My Fiancé's Scandals Never End, So I Married His Uncle Instead-Chapter 4: Declan Nash Is Preposterous, Why Not Me Instead?

Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Declan Nash Is Preposterous, Why Not Me Instead?

Kian Sterling had always been fiercely protective of his younger sister, raising her to be delicate and cherished.

Today, Celia Sterling’s waterfall of hair was tied back with a ribbon into a fresh, high ponytail. She wore a breezy, purple V-neck dress with a hem that fell short of her knees, revealing long, slender, porcelain-white legs. Inside her nude, rhinestone-studded high heels, her soft pink toes were adorned with purple polish.

She looked delicate, soft, and utterly glamorous.

But a delicate woman couldn’t handle a cool, massive lizard.

This girl who appeared so delicate and soft...

’...must be incredibly fierce to the core.’

Silas Norwood’s restrained gaze touched upon those perfect feet for only an instant before he shifted his eyes away without a trace.

Celia Sterling and Kian Sterling entered the living room and were shown to a two-seat sofa.

Across a coffee table from them sat Silas Norwood.

"Kade." Silas Norwood elegantly poured Kian Sterling a glass of freshly opened red wine. "A ’92 Screaming Eagle. Care to try it?"

Kian Sterling casually undid two buttons on his shirt and settled into a more relaxed posture. "You’re too kind."

To the side, Celia Sterling twitched her fingers, her gaze falling upon the bottle of red wine.

’If I remember correctly, this bottle was bought by a mysterious tycoon at a Westerfall auction last year for five hundred thousand dollars. Kian was a step too late and missed it. The spot reserved for this very bottle in our family’s wine cellar is still empty.’

’Greeting them right off the bat with a wine worth hundreds of thousands of dollars... he really is being too kind.’

’I wonder what a liquid practically worth its weight in gold tastes like...’

Kian Sterling saw through her and frowned slightly. "You shouldn’t be drinking for the next few days. Once this is over, you can take your pick from all the good wines in my cellar."

Celia Sterling let out a disappointed "Oh."

The next moment, a cup of fragrant, clear tea was pushed toward her by a slender, fair hand.

Silas Norwood’s voice was gentle, yet it carried an innate sense of distance. "This is a new tribute tea from the mother trees of Morgath. Please, Miss Sterling."

Celia Sterling’s eyes followed the hand up to settle on Silas Norwood himself.

This was the first time she had ever observed the man in charge of the prestigious Capital Circle family from such a close distance. She had seen him at many grand banquets before, but always from across a vast sea of people, his features never quite clear.

Up close, she realized he was exceptionally handsome, with a cool, pale complexion and refined bone structure. His amber eyes were especially deep, mysterious, and captivating. His entire bearing exuded an indescribable nobility that made it hard for anyone to meet his gaze directly.

’As pure as snow in a mountain stream, as bright as the moon in the sky.’

’No wonder he’s become the unattainable Moonlight for all the young ladies of the Capital Circle...’

Celia Sterling met his gaze. As those amber eyes stared at her, they seemed to shimmer with a faint light, threatening to pull her very soul into their depths.

After just two short seconds, she quickly looked away.

’Some people, you can’t look at for too long.’

’It’s too easy to develop improper thoughts.’

"Thank you... Silas."

Celia Sterling offered her thanks and lowered her head to sip her tea.

Silas Norwood gave a soft hum of acknowledgment and instructed the nearby butler in a low voice, "The air conditioning is chilly. Bring Miss Sterling a light blanket, and go prepare a bowl of brown sugar tea."

Celia Sterling nearly choked on her tea. "That’s... really not necessary."

Silas Norwood offered no pointless reply, turning to Kian Sterling to chat casually about financial matters.

When the butler returned with the blanket and the brown sugar tea, the pleasantries between the decision-makers of both families came to a tacit end.

The main branch of the Norwood Family finally got down to business.

Mrs. Norwood was very enthusiastic, continuously placing all sorts of delicate pastries and fruits in front of Celia Sterling.

