CHAPTER 289: CHAPTER 289

Immediately he leaned closer, his brow furrowed. Everything lined up oddly well. The uncle was a low-profile man, never in the spotlight, never involved directly with the company or public-facing affairs. But he had a clean record, just enough wealth, and the kind of shadow that a man like Mr. B could easily hide behind.

Lovi’s breath hitched.

"Could it be...?" he asked himself in disbelief.

He stood from his chair again, heart beginning to pound a little faster now. His mind was already connecting dots, drawing arrows and possibilities. The timing, the silence, the power behind the moves none of it made sense unless someone was trying very hard to stay anonymous.

He rubbed the back of his neck and let out a shaky breath, pacing again.

"There’s no other way to actually get power quickly if not anonymously," he muttered under his breath, voice growing more certain. "And what better way than through a trusted family member no one pays attention to?"

He paused, his eyes darkening as he whispered to himself again.

"There’s something here. Something real. I need to find out more."

**

Cora and Oliver stepped into the restaurant, a soft chime rang above the glass door. It was quiet too quiet for the time of day. Cora’s heels clicked lightly against the marble floor as she walked beside Oliver, her eyes scanning the interior.

The place was elegant but strangely empty. A few staff members stood behind the counter, wearing polite smiles that didn’t match the stillness in the air. The lights were warm, the furniture neatly arranged, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air, yet something felt... off.

Cora tried to mask her discomfort, but inside, her guard was already up. She hated spaces that were too silent. It reminded her of moments before something terrible happened. Moments where people smiled too much... or when no one was around to scream.

Oliver could sense the shift in her. He gently placed a hand on the small of her back as the waiter led them to their table. "It’s okay," he whispered. "Just a quiet afternoon. Nothing more."

Then Cora nodded faintly and tried to smile, though her eyes never stopped searching the room.

They sat at a table near the tall window, where the sunlight spilled in, casting soft glows across the wooden tabletop. But even with the sunlight, Cora couldn’t shake the unease. She crossed her legs slowly and folded her hands in her lap. She checked her phone for the third time. The people they were meant to meet were running late.

She looked up again, and that was when it hit her. "This place..." she muttered, "Why does it feel like we’re the only ones here?"

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"It just feels like no one else is supposed to be here," she said softly. "Almost like the place was cleared on purpose."

However Oliver didn’t dismiss her thoughts. Instead, he leaned forward. "That’s a big thing to say. Do you think someone’s watching us?"

She didn’t answer. She just kept looking.

And then as if on cue the restaurant door chimed again. A couple strolled in. Then another. Then a man with a teen boy. Slowly, the tables started to fill. Waiters moved around with menus and water glasses. The sounds of life began to return the clinks of cutlery, quiet laughs, someone talking on the phone.

Cora exhaled quietly. She didn’t even realize she had been holding her breath. The tension in her shoulders dropped slightly. She looked at Oliver, who gave her a small nod, as if to say, "Told you so."

Minutes passed, and then...The door opened again.

This time, it wasn’t casual diners.

A group of seven entered. Five men. Two women. All dressed sharply — no doubt, the people they were here to meet. There was a cold, commanding presence about them. The man in front wore a steel-gray suit that hugged his tall frame, and the way he walked slow, deliberate made it clear that he was used to people getting out of his way.

Their eyes didn’t scan the restaurant, they didn’t ask for directions either.

They walked straight toward the table where Cora and Oliver sat.

At that moment, the moment Cora saw them walking toward their table the five men with two sharply dressed women flanking them her eyes narrowed slightly. So, these were the people they had been waiting for? She sat up straighter, her voice calm but holding a sharp edge as she spoke first.

"So this is the time you people decided to show up?" she said, crossing her legs, her tone not loud but heavy with irritation. "Thirty minutes late. Thirty whole minutes. Do you even realize that by now, we should be halfway done with this meeting?"

Oliver, sitting beside her, kept quiet, but his eyes also studied the group carefully.

Cora didn’t even try to mask the frustration on her face. Her voice grew slightly colder. "I hope there’s a very good explanation because frankly, this level of disrespect is unacceptable."

She waited. Expected an apology. Even a hint of remorse.

But what came next completely threw her off.

The woman who seemed to be leading the group tall, striking, with a sharp jawline and a confidence that bordered on arrogance let out a light chuckle as she pulled out a chair and sat opposite Cora.

"Oh please," she said with a wave of her hand, not even making eye contact. "You’re acting like we kept you waiting for hours."

Then, without warning, she clapped her hands twice. Loud and clear. And almost immediately, two men dressed like waiters though their faces were far too serious walked to the entrance and locked the main door of the restaurant from inside.

The soft click of the lock echoed through the space like a gunshot.

Immediately Cora’s brows furrowed. Her body turned slightly alert. Her instincts flared.

And before she could speak, the same woman added in a commanding tone without even glancing at the windows—"Make sure all the blinds are down. Every single one. No light should come in or go out."