To the world, he and Karina were a happily married couple. But matters of the heart were a private affair, understood only by those involved.


    He had married Karina wanting a gentle and considerate wife. She had married him needing a husband with status and position. There had never been any love between them.


    Love was something that felt so distant to him now.


    Thest time he had loved, it was a love so profound and a heartbreak so devastating that he didn''t dare touch it again.


    "The transportationpany was only established in recent years and has no financial ties to the Thompson Group. It''s just a smallpany. The olddy made such a fuss that Frank had no choice but to give it to Eden aspensation.


    "But she''s getting on in years. Once she passes away, Frank won''t bother with Vanessa and Eden anymore."


    Noah raised his ss and took a sip of the spirits.


    They hadn''t ordered red wine today, but a bottle of clear spirits. The sharp, burning taste was a better match for the food, but it made his eyes sting.


    "I''m not interested inpany matters. Dad and Noah can handle it," Bet said dismissively.


    "The Thompson Group is yours; you should pay more attention to it," Noah said, raising his small ss and lightly clinking it against Bet''s.


    Yvonne couldn''t contribute to their business talk, so she kept her head down and ate.


    After dinner, they parted ways at the restaurant entrance.


    Since both Noah and Bet had been drinking, Yvonne drove Bet back to his apartment in Cherry Bay, while Noah had a driver to take him home.


    Noah hadn''t drunk much, and he only carried a faint scent of alcohol.


    When he arrived home, he saw his daughter Nic sitting alone on the living room sofa, watching cartoons. The housekeeper was in the kitchen, cleaning up the dinnerware.


    "Daddy!" Nic scrambled off the sofa and ran to him, her little legs a blur.


    "Nic, why are you watching cartoons by yourself? Where''s Mommy?" Noah asked, ruffling his daughter''s hair.


    "Mommy went to Grandma''s house. She''s not back yet," Nic said in her sweet, childish voice.


    Hearing that Karina had gone to her parents'' house again, Noah frowned almost instinctively.


    Ever since Kanna married into the


    Thompson family, the Whites seemed to spend all their time scheming how to get more benefits from the Thompsons instead of focusing on their own hotel


    business.


    Every time Karina visited them, her family would fill her head with all sorts of bad ideas.


    Nearly all of their arguments were because of the White family.


    "Sir, you''re back. Have you eaten? Should I prepare something for you?" the


    housekeeper asked as she came out of the kitchen.


    Noah replied, "I''ve already eaten. What about Nic?"


    The housekeeper said, "Nic has eaten too, but not very much. She wanted candied sweet potatoes, so l made them for her, but then she


    she


    said they werent good and that wanted the ones her mommy makes. I tried calling her mother, but she didn''t answer."


    “I see,” Noah responded coolly.


    "Daddy, when is Mommying home?" Nic asked, hugging Noah''s leg and looking up at him.


    Noah frowned and was about to call Karina when the front door opened, and Karina walked in.


    “Mommy!” Nic immediately let go


    of her father and ran into her mother''s arms, hugging her neck tightly and whining that she wanted the candied sweet potatoes that


    only Mommy could make


    ????


    Noah was usually too busy with work, so Karina had raised Nic mostly by herself.


    The child was naturally closer to her mother.


    Karina kissed her daughter''s cheek, then quickly took off her coat, washed her hands, and hurried into the kitchen.