"These are all your favorites. That Declan, you know, he may be reckless at times, but he truly holds you, Celia, at the very tip of his heart. He remembers all of your preferences, every single one..."

After speaking, she personally peeled a lychee for her. "He knows you love these. Declan flew to Mount Cinderwood yesterday to pick them himself. They’re exceptionally fresh."

Celia Sterling lowered her eyes. "Thank you, Mrs. Norwood."

But she did not take it.

Mrs. Norwood gave her husband a worried glance.

Justin Norwood, however, had no mind to pay attention to his wife. Kian Sterling had just placed several divestment proposals directly in front of him.

"You must be well aware of what Declan has done. We’re all in the same circle, and I don’t wish to make this too ugly, but calling off the engagement and divesting our funds are both necessary."

Calling off the engagement, divesting... the losses wouldn’t be limited to the Norwood Family; the negative impact on the Sterling Family would also be immeasurable.

But Kian Sterling was a man who carried the ferocity of someone who had clawed his way back from hell.

He wasn’t afraid to lose.

The main branch of the Norwood Family, which didn’t hold much real power, could not afford to lose.

Justin Norwood personally poured tea for this young magnate who could command the wind and rain in the financial world.

"Chairman Sterling, Miss Sutton is glamorous and charming. Declan was momentarily confused and lost his head, but to say he betrayed Celia is going too far. I guarantee, after today, I will strictly discipline that disobedient son of mine and never let him do such a reckless thing again."

"President Norwood, there’s no need to paper over the cracks." Kian Sterling was unmoved. "You must have heard about the relationship between Summer Sutton and me recently, President Norwood. In the eyes of others, Declan’s actions are an insult to both my sister and my confidante. Calling off the engagement and divesting are just the first step. This matter is not over." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Justin Norwood was getting extremely agitated. "Chairman Sterling, you can’t, you can’t! How about this? We’ll give the two land parcels in the North District directly to the Sterling Family as an apology. The projects our families are collaborating on are mutually beneficial; there’s no need to pull out. The Norwood Family may not have much, but we have plenty of good-looking men. If Declan won’t do, Chairman Sterling, feel free to pick anyone else."

"Pick anyone else? Is that what you mean, President Norwood, or..." Kian Sterling’s voice was ice-cold as he raised an eyebrow and looked at Silas Norwood, who had ceded the floor to the main branch after the initial pleasantries. "...is that what Silas Norwood means?"

Silas Norwood stroked the black thumb ring on his finger, not answering immediately.

The previously placid atmosphere suddenly plummeted.

Justin Norwood was already starting to babble. "It’s my idea! If Chairman Sterling doesn’t think it’s enough, you can pick a few. Let her date them all, and in the end, she can have whoever she’s satisfied with."

In any case, they absolutely could not call off this engagement.

"Date them all?" Kian Sterling sneered. "Your Norwood Family’s pack of spoiled, useless heirs—every last one of them, what good are they?!"

Justin Norwood felt a lump in his throat. "My Norwood Family is a prestigious house with a lineage stretching back hundreds of years. We have plenty of outstanding young men..."

"That’s enough," Silas Norwood’s cool, gentle voice cut in.

He glanced at his muddle-headed older brother, his elegant tone now laced with a thread of severity. "What kind of man couldn’t a lady of the Sterling Family find? How dare the Norwood Family offer up such riffraff to insult her?"

Kian Sterling’s expression softened slightly. He swirled the red wine in his glass with an unreadable look, waiting for what would come next.

’Based on his years of experience dealing with him, Silas Norwood was by no means an easy person to negotiate with.’

After a few seconds of silence,

Silas Norwood handed the engagement termination agreement back, his deep eyes holding a hint of apology.

"The Norwood Family was discourteous first. However, from a family perspective, this engagement cannot be called off."

Kian Sterling nonchalantly picked up the termination agreement, raising an eyebrow.

"Silas Norwood, are you declaring war on the Sterlings?"

"I wouldn’t dare." Silas Norwood’s cool gaze, seemingly devoid of any personal feeling, landed gently and politely on Celia Sterling’s face. "My nephew, Declan, was reckless. So how about... you replace him with me?"