Chapter 95: Chapter 95: A Brewing Storm
Although Dahlia Thorne’s situation was important because it had an influence on Gabriel Cole’s side, Ethan Caldwell had a more pressing matter to attend to immediately: the collaboration with Iris Visuals to expand into a new market. His trip abroad this time was primarily to negotiate this specific issue.
Fortunately, the trip that took several days was not a waste. Ethan had signed a cooperation contract with The Olympus Group, although the various terms and conditions had not yet been fully clarified. To call it a signed contract was perhaps too generous, it was more accurate to say it was a written commitment to cooperate with legal validity. It did not carry a guarantee regarding profit-sharing rights, nor did it ensure that The Olympus Group would exert one hundred percent of their capabilities to assist the Caldwell family.
These matters still depended on how far this current project could develop, as well as whether it was truly valuable enough for The Olympus Group to invest so much effort and resources.
While on the plane, Ethan had calculated that after landing, he would find Julian Sterling to negotiate the issues related to the contract. Unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped out of the airport gate, he heard the news that Julian had encountered trouble. Handling everything up until now had caused him to lose a significant amount of time.
Ethan looked at his watch and saw that it was almost time, so he went down to the kitchen, placed a small pot of porridge on the hydrothermal warmer, and then returned to the bedroom. Inside the room, Julian was sleeping very obediently; his chest rose and fell gently with his breathing, and his cheeks were still slightly flushed.
Ethan watched for a while, then he could not resist lowering his head to kiss the younger man on the forehead, speaking in a low voice: “Sweetheart, wake up.”
The person lying on the bed seemed to be disturbed. He made a humming sound and squirmed a few times, waving his hand as if he wanted to chase away the person who was buzzing beside his ear. Julian’s sleeping appearance was adorable, always looking somewhat petulant and clingy, causing Ethan to chuckle a few times.
After that, he pulled this lazy little worm completely into his arms, kissed his cheeks, and said continuously: “Wake up, little pig. Didn’t you say you didn’t want to go to sleep earlier?”
Being constantly pestered by Ethan, Julian finally opened his eyes with difficulty. He pouted, his vision was not yet clear, but out of habit, he relied on Ethan and rubbed his head against the man’s neck.
“You are so noisy. I want to sleep.”
“Be good, wake up and eat a little, then you can go back to sleep, okay?”
Julian did not answer, but he seemed to be a bit more awake. Ethan coaxed him a little longer, and it was not until nearly ten minutes later that Julian sulkily went into the bathroom to wash his face, while Ethan went down to the kitchen to ladle out the porridge.
When Ethan returned, Julian was fully awake. He was sitting leaning against the headboard, an open laptop resting on his stomach, typing something on the phone in his hand. Seeing Ethan come up, Julian turned his head to look at him and beamed with a bright smile.
“What is it?” Ethan walked closer. Julian did not answer immediately but signaled for him to bend down, then kissed him on the cheek.
The atmosphere became significantly gentler and warmer.
Julian took the bowl of porridge from Ethan’s hand, eating while opening the laptop for him to see: “Here is the master plan for the project that I preliminarily completed while you were abroad. Of course, it is not a detailed plan, only the core priorities and a preliminary summary of the market for us to note. Waiting until the negotiation with Iris Visuals is successful, we need to establish a team specifically in charge of this project, and only then can both sides develop detailed plans.”
Ethan read the document while unable to resist teasing: “So confident that the negotiation will be successful?”
“Of course.” Seeing Ethan looking at him, Julian bit the spoon, his voice vague but unable to hide his confidence: “If it doesn’t work out, Seraphina will find a way to push for the cooperation to succeed anyway.”
Ethan flicked Julian’s nose: “You, don’t rely on other people like that.”
“So what? Let me tell you, this time she suggested a lot of ideas for me to develop the project.” As Julian spoke, he presented a few special points in the plan for Ethan to hear. At this moment, Ethan noticed that the plan was indeed drafted with many segments approached from very new perspectives.
While Ethan pondered that information, Julian finished the bowl of porridge. He placed the empty bowl on the bedside table and burrowed completely into Ethan’s embrace, resting his head on the man’s chest and yawning twice.
At this point, Ethan no longer looked at the laptop but rested his chin on Julian’s jet-black hair, his voice deep: “Tired?”
“No, I just feel a bit groggy from sleeping too much. How are things on your end?”
