Chapter 1722:

He had said he was seeing to family matters. But did that include Scarlette?

A few days ago, Lone Ranger had called with troubling news: the Powell heir had been gravely injured and had yet to recover. The Powell family was livid. Considering Scarlette’s attitude toward Nate, was she desperate enough to use him to pacify her husband?

“Miss Holland.” Mandy’s voice sliced through Corrine’s thoughts like a soft knock on a closed door. She stood nearby, watching Corrine sit motionless on the sofa, her hands resting limply in her lap. After a slight hesitation, Mandy asked, “Are you going to the office today?”

Corrine slowly looked up and met her eyes—steadily, directly—before cutting in with a question of her own. “What do you know about Scarlette Powell?” The name landed with a thud. Mandy blinked, caught off guard. Whether it was the abruptness or the particular name spoken aloud, her expression flickered—something between unease and restraint.

“Why are you asking about her?” she asked carefully, her voice dipping into cautious territory. Despite all the time she had spent in Corrine’s service, there were still corners of Corrine’s mind that remained unreachable—an endless maze Mandy dared not presume to navigate. To her, Corrine was a riddle wrapped in silk, sharp beneath the softness.

Every step with her required delicate footing.

Corrine tilted her head, a faint smirk tugging at one side of her mouth. “Just curious. Or is this some guarded secret you’re not allowed to share with me?”

After a brief pause, Mandy answered, carefully choosing each word. “If you are asking about Nate’s background, I do not believe it is my place, as an employee, to give my opinion.”

That was a diplomatic way of refusing to elaborate.

𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼 gⲁ𝗅⁚𝗇𝗈⁚ν𝖊⁚𝗅𝘀⁚ⅽ⁚𝗈⁚𝗆

Corrine’s amused gaze lingered on Mandy, who, under that look, finally relented—just a little. “Scarlette and Nate are completely incompatible. Like oil and water. No matter how long they sit together, they will never blend.”

Corrine fell silent. Completely incompatible… A mother and son bound by blood, yet split by venom. A mother who wished her own child dead. There was no deeper cruelty.

Corrine said nothing. Her attention shifted to her phone, which she unlocked with a swipe of her thumb.

Nate’s last message blinked up from the screen—time-stamped late last night. He was usually punctual with updates. Nine hours of silence felt like a hole punched through the usual rhythm of his communication. Something was wrong.

A creeping unease curled in Corrine’s chest as she dialed his number.

The phone rang, then came the automated reply: “The number you have dialed is currently unavailable…” Unavailable?

That didn’t make sense. Nate’s phone had been specially modified—enhanced signal capabilities, full satellite reception. Even in dead zones, it should have connected.

And yet… nothing.

Corrine slowly lowered the phone, her thoughts racing. Her gaze fell unfocused as she stared at the screen, her heart pacing quietly in the background.

Then, suddenly, she stood. Without a word, she crossed the room and headed for the door.

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