?Chapter 263:


    Even then, Myles knew Cole hadn’t truly wanted Elliana to go. That much had been obvious. Figuring someone had to y the peacekeeper, he thought it might as well be him. If no one stepped in soon, things could spiral. Elliana might throw another verbal jab, and Cole—already at his limit—might snap all over again.


    Choosing his words carefully, Myles said, “Mr. Evans, would you like me to go get Mrs. Evans? I could ask her to return.”


    Cole’s eyes turned to ice as he gave Myles a cutting nce. The sarcasm followed right behind. “Myles, are you actually trying to stick your nose in my marriage now? You think just because I’m recovering from my injuries, you get to run wild?”


    No further encouragement was needed. Myles swiveled forward and bowed his head, saying nothing more. It was clear. The more he said, the deeper the hole he dug. Staying silent was his safest bet.


    The tension in the car could’ve cracked ss.


    The driver kept ying the role of the dutiful chauffeur, eyes on the road and lips sealed.


    In the back, Aron and Hugh were trying not tough out loud. They looked like they were on the verge of choking from holding it in. Usually, they were the ones catching heat from Cole while Myles got off easy. But today? Watching Myles take the verbal beating was its own kind of entertainment.


    Meanwhile, outside the vehicle, Elliana stood quietly, watching the scene unfold with a mix of irritation and amusement. Cole was clearly making trouble for no reason. A frustrated man, especially with his desire unfulfilled, really acted irrationally. Alright, maybe she was partly to me. She hadn’t managed to calm him down earlier, and now everyone else was paying the price for it.


    That thought barely finished forming before Elliana turned on the charm. Her expression bloomed into a bright smile as she waved sweetly at Cole through the car window. “Darling, goodbye for now—try not to miss me too much, alright?”


    As expected, the sparkle in her eyes and sweet tone worked like magic. Whatever storm had been brewing on Cole’s face vanished in an instant. Resting his arm along the window frame, he gave her an almost shy wave. “Don’t take forever. Come home soon,” he said, his voice noticeably lighter.


    “Got it,” Elliana said with a cheerful grin. Without warning, she leaned toward the car window and nted a kiss on his cheek—firm, sure, affectionate. “And you, Coley, better behave while I’m gone. Eat something real, get some actual sleep, and stop overthinking everything for once, okay?”


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    “Coley?” That nickname hit like a brick. Every single person inside the vehicle stiffened. The collective silence was deafening. No one knew what to make of the two of them. One minute, they were throwing daggers. The next, they were drowning the air in affection so thick that it felt suffocating. It was chaos. Exhausting, irrational, andpletely absurd.


    But Cole couldn’t care less about his subordinates’ feelings. In fact, he was thoroughly enjoying his unique rtionship with Elliana. Still staring at her like he couldn’t quite let go, he reached through the open window, tilted her chin with the gentlest touch, and gave the order to the driver. “Drive.”


    The driver didn’t hesitate. He mmed his foot down like his job depended on it.


    Even as the car rolled forward, Cole kept his gaze fixed on Elliana through the ss, that trace of longing still lingering.


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