novelraw Chapter 186: Giving the Bride Away
Chapter 186: Giving the Bride Away
Franklin Sterling’s hand, holding the teacup, trembled. He’d thought he was being careful, but he clearly never expected his defiant son to have penetrated so deeply into his private life.
Kian Sterling scoffed. "With so many children already, I’m surprised you have any fatherly love left to spare for Cece, Mr. Sterling. But my Cece doesn’t need your brand of suffocating affection. If you know what’s good for you, I can arrange a flight for you back overseas this afternoon."
Franklin Sterling switched from defense to offense, deciding to lay his cards on the table. "I came back for two reasons. Attending Cece’s wedding is one. The other is to discuss the matter of the shares with you again."
"You and I settled the matter of the shares clearly years ago, Mr. Sterling. There’s nothing to discuss."
"Nothing to discuss?" Franklin Sterling fought the urge to hurl his teacup at him. "When you took over, the Sterling Group was just another wealthy enterprise. In just a few short years, you propelled it into the ranks of the super-rich. Its market value has more than doubled—it’s multiplied several times over! And what do I get? A paltry ten or twenty million a month. Are you treating me like a beggar?"
"So you do realize it was only after I took charge that I propelled The Sterlings into the league of the super-rich." Kian Sterling’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. "Ten or twenty million a month is more than enough for you to lavishly support those little messes of yours. If I felt like it, I could ensure you don’t get a single cent. Care to test me?"
"You bastard! How did I ever end up with a defiant whelp like you!"
Franklin Sterling took a deep breath. "I heard a rumor. That Cece is from the Sutton Family—"
The indifference on Kian Sterling’s face finally cracked, replaced by genuine fury. He cut him off abruptly, showing Franklin Sterling no more mercy.
"Of your dozen or so illegitimate children, three are suspected of money laundering. One is connected to the disappearance of a certain bureau chief’s daughter. Your eldest illegitimate daughter is the mistress of some senior executive..."
Franklin Sterling’s face turned ashen.
Kian Sterling slowly raised a cup of tea. "And then there are other matters. Your fifth mistress, for instance. She had a husband, didn’t she? The one who rolled off a cliff on a stormy night. Did you really think you could rest easy just because there were no cameras? What if, say, a hiker happened to record the whole thing on their phone?"
Franklin Sterling’s eyes darkened as he stared daggers at Kian Sterling.
"I have a complete chain of evidence for everything I just mentioned. And if that’s still not enough for you, we can discuss the various commercial crimes you’ve skirted the line on overseas..."
"Enough!" Franklin Sterling bit out each word. "You are ruthless."
’If I weren’t, how could I have clawed my way back from hell all those years ago?’
Only then did Kian Sterling leisurely ask, "What was that rumor you mentioned hearing about Cece?"
"Cece is the eldest daughter of the Sutton Family, Summer Sutton..." Franklin Sterling trailed off, unable to finish his sentence under Kian Sterling’s increasingly cold and inscrutable gaze.
A phone chimed.
Kian Sterling opened WeChat and accepted the voice call request.
"Brother, when are you coming back?" Celia Sterling’s sweet, soft voice came through the phone.
Kian Sterling’s voice was full of affection. "I’ll be right back, Cece. Be good."
After ending the call, Kian Sterling turned back to Franklin Sterling. "The side hall has a nice view, a good line of sight. The treasure I raised with my own two hands is finally getting married. If you’re so determined to watch, you can do it from here. Your seat on the afternoon flight is still reserved. Contact me when you’ve come to your senses."
With that, he rose and strode away.
The moment he disappeared around the corner, a teacup was hurled from the side hall, smashing against the wall where he had just been.
Silas Norwood’s bridal procession arrived at the Sterling Villa right at the auspiciously chosen time.
The noble man still carried his usual unapproachable, ascetic air, but a shimmer of emotion could be seen in his eyes. Though he was accustomed to a minimalist black-and-white wardrobe, today he wore a warmer-toned shirt under his suit. From the moment he stepped out of the car, his gaze was fixed on Celia Sterling.
Kian Sterling emerged, carrying Celia Sterling on his back.
It wasn’t the first time he had carried her on his back.
Having depended on each other for so many years, she had practically become Kian Sterling’s shadow, constantly clinging to him. She would climb onto his back or leap into his arms to play around at a moment’s notice. Today, however, was entirely different.
"Brother," Celia Sterling whispered, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. "Just because I’m getting married doesn’t mean you can stop caring about me. I’ll still come back to stay for a couple of days every week."
"How could I ever stop caring about you?" Kian Sterling’s voice was low and hoarse as he felt her weight on his back and heard her soft voice by his ear. "I just hope you won’t grow distant from me, Cece."
"I won’t," Celia Sterling mumbled. "You’re the only real family I have, Brother. I want us to be close for the rest of our lives."
Kian Sterling hummed softly, lowering his gaze to hide his bittersweet feelings. He carried her over to Silas Norwood and placed her in his care.
"I know your feelings must be complicated, Kade," Silas Norwood said solemnly, his tone layered with an unreadable meaning. "Mine are as well."
"A lifetime is a long time, and the human heart is the most fickle of things." Kian Sterling watched Celia settle into Silas Norwood’s arms, then met his gaze. "I’ll skip the pleasantries. Just one thing: if your heart ever changes, tell me. I will personally bring her home."
Looking at the seemingly calm Kian Sterling, Silas Norwood was inexplicably reminded of that one night, when Kian had said, "Silas Norwood, this is the last time I’m letting go."
Now that he knew about Celia Sterling’s other identity, that sentence took on an even more complicated meaning.
Before, he had simply thought Kian Sterling was an overprotective brother who lacked a sense of boundaries.
Now, he felt that Kian must have endured immense inner torment over this marriage alliance.
"Kade," Silas Norwood sighed, responding earnestly to Kian Sterling’s warning. "My feelings for Cece are not just a whim. It’s... I’ve been in love with her from afar for many years."
When she was the one he had cherished in his heart for so long, he wasn’t about to simply fall for someone else.
Outside the main gate, a row of luxury cars belonging to the groomsmen was parked. The men themselves stood off to the side, serving as a well-behaved, festive backdrop.
Declan Norwood, however, was a different story.
He had been the one to originally choose this wedding date.
’He had eagerly pored over the almanac to pick the perfect day, only for his own foolishness to pave the way for his uncle to marry her instead.’
’During all those days in Solisia, he couldn’t help but feel wronged every time he thought about the switched engagement. But now, watching the evenly matched presence of Silas Norwood and Kian Sterling and the easy way they interacted, he recalled how he had always been so timid and fearful around Kian. He had to admit it: Silas Norwood and Celia Sterling were a better match.’
’But Silas Norwood’s words—’I’ve been in love with her from afar for many years’—still dealt him a heavy blow.’
’If that was true, then what did that supposedly unavoidable swap of fiancés mean to Silas?’
’Was he forced into it, or had it been premeditated all along?’
Declan Norwood’s mind was in turmoil, but he knew better than to cause a scene. He didn’t dare question anything at an event like this. His spirits just sank lower and lower as he was led through the wedding day motions by the other groomsmen in a complete daze, like a walking corpse.
"Declan, stop looking like you’re at a funeral. We’re here for a wedding, not a burial," the Sinclair Family’s Crown Prince hissed, his expression dark as he pulled Declan to the back of the group. "Keep that look on your face, and the entire groomsmen party is going to go down with you."
Declan didn’t say anything, but he knew this funereal demeanor was out of place. He managed to force a deeply strained smile onto his face.