?Chapter 474:


    The expression sent a chill down Leah’s spine, causing her to instinctively loosen her hold and take a step back. But Corrine caught her wrist, leaning in close to whisper, “Miss Burgess, the real performance is only beginning.”


    The onlookers, having witnessed Bruce’s intrusion, waited with bated breath for what would unfold.


    Inside, Bruce found Nate lounging on the bed with calcted casualness. One leg crossedzily over the other, his shirt cor askew, revealing a glimpse of telling scratch marks across his chest. The sight painted a picture of wild abandon.


    “What are you doing here?” Bruce demanded, ice crystallizing in his voice.


    Nate remained unperturbed, his gaze distant and untouchable.


    “Mr. Ashton, what do you imagine a man and a woman might do alone in a room?”


    His words dripped with deliberate menace.


    Bruce’s jaw tightened, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. Though he had no personal feelings for Corrine, the thought of Nate possessing her ignited a primal fury within him.


    For three years, he had maintained respectful boundaries with Corrine, yet now…


    The knowledge that Nate had imed her sparked a consuming rage in his core.


    Nate’s expression remained inscrutable as he delivered his final blow: “Mr. Ashton, it appears you failed to heed my warning.”


    Bruce’s brow furrowed in confusion at Nate’s words.


    “Do not provoke the wrong people!” Nate added.


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    Bruce’s expression shifted, his jaw tensing as turmoil flickered in his eyes. A storm of uncertainty raged in his mind, each thought shing against the next. The warning struck deep, his pulse quickening as memories surfaced. He had already tried to dig into the truth, pulling every string within his reach, but all he had ever received in return was the same cryptic advice: “Do not provoke the wrong people.”


    And now, hearing Nate echo those very words only cemented his suspicions. A cold realization settled over him. The relentless targeting of the Ashton family—it all traced back to one person: Corrine.


    The weight of it crashed down on him, leaving him momentarily stunned. He fixed his gaze on Nate, his expression unreadable, yet his thoughts spun wildly. Who exactly was this man? How could he wield such effortless control over the Ford and Seymour families?


    Bruce’s voice was low, cautious.


    “Who are you, really?”


    Before Nate could respond, a sharp exmation shattered the tension.


    “Mr… Mr. Hopkins?”


    Bruce’s eyes flicked to Cn, who stood rigid, his face drained of color. Cn quickly stepped forward, his stance deferential as he offered Nate a slight bow.


    “I apologize for the interruption, Mr. Hopkins. And Miss Hond as well.”


    Cn had no interest in the details of Nate’s presence or what had transpired between him and Corrine the night before. That was irrelevant. What mattered was that Nate Hopkins had attended his wife’s charity event. That alone was enough to warrant caution. If they upset him, the consequences would be catastrophic.


    Nate’s gaze sharpened.


    “Mr. Archer, what do you suggest we do about this situation?”


    His voice was steady, yet it carried an unspoken warning, one that made the air feel heavier.


    Cn swallowed hard, his throat dry.


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