"That won't be necessary." Silas Norwood pocketed his phone, a faint smile on his lips. "What Miss Sterling has given me is more than enough."
He was captivatingly elegant, his conduct impeccable.
Celia Sterling suddenly felt her earlier jibe had been out of line.
Silas Norwood lowered his gaze to his phone and opened her contact card. He paused for a moment. "Calling you Miss Sterling feels a bit too formal..."
Celia Sterling let out a soft "Oh." "You can call me Cece, like my brother does."
His slender fingers effortlessly changed her contact name to "Cece" before he casually extended a tentative invitation.
"The Norwood Building is right nearby. If you're not in a hurry, Cece, would you like to come to my office to get acquainted with the place? We could have some tea."
Although they were about to be engaged—a relationship more intimate than that of a boyfriend and girlfriend—they were, in truth, practically strangers.
Yet, that sense of distance was somehow bridged when he called her "Cece" in his cool, elegant voice.
Besides, as the future matriarch of the Norwood Conglomerate, Celia Sterling was bound to become a frequent visitor to the Norwood Building.
His invitation was hardly out of line.
"Some other time." Celia Sterling avoided his gaze. "Silas, I'm a bit busy today."
An image of her looking utterly relaxed and leisurely while drinking her coffee flashed through Silas Norwood's mind. He didn't call her out on it, simply humming in acknowledgment.
"That's true. We have plenty of time."
His gaze was clear and proper, his tone just as earnest, giving no hint of frivolity. It was as if he was completely unaware of the subtle, flirtatious ambiguity the phrase "we have plenty of time" carried when used between a man and a woman.
Her "Big Lizard" shot off like a streak of black light, roaring into the distance.
Her driving was a little unsteady, as if she were making a hasty escape—a stark contrast to the languid air she'd had while drinking her coffee.
Silas Norwood stood watching for a moment before pulling out his phone. He looked down and pinned Celia Sterling's number and chat to the top of his lists.
His assistant, Theo Chambers, who had been waiting patiently at a distance, walked up behind him and reminded him in a low voice,
"Boss, you're already fifteen minutes late for the morning meeting."
Silas Norwood pocketed his phone. "Alright, let's go."
「Sterling Design Building.」
The Sterling R&D and Design Department covered more than twenty fields, with its three main divisions—technology, fragrances, and jewelry/accessories—dominating a major share of the international market.
Celia Sterling wasn't an expert in technology or jewelry, so she had delegated responsibility for those divisions to several specialized executives.
Fragrance R&D, however, was her comfort zone.
It was ten in the morning by the time she reached the fragrance R&D department. The perfumers had just finished their morning tea and were gathered together, discussing the launch date for a new product.
"President Sterling, we knew you were coming today, so we saved a rose pastry for you." Director Linden brought an exquisite pastry over to Celia Sterling and thoughtfully pulled out her chair.
Celia Sterling sat down and took a bite. The pastry was filled with fresh, preserved rose petals. Her almond-shaped eyes lifted slightly.
"Are these roses from our suppliers in Rhovan?"
"That's our President Sterling for you—you can tell with a single bite," Director Linden explained with a smile. "We used the leftover rose petals from our latest product batch to make these pastries."
"Are there any left?"
"A few."
"Make a few more before the end of the day. A little sweeter this time," Celia Sterling said, her mood clearly lifted. "I'll take them home for my brother to try."
"The Chairman?" Director Linden was beyond flattered. "It would be an incredible honor if he tried something we made! I heard that some of those socialites from the top heiress circles often send him pastries made by world-class chefs, but they can't even get inside the Sterling Group building."
As the eldest daughter of the powerful Sterling Family, Celia Sterling was, of course, a member of that so-called circle of heiresses. She had seen for herself how those haughty socialites would bend over backward for Kian Sterling, but she certainly wasn't going to gossip about her own social circle in front of an employee.
She just hummed in response and changed the subject. "Is the launch date for the new product set?"
"The 9th of next month, the same day as the CBE 'Aroma Cup' Fragrance Awards Ceremony." The mention of work seemed to energize Director Linden. "In the first half of the year, our Sterling brand, 'Delia Caine,' won over a dozen awards. The ceremony is guaranteed to generate a massive amount of buzz. If we launch the new product then, we can save a fortune on advertising."
Celia Sterling nodded. "Sounds good."
"The two fragrances you personally developed both broke into the top three on the global luxury fragrance charts for the first half of the year," Director Linden added with a sigh of admiration. "It's a shame the Chairman wants you to keep a low profile. The honor that should be yours at the awards ceremony will have to be set aside once again."
"I only got into perfumery because it's a passion of mine," Celia Sterling said with a nonchalant smile.
"There's one more thing," Director Linden said hesitantly. "President Sterling, you're aware of Summer Sutton, I assume?"
The recent scandal involving her brother and Summer Sutton had turned both the entertainment industry and The Capital Circle upside down. Never mind Celia Sterling; the entire Sterling Group was probably secretly enjoying the gossip about their own chairman.
And regarding that whole trending scandal, Kian Sterling had taken no forceful measures to suppress it. He simply let it run its course, ignoring it completely and offering no explanation.
As a result, aside from Celia Sterling—whom Kian Sterling had explicitly told he would not marry Summer Sutton—no one could figure out his true feelings for this female confidante.
Celia Sterling looked at Director Linden. "There's no need to probe. Just say what's on your mind."
"Our endorsement contract with Best Actress Young expires next month. Her promotional efforts in recent months haven't met expectations, so the marketing department is planning to find a new brand ambassador."
Director Linden's tone was delicate. "And among the candidates we're currently considering is Summer Sutton. CEO Churchill from Marketing asked me to get your opinion on the matter privately."
"We'll discuss this later." Celia Sterling didn't give a definitive answer. "Send me the files on all the potential candidates."
Director Linden nodded in assent and said no more.
At two o'clock the following afternoon, the Norwood and Sterling families were scheduled to meet to sign the engagement agreement.
The meeting was to be held at Sterling Villa.
Only the siblings, Kian and Celia Sterling, lived in the sprawling villa. But Kian had spared no expense in raising his sister; with a dozen or so chefs alone, plus a butler and maids, the vast estate never felt cold or empty.
Representatives from the main and second branches of the Norwood Conglomerate arrived. The large, formally dressed group flanked an equally formal Silas Norwood as they took their seats in the main hall of the Sterling residence.
Justin Norwood from the main branch and his wife began by lavishing praise on the Sterling Villa's estate before getting to the point.
"Chairman Sterling, Celia, our family's patriarch passed away some time ago. For Silas's marriage, his uncle Jude and I will be representing our family in the discussions today."
Kian Sterling gave a noncommittal hum.
Jude Norwood, from the second branch of the Norwood Family, tried to liven up the atmosphere with a broad smile. "Chairman Sterling, you've worked with Silas often, so you must know what kind of man he is. His character is impeccable; he'll make a fine husband. As our families discuss this union today, if you or Miss Sterling are unsatisfied with anything, please don't hesitate to say so. We will accommodate all of your requests."
Celia Sterling clutched a delicate water bottle with a cartoon design, her almond eyes quietly observing the group of Norwoods and their feigned enthusiasm.
But then, her eyes unexpectedly met Silas Norwood's gaze.