Chapter 3 Sterling

Julian Sterling's sports car smoothly glided into the heavily guarded military compound, tracing an elegant arc. He turned off the ignition and, just as he was stepping out, he ran into his older brother, Adrian Sterling.

Adrian had just returned from his military duties. His green uniform made him look distinctly imposing, and his hawk-like sharp eyes caught Julian's presence. He squinted, sizing Julian up for a long moment before remarking with a slight smirk, "What? Tired of your games? Finally decided to come home?"

Despite being brothers, the two couldn't have looked more different. Julian, in his crisp suit, radiated a refined charm. Adrian, shaped by his prolonged military life, emanated a cold, resolute aura. Each had his unique appeal, and neither outshone the other.

Slapping Adrian on the shoulder with a grin, Julian replied, "Of course. It's my home, after all." He then craned his neck to peer inside the house, a hint of unease evident in his eyes. Lowering his voice, he asked, "Bro, who's our esteemed guest today?" Lately, their mother disapproved of Julian's carefree lifestyle and had been incessantly setting up blind dates for him. Julian disliked constraints and felt he was too young to consider marriage, so he had been handling the dates with lukewarm enthusiasm.

Not long ago, he was introduced to a high-ranking commander's daughter. Initially, he found her agreeable, but it wasn't long before she started parading around as his fiancée and annoyingly meddling in his affairs. When had Julian ever allowed someone to dictate his actions? He had been furious, and after a big row, the house had finally seen some peace. But today, he'd received several calls urging him to return home, which alone gave him a throbbing headache.

Adrian shot a sidelong glance at his younger sibling and, with evident annoyance, shrugged off Julian's arm to walk ahead. "Why don't you go in and see for yourself? Why ask me? After all, I'm not the one refusing to get married."

Deflated, Julian hurried after him, retorting with a pout, "Come on, we're brothers! Can't you show a little sympathy?"

However, Adrian Sterling paid no attention to him and strode into the house. As soon as he entered, his daughter Olivia rushed over with her tiny "thump, thump" footsteps. Bending down, Adrian scooped her into his arms and affectionately gave her a couple of kisses, asking, "Were you a good girl at kindergarten today?" The sight of his precious daughter made Adrian's authoritative aura melt away. In an instant, he transformed from a commanding figure into a doting father, his eyes revealing a hint of a soft smile, making him seem much gentler.

Olivia, with her soft childlike voice, obediently responded, "Daddy, I was very good. The teacher even gave me a little red flower!" She proudly pointed to the red flower pinned on her chest. Catching sight of Julian Sterling smiling warmly at her from the side, she immediately reached out with both arms, cooing, "Uncle, hug!"

Julian's heart melted instantly. He hurriedly took her petite form into his embrace, teasing her gently, "Good girl, Olivia. Did you miss your uncle?"

Being a mischievous and clever little one, Olivia sweetly kissed him and said, "Of course, I missed you. I love uncle the most."

Julian felt particularly pleased upon hearing this. He raised an eyebrow teasingly at his elder brother, then bent down to kiss Olivia, murmuring, "Uncle loves Olivia the most too." It was just as his childhood friend Lucas Hartley would say: Julian was a notorious charmer. When he was kind-hearted towards a woman, he could pamper her like she's the only one in the world. But when he wasn't, he could be an absolute rascal. Yet, somehow, he managed to captivate the hearts of women of all ages, from eighty years old to eight months. And with his uniquely gentle charm, who could truly resist?

Lady Sterling emerged from the kitchen, casting a stern glance at Julian, the boy who had always been the apple of her eye since childhood. Unable to restrain herself, she muttered, "If you love children so much, why don't you have one of your own? Stop putting off settling down. What's the meaning of this?"

Julian Sterling set Olivia down, then sidled up to his mother with a childlike pout. "Mum," he began, "haven't I always said I haven’t found the right one yet? Rushing things can lead to regret. What if I bring home someone you don’t like? Then whose fault would it be? I need to take my time, find the very best to take care of you."

Adrian Sterling gave a derisive snort while holding his daughter's hand. However, Julian's playful demeanor brought a chuckle from their mother. Knowing full well he was just placating her, she wasn’t mad. She gave him a playful shove and said, "Stop with the sweet talk! Go wash your hands. I've made a lot of your favorite dishes tonight. You hardly visit, and look how thin you’ve become."

Chuckling, Julian gave a casual "Okay" and headed to the washroom. When he returned, he noticed there was a guest in the house.