Some days ago, Cole had already heard that the Silverbrook New District project was being
spearheaded by Holly, marking her first foray into thepany’s initiatives.
The thought of Jason’s past entanglement with Holly, coupled with her remarkableeback, naturally
sent a shiver down Cole’s spine.
What exactly was the deal between Jason and her, and what was their status now? Cole tried not to
care about that, but he disliked when personal emotions got entangled with professional matters. It was
just like how, over the past few years, despite Estre’s marriage to Jason, their respective families’
businesses had kept their emotions at bay, avoiding any ovep.
But with Jason knocking on his door, Cole found himself in a tight spot, and he simply looked at Jason,
asking, “So, what are you getting at, Jason?”
After Cole’s prompt, Jason cut to the chase. “I’m hoping you could pass on this project to Innovative
Solutions Inc..”
Though Jason didn’t mention Holly, Cole knew exactly what he meant. After a long stare at Jason, Cole
finally spoke, “And what if I don’t want to give up on this project, Jason?”
At this moment, for Cole, it wasn’t the project that mattered most. It was Estre-how his daughter
would feel weighed heavily on his mind.
As Cole’s words settled, Jason didn’t beat around the bush, admitting, “Cole, the Silverbrook project is
Holly’s first project after she got into thepany.”
Hearing this, Cole fell silent. Jason knew he had to lend a hand to Holly in her first prost back, but had
he considered Estre’s feelings?
Cole stared at Jason for a long while, slowly exhaling before conceding, “I won’t ma difficult for you.”
Jason had made the effort toe to him, and Cole feltpelled to agree, fearing the a refusal could
lead to a fallout Estre might struggle with. Thus, Cole chose to keep the
peace.
Jason expressed his gratitude, “Thank you.”
But Jason’s thanks did nothing to alleviate the furrow between Cole’s brows. After a heavy silence, he
asked, “What are your ns with Estre then?”
If it weren’t for that Ledford girl pulling that stunt back in the day, Jason probably would never have
ended up with Estre. Now that the Ledford girl was back, Cole suspected Jason couldn’t contain
himself any longer. Moreover, Jason’s rtionship with Estre had always been rocky.
N?velDrama.Org is the owner.
The thought of his daughter turning a blind eye to the situation and amodating
14:37
Jason all these years, only to end up like this, made Cole’s heart twist in agony. Estre might appear
carefree, but she was fiercely proud. If he had known it woulde to this, he would never have
agreed to the match, even if Landon was…
With that thought, Cole’s demeanor darkened even more.
Jason, however, assured him, “Dad, I have never considered parting ways with Estre. I n to make
things right with her.”
At Jason’s words, Cole was somewhat bemused. “Do you think you can keep things ambiguous with
the Ledford girl, ask me to drop a project, and expect Estre not to consider divorce? Is this your idea
of making things right?”
Jason, hands in his pockets and brows slightly furrowed, replied, “I’ll exin things to Estre.”
“Exin? How can you exin this? What could you possibly say?” Cole’s frustration grew, but he
didn’t want to argue with Jason anymore. Waving his hand dismissively, Cole said, “Never mind, just
leave. I’ll step aside this time on the project, but don’t expect a second time.” This was a one-time
allowance for his son-inw, to sort out his past with Holly, but it would never happen again.
Sensing Cole’s displeasure, Jason bid farewell and left.
In the elevator, Jason’s hands were in his pockets, and his forehead remained furrowed.
In Cole’s office, even though Jason had left, Cole’splexion and mood hadn’t eased. He had
mentally prepared for the worst. In the past, whenever Estre talked about getting a divorce, Cole and
Autumn had always talked about reconciliation. But this time, if his daughter harbored such thoughts,
Cole wouldn’t keep her again.
One can bear the pain for a while, not for a lifetime. His daughter didn’t deserve to e
such distress.
Engulfed in gloom, Cole had no appetite for lunch.
At a little past three in the afternoon, Cole had just returned from a brief meeting in the conference
room when Estre knocked on his office door. “Dad.”
Startled, Cole asked, “What brings you here, sweetheart?” Hopefully, she hadn’t heard about the
Innovative Solutions Inc. deal yet. It seemed too soon, and Jason wouldn’t have broached the topic
during daylight hours.
Estre, beaming, entered his office, “I’m here to renew a legal contract, and I thought I’d check on
you.”
“Just checking in?” Cole feigned annoyance at the offhand remark.
Estre approached and perched on the armrest of Cole’s chair, “You’re nitpicking now? How about
this-I’lle home tomorrow and join you and Mom for dinner. Is that better?”
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Cole lifted his right hand and patted Estre’s hand, yet his furrowed brow remained. Estre wrapped
her arms around his neck and asked, “Dad, what’s wrong? You seem upset and preupied.”
“It’s nothing,” Cole replied, though his expression suggested otherwise.
Cole had been uneasy before seeing Estre, and now, with her right in front of him, his spirits failed to
lift, regretting his past decisions. Even without the Nelson family, he could have ensured a carefree life
for her. Why had he agreed to this match?
Estre studied Cole’s furrowed brow, the lines of worry etched deep like an untold story. “It’s all over
your face,” she said gently, her voice tinged with concern. “And it seems even my visit can’t lift your
spirits. This must be about me, isn’t it?”
Cole had always been like that. No matter how tough things got on the outside, the sight of her and
Autumn would wash away the gloom. Estre was the beacon of his joy, the antidote to his every
sorrow. Yet now, as she stood before him, Cole couldn’t muster a smile. That alone told her the issue
was indeed tied to her.
Estre’s hunch hung in the air as Cole mulled over his thoughts. Finally, he turned to face her, his
voice weighed down by the gravity of his news. “Estre, Jason came to see me this morning.”
At the mention of Jason, Estre’s yfulness vanished. Her eyes locked onto Cole’s, silently urging
him to continue.
With her earnest gaze anchored on him, Cole let out a weary sigh, and said, “Jason wants me to hand
over the Silverbrook New District project to Innovative Solutions Inc.. It’s the first time he’s ever
approached me about work stuff, so I agreed to it.”
As Cole finished, the crease between his eyebrows deepened.