ra was still reeling from the chaos when theb''s hefty door swung open, and in strode Jacob,
the head honcho of Phoenix Lab, trailed by a posse that meant business. He cast a mocking nce
around the room, his chuckle sending a chill down everyone''s spine.
"Step out for a quick pow-wow, and look what happens—this ce turns into a regr circus!
Ryker, Zack, you two really outdid yourselves, didn''t you?"
Jacob exuded an air of authority that was unmistakable, a natural-born leader with an innate sense
ofmand. His entourage included a squad of SWAT members who stepped up to grace Ryker
and Zack with a pair of shiny silver bracelets.
With aposed aura, Jacob eyed the crowd. "This mess has ruffled some serious feathers. I''ve
called in the big guns for an investigation, so let''s all put our pet projects on ice and y ball. If
there''s any more rotten apples in Phoenix Lab, they won''t find sanctuary here!"
He was fuming!
His own turf, his own mess, and it had to be some otherb that blew the whistle.
During the meeting, as he showcased theirtest breakthrough, he didn''t hesitate to click on the
iing video. The content, now witnessed by the creme de creme of the scientificmunity,
was out of the bag, and all Jacob could do was watch helplessly as the footage yed to its
embarrassing end.
Now, these two had made a name for themselves all right—a name that would live in infamy!
Phoenix Lab''s reputation was in tatters!
As the two culprits were escorted out, Jacob was practically steaming.
After sorting out the fallout, he finally approached ra and gave her a reassuring pat on the
shoulder.
"Rough day, huh? Take a couple of days to yourself, ra. Oh, and introduce me to your sister,
would you?"
ra eyed him warily. "Boss, my troubles are nothing to sweat over, but why the sudden interest in
my sister? You''re pushing fifty—don''t tell me you''ve got... you know..."
She gave him a look that mixed disdain with suspicion, as if he was some sort of creep.
Jacob''s patience wore thin, and he pped her shoulder in exasperation.
"Cut me some ck, will ya? Can''t I meet my future niece-inw without you jumping to
conclusions? Get your mind out of the gutter!"
He whipped out his phone, shing ra a photo of himself with Sexton.
In the picture, Jacob stood proudly next to Palmer, the family resemnce clear, and the domestic
bliss unmistakable.
Rubbing her sore shoulder, ra gaped at the photo. "Boss, I heard rumors you were some
tycoon''s kid, but Sexton... Wait, what are you doing in research?"
Wouldn''t it be sweeter to take over the family empire? Was the Pock fortune not enough, or was
the lure of theb too strong for Jacob to resist?
Pocketing his phone, Jacob said cryptically, "Isn''t Ms. Schnabel of the Schnabel family also in
research?"
ra pouted, trying to mask her own sense of defeat. "I''m not like you."
Realizing something, her eyes suddenly widened. "Wait a minute! Boss, don''t tell me you''re not his
real son?"
"Watch your mouth, I''m as real as theye. I''m talking about my ideals, my dreams—you wouldn''t
get it. Let''s go meet my niece-inw!"
He had given theb a day off and rushed back just to meet her.
"That''s fine, but don''t mention any of thisb drama to Noe, okay? I don''t want her to worry."
As Jacob and ra made their way out, he nodded in agreement. "Well, given that your
grandmother Freya is aware, it’s certain that the Schnabel family won’t be kept in the dark."
During the meeting, Freya had been at Jacob''s side, and when the video surfaced, her expression
was one of sheer fury, as if she was ready to storm Phoenix Lab herself.
The thought alone made Jacob shiver.
ra, scratching her head in irritation, began to strategize how to exin things to her family when
they came across Noe, standing amid the flower beds, engaged in a phone call.
Theb''s garden, usually a hub for experimentation, also served as a serene escape.
Noe, dressed in a light blue sundress, stood against the vibrant garden backdrop, her long, silk
hair elegantly pinned up, revealing a neck as delicate and fine as porcin.
Palmer''s deep, maic voice came through the other side of the line. "When are youing
back? I miss you."
"Soon, in a few days."
"Should Ie to you? Thepany''s pretty quiet right now."
"No need."
Just ncing at the schedule Annie sent to her inbox, Noe could imagine the Pock Group was
anything but quiet, what with taking over three multinational corporations. The finance team
probably hadn''t had a break in ages.
And Palmer iming he wasn''t busy? What about Annie mentioning he hadn''t eaten all day
because of meetings?
ra wrapped an arm around Noe. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Who''s on the line? Let me
introduce you to ourb director, Mr. Jacob Pock."
RêAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only
Noe met Jacob''s gaze with a polite nod. She was about to speak when ra whispered
conspiratorially. "He''s apparently Palmer Pock''s uncle. He asked to meet you, and I was worried
he might have... ulterior motives. The Pock men don''t exactly have the best rep. If you don''t like
Palmer Pock, I''ll find you a better match in theb. Though, none of them are worthy of our
Noe."
Noe’s lips twitched as she was about to correct ra, only to hear Palmer''s icy retort from the
phone, "Ms. Schnabel, is it decent to poach right in front of me?"
ra recoiled as if hit by a bolt of electricity. "Noe, why didn''t you tell me you were talking to Mr.
Pock?"
Noe''s smile was tinged with exasperation as she looked at her sister. She had slightly altered her
voice when she arrived at theb, adopting a different speaking style that ra wouldn''t recognize.
Holding her phone, Noe softly addressed Palmer on the other end. "Sorry."
"No worries, it''s not the first time my fiancée''s family has said things like that. I''ll wait for them to
come around. Jacob is indeed my uncle, and if there''s any trouble over there, he''s the guy to call."
"Alright."
Palmer hung up the phone reluctantly and picked up the inte to his executive office. "Annie, I
need a list of all the researchers at Phoenix Lab, especially the single male ones!"
"What? Mr. Pock, are you... switching things up? What about Ms. Noe?"
Palmer rubbed his forehead in frustration, grinding his teeth as he spoke, "Are you looking for an
early retirement? We''ve got a project in Tanzania that''s short a project manager."
"I''ll send it right over! You must be checking to ensure Ms. Noe stays loyal, right? Don''t worry,
your charm is unmatched! Ms. Noe and you are a match made in heaven!"
"Hmph, that''s more like it."
Palmer nced at the documents in front of him, feeling an itch in his heart.
Just hearing her voice seemed to unleash a whirlwind of longing within him, making him eager to
see her again.
...
Meanwhile, Jacob approached Noe with a gentlemanly smile. "Hello, Ms. Schnabel, I''m Palmer''s
uncle. May I call you Noe?"
"Sure, feel free."
Facing Noe, Jacob had none of the oppressive aura he carried as a sternb director; his face
was all smiles, as if afraid to spook her. "I''ve given ra some time off these past few days so she
can spend time with you!"
"Thank you, Mr. Sexton."
"No need to thank me. You can just call me Uncle! If you run into any trouble in Emerald County,
just let me know!"
Noe agreed, watching as Jacob left with a look of pure joy on his face. He approved of this niece-
inw; she was beautiful, graceful, and poised—a perfect match for his nephew. And to think he
had just overheard the always-stoic nephew making a phone call to her, that level of affection... it
seemed that boy had fallen hard.