At that moment, Manley felt a frigid glare slicing across his face, sending a chill down his spine.

Allan and Manley turned to look at Cole simultaneously.

Cole sat still, but his presence was like a looming blizzard. His eyes, narrowed and razor-sharp, were fixed on Manley with the intensity of a predator locking onto prey. His presence practically froze the air around him.

Allan and Manley exchanged bewildered looks.

“C-Cole… What’s with that look?” Manley asked, his voice faltering, still bewildered. Nearby, Hugh’s lips twitched. Of course, Manley had gotten under Cole’s skin. Whenever it came to Elliana, Cole was notoriously possessive. Even harmless compliments from her to Aron, Myles, and the driver had earned the three men “temporary” transfers to a remote outpost under the guise of “training.” And Manley hadn’t just complimented Elliana. He had casually announced he wanted to marry her.

Hugh leaned in slightly, his eyes fixed on Cole, eager to see how this would unfold. Cole’s face was a mask of cold fury. His eyes gleamed like drawn blades, but his voice was disturbingly composed when he finally spoke. “You’re out of the deal for the western land.”

Manley froze. “W-What? Why?” He stared at Cole in disbelief. “You promised me a cut of the profits. What changed? What the hell did I do?” With ten billion already sunk into the project, being booted now meant watching his fortune burn to ash.

Cole didn’t answer. He gave Manley one last glacial stare and then looked away, leaving Manley in a state of anxious confusion, without any answers.

Being blindsided by Cole’s sudden rejection, Manley lost any interest in watching the screen. His eyes darted to Cole instead, studying his expression. “Cole, what did I do?” he asked hesitantly, his voice thin with nerves. “Just tell me straight. What upset you?”

Cole remained silent. His gaze dropped, his entire presence steeped in a heavy, unreadable silence. A shadow clung to him like a storm cloud.

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The longer Cole ignored Manley, the more frantic Manley became. His voice cracked with desperation. “Come on, dude! Don’t shut me out like this. If I messed up, I’ll fix it! Just don’t leave me in the dark! I’ll stress myself into a heart attack!”

Everyone knew that investing alongside a savvy businessman like Cole guaranteed huge returns, but crossing him? That was a one-way ticket to ruin. Cole remained stone-faced, still silent, the tension thick enough to choke on. Manley squirmed, feeling like he was sitting on broken glass. His eyes shot to Allan, wordlessly pleading for help.

Allan glanced at Cole, lips twitching with faint amusement as he laid out his analysis to Manley. “Cole was in a great mood when he walked in. So, Manley, you didn’t offend him before then. But right after you mentioned wanting to pursue the girl in the white dress, everything changed.”

Manley’s mouth opened in slow realization. “Wait, Cole, you’re into her too? So you think I’m your rival in love now?”

At that, Cole’s expression shifted. A flicker of panic crossed his face before it twisted into anger laced with embarrassment. Honestly, it was his inexplicable possessiveness. He couldn’t stand the thought that any other man was getting close to Lilah. But he couldn’t admit it. Not out loud. Not when he was set to marry the real Campbell heiress. Competing with one of his closest friends over another woman? He wasn’t in any position to do so.

Cole was fully aware of how absurd he was acting. It made no sense, and yet, he couldn’t stop himself. So what now? What was he supposed to do with feelings that refused to be silenced?

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