Chapter 022: Surface-Level Relations

Lately, everyone had been gossiping about Seraphina and Silas's blind date, and there were several versions of the story.

First: neither of them was interested in the other.

Second: Silas didn't like Seraphina.

Third: Seraphina didn't like Silas.

Fourth: Silas liked her, but she didn't like him.

Fifth: She liked him, but he didn't like her.

Sixth: they were a perfect match.

Finnian was dying of curiosity, but he'd been too busy lately to catch Seraphina and satisfy his gossip-loving heart.

Sterling also shared the same surname and was said to be from the capital; who knew if he was related to Silas?

Finnian's thought was that if Seraphina really was interested in Silas, it wouldn't hurt to mention someone like Sterling since the name had come to mind.

"Is that so? He sounds quite accomplished for his age," Seraphina said casually.

She was stating a fact, but coming from her, Finnian and Leo felt it sounded a bit odd.

When it came to being accomplished at a young age, who could rival her?

"Let's forget him then; I can see you're not interested. No performances lately? I heard from Shannon that you've been home for a while now?"

"Yes, I'll be home for the time being."

Seraphina took the hot milk Leo handed her from a servant’s tray, took a small sip, and asked, "What about you? Are you adjusting well to the company?"

At the mention of the company, Finnian wilted. "Don't even go there. It's a long story."

"I have no idea where my dad gets this inexplicable trust in me. I'd only been at the company for a month, and he only trained me for that long before becoming a total absentee boss and taking my mom on vacation."

"I could handle the business side of things, but..." He stopped and gestured with his eyes toward the other Fosters in the room.

Seeing his miserable face, Seraphina gave a faint smile.

She felt a bit sorry for him.

However, no matter how ruthless the Fosters were, they were nothing compared to Silas Pierce. At least the Fosters wouldn't directly try to take a life.

If your life is gone, what do you have left to fight with?

"It sounds like you've been having a tough time lately."

"I'm fine with it; I've gotten used to it over the last few months. It can't get much worse, as long as..." As long as the other Fosters stop making trouble for him.

Of course, Finnian didn't say that out loud.

The other Fosters were right there; even though they were sitting further away and he was whispering, there was no guarantee they wouldn't overhear.

He glanced over and saw a few people looking their way, Jade included. He lowered his voice further. "But what about you, Sera? What was that earlier? It's very unlike your usual style."

Seraphina smiled faintly. "I was just normally expressing my confusion."

"Do you think anything I said was incorrect?"

It wasn't that she was wrong—anyone would be confused and react that way—but it just wasn't her personality.

Oh well, she was just being a bit unusual; it wasn't a huge deal.

As they were talking, Silas and Sylvia arrived, having composed themselves.

After their talk, Sylvia stopped causing trouble.

Since they were at the Pierce residence, the other Fosters—especially Jade, who was always at odds with Seraphina—didn't start any trouble. The atmosphere remained relatively harmonious through dinner.

At least on the surface.

After dinner, as the Fosters were leaving, Sylvia stood up and said insincerely, "It's late now, so the reporters outside shouldn't be as thick as before. I'll head back to the Foster house with my brother and sister-in-law."

She stepped forward and gave Xenia a hug. "Sister-in-law, today was a special situation. Thank you for your hard work, hosting not just me but the entire Foster family."

Releasing Xenia, Sylvia offered a graceful smile to Li Xiaoyan, whose face had soured at her words. Her pleasant attitude smoothed things over, and though Li Xiaoyan was still slightly annoyed, her expression softened.

It was true that even though Sylvia was recognized by the Fosters, she was still an illegitimate daughter.

Many in the Foster family looked down on her.

If it weren't for Sylvia's connection to the Pierces, Li Xiaoyan wouldn't have given her a second glance.

"My brother, his wife, and my niblings were just worried about me and rushed over. If they were at all discourteous, please don't take it to heart, Sister-in-law."

As she spoke, Sylvia glanced pointedly at Seraphina and Leo standing behind Xenia.

Xenia gave her a playfully reproachful look, taking her hand and patting the back of it soothingly. "What are you talking about? Honestly, Sera and Leo were also in the wrong today. Given the bond between our families, they shouldn't have been so pedantic."