“Just normal, but there is something I think you will be very interested in.” Ethan stopped there. Sure enough, the head resting on his chest moved, and when Ethan looked down, he met Julian’s glistening eyes.
“What is it?”
“Do you remember Jason Harrington?”
“Jason Harrington… hmm, the grandson who abandoned his girlfriend to marry a child from a wealthy family and was almost kicked out of the house by Mr. Harrington of Helios Technologies?”
“Mm… The story is this…”
Ethan leisurely recounted the information that Helen Lloyd had reported to him earlier for Julian to hear. Initially, Julian listened very engrossedly, as if preparing to hear a scandal about the upper class. However, the more he listened, the more his brows furrowed, and finally, he fell into deep thought.
“Have you arranged to meet that person yet?”
“Yes, I told Helen to arrange it. Depending on her side, we might meet Dahlia Thorne before negotiating with Iris Visuals.”
“I want to go too.” Julian requested, and Ethan did not refuse. Since he had decided to tell Julian, it was obvious that this meeting would definitely include him.
Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep
Chapters
- Chapter 348: The Bloodstained Chessboard
- Chapter 347: Echoes from the Past (2)
- Chapter 346: Echoes from the Past
- Chapter 345: The Origin of Sin
- Chapter 344: Secrets Beneath the Floorboards
- Chapter 343: What is the real?
- Chapter 342: The Price of Immortality
- Chapter 341: The Eden Project (2)
- Chapter 340: The Eden Project
- Chapter 339: A Lingering Promise
- Chapter 338: A Desperate Entanglement
- Chapter 337: Confessions and Intertwined Memories
- Chapter 336: The Death of Julian Sterling
- Chapter 335: The Biological Puppet
- Chapter 334: The Mechanical Brainwaves
- Chapter 333: The Hidden Motives
- Chapter 332: Baiting the Trap
- Chapter 331: Invisible Threats
- Chapter 330: The Reality of Romance
- Chapter 329: A Clingy Lover
- Chapter 328: The Wordless Message
- Chapter 327: The Cruel Truth of CORE
- Chapter 326: The Trap Within a Trap
- Chapter 325: CORE
- Chapter 324: A Decade of Torment
- Chapter 323: A Decade of Agony (2)
- Chapter 322: A Decade of Agony
- Chapter 321: Anomalies in Time
- Chapter 320: The Undercurrents of St. Lawrence
- Chapter 319: The Bloodline of Madness
- Chapter 318: Gathering in the Shadows
- Chapter 317: The Aftermath of Passion
- Chapter 316: The Limit of Endurance (R21)
- Chapter 315: The Searing Touch of Wax (R21)
- Chapter 314: Stubborn Provocation
- Chapter 313: A Drop of Torment (R21)
- Chapter 312: Shattered Senses (R21)
- Chapter 311: No safe word (R21)
- Chapter 310: The Sweet Punishment (R21)
- Chapter 309: Unbearable Torment (R21)
- Chapter 308: A Torturous Pleasure (R21)
- Chapter 307: The Allure of the Silver Chain (R21)
- Chapter 306: A Lingering Effect
- Chapter 305: Embracing the Spoiled Life
- Chapter 304: A Lifelong Promise
- Chapter 303: A Gamble of the Heart
- Chapter 302: Unspoken Sentiments
- Chapter 301: Clearing the Air
- Chapter 300: The Interrogation and the Riverside Villa
- Chapter 299: A Sweet Display
- Chapter 298: Midnight Strategies
- Chapter 297: The Tides of Public Opinion (2)
- Chapter 296: The Tides of Public Opinion
- Chapter 295: Crossing the Line (R18)
- Chapter 294: Unspoken Agreement (R18)
- Chapter 293: Restless Night (R18)
- Chapter 292: Lingering Heat (R18)
- Chapter 291: Overwhelming Tides (R18)
- Chapter 290: Unfinished Business
- Chapter 289: A Complete Farce
- Chapter 288: The Legitimate Spouse
- Chapter 287: The Unmuzzled Dogs
- Chapter 286: The Tables Turned
- Chapter 285: Manipulating Public Opinion
- Chapter 284: The Live Stream Escalation
- Chapter 283: The Uninvited Intruders
- Chapter 282: The Storm of Public Opinion (2)
- Chapter 281: The Storm of Public Opinion
- Chapter 280: The Surging Tides of Desire (R18)
- Chapter 279: R18
- Chapter 278: The Approaching Storm
- Chapter 277: A Swift Arrival
- Chapter 276: A Makeshift Solution
- Chapter 275: A Desperate Call
- Chapter 274: Intercepted in the Garage
- Chapter 273: The Disguise
- Chapter 272: The Urgent News
- Chapter 271: The Hidden Camera
- Chapter 270: Kensington City
- Chapter 269: The Calm Before the Storm
- Chapter 268: The Real Battlefield
- Chapter 267: Shifting the Narrative
- Chapter 266: The Media War
- Chapter 265: The Preemptive Strike
- Chapter 264: The Unseen Trap
- Chapter 263: Ethan Caldwell really is a bastard!
