Chapter 1304:

As for the Morgan Group, Brad had entrusted its operations entirely to Felix, reminding him with quiet certainty that in their family, everything was shared—including the rewards. The decision made Felix’s already demanding schedule feel considerably heavier, yet seeing Rylie pregnant and knowing how much Brad wanted to be at her side, he could only hope she would have the calm and comfort she deserved throughout her pregnancy.

Rylie herself had little energy left for business. She had already delegated a significant portion of her arms-trade operations to Deandre. As the market continued to expand, the weight of responsibility threatened to overwhelm him—but fortunately, the Owen family had always been rich in sharp, capable minds. Deandre adapted quickly, mastering the intricate rules of the trade and managing operations with the same precise discipline Rylie had instilled. Compared to the violent confrontations and ruthless battles he had once endured in Marinth, he now moved through the world with calm intelligence and quiet authority, steadily extending his reach.

Countless women dreamed of finding a place beside him, even a fleeting one. Yet Deandre remained entirely untouched by scandal, his thoughts drifting constantly back to a delicate figure he could never quite forget. With every passing day, the longing in his chest only deepened.

Marcus, meanwhile, remained wholly absorbed in his compositions. Novalee, who had returned from abroad to assist him, worked tirelessly at his side and rarely left him for even a moment.

Rylie had crossed paths with Novalee on several occasions. Once, in a quiet café, she had overheard Novalee speaking softly to a friend. Marcus was gifted and intensely private—almost every woman who met him inevitably found herself drawn to him, and Novalee was no exception. She believed it was thanks to Rylie that she had earned Marcus’s trust and the rare privilege of serving as his assistant, a blessing she regarded as truly once-in-a-lifetime. She never dared to hope for more. Her quiet affection stayed carefully hidden—yet the persistent pressure from her family to find a husband had begun pulling at her heart in conflicting directions.

Did Marcus see Novalee as nothing more than a capable assistant? Rylie didn’t believe that for a moment. She knew Marcus prized genuine talent above all else, and Novalee could never have earned a place in his studio without it. The fact that she had stayed loyally at his side for years spoke louder than any words could—regardless of the doubts she sometimes allowed herself to feel.

Rylie thought often about her two brothers—Deandre and Marcus—and the long, complicated journeys that still lay ahead of them in matters of the heart.

Now in her seventh month of pregnancy, Rylie had traveled to several locations alongside Brad, and along the way, they had received some truly wonderful news.

At the laboratory in Marinth, Dominic and his team had achieved a breakthrough. The data—to which Rylie had contributed her own work—was deeply encouraging. Brad’s illness could be fully treated. He would soon be free from Snow Mint and the other medications, finally able to live as a completely healthy man, without the shadow of disease hanging over him.

𝘕𝗈𝗏𝗲𝗅s 𝗶𝗇 𝘵𝗋𝘦𝗇𝗱 𝗼ո 𝘨𝖺lnо𝘃𝗲ls.𝘤o𝘮

In their villa at Ruby Resort, wide picture windows framed a tranquil private beach. The setting sun painted the ocean in warm shades of orange and red, casting a gentle glow across the room.

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