My Fiancé's Scandals Never End, So I Married His Uncle Instead-Chapter 96: A World of Three Is Not Crowded
Celia Sterling looked at the 38 usernames in the group chat, including her own, and froze for a moment. "What’s this?"
"Besides you and me, the group includes the eighteen senior masters from the clan, along with their assistants." Adeline Lowell’s gaze was exceptionally gentle. "The masters were delighted to see such talent. They said Miss Sterling is a rare find and are keen to establish a long-term relationship with you to discuss topics in perfumery at any time. Miss Sterling... hmm, you won’t find that intrusive, will you?"
Silas Norwood felt Celia Sterling’s fingers suddenly tighten on his arm.
Her voice was dazed, as if she’d just been hit by a stroke of unbelievable luck. "O-of course not!"
On the way back, Celia Sterling glanced at the new group on her phone more than once, unable to stop herself from sighing in amazement to Silas Norwood.
"President Lowell... how can she be so nice?"
Silas Norwood gave a soft hum of agreement, his eyes lowered, offering no further comment.
It was still early, so instead of returning to the hotel immediately, the two decided to have dinner at a private kitchen in Port Sovereign with a good reputation.
Celia Sterling personally selected a few spicy dishes that Silas Norwood liked, some sweets that Kian Sterling enjoyed, and even generously ordered several separate tables for the bodyguards, Theo Chambers, and Assistant Thorne, filling them with the most expensive specialty dishes. Silas Norwood watched her hand the menu to the waiter with a lavish flair, a smile in his eyes.
"Our little Cece is quite the heiress, being so generous today."
"Silas, you don’t understand the kind of faith we have in the world of perfumery. For President Lowell to pull me into her circle today... it means so much to me. It’s worth a real celebration." Celia Sterling looked Silas Norwood up and down. "I noticed you didn’t bring much luggage to Port Sovereign. After dinner, I’ll take you and my brother shopping. I’m paying for whatever you want."
At the entrance of the private kitchen, Eldest Young Master Warren, who had been about to dine there himself, stopped in his tracks. Through a beaded curtain, he saw the intimate scene in a private room: Celia Sterling and Silas Norwood, talking and laughing together.
Behind him, the Chief Perfumer glanced at his watch. "Didn’t you want to try the specialty dishes here? We need to hurry. We have a flight to catch back to Seraphina soon."
"Not eating." Eldest Young Master Warren turned and walked away. "Back to the hotel."
"The hotel?" the Perfumer reminded him tactfully. "Have you forgotten? You already checked out this morning..."
Eldest Young Master Warren ignored his Chief Perfumer, drove his sports car at top speed, and raced back to the Port Sovereign Grand Hotel, where he waited stubbornly in the parking garage. A little over ten minutes later, he saw Kian Sterling walking toward his own sports car, surrounded by several bodyguards.
"Chair-Chairman Sterling!" Eldest Young Master Warren pushed his car door open and called out to Kian Sterling from several meters away. "There’s something..."
Kian Sterling’s intensely intimidating gaze swept over his face. "Speak."
Eldest Young Master Warren hesitated for a second. Although he felt a sense of shame, like some busybody gossip, the thought of Kian Sterling being cuckolded filled him with indignation. In the end, he couldn’t resist giving a hint.
"You haven’t had dinner yet, have you? Aethelgard Tower, The Elysian Table, private room number 8. I strongly suggest you go take a look." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦
Kian Sterling scrutinized his face for two seconds before getting into his sports car impassively.
The convoy of cars departed from Eldest Young Master Warren’s line of sight at an unhurried pace.
Eldest Young Master Warren thought for a moment, then started his car and tailed Kian Sterling’s sports car from a distance. The Perfumer, sitting in the passenger seat, didn’t quite approve of his boss’s actions. "Crown Prince, it’s best to just give a hint and leave it at that. Shouldn’t we stay out of what comes next?"