The word "also" was used brilliantly.

It implied that Seraphina and Leo weren't the only ones in the wrong.

Sylvia caught the subtext, of course, but she feigned ignorance.

"You're right, Sister-in-law."

Xenia offered a polite smile and looked at the Fosters, then asked Sylvia, "Did you just say you were going back to the Foster house with them?"

"Yes. Silas and I aren't married yet; staying at the Pierce house would be too much of an imposition."

Before Xenia could speak, Silas cut in, sounding displeased. "What 'imposition'? Do we really need to be so formal with each other? Sylvia, we've been together for over a decade. You are my legitimate fiancée; staying at my home is only right. Do you intend to toss me aside the moment we get back to the country?"

Though his tone was irritated, his eyes were fixed on Sylvia.

They were filled with deep affection and a touch of hurt.

An onlooker would think he was profoundly in love with her.

Even Sylvia almost believed him.

In truth, Sylvia knew that while Silas liked her a little, he liked himself much more.

In his heart, no one was more important than himself.

She couldn't even compete with his own interests.

However, Sylvia didn't let her thoughts show. Hearing Silas's words, she looked at him with longing before turning back to Xenia.

She looked conflicted.

"This..."

"Silas is right. You are his legitimate fiancée; staying at the Pierce house is only natural. I've already prepared your room; you wouldn't let my effort go to waste, would you? Besides, if you stay here, it'll be easier for us to discuss the wedding. You and Silas aren't young anymore, and with no elders in the Pierce family, the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother. If you won't take your marriage seriously, I must."

Xenia could clearly see that Sylvia's talk of going back to the Fosters was just an act.

Acting? Everyone could do that.

When she set her mind to something, she could do it so perfectly that no one could find a flaw.

Even if her opinion of Sylvia had shifted slightly today, she wouldn't let anyone notice.

"Then... I should stay?"

"Stay then. Don't think the reporters are gone just because it's dark; it's still early. Your return caused such a stir that they won't stop hounding you for days. You and Silas should stay home and rest, and wait for the hype to die down before going out," Li Xiaoyan said with "genuine" concern.

The Foster family relied on Sylvia to cement their relationship with the Pierces.

"Alright then. Brother, Sister-in-law, stay safe on the road. I'll visit you in a few days."

Sylvia also smiled at the younger Fosters. "I brought gifts for all of you, but they're in my luggage. Since it's late, I won't get them now, but I'll send them over in a few days."

Except for Finnian and Jade, the other Foster juniors seemed to like Sylvia quite a bit.

Hearing her, several of them cheered happily, expressing how much they looked forward to their presents.

Finnian didn't have any particular feelings for Sylvia, while Jade, like Li Xiaoyan, looked down on her.

Once the Fosters left, the Pierce house became quiet again.

Relatively quiet, at least.

Seraphina and Leo didn't pay much more attention and prepared to go straight upstairs to their rooms.

But Sylvia called out to them: "Sera, Leo, wait a moment!"

They stopped but said nothing, their eyes asking:

Yes?

Their attitude caused Sylvia's expression to falter for an instant.

But she quickly composed herself.

Clearly, Silas's earlier warning had worked; she didn't dare lose her temper again and ruin his plans.

"I brought gifts for you two as well."

"You were both so small when I left, so I don't know your current tastes. I hope you'll like what I've brought."

"Thank you," Seraphina said. "You can give the gifts to Auntie Du and have her bring them up to us."

Her tone was very calm, as if the scene that afternoon had never happened. One couldn't see a trace of their recent conflict on her face.

This caused both Silas and Sylvia to look at Seraphina with a bit more scrutiny.

Even Quentin and Xenia turned to look at her at the same time.

Sera really had been acting a bit unusually lately.

Could the blind date have sparked her interest in Silas and finally "woken her up," causing her personality to slowly shift?

It was, admittedly, a beautiful misunderstanding.

Silas and Sylvia had no idea what Quentin and Xenia were thinking.

Silas gazed at Seraphina for a while before looking away and glancing seemingly casually at Sylvia.

Sylvia took the hint and looked at Seraphina, asking in a tone that was both confused and slightly hurt, "Sera, do you and Leo... not really like your uncle and me?"