"Leonard Sterling, what's wrong with you today?"Caleb Montgomery didn't knock. He entered directly after typing in the password.
Leonard Sterling had just walked out of the bathroom. When he saw Caleb suddenly barge in, he froze in place. "Why are you here?"
"Why can't I be?" Caleb plopped down on the sofa in Leonard's room.
Leonard didn't bother responding. He quietly picked up the clothes from the bed and stared at them for quite a while.
The new shirt had exactly the same pattern and color as the one Caleb was wearing.
"Leonard Sterling, are you done yet? I'm hungry." Caleb complained while playing on his phone on the sofa.
Leonard glanced at him and still put the shirt on.
The two of them left the room together and went back to the second floor.
Seeing a newlywed couple nearby, the others silently moved to sit farther away.
"What do you want to eat?" Leonard asked Caleb indifferently as he walked toward the grill.
"Let me see." Caleb put away his phone and walked over, looking at the skewers piled with meat and picking them one by one.
Caleb was standing very close to Leonard. Leonard quietly watched Caleb's profile and subconsciously reached out, touching his shadow on the ground.
"Leonard Sterling, what kind of meat is this?" Caleb raised a skewer, stopping Leonard's movement.
"Chicken."
Caleb nodded, placed it on his plate, and continued choosing.
Adrian Carter watched their interaction and silently kept it in mind.
"That's all." Caleb handed the plate to Leonard.
Leonard coldly looked at the plate full of carbs and various meats, then raised his head to meet Caleb's eyes. "Are you sure you can finish all this?"
"No." Caleb answered confidently, as if there was nothing wrong with that. "But you can."
Leonard quietly took out a few skewers, rearranged the rest, and placed them on the grill.
"Leonard Sterling, why did you take them out?" Caleb complained when he saw what he was doing.
Leonard silently flipped the skewers. "You won't finish them."
"I want to eat them."
"We'll grill them later."
Caleb glared at Leonard, huffed angrily, then walked back to his seat and turned his back, facing the sea in a sulk.
He muttered, "My brother's like this, and Leonard Sterling is like this too… they're all bad."
The sea breeze slowly carried the aroma of barbecue toward Caleb.
He was angry, but he couldn't resist the temptation of grilled food.
As the fading light slowly fell onto the surface of the sea, Caleb seized the opportunity to give himself a way out. "Look at the sunset!"
Everyone raised their heads toward where Caleb was pointing and quietly put down what they were doing.
Leonard picked up the grilled meat, walked gently toward Caleb, and held a skewer to Caleb's lips.
Caleb held his phone up with both hands, recording the sunset as it faded. Seeing the meat in front of him, he bit it off the skewer directly.
"Mmm, it's good." Caleb nodded in praise while filming.
Leonard picked up another skewer from the plate and took a bite himself.
"Look at the camera!" Caleb raised his phone high and captured their beautiful moment.
Orange light gently bathed everyone's exquisite faces. They smiled, sweet or indifferent, as they looked into the camera.
Only one person left his gaze completely on another.
"Leonard Sterling! You're doing it again! Your eyes are always wandering!" Caleb complained as he zoomed in on the photo, turning to Leonard.
Leonard ignored him and simply held another skewer out to him.
Caleb looked at it. This time, he took it. He stared hard at Leonard, tilted his head, and stuffed the meat into his mouth.
"Caleb, send me the original photo later."
From afar, Adrian spoke as he looked toward Caleb.
It was his first time taking his girl out to sea—of course it had to be recorded.
And she looked so beautiful today. It was worth keeping.
"Leonard Sterling, hurry—""Leonard Sterling, hurry up! Like my post." Caleb slapped Leonard's arm while staring at his screen.
Leonard didn't respond. He took his phone out of his pocket and handed it to him.
Adrian looked at Caleb's social media post, gently zoomed in on Riley Palmer's face, and smiled.
"What are you smiling at?" Riley leaned in curiously and looked at her enlarged face on the screen, then glanced at Adrian.
Seeing the blush on Riley's ears, Adrian chuckled softly and kissed her cheek.
Riley covered the spot that had been kissed and glanced toward Caleb and Leonard, who hadn't noticed anything.
She quietly let out a breath of relief.
"Riley," Caleb suddenly called out while she was still flustered.
She hurriedly looked up and met his eyes. "What's wrong, Caleb?"
"Your brother," Caleb said while scrolling through his phone. "Does he have anything he likes?"
Riley froze for a moment and quietly looked toward Caleb.
"What are you trying to do?" Adrian asked as he cleaned up the used skewers.
Caleb slowly moved closer to Riley and showed them the schedule on his phone. "Is there anything Yudy Palmer might be interested in?"
Riley stared at the endless list of schedules on Caleb's phone and took a deep breath.
Seeing Leonard slowly stand up behind them, Riley had to admit that Leonard truly spoiled Caleb.
If Leonard signed just a few more artists, the company would be making a fortune.
But he didn't.
South Star Entertainment—an entertainment company Leonard had founded three years ago for Caleb, who had run away from home.
In three years, the company had only one artist: Caleb.
Rather than a company, it was more like Caleb's personal studio.
As for Caleb's work—if he wanted, he could join productions nonstop for three years without rest.
Leonard calmly took the phone away. "You guys talk."
