Chapter 052: Cherished in the Heart

"Monitoring? No, no, no. Think about what kind of person you are, Young Master Sterling—who would dare monitor you? The capital is only so big; what news can be hidden from me? Besides, I'm currently with Frank Fu. Even if news in the capital can be hidden from me, can it be hidden from the Young Master of the Fu family?"

Solas asked: "On a mission?"

"What are you talking about? I'm just a playboy; what mission would I be on?"

Solas didn't argue with him.

The person on the other end continued: "Since you're in Seahaven, how about a drink? At Dawn—I heard this is still your territory?"

"You're in Seahaven?" Without waiting for an answer, Solas added: "Since you know it's my territory, don't make too much noise. I don't want my business affected."

"I know, I know. It's your territory, Young Master Sterling; who would dare cause trouble? Drinks—are you coming? Young Master Fu is here too; it's rare for him to find time in his busy schedule."

"I'll be there in half an hour."

He was in a good mood and happened to want to find someone to have a drink with.

He had originally planned to call Harvey Zale.

But after thinking about it, he decided against it.

Harvey didn't have any major flaws, but he was occasionally unreliable. If he learned about Solas's feelings and his current jubilant mood, heaven knows how excited Harvey would get.

Likely, his ears wouldn't get a moment's peace for a long time to come.

Half an hour later, at Dawn.

Solas went straight to the private booth.

When he pushed the door open, there were only two people inside.

Two men.

Seeing him, one maintained a cold and stern face, while the other waved at him enthusiastically: "Solas, you're here!"

The one speaking was named Julian Yun, the young master of a major prestigious family in the capital and one of Solas's childhood friends.

The other was Frank Fu, the young master of the Fu family in the capital. The Fu family’s status was comparable to the Ye family’s, though they operated in different fields.

But whether it was the Fu or the Ye family, they were both slightly inferior compared to the Sterling family.

Frank was also a childhood friend of Solas and had grown up in the military. Nine out of ten descendants of the Fu family would dedicate their lives to the service.

Solas gave a nod and walked over to sit down.

He poured himself a glass of red wine, held it in his hand, and asked casually: "Need help?"

He was asking Frank.

"No, I can handle it." The voice was also very cold.

Solas didn't pursue that topic. He took a sip of red wine and swept his gaze over the two: "Specifically seeking me out for drinks during a mission—this isn't your usual style. Is something up?"

Julian spread his hands and looked at Frank, who sat calmly. "You'll have to ask Young Master Fu about that; he's the one who said he wanted to drink with you."

Frank crossed his legs and raised his glass toward Solas. "I indeed have something to discuss with you."

Solas also raised his glass, signaling him to speak.

"It's about your family."

At the words "about your family," Solas didn't show much of a reaction, other than a slight pause of the hand holding the wine glass.

His eyes remained shimmering, his expression calm.

"Solomon is returning to the country. I assume you've already received the news."

Julian actually didn't know specifically why Frank was looking for Solas. Hearing these words now, the cynical smile on his face slowly faded.

He looked at Solas, then at Frank.

There was a trace of worry in his eyes.

The Sterling family’s lineage was thin, but it was truly a mess.

He was worried that mentioning the family and Solomon would make Solas unhappy.

"And?"

"I know you don't take him seriously, but since I've personally brought it up with you, it means Solomon is indeed someone not to be underestimated."

Solas didn't deny Frank's words.

It wasn't because of Solomon, but because he knew Frank well enough.

Frank wouldn't say these things to him without reason. Since he said it and called him here to say it in person, it was definitely not a small matter.

"I know what I'm doing." Solas took another sip of wine.

"You know my profession allows me to grasp some news others can't. I recently received a new piece of information regarding Solomon."

"His five years abroad weren't just spent acting."

Solas’s eyes were deep. He leaned lazily against the sofa, swirling his glass, thoughtful. "If even you've noticed him, it seems he has indeed become quite capable over these five years."

"But, so what?"

Frank looked at him and suddenly asked: "I heard you've set your sights on the eldest miss of the Pierce family in Seahaven?"

Solas’s expression finally changed.

He narrowed his eyes to look at him.

The malice, however, wasn't directed at him.