- Chapter 262: Putting on an Act
- Chapter 261: Dating "Someone Else"
- Chapter 260: The Snake Reveals Itself
- Chapter 259: Flies and Mosquitoes Amidst the Battle
- Chapter 258: The Kissing Photo in the Movie Theater
- Chapter 257: Morning Conversation
- Chapter 256: Absolute Authority
- Chapter 255: A Sweet Night Out
- Chapter 254: The Lily of the Valley
- Chapter 253: The Anchor
- Chapter 252: Ordinary Smoke and Fire
- Chapter 251: Coaxing
- Chapter 250: The Variable of Destiny
- Chapter 249: "I Am His Husband"
- Chapter 248: If You Want to Die, Let Us Die Together
- Chapter 247: A Thug in Pink Makeup
- Chapter 246: Is the Victim at Fault?
- Chapter 245: Malice in the Lecture Hall
- Chapter 244: A funeral dirge that they dedicated to their own lives
- Chapter 243: The Uncontrollable Ferment
- Chapter 242: I will drag you down to death with me
- Chapter 241: Talking about the post
- Chapter 240: Luring the Snake Out of Its Hole
- Chapter 239: Public Opinion
- Chapter 238: The Forum Storm
- Chapter 237: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes
- Chapter 236: A Well-Rehearsed Act
- Chapter 235: The Compensation Date
- Chapter 234: The Dividend Agreement
- Chapter 233: 20% Shares
- Chapter 232: The Teary-Eyed Doll
- Chapter 231: The Future Handed Over
- Chapter 230: Always Someone Better
- Chapter 229: A Talented But Arrogant Individual
- Chapter 228: Compensatory Crab Porridge
- Chapter 227: Fiercer
- Chapter 226: The Drenched Brush
- Chapter 225: A Picture of Eroticism
- Chapter 224: Painting the Tide of Passion
- Chapter 223: A Sketch Upon Bare Flesh
- Chapter 222: The New "Usage" of the Painting Brushes
- Chapter 221: The Energy-Infused Glazed Tiles
- Chapter 220: The Perfect Act
- Chapter 219: A Sweet Wound
- Chapter 218: Self-sacrificing Stratagem
- Chapter 217: The Nemesis of the Lilac
- Chapter 216: Coaxing
- Chapter 215: The Invisible Trap
- Chapter 214: A Strange Fragrance
- Chapter 213: Vigilance
- Chapter 212: Strange Face
- Chapter 211: The Gamble of Affection
- Chapter 210: The Special "Assistant"
- Chapter 209: The Perfect Play
- Chapter 208: Acknowledging the Identity
- Chapter 207: The True Nature of the Despicable
- Chapter 206: A High-Class Face-Slapping
- Chapter 205: Rats Clad in Silk
- Chapter 204: Fine Fabrics and Filthy People
- Chapter 203: Stepping Over the Line
- Chapter 202: The Runner-Up
- Chapter 201: The Newly Rich Youngest Son
- Chapter 200: The Background of the Troublemaker
- Chapter 199: Malicious Glances
- Chapter 198: Enrollment
- Chapter 197: Drowning in the Storm
- Chapter 196: Trapped in the Heat of Desire
- Chapter 195: Overwhelming Surrender
- Chapter 194: Shattered Defenses
- Chapter 193: The Starlit Surrender
- Chapter 192: Wilderness and Want
- Chapter 191: Leaving at the Climax
- Chapter 190: The Weight of Forever
- Chapter 189: A Vow Beneath the Stars
- Chapter 188: The Silence of the Stars
- Chapter 187: The Golden River Beneath the Stars (2)
- Chapter 186: The Golden River Beneath the Stars
- Chapter 185: The Echo of a Broken Soul
- Chapter 184: The Weight of a Soul
- Chapter 183: Starlit Regrets
- Chapter 182: The Art of Negotiation
- Chapter 181: The Puppeteer’s Strings
- Chapter 180: The Cold-Blooded Operative
- Chapter 179: The Script of a Tragedy
- Chapter 178: The Camouflage of Absurdity
- Chapter 177: A Symphony of Neon and Speed
- Chapter 176: The Price of Indulgence
- Chapter 175: The Aftermath of Surrender
