?Chapter 529:


    “You know I can’t just stand by when ites to you.”


    Corrine’s heart softened. A small smile yed on her lips as she let out a breath.


    “Then I guess I’ll have to trouble you, my boyfriend.”


    Nate smirked.


    “It’s my pleasure.”


    He leaned in, capturing her lips with his.


    After losing Cn’s investment, the other board members of Ashton Group were quick to voice their displeasure. Bruce endured their criticisms with a tight smile, but irritation burned beneath the surface.


    By the time the endless meetings finally ended, he retreated to his office, drained.


    His assistant ryed the details of Corrine’s car ident in a measured tone.


    “Did it really cause this muchmotion?” Bruce muttered, irritation flickering in his eyes. He had only ordered someone to seize the phone, not create a spectacle.


    The assistant quickly rified, “Miss Hond was just startled and fainted.”


    Bruce exhaled quietly, pressing his fingers to his temples.


    “Make sure the police release the driver when the timees. I don’t want any unnecessaryplications.”


    “Well…” The assistant hesitated, gauging Bruce’s expression with caution.


    “The driver was taken in for questioning, but there’s been no word from him since.”


    A flicker of unease crossed Bruce’s face. Something was slipping beyond his control.


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    His gaze turned sharp, his voice edged with steel.


    “Then give him a personal warning. Make sure he sticks to the story—and keeps his mouth shut about the rest.”


    “Understood, Mr. Ashton.”


    The office door clicked shut, sealing Bruce in the vast, empty space. He rose from his chair, moving toward the floor-to-ceiling window as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket. Below, the city pulsed with life—headlights weaving through the streets, neon signs shing in the evening haze.


    Yet, despite the vibrant world beneath him, his mind drifted elsewhere.


    Corrine.


    Her voice echoed in his thoughts, sharp and unwavering.


    “In business, everything is give-and-take. Investors do not throw money at you out of generosity; they do it for profit. In the end, it is always about returns.” With her by his side, he had never needed to fight these battles alone. No matter how dire the situation, she always found a way to turn the tide.


    Corrine had been the backbone of Ashton Group—its unshakable pir. As long as she was there, failure had never been an option.


    But without her? Thepany had been crumbling, piece by piece. First, they had lost thend deal in the southern district. Then, Cn’s investment had slipped through their fingers.


    If things continued spiraling like this, the so-called rising star of Lyhaton would be nothing more than a cautionary tale—a name spoken in ridicule.


    A sharp vibration shattered his brooding silence. His phone. Tracy.


    Bruce’s jaw tensed.


    With an air of indifference, he silenced the call and tossed the phone onto the leather sofa.


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