My Fiancé's Scandals Never End, So I Married His Uncle Instead-Chapter 48: The Taste of Gossip

"They’re here," Celia Sterling said simply, then fell silent.

Quinn Sinclair’s gaze first swept over Declan Norwood in the distance. Then, she spent a good while searching among the members of the Norwood Conglomerate trailing behind the leaders of the Eight Great Families. There were a few young men, but...

"Maybe it’s because Silas Norwood is here." Quinn Sinclair shook her head, unable to hide her disappointment. "All the other Norwood men look like a bunch of duds to me now. Every single one has this jaded, world-weary vibe. They’re not even as good as the old Declan Norwood. Cece, which one is it?"

Celia Sterling didn’t answer.

Her gaze shifted back and forth between Kian Sterling and Silas Norwood, and she unexpectedly met their eyes. Though they all looked away in an instant, the young ladies had all their attention focused on the two men, and not even the slightest stir escaped their notice.

"Oh my god! Did anyone just see Chairman Sterling’s expression? So gentle, so doting! Who was he looking at? Ahhh, who was it!"

"He’s famous for being a doting big brother. Who else would he be looking at? I’m more curious about that ice prince from the Norwood Family. He just glanced our way, too. How do I describe it... it was like he was looking at a beloved pet. Such a heart-melting gaze!"

"He was looking at me..." someone in the crowd muttered delusionally. "Chairman Norwood must have recognized me."

As if possessed, one of the young ladies in a gown suddenly rushed out in a trance, running straight toward the circle of dignitaries.

"What the hell, what is Jasmine Lowell doing?" Nina Sterling’s face changed abruptly. This was her party, and she couldn’t afford to have a scene. "In front of everyone, can she possibly still be hung up on Kian Sterling? That damn woman! Has she lost her mind!"

Jasmine Lowell had already charged recklessly into the center of the crowd, right in front of the group of powerful figures from elite families. Her gaze, however, wasn’t on Kian Sterling, but fell eagerly upon Silas Norwood.

From somewhere behind Silas Norwood, several tall, grim-faced bodyguards appeared, creating a safe distance between him and Jasmine Lowell.

"Jasmine, what are you doing!" The Lowell Patriarch, also from one of the great families, paled slightly as he looked at his daughter. "Stop this nonsense! Go back!"

"Chairman Norwood..." Jasmine Lowell gazed fervently at Silas Norwood. At that matchmaking event in the concert hall years ago, separated by a white jade screen, his voice alone had been enough to make her utterly obsessed, captivated for years.

Ever since recognizing his voice at The Sovereign Club, she had been lost in a haze of anxiety and apprehension. That, combined with the glance Silas Norwood had just thrown at the crowd, made it impossible to hide her dormant delusions any longer.

"Do you remember me? Three years ago, private room number one at the concert hall—"

Silas Norwood cut her off nonchalantly. "Never been."

The next moment, a few bodyguards stepped forward and gestured for Jasmine Lowell to leave.

The crown prince of the Lowell Family silently cursed and came out to forcibly remove his sister, who clearly couldn’t read the room. The Lowell Patriarch, bracing himself, offered a low-voiced apology. The atmosphere hung strangely heavy for a moment, until Silas Norwood said, "Let’s go," and the crowd of dignitaries and socialites resumed their cheerful chatter as they headed for the inner hall.

A large business lounge was set up in the inner hall.

Among the dignitaries and socialites were not only the elite families of Metropia but also key figures from politics and business. Wyatt Sutton, the "crown prince" of the Sutton Family of Port Sovereign, was also present. One of the several projects under negotiation was the Port Sovereign Harbor A renovation project. As the representative for Port Sovereign, he held significant sway in these discussions.

While other women were staring ardently at Kian Sterling and Silas Norwood, someone in the shadows kept their attention fixed solely on Wyatt Sutton.

By the rockery in the distance, Summer Sutton, who had been laughing and chatting with a group of wealthy ladies, let her gaze linger on Wyatt Sutton for a long time. Only when he entered the inner hall and disappeared from view did she look away and resume her social obligations.

The words of Second Young Master Sutton, Brian Sutton, echoed repeatedly in her mind:

"’That mad dog Wyatt Sutton is in contact with the Ninth Master. They’re planning to devour your share of the stocks together...’"

