Lianne Lianne sat in the break room of the Silverport Orchestra, trying to flex her left wrist.
Thankfully, she hadn't broken any bones. It was just slightly red, swollen, and sore.
Steven Hawthorne walked over quickly and handed her a cold drink. "Ice it for now, but you should still get it checked out at a hospital later."
"Mm."
Lianne took it and pressed it against her wrist. The icy cold against her skin soothed the burning pain.
"I thought you had all gone to Nina's birthday party. I didn't think anyone was here, so I wasn't careful when I opened the door. I'm sorry you got hurt," Steven Hawthorne said guiltily, rubbing the back of his neck.
He stared at Lianne's porcelain wrist for a moment before his gaze shifted to her face. "Did Nina and the others not invite you?"
"I didn't give birth to her, so why would she invite me to her birthday?"
Lianne's voice was sweet and gentle, her pace unhurried. You couldn't detect a hint of malice in it.
Steven Hawthorne, however, looked mortified, completely at a loss for a reply.
His mind couldn't help but drift to the rumors about her.
As the orchestra's principal cellist, Lianne not only possessed superb skill but also a beautiful face with exquisite bone structure.
Rumor had it she was backed by capital from The Imperia Circle.
The orchestra had been established by this capital just for Lianne, a place for her to pass the time.
The members of the orchestra often said jealously that they were just playthings, paid for by some big shot to amuse Lianne.
Not inviting her to the birthday party was a clear sign they were ostracizing her.
From the bottom of his heart, Steven Hawthorne looked down on a Canary like her, but he still extended a polite invitation on the surface.
"They probably forgot. I know where it is, want to go with me?"
Lianne's expression didn't change, and her words were light. "Birthdays aren't worth celebrating. Funerals are more interesting."
Steven Hawthorne choked on her words, a sudden chill running down his spine.
After icing her wrist for a bit, Lianne left the orchestra as planned. In the elevator, she opened her phone. The screen showed her chat history with Ethan Sinclair's executive assistant.
"Miss Lane, there's a gathering tonight. I'll send someone to pick you up."
"No need, I'll take a cab. Please just send me the address."
[Location]
Aetheria Residence, a traditional courtyard home located within the second ring road, was elegant and private with its red walls and gray tiles.
The courtyard was planted with lush, gorgeous crabapple blossoms. When the wind blew, petals would scatter, filling the air with a rich fragrance.
The sound of a pipa, like pearls falling onto a jade plate, drifted melodiously to her ears. Lianne's pace didn't falter as she calmly stepped over the threshold.
The eastern wing was decorated in a classical style. A massive screen on one side partitioned off the inner room. She quickly took it all in. A red sandalwood screen inlaid with a hundred treasures, rosewood furniture, and a side cabinet displaying antique porcelain and calligraphy.
The entire room was furnished with understated elegance, full of classic charm, and carried the faint scent of sandalwood.
The previously boisterous room fell silent for a moment when Lianne walked in.
The room was filled with the young masters and ladies of Kingsford, who all turned to look at the sound of her arrival.
"Little Lia has gotten even more beautiful. A true stunner," someone teased with a grin.
"Of course. Mr. Sinclair takes meticulous care of Lianne, making her outstanding in every way. The fact that the Belltower Lane relocation project can even begin... well, Lianne is the key contributor there!"
The words were both flattering and strangely suggestive.
However, the man in the host's seat acted as if he hadn't heard a thing, his expression remaining completely placid.
Over the years, Lianne had grown accustomed to being the center of attention, but she still felt a few seconds of nervousness when facing Ethan Sinclair.
He had taken off his jacket, revealing a tailored white shirt and a suit vest that made him look incredibly handsome and dignified.
Seeing that Lianne didn't come over immediately, Ethan Sinclair's calm gaze fell upon her face, and his voice was warm and deep.
"Lia, come here."
Lianne walked over, her eyes lowered demurely, and called out, "Brother."
Then, she sat down beside Ethan Sinclair with poise and grace.
Imperia was a capital of power, a gathering place for the nobility. Reigning at the top of the pyramid were the deeply rooted, aristocratic families.
As the eldest young master of the Sinclair Family, the blood flowing in Ethan Sinclair's veins from birth had destined him to be an unattainable figure.
There weren't many young women who received special treatment from Ethan Sinclair.
The people in the room were quite curious, their gazes toward Lianne filled with appraisal and judgment.
The young woman's features were both striking and delicate. A natural beauty, she was radiant in the opulent room, despite her simple clothes and light makeup.
But... no matter how beautiful she was, could beauty compare to power?
The high-status man beside her was the crucial factor that made her extraordinary.
Lianne ignored the scrutiny and silently rubbed her wrist.
"What's wrong with your hand?" Ethan Sinclair noticed her movement, his tone casual and natural.
His warm breath brushed past her ear, tickling her slightly. Lianne's fingertips curled as she lowered her eyes and said:
"I bumped it on a door. It's nothing serious."
Ethan Sinclair watched her for a moment without a word.
After a short while, someone invited Ethan Sinclair to the entertainment area for a few rounds of pai gow.
He didn't like to play.
Out of courtesy, Lianne's eyes curved into a gentle smile, and she said, "I'll play."
Ethan Sinclair lifted his gaze and glanced at the card table. Neatly stacked tiles were placed at the east, west, north, and south positions. The young woman was at the south seat, skillfully drawing and playing her tiles. She would occasionally open her lips to chat, a faint smile always on her face.
She played without any real strategy, relying entirely on instinct, yet her luck was surprisingly good.
Even the worst hand could be turned around for a win when she was holding it.
At the end of the third round, during the shuffle, Lianne subconsciously glanced back at the host's seat.
It was empty.
Ethan Sinclair had left at some point without her noticing.
*
Tonight, the television station's executives were hosting a distinguished guest in the main hall of Aetheria Residence.
A server noticed the normally haughty executives hurrying forward to greet someone. All their usual authority was gone, melted into the creases of their smiles, as they willingly humbled themselves.
He couldn't help but wonder what kind of major figure could make these bigwigs treat them as the guest of honor.
In the magnificent reception hall, however, all that could be seen were several executives, dead drunk.
The distinguished guest was nowhere in sight.
The door to the western wing was abruptly pushed open from the outside.
Miles Morgan scrambled to his feet. In an instant, everyone was standing, looking at the man who had suddenly appeared.
He was exceptionally tall. His black shirt was unbuttoned at the top two buttons, giving him a languid air, but the most eye-catching thing about him was his flawless face.
Unfortunately, the man's aura was too powerful. One glance was enough to make people resentfully look away.
Seth Sinclair had just sat down when someone came over to offer him a cigarette and a light. He held the cigarette between his long fingers, but the thick perfume in the room was giving him a headache. He waved his hand dismissively.
"Get out."
"Don't be such a spoilsport." Miles Morgan put an arm around his female companion's shoulder and said with a sly smile, "Even if we're talking business, we should do it with pleasure."
"Then why don't you finish getting your pleasure first, and we can talk after?"
As he spoke, Seth Sinclair even glanced at his watch. "I'll come back in one minute."
Miles Morgan's expression changed drastically, but it softened again after just a couple of seconds. "In business, harmony brings wealth. We don't expose each other's weaknesses."
He gave a look, and his companion immediately and obediently walked out.
Seth Sinclair flicked his cigarette ash, a roguish smirk on his face. "And here I thought you'd cured your... problem."
Miles Morgan didn't expect him to press the issue, but he couldn't get angry. He gritted his teeth and said, "Here is the information for the L25 bid."
Seth Sinclair took the file and flipped through it nonchalantly, the pages making a soft RUSTLING sound.
He tapped the cigarette in his well-defined hand once, then twice, but never brought it to his lips for a drag.
Miles Morgan said, "You left the military district ahead of schedule... Surely it wasn't just for a piece of land?"
Seth Sinclair lifted his eyelids, his gaze casually sweeping past the window lattice, where he spotted a man and a woman in a bit of a tangle.
The girl was being polite and yielding, but the man was relentless.
He looked away for three seconds, but then the girl's delicate face gradually overlapped with one from his memory.
Seth Sinclair looked over again.
Tsk. It really was his older brother's Nightingale.