Chapter 85
Nora had barely been paying attention when she first heard her name.
Thinking it was a stranger, she turned around lazily, only to find herself staring at Cole.
Her first thought was that this was just a coincidental encounter. She offered him a polite nod, murmured a
greeting, and turned to leave.
But Cole wasn’t going to let her walk away so easily.
He quickly caught up to her, matching her pace effortlessly. “Nora,” he said evenly.
She halted and turned to face him fully. “Yes? Is there something you need?” Her voice was courteous, but a faint
sense of detachment lingered beneath the surface.
Cole noticed it immediately. A flicker of something unreadable crossed his face before he responded, “Abby
wants to see you. Could you cout and spend stwith her in the next few days?”
Nora hesitated. She genuinely liked Abby, the bright and cute young girl, but the idea of meeting up with Cole
alone made her wary.
She opened her mouth, unsure how to phrase her refusal, but before she could say anything. Cole smoothly
changed the subject.
“I also wanted to talk to you about Alexander's company,” he added. “I might be able to help.”
Nora’s eyes narrowed slightly. The sudden offer of assistance caught her off guard.
It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate it-on the contrary, she knew how dire the situation was for Alexander's
company-but Cole’s involvement made her cautious. Why now?
“That's unexpected,” she admitted, keeping her tone neutral. “Why do you want to help?”
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Cole exhaled softly and, for the first time, let his guard down. “It’s about Abby,” he confessed. “Her mother-my
sister-passed away unexpectedly. It was hard on her. She's been struggling emotionally and physically ever
since.
And... she sees something in you that reminds her of her mother. She likes you, Nora. She feels safe with
you.”
The sincerity In his voice was undeniable.
“As her uncle, | want to do whatever | can to make her happy.” Cole continued. “If spending twith you
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Chapter 85
helps her, I'll make that happen.” He glanced at her meaningfully. “And, to be clear, business is business. | won't
mix personal matters with work.”
Nora hesitated again, torn between her wariness toward Cole and her genuine fondness for Abby. But the
thought of Alexander's struggles tipped the scale.
“Alright,” she finally agreed. “We can meet another time.”
Cole studied her for a moment longer, then gave a slight nod. “Good.”
As Nora turned to leave, he remained where he was, watching her disappear into the building before finally
heading back to his car.
The next morning, Nora buried herself in work, tackling the tasks Colton had assigned her.
She and Leo worked tirelessly through the day, reviewing reports, refining details, and ensuring that everything
was in order.
When Colton finally took a look at their work, he gave a brief nod of approval.
It wasn’t much-just a mild acknowledgment-but to Nora, it meant something. Colton wasn’t one to hand
out compliments easily.
“Looks fine,” he said simply, placing the papers back on the desk.
Nora didn’t expect praise, but she understood that even this small reaction meant their effort hadn't gone
unnoticed.
Colton didn’t linger in the office for long. As he prepared to leave, he mentioned in passing, “I have a dinner
meeting with Arnold later.”
Nora’s expression remained neutral, but inside, she already knew what that meant. Arnold was still trying to set
Colton and Linda up through various business acquaintances.
“Alright,” she said evenly, giving a small nod.
Colton studied her for a moment, as if waiting for her to react, but when she gave nothing away, he simply left.
1
Meanwhile, Linda was in a particularly good mood.
This dinner was important-no, it was “crucial.”
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After | left. Alpha father and sou went
Chapter 85
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She had spent the better part of the evening selecting the perfect dress, something elegant yet striking.
She had applied just the right amount of perfume, careful not to be overwhelming, and made sure every detail of
her appearance exuded sophistication.
Colton was not an easy man to impress. He was sharp, precise, and difficult to read. But tonight, she would
change that. Tonight, she would make him “see” her.
Seated in the private dining room, she smoothed her dress and checked the time.
Arnold sat across from her, appearing as composed as ever. The two of them waited in silence, the air thick with
anticipation.
Minutes later, the door finally opened.
Colton walked in.
Both Linda and Arnold rose to greet him. But the moment Colton’s eyes landed on Linda, his expression shifted-
ever so subtly.
A flicker of something-annoyance? Recognition? Whatever it was, it vanished as quickly as it appeared,
replaced by his usual unreadable demeanor.
Linda stepped forward, her lips curving into a well-practiced smile “I'm Linda. We've met before at the Starlight
Design Exhibition-"
“Hello, Mr. Colton,” she said smoothly.
“I know.”
Colton’s voice was polite, but distant. He reached out to shake her hand, his grip firm yet devoid of warmth.
Linda's smile faltered for the briefest moment.
This was not going to be as easy as she had hoped.
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