?Chapter 262:


    Cole’s eyes locked onto Myles, full of disdain.


    Myles pushed up his thick ck sses and forced a shaky smile. “Mr. Evans, I’m not trying to start my own thing.”


    He meant it. Being Cole’s assistant was far better than running some small-time startup. And even if he wanted to branch out, he’d never dare steal Cole’s team.


    But Cole raised an eyebrow, as if he wasn’t buying it. With a half-smile, he pressed on. “Don’t chicken out now, Myles. You want to try? I won’t stop you. Hell, for old times’ sake, I might even toss you some startup cash.”


    Myles mped his mouth shut, choosing silence over saying something he might regret. He knew exactly what this was—Cole wasn’t being serious, just using him as a punching bag to let off steam. Cole added with a sharp edge in his voice, “Cat got your tongue, Myles?”


    Myles adjusted his sses calmly, refusing to let it rattle him. “Mr. Evans, I’m not nning anything. I’m happy working for you.”


    Cole gave a cold, dismissive snort. “Oh? Don’t deny it. How about I fund you with a hundred million? That enough?”


    Myles didn’t flinch. He wasn’t stupid enough to rise to that bait. But Cole wasn’t done. His words came soaked in sarcasm. “Go ahead and pick any of my guys. You can borrow them. On the house.”


    Myles met Cole’s eyes, a mix of frustration and lingering loyalty in his gaze. He couldn’t help but remember the old Cole—the sharp, focused leader who inspired confidence. Back then, working for him had been an honor.


    Before, Cole had been like a general straight out of a war movie, and Myles, along with Aron and Hugh, had been his elite squad—proud, disciplined, and loyal. But things had changed. Ever since Cole got married, he had be vtile, and his actions had turned unpredictable. Now, instead of a fearlessmander, Cole seemed more like a loose cannon. And the crew? Just coteral damage in whatever chaos came next.


    Lost in thought, Myles didn’t notice Cole’s growing irritation. “What are you staring at?” Cole snapped. “Got some secret n you’re cooking up?”


    Myles let out a slow breath and then leaned into the moment with measured calm. “Mr. Evans, my loyalty to you has never wavered. I’ve got nothing but respect. Always have. Always will.”


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    A brief silence followed. The wind howled softly, filling the space between them.


    Cole cracked a smirk. “Then what are you waiting for? Want me to carry you into the car myself?”


    Myles didn’t need to be told twice. He climbed into the car without another word. Once inside, he reached for the partition controls and lowered them, giving Cole a full view of the front and back of the vehicle.


    Just as Myles settled in, something caught his eye. Elliana. She was still standing outside the car. He froze, momentarily thrown off. Trying to make sense of the situation, he looked to Cole and asked carefully, “Mr. Evans, what about Mrs. Evans?”


    Myles wasn’t usually this jittery, but after Cole’s scolding, he took it harder than expected. He was typically poised and sharp, yet now he lookedpletely thrown off, frozen in ce and unsure what to do next.


    A storm of thoughts started brewing in Myles’ head within seconds. From the way Cole was acting, he didn’t need a detailed breakdown to guess what had happened. It looked like another round of friction between Cole and Elliana. Just likest time, Cole had booted Elliana out of the car when his temper snapped.


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