?Chapter 1345:


    And yet, Bryant’s words gnawed at him.


    A desperate animal, even a harmless rabbit, would bite when cornered. And Emily? She was no rabbit. Pride ran through her veins like fire.


    Bryant studied Nn’s silence, the subtle crease forming between his brows. A smirk yed at Bryant’s lips. At least his son was listening.


    Nn was sharp—calcting, even—but he had a fatal w. His hunger for women. That was the leash around his neck, the weakness that made him predictable.


    Bryant leaned back, his voice cold as steel. “End it quickly.”


    Nn exhaled, giving a curt nod. “Understood.”


    Three days slipped by in a blur.


    The summit had reached its final stage—the moment when corporations would unveil their strategic ns, showcasing innovations that would shape their futures.


    That morning, Corrine sent a message to Nate, just as she always did. Minutes passed. No reply.


    A faint crease formed on her brow. Nate always answered immediately. Could something have happened in Lyhaton?


    Mandy stepped into the room, catching sight of Corrine’s troubled expression. Her heart gave a nervous lurch before she forced herself to remainposed. “Miss Hond, it is time for breakfast,” she announced, her voice steady.


    Corrine nodded, slipping her phone into her pocket. “Alright.”


    As they sat down at a table with their team in the dining area, Corrine’s fingers brushed against her phone now and then, checking for any missed messages. Still nothing.


    Then Mandy’s phone vibrated. Corrine turned her head. “Your phone—”


    Before she could finish, Mandy practically lunged for it. “Oh! I’ll get it.”


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    She snatched it up, her shoulders stiffening. A beatter, she exhaled, relief flickering in her eyes. Just a spam message.


    Corrine narrowed her gaze. “You’re jumpy this morning.”


    Mandy’s hand tightened around her phone. For a fleeting moment, something like panic shed in her eyes before she quickly smoothed her expression. “It’s nothing. Just spam.”


    Corrine arched an eyebrow but let it go.


    Still, between Nate’s unusual silence and Mandy’s oddly skittish behavior, one thing became painfully clear. They were hiding something from her.


    Corrine fixed her gaze on Mandy for a lingering second. Then, without a word, she set down her knife and fork, reached for her coffee, and asked in a voice far too casual to be innocent, “Any news from Lyhaton?”


    “No.” Mandy’s reply came almost too fast—sharp, immediate, with no flicker of thought behind it.


    That answer alone was enough to seal Corrine’s suspicions.


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