The Retired CEO's Guide To Being Spoiled-Chapter 232: The Teary-Eyed Doll

Thinking of this, Julian Sterling suddenly felt a sharp pang of bitterness in the bridge of his nose. His chest heaved with suppressed emotion, and his eyes quickly grew burning hot as a thin veil of water began to cloud his vision, blurring the handsome face of the man standing before him. It seemed that the man holding him tightly also immediately noticed this unusual change. A rare flash of panic flickered in the depths of Ethan Caldwell’s eyes, and his rough thumb, carrying a gentle warmth, slid across Julian’s soft cheek, carefully wiping away a hot tear that had unconsciously rolled down: "What is it, my baby? Why have you suddenly turned into a teary-eyed doll out of nowhere?" 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Julian Sterling sniffled, his throat so tight and bitter that he could not find his voice. He could only shake his head slightly and obediently bury his wet face into the man’s firm chest, which carried the faint, familiar scent of cedarwood.

Having lived through two entire lifetimes, Julian Sterling had experienced two completely different existences in various settings, yet they both shared a tragic commonality. He was always born into incredibly wealthy families, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, yet he constantly found himself in situations where his life was not his own to command, unable to decide his own destiny. Those who constantly claimed to be his relatives, people sharing the same sacred bloodline, had never once truly treated him well throughout two long lifetimes. Sometimes, during the long, lonely nights, Julian Sterling thought bitterly that he seemed to have been born merely as a wooden puppet with broken strings, a mindless robot pre-programmed to grit his teeth and fulfill their bottomless ambitions for power. Those utterly greedy individuals, even after draining every bit of his value, were so cruel that they did not even bother to grant or bestow upon him the slightest sliver of fragile familial affection.

Because of that, Julian Sterling had always been forced to live withdrawn in a state of apathy, enduring a severe lack of affection and being tormented by misery throughout many years of his youth. It was not until an ironic twist of fate caused him to transmigrate into this melodramatic novel that, before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, he was immediately forced to face a mountain of troubles collapsing onto his head. His biological family in this new world blindly loved only the child who did not share their bloodline, while he himself was heartlessly pushed away to serve as a tool for a political marriage, wed to a stranger he did not understand at all. Recalling those initial days upon arriving here, every cautious step Julian Sterling took carried a trembling sensation, as if he were walking upon the thin ice of a frozen lake. He always had to look front and back, his nerves as taut as a violin string, fearing that if he slipped even a little, he would suffer a miserable end and experience the agonizing sensation of death once more.

However, look at him now. At this very moment, the exact man whom he once guarded against day and night, fearing in his heart that he might turn on him and harm him at any second, was now using the most gentle patience to build a warm home for just the two of them, step by step, and was willing to step back to respect Julian’s every decision. Through his gaze and practical actions, Ethan Caldwell had proven that he was truly serious about everything he said. This powerful man had personally cleared every obstacle, completely preparing for a long-term future where they would live peacefully beside each other for the rest of their lives.

Julian Sterling was originally someone who lacked a sense of security; he did not dare to be one hundred percent certain about future events, but at least at this very moment, he truly felt a fierce belief that he would be happy. This life within an elite family certainly still involved many complex schemes that needed to be dealt with daily, but perhaps, having a strong and sincere person willing to accompany him and share every burden would not be a bad experience at all.

After waiting a moment, when he felt the heaving breath of Julian Sterling against his chest gradually stabilize, Ethan Caldwell guessed that his mood must have improved. The man used his two large hands to carefully lift Julian Sterling’s small, flushed face. Regardless of the expensive suit he was wearing, he patiently used his soft sleeve to wipe away the remaining tear tracks on Julian’s face, his lips curving into a doting smile. He teased Julian in a low voice to dispel the somber atmosphere: "Look at you, what on earth are you feeling so wronged about that you’ve turned this beautiful face into a little crying calico cat?"

Julian Sterling felt so embarrassed by the teasing that he opened his mouth and bit the man’s hand. It didn’t hurt, Julian reckoned, as he hadn’t used much force anyway. Besides, the man was still wearing a look of utter contentment.

"Finished crying? Good. Let’s get back to important matters." The man sat up, leaning his back against the headboard while pulling Julian Sterling back into his embrace. Their size gap was truly perfect, allowing Julian to curl up in the man’s arms like a baby. Ethan Caldwell didn’t mind at all; he gently stroked the back of the person in his arms, using his tenderness to soothe away every bit of Julian’s lingering resentment.

"I suspect you aren’t particularly fond of being dragged into family drama. That environment is riddled with schemes and lies hidden behind a glamorous facade. But I’m sorry, Julian, once you married me and stepped through the doors of the Caldwell family, you no longer had a choice or a way out." Ethan Caldwell let out a sigh, his deep voice tinged with a hint of helplessness: "If originally..."

"If originally I had been content to be a mere decorative vase, just a bland little thing picked up by the Sterling family, wearing a coat of rustic ignorance and knowing nothing of high society, then you could have hidden me away and kept me from these bloodthirsty affairs, right?" Julian Sterling looked up, staring directly into the man’s angular face. Confronted with those deep, calculating eyes, he couldn’t help but lean in to press a soft, comforting kiss on Ethan Caldwell’s chin before continuing: "But I am not a useless vase. Since I have directly meddled in the core business of the Caldwell Empire and showcased my abilities, and more importantly, since Dahlia Thorne now knows of me, her attention means that CORE is also aware of my existence and value. They will certainly have me in their sights. So now, I truly have no way out, do I?"

"I told you, Julian, you are always so intelligent and sharp."