?Chapter 381:


    Their eyes met, a silent war of wills passing between them, like two mas of opposite poles struggling for dominance.


    Chris could easily hear the hidden meaning behind Kolton’s words. Kolton meant why he was here and how he had even managed to slip past the security of the g.


    A fleeting smile flickered on Chris’s lips, though it failed to reach his eyes. “I came to see Grandpa. What, Uncle Kolton? Am I not wee?”


    Kolton answered smoothly, without missing a beat, “Why would that be? Of course, I’m d you coulde, but…”


    A faint smile yed at the corner of his lips, its depth hiding something unspoken. “I just worry you might find the atmosphere a bit… ufortable.”


    Chris’s eyes narrowed, his smile deepening into something more lethal. “You’re right. It feels… a bit off. There’s a certain scent in the air — almost like… conspiracy.”


    With a nonchnt shrug, Chris added, the half-smirk on his lips making his words all the more biting, “Don’t get me wrong, Uncle Kolton. I just never had much of a taste for the dirty tricks yed in business.”


    Kolton’s eyes darkened, but his lips remained sealed, the silence speaking volumes.


    Chris rose, his movements graceful yet filled with purpose. The elderly man’s frail grip on his hand lingered, and in Laurence’s hollow, sunken eyes, Chris glimpsed something fleeting — an emotion, desperate and hidden.


    It was as though the old man’s soul was crying out in silent anguish.


    Suppressing the simmering anger bubbling within him, Chris nced back at Kolton and asked, “How’s Grandpa been doingtely?”


    Read thetest updates at gα?ησν???s


    Kolton shook his head slightly. “The same as before. No real improvement. A while ago, he suddenly lost the ability to speak. But don’t worry. I’ve hired the best doctors avable.”


    Chris couldn’t suppress the sneer that threatened to twist his lips. Not for a second did he believe Kolton’s words.


    A few steps away, Mariana’s heart raced with a nervous flutter. She knew that her father, Kolton, harbored a deep disdain for Chris. The thought of him humiliating Chris in front of everyone filled her with dread.


    Fortunately, her worst fears did note to pass.


    As Chris and Kolton exchanged words, the guests nearby seized the opportunity to whisper among themselves.


    “I heard that after Mr. Laurence Cooper’s eldest son died unexpectedly, and his youngest daughter Zoey was sent to prison, the old man was struck a terrible blow. He’s never truly recovered since.”


    “Yeah, the Cooper Group has had its dark days. But in the end, only Kolton remained. Lucky for them, he stepped up when it counted and kept the family afloat.”


    “Kolton’s not one to be underestimated. In just three years, he expanded the Cooper Group massively, and he didn’t stop until he had crushed everypeting branch of the family.”


    “Even though Kolton’s spared no expense hiring the best doctors, Laurence’s condition hasn’t improved in the slightest.”


    Maia, standing in the midst of the murmurs, couldn’t help but focus on Laurence, the man she’d only heard of in stories. A frown creased her brow, a sense of unease settling deep within her. There was something about Laurence that felt… off.


    It didn’t feel as if he were merely a victim of grief. No, it felt far moreplex, like…


    Maia’s fingers curled into a fist, her eyes shifting toward Kolton.


    .


    .


    .