Chapter 162
Jeremy’s furrowed brow relaxed slightly as he asked, “Oh, is it some sort of treasure?”
“No.” I replied, keeping my tone casual and not revealing anything further.
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Jeremy, ever the perceptive one, didn’t press the topic. After a moment of silence, he added, “Alright, I can take you to him. But…” He paused, glancing at Caleb briefly before turning back to me. “My dad’s health isn’t great these days, and he doesn’t see outsiders.”
His words were clear–he was setting conditions, creating a situation where even if I went, I likely wouldn’t meet Alfred. It was a subtle trap, and I couldn’t afford to walk into it.
Feigning disappointment, I smiled politely. “In that case, never mind.”
I wasn’t worried about the effort being wasted. I knew I’d piqued Jeremy’s curiosity, and now he was undoubtedly wondering what I wanted Alfred to authenticate.
Jeremy’s sharp gaze lingered on me. He seemed surprised by my quick retreat, and after a few seconds, he laughed. “You’re not an easy target, are you?”
I shrugged lightly and replied, “I don’t like to force people into things.”
He smiled, amused. “Well, I enjoy helping others.”
I let out a quiet sigh of relief. Jeremy gestured to the assistant nearby, who reset the billiard balls. “How about this, Elaine? Let’s play a few more serious games.”
It was clear that my earlier victory had sparked his competitive spirit. He wanted a rematch, and I couldn’t just refuse.
“Alright,” I agreed, though I decided to let him have the upper hand.
We played several rounds. I purposefully let him win four out of the five games, carefully balancing his desire for competition while keeping the mood light. By the end, he seemed satisfied, his earlier tension replaced with a playful smile.
Later, Caleb and I stepped out into the hallway for a private conversation.
As soon as the door closed behind us, he turned to me, his expression serious. “What do you need to see Jeremy’s father for? There are certain people it’s better to avoid getting involved with.”
I hesitated for a moment, then replied honestly, “I don’t want to either, but I have my reasons.”
Caleb frowned, clearly unsatisfied with my vague answer, but before he could press further, I cut in, “You haven’t told me what you found out yet.”
Caleb studied me for a moment, his eyes contemplative. Then, he finally spoke. “I looked into it. The owner of the company you mentioned is indeed Alex. As for the ‘big boss‘ you were asking about, there’s no record of such a person.”
I furrowed my brow. “Nothing at all?”
He shook his head. “No, but… when the company was founded three years ago, Alex’s account received a significant sum of money. He claimed it was from a friend with the last name Drake. Beyond that, there’s no way to trace who the actual backer might be.”
The name Drake immediately set off alarm bells in my mind. My thoughts zerged in on Ashton.
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< Chapter 162
“Elaine?” Caleb’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “You’ve been acting off lately. Are you hiding something?”
I forced a casual smile and shook my head. “I’m not hiding anything. I was just curious about a few things.”
Caleb didn’t seem convinced but didn’t push me further. Instead, he gave me a small, knowing smile. “If you need help, you know where to find me. And…”
He glanced back toward the billiard room. “Jeremy may be a bit of a wild card, but he won’t dare cross any lines here. If he does, just call me,”
“Got it,” I said with a nod.
Before I could say anything else, a loud thud echoed from the billiard room, followed by the sound of laughter. Caleb frowned slightly, clearly annoyed.
Taking the hint, I said, “I’ll head out now.”
“Be careful on your way home,” he replied. “Send me a message when you get there.”
“I will,” I promised, turning to leave.
Just as I was about to walk away, he called out again, “Since you’ve moved out of the Mercer estate, where are you staying? Don’t tell me you’re in some rented place. I’ve got plenty of properties. If you need a place, let me know–it’s safer.”
I waved him off with a small smile. “It’s nothing like that.” Then, without offering further details, I walked away.
On my way back, my mind kept circling around the name Drake. The idea that Ashton might be Involved with Alex’s company made me uneasy. I tried to tell myself it couldn’t possibly be him, but I couldn’t shake the nagging doubt.
When I arrived back at my building and stepped into the hallway, I unexpectedly ran into Ashton.
“Mr. Drake?” I called out, my voice sharper than I intended.
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