"Are you guys planning to cook for yourselves too?"
He glanced at the shopping carts on both sides and found that everyone was buying home-cooked dishes.
Eleanor Hollis nodded, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something strange between Julian Sterling and his cousin. Julian seemed to dislike the other person, yet Ethan Sterling always had a gentle smile on his face.
"Bro, let’s go, we’ve already checked out."
Ethan’s voice remained gentle as he placed everything into his own bags.
Julian’s eyebrows furrowed, inexplicably irritated.
"You go back tonight. I have something to do at Hugo Quinn’s place."
His gaze turned to Hugo for help, and Hugo immediately understood, only able to sigh.
"Let’s go, my car’s over there."
Having Julian along didn’t feel awkward at all; these brothers were like family to him.
Ethan didn’t say anything, watching as they walked away, a cold smirk appearing on his lips.
"You know your cousin is a man now, right? You can’t still be treating him like a girl. That thing was just a mistake from your childhood. You need to remember your target is Eleanor Hollis, to figure out if Dylan Dawson gave her the password. We can’t stay long in Serenford."
A man stepped out from the side, looking like he had been following him all along.
Ethan handed everything to him, rubbing his temples.
"I know, I’ll try. After all, he was my first love, and he still influences me quite a bit."
The man began to laugh, clutching his stomach with amusement.
"Ethan, sometimes you’re really adorable."
Ethan didn’t respond, striding into his car.
Meanwhile, Julian had already gotten into Hugo’s car, leaving Ethan’s side, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
"Why do I feel like you really don’t like your cousin? If that’s the case, why keep him around?"
Hugo said this while driving.
Julian looked out the window, a flicker in his eyes.
"He’s my only relative in this world, after all. Hugo, I’ve been feeling strange lately, like there’s something really important I’ve forgotten. Every time I try to think about it, my head hurts."
Hugo’s grip on the steering wheel tightened; it could only be about Gloria Galloway. Sooner or later, he’d remember her.
"If it hurts, don’t think about it."
He said lightly, stopping the car in front of the villa.
They got out of the car, with Marcus bouncing ahead, carrying two bags of snacks Hugo had bought him.
Julian followed and sat on the sofa, taking a bite of some fruit next to him.
"Your cousin, I feel like he looks at you in a weird way."
Eleanor couldn’t hold back anymore and said this. She saw Julian’s body stiffen, even putting the fruit aside.
Hugo also looked over, noticing his reaction, knowing there must be an issue between them.
"It’s quite embarrassing."
Julian decided to speak up, awkwardly.
"Hugo, I’ve told you about my childhood, right? Back then, I had long hair, about shoulder-length. Ethan’s family moved nearby, and that was the first time I found peers my age, so I went to play with him every day. Who knew that kid thought I was a girl and even... confessed his love. I wanted to beat him to death for that, but I was malnourished and not as tall as the others back then. After he confessed, he kissed me. We got into a fight, and I called him a freak. Later, after he found out my gender, it seemed to hit him hard, and he moved away."
After Julian finished, he found the room was silent. Turning his head, he saw Eleanor and Hugo’s faces flushed with suppressed laughter.
"Just laugh if you want. That kid probably still can’t get over that first love. Now, he always looks at me weirdly. What annoys me even more is that whatever it is, he always tries to do it before me, completely treating me like a girl."
After speaking, Julian’s face darkened. This was simply an insult to him.
Eleanor couldn’t help but find it amusing; it was probably the funniest thing she’d heard recently, more melodramatic than any novel.
Someone let out a laugh; it was Marcus. This update ıs available on NoveIꜰire.net
Marcus laughed so hard he fell over on the sofa, tears of joy in his eyes.
Eleanor and Hugo wanted to laugh too, but seeing Marcus so happy, they were touched instead. It had been a long time since they had seen the boy .
Previously, he hadn’t been sullen, but his laughter had never come from the heart.
Now his laughter was genuine.
Julian, initially feeling aggrieved, found himself laughing too when he saw Marcus so happy. Soon, the room was filled with the laughter of several people.
After the laughter died down, Hugo stood up to wash the vegetables.
"He’s cooking tonight?"
Julian was a bit surprised. Previously, among the brothers, he was the one who always cooked, and Hugo never set foot in the kitchen.
"Uncle Sterling, don’t underestimate my dad. Whether it’s cooking or anything else, he’s always great. He’ll look at a recipe once and know how to make it perfectly, for sure."
Julian looked down at his face, unable to stop himself from saying.
"If only I could get married, it would be great. I’d probably have such an adorable child like you."
He spoke completely unconsciously, not realizing he’d said it aloud.
"Uncle Sterling, haven’t you already gotten married?"
Marcus’s crisp voice was like a thunderbolt, striking Julian hard.
Since waking up, Julian had felt everyone was hiding something, but his room was spotless, no clues to be found.
Now, with Eleanor and Hugo in the kitchen, Eleanor helping to wash vegetables, no one was paying attention to what Marcus said.
"What did you say....."
Julian’s expression changed suddenly. When did he get married?
But if he wasn’t married, why was the child’s statement so assertive?
"Uncle Sterling, don’t you remember? Or did Mommy tell me? You both got the marriage license, and Aunt Gloria is really pretty and loves you a lot. Mommy always hoped Aunt Gloria would be with you; she said you were a perfect match. But later, I don’t know why, Aunt Gloria always looked unhappy. At that time, Uncle Sterling was often in the news. Oh, I even saw a video of you quitting showbiz."
Marcus scratched his head, unsure if he’d said something wrong because Julian’s face looked very unpleasant.
Gloria.....her name felt like a web, trapping him, making it hard to breathe.
He’d searched for his own retirement from showbiz videos before, but they contained nothing. After announcing his retirement, he left the scene; nothing else was said. However, from Marcus’s reaction, it was clear things weren’t as he had thought.