?Chapter 323:


    She kept her tone breezy but pressed on. “I mean anyone outside your family. Old friends, maybe?”


    Cole flicked his eyes toward her and then returned to his screen with a faint smile. “The cybersecurity director’s an old ssmate of mine. We’ve known each other since elementary school.”


    That was all the confirmation she needed. Jody had once let slip that he and Cole went way back to childhood. And now, the dots finally connected. Wesley, the tech genius running the Evans Group’s digital fortress, had to be Jody.


    Elliana’s heart thudded with anticipation. If she knocked Wesley unconscious during lunch break, she just might find a way to slip through the Evans Group’s irondwork. Unable to hide the thrill coursing through her, she practically hummed with excitement, a spark lighting up her eyes.


    Cole caught the glimmer in Elliana’s eyes and couldn’t help but ask, “What’s got you grinning over there?”


    Elliana flicked her finger at Wesley’s photo on the roster, mischief in her smile. “Your old school buddy? He’s got that rockstar swagger—bet he could charm anyone just by shing a grin.”


    Cole’s hands stilled on hisptop, his jaw tightening as he shot her a sour look. “Seriously? You’re really going to hype up another guy in front of me?”


    Elliana let out a breath, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. Cole’s jealousy was back, simmering just beneath the surface. He always managed to pick the worst moments for his petty streak, and she was fresh out of patience. Shutting the roster with a sharp snap, she strolled over and looped her arms around his neck, leaning in close. “Coley, I’m starving. Come have lunch with me?”


    His stormy re didn’t budge. “Thought Wesley was so hot? Why not eat with him?”


    “No way!” Elliana shook her head fast. “Please. At first nce, maybe he seemed like he had something going on. But honestly? The longer I looked, the more of a mess he became. Total flop. You, on the other hand, just keep getting hotter. Every time I look at you, I want to stick by your side.”


    That finally chipped away at Cole’s scowl, his eyes softening despite himself. He knew Elliana was just spinning sweet talk—probably barely thinking before the words tumbled out—but he couldn’t help soaking it in. “Fine,” he murmured, pulling her closer. “What are you in the mood for?”


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    Elliana’s lips curled into a mischievous grin. “Let’s hit the employee cafeteria. What do you say?”


    Cole shot her a skeptical look. “Seriously? What’s good about that ce?” He’d never been a fan of the cafeteria—too loud, too crowded, definitely not hisfort zone.


    Elliana leaned in, undeterred, pitching her idea with a glimmer of excitement. “Trust me, there’s an energy down there. We’ll get to experience life alongside the staff, maybe win some goodwill, and it’ll show everyone that I’m not just the CEO’s wife in name—I’m really part of thispany.”


    Cole’s lips quirked into a grin, her enthusiasm breaking through his reserve. “Alright. Cafeteria it is.”


    With that, he took Elliana’s hand and led the way out of his office, pausing only to tell Myles where they were off to.


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