He reached into the cabinet, took out a fishing rod and a small chair, and headed downstairs.
"You're going fishing?" Caleb asked, watching him.
"Yeah."
Caleb turned to Riley with a smile. "We'll talk later."
He stood up and followed Leonard. "Leonard Sterling, wait for me."
Adrian also stood up, grabbed his own fishing rod, and looked at Riley. "Want to go play?"
Riley looked at the rod in his hand and nodded softly, her eyes curved in a smile. "Okay."
Adrian stood in front and carefully reminded her, "Watch your step."When one foot landed on the deck, Adrian reached out his hand and looked up at her. "Come."
Riley took his hand and jumped down.
She tilted her head, looking at Caleb and Leonard, who were already seated.
Leonard placed the rod by the side of the yacht, sat upright, hooked the line, added bait, and cast it into the sea.
Caleb sat beside him, quietly watching Leonard's hands, repeatedly murmuring, "Be careful."
Adrian gently wrapped an arm around Riley and led her to a shaded spot. "Sit here first."
After Riley sat down obediently, Adrian baited his hook and cast it into the sea as well.
"Mr. Carter," Caleb walked over to Riley and leaned against the wall. "Let's compete."
Adrian frowned. "Two versus two?"
"Deal." Caleb got his answer and immediately returned to Leonard's side. "Leonard Sterling, hurry! You can do it!"
"Lower your voice. You'll scare the fish away." Leonard raised a calloused finger to his lips, eyes fixed on the line.
Caleb immediately made a "shh" gesture and stared at the rod.
"It moved!"
Leonard stood up swiftly, steadying the rod as the line pulled fast. He leaned back slightly, straining, his face contorted.
"Leonard Sterling, go!"
Caleb cheered him on, smiling brightly.
"Splash—"
A large red snapper thrashed violently, its red tail flicking as Leonard slammed it onto the deck.
Caleb stared at the flopping fish and shouted excitedly, "Mr. Carter, you're behind now!"
"Not necessarily," Adrian said through clenched teeth, gripping his rod tightly.
Only then did Riley turn to watch Adrian.
His rod shook violently, swaying left and right.
Adrian nearly flew forward. He braced himself against the wall and leaned back hard.
Reel in. Lift the rod. Smooth and decisive.
A gray fish slowly broke the surface.
Caleb squinted. "What kind of fish is that…?"
"Sea bass," Leonard said calmly, lowering his head to cast again.
Adrian hauled the fish up and stored it in the yacht's fish compartment.
Caleb pouted and sat back down beside Leonard, staring intently at his own rod.
Adrian's fish was clearly larger.
First round—Adrian wins.
Adrian glanced at Riley, who was standing nearby watching the two fish, and coughed lightly.
Riley looked up at him. Seeing his expression, she almost imagined a fox tail wagging wildly behind him.
"So impressive!" Riley gave him a thumbs-up and blinked at him.
Adrian pouted slightly and stepped closer. "That's it?"
He leaned down, looked into her eyes, turned his head slightly, and pointed to his cheek. "A kiss."
Riley laughed softly and shook her head helplessly. "You…"
She kissed him lightly. Only then did Adrian return to his seat, satisfied, and cast again.
"Tch." Caleb muttered beside Leonard. "Love-brained."
"They're married," Leonard said softly, turning Caleb's head back toward the rod.
Caleb puffed his cheeks, stared at the sea, propped his head up, his eyes filled with loneliness.
"Leonard Sterling, have you seen Miss Polly before?"
"Once."
"Oh." Caleb lowered his head. "I really don't know what Liam Polly was thinking."
The more he spoke, the more agitated he became. "I'm such an unreliable little rich kid who stays in the entertainment industry all day. How could he agree to let his sister marry me? Has he lost his mind?"
Leonard frowned. The atmosphere grew cold.
"My brother's the same—blinded by money. He actually agreed."
"Splash—"
Adrian reeled in another yellow snapper. Riley watched excitedly as water droplets splashed onto her, wrinkling her nose when she smelled her clothes.
Adrian smiled at her expression, then glanced at Leonard's darkened face and walked over. "How's it going for you guys?"
Caleb glanced at him. "So-so." He sighed at his lifeless rod and gently shook it.
Leonard suddenly stood up and reeled in his line. "I'm done."
Caleb's round eyes widened as he looked at Leonard's cold expression, then lowered his head. "Alright. You win. We give up."
Adrian laughed lightly and put a hand on Caleb's shoulder. "Then like before, dinner's on you."
He shoved the fish into Caleb's arms and walked off to put away his rod.
Caleb looked at the slippery fish, disgusted, and tossed it into the yacht.
He sniffed his fishy clothes, shook his head, and hurried back to his room to wash up.
Leonard continued packing his things, saying nothing as Caleb left.
Adrian watched Caleb walk away, smiling, then went over to Leonard. "What's going on?"
"He's getting engaged to Miss Polly."
Adrian patted Leonard's back gently. "And you…?"
"The Sterling Group will be sending someone out of town for inspections soon." Leonard tightened the rod bag and looked at Adrian calmly.
Adrian said nothing more. He quietly left the deck with Riley and returned to their room.
Leonard stared at the sunset ahead, bitterness filling his eyes, and silently took a photo.
"Caleb, this is the last time."