My Fiancé's Scandals Never End, So I Married His Uncle Instead-Chapter 14: His Old Love

Jade Orchid Manor.

This was a villa estate developed by the Norwood Group some years ago, tailored specifically to Silas Norwood’s tastes. In Metropia, where every inch of land is worth a fortune, Jade Orchid Manor encircled a vast lake. A magnificent, neo-Chinese garden was built around the water, perfectly blending modern Chinese aesthetics with traditional ancient elements. It was just like Silas Norwood himself—calm and restrained, yet so refined and noble he was a sight to behold.

As the ornate lamps began to glow.

Jade Orchid Manor was very quiet. In the side hall, the butler was quietly instructing the new servants:

"Chairman Norwood is a busy man and has never concerned himself with household affairs. We don’t have too many rules here at Jade Orchid Manor, but there are a few points you must remember."

"Chairman Norwood prefers quiet. The quieter, the better. Whenever he is home, no one is to make loud noises. Additionally, he dislikes anything gaudy. Uncle Linden, you’re in charge of planting the flowers in the villa area. You must remember not to grow any flowers that are too brightly colored. Stick to those that are simple and elegant."

"Sis Chambers, you’re in charge of cleaning the third floor. It is imperative that you remember not to touch any of Chairman Norwood’s personal garments in the bedroom and bathroom. There are designated staff responsible for handling them."

The new servants were all professionally trained. Though they didn’t understand the reasons, they noted every point.

The butler fell silent for a few seconds before adding, "And the most important point: do not develop designs on Chairman Norwood."

Sis Chambers was the first to let out a snort of laughter. "Butler Kensington, look at us. The youngest one here is thirty-five or thirty-six. How could we be so improper as to have ideas about the master of the house..."

"The last one who was dismissed was thirty-eight," the butler said, his tone complex. "All because she secretly kept a tie Chairman Norwood had discarded. That entire batch of over twenty servants was implicated and dismissed along with her."

"Don’t you worry, Butler Kensington!" Sis Chambers and several other servants quickly declared. "We wouldn’t do something so reckless."

Just as they spoke, the sound of a car engine came from outside.

Butler Kensington gestured for everyone to be quiet and stood respectfully at the entrance to welcome him.

The next moment, Silas Norwood walked in from outside.

Long legs, a narrow waist, an air of noble indifference. His light-gold eyes held a cool detachment, and his gait carried the subtle, oppressive aura of a man in power. Yet, because of his refined and handsome bearing, one couldn’t help but stare, even knowing it was rude.

He drew closer under the warm glow of the ornate lamps, his incomparably handsome features gradually coming into focus. In that instant, he seemed to dim the brilliance of the entire midsummer garden.

The servants, who had just been making solemn promises, fell into a collective silence.

’A man who looks like that... forget being in your thirties, even several of the maids in their fifties felt their girlish hearts flutter...’

Butler Kensington swept his gaze over them. Seeing their dazed and distracted expressions, he knew today’s little meeting had been in vain.

While internally plotting how to impress the point upon them more forcefully later, he put on a smile and went forward to greet him.

"Chairman Norwood, you’re back. Shall I have dinner prepared for you?"

"No need. I’ve already eaten," Silas Norwood replied with perfect civility. He gave the room full of new faces a casual glance before elegantly and distantly making his way upstairs.

In the master bedroom on the third floor.

Looking out from the master bedroom’s large French windows, one could see the shimmering lake in the distance.

Silas Norwood didn’t turn on the lights. He sat before the French windows and opened a bottle of wine.

The red liquid swirled in the glass. Silas Norwood held the wineglass and gazed at the colorful lake view for a while before taking out his phone once again and opening a private photo album.

Beams of light from the landscape lamps outside filtered in, creating shifting shadows that obscured Silas Norwood’s face but illuminated the already-lit screen with perfect clarity.

Over a thousand photos.

There was a pure-looking girl with a slender frame, wearing a school uniform with her hair in a ponytail, smiling sweetly at the camera.

There was a distant side profile of her in a simple, floral apron, moving through a field of irises.

