Chapter 1361

As a secretary, Hailee was diligent and precise, but her attentiveness was all business. Not once did she show a personal touch or any hint of warmth beyond her duties.

A quiet sigh escaped Merlin. He had spent the evening making fun of Cole and Allan for their difficult journeys ahead in winning their women, but seeing his own reflection in the situation, he realized his own path was no less challenging.

Despite the touch of disappointment he felt, Merlin refused to let it show or risk dampening Hailee’s mood. He mustered a smile and nodded. “It’s perfect. I really like it.”

With a practiced motion, he took off his old tie and replaced it with the new one Hailee had picked out. Even though she considered this nothing more than a task on her to-do list, there was still a gentle warmth in wearing something she’d chosen, however impersonal it might be.

Hailee folded the old tie with great care, tucking it away without any awareness of the storm of emotions swirling in Merlin’s heart.

“Let’s head out,” Merlin said, leading the way toward the exit.

Hailee offered Manley a courteous nod before hurrying after Merlin.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Manley’s grin faded. He was now alone in the empty room. He had spent the evening laughing at the struggles of his friends, but with everyone gone, the joke seemed to be on him. The other three had someone worth fighting for, someone to hold on for them no matter the challenges. Meanwhile, he had no idea where to even start. There was no one waiting for him, and that truth settled over him with a deep, isolating weight.

After departing from the Royal Club, Cole chose not to return home. He drove by himself to the mountain’s peak, where he stood at the highest overlook, taking in the sprawling view of the city below. The entire stretch of the Evans family manor unfolded in the distance, clearly visible from where he stood.

He focused on the villa he had once shared with Elliana, imagining her inside, keeping watch over their two children as they played, while waiting patiently for his next application.

? ? g?ν?

The answer to what she wanted was now clear, but the words she longed to hear were the very ones he struggled to promise. The truth was, he inherited his resilience from his mother, Sophie. Letting go of it wasn’t something that could happen instantly.

Years back, Sophie had faced her own battles in silence. She had kept everything to herself, vanished without warning, and left her family behind just to shoulder the pain alone.

Cole had once blamed his mother for leaving. Now, with someone he cared for so fiercely, he finally understood. When you loved someone so much that their pain felt worse than your own, you’d rather carry the burden alone. He still believed he wasn’t in the wrong, but he knew Elliana wouldn’t accept that reasoning. Now, he was left standing at a crossroads, uncertain which path to take.

Cole stood alone on the mountaintop, the wind tugging at his jacket as he wrestled with thoughts that refused to settle. He remained steadfast in his resolve. Elliana would share his joy—every bright, burning moment of it—but his pain? That weight was his alone to carry.

The sun bled into the horizon when his phone shattered the silence.

He answered, and Bertram’s voice exploded through the speaker. “Cole, get to the hospital now—your father’s dying!”

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