- Chapter 174: A Compromise of Dignity
- Chapter 173: Sweet Torture
- Chapter 172: A Cruel Game of Endurance
- Chapter 171: A Sweet, Agonizing Torment
- Chapter 170: The Fantasy of Fruition
- Chapter 169: Depths of Desire
- Chapter 168: A Taste of Depravity
- Chapter 167: The Residue of Madness
- Chapter 166: The City Beneath Their Feet
- Chapter 165: A Breath-Taking View
- Chapter 164: The Art of Possession - R18
- Chapter 163: The Mark of Possession - R18
- Chapter 162: Stimulant - R18
- Chapter 161: The Intoxicating Scent of Jealousy
- Chapter 160: Talking with Ethan’s friends
- Chapter 159: The Unveiling of Hidden Gems
- Chapter 158: Circles of Power
- Chapter 157: The Inner Circle
- Chapter 156: The Weight of Privilege
- Chapter 155: Shadows Behind the Golden Light
- Chapter 154: The Invisible Lines of a New Empire
- Chapter 153: The Shadow King
- Chapter 152: A Cup of Ambition
- Chapter 151: An Invitation to the Inner Circle
- Chapter 150: A Morning Knot
- Chapter 149: A Palette of Warmth
- Chapter 148: The Murky Waters of Saint Lawrence (2)
- Chapter 147: The Murky Waters of Saint Lawrence
- Chapter 146: The Fox and the Hunter
- Chapter 145: The Rules of the Game
- Chapter 144: The Butterfly Effect
- Chapter 143: The Dangerous Warmth of Domesticity
- Chapter 142: The Cold Floor
- Chapter 141: The Reflection in the Glass
- Chapter 140: The Elusive Shadow
- Chapter 139: The Shadow Strategist
- Chapter 138: The Unintended Audience
- Chapter 137: The Most Potent Weapon
- Chapter 136: The Pincer Attack
- Chapter 135: The Art of Manipulation
- Chapter 134: Stirring the Muddy Waters
- Chapter 133: The Bait in the Shadows
- Chapter 132: Talking with Lucas
- Chapter 131: The Price of Indulgent Nights
- Chapter 130: The Covenant of Equality
- Chapter 129: Unconditional Surrender
- Chapter 128: The Boundary of Pride
- Chapter 127: The Next Day
- Chapter 126: The Breaking Point
- Chapter 125: A Torturous Resonance
- Chapter 124: The Chilling Intrusion
- Chapter 123: The Gentle Cleansing
- Chapter 122: The Shattered Reflection
- Chapter 121: The Reflection
- Chapter 120: Reflections of Vain Regret
- Chapter 119: The Symphony of Silver Bells
- Chapter 118: The Predator Unbound
- Chapter 117: The Tantalizing Vibration
- Chapter 116: The Golden String
- Chapter 115: Turning the Tables
- Chapter 114: A Tender Embrace
- Chapter 113: The Flogger’s Caress
- Chapter 112: Edge of Control
- Chapter 111: The Tremors of Sweet Torture
- Chapter 110: A Lesson Etched in Pleasure
- Chapter 109: Sweet Torment
- Chapter 108: Bound and Exposed
- Chapter 107: The Pervert You Love
- Chapter 106: The Melody of Punishment
- Chapter 105: Settling the Score
- Chapter 104: The Predator Wakes
- Chapter 103: ATHERIA: Legacy of the Stars
- Chapter 102: The Negotiation
- Chapter 101: The Price of Starlight
- Chapter 100: The Resonance of Memory
- Chapter 99: The Hollow Echo of Perfection
- Chapter 98: The Architecture of Ambition
- Chapter 97: The Halo of Centaurus
- Chapter 96: A Starlit Legacy
- Chapter 95: A Brewing Storm
- Chapter 94: Hidden Agendas
- Chapter 93: The Woman in the Shadows
- Chapter 92: The Hidden Shadow
- Chapter 91: A Calculated Test
- Chapter 90: The Discarded Tool
- Chapter 89: The Harsh Truth
- Chapter 88: The Taste of Despair
- Chapter 87: The Mastermind
- Chapter 86: The Aftermath
- Chapter 85: The Reclusive Doctor
- Chapter 84: A Rose Crushed in Passion
- Chapter 83: Blatant Provocation
- Chapter 82: A Child of Our Own?
