Chapter 1651:
He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.
“As long as I’m here,” he said firmly, “no one will ever be able to push you away.”
Corrine stilled for a brief moment. Then, a faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
“I know.”
As night fell deeper over the estate, the men of the Ford family sat scattered around the living room, each wearing a tense, battle-ready expression.
Carl finally broke the silence, his stern face brimming with authority.
“They aren’t married yet. It’s improper for them to be alone in a room together!” His voice rumbled through the space like distant thunder.
“Jayden, go see what they’re up to.”
Waldo glanced at his watch, frowning heavily.
“It’s been twenty-eight minutes and thirty-four seconds. What exactly is Nate still doing up there? This isn’t just anywhere. This is the Ford family home!”
Jayden shot a glance toward the stairs, torn between duty and self-preservation. Charging upstairs to confront Nate sounded brave, until he remembered exactly who Nate was.
Awkwardly, he cleared his throat.
“Jules… why don’t you go?”
Jules leaned back, casting a slow look at the two men sitting across from him.
“I’ve already accepted Nate’s kindness; going up there now would be embarrassing.”
Jayden and Waldo both slumped back in their seats, their bravado evaporating.
Carl’s sharp eyes swept over them, his scowl deepening.
“With traitors inside and enemies outside,” he said grimly, “the walls have fallen… and there’s no one left to hold the line.”
A tense hush fell over the Ford men upon hearing these words. It wasn’t a lack of conviction that silenced them, but Nate’s razor-sharp cunning and the irresistible advantages he’d laid before them.
𝖈𝖍𝖊𝖈𝖐𝖊𝖉 𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖞 𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊: 𝖌ⲁ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⫺𝖼𝗈𝗆
Drawing a measured breath, Carl turned to Leland, the family butler.
“Check upstairs and remind them their coffee awaits—before it turns cold.”
The other three Ford men traded glances, their eyes glimmering with barely concealed amusement.
They’d expected Carl to hold his position firmly, yet here he was, crafting a convenient excuse.
Leland hesitated at the door to Corrine’s bedroom, poised to knock, when her voice drifted through the wood.
“Hey, to the left, yes, right there. Just a bit more, be gentle… don’t make a mess…”
These suggestive phrases instantly colored the middle-aged butler’s face crimson, his mind racing to scandalous conclusions.
Nate had crossed every boundary! Brazenly invading Corrine’s private room wasn’t enough—now he subjected her to his improper advances! Had he abandoned all pretense of respecting the Ford family’s standing?
Fury bubbled from Leland’s chest into his temples as these thoughts consumed him. Face stern as granite, he rapped sharply against the door.
The door creaked open moments later.
“Mr. Hopkins,” Leland stated coldly, “Mr. Carl Ford requests your presence downstairs—before the coffee gets cold.”
“Alright,” Nate responded.
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