My Fiancé's Scandals Never End, So I Married His Uncle Instead-Chapter 47: Cinnabar and Moonlight, Both Captivating

Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Cinnabar and Moonlight, Both Captivating

A stunning, starry-sky blue supercar, escorted by a convoy of bodyguard vehicles, drove into Sterling Manor.

The car door opened, and Celia Sterling stepped out. She turned and waved cheerfully at Kian Sterling.

"Brother, I’m heading in first. Quinn Sinclair and the others have been bugging me for ages."

With that, she entered the manor’s main gate a step ahead of him.

The convoy parked methodically in the lot. A few minutes later, Kian Sterling also stepped out, gestured for his bodyguards to wait, and strode elegantly toward the main gate.

At the manor entrance, the Shepherd family’s butler approached respectfully. "Chairman Sterling, the Madam has sent for you."

Kian Sterling paused. He glanced indifferently at the gazebo near the entrance, then, with one hand in his pocket, sauntered over. His voice was distant. "Mom."

"It’s so difficult to see you." June Coleman’s gaze was soft and affectionate as she looked at him. "You didn’t come for Nia’s birthday, and I couldn’t find you the few times I looked for you afterward. Kian, have we really grown so distant?"

"Mom, if you have something to say, just say it." Kian Sterling glanced at his watch. "I can only spare ten minutes."

June Coleman had gone to great lengths to find out he would be here today and had made a special trip. It wasn’t for a pointless confrontation. She took out a meticulously prepared food box.

"I prepared a lot of pastries for you on Nia’s birthday, but you didn’t get to have any. I’ve remade them. Kian, they’re all made just the way you like, with double the sugar. Have a taste."

Kian Sterling glanced at the exquisite pastries. "Double the sugar?"

"You’ve had a sweet tooth since you were little, Kian..." June Coleman said, a smile playing on her lips. "I remember."

"They’re all my favorites." Kian Sterling’s tone turned a few degrees colder as he recalled how crestfallen Celia Sterling looked after coming back from Natalie Shepherd’s birthday party. "So what about Cece? Why isn’t there anything she likes?"

"Cece? Of course there is! These peach blossom crisps, lychee jellies, and candied cherries are all for her. You can take them to her in a bit."

Kian Sterling just looked at her, saying nothing.

June Coleman looked at him. "What’s wrong, Kian?"

"Cece never eats any of this."

"She loved them when she was little—"

Kian Sterling cut her off. "You said it yourself—that was when she was little. How old was Cece then? Three? Or four?"

June Coleman fell silent.

"Every time Cece sees you, she comes back miserable." Kian Sterling’s voice grew even fainter. "You don’t have to love her, but stop with the subtle jabs. If you can’t learn to be a good mother in front of her, then we don’t need to maintain our mother-son relationship either."

June Coleman opened her mouth to speak. "Kian, I..."

"After she turned four, Cece never touched any sweets besides the occasional small cake or Glazed Cup." Kian Sterling watched her coolly. "You know that perfectly well, yet for all these years, you’ve insisted on preparing only lychee jellies and peach blossom crisps. She thinks you’re just thoughtless. I know you’re doing it deliberately to upset her. But why should the person I worked so hard to raise have to walk on eggshells around you, only to be bullied?"

June Coleman’s face paled. "It’s just that whenever I see her, I’m reminded of those agonizing days..."

Kian Sterling had no time for this. His tone was like stone. "Don’t come to me again until you can treat her the same way you treat Natalie Shepherd."

With that, he turned and walked away, not even touching the pastries.

June Coleman’s hand, still holding the box of pastries, trembled slightly.

"Madam..." The butler stepped forward from behind. "You haven’t given Chairman Sterling the little gift Miss Nia asked you to deliver."

"There’s no need to." June Coleman gazed at Kian Sterling’s tall, aloof departing figure. "His heart only has room for Cece. There’s no place in it for Nia."

「In the front hall of Sterling Manor.」

Celia Sterling and Quinn Sinclair were chatting idly by the edge of a lush, flower-filled garden.

