?Chapter 636:


    As Jolie perused the information, a heavy gloom settled over her. She knew all too well that challenging the government was like shouting into the void. Crossing the deputy mayor could jeopardize the Harper family’s business. Worry etched deeper into her delicate features.


    That night, as the shadows lengthened, Alexander found Jolie lost in thought, staring vacantly out the window. He shrugged off his coat, the cold still clinging to him, and approached her, drawing her close into a warm embrace.


    “Hey, are you okay? You look deep in thought.”


    Jolie was jolted from her reverie. “You’re home. Have you had dinner yet?” she responded, her voice a blend of relief and distraction.


    She was halfway to the dining room when Alexander caught her arm, drawing her back into a warm embrace.


    Together, they settled onto the couch.


    Alexander’s voice, rich and resonant, broke the silence. “Is something troubling you?”


    Jolie hesitated, her thoughts a tangled whirlwind. She remained silent, unwilling to add to his burdens. He was already swamped with responsibilities. She couldn’t bear to pile on more worries. She chose to hold off and talk to Elyse another time. After two decades ofpanionship, it pained her to think the worst of Elyse. Maybe Elyse was simply misled for the moment.


    “Nothing. I just felt Jeffy and Evelyn are getting on well. Perhaps it’s time we started nning their wedding?”


    Jolie had never stopped worrying about Jeffry settling down.


    Alexander brushed his fingers through her hair, his touch like a gentle calm. “He’ll sort it out on his own. There’s no need for you to fret.”


    Jolie nodded in agreement. Her four children were a self-sufficient bunch, seldom giving her cause for concern. Elena was no exception—always caught up in her own tasks, organizing everything down to thest detail.


    Jolie longed to express her concern for Elena, yet she often struggled to find the right moment.


    The the High-Tech Conference, an event urring once every three years, gathered government dignitaries, leading global tech innovators, and pioneering entrepreneurs.


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    Jeffry’spany was among the esteemed attendees. Hispany was a titan in the tech industry, and naturally, he belonged in the front row.


    However, upon surveying the venue, Jeffry couldn’t find his seat. Apanying Jeffry, Malcolm noted his own spot in the front row and was puzzled. “Jeffry, why isn’t your chair beside mine?”


    No matter the event, they always found themselves seated together at every conference.


    “I’m not sure,” Jeffry responded with a shrug.


    Malcolm scowled, baffled by the oversight. “At an event of this magnitude, how can the organizers blunder on something as simple as seating? Such negligence is inexcusable. The the government staff really must elevate their performance.”


    Jeffry viewed the situation differently. Finally spotting his seat tucked away in a distant corner, he remained calm.


    Malcolm followed his gaze and saw Jeffry’s seat. “Why have they ced you over there? Who organized this seating? Do they even understand the protocol?”


    Jeffry’spany dominated the high-tech sector, a realm where even the substantial Johnson Group couldn’t hold a candle to them. Malcolm’s brow creased in displeasure as he summoned a staff member with a wave. He gestured toward Jeffry’s misaligned namete. “This isn’t right. Jeffry should be sitting here, not there.”


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