Chapter 1709:
To be fair, Corrine didn’t place much weight on such things.
She’d grown up receiving grand gestures—luxuries wrapped in velvet and diamonds handed to her like candy. Her grandfather and her uncles, with bottomless pockets, had made sure of that.
On her eighteenth birthday, her grandfather had given her a diamond tiara so lavish it belonged in a museum.
So this house? It didn’t seem particularly extravagant to her.
“Rachel, this is my wedding gift to you,” she said. “Just accept it without overthinking. If you’re ready, move in soon. And if Jules ever gives you a hard time… kick him out.”
Rachel let out a startled laugh, the kind that bubbled up before she could suppress it. Corrine’s logic was so wildly unorthodox that it was hard not to be charmed.
Just then, Jules reached the private room door and paused, catching the tail end of their conversation. A dry thought crossed his mind—he felt like the only victim in the family.
He smoothed out his expression and stepped inside, casting a glance at Corrine, who was seated comfortably. “I walk in and the first thing I hear is you two plotting to kick me out. That was fast—already forming an alliance?”
Corrine looked up at him, entirely unfazed. “Not just the two of us. The whole Ford family is in on it.”
He chuckled, easing into his seat. “Most people say a man forgets his family after getting married. In my case, it feels like my entire family forgot me once I got married.”
At that moment, a waiter arrived with tall glasses of ice water, which Jules regarded with mild distaste. “Could I get one at room temperature instead, please?”
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It was a simple, courteous request—but it made Rachel’s heart skip, thrum, and flutter all at once.
Throughout the meal, Corrine noticed Jules’ quiet attentiveness toward Rachel—the way his gaze lingered or subtly followed her movements. An amused glint passed through her eyes before she lowered them.
Jules Ford—the same man who used to be hopelessly dense—was now acting like a devoted sweetheart. Imagine that.
“I heard from Zeke that you’re planning to head to Pinetree City soon?” Jules asked, turning his attention to Corrine.
She nodded. “The Holland Group acquisition is at a turning point. I’ve pulled back temporarily from the Osawood project to give them a bit of a breather.” In business, it was dangerous to force an opponent into a corner.
Corrine understood this well, which was why she hadn’t gone head-to-head with the major families of Pinetree City during the recent project bidding.
“They won’t be grateful,” Jules said plainly. “Backing off just gives them more time to scheme. You’ve already stepped on their toes with the Holland Group move—if you enter their territory, they’ll take it personally.”
Corrine leveled her gaze. “And you think if I don’t go, they’ll suddenly stop coming for me?”
As long as she was CEO of Ford Group, the major families in Pinetree City would want nothing more than to eliminate her. Waiting would only make her a sitting target. Confronting them on their own turf meant she’d have the upper hand if things escalated—because then, there’d be no doubt about who the suspects were.
“The Cooper family might be standing with you now, but Zeke’s choice already looks like betrayal in the eyes of the other families. If you do go to Pinetree City, even he may not be able to protect you.” He knew her too well. Once Corrine set her sights on something, there was no talking her down. He couldn’t stop her—but he could at least try to dissuade her from stepping into danger too soon.
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