Chapter 1365:

Business dealings had brought Alexander and Wesley together before, where Alexander found the young man competent, if somewhat aloof. However, something in Wesley’s polite demeanor and heartfelt respect this evening made Alexander see him in a completely new light.

Wesley tapped his glass against Alexander’s and met his eyes. “No harm will ever come to her, not from anyone—and certainly not from me.”

The way Alexander regarded Wesley changed entirely, and the room soon filled with laughter and easy conversation as everyone tucked into their meals.

After dinner, Jeffry and Wesley wandered out to the balcony.

With a grin, Jeffry teased him, “Didn’t expect to see the undefeated Wesley get wiped out in a simple card game.”

Wesley took the teasing in stride, not bothered at all. For him, winning the game was nothing compared to what he had truly gained.

Gazing across the yard, Wesley spotted Elena tending to the flowers. Sunlight lit up her hair, turning it to shimmering gold. She looked ethereal, almost like a sprite touched by sunlight. Just watching her seemed to soften every sharp edge in him.

“It’s a small price to pay to see my girlfriend smile. I doubt you’d understand—you haven’t managed to hold down a relationship,” Wesley teased.

Jeffry fell silent. That comment cut close to the bone. Friends always seemed to know just where to land a jab.

Left with his own thoughts, Jeffry remembered his own awkward position, forever lingering in the background. The silence pressed in.

Wesley’s smirk said it all. A loss at cards hardly mattered when his real prize was Elena’s affection.

“Malcolm always used to say that winning a woman’s heart takes guts and perseverance. If you don’t put up a fight, you walk away with nothing,” Wesley said this on purpose, hoping Jeffry would hear it.

Unknown to Wesley, Jeffry had already been persistent. Settling for the role of Lydia’s secret companion, he had given up on dignity.

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Lighting a cigarette, Jeffry drew in a breath, the bitterness clear in his eyes. “You think I haven’t tried?” Smoke curled into the air as he spoke quietly. “I have no right to request much from her despite my efforts.”

Wesley let out a sharp click of his tongue. “That sounds nothing like you.” Reputation always followed Jeffry—the man who could win battles of wits and earn admiration without ever raising a fist.

Years had built a silent understanding between Wesley and Jeffry, their personalities often matching in surprising ways.

People painted Wesley as a cutthroat executive, yet spoke of Jeffry as the rising star, charming and refined.

Inside, Wesley laughed at that description of Jeffry. Refined? He saw nothing but a sharp mind hiding behind a pleasant mask.

Seeing Jeffry this defeated was something Wesley never imagined.

With every drag of his cigarette, Jeffry let the swirling smoke mask the shadows behind his gaze. This wasn’t like him. Meeting Lydia had blown apart every principle he clung to and tested every boundary. The only thing he dared to ask was to be close to her.

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