?Chapter 1629:

The man had a way with words—infuriatingly so. Every time he opened his mouth, he left her speechless.

Gathering herself, she ced her cutlery down gently, eyes cool and steady. “Mr. Cooper, I asked you here to discuss a business matter.”

Zeke raised an eyebrow. “This would not happen to involve Hond Group, would it?”

There was not the faintest flicker of surprise on his face. He looked as though he had already seen the end of the conversation.

Corrine blinked. Just for a moment, herposure cracked—barely noticeable, but Zeke caught it. He took a slow sip of water, voice measured. “The tension between Pree City and Lyhaton has been simmering for years. That recent…”

administrative shake-up—on the surface, it looked like Pree City gained territory. But underneath, it was a calcted move to thwart the projects on the border of the two cities.

Many, like Dewey, had once clung to the promise that Lyhaton’s outskirts would bring them prosperity. That hope had withered fast. The recent administrative restructuring had not only disrupted ns but drained pockets dry. For the elite families of Pree City, the sting of those losses still lingered, and their frustration found a target—Lyhaton.

Now, whispers were spreading through the streets like wildfire. Ford Group was making a move, trying to seize control of Hond Group. To the people of Pree City, it was not just a corporate deal—it was a warning shot. Expansion wasing, and it was heading straight for them.fn8700 The source of th?s content is find?novel/fn8700

He tilted his head, a faint smile ying at his lips. “The Hond Group acquisition is stalled. Frustration must be mounting, Miss Hond. So you started looking for allies. And somehow, I made the shortlist.”

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Corrine did not respond.

He had read her intentions with surgical precision, yet she showed no hint of fluster. Her eyes met his with the same unshaken calm. “I intend to acquire Hond Group,” she said firmly. “But Pree City’s resistance has frozen the deal. That’s why I want to cooperate with the Cooper family.”

Zeke’s expression shifted, just slightly. “I know we can benefit from the cooperation. But aligning with the Ford family means cing the Cooper name at odds with nearly every major yer in Pree City. It paints a target on our backs. That kind of move only makes sense if…”

Corrine remained silent, letting Zeke’s words echo between them like a challengeid on the table.

Then came the curveball. “Unless the Ford family and the Cooper family form an alliance through marriage,” Zeke said smoothly.

Corrine’s lips curved into a smile, but it was all surface—empty of warmth, empty of meaning. “Mr. Cooper, I gave you the freedom to negotiate, not the license to entertain delusions.”

She was not sure whether tobel him daring or simply shameless. A marriage alliance between the Ford family and the Cooper family? Where did he summon the audacity?

Zeke only shrugged, his grin taking on a mischievous tilt. But there was something sharper buried in his eyes—something unreadable. “You think you can rope me into your ns over a single meal. If that is not a delusion, what is, Miss Hond?”

Corrine folded her arms with deliberate poise, her presencemanding. “What if I could guarantee the Cooper family a smooth passage into Riverveille?” The offernded with weight. Zeke’s eyes sharpened, though his features barely shifted.

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