My Fiancé's Scandals Never End, So I Married His Uncle Instead-Chapter 44: High-End Game

ZONE Club was one of Kian Sterling’s business ventures, something he started on a whim. Compared to the Lowell Family’s The Sovereign Club, ZONE was in a league of its own. As Metropia’s most notorious den of extravagance, its members were all figures of immense power.

There were no male escorts.

Instead, every man who walked through its doors was a young master from one of Metropia’s elite families, personally vetted by him. They were capable, handsome, shrewd, and knew how to have a good time.

These young masters had, to varying degrees, already touched the core of their families’ power. In fact, most were the designated successors hand-picked by the heads of their respective clans. On a normal day, they were all busy with their own affairs, but when they gathered, they formed Metropia’s most influential circle of heirs, a veritable concentration of wealth and power.

Silas Norwood never partook in the debauchery of club gatherings.

Even for highly private business meetings, he chose proper business clubs under his own name. The clubs controlled by the Norwood Conglomerate were the complete antithesis of a hedonistic place like Kian Sterling’s: they were respectable venues for commercial exchange, frequented mostly by the heads of major families and founders of business empires. In terms of age and looks, they naturally couldn’t compare to the younger crowd at ZONE, but the level of prestige and power was in another realm entirely.

Silas Norwood had been summoned here by a single phone call from Kian Sterling.

An invitation from his brother-in-law was difficult to refuse, especially since Kian Sterling had added over the phone, "This party is specifically for Cece."

He had long known that the reckless Kian Sterling would occasionally take Celia Sterling to clubs to find male escorts. The moment he heard that, he understood what was going on. Less than half an hour later, he appeared in this den of extravagance he had never before set foot in.

The main hall of the club, which had just been a scene of relaxed, hedonistic indulgence, instantly fell into a strange silence.

Who was Silas Norwood?

He was the man in charge of the Norwood Conglomerate, a "flower on a high mountain" placed upon a pedestal. He usually only associated with the fathers and grandfathers of the young masters present; juniors like them were only qualified to serve him tea.

And now, he had suddenly appeared here, ready to ’slum it’ with them?

The young masters exchanged bewildered glances, unaware that ripples were also forming in the heart of this aloof and noble magnate. His long, pale gold eyes swept coolly across the club’s lavish main hall. In the very center, Kian Sterling, dressed in a dazzling, galaxy-purple shirt, sat coolly on the sofa, legs crossed. He surveyed the scene with a detached air, as if he were a mere spectator, yet at the same time, it seemed he had long been shackled to this world of sensual pleasures.

Silas Norwood walked over and sat down beside him.

"I was expecting male escorts," Silas Norwood said, now taking his time to properly survey the scene. He didn’t interact much with the second and third generations, but these heirs were regulars at high-end banquets, so most of their faces were at least vaguely familiar. That, combined with the aristocratic bearing that came from being steeped in power, allowed him to grasp the situation after a moment’s thought. "Kade, it seems you’ve summoned all the young, handsome faces from the second and third-generation circles."

Kian Sterling grunted in agreement. "It’s just for fun. Best to pick men with money and looks. Spoil her tastes a little, so that girl doesn’t lose her self-control when she’s out and about."

Silas Norwood said, "...So, you called me here to...?"

"Cece loves to have fun, but taking her out to places like this..." Kian Sterling said slowly. "Once you two are married, that will also become your responsibility. I’m just handing things over to you in advance."

Silas Norwood lowered his gaze, his voice flat. "You’re too generous, Kade. Treating our Cece to such fine dining on a regular basis."

"I haven’t taken her out in a long time." Kian Sterling glanced at him, seeing the truth but not exposing it. "After that girl came back from your place a few days ago, she’s been restless, tossing and turning all night. I don’t know what’s wrong, so I figured I’d bring her out to relax a bit."

He said it casually.

Silas Norwood’s reply was just as casual. "She does need to cool down."

Celia Sterling arrived a little later.