They were all smart people. Once Frank said that, Solas understood his meaning.

Solomon couldn't do anything to him, but that didn't mean he couldn't do something to Seraphina Pierce. Once he learned of Solas's feelings for her, Solomon would definitely move against her!

To achieve his goals, Solomon had always been unscrupulous.

Seeing Solas's expression, Julian was quite startled.

"So it's true? I thought you attending a matchmaking banquet was just a rumor. Solas, if you like well-behaved ladies from prestigious families, there are plenty in the capital; why did you fixate on one from Seahaven? Although the Pierce family is a first-class family, it's limited to Seahaven. Besides, I've heard of Miss Pierce; a little girl who's been pampered since childhood and doesn't know the dangers of the heart—are you sure she's suited for the... complicated place that is the capital?"

He had originally wanted to say "the Sterling family," but Julian changed his phrasing at the end.

Otherwise, it would have been too direct.

Being able to conclude that Solas had his heart set on Seraphina Pierce based merely on a "matchmaking banquet" was because both Frank and Julian knew Solas very well.

If he weren't willing, who could force Solas to do such a thing?

Afraid of offending the Pierces?

The heir to the Sterling family, the most mysterious family in the capital, who walked with his head high there—would he be afraid of a tiny Pierce family?

Solas fell silent.

He finished the wine in his glass in one gulp and set the glass down.

He looked a bit listless.

"I was originally very happy today."

Frank and Julian: "?"

"We only officially met today. We even had a meal and went to the amusement park together."

The two: "..."

Julian was a bit dumbfounded.

Was this still the Solas he knew?

Where was the familiar cold, cynical, and steady presence?

"...Wait, Solas, what are you trying to express?" Julian understood Frank’s meaning, of course, but it didn't mean he could understand Solas's sudden character collapse!

It was a bit hard to accept.

Solas only gave him a faint glance, ignoring him, and said to Frank: "Tell me everything you've found out regarding Solomon."

Frank's expression was a bit complicated. After a long silence, he asked: "Do you like her that much?"

"Eight years," Solas said. "She has lived in my heart for a full eight years."

It was a very sentimental sentence. Logically, given Julian’s usual style of enjoying trouble, he should have teased Solas.

But Julian said nothing.

His mood even became somewhat heavy in an indescribable way.

People like them had to guard even against their closest kin and wouldn't easily give their true hearts to anyone. Although among them, Frank was the coldest and quietest, Frank cared deeply for his family and was a sister-obsessed maniac.

So strictly speaking, among them, Solas was the most aloof.

Yet it was this aloof Solas who had hidden someone in his heart for a full eight years!

"Hidden"—because even these childhood friends were entirely unaware of it.

Julian dared to say that Solas’s feelings were likely known by no one in this world except himself.

This wasn't just hiding; it was cherishing.

Given Solas's status, to hide someone in his heart for eight years, never daring to touch them, being so cautious—was that not cherishing?

"So, you've liked someone for eight years but didn't even dare pursue her?" Even Frank, who was usually steady and didn't show emotion, showed a trace of speechlessness.

Solas said nothing.

It wasn't just not daring to pursue; he didn't even dare get too close to her.

He had always watched from a distance.

She was the moon in the sky, the starlight in the dark night.

Living in the dark, he longed to move toward her, yet feared he would pull her into that lightless darkness.

She was as bright as the morning sun; she should stand in the spotlight, carefree.

But he truly wanted to be near her.

That was the reason for that matchmaking session.

Everyone thought Peter Pierce had taken an interest in him and felt he was a rare talent, but no one knew that everything had been his long-planned scheme.

Unfortunately, in the end, he had used the wrong method.

"Solas, you really are... is this still you being so cowardly? Although for people like us, falling in love isn't necessarily a good thing, since you have, there's nothing to be afraid of admitting. If you like her, pursue her; what's with all the hiding? Are you going to watch the person you like fall into someone else's arms? I certainly wouldn't be able to stand it," Julian couldn't understand at all.

"Speaking of which, this Eldest Miss of the Pierce family—I think I saw her when I was little, at the Fu residence. Young Master Fu, you should still have an impression, right? Oh, and I remember you seemed to be there at the time too."

The "you" referred to Solas.