?Chapter 358:


    Cole wasted no time, asking, “What are you doing here?”


    Casting a cautious nce at Elliana, Lance answered, “I just wanted to check if you’re heading back to the Evans house today. If you are, would you mind if I tag along?”


    Cole leveled an unimpressed stare at him. “What happened to your own car?”


    A hint of embarrassment shed across Lance’s face. “It broke down.”


    Without missing a beat, Cole looked Lance up and down and gave a t reply. “You’re out of luck. My car’s full.”


    Cole didn’t miss a thing. One nce at Lance’s eager looks toward Elliana, and he was already connecting the dots. That whole story about the broken-down car? It reeked of a weak excuse to ride with them, and he knew exactly who Lance had been hoping to sit near. Thanks to Jeff, who had developed feelings toward Elliana and even considered marrying her in ten years, Cole had developed a sixth sense for sniffing out his wife’s admirers.


    There was no denying Elliana’s natural charm, and people always seemed to gravitate toward her. Cole couldn’t shake the feeling that Lance, much like Jeff, was harboring his own motives—maybe even trying to edge in and steal Elliana away. That was why he made up his mind to stay alert, refusing to give his wife’s admirers even the slightest chance to slip through and take what wasn’t theirs.


    Even after being turned down, Lance was persistent. “Come on, Cole. I’m not that big. I can just squeeze in with Aron and Hugh. Besides, I—”


    “Ride with Jason,” Cole replied, cutting him off without the slightest hesitation.


    Only then did Lance realize Jason had been standing nearby the entire time. He’d been soser-focused on Elliana that he hadn’t registered Jason’s presence until now. Embarrassed, he turned to Jason and forced a grin. “Oh—uh, didn’t notice you there. What brings you around?”


    Jason didn’t offer much. Just a calm, clipped response. “Had some things to go over with Cole.”


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    Cole didn’t wait for any more chitchat. He stood, took Elliana’s hand, and headed straight for the door. “Let’s go. We’re heading back to the Evans family estate.”


    With that, Myles, Aron, and Hugh fell in line behind them, leaving Lance to trail after Jason like the stray that didn’t get picked.


    The return drive had a quiet rhythm to it. Cole’s car took the lead while Jason’s followed a few lengths behind.


    In the passenger seat of Jason’s car, Lance sat stiffly, his eyes fixed on the lead vehicle with a look that gave everything away. Bing River’s protégé was all he wanted—but the path there felt blocked, and he hadn’t found the right way to bring it up.


    Jason noticed where Lance’s attentiony from the corner of his eye. He kept his eyes on the road, but his tone turned curious. “What changed? You were never this interested in Elliana before.”


    “She’s…” Lance nearly blurted out the truth—that Elliana was actually River, his longtime idol. But her request for secrecy echoed in his mind, and he bit the words back.


    “She’s incredibly skilled,” Lance said instead, choosing the safer route.


    Jason shot him a sideways nce. “Skilled how, exactly?”


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