Bet: "I am talking properly. Am I not telling the truth?"


    "I''m tired. I''m going to sleep." Yvonne hadpletely lost the desire to speak with him.


    Bet''s lips curved into a slight smile as he reached out and touched Yvonne''s hair, which was half-dry.


    "Let''s get your hair dry first."


    Yvonney on her side while Bet sat on the edge of the bed, blow-drying her hair for her.


    By the time her hair was dry, Yvonne was already asleep. Pregnant women always needed more sleep.


    Bet casually ced the blow-dryer on the nightstand, carefully tucked her in, and then quietly left the room.


    Outside, Bet stood by a window in the hallway, lit a cigarette, and took a leisurely drag.


    The window offered a perfect view of the beach.


    The bonfire on the beach was still burning, but the party was over, and staff were busy cleaning up.


    Bet nced out before looking away, flicking the ash from his cigarette.


    He heard faint footsteps behind him. Noah stepped out of the elevator, saw Bet by the window, and walked straight over.


    "Why aren''t you in your room?" Noah asked.


    "Just came out for a smoke,” Bet said, flicking his cigarette again. “Is the party over?"


    “Yeah, it just ended." Noah rubbed his temples, which were throbbing from all the alcohol he''d had. "With you gone, I had to handle them all by myself. What a headache."


    "Yvonne had a run-in with Ms. Lane, so I brought her back early," Bet exined.


    Noah nodded. He hadn''t been there at the time; he''d taken Nic to y in the sand on the beach. He''d heard about the conflict at the partyter.


    "A strategic alliance between the Taylor and Lane families was already in the works. Kicking Ms. Lane out like that... wasn''t it a bit disrespectful to both families?" Noah said hesitantly.


    The cigarette burned down to his fingertips. He stubbed it out and tossed it into a nearby trash can.


    "Do I need to show the Lane family any respect? Bet looked up at Noah, his tone cold. “Jessa Lane openly provoked Yvonne, which means she has no regard for Thompson family She bullied my wife, and I''m supposed to save her face? Does the Lane family think they''re that important?"


    Noah was left speechless. He waved his hand in resignation and chuckled


    twi


    wryly. "Alright, I against


    you Butu


    Mayor


    Lane


    now in office, while the Thompson


    family has nothing to fear, there''s no


    need to burn bridges. Just be


    mindful of how you handle it."


    People usually knew better than to pick a fight with a sitting official. If the Thompson family were just an ordinary business family, they wouldn''t dare challenge the Lanes. But besides being the wealthiest family in Istra, the Thompsons also wielded significant power.


    Although Mr. Thompson Sr. had retired, his influence remained, and many of his former subordinates


    now held high-ranking positio


    While the elder Thompson''s political career had likely peaked, he held his current position firmaly, making him a person of consequence. And Bet himself was young, promising, and had a limitless future.


    Even the most powerful outsiders struggle against deep-rooted local influence, but


    the Lanes weren''t even a blip on the Thompsons'' radar.


    "It''s gettingte. You should go back and get some rest, Noah. Don''t forget to have a maid make you something to sober you up," Bet said.


    “Yeah.” Noah nodded, then asked, "Are you skipping the team-building activities tomorrow too?"


    “I am. I''m going to spend the day with Yvonne, just walking around the ind,” Bet replied.


    He hade here mainly to give Yvonne a rxing getaway; attending thepany retreat was secondary. He couldn''t get his priorities mixed up.


    Seeing Bet so devoted to his wife, Noah thought of Cynthia, who had left early, and felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest.