Kian Sterling languidly took a drag from his cigarette. "When are you heading back to Metropia?"
"A private flight at 3 p.m. tomorrow."
Kian Sterling hummed. "The port construction project over in Port Sovereign requires an on-site inspection in the next few days. Want to swing by and take a look?"
Silas Norwood refused without hesitation. "I never get involved in those projects. You can have a few executives from The Norwood Family go instead."
Kian Sterling nodded. "Alright then. Hanging up."
He stubbed out his cigarette and abruptly ended the video call.
Silas Norwood, who had been prepared for a long conversation, silently placed his phone on the coffee table.
His personal phone rang right on cue. It was his older brother, Justin Norwood, calling.
Silas Norwood answered. "What is it?"
"Sorry, Silas, for bothering you so late. I called you several times during the day, but your assistant always picked up and said you were busy."
Silas Norwood’s tone was clipped. "Get to the point."
Justin Norwood cleared his throat awkwardly. "That kid, Declan Nash, got drunk, made a scene, and called Miss Sterling, saying a bunch of nonsense..."
Silas Norwood’s gaze fell toward the bathroom. "And?"
"I heard from your assistant that you’re coming back to Metropia tomorrow. I’ve arranged a family dinner—it’s been a while since we brothers have gotten together. It’ll also be a chance for Declan to give you a formal apology."
Silas Norwood gave a nonchalant hum. "I’ll be there."
"Great, great!" Justin Norwood breathed a sigh of relief. "I’ll have your sister-in-law make some of your favorite dishes. Oh, and do you want to bring Miss Sterling along? We’ll be family soon enough."
"That won’t be necessary."
A very soft voice came from the bathroom. "Silas."
"I have to go." Silas Norwood hung up, switched his phone to Do Not Disturb, and walked over to the bathroom door. Inside, the girl’s figure was a blurry silhouette of curves. Silas paused. "What is it, Cece?"
"I accidentally dropped the clothes I was going to change into, and now they’re all wet." Celia Sterling sounded very embarrassed, her words hesitant. "Could you... could you grab me a new set?"
Silas Norwood didn’t think much of it. "Just a moment, Cece."
"The purple nightgown." Celia Sterling paused for a few seconds. "And... there’s a purple bag in my suitcase."
"Okay."
Silas Norwood turned and first found a purple nightgown in the wardrobe. It was a relatively conservative, long-sleeved silk robe with a tie at the waist.
Silas picked it up, then opened an exquisite suitcase on the bottom shelf of the wardrobe. Inside, aside from a cute doll bought on the cruise and some travel souvenirs, there were only three lingerie bags.
Celia had been drowsy when she’d grabbed her clothes earlier. The bag she had opened while rummaging hadn’t been sealed properly. Soft, sexy lace sets—in black, burgundy, and lavender—were faintly visible inside their respective bags.
Silas Norwood fell silent for a moment before reaching for the purple bag. As he picked it up, a corner of the lavender lingerie set inside slipped out, brushing against his fingers. He instinctively tried to catch it, but his grip was too forceful, and the entire set slid uncontrollably into his palm.
Soft, delicate, and slightly sheer, the sexy fabric pooled in his palm, a messy, tempting bundle.
Silas stared at the girl’s intimate apparel in his hand, frozen in place for a long moment.
His eyes, however, grew deep and inscrutable, an inexplicable dark tide churning within them.
He didn’t move until a soft voice called from the bathroom, "Silas, did you get it?"
"Yes." His voice was forcibly calm. With stiff movements, he stuffed the lingerie back into the bag and pressed the seal shut. He then sealed the other two bags before methodically closing the suitcase. Only then did he slowly rise, carrying the purple bag and the nightgown to the bathroom.
He curled his fingers and knocked lightly on the door.
"Th-thank you, Silas." The door opened a crack. The girl was hidden behind it, carefully extending one hand.
She must have just finished her shower and hadn’t had time to dry off. Glistening water droplets clung to the delicate bones of her wrist, and her skin was flushed pink from the heat. Through the crack in the door, a scattered pile of soaked clothes lay on the floor, not yet picked up.
Silas silently placed the clothes into her hand, his voice a mask of calm composure. "Try not to drop them this time."
Celia’s reply was so quiet it was almost inaudible. "Mm."
The bathroom door slowly swung shut.
Silas’s gaze remained fixed on the door for a moment. He could hear the faint RUSTLE of her dressing inside. His Adam’s apple bobbed. Realizing his improper behavior, he retreated to the sofa and silently turned his gaze to the inky black sea outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.
When Celia came out, fully dressed, she bent over to get a hairdryer from a cabinet. Her reflection in the floor-to-ceiling window revealed the supple, slender curve of her waist. Silas stood up and took the hairdryer from her. "Let me."
Celia was already exhausted, so she leaned lazily against his front, letting his fingers slowly comb through her hair as he dried it for her.
His touch was very gentle, and he took his time drying it.
Silas remained silent.
Bored, she found her eyelids getting heavier and heavier. "Silas, you’ve been at this for a while."
Silas stood behind her, his head slightly lowered as he quietly observed her. Her long, cascading hair brushed against his palm again and again, the airflow from the dryer occasionally tangling strands around his fingers. The collar of her lavender robe had fallen slightly open, and from his vantage point, he could just make out the lace of her lingerie beneath the curve of her body. The fresh, post-shower scent mingling with her own natural fragrance was a maddening temptation. Her pearlescent feet were bare, her toes unconsciously curling into the soft carpet...
Silas abruptly switched off the hairdryer, his voice low and a little hoarse.
"It’s dry."
Half-awake, Celia stumbled to the bed and curled up under the covers. Within two minutes, the sound of her even breathing filled the room.
Silas walked to the other side of the bed. He didn’t lie down, but stood there, his body tense, silently watching the girl on the bed. She was curled obediently in the covers, her long hair falling away to reveal the pale, tender skin of her neck. Her glistening red lips held a decadent hue, making one want to scoop her up into an embrace, to climb, to entangle, to devour...
His breathing was a complete mess.
Averting his feverish gaze, he opened the drawer of the nightstand. Ever so slowly, he took out an unopened box of condoms and toyed with it in his palm.
’It was like Pandora’s box.’ He was torn, struggling with the decision to open it.
There were no lights on, only the faint glow from the cruise ship’s exterior, fragmented by the waves into mottled patterns that filtered through the window. His head was lowered, his expression sliced by the shifting light and shadows, making him look inscrutable and obscure.
After a long while, his upbringing finally won out over his inner demons. He closed his eyes, casually tossed the small box into the bottom of the trash can, then crumpled up a few tissues and threw them on top to cover it.
The demon had been vanquished, but the restlessness remained.
As the sky began to pale with the first hint of dawn, he picked up his phone and made a call.
It rang for a long time before it was answered. Kian Sterling’s voice was frigid. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"
Silas replied evenly, "Let’s discuss the project."