?Chapter 47:


    Heat raced through Cole’s veins, but a cold pressure crushed his chest, snuffing out every spark of warmth. His stance stiffened, shoulders squared like stone, and his eyes locked on Elliana’s, expression unreadable. Bit by bit, his face iced over, freezing into a mask of detachment.


    He hadpletely misinterpreted the situation. She had previously acknowledged her attraction to him, which he had taken as a positive indication. However, now she was merely responding with a firm, unapologetic rejection. And the way she held her ground—calm, poised, unshaken—unsettled him more than any outburst ever could. Whatever fleeting spark had existed between them clearly hadn’t reached her heart. If she’d felt anything real, she wouldn’t have told him to go find someone else. How could she say that? How could she suggest he find someone else?


    A flicker of rage darkened Cole’s eyes before he straightened abruptly, his spine rigid with tension. Without a word, he rose, turned on his heel, and mmed the door behind him with enough force to rattle the walls.


    The sharp crack echoed through the mansion, making heads snap up. Whispers stilled. A few curious younger rtives crept toward the hallway, nudging the door open to catch a glimpse.


    Cole was already halfway down the stairs, fury radiating off him in waves. His expression was carved from stone, his jaw clenched, eyes glinting with warning. Each step he took reverberated through the floor like a thunderp.


    Those who saw him pass recoiled instinctively, chilled by the storm barely held in check.


    Everyone jumped to the same conclusion—Cole had snapped atst. After drinking down that spiked soup and facing Elliana, the “ugly one,” he couldn’t take it anymore.


    Ruben had been pacing in the study, tension building with every passing minute. The moment the butler delivered the news, his fury exploded. “Go get Cole. Drag him back if you have to!”


    Bertram stepped in, his voice urgent but restrained. “Dad, yelling won’t fix this. Cole’s not some tool we can just order around. He’s his own man. Keep pushing like this, and what if he really walks away from the Evans family and builds something of his own?”


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    The words struck like a p. Ruben stiffened. “Then what do you suggest we do? He’s got a wife, yet he won’t even share a bed with her. What do you think that says?”


    Bertram hesitated, his thoughts drifting to his own experience. With a heavy sigh, he remarked, “Try to see it from his perspective. When you were younger, would you have wanted to spend the night with someone you didn’t find the least bit attractive?”


    Ruben faltered, clearing his throat with an awkward grunt. The answer was obvious—he wouldn’t have. The real reason he’d agreed to marry Diane was her beauty. If she hadn’t had a face that turned heads, he wouldn’t have agreed to that deal for anything. Still, pride made his voice ring with false righteousness. “So what if she’s not attractive? Once the lights are out, who even notices?”


    Bertram’s lips quirked into a faint, knowing smirk, but he said nothing. Ruben’s earlier bluster began to wane. Though his words had been forceful, a current of unease ran beneath them. The thought of pushing Cole so far that he might walk away from the Evans family entirely gnawed at him. After a moment of brooding silence, he turned back to Bertram. “Where’s Jarrett?”


    “He’s at the vi again. Still recovering,” Bertram quickly answered.


    “Then call him back. Tell him to deal with his son!” Rubenmanded firmly.


    Bertram huffed out a dryugh. “So you don’t want to upset your grandson, and now you’re hoping Jarrett will y the viin?” He leaned against the desk with casual ease. “Jarrett doesn’t want Cole to suffer, you know. The only reason he’s been keeping quiet is out of respect for you. And now you want him to strong-arm Cole? What if this makes things worse—for both of them? Aren’t you at all concerned about Jarrett’s health?”


    Ruben pressed his lips into a tight line, the sharp retort dying in his throat.


    Jarrett’s health had been steadily declining ever since his wife disappeared. The stress had taken a permanent toll, leaving him gaunt and exhausted. Truth be told, he wasn’t as strong as Ruben anymore. Calling him back now, just to enforce discipline, seemed cruel. With a grudging sigh, Ruben waved the idea off.


    Without warning, Ruben mmed his cane against Emmanuel’s arm. “You’re Cole’s uncle—how can you just sit there like none of this matters?”


    Emmanuel jolted, yanked out of his thoughts. He’d been fully immersed in a piece of code, lost in the quiet rhythm of problem-solving, oblivious to the storm around him.


    He blinked at Ruben and then gave a dry smile. “Dad, let’s be honest. Even my brothers can’t fix this. What can I do?”


    Back when Jarrett was at the helm, holding the family business together, Bertram had the freedom to chase rare antiques while Emmanuel buried himself in backend systems and machine logic, far from family drama. After Jarrett stepped down and Cole picked up the reins, neither Bertram nor Emmanuel spent a moment worrying over family affairs. When it came to Cole’s marriage? They’d always kept their distance. That mess was never theirs to touch.


    Ruben knew Emmanuel couldn’t offer any real solutions. He just needed someone to unload on. Once he was done ranting, he huffed his way back to his room, leaving Bertram and Emmanuel exchanging a silent, weary nce.


    Meanwhile, Cole was seething. Blinded by fury, he charged down the stairs and stormed out of the mansion without a backward nce. Not missing a beat, Jeff spun up a group chat with the younger cousins, his fingers flying over the screen. “Told you! No way Cole would ever ept Elliana. This just proves it! How’s Elliana supposed to show her face tomorrow?”


    Snarky replies flooded in.


    “Cole resisted Elliana even while drugged. That’s next-level disgust.”


    “Forget Elliana—what I want to know is, which girl’s about to get the full force of that drug?”


    Alone in her room, Trinity scrolled through the messages, her expression unreadable. A momentter, she stood, changed into fresh clothes, and slipped out into the night.


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