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    Connor waved his hand with a smile and said, “No worries. If they can be poached, mypany


    doesn’t really need them.” He raised his ss of red wine, smiling slightly, “Here’s to us making it


    big in the robotics industry.”


    Jaiden awkwardly lifted his ss and took a sip. Lauren elegantly ced a shrimp into his bowl. A


    cold re shot towards Jaiden as she mouthed the word “useless.”


    Lauren was the heiress to a major media conglomerate, and she had been in a long–term


    rtionship with Gavin, the scion of a film productionpany.


    However, even the most intense love couldn’t withstand the pressures of a business alliance. In her


    father’s eyes, although Gavin was wealthy, he didn’t hold as muchmercial value as Ray’s


    grandson, Jaiden.


    Following a suggestion by Lauren’s father, the two powerful families decided on a marriage alliance.


    Soon after, Lauren and Jaiden had avish wedding. Lauren was dressed stunningly, but her smile


    was clearly forced.


    The marriage was strained with little affection between them, primarily held together by the backing


    of the Addison and Passos families.


    “Connor, so many of us wanted to invest in your roboticspany, but you wouldn’t let us buy in,


    leaving us no part in your sess,”


    his cousin Pam remarked.


    “Connor wanted to make it on his own, without tying it to Passos Corporation,” his mother Emily


    chuckled.


    “Without shares in Passos Corporation, would he have had the funds to buy back his own shares?”


    Pam sneered.


    Her husband Ss squeezed her hand under the table, signaling her to stop.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    “Let’s just eat. The food is getting cold,” Madison interjected, her eyes shing sharply.


    During dinner, even though everyone wore warm smiles, it only masked the underlying tensions.


    Beneath the peaceful facade, a storm of conflicts and disagreements had been brewing, full of


    hidden schemes and secret ns.


    After dinner, Connor went back to River Pavilion. He and his father sat in the garden, sipping water.


    “Your grandfather intr r you to marry the heiress of the Mullins family. What do you think about that?”


    Jonah asked.


    Connor smiled, “What think isn’t really the issue. Do you know how many people this will unsettle.”


    “That’s true,” Jonah’s lips curled up slightly.


    “Marrying the heiress of the Mullins would doubtlessly be the best ‘insurance, but they will try every


    means to stop it.”


    “One should marry for love.” Emily appeared behind Jonah, resting her hand gently on his shoulder,


    her brow furrowed.


    Jonah held her hand and looked up with augh, “You know your son. Nothing forced on him ever


    works.”


    “Are you thinking of marrying Cam? I will help you,” Emily said with a smile to her son.


    “Here we go again, help, we’re really not what you think.” Connor said exasperatedly.


    “You really are stubborn. You’re brilliant in business, a real pride for us, but you’re clueless about


    love. It drives me mad. How could I have such a son,” Emily scolded, shaking her head in feigned


    disappointment.


    Connor didn’t argue, just nodded helplessly.


    “The day Cam gets married, you’ll have nowhere to cry,” Emily left him with those words.