After I left Alpha father and son went crazy with regret

Arnold’s voice cthrough, casual but with an undertone of something unspoken. “Are you free

today? Alex wants to hang out with Abby.”

Cole leaned against the wall, glancing toward Nora, who had gone back to reading but seemed

slightly aware of his presence. He replied evenly, “I’m taking Abby out today. Maybe another time.”

Arnold let out a short chuckle. “You’ve been going out more lately.”

Cole smirked faintly, though there was an edge of something else in his expression. “Abby’s been

opening up more.

She’s not as reserved as before.”

They exchanged a few more words before ending the call, but as Cole slipped his phone back into

his pocket, something lingered in his mind.

Arnold knew all of this knowledge-probably even more than Cole did-but he had never been willing

to teach

Nora.

His eyes darkened slightly at the thought.

The marriage between Arnold and Nora had always been surrounded by rumors.

Many people say that it was Nora’s underhanded tactics that forced Arnold to have to marry her in

the first place.

Cole had believed it too, once. But after spending twith her, after seeing how she carried

herself with quiet dignity, it was getting harder to reconcile that image with reality.

And then there was Linda-the woman who had somehow inserted herself between them.

If anyone had been underhanded, wasn't it Linda?

Still, Cole couldn’t ignore the fact that Arnold had always resented the very idea of ‘mates’-that he had resisted

his connection to Nora not out of hatred, but perhaps out of defiance.

A rebellion against fate, against something he couldn’t control.

Maybe Arnold wasn’t even aware of what he truly felt.

The day passed quickly, their conversation stretching longer than either had anticipated.

What had begun as a simple exchange about economics had seamlessly drifted into other topics-philosophy,

literature, even the nature of ambition. Cole found himself surprised at how easy it was to talk to Nora.

She wasn't just knowledgeable; she had a sharp, analytical mind, the kind that dissected ideas layer by layer,

always probing deeper.

By the tthey realized how much thad slipped away, the sun was already beginning to set, casting golden

99.1%

hues through the large windows,

The soft amber glow bathed the room in warmth, making the atmosphere feel strangely intimate,

Nora finally closed her book, her fingers resting lightly on the worn cover,

A small, satisfied expression flickered across her face, “Thanks for today,” she said, her voice carrying an

unspoken appreciation. “It was helpful.”

Cole leaned back in his chair, a relaxed smile forming, “You can askanything, anytime. | won't mind.”

Nora blinked, slightly caught off guard by his gentleness. She had expected professionalism, maybe scasual

politeness, but this-this warmth was unexpected. It lingered between them, like an unspoken promise,

On the other side of the room, Elisa had been getting along well with Abby.

Their laughter had been a constant background melody throughout the afternoon.

By the tthey were all preparing to leave, a strange but comfortable atmosphere had settled between them.

As Cole watched Nora step away, he found himself speaking without much thought. “See you next time.”

Nora turned slightly, her expression unreadable, but there was something steady in her voice. “See you next

time.”

She drove Elisa hfirst before heading off on her own, the silence of the car giving her space to think. Cole

was different from what she had expected-attentive, perceptive.

And yet, she reminded herself, they were simply acquaintances. That was all.

Meanwhile, Elisa wasted no tin sharing her observations with Alexander. She leaned against the doorframe

of his office, arms crossed, a knowing smile playing on her lips. “I think I'm getting a new cousin-in-law.”

Alexander, who had been reviewing sdocuments, glanced up at her with a raised brow. “What?”

Elisa smirked. “Cole and Nora. It was subtle, but you could feel it. The way he looked at her, the way

she wasn’t as guarded as usual.”

Alexander frowned slightly, but there was curiosity in his expression. He tapped his pen against the

desk. “The group under Cole’s nhas been helping us out a lot lately, hasn’t it?”

Elisa tilted her head. “Exactly. And Cole doesn’t do things without reason.”

Alexander exhaled, thoughtful. Perhaps Elisa had a point.

At the stime, Nora finally arrived home. The moment she stepped inside, she felt a wave of

exhaustion settle over her.

The house was dimly lit, silent, but she welcomed the solitude. She set her bag down, kicked off her

heels, and reached for her phone, only to see several missed calls.

99.4%

Chapter 115

Her fingers hovered over the screen before she finally checked the messages.

*Tomorrow, Alex’s school is having a parent/child meeting. Remember to cover for that.”

It was from Arnold.

Nora stared at the message, her expression unreadable. A part of her had expected it-Arnold never

asked for things outright, but his words always carried an unspoken command.

She knew why he was calling. Linda wasn’t available. That’s why she had been summoned.

Nora’s fingers hovered over the screen for a brief second before she typed a short response:

“I'm not available.”