My Fiancé's Scandals Never End, So I Married His Uncle Instead-Chapter 68: The Old Man Can’t Handle Flirting
With a lazy air, Kian Sterling took a drag from his cigarette. "When are you heading back to Metropia?"
"Private flight tomorrow at three in the afternoon."
Kian Sterling grunted in acknowledgment. "The Port Sovereign harbor construction project needs an on-site inspection in the next few days. Want to swing by and take a look?"
Silas Norwood refused without hesitation. "I’ve never gotten involved in those kinds of projects. You can have a few of The Norwood Family’s senior executives go."
Kian Sterling nodded. "Fine. Hanging up."
He stubbed out his cigarette and abruptly ended the video call.
Silas Norwood, who had been prepared for a long conversation, silently placed his phone on the coffee table.
As if on cue, his personal phone rang. It was his older brother, Justin Norwood.
Silas Norwood answered. "What is it?"
"Sorry, Silas, for bothering you so late. I called you a few times during the day, but your assistant always picked up and said you were busy."
Silas Norwood’s tone was exceptionally flat. "Get to the point."
Justin Norwood cleared his throat awkwardly. "That kid Declan got drunk, went on a tirade, and called Miss Sterling, saying a bunch of nonsense..."
Silas Norwood’s gaze fell on the bathroom door. "And?"
"I heard from your assistant that you’re coming back to Metropia tomorrow. I’ve arranged a family dinner. It’s been a while since us brothers got together, and it’s also a chance for that kid Declan to give you a formal apology."
Silas Norwood grunted noncommittally. "I’ll be there."
"Great, great!" Justin Norwood breathed a sigh of relief. "I’ll have your sister-in-law make some of your favorite dishes. Oh, and by the way, do you want to bring Miss Sterling along? We’ll all be family soon enough."
"No need."
A very soft voice came from the bathroom. "Silas."
"Gotta go." Silas Norwood hung up immediately and switched his phone to Do Not Disturb. Only then did he walk to the bathroom door. Inside, the girl’s silhouette cast a blurry, curved shadow. Silas paused for a moment. "What is it, Cece?"
"I accidentally dropped the clothes I was going to change into on the floor, and now they’re all wet." Celia Sterling was very embarrassed, stammering, "Could you... could you grab a fresh set for me?"
Silas Norwood didn’t overthink it. "One moment, Cece."
"Get the purple pajamas." Celia Sterling paused for a few seconds. "And... there’s a purple bag in my suitcase."
"Okay."
Silas Norwood turned around and first found a set of purple pajamas in the wardrobe. It was a long-sleeved, silk, tie-waist style—relatively conservative.
Silas Norwood picked them up, then opened an exquisite suitcase on the bottom shelf of the wardrobe. Inside, aside from a cute doll bought on the cruise ship and some travel souvenirs, there were only three lingerie bags.
Earlier, Celia Sterling had been drowsy when getting her clothes. While rummaging, she had casually opened the bags and hadn’t sealed them shut. Soft, sexy sets of black, burgundy, and light purple lace were now peeking out from the three bags.
Silas Norwood was silent for a moment. He reached out and picked up the purple bag. As he did, a corner of the light purple lingerie set inside slipped out, brushing lightly against his fingers. He instinctively clenched his hand to catch it, but used too much force, and the entire set uncontrollably tumbled into his palm.
Soft, flimsy, slightly sheer, and sexy, it lay curled in a messy, tempting heap in his palm.
Staring at the girl’s extremely intimate belongings in his hand, Silas Norwood seemed frozen, not moving for a long moment.
But his eyes were deep and murky, a strange, dark tide churning within them.
Not until a gentle voice from the bathroom urged, "Silas, are you done yet?"
"Done." His voice was a forced calm. He stiffly stuffed the lingerie back into its bag, pinched the seal shut, then also sealed the other two bags. He methodically closed the suitcase, slowly rose to his feet, and walked to the bathroom, carrying the purple bag and the pajamas.
He bent his fingers and knocked lightly on the door.
"Th-thank you, Silas." The door opened a crack. The girl was hiding behind it, carefully extending a single hand.
She must have just finished her shower and hadn’t had time to dry off yet. A glistening droplet of water clung to the delicate bone of her wrist, and her skin was flushed slightly red from the hot water. Just inside the doorway, a messy pile of soaked clothes lay on the floor near the door, not yet picked up.
Silas Norwood silently placed the clothes in her hand, his voice a model of restrained composure. "Don’t drop them this time."
Celia Sterling’s voice was almost too low to hear. "Mm."
The bathroom door slowly closed.
Silas Norwood’s gaze lingered on the door for a moment. He could hear the faint rustle of clothing from inside. His Adam’s apple bobbed. Realizing his own impropriety, he retreated to the sofa and silently fixed his gaze on the dark, vast sea outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.
When Celia Sterling emerged, dressed, she bent over to get a hairdryer from a cabinet. In the reflection from the floor-to-ceiling window, he could see the supple, slender curve of her waist as she bent down. Silas Norwood stood up and took the hairdryer from her hand. "Let me help you."
Celia Sterling was already exhausted, so she leaned lazily against him, letting his fingers slowly comb through her hair as he dried it.
His touch was very gentle, and he took a very long time drying it.
Silas Norwood was silent.
Out of boredom, her eyelids grew heavy. "Silas, it’s been a long time."
Silas Norwood stood behind her, his head slightly bowed as he studied her quietly. Her waterfall of long hair brushed against his palm again and again, occasionally tangling around his fingers in the airflow. The collar of her light purple pajamas was slightly open, and from his angle, he could see the lace of her underwear beneath the curve of the fabric. The scent of her bath soap mixed with her own natural fragrance, creating a maddening itch. Her glistening feet were bare, her toes unconsciously curling into the carpet...
Silas Norwood abruptly turned off the hairdryer, his voice low and slightly hoarse.
"It’s done."
Half-asleep, Celia Sterling felt her way to the bed and wrapped herself in the covers. Within two minutes, her breathing became slow and even.
Silas Norwood walked to the other side of the bed but didn’t lie down. He stood beside it, his body taut, and silently watched the girl on the bed. She was curled up obediently in the covers, her long hair partially obscuring the pale skin of her neck. Her glistening red lips held a decadent allure, making one want to pull her into an embrace, to entangle and devour...
In the end, his breathing was a complete mess.
Lowering his restless gaze, he reached out, opened the drawer of the nightstand, and very, very slowly took out an unopened box of adult products, toying with it in his palm.
It was like a Pandora’s box. His mind raged with the struggle of whether to open it or not.
There were no lights on. Only the ship’s night-lights, fragmented into mottled specks of light by the waves, seeped in through the floor-to-ceiling windows. He kept his head slightly bowed, his expression cut into shifting patches of light and shadow—obscure and inscrutable.
After a long time, his upbringing finally won out over his inner demons. He closed his eyes, casually tossed the small box into the bottom of the trash can, then crumpled up a few tissues and threw them on top to cover it.
The inner demon had retreated, but the restlessness remained.
He picked up his phone and, as the sky began to pale, made a call.
On the other end, after a long pause, the call was answered. Kian Sterling’s voice was frigid. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"
Silas Norwood grunted. "Let’s talk about the project."
