LOGINKhloe flipped through the report with meticulous care, her heart stirring with unease and anticipation. The analysis was sharp, precise, and unusually sophisticated—far beyond what any ordinary employee could produce. The style, the choice of focus points, even the tone of reasoning… it all made her think of Nick."Did you come up with all these ideas by yourself?" Khloe asked, her voice calm, though her teeth were clenched tightly."Yes… yes, Miss Roswell. I stayed up all night to write this report…" The young man's answer carried an unmistakable hint of guilt."And the materials on Solara Energy—where did those come from?" Khloe's tone remained cool, her question probing.He hesitated. Then someone beside him answered for him. "We've been investigating Solara Energy's project data recently."Khloe didn't press further. After a moment, she accepted the file. "Good. Let's proceed based on this approach."After the meeting, the person who presented the proposal hesitated, wonder
Nick had absolute faith in Khloe's abilities—she could secure the bid without question—but he would never let her fight alone. Wherever they were, as husband and wife, they were a united force.Nick worked through the night, and in the early hours, he anonymously sent out a file containing critical data.Meanwhile, Barney also burned the midnight oil in his hotel room. After finishing a remote meeting, he couldn't stop replaying the day's bid in his mind.Khloe's talent was formidable. From what his people had gathered, the evaluation panel was subtly biased in favor of the Hunt Group. With this initial advantage, combined with Khloe's meticulous plan and strategic pricing, Solara Energy would have to pull out every trick in the book to secure a win."Barney."A knock on the door broke his concentration. Angela's voice came softly. Barney pressed his fingers to his brow and murmured a reply, allowing her in.Angela set a steaming cup of calming tea beside him. "Why aren't you s
"Madam, I also believe he'll come back. But most likely… that person isn't him."Lenny's words cut through the tense silence. Khloe felt a pang of defeat. She sat still for a long moment before finally nodding, then waved him off.…Evening. On the outskirts of Goldmont City, in a scenic villa, a man in loose hospital clothing was pushing his body through grueling exercises under a doctor's guidance.Lucas watched quietly from the side, waiting until it was time to break.Nick was soaked in sweat, his complexion pale from the relentless practice. To return to Khloe's side, he was exhausting himself to the limit of his endurance.This past week, his days had revolved around medication and rehabilitation exercises, and the results were surprisingly better than expected. He could now walk freely, and control over his body was largely restored.Yet, compared to before the accident, many movements still demanded effort. The doctor warned that this could be a temporary improvement fro
Khloe's heart skipped a beat, then slammed wildly against her chest, as if trying to break free. She forgot she was in the middle of a formal meeting, her instincts screaming for her to rise from her seat."Ms. Roswell?"A voice beside her snapped her back to reality, steadying her scattered thoughts. She realized all eyes in the room were on her.The Solara Energy representatives were watching her closely.Just moments ago, one of them had raised a question about Hunt Group's bid, but Khloe had completely lost focus.Barney followed her gaze and scanned the room briefly, his expression unreadable."Sorry, I didn't catch that earlier," Khloe murmured. After her assistant repeated the question, she forced herself to focus and responded. But her composure was visibly shaken.For the remainder of Solara Energy's presentation, she couldn't concentrate at all. Her mind was consumed by that fleeting figure she had glimpsed.It couldn't be. If Nick had really come, he wouldn't just si
"No. He's fine," Khloe said immediately, her voice firm. "He has to be.""I believe he'll come back… because he promised me," she added, cutting off any chance for Noah to respond, as if speaking another word might shatter the hard-won hope that had just reached her."What do you plan to do?" Noah asked, concern tightening his chest."I'm going to do as Clarice suggested… exchange for Nick.""Are you out of your mind?" Noah's worry spiked.Never mind that Clarice's words were likely a lie—Khloe shouldn't surrender herself even if Nick really was in their hands."Of course not. Clarice doesn't have all the evidence. I need to hold the leverage so that she dies completely—without escape." Khloe's tone was calm, but her body betrayed her emotions. Her arms pressed against the edge of the table for support.Noah understood her intent and felt a chill. She was walking straight into danger herself."If you insist on doing this, I'll help you," he said. "Give me a few days. I'll make
Charlotte hadn't touched that game since."Last time you bought a phone… was that for your brother too?" Noah asked, starting up the game and helping her through the beginner levels."Mhm," Charlotte replied softly. Somehow, the tension she'd felt earlier eased a little.She hesitated, then added, "Uh… I'll pay you back for the phone.""No need. I'm not short on money. Besides, you saved me time back then—that counts as helping me." Noah's fingers flew over the screen with impressive speed.Charlotte couldn't help but watch. His gameplay was flawless, but what really drew her attention were his hands—long, strong, and well-defined, beautiful in a way that made her blink."You… how do you know Khloe?" she asked."I said I can't tell.""But you said you're her friend, yet you don't have her contact info…""Does that seem strange?" Noah asked lightly."Yes! Of course it's strange!" Charlotte frowned. The more she looked at him, the stranger he seemed."That's because we're not
"Khloe, how long are you going to keep this up? It's been days. Are you really giving me the silent treatment forever?"The call finally connected, and Trey's voice was sharp, laced with impatience.Nick's expression darkened instantly. Khloe was about to be his wife, yet this man spoke to her as
A receptionist standing by the side quickly stepped forward, trying to block Angela."Miss Thompson, please don't be rude to our VIP guest!""VIP? Her?" Angela snapped, unable to maintain her composure any longer. "A project manager freeloading off the Fox Group and stabbing them in the back… and
Trey's grandfather's mistrust had lasted to the end. In his will, he had entrusted the family's assets to his wife, determined to prevent any chance of Trey and Angela rekindling their relationship.Stella stared at the photos until their edges blurred, then went through them again more slowly. The
Every time Nick finished speaking, thunderous applause swept through the auditorium. Even Khloe, watching from her screen, found herself clapping before she realized it.There was no denying it—professional excellence had an irresistible allure all its own.Nick was cold and aloof, like some untou