There was a stunning beauty with a cascade of long hair, bright and lovely, sitting languidly in a clubhouse. Her round, innocent, almond-shaped eyes were wide as she curiously sized up a male model’s eight-pack abs, without a hint of impropriety.

There was a classic beauty in a smoky pink cheongsam, her long hair half-pinned with a lily-of-the-valley hairpin. She was leaning under a warm light, her expression focused as she mixed aromatherapy oils.

There was a lovely and pretty belle of the business world, downloaded from the Sterlings’ official website, her features intentionally blurred. She was leaning softly against Kian Sterling, earnestly cutting a ribbon...

Over a thousand photos, all of the same face.

Like a brilliant slideshow, it chronicled a girl’s journey from innocent youth to early womanhood. The scenes changed, the years intertwined, and time nurtured her into a gorgeous rose that could steal one’s soul.

Celia Sterling.

His black thumb ring tapped lightly against the rim of his glass. Silas Norwood took a small sip of red wine, staining his pale, cool lips. He raised a hand, brushing his fingertips across his mouth, and a faint glimmer of warmth appeared in his amber eyes.

His aloof features softened in turn, taking on a subtle radiance.

"Celia Sterling," he murmured to himself, but after saying her name, he fell silent.

「A long time later.」

"Cece," he called out softly again. This time, his voice was wrapped in the gentleness of the night breeze.

At Celia Sterling’s eighteenth coming-of-age ceremony, Declan Norwood was far from the only one utterly captivated by her.

Back then in Metropia, many young masters from the great families had taken an interest, but no one knew that the one who had also been moved was Silas Norwood, a man as seemingly unreachable as the moon in the sky.

He had been invited to the coming-of-age banquet for the Sterlings’ only Little Princess, Celia Sterling. His clothes had gotten stained with wine, so he left midway through, but as he was passing a dressing room, a soft, delicate hand pulled him inside.

The hand was clearly weak and soft, but when Silas Norwood saw the Emperor Jade Bracelet on the person’s wrist—a bracelet that, tonight, belonged only to the star of the banquet—he inexplicably complied.

"Brother," the girl’s voice was sweet and delicate. With her back to him, she sounded a little frustrated. "Help me with the zipper on my dress."

In Celia Sterling’s private dressing room, more than a dozen exquisite gowns were hanging. The zipper on the one she was wearing was stuck at her waist, revealing a large expanse of smooth, cool, pale skin above it.

It was completely bare; she was wearing nothing underneath.

Silas Norwood, who was about to explain, abruptly shut his mouth.

’At a time like this, not speaking would be rude, but speaking would be even ruder.’ He remained silent, but he quietly reached out a hand. Taking care not to touch her skin, he slowly pulled up her zipper.

"Thanks, Brother," Celia Sterling complained softly. "I don’t know where the dressing room attendant went off to slack. They should have their pay docked."

Behind her, there was only the sound of extremely cool, calm breathing.

Celia prepared to turn around. "Shall we go out together?"

The next moment, a pair of cool hands landed on her shoulders, holding her in place through the thin fabric of her gown and stopping her from turning.

"Don’t move."

The voice was very low, distant and unfamiliar, and clearly not Kian Sterling’s.

Celia Sterling froze, a look of shock and embarrassment flashing in her eyes, but she didn’t dare move again.

Not until the sound of footsteps behind her gradually faded away.

When Silas Norwood changed his clothes and returned to the banquet hall, Celia Sterling was already sitting next to Kian Sterling.

She seemed a bit distracted, her gaze sweeping over the guests one by one. Whenever she saw a man wearing clothes of a similar color to Kian Sterling’s and of a similar build, she couldn’t help but look a few extra times.

"What are you looking at?" Kian Sterling straightened a stray lock of her hair. "Looking for someone?"

"Oh, no, just looking around." Celia snapped back to reality and sized up her brother. "Did you go to the dressing room just now?"

"You’re a girl changing clothes. Why would I follow you in there?" Kian Sterling said, his tone suddenly turning cold. "What’s wrong? Did someone break in?"

"No," Celia replied perfunctorily, her eyes once again scanning the guests as she searched discreetly.

Silas Norwood stood in a corner partially hidden by a screen, quietly observing the girl who was looking around like a frightened fawn. The next moment, his gaze met hers.