Silas Norwood had a preference for a cool, aloof style.
Today, he was once again dressed in minimalist, high-end custom black casual wear. The cuffs were embroidered with a mysterious and noble totem in silver thread. Aside from a very conspicuous black thumb ring, he wore no other accessories.
Surrounded by a crowd, Silas Norwood's eyes were as pale as if coated in a thin layer of ice.
He sat on the sofa, elegant and distinguished, like a sculpture of ice and jade—noble and unapproachable. It was as if a layer of fog separated him from the surrounding clamor. But when his gaze met Celia Sterling's, her reflection was clearly etched into his amber eyes, and the distant aura around him instantly melted away like snow and ice.
The feeling was indescribable.
It was as if... she was different to him.
A faint blush warmed Celia Sterling's face, and she reflexively avoided his gaze.
A fleeting, almost imperceptible smile crossed Silas Norwood's eyes. He lowered his head again, flipping through a document in his hands without saying a word.
After Justin Norwood, Jude Norwood, and their wives had been chatting back and forth for over ten minutes, Silas Norwood finally interrupted them coolly:
"Justin, Jude, Chairman Sterling is a busy man. That's enough pleasantries."
Justin Norwood and Jude Norwood took the hint and fell silent, ceding the floor to the current, unpredictable head of the family.
Silas Norwood pushed the document in his hands across to Kian Sterling. "Kade, shall we get straight to business?"
Kian Sterling teased, "You were quiet for so long, I thought you were planning to let your esteemed brothers handle the entire marriage switch and wash your hands of it."
"How could I dare let others handle my own marriage?"
Silas Norwood's voice was crisp as he responded seriously to Kian Sterling. He then turned his gaze to Celia Sterling's face, his sharp eyes softening a fraction. "Cece, we meet again."
Celia Sterling recalled the slightly awkward moment they'd added each other as friends the day before. Her mind, which had just been flustered by his subtle gaze, instantly settled, and she greeted him politely:
"Silas."
Silas Norwood gave a soft "mhm" in acknowledgment, then opened the document and asked the siblings for their opinion in a gentle and refined manner:
"Chairman Sterling, Cece, shall we proceed with signing the new marriage agreement?"
Kian Sterling casually tossed a document over as well.
"This was the original one with Declan Nash. The engagement is void. The Sterling Family will return the relevant betrothal gifts mentioned in the agreement within three days, including Declan Nash's personal shares worth several hundred million, eighty-eight real estate properties, and one hundred million in cash."
Celia Sterling tugged on Kian Sterling's sleeve. "Brother, don't forget that whole cabinet of trinkets."
Kian Sterling glanced at his sister. "There were a few things in there I recall you being rather fond of."
Celia Sterling just said, "Oh. They're just objects. Nothing irreplaceable."
A hint of a smile flashed in Kian Sterling's eyes as he turned back to the Norwoods.
"Over the years, Declan Nash has given my sister a lot of jewelry. All told, it adds up to nearly four hundred million, including the Star of the Blue Sea, worth 180 million, from the recent Port Sovereign auction. That will all be returned as well."
When Justin Norwood and his wife heard phrases like "four hundred million" and "180 million," even though they came from a super-rich family, they were still left choking with anger at their own love-struck, spendthrift son.
The eldest branch of the family was in decline. For the initial betrothal gifts, Declan Nash had practically thrown in all the personal assets he could liquidate. Although Justin Norwood and Mrs. Norwood were displeased, they knew Miss Sterling was a prized daughter, so they grumbled a bit and let it go.
'Who would have known that the prodigal son had spent such a huge sum trying to curry favor with Celia Sterling over the past few years? No wonder the companies he managed were doing poorly and had unstable cash flow. He was always coming home crying poor. With all his money drained, it would have been a miracle if things *were* stable...'
Frustration was one thing.
But they still had to keep up appearances. Mrs. Norwood smiled and demurred,
"By all means, return what's on the official gift list, but there's no need to return the jewelry. After all this, Celia is still becoming one of the Norwoods. She can just keep them to play with."
Celia Sterling's tone was serious. "If we're returning things, we should return everything completely, to avoid any gossip."
"Keep them," Silas Norwood said unhurriedly. "After today, he'll have to call you 'auntie.' It's only right for a nephew to show respect to his elders with a few little trinkets."
The smiles on Justin Norwood and Mrs. Norwood's faces almost cracked!
Silas Norwood not only controlled the majority of the Norwood Conglomerate's shares but had also single-handedly founded several ecosystem-based corporate groups with massive cash flows. Money was the one thing he didn't lack.
Several hundred million might be a "little trinket" to Silas Norwood, but for the eldest branch of the family, which had been half-sidelined, it was no small sum.
Getting it back would naturally be for the best.
However, Silas Norwood had always wielded a quiet dominance within the family. When he made a decision, not only did others have no say, but even his own brothers, Justin and Jude, were powerless.
Justin Norwood's heart was bleeding, but he smiled and nodded. "Yes, yes, Miss Sterling should just keep them."
Celia Sterling shook her head slightly, looking at Silas Norwood earnestly. "I said, I want them returned."
Her eyes were clear and bright, yet held a captivating allure that tugged at the heart. Silas Norwood only met her gaze for two short seconds before looking away.
"Then return them. I'll refill your cabinet with double the amount later."
He had changed his mind so easily over a single sentence from Celia Sterling. Justin and Jude Norwood exchanged a look of shocked suspicion. For Justin, however, the recovery of several hundred million in jewelry was a huge relief, and his smile became a bit more genuine.
"Silas, several auction houses have sent their catalogs to The Norwood Family. When you have time, you should pick out some headline treasures for our Celia."
"I don't need my older brother's help deciding what to give my fiancée."
Silas Norwood replied coolly, his hand, adorned with the thumb ring, tapping lightly on the other agreement to bring the topic back on track.
"Although this is a marriage switch, the Norwood Family was discourteous first, so naturally, we can't offer the same standard of betrothal gifts as before. This is my list of gifts. Chairman Sterling, Cece, would you care to take a look?"
The agreement was quite thick. Its contents were largely the same as the voided one, but the amounts for the shares, real estate, and cash gifts had all been multiplied several times over. It was incredibly extravagant, yet not entirely out of line considering Silas Norwood's net worth.
Looking at the astonishing figures on the densely packed gift list, Celia Sterling understood for the first time just how outrageously wealthy the head of the Norwood Family, known as The Capital Circle's number one Moneybags, truly was.
"Only the value of the betrothal gifts has been adjusted; the wedding date remains the same." Silas Norwood paused for a moment. "The wedding is in three months. Given that Cece and I are not yet well-acquainted, I hope we can go on at least two dates a week during these three months to get to know each other."
Celia Sterling was a little stunned and didn't know how to respond.
Kian Sterling, however, gave a smirk that wasn't quite a smile, his voice cool. "Dates? What kind of dates?"
Kian Sterling was extremely protective and strict with Celia Sterling. In the three years Declan Nash had dated her, their most intimate acts had been holding hands and hugging.
It wasn't that the restless Declan Nash hadn't had other ideas, but of the many times he painstakingly tried to lure Celia Sterling to his own turf, he only succeeded once—and even then, Kian Sterling had personally escorted her.
"I heard you invited my sister to play an 'exploration game.'" Kian Sterling's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Exploring what? Her body?"