesterday because she reported them, and they were likely still sitting in a holding cell. She assumed her father was calling to unleash a torrent of verbal abuse on her.

To her absolute shock, when she answered, the father who had always treated her with cold severity spoke in an unusually warm tone. "Sylvia, have you eaten yet?"

Sylvia paused, her brow instinctively furrowing. Whenever things were this out of character, there was always an ulterior motive. She stayed silent, but Mr. Moore didn't seem to find the silence awkward. Instead, he continued in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"Sylvia, I heard that Mr. Michell went to your grandfather's estate yesterday. He even defended you right in front of the police, didn't he?"

Her grip on the phone tightened, instantly understanding the true purpose of this call.

Her father's voice trembled with barely contained excitement. "Sylvia, have the two of you finally reconciled?"

"No," Sylvia replied flatly.

On the other end of the line, the father who rarely ever smiled at her actually let out a low chuckle. "You silly girl, are you still trying to hide it from your own father? If you two made up, that is phenomenal news. My heart can finally rest easy." He sighed, adopting a tone of profound, fatherly advice. "Sylvia, since you and Mr. Michell are back together, you need to find some time to put in a good word for the Moore family. Ask him to lend us a hand so we can make our grand return to the Capital. We are family, after all. Blood is thicker than water. If our family thrives, the Michell family won't dare look down on you when you marry into them."

Sylvia actually laughed out of pure anger. This was his true goal. The feigned concern, the talk of family, it was all built entirely upon Steve's power and the profits she could bring them. In her father's eyes, she had never been a living, breathing human being. She was nothing but a tool to anchor them to a wealthy dynasty.

"Mrs. Watson, please help me keep an eye on the estate. If you notice anything strange, or if anyone comes back to cause trouble, call me immediately."

Mrs. Watson took the keys, nodding vigorously. "Don't you worry about a thing, Sylvia. Go take care of your business. I will make sure the house is safe."

With everything arranged, Sylvia rolled her suitcase to the bus stop and headed into the city. Along the way, she used her phone to book the earliest available flight back to the Capital. But since it was Christmas Eve, flight schedules were severely reduced. The earliest departure wasn't until six o'clock that evening.

Dragging her suitcase, Sylvia sat completely alone in the massive airport terminal. Watching the rushing crowds of travelers hurrying home to be with their families, her heart felt utterly hollow.

Just as she was staring blankly out the floor to ceiling windows, her phone rang. It was a call from an old high school classmate from Seaview.