The Retired CEO's Guide To Being Spoiled-Chapter 70: A Scripted Reunion

While the two were conversing, a waiter approached and asked what they would like to order. Out of habit, Julian was about to ask for coffee, but he paused for a beat and decided to switch to a strawberry smoothie with extra milk. The Julian of the past disliked bitter things like coffee; his palate had always leaned towards the sweet side. Although Julian did not know what information Gabriel Cole currently held, or if he sensed that the current Julian was different from the person in the past, if one intended to put on a good show, it was best to be perfect in even the smallest details.

While waiting for the bar to send up the drinks, Julian feigned curiosity, staring intently at the person opposite him before asking timidly, "Why did you call me out here? Is something wrong?"

Gabriel smiled at him and said, "I heard Aaron mention you the other day. That was when I was startled to realize that we actually met many years ago. Back then, I even promised to take you to the movies, but unfortunately, I was too busy at the time and never had the chance to fulfill that promise."

He stirred the water in the glass on the table, putting on a look of regret and apology. "Later, I went back to the old house to find you, but the Caines said you had already left and refused to reveal where you had gone."

He hesitated, seeming to ponder which words would not hurt the fragile feelings of the child before him: "I never expected that you would be the lost child of the Sterlings."

"You know my biological parents?"

"Of course." Gabriel pushed the cake he had ordered towards Julian: "We are all business people, after all. There aren’t that many people in this upper-class circle; how could we not know each other?"

Julian smiled, revealing the tiny dimples at the corners of his mouth, but he said nothing. He simply looked at the cake with clear, innocent eyes, appearing to hesitate. A moment later, he pushed the cake back toward Gabriel.

"What’s wrong, you don’t like it? I remember you used to love sweets."

"It has dark chocolate. I don’t like it." Julian pursed his lips and repeated his earlier question, "What is the reason you sought me out today?"

"I just wanted to find you to catch up on old times."

Julian looked at the man across from him, who was wearing a smile he clearly thought was charming, and couldn’t help but scoff internally. Julian thought to himself, with the absolute wreck of a relationship the previous Julian had with this detestable guy, what "old times" were there to catch up on? Moreover, standing between the two of them was Seraphina Cole, who hated Gabriel to the bone. It really must be hard for the eldest young master of the Cole family to have to fabricate stories to deceive an eighteen-year-old who was still wet behind the ears.

"You mentioned Aaron just now. Did he ask you to come talk to me?"

Gabriel did not answer. Seeing this, Julian laughed. Just then, the waiter brought the drinks. As the server placed the glasses on the table and quickly retreated, Julian took the opportunity to lean back in his chair, seemingly recoiling from Gabriel, his face full of distaste.

" The Little Prince of the Sterling Group, the incredibly talented Young Master Sterling, has to run around begging people to speak on his behalf? And he still dares to claim he is superior to others? Doesn’t he feel any shame?"

His voice was not loud, sounding less like he was speaking to Gabriel and more like he was mocking someone else. After he finished speaking, he glanced at the man opposite him again. His gaze no longer held the initial friendliness but was now filled with disgust. "If you want to help him get that piece of land back, there is no need to say anything. That property was bought with my husband’s money; what right does that crowd have to demand we cough it up?"

"I didn’t mean that." Gabriel waited for Julian to finish speaking before answering slowly. He was very unhurried, not panic-stricken in the least, and appeared very dashing. He even looked quite gentle when he smiled at Julian. "Aaron and I just have a normal social acquaintance. You know how business is; one has to network a lot for things to go smoothly. We aren’t close enough for me to speak on his behalf."

Julian looked at him as if doubting the truth of his words.

On the surface, he pretended to be skeptical, but in his heart, he spat on these two a hundred times over. Only a dog would believe they weren’t involved. Gabriel might not get involved with anyone else, but he would absolutely get involved with Aaron! Perhaps right now the flowers were only just budding, so nothing had happened yet, but give it a little more time and he would be desperate to declare to the whole world that Aaron belonged to him.

Though his heart was roiling with disdain, Julian still had to perform for him. Julian’s expression softened, almost as if "everything he thought was written on his face," and the curiosity and suspicion in his eyes were very apparent. Seeing this, Gabriel’s smile deepened, and he continued, "However, I do admit I am interested in that piece of land..."

Before Gabriel could finish his sentence, he saw Julian opposite him display an expression that said: I knew it.

But before Julian could open his mouth, Gabriel cut him off. "This matter has nothing to do with Aaron, and I don’t want to seize or buy back that land."

"I heard that the Caldwell Empire is planning to launch a project combining technology and art there, is that correct? I wonder if you could whisper a word in someone’s ear and let the Cole family have a hand in this project? We are ready to provide the best technology currently available in the country."

Hearing this, Julian almost couldn’t hold back a laugh. He had to suppress it hard to keep his face unchanged. He spoke as if it were child’s play - the best technology in the country?

He and Ethan had put in so much effort searching for the top technology companies in the world. His husband was currently traveling abroad for this very project, yet this thick-skinned man wanted to bring his subpar scraps into the project? Keep dreaming!

But Julian’s face remained unchanged, his voice filled with hesitation. "I don’t know about this. I don’t manage company matters; my husband handles everything."

But Gabriel seemed unwilling to let go. "I heard that you participated in the meeting with the art department the other day. Why is that? Don’t worry, I’m not tricking you. The person on that side is my paternal aunt, after all."

Julian’s eyes darkened slightly.

He knew!

There was a mole in the company! But it was likely someone from the outer circle, which was why they only knew he had appeared in the meeting room.

"Huh, participated in what? You mean the day I went to the company with my husband?" Julian said this, and his cheeks suddenly flushed slightly, appearing shy. "Um, well, that day..."

Seeming to recall something very embarrassing, he rubbed his cheek, then scratched his hair a few times, hesitating. "Actually... I was tired that day, so Ethan carried me there so he could take care of me easily. I... I just slept the whole time; I don’t know anything."