His patience wearing thin, Nate answered sharply, “This had better be urgent!”
Moses, feeling the iciness in Nate’s tone, hesitated before speaking.
“Our shipment’s been taken… Does that qualify as urgent?”
“What’s the situation?” Nate asked. His voice was calm, but the hidden intensity in his dark eyes was enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine.
“Usually, the waters are quiet around Trigold, yet today, our shipment was ambushed by an unexpected group.” That cargo was valued in the billions!
These were not just any goods, but critical supplies for their operations.
Nate’s expression darkened.
“Inform Zack. I’m on my way.”
“Got it!” Moses replied.
“I’ll send some men to survey the area first.”
After the call ended, Nate turned his focus back to Corrine, who was sitting on his lap, facing him. Her lips, tender from their kisses, pouted slightly, and her eyes showed a hint of hesitance.
“Does this mean you’re heading out on business?”
Nate drew Corrine closer, planting soft kisses on her cheek and temple as he asked softly, “Will you join me?”
The appeal of his request resonated with Corrine, yet she opted for prudence, responding, “I’ll be here waiting for you to come back.”
“I find it hard to part from you,” Nate murmured, their foreheads touching and their breaths mixing as he tenderly held the back of her neck. The idea of being apart from Nate was equally daunting for Corrine.
Corrine had begun to harbor doubts after overhearing Nate’s conversation with the caller, and her disappointment surged when he confirmed his plans to go on a business trip.
Her fingertips brushed his lips lightly as she inquired gently, “How long will your absence be?”
“Not certain,” Nate answered, his expression clouded
“It might be three days, or even extend to a week.”
A gloomy silence filled the car following his words.
Then, unexpectedly, Corrine chuckled.
A cold twinkle appeared in Nate’s eyes as he pinched her waist, his whisper carrying a menacing undertone, asking, “Are you in such a hurry to see me go?”
“Not at all.” Corrine chuckled, squirming away from his touch. She quickly added, “I’ve just come to a realization.”
Nate’s eyebrow lifted, his gaze intense and expectant. His expression seemed to demand a flawless answer.
“Perhaps I never really loved Bruce that much.”
Throughout her three-year relationship with Bruce, his frequent trips hadn’t stirred such deep emotions. The instant she learned Nate was leaving, an unfamiliar wave of loss and hesitation washed over her.
Simultaneously, she reaffirmed her lack of deep affection for Bruce.
Nate appeared somewhat appeased by Corrine’s admission.
Still, he kept a stern expression, feigning annoyance.
“You dare compare me to him?”
“I’m comparing who I was then to who I am now,” Corrine explained.
She gently smoothed away the furrow from Nate’s brow, her voice soft.
“I’ll wait for your return.”
“Alright,” Nate responded, their lips meeting in a tender kiss.
Corrine stepped out as the car pulled up to the luxurious Platinum Apartments. She was suddenly taken by surprise when Jules emerged, as though out of nowhere.
“Show me the man who thinks he’s suitable for you!”
“What are you implying?” Corrine replied, her irritation palpable as she grasped Jules by the arm.
Her concern wasn’t about Jules causing a scene with Nate but whether Jules could hold his own against Nate.
Jules tapped her forehead.
“Really, defending him already? You’ve only been seeing each other for a short time. I’m here because I care. Do you think I’d wait around if I wasn’t worried about you being taken advantage of?”
Corrine, walking toward the building, retorted, “I am not a child.”
They rode the elevator to the top floor in silence.
The apartment’s floor-to-ceiling windows, spanning nearly one hundred feet, offered a spectacular view of the Lyhaton skyline.
On the balcony, an open-air garden flourished with wild plants under the night sky.
The apartment itself felt cold and abandoned, despite the ventilation system’s hum.
As Corrine walked into the apartment with Jules trailing behind, he said, “Tell me who this delusional man is.”
Corrine, ignoring the question, headed to the kitchen.
“Do you want cola or beer?”
“Beer,” responded Jules.
The two settled into their chairs as Corrine’s phone chimed, drawing their attention. A gentle smile graced her features as Nate’s message illuminated her screen. Jules observed the lingering smile with a faraway look in his eyes, memories washing over him
He vividly remembered Corrine’s first days with the Ford family-a fragile figure with eyes that betrayed deep-seated unease. Unlike her privileged peers, life had etched wisdom into her young spirit far too soon. Her method of processing pain-that stoic silence-had touched him more profoundly than any tearful display ever could.
During those early days, Jules would have moved mountains just to see her smile. Never once did he view her as a burden. Instead, he found comfort in her quiet presence behind him.
But everything shifted five years ago after that devastating overseas attack. The Corrine who emerged from that trauma was like a fortress-impenetrable, refusing to speak of what transpired. Though their connection grew stronger, Jules noticed an unsettling detachment had taken root in her spirit, as if she had grown indifferent to both joy and sorrow.
“Corrine, do you ever look back with regret?” Jules’ words emerged rough and hesitant.
She turned to him, wearing that same gentle yet unwavering smile.
“Adults don’t have the luxury of regrets. We simply press forward.”
A shadow of a smile crossed Jules’ face, but it was devoid of warmth.
“Are you familiar with Nate Hopkins?” Corrine inquired.
His frown deepened as he contemplated her question. After a weighted silence, he shifted his gaze away.
“Only whispers reach me. They say he hails from a sovereign land-a place beyond our reach, independent of any nation. Some refer to it as the Independent Continent.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.