A chill crept into her heart.

The next moment, a cool, lazy voice sounded from behind her. "What are you doing here?"

Summer Sutton spun around to see the Eldest Young Master of the Norwood Conglomerate, Declan Norwood, staring coldly at her.

「On the other side.」

Amidst the cluster of beautifully dressed socialites, they were still gossiping about the drama between Jasmine Lowell and Silas Norwood from a moment ago.

"When did Lowell the Third get so bold? And she actually tried to hit on Silas Norwood? That man is famous for staying away from romance, for being utterly celibate." Miss Warren, who had also been at The Sovereign Club last time, lamented, "Don’t tell me her soul was stolen away after seeing Silas Norwood that time?"

"Silas Norwood certainly can steal souls." Nina Sterling glanced at the young ladies, who were all still captivated by the allure of Cinnabar and Moonlight. "How else could he have driven us crazy for so many years? It’s a shame he’s on too high a pedestal, completely out of reach. If it were anyone else, I’d snatch him up and take him home for a taste."

’A taste of Silas Norwood?’

The memory of Silas Norwood’s cool, bone-deep scent uncontrollably surfaced in Celia Sterling’s mind.

As did the memory of that scorching, yet brief, kiss in the dark corridor of ZONE Club.

Just as she was lost in thought, someone exclaimed, "Holy crap! Declan Norwood and that Superstar Sutton are fighting!"

The fresh-baked gossip instantly dispelled the spell cast by Kian Sterling and Silas Norwood. The pampered young ladies, one by one, composed their expressions and, with steps either haughty or leisurely, drifted in twos and threes toward the rockery to watch the show.

At the rockery, Summer Sutton looked at Declan Norwood, her voice gentle. "I am here, naturally, because I received an invitation from the Sterling Family."

Declan Norwood sneered. "You’re just an actress from the entertainment industry. Why would the Sterling Family send you an invitation?"

Summer Sutton met his gaze. "In what capacity are you questioning me, Eldest Young Master Norwood? You’re merely a guest of the Sterling Family yourself. I was invited by them. Since when do you have the right to say I can’t be here?"

She wasn’t the only major celebrity who came today. Many large-scale banquets hosted by elite families would invite A-list stars to liven up the atmosphere. Plus, considering Summer Sutton’s ambiguous relationship with Kian Sterling, the invitation had been personally sent by Crown Prince Sterling, who was unaware of the full story and had been thinking of doing Kian Sterling a favor.

Whether or not Crown Prince Sterling had actually earned any goodwill from Kian Sterling, he didn’t know. But his good friend, Declan Norwood, was in an absolutely foul mood because of this woman’s arrival.

"Miss Sutton, you have quite a sharp tongue. I didn’t notice that last time in Port Sovereign." Declan Norwood reached up, adjusted his baseball cap, and let out a lazy chuckle. "You were so gentle and considerate that night. Quite likable, actually."

The moment he said this, it instantly reminded everyone present of that trending topic from Port Sovereign. Countless gazes, thick with gossip, shifted between Summer Sutton and Declan Norwood.

Summer Sutton’s expression turned ugly. She steadied herself. "With your status, Eldest Young Master Norwood, who would dare to be disrespectful to your face? It’s a good thing we ran into each other today. Regarding that misunderstanding in Port Sovereign, you accidentally left that royal necklace at my place. I’ve already sent my assistant to get it and will return it to you shortly."

"Who the fuck wants a second-hand item that someone else has used?" Declan Norwood’s tone was dark, his words a double entendre, leaving it unclear whether he was talking about the necklace or Summer Sutton herself.

In the crowd of onlookers, Quinn Sinclair lowered her voice to a whisper and tugged on Celia Sterling’s sleeve. "Declan Norwood is such a petty, sharp-tongued bastard. I really don’t know what you ever saw in him."

Celia Sterling didn’t want to discuss Declan Norwood, so she remained silent.

But though she said nothing, someone else dragged her into the line of fire. A certain wealthy lady from an elite family, unaware of the inside story about the switched fiancés, spoke up with a placating smile:

"Miss Sterling, it’s not good to cause a scene at an event like this. Isn’t Eldest Young Master Norwood your fiancé? Everyone in the Capital Circle knows he listens to you most. You should do something to control him."