After I left Alpha father and son went crazy with regret

Just then, her phone rang again. Seeing Leo's name on the screen, she answered.

"Did you hear about the equity transfer?" Leo's voice was sharp with frustration. "He's practically giving her the company!"

Nora's expression remained neutral. "Tocus on your own work, Leo. It's none of our business."

Her calmness seemed to settle both Leo and Cole. If she could speak about Arnold so indifferently, then perhaps she had really moved on.

The following evening. Nora and Leo arrived at a formal dinner party, the grand ballroom filled with elegantly dressed guests.

Just as Cole was about to speak, a sudden hush spread through the room.

Arnold and Linda had made their entrance.

Linda was draped in a gown that shimmered under the crystal chandeliers, her wrists adorned with diamonds, each piece expensive enough to draw attention. Arnold, standing beside her, looked composed, unfazed by the whispers around them.

The murmurs among the guests grew louder.

"Arnold has been incredibly generous with Linda..."

"She's practically the queen now. He's transferring all his power to her."

Nora stood still, her fingers lightly wrapped around the stem of her champagne flute, her expression unreadable.

Leo and Cole glanced at her almost simultaneously, searching for any sign of reaction to the hushed whispers about Arnold and Linda. But she remained composed, as if the rumors were nothing more than idle chatter floating through the air, insignificant and unworthy of her attention.

Cole's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer than necessary. He had seen that same expression before.... calm, detached, almost indifferent. But - was it truly indifference, or had she simply mastered the art of concealment?

Across the room, Flora had arrived, her eyes immediately locking onto Linda. She hadn't come just to attend the party.... she had followed Linda here, using the opportunity to get closer to Cole.

Her gaze darted around until she found him, standing with Nora and Leo. Her lips curled into a smile, her posture elegant as she made her way toward them

“Cole,” she greeted sweetly, her voice carrying just the right amount of charm. “It's such a coincidence running into you here."

Cole barely spared her a glance. His face was expressionless, his demeanor cold.

Undeterred. Flora continued, tilting her head slightly. "A few of us are heading to a private gathering later. You should come. It'll be fun."

Silence.

Cole didn't even acknowledge her words, much less respond.

Flora's smile stiffened, but she quickly masked her displeasure. Her gaze flickered to Nora, who was still standing beside Cole, her presence effortless.

tural

Something about that made flora uncomfortable.

She pursed her lips slightly, then forced another smile and said, "Cole, Linda and the others are coming over. Let's go meet them."

Still, Cole iged her

Just then another guest approached, a man in an expensive suit, his deer friendly. He recognized Cole, Leo, and Nora, greeting them warmly. The conversation naturally flowed between the four of them, their words easy, their laughter light.

15:13

Just then, her phone rang again. Seeing Leo's name on the screen, she answered.

"Did you hear about the equity transfer?" Leo's voice was sharp with frustration. "He's practically giving her the company!"

Nora's expression remained neutral. "Focus on your own work, Leo. It's none of our business."

Her calmness seemned to settle both Leo and Cole. If she could speak about Arnold so indifferently, then perhaps she had really moved on.

The following evening, Nora and Leo arrived at a formal dinner party, the grand ballroom filled with elegantly dressed guests.

Just as Cole was about to speak, a sudden hush spread through the room.

Arnold and Linda had made their entrance.

Linda was draped in a gown that shimmered under the crystal chandeliers, her wrists adorned with diamonds, each piece expensive enough to draw attention. Arnold, standing beside her, looked composed, unfazed by the whispers around them.

The marmer's among the guests grew louder.

"Arnold has been incredibly generous with Linda..."

"She's practically the queen now. He's transferring all his power to her."

Nora stood still, her fingers lightly wrapped around the stem of her champagne flute, her expression unreadable.

Leo and Cole glanced at her almost simultaneously, searching for any sign of reaction to the hushed whispers about Arnold and Linda. But she remained composed, as if the rumors were nothing more than idle chatter floating through the air, insignificant and unworthy of her attention.

Cole's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer than necessary. He had seen that same expression before.... calm, detached, almost indifferent. But was it truly indifference, or had she simply mastered the art of concealment?

Across the room, Flora had arrived, her eyes immediately locking onto Linda. She hadn't come just to attend the party.... she had followed Linda here, using the opportunity to get closer to Cole.

Her gaze darted around until she found him, standing with Nora and Leo. Her lips curled into a smile, her posture elegant as she made her way toward them

"Cole," she greeted sweetly, her voice carrying just the right amount of charm. "It's such a coincidence running into you here."

Cole barely spared her a glance. His face was expressionless, his demeanor cold.

Undeterred, Flora continued, tilting her head slightly. "A few of us are heading to a private gathering later. You should come. It'll be fun."noveldrama

Süence.

Cole didn't even acknowledge her words, much less respond.

Flora's smile stiffened, but she quickly masked her displeasure. Her gaze flickered

to Nora, who was still standing beside Cole, her presence effortless,

natural

Something about that made flora uncomfortable.

the pursed her lips slightly, then forced another smile and said, "Cole, Linda and

the others are coming over. Let's go meet them."

Still, Cole ignored her.

Just then, another guest approached, a man in an expensive suit, his demeanor friendly. He recognized Cole, Leo, and Nora, greeting them warmly. The conversation naturally flowed between the four of them, their words easy, their laughter light.

Flora, however, found herself standing awkwardly on the sidelines.

The more they talked, the more isolated she felt. No one paid attention to her; she wasn't part of their circle. And Cole.... Cole hadn't even given her so much as a glance since she arrived.

Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.

With no other choice, she turned on her heel and left, her steps hurried despite her best efforts to appear graceful.

On the other side of the ballroom, Charles stood beside Linda, sipping his drink as

he observed the dynamic between Cole, Nora, and Leo. His lips curved into a thoughtful smirk as he leaned toward Linda.

"Cole is getting quite close to them," he remarked.

Linda followed his gaze, watching how effortlessly Cole engaged in conversation with Nora and Leo. A frown tugged at her lips.

There was something different about their interactions. It wasn't the usual polite exchanges one would expect in a business setting. They weren't just colleagues acknowledging each other at a formal event.... there was a familiarity, an ease that suggested something more.

Linda's mind turned.

It wasn't surprising that Cole would want to build a connection with Leo.... Leo was someone worth knowing. But Nora?

That was just incidental.

Still, something about the way Cole spoke to her, the way he stood beside her, made Linda uneasy.

Before she could dwell on it further, movement from the entrance caught her eye.

Bran had arrived.

Dressed sharply in a tailored suit, he carried himself with a formality that was different from his usual work attire. There was an air of refinement about him, a confidence that made heads turn.

Linda's lips curled into a smile as she instinctively stepped forward, ready to approach him.

But Bran didn't look in her direction.

Instead, his eyes flickered past her, and without a moment's hesitation, he walked toward the banquet hall, joining his friend without sparing her a single glance.

Linda stopped in her tracks.

For a split second, something flickered in her eyes.... surprise, perhaps even a hint of frustration. But she quickly smoothed her expression, forcing a lighthearted chuckle.

Turning to Arnold, she sighed with feigned helplessness. "I guess he's still mad at me for telling his family about his whereabouts. He wouldn't answer my calls before, and now that I've finally seen him, he's pretending not to know me."