The CEO's Empathy Pregnancy Pains

Archibald asked, puzzled, "Why are you suddenly interested in her?"

Archibald had been working from home for ages and finally got the chance to meet Dean face-to-face. But to his surprise, Dean barely exchanged a few words before asking about Emily.

Naturally, Archibald was cautious. After all, Dean was still tangled up with Sophia, despite claiming he had ended things with her, only to later testify on her behalf. Because of this, Archibald felt awkward bringing it up in front of Emily.noveldrama

So, instead of directly telling Dean about Emily, Archibald deflected with a question of his own.

Dean hadn't expected Archibald to be so guarded. But since he had important matters to discuss, he couldn't afford to show any dissatisfaction. He raised an eyebrow slightly and then launched into his prepared speech, appealing to Archibald's reason and emotions.

At the end, he added deliberately, "Archibald, I genuinely admire Emily's design work. The past is my fault, but it's behind us now. Please ask her not to hold it against me. After all, we need to keep things amicable for business, right?"

It sounded reasonable. Archibald, being a businessman, always prioritized making money. But over the years, he had been the one managing the household, taking care of Dean, and working tirelessly, to the point of feeling numb.

So, Archibald sincerely hoped Dean would mature quickly and help share the burden.

Dean, keenly observing Archibald's every move, noticed his hesitation and knew there was hope. Seizing the moment, Dean continued, "Archibald, you don't need to worry about Sophia! I know what I'm doing! You know me, right? I'm just messing around with her; there's no real feelings involved.

"I really don't want to lose this opportunity to collaborate with Emily over someone insignificant!"

Archibald looked at Dean, his expression unreadable, making it hard to tell if he was satisfied or not. This left Dean feeling uncertain.

"You're right. You and Sophia aren't a good match. You're not a kid anymore; there's nothing fun about it. Just break it off sooner rather than later."

No matter what Archibald said, Dean nodded obediently, almost too well-behaved. Although Archibald found it a bit unsettling, he was pleased to see Dean changing.

After some thought, Archibald decided to agree. "Alright, I'll help you out. But I can't guarantee Emily will agree. I'm only doing this because you're my brother. Also, Aunt Celeste is coming to Emerald City. You'll need to come with me to pick her up at the airport."

Dean, seeing a glimmer of hope, was so happy he didn't fully register what Archibald said. He agreed absentmindedly, then slowly realized and asked, "Wait, Archibald, what did you just say?"

"I said, Aunt Celeste is coming to Emerald City. You'll need to come with me to pick her up at the airport."

"Aunt Celeste?" Hearing that name made Dean's scalp tingle. He had always been fearless, except when it came to his Aunt Celeste Lancaster.

Though they had lost their parents, their relatives, especially their father's sister Celeste, kept in close contact. Despite living abroad, Celeste always showed great concern for them, frequently calling to check in.

Because Dean had been a troublemaker since childhood, Celeste often scolded him. Compared to the well-behaved Archibald, Dean was seen as a delinquent in her eyes.

Having heard Celeste's nagging countless times, Dean had an instant headache at the thought of seeing her. He became restless and anxious.

"Why is Aunt Celeste coming to Emerald City? Isn't she doing fine abroad? Does she have to come back just to hassle me?"

Archibald, both amused and exasperated, still took the opportunity to scold him. "How can you say that? Aunt Celeste is the closest family we have besides each other. Even if she nags you, it's for your own good. Listen if you want, ignore it if you don't. You're an adult; no one will force you."

At that moment, Dean felt Archibald didn't care about his feelings at all. "You're always obedient and sensible, so you don't know how hard it is to be scolded... Fine, when is she coming? I need to prepare!"

Dean was actually planning to leave quickly. As long as he left Emerald City soon, he could avoid Celeste. He could return once things calmed down. After all, Celeste had her own matters abroad and wouldn't wait around for him.

"This afternoon. We'll have lunch first, then head to the airport."

"What? This afternoon?" Dean was completely stunned.

Emerald City Airport

A tall, elegant woman in a black and red embroidered suit, wearing sunglasses and red lipstick, sat in the VIP lounge. She exuded an air of grace and nobility, silently gazing ahead.

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Her hair was neatly tied in a bun, clearly well-groomed, appearing both voluminous and dignified from the front.

"Aunt Celeste!"

At that moment, two men in suits walked into the VIP lounge. Celeste smiled slowly, stood up, and took Archibald and Dean's hands.

"Finally, I get to see you, my dear Archibald and Dean."

"Aunt Celeste." Dean, nervous by reflex, greeted her with a trembling voice, then stood aside, trying to minimize his presence.

But Celeste immediately addressed him, "I heard you opened a jewelry studio in Emerald City? Well done, Dean, you've grown! Neither my teachings nor Archibald's care were in vain!"

"Let's go take a look!" She said, reaching for Dean.

Dean, terrified, quickly pulled away and said, "Aunt Celeste, it's just a new studio. There's nothing much to see. How about we eat first?"

Archibald chimed in, "Aunt Celeste just ate on the plane, and you already had lunch with me. Since there's nothing else to do, let's show Aunt Celeste the studio. She'll be impressed!"

'What's there to be impressed about?' Dean thought. They say brothers have a tacit understanding, but Dean felt he and Archibald weren't even real brothers.