My Fiancé's Scandals Never End, So I Married His Brother Instead

Chapter 14: His Old Love

Jade Orchid Manor.

It was a villa estate developed by the Norwood Group years ago, tailored specifically to Silas Norwood’s tastes. In the heart of Metropia, where every inch of land is worth a fortune, Jade Orchid Manor enclosed a vast lake. Magnificent modern Chinese gardens were built around the water, perfectly blending contemporary aesthetics with traditional elements. It was just like Silas Norwood himself: calm and restrained, yet with a nobility so refined it was dazzling to behold.

Dusk fell, and the manor’s lights began to glow.

Jade Orchid Manor was exceptionally quiet. In a side hall, the butler was softly instructing the new staff:

"Chairman Norwood is a very busy man and never concerns 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.

"The Chairman prefers quiet. The quieter, the better. Whenever he is home, no one is to speak loudly. Furthermore, he dislikes anything gaudy. Uncle Linden, you’re in charge of the estate’s floral arrangements. You must remember not to cultivate any flowers that are too vibrant. Keep them simple and elegant.

"Sis Chambers, you are responsible for cleaning the third floor. You must remember never to touch the Chairman’s personal garments in his bedroom and bathroom. Someone else is specifically assigned to handle them."

The new staff members were all professionally trained. Though they didn’t understand the reasons, they noted every word.

After a few seconds of silence, the butler added, "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 here is thirty-five or thirty-six. Who among us would be so shameless as to harbor fantasies about the master of the house..."

"The last one who was dismissed was thirty-eight," the butler said, his tone complicated. "Simply because she secretly kept a tie Chairman Norwood had discarded. That entire group of over twenty servants was implicated and fired 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 finished speaking, the sound of a car engine rumbled from outside.

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

The next moment, Silas Norwood walked in.

Long legs, a narrow waist, an air of noble indifference. His light golden eyes held a cool detachment, and his every step carried the subtle pressure of a man in power. Yet, because of his elegant and graceful bearing, one couldn’t help but stare, even knowing it was impertinent.

As he drew closer under the warm, dim lights, his incomparably handsome features came into focus, momentarily making the lush midsummer splendor of the manor seem to fade.

The servants who had just been so adamantly proclaiming their professionalism fell into a collective silence.

’A man who looks like that... Forget thirty-something, even a few of the maids in their fifties felt their girlish hearts flutter...’

Butler Kensington glanced around. Seeing the dazed, star-struck looks in their eyes, he knew today’s little meeting had been a complete waste of time.

He mentally plotted how he would hammer the point home again later, but his face was already wreathed in a smile as he stepped forward to greet him.

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

"No need. I’ve already eaten," Silas Norwood replied with impeccable manners. He gave the roomful of new faces a casual glance before ascending the stairs with elegant detachment.

The master bedroom on the third floor.

From the master bedroom’s enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, one could see the shimmering lake in the distance.

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

The red liquid swirled in his glass. Silas held the glass and gazed at the colorful reflection on the lake for a moment before taking out his phone again and opening a private photo album.

Streams of light from the landscape lamps outside filtered in, casting flickering shadows. They didn’t illuminate Silas Norwood’s face, but they made the already bright screen perfectly clear.

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 demure silhouette 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, lounging in a club. Her large, round, innocent almond eyes, devoid of any ulterior motive, curiously sized up a male model with an eight-pack.

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

There was the lovely young businesswoman from a photo downloaded from the Sterlings’ official website, her features intentionally blurred, leaning softly against Kian Sterling as she earnestly cut a ceremonial ribbon...

Over a thousand photos, all of the same face.

It was like a dazzling slideshow, chronicling a girl’s journey from innocent youth to early womanhood. The scenes changed, the years passed, and time nurtured her into a breathtaking rose that could steal one’s soul.

Celia Sterling.

The black thumb ring on his finger tapped lightly against the rim of the glass. Silas Norwood took a sip of the red wine, the color staining his pale, cool lips. He raised a hand, brushing his fingertips across them. A faint hint of warmth flickered in his amber eyes.

His cold, reserved expression seemed to gain a subtle luster.

"Celia Sterling," he murmured to himself, but after speaking her name, he said nothing more.

「Much, much later.」

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

At Celia Sterling’s eighteenth birthday party, Declan Nash was far from the only one utterly captivated by her.

Back then, many young masters from Metropia’s elite families had been tempted. But no one knew that among those whose mortal hearts were stirred was Silas Norwood, a man often likened to the moon in the sky.

He had been invited to the coming-of-age banquet for the Sterlings’ only Little Princess, Celia Sterling. After spilling wine on his clothes, he had left midway through the event. But as he passed a dressing room, a soft hand suddenly pulled him inside.

The hand was surprisingly weak, soft and yielding, but when Silas Norwood saw the Emperor Jade Bracelet on her wrist—a bracelet that belonged only to the night’s guest of honor—he found himself, on some strange impulse, complying.

"Brother," the girl’s voice was sweet and delicate, though laced with a hint of irritation. Her back was to him. "Can you help me with my zipper?"

In Celia Sterling’s private dressing room, over ten exquisite gowns hung on display. The zipper on the one she was wearing was stuck at her waist, revealing a large expanse of smooth, pale skin above it.

It was completely bare; she wore nothing underneath.

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

At a time like this, not speaking was already forward, but speaking would be even more so. He remained silent, quietly reaching out. With extreme care, trying his best not to touch her skin, he slowly pulled the zipper up.

"Thanks, brother," Celia Sterling grumbled softly. "The attendant for the dressing room must be slacking off somewhere. I should have her pay docked."

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

Celia started to turn. "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 extremely low, distant and unfamiliar. It was clearly not Kian Sterling’s.

Celia Sterling froze. A look of shock and embarrassment flashed in her eyes, and she didn’t dare move another inch.

Not until the footsteps behind her faded into the distance.

When Silas Norwood returned to the banquet hall after changing his clothes, Celia Sterling was already seated beside Kian Sterling.

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

"What are you looking at?" Kian Sterling tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "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 were changing clothes. Why would I follow you in there?" Kian Sterling said, his tone suddenly turning cold. "What’s wrong? Did someone force their way in?"

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

Standing in a corner half-hidden by a screen, Silas Norwood quietly watched the girl look around like a frightened deer. The next moment, his eyes met hers.