Declan Nash was certain of this. Ever since their wedding date was set, he had considered her his possession, dismissing her talk of breaking the engagement as a girl's passing tantrum.
"This time, I was out of line. I promise, it won't happen again, okay?"
Celia Sterling didn't take the priceless box of jewelry. "It's late. You should go."
Declan Nash, reluctant to leave, shamelessly leaned in to grab her hand, trying to coax her further.
"I'll clear my schedule for next week. Baby, you like skiing, right? How about I take you to Montaigne?"
Celia Sterling didn't answer, only repeating softly, "You should go."
Declan Nash gave her a deep look, a hint of reluctance in his eyes. "Alright then. I'll video call you, Baby, when I get back to The Majestic."
The Majestic was a villa that Declan Nash had personally commissioned at great expense after he and Celia Sterling started dating, intended to be their marital home. It was designed almost entirely with elements Celia liked, but in their three years of dating, she had only visited once, accompanied by Kian Sterling.
Declan Nash, on the other hand, had moved out of his family's old residence and eagerly moved in himself.
Along with him, he moved in quite a few items related to Celia Sterling.
He even periodically added some haute couture women's clothing, always waiting for the lady of the house to move in.
He was genuinely serious about their upcoming marriage.
Unfortunately, the philandering nature he had suppressed for three years had resurfaced.
But now, there was a scandal.
If he still wanted to get married, he'd have to see if Kian Sterling would even allow it.
Celia Sterling watched his back recede into the distance before getting up and going to her bedroom. She casually tossed the box of expensive jewelry Declan had left into a cabinet. After a moment's thought, she took out three exquisite, custom-made glass bottles from a cabinet drawer.
She sent Kian Sterling a voice call request.
Kian Sterling's voice was gentle. "Cece, what is it?"
"There was a trending topic today..." Celia Sterling wasn't sure if news of Declan's outrageous behavior had reached Kian Sterling's ears, so her tone was tentative. "About Declan and..."
"Declan Nash and Summer Sutton?" Kian Sterling's voice was unruffled. "Cece, come to my study. We'll talk there."
Celia Sterling understood immediately. Kian Sterling already knew everything he needed to know.
The night was deep, and lights gradually came on in the grand, standalone villa.
Carrying a beautifully wrapped, starry-gray gift box, Celia Sterling pushed open the door to Kian Sterling's study.
Light and shadow shifted. Kian Sterling sat relaxed on the sofa, his profile hidden in the darkness, only a hint of his perfect silhouette visible.
Celia Sterling stepped forward, a little apologetic.
"Brother, my troublesome fiancé poached from you. I'm sorry."
Kian Sterling looked up, his chiseled, handsome features revealed in the light. He had deep eyes and a high-bridged nose. A single beauty mark was perfectly placed just below his eyelid, adding a touch of subtle allure.
He was by nature cold and domineering, yet he had a fondness for bright and beautiful things. He was still in a bright, starry-blue business casual suit. Beside him, red wine swirled in a sparkling, amber-colored glass. A large pile of documents waiting to be signed sat on the table, a clear sign he was still busy with work.
Casually pushing the documents aside, Kian Sterling's gaze fell upon Celia Sterling.
Celia Sterling was wearing a set of chic, mature pajamas in the Port Sovereign style. For comfort, the hidden clasp at her collarbone was unfastened. With her makeup removed, her fair, delicate, unadorned face had a gentle, tender air, a contrast to the bright, flamboyant look she wore in front of Declan Nash.
"It's not poaching." Kian Sterling's gaze met hers for a moment before he looked away. His well-defined fingers tapped the space beside him. "Come here."
He was seven years older than Celia Sterling. Their father had moved abroad long ago, cutting off almost all contact with them. Their mother had remarried into another wealthy family, and her relationship with them was also distant; they only saw her once or twice a year. Celia had been raised almost single-handedly by Kian Sterling, who was both a brother and a father to her. Their bond was extremely deep.
Celia Sterling studied Kian Sterling carefully for several seconds. Seeing that he really didn't seem angry, she grew bolder. She walked over, sat down next to him, and spoke without reservation.
"I saw the pictures from the trending topic. My future sister-in-law looked completely repulsed. It must have been Declan being presumptuous. Brother, you can just blame Declan; you don't need to take it out on her."
"I already told you, it's not poaching." Kian Sterling lightly patted her head, his tone mild. "And don't just call anyone 'sister-in-law.' I'm not going to marry Summer Sutton."
There were plenty of rumors in high society about marrying for reasons other than love, but Celia Sterling didn't dare to pry into her own brother's personal drama.
She took out the gift box, removed the sparkling glass bottle from inside, and placed it in front of Kian Sterling, looking slightly dejected.
"As your sister, I have no right to interfere with who you marry. But on the surface, Summer Sutton is your person. What Declan did this time was truly out of line. This is an apology gift. Please accept it, Brother."
Kian Sterling glanced at it. "What fragrance did you concoct this time?"
"It has an ambergris base, with fifty-six special elements added. It's an intertwining of fatal attraction and mystery, which perfectly suits your character, Brother. I haven't named it yet. Would you like to?"
Kian Sterling shot her a look. "Fatal attraction, huh? Who am I supposed to be attracting?"
"Brother, you're the unattainable man all the socialites in the Capital Circle have been trying to win over." Celia Sterling blinked. "There are three bottles. One for your love nest in Port Sovereign, one for your office, and one for your study. You can attract whoever you want."
Kian Sterling casually put the fragrance away. "Stop concocting these kinds of man-traps. Just call it Brightmoon in the Sky."
Brightmoon in the Sky. The name didn't match the scent of the fragrance at all.
"Why did you pick such a strange name, Brother?" Celia Sterling asked, curious. "Are you trying to be the unreachable moon in the sky?"
"Just a random name." Kian Sterling didn't continue the discussion. His gaze landed on her again, and he frowned. "You're a grown woman. Stop being so sloppy."
So, Celia Sterling fastened the hidden clasp on her collar.
She lowered her eyes, guiltily bringing up the main topic. "Brother, if I wanted to break off the engagement..."
Kian Sterling hummed in agreement. "Declan Nash... he really isn't suitable anymore."
Celia Sterling's eyes lit up slightly. "So, you support me breaking off the engagement too?"
"I don't."
Celia Sterling's face fell again. "Are you just like Declan, thinking that breaking the engagement will affect the major projects between our two families?"
"That's one reason." Kian Sterling slowly took a cigarette from a drawer, holding it between his lips without lighting it. "Declan Nash is easy to handle. But the Norwood Family also has the troublesome Silas Norwood. That man puts his family's interests above all else. He's not easy to deal with."
Celia Sterling was bewildered. "Silas Norwood, the head of the Norwood Family? He's been very low-key in recent years. I haven't had much interaction with him, but I remember he once peeled chestnuts for me when I was a child. He seemed quite nice."
"Nice? He's been in control of the Norwood Family for years. He's used an iron fist to turn the family into his own echo chamber."
Kian Sterling picked up the amber-colored wine glass and swirled it gently, his tone mocking. "The financial world is a bloodbath. What, you thought they call him the God of Slaughter of the Capital Circle for fun?"
A shadow instantly fell over Celia Sterling's mood. "Then what do I do? Grit my teeth and marry him, and let everyone in our circle laugh about how the Sterling sister-in-law and sister share the same man?"
"My Cece won't be the subject of anyone's gossip." Kian Sterling looked at his sister, his eyes darkening slightly, which in turn made the beauty mark by his eye seem deeper. "We'll decide after you've met with Silas Norwood."