Celia Sterling, heiress of the Sterling Conglomerate, is dazzlingly beautiful and charming, yet proud and haughty. In this world, only Kian Sterling can be her master.
So, he made the decision to betroth her to Declan Nash, the eldest son of the equally powerful Norwood Conglomerate.
Declan Nash, a notorious and untamable playboy, fell for Celia Sterling at first sight. After pleading with Kian Sterling for a year, he finally made the titan of the financial world relent:
"If you can remain chaste for my sister, you may marry her."
Declan Nash abstained from worldly desires for three years and finally secured a wedding date. With the interests of their powerful families bound by the marriage alliance, and confident that marrying Celia Sterling was a foregone conclusion, he revealed his true nature by having a bachelor party three months before the wedding.
Kian Sterling's voice was faint: "Declan Nash is no longer an option."
…

The head of the Norwood Family, Silas Norwood, is reserved, aloof, and noble—an unattainable moon in the sky that socialites yearn for but can never reach.
When Kian Sterling brought Celia Sterling to call off the engagement, Silas Norwood nonchalantly dismissed it:
"My nephew Declan Nash is preposterous, but the marriage alliance between our two families involves too many entangled interests. Miss Sterling, this engagement cannot be broken."
His gaze rested quietly on Celia Sterling's face, his expression unruffled: "How about switching to me?"
Kian Sterling scoffed: "The unattainable Moonlight yearned for by the socialites is about to descend into the mortal world?"
Silas Norwood lowered his gaze: "For a businessman, interests come first. Why not enter the game myself?"
…

Later, with red-rimmed eyes, Declan Nash cornered Silas Norwood in the Norwood family's ancestral hall:
"What do you mean, 'enter the game myself'? This was clearly premeditated all along!"

Any of Declan Norwood's amorous intentions had been instantly snuffed out.


In the end, nothing romantic had come of it. He had simply spent several hours respectfully and tremulously drinking tea with his would-be brother-in-law, Kian Sterling.


The incident had become a hot topic in The Norwood Family's group chat for a while, and even Silas Norwood, the head of the family, had partaken in the gossip.


"Just a simple date." Silas Norwood met Kian Sterling's gaze without flinching, his voice reserved and completely devoid of any ulterior motives. "I'm sure you, Kade, wouldn't want to see Cece marry a complete stranger, destined for a life of cold formality with me."


Silas Norwood was nothing like Declan Norwood. Celia Sterling found it hard to imagine what a date with this seemingly perfect, unattainable man would be like. She felt a little awkward.


Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: An Old Acquaintance Returns