Sweet Wife So Charming: CEO: Hold Back Your Heart-Chapter 213: Time to Leave

"Still early? It’s not early anymore, you’re thirty, aren’t you? You—" Brother Rhodes was about to say something.

"Julian! Your birthday is coming up! Oh my gosh!" Fiona Rhodes exclaimed, surprised that she had forgotten!

Julian Sinclair slightly frowned, birthday?

"Julian, do you remember that every year I celebrate your birthday with you? Let me spend this birthday with you again, okay?" Fiona deliberately asked him in front of the whole family, wanting him to agree, whether willingly or reluctantly.

"There are things to take care of in Vesperia, I’m afraid I won’t have time to celebrate this year." Julian did not openly refuse Fiona.

"It’s okay, I’ll go to Vesperia and celebrate with you, how about that?" Fiona pressed him further.

Julian appeared calm on the surface, but inside, he was already starting to get angry.

"Fiona, if Julian is busy, don’t cling to him." Brother Rhodes was afraid Julian would bluntly refuse and to avoid giving him a chance to do so, he preemptively intervened.

"No way! Julian is busy all the time, I’m really worried about his health. Out of 365 days a year, there has to be one day to rest, right?" Fiona said coyly.

Father Rhodes spoke up, "How about this, Fiona, why don’t you temporarily go to Vesperia for a while and take good care of Julian? After all, he went there before fully recovering, and it’s better to have someone considerate taking care of him."

Julian knew before coming that this was a set-up, thinking he could leave unscathed, yet he underestimated this family.

"As you wish!" Fiona was overjoyed.

"No need, I’m fully recovered." Julian politely looked at Father Rhodes, "Uncle, I appreciate your kindness."

Fiona knew Julian would refuse, it was within her expectations.

"The last dish, fish soup, is here." Mother Rhodes smiled as she brought over the specially prepared fish soup, which was instructed by Fiona.

"Julian, this is the soup mom made especially for you, try it." Fiona served Julian a bowl willingly.

"Thank you, Auntie." Julian thanked her politely, sipping two spoonfuls to be courteous.

Fiona took the opportunity to ask, "I haven’t seen Moira for a long time, we get along well, why haven’t you brought her to Vesperia to catch up with me?"

As soon as this topic opened up, Father Rhodes immediately understood and followed up by asking, "Yes, Julian, I heard long ago that you adopted a girl, I heard she’s quite pretty, how old is she now?"

Julian was stumped by this question, clearly a simple question, yet he couldn’t remember, he only knew Moira was still young.

Seeing Julian hesitate, Fiona felt a sense of certainty, deliberately asking, "Julian, isn’t Moira about twenty-one already?"

Julian was about to say yes, but suddenly recalled seeing Moira on TV when he was in the hospital in Vesperia, the subtitles indicated she was nineteen.

"You supposedly have a good relationship with her, how come you don’t know her age?" Julian began to realize that every word Fiona said might be a trap.

Julian’s eyes turned calm, realizing that Fiona had detected his memory loss, testing him at every step.

Where exactly did things go wrong?

Fiona felt a moment of panic in her heart, then quickly smiled, "Blame my bad memory, I only remember your birthday, not hers."

Julian internally scoffed, Moira hated him because of Fiona, yet Fiona claimed to be on good terms with Moira.

Julian wasn’t naive, and naturally wouldn’t fall for it.

Fiona didn’t let go of any opportunity, "Will she accompany you on your birthday this time?"

"I’m busy." Julian reiterated, he’d already stated that he wouldn’t celebrate his birthday this year.

Fiona really didn’t know how to continue asking, Julian’s answers were always ambiguous, impossible to decipher.

Brother Rhodes had been observing for a long time at the table and suddenly had an idea, exchanging glances with his brother and father, his eyes fixated on the wine on the table.

"We’ve been talking too much, Dad, aren’t you going to open the wine?" The second brother feigned impatience.

"You little rascal, always thinking about drinking!" Father Rhodes humorously chided.

"Brother, open the wine, let it breathe, don’t let the second one sneak a drink." Father Rhodes instructed.

The eldest brother followed the instructions to open the wine, "I’ll go to the kitchen to let it breathe, I forgot to take out the decanter."

"Dad, you sure have kept this wine well hidden, you didn’t let anyone drink it before Julian came, even hiding the decanter, are you afraid I’d secretly finish it for you?" The second brother intentionally spoke for Julian to hear.

Father Rhodes appeared as if his secret stash had been discovered.

"Julian, see how much dad cares for you, you’re here for a good reason today!" Fiona tried to grab Julian’s hand, Julian naturally shifted away, then took a sip of the fish soup.

Fiona didn’t know what method to use to determine whether Julian still remembered Moira or if they were still together, so she could only change the topic.

After the eldest brother brought the decanted wine back, the maid prepared to pour it for them, Fiona took the wine, "Since Julian is here today, I’ll pour the wine."

While Fiona poured the wine, the necklace around her neck slipped out from her collar, appearing especially dazzling under the diamond light.

"Little sister, your necklace is so beautiful, I—"

The second brother didn’t finish his sentence, Fiona’s heart skipped a beat, immediately interjected, "Julian gave it to me before, I lost it, just found it now, so I’m wearing it."

Fiona hadn’t revealed Julian’s memory loss to anyone yet because she wasn’t sure about the implications, so she chose to keep it a secret for now.

"No wonder! It’s clear it was chosen with care!" The second brother sighed.

Julian began to question whether the necklace truly belonged to Fiona.

"As long as you’re both doing well, come on, Julian, drink, your aunt prepared a lot of delicious dishes today just for you, don’t disappoint her kind intentions!" Father Rhodes signaled Julian to drink.

Julian didn’t intend to drink much, knowing his capacity, though not small, it wasn’t huge either.

Julian sipped a little, but with three men in the Rhodes family including Father Rhodes, they each had little to say, but it always ended up with drinking.

Until Julian felt he couldn’t drink more, and while he could still maintain his rationality and composure, he decided it best to leave.

"Uncle, it’s getting late, I should be going." Julian took the initiative to say, preparing to leave.

"No rush, stay a while longer, the night is still young!" The second brother’s words implied more.

"I still have work to attend to, I’m afraid I can’t accompany you in drinking further." Julian’s meaning was clear, he absolutely wouldn’t drink more.