The hall was crowded. Silas Norwood and Kian Sterling were surrounded by people trying to curry favor, so Celia Sterling didn’t notice them at first.

But everyone else was a familiar face. She could only vaguely make out Kian Sterling’s silhouette through a gap in the crowd. As for who was next to him, completely obscured from view, she didn’t care. In the next moment, she was already greeting the others.

"Hello, big brothers."

The club was divided into several areas. Aside from the crowd chatting around Kian Sterling and Silas Norwood, other groups had formed different activities: playing mahjong, card games, bowling, or just sipping wine and chatting. There was a cluster of people here, a bunch over there, and everywhere you looked, there were handsome, eye-catching men who embodied both wealth and good looks.

"Little sister Celia, come to Brother Ethan’s arms, I’ll teach you to play cards," the Crown Prince of the Rhodes Family said, waving with a grin. "I taught you Fight the Landlord last time. Let’s see if you still remember."

The Crown Prince of the Sinclair Family, good-natured as ever, called to her from the drinking circle, "Come over and keep us company. What’s so fun about cards? The most handsome men are all over here with Brother Sean."

The Crown Prince of the Sterling Family clicked his tongue. "What’s the use of being handsome? The men in our circle are the ones who really know how to have fun. Little sister Celia, a while back you and our Nina were so desperate you were looking for male escorts. Come on over, let your big brother cleanse your palate and show you what a real top-tier man looks like..."

This was the biggest difference between this group of young masters and male escorts.

They weren’t trying to pick her up, but they weren’t exactly proper either. They would joke around, yet they masterfully maintained a certain boundary. Many in this group were former suitors of Celia Sterling who had been defeated by Kian Sterling. No one knew what her brilliant and cunning brother had done, but he had managed to whip them into submission, turning them into members of her ’brother circle’.

Celia Sterling drifted from one group to another, chatting with Sean, helping Ethan draw his cards, then watching a few sensual but not vulgar dances over by the Sterling contingent. Her restless mood from the past few days gradually calmed in this relaxed atmosphere.

Finally, she sat down at the mahjong table.

The Crown Prince of the Lowell Family, who was playing mahjong, casually tossed her a large pile of chips. "Little sister, if you win, it’s yours. If you lose, it’s on me. Play as boldly as you like."

The Crown Prince of the Marsh Family was even more generous, pulling out a contract. "Little sister, let’s play for something more exciting. If you beat me, I’ll give you that equestrian center in Westcroft. But if you lose... do you dare to kiss that handsome man sitting next to your brother?"

Celia Sterling held a mahjong tile and shook her head. "I have a fiancé. Fun is fun, but I have to draw the line somewhere."

"No guts," the Crown Prince of the Marsh Family said, casually feeding her a tile. "Then let’s switch it. You win, you have to kiss him. You lose, I’ll give you the equestrian center." 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Winning was out of her control, but losing was. This was clearly just a blatant excuse to give her the equestrian center.

Celia Sterling hummed in agreement and said casually, "Transfer the ownership tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll invite all of your little sisters to the equestrian center to have some fun."

With that, she discarded the most obvious winning tile for someone else.

The next moment, the circle of "big brother" heirs, who had been laughing and watching the show, suddenly fell silent in unison.

Celia Sterling raised an eyebrow at the Crown Prince of the Marsh Family. "Well, go on and take the tile."

"This round doesn’t count." From behind her came a voice—cold, indifferent, yet familiar to the bone. "Start over."

The next moment, as Celia Sterling sat frozen in a daze, a large, well-defined hand reached out and took back the tile she had just discarded. Celia’s eyes fixed on the shimmering black thumb ring on those fingers, as cold as jade, and she turned around by reflex.

And there, standing behind her, was the cold, beautiful man, his noble and imposing presence silencing the entire room.

Only Kian Sterling let out a soft chuckle, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

Silas Norwood was already leaning over her from behind, guiding her hand to pick up another tile. His voice was cool yet gentle.

"Brother Marsh and Brother Lowell are no good at cards. Little sister, come, let Brother Norwood teach you how to play."