The Aurelion Group had hosted their victory parties at this hotel more than once, so Noreen knew theyout by heart. She could easily pinpoint the quiet corners where no one would disturb her.
A cold front had swept down from the north, dragging the temperature lower each day. The wind sliced through her coat, sharp enough to jolt her wide awake. Thankfully, she hadn’t worn a cocktail dress tonight–otherwise, she’d never havested out here.
Rosalind had texted earlier, reminding her not to drink too much. Noreen replied that she understood. Then Rosalind asked her to pass along congrattions to Seth. Noreen hesitated for a few seconds before sending a terse “Got it.”
When the alcohol had finally ebbed from her system, Noreen stood to head back inside–just as someone pushed open the door from within.
She hadn’t expected to run into Seth. And he was alone. Instinctively, her eyes darted behind him, half–expecting to spot Bianca trailing after him
as usual. But there was no one else.
“Who are you waiting for?” Seth’s eyes were cast half–lidded, his features sharply handsome yet utterly cold. “Dn?”
Noreen’s freshly rxed brow tensed again. She hated the way Seth spoke to her–so dismissive, as if she were beneath him.
“Excuse me,” she said, striving to keep her voice even.
Seth didn’t budge. His gaze held a weight she’d never felt before; it was suffocating.
Before Noreen could lose her temper, Seth spoke again–his tone somewhere between a warning and a threat. “Noreen, the Wilder family is obsessed with pedigree. They’d never ept someone from your background. My advice? Drop whatever foolish ideas you’re harboring and stay put at Aurelion Group.”
14.20
Chapter <b>75 </b>
It took Noreen a moment to register what he was implying.
He thought she was trying to worm her way into the Wilder family.
A hot, inexplicable anger surged inside her. She couldn’t help but fire back, “Is that really what you think of me? That’s how you see me?”
“Isn’t it?” His voice was biting. “You keep hanging around Dn, thinking you’ve found yourself a newdder to climb. Now you think you’ve grown wings and can just resign from Aurelion Group?”
His eyes were dark, turbulent–shadowed with contempt. A mocking smile twisted his lips. “Do you even realize what leaving me would mean? Without my approval, no one in Rivercrest City would dare hire you. Not even Dn. Try it, if you don’t believe me. Without me, you’ll be lucky tost three days out there before youe crawling back.”
He stepped closer, his gaze ice–cold and unyielding.
Noreen didn’t move. She simply looked at him, calm and steady, as ifmitting every cruel line of his face to memory–so that if she ever felt the urge to look back, she’d remember exactly how heartless he
could be.
When the tension had stretched to its breaking point, Noreen finally spoke. Her voice was even, but each word rang with quiet conviction. “Let’s see, then. Let’s see if Ie crawling back to you.”
Back at the banquet hall, Noreen was barely through the door before someone approached her.
“Ms. Gilmore, I’ve been looking all over for you!”
It was Mr. Selwyn from Monarch Capital, one of Aurelion Group’s major
partners.
“It’s been a while, Mr. Selwyn.” Noreen greeted him with practiced politeness.
He reached out and pped her on the shoulder. “It has, hasn’t it, Ms.
14.29
Gilmore? And you’re looking lovelier than ever!”
“Thank you, Mr. Selwyn, you’re too kind.” As she exchanged pleasantries, Noreen subtly shifted back, widening the distance between them.
Mr. Selwyn had a notorious reputation in the business world–greedy, predatory, and not shy about it. Yet his instincts were sharp; every investment he touched seemed to turn to gold. Over the years he’d amassed quite a fortune, and for that, everyone in the industry felt obliged to humor him.
Back when theirpanies first started working together, Mr. Selwyn had made his intentions toward Noreen painfully clear, always hinting at something more.