"I only saw you come in. Where’s your brother?" Quinn Sinclair nudged her, gesturing toward the socialite section on the other side. "See that flock of dolled-up women over there? They’re the ones who wrote those two dirty fanfics. They came here today specifically to see your brother and Silas Norwood."

"He’s here, just parking. As I was coming in, I saw a bunch of patriarchs from the major families go out to greet him, so they’ll probably all walk in together soon." Celia Sterling paused. "I put together my brother’s outfit for today. It’s guaranteed to blow your minds."

Quinn Sinclair clicked her tongue in admiration. "All the socialites will be thanking you."

Celia Sterling hummed lazily. "They can write what they want, but do remind them not to get *too* graphic. He is my brother, after all."

As she said this, she felt a pair of eyes on her and glanced around. About a dozen meters away in the open-air banquet hall, a man was lounging against the bar, drink in hand, his gaze fixed on her. Even with a hat covering most of it, his chestnut-gold hair was striking in the sunlight.

’Declan Norwood is here too?’

Celia Sterling avoided his gaze and tugged on Quinn Sinclair’s sleeve. "Come on, let’s go somewhere else."

Before Quinn Sinclair could process what was happening, Celia dragged her into the main crowd of socialites.

A commotion began to stir near the main entrance.

A large procession was heading toward the front hall. Leading the way were the heads of Metropia’s Eight Great Families, followed by influential figures from the worlds of business and politics, along with core members from each family.

Among this crowd of powerful patriarchs, Kian Sterling and Silas Norwood occupied the very center. They were surrounded by older family heads, yet the two of them stood out—one devilishly radiant, the other nobly aloof, both possessing an intimidating presence and looks that could topple nations.

In an instant, a chorus of sharp, indrawn breaths rippled through the circle of socialites.

"Ahhh! Our Cinnabar Mole is the most perfect man in the world to wear red!" someone exclaimed, hand flying to her mouth. "That red V-neck shirt looks absolutely divine on him!"

Kian Sterling was devilishly handsome, with a domineering and autocratic personality. The red shirt with its subtle pattern suited his temperament perfectly. Paired with luxurious purple jade cuff links and a striking herringbone chain, it made his features burn even more intensely. Several socialites felt their knees go weak, their eyes glued to him, completely unable to look away. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

But the devastating appeal of the "White Moonlight," Silas Norwood, was not to be underestimated. He remained in his signature minimalist black, his shirt buttoned all the way to the collar in an ascetic style. A fashionable black belt cinched a perfect waistline. His features were as cool and clear as the moon, while his amber eyes held the oppressive weight of a supreme leader. He seemed elegant and gentle, yet utterly detached.

He and Kian Sterling walked side by side. Both men stood nearly six-foot-three, moving through the crowd like the moon surrounded by stars. They exchanged a few quiet words now and then, completely ignoring the looks of astonishment from all around.

"Truly worthy of being the Cinnabar Mole and White Moonlight we’ve obsessed over for years..." Quinn Sinclair rubbed her hot cheeks. "After seeing those two, looking at my own brothers trailing behind them is like watching a pack of monkeys."

Next to her, Nina Sterling chimed in quietly, "Believe it or not, every single woman here, writer or not, has already imagined dozens of steamy, thrilling scenarios in her head. I’m starting to get the itch myself. When this party is over, I’m going to go queue up in both the White Moonlight and Cinnabar Mole fanfic groups."

She nudged Celia Sterling. "What do you say? Want to write one too?"

"I’m not writing one." Celia Sterling shook her head. "Unlike you all, who can only look but not touch, I’ve seen my brother in a bathrobe plenty of times. And as for Silas Norwood..."

She picked something she was allowed to say. "That night at The Sovereign Club, I had a little encounter with him, too."

Forget Nina Sterling, with whom she wasn’t even that close; even Quinn Sinclair was practically consumed by jealousy!

"Oh, listen to you bragging." Quinn Sinclair gave her a light pinch. "Then who are you staring at so intently?"

Celia Sterling paused. "I’m looking at my ethereal one."

Quinn Sinclair froze. "Your top-secret, worldly fiancé... he’s here too?"