These days, with no one controlling her schedule, were so freeing.

For so many years, both Kian Sterling and Silas Norwood seemed to have her every day planned down to the last detail: what she would eat, what she would do for fun, what gifts she would receive, how they would entertain and please her, who she would meet...

She was like a kite. They gave her the longest possible string, wanting her to soar high in a dazzling world, but that same string created an indescribable feeling of restraint.

These past few days in Morellia had turned out to be the most relaxing time she’d had.

But that wasn’t to say she didn’t miss him at all.

For one thing, her body had developed a muscle memory from Silas Norwood’s constant, playful pestering. After a few days away, she found herself feeling quite... restless in the dead of night.

Celia Sterling took two large gulps of coffee, suppressing the inappropriate thoughts.

She steered the conversation back to their previous topic. "During all those years Summer Sutton spent in Port Sovereign, she would have run into a lot of trouble if my brother hadn’t been protecting her. Did the Lowell Family never consider helping her?"

"We sent her invitations several times, but we could never persuade her to visit." Adeline Lowell gave a noncommittal smile. "When there’s no emotional connection, there’s just no connection. Even the word ’family’ depends on fate."

In truth, the Lowell Family had been keeping an eye on Summer Sutton’s affairs all those years.

They knew she had entered the entertainment industry instead of inheriting Sylvia Lowell’s passion for perfumery. It was a shame, but they still genuinely hoped she would live a good life. Adeline Lowell also had a good idea of why her older sister had insisted on entrusting Summer Sutton to Kian Sterling. She must have known what a nest of vipers the Sutton Family was and didn’t want the Lowells to get embroiled in endless trouble protecting stock rights. Besides, Kian Sterling was in Metropia, and the Sterlings were a prominent family there. No matter how shameless Kenneth Sutton was, his reach couldn’t extend that far.

But they never expected that Summer Sutton, who had followed Kian Sterling to Metropia when she was three or four, would suddenly be relocated to Port Sovereign at the age of ten, thrust brazenly into the public eye.

After so many years, Adeline could no longer tell if this was the same girl from all those years ago. The child who used to curl up softly in her arms and call her ’auntie’ now exuded nothing but aloofness and indifference, as if deliberately keeping the Lowell Family at a distance.

The entertainment industry was a complicated place, and in Port Sovereign, certain "rules" were laid bare for all to see. Many influential figures there had their eyes on Summer Sutton, targeting her both overtly and covertly. Adeline Lowell sent someone to ask Summer if she needed help, but she always refused, saying only, "I have the Ninth Master."

"That brother of yours, his mind is truly hard to fathom." Adeline Lowell couldn’t help but sigh as she said this. "To say he didn’t like her... he kept Summer Sutton safe and sound all those years. But to say he cared for her... who would throw something they cherish into a den of wolves a thousand miles away?"

Celia Sterling looked down and bit her coffee spoon, lost for words.

「Norwood Group.」

In the dead of winter, the chairman’s office was once again filled with ice and cold drinks.

For the past few days, Silas Norwood had been diligently showing up at the office every day, but anyone could tell he was unusually on edge.

And the Chairman’s wife, the very woman who had kept Silas Norwood immersed in Seraphall, hadn’t shown up in days.

Although no one at the group dared to discuss it, they had privately run through several scenarios, like "suspected marital crisis" or "separation."

But no definitive rumor ever took hold.

The reason was that several assistants from the Chairman’s office, while delivering water or documents, had overheard their boss on the phone or a video call with his wife. He was speaking in a soft, gentle voice, his words considerate and full of concern, his tone so tender it could melt butter.

When Theo Chambers entered Silas Norwood’s office with a stack of documents, Silas was staring at his phone, slightly lost in thought. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Boss, these are the documents from the board. They need your approval."

Silas Norwood casually tossed the documents aside and silently glanced at Theo Chambers.

Theo Chambers: "Boss, please, go ahead."

"I have a friend." Silas Norwood paused. "You don’t know him."

Theo Chambers cleared his throat. "Yes, and?"

Silas Norwood slowly met his gaze. "His wife told him that he could occasionally ’not be gentle.’ What does that mean?"

Theo Chambers’s mind did a dozen somersaults before he shook his head apologetically. "I’ve had a few girlfriends, but we always broke up. I’m really not good at figuring out what women are thinking. However, Assistant Thorne seems to have a knack for it..."

Silas Norwood nodded. "Have Assistant Thorne bring me up a cup of tea."

Theo Chambers exited, his expression meek.

Assistant Thorne was remarkably fast.

Carrying a cup of tea, he entered, closed the door behind him, and blurted out, "Chief Assistant Chambers told me about your friend’s situation, Boss."

Silas Norwood: "..."

He pointed to the sofa. "Have a seat."

Assistant Thorne obediently sat down and placed the tea in front of him.

Silas Norwood took a perfunctory sip and asked casually, "Your analysis. Let’s hear it."

Assistant Thorne spoke with confidence. "’Occasionally you don’t have to be gentle.’ On the surface, this sentence doesn’t seem like much, but you can never take what a woman says at face value. Reading between the lines, it means she thinks you... I mean, your friend... is too gentle. Not exciting enough."

"What do you mean, ’exciting’?"

Assistant Thorne thought for a moment, lowered his voice, and said very tactfully, "It’s a matter of words and actions. The most direct is actions. In short, ahem, for example—and I’m just saying for example—maybe your friend is considerate of his wife and is reluctant to be too forceful in bed. But at a time like that, it’s obviously not appropriate for a man to be too gentle."

The pad of Silas Norwood’s thumb gently traced his wedding ring. He was silent for a long time.

He wasn’t sure.

’The two of them hadn’t been a perfect match to begin with. To accommodate her, he had indeed been exceptionally gentle in the early stages, only daring to let himself go once he felt she was fully accustomed to him. But there had been plenty of times he’d lost control, his rational mind giving way to carnal urges. He would torment her relentlessly, making her cry her eyes out. The worst time, she had bitten him hard on the shoulder and even called him a "well-dressed beast."’

’But that kind of thing was truly addictive.’

’So addictive that even if his wife swore to give him the cold shoulder one day, she couldn’t resist his teasing the next and would end up playing along. It was a kind of clingy, love-hate dynamic.’

"Next, let’s talk about words and actions."

Seeing his continued silence, Assistant Thorne decided it was best not to dwell on that particular subject and quickly broadened the topic.

"Words and actions. In other words, your friend... he probably has a gentle and refined personality. Being well-mannered isn’t a bad thing, but it’s too proper, not seductive enough. He should occasionally say some blatantly spicy sweet talk. Don’t mind if women pretend to find it vulgar on the surface; deep down, they love it."

Silas Norwood frowned slightly. "...How ’spicy’?"

Assistant Thorne provided some study material. "You can find tons of lines like this online. Things like, ’I want to talk all night with you, baby, with no restraints,’ or ’You’re my medicine; one kiss is all it takes.’ And these are the tame ones. The more carnal and crude, the better."

Silas Norwood: "I can’t bring myself to say such uncouth things."

After he spoke, the air became frightfully still.

Assistant Thorne thought, ’This is bad,’ and quickly tried to smooth things over. "A man as noble and reserved as you, Boss, of course you couldn’t say such things. We’re talking about your friend, right? It has nothing to do with you! Even if it’s humiliating, it’s not your humiliation!"

Silas Norwood: "..."

"It’s really not humiliating; it’s basic stuff these days," Assistant Thorne continued. "Look at people nowadays. Doesn’t everyone have an alt account or something? One for their respectable persona, and another just to let their dark side out to crawl around..."

Silas Norwood gently set down his teacup, lost in thought.