"The other party has a few more bodyguards than Chairman Sterling," Eldest Young Master Warren said, a little agitated. "I have to make sure he doesn’t come out on the losing end before I can leave."
Inside Kian Sterling’s sports car, Evan Rhodes gripped the steering wheel and asked in a low voice, "That Eldest Young Master Warren was acting all cryptic. I wonder what he meant just now."
Kian Sterling was looking at the location Celia had sent him. The three words on the navigation screen, "The Elysian Table," made him pause for a moment. His tone was flat. "He’s an irrelevant person. Pay him no mind. Drive faster. Cece is waiting."
Half an hour later, Kian Sterling arrived at The Elysian Table.
A dozen or so seconds later, Eldest Young Master Warren’s sports car pulled silently into a hidden parking spot. He got out and watched from afar as Kian Sterling’s tall figure entered the private kitchen.
’Chairman Sterling acted like he didn’t care, but he came anyway. He took what I said seriously.’ Eldest Young Master Warren’s feelings were complicated. He followed Kian inside, found a remote seat that happened to have a perfect view of table number 8, and braced himself, ready to watch the showdown between Kian Sterling and that pretty boy.
He was even prepared to roll up his sleeves and help Kian Sterling in a brawl if things went south.
But what met his eyes was an intimate scene: the girl, a sweet smile on her face, throwing herself into Kian Sterling’s arms.
Kian Sterling naturally wrapped an arm around her waist, his expression doting. He whispered something to her, and she pulled him to the seat beside her. On the girl’s other side, the so-called pretty boy with the surname Norwood looked perfectly calm, even proactively pouring Kian Sterling a cup of tea. Then, the two men, both possessing equally powerful auras, began to chat as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
He was too far away to hear what they were saying, but the atmosphere was exceptionally harmonious.
It was a far cry from what Eldest Young Master Warren had anticipated.
Inside the private room.
Celia Sterling was excitedly telling Kian Sterling about the windfall she’d received that day. Kian shot a subtle glance at Silas Norwood, who was feigning indifference, and gently ruffled Celia’s hair.
"Our Cece has always been lucky."
"Right? I never expected this trip to Port Sovereign to go so smoothly. First, I got into the Lowell Clan Academy, then I got the manuscript, and now it’s like I have the entire Lowell Clan’s academic system right on my phone." Celia’s eyes sparkled as they darted between Kian Sterling and Silas Norwood. "It seems my brother and Silas are my good luck charms."
She wasn’t completely clueless. She was sure Kian Sterling had a hand in the matter of the manuscript. As for today, she’d noticed President Lowell deliberately glance at Silas Norwood when adding her on WeChat. Although she didn’t understand the meaning, she vaguely felt she had benefited from his connection. But with these two men, keeping a clear tally of favors would only create distance. She suppressed the urge to get to the bottom of it and instead focused on serving them food and soup, being utterly attentive.
Kian Sterling and Silas Norwood let her dote on them.
After Celia had peeled the typhoon shelter shrimp for Kian Sterling, dealt with the spicy crab for Silas Norwood, and gotten up to wash her hands in the restroom, Kian finally asked Silas casually, "Putting the clan academy on her phone? Knowing Adeline Lowell’s stingy nature, what did you have to give up?"
"It was nothing to me. Cece’s happiness is what’s most important," Silas Norwood replied faintly.
Kian Sterling paused. "Compared to all that flashy, impractical jewelry, you certainly know how to cater to her tastes."
He didn’t mention Declan Norwood, but his words were aimed at him. Rumor had it that Eldest Young Master Norwood, who was currently in Solisia "cultivating his character," had been forced onto a plane with red-rimmed eyes, clutching the large box of luxury jewelry the Sterling Family had returned.
Silas Norwood sidestepped the sensitive topic of the ex-suitor and asked about the matter most important to him. "Regarding the proposal from last night... Kade, you said you’d give me an answer today. Can you give it to me now?"
