The street scenery outside the car receded rapidly.
Sienna noticed that ever since she’d gotten in the car, Julian had stopped looking at his documents. His well-defined fingers were gently rubbing a faint scar on his left wrist.
It looked like a bite mark.
Noticing her sizing him up, Julian spoke nonchalantly, his words pointed. "I was bitten by a clueless little wildcat."
Sienna was speechless.
He seemed to be recalling something, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Sharp teeth, sharp tongue. Pretty fierce, too."
Sienna was speechless.
’You’re the little wildcat.’
’You’re the fierce one.’
The bite mark on his wrist was from their childhood, when Sienna had grabbed his wrist and bitten him during one of their spats.
She couldn’t believe he still remembered it so clearly after all this time.
Besides, hadn’t he used any scar cream? How was the bite mark still there?
Could it be that every day Julian saw that bite mark, he resented her all over again for having bitten him?
Sienna rubbed her nose, looking guiltily at the street scenery outside.
Julian didn’t say anything, either. He slowly stared at her fair profile, his fingertips tracing the bite mark on his wrist again and again. And yet, it seemed as if he were caressing more than just a scar...
Sienna could, of course, feel him watching her. The man’s gaze made her feel like she was sitting on pins and needles. She turned her head uncomfortably, about to say, ’Stop looking at me.’
Before she could speak, her eyes met the man’s dark, bottomless gaze.
He arched an eyebrow, his tone playful as he drawled, "What, does Sienna want to bite me again?"
’Sienna...’
When those two syllables rolled off the man’s lips, his voice was light, lazy, and alluring, carrying an indescribable intimacy. Sienna’s heart skipped a beat.
Julian had indeed called her that often when they were children.
’Wait, who wants to bite him?!’
Before long, the car arrived at the Forrester Manor.
The ornate, wrought-iron gates slowly pulled apart, and the car drove into the estate.
Sienna saw through the car window that the manor’s landscape was exceptionally elegant. Not far off was a vast man-made lake, and beside it, a flower garden filled with rare and expensive plants.
In the distance, there was even a vineyard and an orchard.
It was much larger than the Everett Family’s villa.
The car stopped in front of a fountain.
The manor’s servants surrounded an old man leaning on a cane, waiting anxiously beside the fountain’s basin.
The old man had graying hair and leaned on his cane, but he seemed to be in decent spirits. His eyes held the deep wisdom of age.
Although they hadn’t seen each other in a long time, Sienna recognized him at a glance. It was Grandpa Forrester.
After getting out of the car, Sienna immediately went up to greet him, her eyes misting over slightly. "Hello, Grandpa Forrester!"
"Ah, there you are! Wonderful, wonderful!" Howard Forrester had finally seen her. He affectionately took Sienna’s hand. "Sienna, my dear, Grandpa has been waiting so long for you!"
"Grandpa, how has your health been lately?"
"Don’t you worry, this old bag of bones is still tough!" Howard Forrester said, looking Sienna over, his eyes full of tenderness. "You’ve gotten thinner. Our Sienna has gotten thinner, but our Sienna is still as beautiful as ever!"
Sienna gave a dazzling smile, and her moist eyes curved along with it, crinkling at the corners.
It was no exaggeration to say that Sienna had been beautiful since she was a child, with delicate features and a face like a painting.
Her eyes were especially stunning—pure and clear, shimmering with light like a bright spring under the moonlight, as if all the stars in the sky were reflected in them.
The more Howard Forrester looked at her, the more he adored her, treating her completely like his own granddaughter. Handing his cane to a servant, he took Sienna’s hand with one of his and Julian’s with the other. "Quickly, quickly, let’s go talk in the living room!"
Once in the living room, the three of them sat down on the sofa.
A servant brought tea.
Howard Forrester held Sienna’s hand and sighed heavily. "I’ve been ill these past few years, recuperating abroad. My recovery was intermittent and slow, and I’ve only recently gotten better enough to finally return home."
"But as soon as I returned, I heard that the Everetts weren’t treating you well. I couldn’t rest easy, so I had Julian go to the Everett Family to bring you back."
"Sienna, my dear, if the Everetts don’t treat you well, then you don’t have to stay with them! From now on, this is your home! Grandpa is your family!"
Feeling a warmth and affection she hadn’t experienced in a long time, Sienna’s nose tingled, and her soft voice was laced with a choked sob. "Grandpa..."
"Good child, good child!" Howard Forrester patted the back of Sienna’s hand, his heart aching for her. "You’ve suffered these past two years!"
"Oh, by the way, Sienna, look," Howard Forrester said, changing the subject and turning to Sienna. "This is Julian. You two used to play together all the time when you were little. You even used to call him Julian. Remember?"
’Julian...’
’That cloying name was fine to use as a child, but now that I’m older, it feels a little strange.’
Sienna gave a polite smile and a tiny nod.
Julian sat beside Sienna, his handsome face a mask of calm.
His eyelashes were lowered as his well-defined hand held a white porcelain cup, pouring tea for Howard Forrester. It was a simple action, yet when he did it, it was exceptionally pleasing to the eye.
Howard Forrester asked tentatively, "Sienna, my dear, what do you think of Julian?"
Sienna was at a loss for words. What could she think? They had barely spoken in the car on the way back, and she guessed Julian was still holding a grudge about their falling out.
Perfect. Julian didn’t like her, and she didn’t like Julian.
When he didn’t get an answer, Howard Forrester asked again, more urgently, "Sienna, quickly, tell Grandpa, what do you think of Julian?"
Sienna had no choice but to lower her gaze and give a vague, evasive answer. "...He’s nice."
Julian, who had been silent the whole time, raised his brows an imperceptible fraction upon hearing her answer.
He lifted his gaze to Sienna, his eyes deep and tranquil. His stare lingered on her for several seconds before moving away.
Hearing Sienna’s reply, Howard Forrester was overjoyed. "Nice is good! That’s wonderful! Now this old man can rest easy about you two being together!"
Sienna was a bit dumbfounded. "Grandpa, what did you say?"
’To... together?’
Howard Forrester laughed heartily. "Back then, your grandfather and I arranged this marriage for you two when you were just children. And looking at you now, you’re truly a perfect match!"
"How about this, Sienna? There’s no time like the present. Why don’t you two just get it done today and go register your marriage?"
Sienna’s heart leaped in shock, and astonishment filled her beautiful eyes. She quickly refused, "Grandpa, that’s not a good idea!"
Howard Forrester’s expression suddenly turned sorrowful, as if a thought had struck him. "Sienna, my dear, Grandpa’s health isn’t good. I could go any day... If you and Julian can settle things, then when I’m six feet under, I’ll have something to report to your grandfather..."
"Sienna, don’t worry. No matter what, the Forrester Family will always be your backer, and Julian will always be your support!"
Hearing the old man’s heartfelt words, Sienna found the refusal stuck in her throat.
She looked up at the man beside her, hoping Julian would reject his grandfather’s proposal.
’He definitely wouldn’t want to marry me. Ever since we were kids, he’s targeted me for no reason and was always getting angry with me.’
Julian received Sienna’s gaze, set down his teacup, and looked up at Master Forrester, his handsome face exceptionally focused. "Alright, Grandpa. We’ll go register our marriage today."
’???’
’What in the world is happening?!’