Noreen didn''t interrupt.


    The best way for adults to interact was to maintain a healthy sense of boundaries.


    For the next two days, Noreen was swamped with work.


    The next she heard of Dn was at a business dinner.


    "I heard Mr. Wilder of Omniva Group is getting engaged. It''s a strategic alliance. The woman is the granddaughter of the head of thergest overseas bank-a beautiful mixed-race woman, I''m told."


    The speaker was Hugh Summers of NaviTech, who always enjoyed this kind of gossip and was therefore one of the first to hear the news.


    He then turned to Noreen for confirmation. "Ms. Gilmore, you and Mr. Wilder go way back. Can you confirm if this is true?"


    "I honestly don''t know," Noreen said truthfully.


    Hugh Summers continued, "I heard Omniva Group''s overseas credit operations are in serious trouble. Dn is using this marriage as a resource exchange with Terra Hignd Bank to save Omniva''s international crisis."


    The others at the table sighed in sympathy. "Mr. Wilder has had it tough. Omniva Group was aplete mess when it was handed to him. To save the strugglingpany, he''s been trying to expand overseas for the past year to find a path to survival. If that path is blocked, Omniva Group is truly done for."


    Hugh Summers nodded. "That''s why he''s betting the rest of his life to save Omniva Group."


    "A difficult position for Mr. Wilder to be in."


    After the dinner, Sophia came to pick Noreen up. Seeing her slightly drunk, she frowned. "Wasn''t this a business dinner? Why did you drink so much?"


    It was because she knew it was a business dinner with familiar faces that Sophia hadn''t stayed by her side to fend off drinks for her. She assumed someone had been deliberately toasting her.


    "I wanted to," Noreen exined.


    Sophia paused, ncing at Noreen in the rearview mirror. The streetlights flickered across her face as they drove, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow. In the dimness, her expression was somber.


    Sophia could tell that Noreen was feeling down, but she didn''t know why. She wanted to ask, but she didn''t dare.


    The next day, Noreen went to Omniva Group in person, but it was for work.


    It was the first time they had seen each other in a week.


    Noreen was all business, reporting to Dn on Winrich''s operational status and outlining any significant issues or risks.


    After they finished with work, Dn


    walked her out. From start to finish, neither of them mentioned what had happened before. It was a ran


    unspoken agreement.


    As soon as she returned to Winrich, Wilbur sent a message to their group chat, directed at Dn.


    "Is the marriage alliance thing for real?"


    Dn replied in the group, "It''s real."


    "When''s the engagement?"


    "Next week."


    Noreen hadn''t expected it to happen so quickly. The engagement was next week!


    Wilbur, however, seemed unfazed. "It''s a strategic alliance anyway. Better to get it done sooner so you can start the resource exchange."


    Noreen turned off her phone and continued to stay silent in the chat.


    The news of Dn''s impending marriage soon reached Bianca.


    Lillian was with her at the time and practically jumped for joy. "Does this mean it''s over for Noreen?"


    Bianca also felt a sense of


    satisfaction. She admired her freshly


    manicured nails, her tone dripping With mockery I''ve said it before Noreen''s background is not presentable. No prominent family would ever consider her."


    "That''s great!" Lillian pped her hands. "I''ve disliked her for a long time."


    "So what if Dn had a crush on her for eight years? Men are rational. They always know how to separate feelings from benefits. Noreen can''t give him the value he needs so no matter how much he likes her, he never marry her. That''s just reality." Cóntent