- Chapter 81: Can You Get Pregnant?
- Chapter 80: Awakening of Affection
- Chapter 79: Unending Heat
- Chapter 78: Sinking into Desire
- Chapter 77: The Feverish Entanglement
- Chapter 76: The Only Cure
- Chapter 75: Feverish Instincts
- Chapter 74: A Desperate Escape
- Chapter 73: A Web of Deceit
- Chapter 72: The Abduction
- Chapter 71: The Trap and the Countermove
- Chapter 70: A Scripted Reunion
- Chapter 69: A Calculated Encounter
- Chapter 68: Laying the Groundwork
- Chapter 67: Is It Worth It?
- Chapter 66: The Ferocious Sea of Pleasure
- Chapter 65: An Intimate Compromise
- Chapter 64: Shirt Garters
- Chapter 63: Gentle Aftermath
- Chapter 62: The Hidden Ambitions
- Chapter 61: Unraveling the Scheme
- Chapter 60: Hidden Depths
- Chapter 59: The Strategic Presentation
- Chapter 58: The Meeting and the Market Strategy
- Chapter 57: The Most Beautiful Appearance
- Chapter 56: The Gamble
- Chapter 55: The Aftermath
- Chapter 54: Melting Ice
- Chapter 53: Cold Punishment
- Chapter 52: The Staircase Punishment
- Chapter 51: Consequences of the Tonic
- Chapter 50: Sweet Torture
- Chapter 49: The Sheep’s Eye Ring
- Chapter 48: The Red Rope
- Chapter 47: Afternoon Indulgence
- Chapter 46: A Nourishing Scheme
- Chapter 45: A Meal to Capture the Heart
- Chapter 44: The Spectator
- Chapter 43: A Fox in Sheep’s Clothing
- Chapter 42: The Sterling Family’s Scheme
- Chapter 41: Schemes at the Dinner Table
- Chapter 40: Hidden Agendas
- Chapter 39: A Free Show
- Chapter 38: Comrades in Arms
- Chapter 37: The Perfect Plan
- Chapter 36: Little Jules
- Chapter 35: The Gossip of the Cole Family
- Chapter 34: Consequences of Indulgence
- Chapter 33: Reflections of Desire (R18)
- Chapter 32: Bathroom Indulgence (R18)
- Chapter 31: Sweet Torture
- Chapter 30: Impulsive Indulgence
- Chapter 29: Hidden Motives
- Chapter 28: The Ebony Lounge
- Chapter 27: Hidden Connections and Lingering Resentment
- Chapter 26: The Morning After and Hidden Agendas
- Chapter 25: Relentless (R18)
- Chapter 24: Passionate Indulgence in the Bathroom (R18)
- Chapter 23: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes
- Chapter 22: The Best Revenge
- Chapter 21: White Moonlight and Vermilion Mark
- Chapter 20: Bare soul
- Chapter 19: Building a Foundation
- Chapter 18: Morning Heat (R18)
- Chapter 17: The Back-up Plan
- Chapter 16: Testing Boundaries
- Chapter 15: R18
- Chapter 14: Indulgence (R18)
- Chapter 13: The First Time (R18)
- Chapter 12: The Wedding Night
- Chapter 11: The Confrontation in the Garden
- Chapter 10: My Family’s Affairs
- Chapter 9: The Quiet Union
- Chapter 8: A Potential Partner
- Chapter 7: The First Kiss
- Chapter 6: The Sunday Date
- Chapter 5: Faint Starlight
- Chapter 4: A Promise of Freedom
- Chapter 3: The Warmth Of His Hand
- Chapter 2: The First Encounter
- Chapter 1: The Transmigration and The Arranged Marriage