Chapter 1694:
Corrine’s smile curved slowly. “So, you’re the heir of the Mendoza family in Nelting… A surprise, indeed.”
Within the Red Flame organization, where unity came from shared purpose, the members never cared about each other’s lineage or hidden influence. Ideals bound them together; that was all that mattered.
Over time, without ever digging into one another’s histories, they’d formed a bond that felt closer than blood—family born from the same dream.
“Lyhaton’s Ford family heiress?” Leif’s tone dipped, laced with a faint warmth.
Their eyes met in mutual recognition. Leif gestured toward a nearby stone bench. “It’s quieter here. Let’s talk.”
The gazebo in the garden might have offered a view, but sharp eyes had a way of noticing too much.
Franco had been wandering for some time before his eyes finally locked on the pair near the water’s edge. He didn’t approach. Closing in might alert them. So he stayed near the rockery, distant enough to remain unseen. The only problem was that he couldn’t hear their conversation.
From where he stood, he caught the moment Leif brushed the leaf from Corrine’s hair. His gaze narrowed.
Something felt off. Their closeness crossed a line that didn’t fit the role of casual friends, especially considering Corrine was supposed to be with Nate.
A furrow pulled at Franco’s brows, his mind spinning with questions.
For once, the tangled nature of human relationships left him stumped. After a moment’s hesitation, he pulled out his phone, snapped a photo, and sent it to Nate with a short message: “What do you think their relationship is?”
If he had to stew in confusion, he figured he might as well share the discomfort.
Nate was always the composed one—so calm it bordered on unnatural. Now that Franco had the chance to shake things up, he wasn’t about to let it slip by.
But the message vanished into silence, without response.
“Boring,” Franco mumbled, sliding his phone back into his pocket as his eyes returned to the lakeside.
Leif handed Corrine a small pouch of fish food he’d somehow gotten his hands on.
Corrine took it without question, crossed her legs, and leaned over the water, scattering crumbs to the fish darting about. “Didn’t expect to run into you here.”
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She had thought it would be difficult to see him again after their rushed goodbye in Riverveille. Yet here they were again, face-to-face.
“How long are you staying here?” Leif asked, watching her closely.
Corrine paused, her brow creasing slightly.
She had promised Nate she’d return after handling things here.
But Leif’s unexpected presence had thrown a wrench in that promise. Noticing her hesitation, Leif arched an eyebrow. “What, not even married yet and he’s already got you under house arrest?”
Corrine didn’t reply. Her eyes widened slightly, caught off guard.
Leif’s lips curled into a smirk, a playful glint in his eyes as he clarified, “Everyone knows about the Ford-Hopkins engagement. It’s kind of impossible to miss now.”
He let the silence linger before adding, “That media storm in Lyhaton—your doing, wasn’t it?”
Corrine gave a small nod.
“Corrine,” Leif said, suddenly serious, “tradition says the man should take the lead. A bold declaration of love? That’s on him to make the first move. If you keep stepping in first, you’re just setting yourself up to lose ground.”
Sensing Corrine’s continued silence, Leif gently pressed on, saying, “Just give it a little more thought—especially about what I said. Maybe it doesn’t matter to you now, but sooner or later, the consequences will catch up. Men, more often than not, are predictable creatures. If everything comes too easily, they rarely value it. But if you leave them guessing, unsure of where they stand, suddenly they begin to treasure what they can’t quite grasp. People always want what they can’t have—what’s already in their hands often fades into the background.”
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