?Chapter 1084:


    Yvonne returned the smile. “Hi—will Mr. Frank Lee be avable today?”


    Erin’s expression turned apologetic as she shook her head. “I’m afraid not. He’s been absolutely swampedtely. It’s unlikely he’ll be free anytime soon.”


    Turned away once again, Yvonne and Margie didn’t bother lingering. They walked back outside and returned to the car in silence.


    On the ride back, the tension between them grew heavy.


    “What now, Yvonne?” Margie asked. “If we can’t meet Frank, there’s no way we can finish the assignment!” Her eyes shimmered with frustration, dangerously close to tears.


    Yvonne reached over and squeezed her hand gently. “Don’t worry. I’lle up with something.”


    Margie looked at her, hope flickering behind her tired eyes. “I knew you would. You always do. You’re amazing.”


    Yvonne forced a smile and dropped her off at the hotel before continuing on with Leif. But her thoughts were tangled in knots. Since leaving Frank’s studio, her mind had been racing, searching for any kind of solution to their assignment—anding up short.


    She was just as anxious as Margie, though she hadn’t shown it. That confident promise had been for Margie’s sake… to keep her spirits up… not because she’d found an answer.


    Back at the hotel room, she found Norton quietly flipping through a book.


    When he noticed her return, he looked up with a smile. “What do you feel like for lunch? Want to try something new—maybe a local specialty?”


    “Anything’s fine,” she murmured, already pulling out herptop and returning to her research.


    Seeing her fully absorbed, Norton didn’t press the idea. He silently pulled out his phone and sent a message to Leif, asking him to bring lunch to the suite.


    Yvonne was still hunched over her screen, brows furrowed in focus when the food arrived.


    “Come eat,” Norton called softly.


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    “Okay.” She closed theptop with a sigh and rubbed her temples. Hours of digging had yielded little. Frank remained elusive—no clear paths forward, no promising leads.


    She wandered over to the dining table, nowden with an array of dishes. There were several local delicacies and many of her personal favorites, all carefully arranged.


    She picked at the food distractedly, her appetite dulled by the relentless churn of worry.


    “Does yourpany have any other business here?” Norton asked casually, noticing her quiet mood.


    “Not really. We’re just here to interview someone.”


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