My Fiancé's Scandals Never End, So I Married His Uncle Instead-Chapter 38: The Gentle Lure

Celia made a point not to call him ’Silas’ in front of June Coleman.

She stood at the main gate of the Shepherd Family estate. At first, June Coleman waited with her and tactfully inquired:

"Is Kade coming to pick you up, or is it Eldest Young Master Norwood? Cece, if you don’t like the atmosphere at the Shepherds’ place, I can arrange a private table for you in the second-floor restaurant so you can have dinner before you leave. You barely ate anything at the banquet."

"It’s not my brother, nor is it Declan," Celia murmured. "Mom, if you’re busy, you can go. You don’t need to wait with me."

Just as June Coleman was about to speak, the butler hurried out. "Madam, Miss Nia just tripped on her dress and fell. She’s scraped her knee."

"Oh, that child..." June Coleman’s face filled with worry. Without even a thought of saying goodbye to Celia, she rushed back into the banquet hall.

Celia watched her back until she disappeared, never once turning around. She calmly retracted her gaze. Though she was wearing a long gown, the night wind brought a chill to her heart.

A black Phantom came into view.

Celia’s gaze swept over the license plate—a symbol of wealth and power—and the discreet Norwood Family crest on the body. As the car stopped smoothly at the gate of the Shepherd estate, a tall, imposing driver respectfully opened the rear door for her.

Celia got into the car. In the back seat, Silas Norwood wore high-quality black casual clothes, exuding the gentle air of a man comfortable at home. His warm gaze landed on her.

"New car?" Celia asked casually.

The car started, and the privacy partition slid down.

Only then did Silas hum in response. "I bought all the classic models from this brand. I just don’t drive them often."

He studied Celia’s expression. "You didn’t eat well?"

Celia hummed glumly. "I feel drained every time I see Ms. Coleman."

Hearing her drop the title ’Mom,’ Silas let out a soft laugh. "Are you still in the mood for a movie?" he asked in a low voice.

Celia nodded. "Yes. I don’t just want to see a movie, I want popcorn, too."

Silas: "Alright. We’ll get it."

His voice was cool yet gentle, and Celia’s mood suddenly brightened. She added, "Can I get a Coke, too?"

A smile touched Silas’s eyes. "We’ll get it."

Celia was in high spirits, but also a little sheepish. "Making you eat all this junk food with me..."

"It’s fine to be indulgent once in a while. Your happiness is what’s most important, Cece." Silas paused. "We still have about half an hour until we reach the theater. Would you like to lean on me for a bit, Cece?"

Celia looked at him. He always buttoned his shirts to the top, but today, perhaps because he was off duty, the top two buttons were undone. He had a relaxed air about him, his posture less formal than usual, touched with a hint of languor.

The car’s interior was small, and they were already close. A faint, cool fragrance drifted from him. Celia couldn’t resist leaning closer, so close that the unique scent became tantalizing. She gave a light cough.

"Silas, I have a gift for you in a couple of days."

A glimmer flashed in Silas’s amber eyes. He didn’t ask what it was, but his pleasure was obvious. "I’m looking forward to it, Cece."

Celia said no more. Sitting beside him, her gaze drifted uncontrollably to the front of his shirt. Out of professional habit, she began to earnestly deconstruct his unique scent.

But a man that handsome was a sin in itself.

Even though Silas remained perfectly composed and elegant, Celia found herself getting lost in the sight of him. Her gaze traveled from his collarbones to his sensual Adam’s apple, and then upward to that moonlight face of his...

Silas, seemingly oblivious, slowly toyed with a black thumb ring on his well-defined finger. Only when Celia unconsciously leaned closer and closer did he casually reach up and fasten the two buttons at his collar.

Celia instantly snapped back to reality and sat up straight.

"Cece," Silas said, as if he hadn’t noticed her little lapse, his tone casual. "Ice in your Coke?"

Celia blinked, only then realizing they had arrived at the movie theater.

Feeling slightly awkward, she replied, "With ice."

The Norwood Family had its own chain of cinemas. The Phantom took a private route directly into an exclusive underground parking garage. Silas got out and offered her his hand.

After a moment’s hesitation, Celia hooked a finger around his and followed him into the V-VIP screening room. The theater manager was already waiting inside, respectfully holding a tablet.

"Wait here a moment, Cece, I’ll go get the popcorn and Cokes." Silas gestured for the manager to hand over the tablet. "It has all the latest movies. Go ahead and pick one."

"Can’t the bodyguards just get it?" Celia said, feeling overwhelmed by the wide selection of films. "You should help me choose."

"If I let the bodyguards do things like getting popcorn and Coke," Silas sighed lightly, "then what’s the point of having me as a boyfriend?"

’Fiancé, but he said boyfriend.’ The word, spoken in such a casual tone, made Celia’s heart give a little flutter.

Silas quickly returned with a large bucket of popcorn and two Cokes.

Celia waved him over. "Silas, I picked out three, but I can’t decide. Come take a look."

Silas lowered his eyes and cooperatively read the synopses for the three films. "Just go with your first instinct, Cece. Pick one for now. We can come back for the others in a few days."

Celia looked at the three films she’d selected. They were all arthouse films or corporate dramas, the kind that would suit a "flower on a high peak" like Silas. She had even discussed it with Quinn Sinclair yesterday. As a veteran movie buff, Quinn’s advice had been suspiciously provocative:

"Going on a movie date with your Prince Charming? And it’s your first time? You absolutely have to pick something steamy! Get the mood right, and it’ll be like dry kindling meeting a raging fire, tsk tsk..."

"Shut up. No steamy scenes," Celia interrupted. "He’s conservative. It’ll scare him. I don’t even dare use my usual foul language in front of him."

"He’s that innocent...?" Quinn Sinclair sounded skeptical. "Celia, no man is truly innocent. They can look all prim and proper, but who knows what kind of dirty thoughts are running through their minds..."

"He’s like the pure moonlight in the sky, and you want me to drag him into the gutter." Celia was getting annoyed. "Just think of him as *the* Silas Norwood, and be serious for a second."

"Well, if he’s on the level of Silas Norwood, then of course you can’t be so profane." Quinn dropped the teasing tone. "I do know three or four ’clean’ movies..."

And one of those three or four films was right there on Celia’s selection screen.

"Let’s go with this one," she said, pointing. Then she asked the manager out of curiosity, "Your film library seems a bit incomplete, though. A lot of the new movies that just came out aren’t on here."

The manager replied with a serious expression, "The V-VIP theater only plays masterpieces."

And they were the uncut versions, the kind you could only see overseas.

"Go and prepare it," Silas instructed casually. "All of you may leave."

The bodyguards and manager all filed out. In the vast screening room, Silas chose a spot with the best viewing angle, placed the popcorn and Cokes on the coffee table, and settled in with Celia on a luxurious two-person sofa.

A few minutes later, the massive screen lit up.

"Quinn Sinclair told me about this movie. She said it has a very artistic flair," Celia said, turning to Silas during the opening credits. "Do you think you’ll like it, Silas?"

Silas was elegantly sipping his Coke. In the dim light, his lips were damp from the drink, and his expression was hard to discern. But his reply was sincere:

"I will."