To be honest, even Ethan Caldwell hadn't expected there would come a day when he would stand up for someone else like this. No matter how well he had been raised, previously in his mind, a "wife" was just like a partner; they would respect each other to the best of their ability and simply not interfere in each other's private affairs.
But ever since meeting Julian Sterling, it seemed like everything had been turned upside down.
Perhaps it was because the boy was too obedient?
There were plenty of side stories regarding this newly recovered young master, and there were quite a few people in their circle who laughed at the Sterling family. A wild duck turning out to be more capable than the real swan - it sounded even more tragic than having a family with a prodigal son who squandered the fortune.
His initial impression of Julian Sterling had not been very good, especially when he heard the news that the boy had committed suicide.
However, it seemed that since that day, Julian had changed a great deal.
While Ethan Caldwell was lost in thought, Julian Sterling nudged his arm, leaning in to whisper, "I'm going to step out for a bit, okay? Edward is looking for me."
Julian spoke while waving the phone in his hand, and upon seeing Ethan nod, he hurriedly walked out to the courtyard.
He did not know what Edward Sterling wanted with him. Over the past period, Edward and Julian had rarely spoken to each other. No, it was more accurate to say that Julian almost never spoke to anyone in the family; he tried his best to avoid everyone and did not want to interact with anyone in the Sterling household.
Julian Sterling stepped out into the garden, where Edward was already waiting. Today, Edward was wearing a black suit, his hair slicked back to reveal a sharp, angular face.
Honestly speaking, the genes of the Sterling family were not of low quality. Edward Sterling was the eldest child in the house and had seemingly inherited all the best features of his parents. He was quite tall, probably around the same height as Ethan Caldwell, with a high nose and sharp eyes - the kind of appearance that was most welcomed by others. Edward also worked out regularly, so there was some muscle on his frame. Most notably was Edward's aura; perhaps because he had followed his father in business since childhood, the "domineering CEO" temperament was displayed perfectly by him.
Julian Sterling suddenly remembered a rare sentence that he recalled from the original story - if this world were a novel in the genre of "Domineering CEO Chases Me," then Edward Sterling would absolutely be the male lead.
Julian thought for a moment and felt it was amusing; did someone who was spun around in circles by his "nominal" younger brother deserve to be a main character?
He stopped overthinking and stepped forward. "Edward, what did you find me for?"
Edward turned around to look at him, his expression very unpleasant. Edward's face darkened, his brows furrowed, appearing to be very angry, and his voice was clearly frustrated. "Can't you just be obedient for a few days? You have thrown our family's reputation into some God-forsaken corner!"
Julian Sterling looked at his older brother in confusion, pursing his lips as he asked, "I didn't do anything, did I?"
"Julian, oh Julian, why haven't you gotten any smarter after all these years? So what if you made Aaron lose face? Whether at home or in this elite circle, you don't amount to even a fraction of Aaron Sterling! Therefore..." Edward pointed his finger straight at Julian's face, emphasizing every single word, "Know your place and stay in line!"
"Edward, what are you saying? I don't understand!"
"Don't understand? Who are you feigning innocence for? I thought you had changed, but who could have guessed that a leopard really doesn't change its spots!"
"Edward, if you want to scold me, I will take it. But don't make it sound like every other sentence is about how I am this or I am that. Don't act as if all the sins in this world were caused by me." Julian Sterling truly could not understand what was wrong with this older brother of his; it was as if Edward had forgotten to take his medicine and was having an episode. Julian straightened the lapels of his suit, looked straight into Edward Sterling's eyes, and spoke very clearly, "Furthermore, today is the wedding ceremony of Ethan Caldwell and me. You know better than I do how many people of status and position are here. The person currently making our family lose face is you, not me!"
"You're good; you even know how to use the Caldwell family as a shield! If you have the guts, then don't spend all day whining online about who is the real son and who is the fake one! Did our family treat you badly? All day long you only know how to pretend to be pitiful; you have no ability yourself, so who are you crying to?"
Hearing Edward Sterling say that, Julian Sterling raised an eyebrow.
Not long after Julian Sterling had first been brought back, he had ranted to a friend because of his resentment over the Sterling family's unfair treatment. Who could have expected that the friend would not keep their mouth shut and would post the story on social media, ultimately dragging it out into a major scandal involving the wealthy families of Saint Lawrence City.
It was no wonder that the moment something happened, Edward Sterling immediately dragged him out to scold him.
"I don't know what story you are talking about, nor do I know what the internet or anyone else has told you. I only beg you, use this..." He spoke while using his finger to point at his own head. "...and think a little more carefully. Where would I, Julian Sterling, get the ability to play tricks in front of you and our parents? If I could actually do that, then the stupid and useless one is you, not me!"
Slap!
"Jules!"
Ethan Caldwell suddenly rushed over and embraced Julian Sterling. Julian naturally covered his face and buried himself into Ethan's shoulder.
Even Edward Sterling was stunned; he had not expected Ethan Caldwell to appear. Initially, he had only wanted to warn Julian, not to hit him. It was just that Julian had not listened and had argued back, so Edward had lost control...
"Mr. Sterling, I don't know what your intentions are, but is this the upbringing of your Sterling family? Today is the day of my wedding to your younger brother; it was enough that you pulled a long face all evening, but now you even raise your hand to hit someone. Is it because you do not view Jules as your brother, or is it that you do not hold my Caldwell family in any regard?"