Chapter 326

"Alright, let me call a few people too. Vivian, Winifred, you two can bring your friends if you want," Sienna said.

At that, Vivian immediately thought of Nathan, but she hesitated, worried about his background.

As Vivian debated whether or not to mention his name, Sienna spoke up. "Vivian, don't you have a friend named Nathan? He saved you last time, right?"

Sienna didn’t completely monitor their lives, but she always kept an eye on them. She knew Vivian and Nathan were pretty close, and she didn’t object. After all, Nathan wasn’t the scheming type.

Vivian’s face lit up with a bright smile as she nodded hard. "Okay."

Winifred was just about to say she didn't really have any friends to invite when she suddenly remembered Rowena, who was staying at her villa. Winifred thought to herself, "Oh well, maybe she will like it."

“Hey, Ryan, it’s me. Can you swing by my place and bring Rowena over?” Winifred said.

“No problem, Winifred,” Ryan replied.

When Rowena heard Ryan say that Winifred wanted her to come over to the Hart residence for a barbecue, she was thrilled. "Could you pull over for a second! I need to grab something."

Rowena couldn’t just show up empty-handed on her first visit. She knew the Hart family didn’t really need anything, but it just didn’t feel right to go with nothing at all.

Julian stood in front of the building she had bought for herself. "Begin construction," he ordered.

"Yeah, sir," his men said.

With Julian’s command, the building collapsed instantly.

"Mr. Ford, at the earliest, it’ll take six months to complete. Everything’s proceeding according to your plan," Clark reported.

Julian nodded. Just then, his phone rang. Sporting the familiar number, he wiped his hands and picked up right away. "Hello, Sienna."

"Julian, want to come over for a barbecue tonight? We're celebrating Amber finishing her SATs.” Sienna’s voice came through the phone, sending a rush of warmth straight to his heart.

"Sure," Julian said, a rare smile lighting up his face.

Clark, who’d been watching him, saw that usual poker face suddenly break into a grin and couldn’t help but ask, "Mr. Ford, what’s got you in such a good mood?"

Hearing Clark’s voice, Sienna added, "Bring Clark along, too. The more, the merrier."

Clark leaned in even closer, and when he realized it was Sienna inviting him as well, he could barely contain his excitement, practically bouncing as he tugged on Julian’s arm.

“Mr. Ford, did Miss Hart really mean me, too?” Clark asked, his voice full of anticipation.

Honestly, the biggest thrill in life is just letting one’s imagination run wild. As long as one had some crazy ideas bouncing around in their head, it was enough to get one’s heart racing and make one feel on top of the world.

Right now, Clark was thinking, "Maybe Miss Hart actually noticed me this time. She invited me along with Mr. Ford, so I guess I really did leave a good impression."

Clark was even starting to think he might be more charming than Julian.

After hanging up with Sienna, Julian brushed him off, his tone icy. "If you’re too busy, you don’t have to come."

Clark quickly caught up, calling out loudly, "I’m totally free, Mr. Ford. I’ve got all the time in the world. I’m coming with you. I want to see Miss Hart."

Julian’s good mood vanished in a flash. Seriously, this guy… he wondered.

Clark pestered Julian, "Mr. Ford, what exactly are we doing at Miss Hart’s place? What should I wear? Should I style my hair or something?"

Julian couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

Wayne hadn’t expected to show up at the Hart residence’s door at the exact same time as Julian. When he saw Julian also holding a bouquet of roses, it was honestly an eyesore; it stung, and Wayne couldn’t help but feel annoyed.

Julian responded with a gentle smile, looking elegant, friendly, and almost unfairly handsome.

"Mr. Sinclair, you’re five years my senior, right? I think we will be friends. I’m guessing you’re here because Sienna invited you, too? How about we head in together?" Julian suggested.

Whenever Julian talked to someone, he’d always give a slight nod, a subtle smile lingering on his lips. His voice was clear and refreshing, like a cool spring, and every word carried a sense of genuine warmth and thoughtful care.

But to Wayne, all of this just made his blood boil. Everything about it rubbed him the wrong way; he felt completely uncomfortable and seriously irritated.

"Wayne, what are you doing just standing here! And who’s this?" Miles called out as he got out of his car and walked over.

Julian turned around, finally getting a good look at his face. He was a bit taken aback. So it’s him, Julian thought.

“Oh, so it’s you, Mr. Ford. Hello," Miles greeted him.

Julian knew who Miles was. He’d heard about the rumors between him and Sienna before, and some fans had even started a whole shipping campaign for the two of them online.

“Hello, Mr. Quinn," Julian replied.

"Miles, you’re finally here. Come on in," Claire called out with a bright smile.

Miles glanced at the matching bouquets of roses in their hands and quietly slipped inside ahead of them, feeling relieved that he’d ditched the idea of buying roses and brought a different gift instead. Otherwise, he would’ve been stuck at the door looking just as awkward as the rest of them.

"Julian, let me make this clear. I like Sienna. I’m pursuing her," Wayne declared without hesitation.

Julian lowered his eyes, gazing at the roses he’d just picked from his own garden. "She’s outstanding, and it’s only natural she has many admirers. But I’m not one of them. I’m her guardian."

His deep eyes brimmed with an endless tenderness, so intense that Wayne was momentarily taken aback.

Wayne noticed the tiny red marks on Julian’s hand–pricked by the thorns. He really picked these roses himself, he thought.

Julian strolled inside with a relaxed elegance. Wayne looked down at the roses in his arms, hesitated for a moment, then turned and tossed them into the trash.

He grabbed a box of lychees from the trunk and followed him into the Hart residence.

Sienna was dressed in a simple, form-fitting black long-sleeved top. Her hair was styled in a high bun atop her head, revealing her flawless forehead.

Standing beneath the night sky, bathed in the gentle glow of the moon, her beauty was almost otherworldly. Yet now, she carried a touch of warmth, a gentle softness that made her seem even more approachable.

Julian walked up to her, holding the bouquet of roses. As everyone’s attention zeroed in on them, Sienna couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed for some reason.

"Sienna, sorry if I'm a bit over the top, but I still wanted to give these to you. I hope you’ll like them," Julian said.

Sienna took the flowers from his hands, her fingertips brushing against his. In that instant, it felt like both their hearts skipped a beat. "Thank you, I really do like them," she said softly.

To the sisters, a bouquet didn’t really impress them. In their eyes, Julian was decent-looking–just barely passable to be allowed to give flowers to Sienna.

“Alright, everyone, let’s not just stand around. Let’s start grilling and eating,” Sienna called out, her voice a bit louder.