Chapter 129 

The Steiling Group headquarter gleamed in the night, a lone tower with scattered lights rubbed his bloodshot eyes as his father slammed the phone down after Joseph hung up 

*Well, that went exactly as expected,” Nathan muttered, slumping back in his chair. 

burning despite the late hour. Nathan 

them. 

John looked wrecked. The man who normally commanded rooms with his presence now seemed deflated, the weight of their financial crisis evident in every line on his face. 

“If Irene won’t help us, Nathan said, “we just need to make sure she doesn’t trash us to Adam Haven. He straightened some papers, more for something to do with his hands than any real purpose. “We submit our proposal through normal channels. If our pitch is strong enough, if there’s anything that catches Haven’s eye, we might still beat the competition.” 

John’s shoulders drooped as he sank deeper into his chair. “Let’s hope so. His voice came out flat, drained of its usual confidence. 

The whole mess had exploded with barely any warning. John’s gamble on an overseas investment had spiraled wildly out of control, forcing him to drain over half the company’s cash reserves to cover the mounting losses. What started as a risky business move had morphed into a potential company–killer. 

“Get our best people on this,” John managed, summoning a final burst of energy. “Pull in favors, do whatever it takes to land this Haven partnership.” 

Nathan nodded, mentally drafting a list of their top talent. If they couldn’t use Irene’s connection to Adam, they’d just have to win this the old–fashioned way–by being better than everyone else. 

It was a long shot, but it was all they had left. 

Across town, Adam scrolled through reports on his tablet, the warm glow of his desk lamp the only light in his study. Even at this 

hour, his focus hadn’t dimmed a fraction. 

“The reports on the commercial project,” Thomas said, placing a folder on the desk. 

0 

Adam flipped through the pages with practiced efficiency. “Competition?” 

“Everyone wants in,” Thomas replied, standing straight despite the late hour. “All the major players have already submitted 

proposals.” 

No surprise there. Partnerships with Haven Enterprise opened doors that smaller companies could only dream about. 

Thomas hesitated before adding, “Sterling Group is on the list too.” He watched Adam carefully. “Should we cross them off?” 

Adam’s hand paused mid–turn, his expression giving nothing away. After a beat of silence, he answered: “Not yet.” 

Thomas kept his professional mask in place, but mentally noted his boss’s reaction. The connection between Adam and Sterling- specifically through Irene–was becoming more interesting by the day. 

“Run their application through the normal process,” Adam continued, voice neutral. “Same standards as everyone else.” 

“Of course, Thomas nodded, grateful for the clear direction. 

Later, with Thomas gone, Adam sat alone in the quiet room. His gaze drifted toward the window, toward Irene’s villa. His fingers drummed thoughtfully against his wheelchair’s armrest. 

Sterling’s application wasn’t exactly a dilemma–he’d never compromise Haven’s business standards for personal connections—but it 

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definitely required some thought. 

That evening, during Irene’s treatment session, Adam’s study had fallen into their comfortable routine. The quiet hom of medical equipment filled the space as Irene adjusted electrodes with practice bands. 

“Sterling Group has applied for our new commercial development partnership, Adam said, breaking their easy silence. 

Irene’s fingers stilled for just a second before resuming their work. 

that so?” 

“If you’d rather Haven not work with them,” Adam continued casually I could make that happen.” 

The offer hung between them. 

Irene looked up, meeting his eyes as the pieces clicked into place. Joseph’s angry phone call suddenly made perfect sense–the one she’d walked in on that ended with “absolutely not” and “stay away from her.” 

The situation was crystal clear now. Sterling Group was in trouble. Serious trouble, if they were desperate enough to try using her as leverage. They’d noticed her connection with Adam–daily treatments, regular meals, the kids adoring him. They wanted her to cash in on that relationship, to influence Adam in their favor.. 

A bitter smile touched her lips. After everything, they still see me as a tool. Not family, not a daughter–just a useful connection. 

And they think I’d waste my relationship with Adam on them? she thought coldly. Burn my goodwill with him for people who threw me out? Sterling family doesn’t even qualify for that kind of favor. 

“This is your company,” she replied coolly. “Handle it however you want. It has nothing to do with me.” 

Her tone left zero room for debate: she wanted no part in Sterling family business. 

Adam studied her for a moment, catching the flash of hurt she tried to mask behind professionalism. “Got it,” he said simply. “Thomas will process everything according to standard procedure.” 

He didn’t push further, didn’t probe her obvious reaction. That restraint was something Irene had come to value about Adam–he never crossed her boundaries, never demanded explanations she wasn’t ready to give. 

The next day, Brandon stared at his phone screen, hitting refresh for what felt like the hundredth time. The hospital walls seemed to close in a little more with each passing hour, as he battled both boredom and pain. 

His thumb hovered over the messaging app. He’d already sent a dozen texts without response, but hope died hard. 

“Any chance you could visit?” Send. 

Nothing. 

“Doctor says the cast might come off next week.” Send. 

Still nothing. 

“Henry mentioned you might know some pain management techniques.” Send. 

He sighed, droppin the phone on the bed. Maybe he was coming on too strong. Or maybe they were just busy with more important things. Or someone else had caught their attention–a possibility that twisted something uncomfortable in his gut. 

Just as he was debating whether a fourteenth message would cross into stalker territory, a soft knock sounded at his door. Before he could answer, it eased open. 

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“Is this information bombardment serious?” a cool, familiar voice asked from the doorway. 

Brandon jerked upright so quickly he nearly pulled out his IV. His face transformed instantly, eyes lighting up with undisguised delight as he stared at the figur silhouetted in the hospital room entrance. 

“You came,” he breathed, voice catching slightly, unable to mask his urprise and pleasure. 

The visitor stepped just inside the threshold, pausing there with an readable expression. “Your messaging strategy is… persistent.” 

Brandon’s heart rate spiked enough to make the nearby monitor beer in, protest, though whether from the sudden movement or the unexpected visit, it was impossible to tell. 

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