?Chapter 1642:

Corrine remembered Wendy well—a woman who wore her ambition like perfume—thick, unmistakable, and impossible to ignore. But ambition without grace? That was Wendy’s w. Overconfidence had a way of making even the sharpest de brittle.

Corrine had no interest in Blue Core Technology’s internal power ys. She was only here as a favor to Jules, helping entertain Taylor and his team.

Anything outside of that was noise—unwee and unnecessary. She shot Wendy a t look.

“I do not think we have anything to discuss.”

But Wendy took the cold dismissal as something else entirely. Unease, perhaps. A crack in the facade.

Her expression shifted, eyes narrowing. She lifted her chin slightly, her bodynguageced with superiority.

“Miss Hond, are you not curious about the rumors swirling outside?”

Corrine’s brow creased.

She had spent the entire morning humoring Taylor with one game after another. News and whispers had had no time to reach her, nor had she gone looking for them.

Wendy went on without waiting.

“Beauty and intelligence are an unbeatablebination. Someone once said that to me. I thought it was nonsense at the time, but maybe they were right. You are sharp, Miss Hond. I get it. We are both women. We know the game. The corporate world is ruthless toward people like us. I am not here to tear you down—I am trying to be fair. So let me ask, woman to woman—help me secure the branch manager position. That is all I want.”

Rumors had begun to take root—stories twisted from fragments of truth.

Someone imed to have seen Corrine slip something into the contract. A hotel key card, maybe.

And with the added detail of her and Taylor entering a hotel together the previous night, the puzzle pieces had formed a story. A sordid one.

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Even without hearing the gossip directly, Corrine could see it in Wendy’s eyes—smug, sharp, searching for weakness.

A faint smile tugged at Corrine’s lips, cool and without warmth.

“You have thought this through, have you not?”

Before now, she had dismissed this woman’s antics. She was not staying. Once Taylor left, she would return to Ford Group, leaving Blue Core Technology and its politics behind. But Wendy had mistaken her silence for submission.

“Corrine,” Wendy said, her voice low and cutting, “you and I both know how you got where you are. Don’t pretend to be noble in front of me.” The sneer in her voice was unmistakable. Her eyes sparkled with malice. “People who try to y both sides always get burned. Sure, you’ve brought in benefits. Maybe you even impressed Jules. But you? You are not the kind of person he will ever truly trust. Once Taylor is gone, where does that leave you? You should be smart. Take what you can. While you still can.”

Corrine stirred her coffee with a slow, even motion, watching the dark liquid swirl like a vortex. Her voice came calm,ced with steel. “I have far more options than you. You do not need to worry about me.” She lifted her cup, took a single sip, and stepped past her without a backward nce.

As Corrine turned to leave, Wendy narrowed her eyes and quickly stepped into her path.

“Are you really going to reject goodwill and invite chaos instead?”

Corrine slowly looked up. Her eyes—sharp and startlingly clear—held a cold, unreadable glint.

For some reason, something about that gaze made Wendy stiffen.

There was a threat buried in those eyes, silent but potent, like a de pressed lightly to her neck. Wendy’s breath hitched. The confidence she had moments ago slipped away, leaving her shaken.

Corrine’s mouth lifted into a faint, mocking smirk. Her voice was t and dismissive.fnecd0 Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n FindN0vel/fnecd0

“Don’t mistake politeness for weakness.”

She broke eye contact and walked off without sparing another look. She figured that would be the end of it. But right before she could clock out for the day, her phone lit up with an iing call from Jules. She answered, and his voice came through, curt and confused.

“What happened?”

“Hmm?” Corrine’s brow knitted, unsure what he meant.

The hesitation in her tone made it clear—she hadn’t heard the news. That was probably for the best. At least, Jules thought so. No need for her mood to be spoiled by meaningless gossip.

Jules went quiet, and Corrine immediately picked up on the shift.

“What is it?”

“It’s nothing,” he said after a beat. “I know you’d rather avoid the mess, so I’ll step in and handle the situation with Wendy.”

The mention of that name told Corrine all she needed. Her voice cooled.

“I thought she would’ve known better by now.”

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