"Yeah, that''s right," Craig said, all serious. "For now, just steer clear of him. Best to keep your distance. Let someone else handle the project."


    Craig wasn''t really looking out for Joe; he just wanted Joe to stay away from Micah.


    That way, if the James family and the Clemens family had more beef, their families wouldn''t get dragged into it.


    "Isn''t that kinda sketchy?" Joe frowned, feeling uneasy. "Even if we cut back on contact, I still gotta exin the project to him."


    "Exin what?" Craig waved it off. "He''s probably rounding up the shareholders to bail out."


    "If he bails, the project''s toast," Joe said, still frowning and anxious. "I haven''t done squat so far. I finally got a project to prove myself. If it tanks, I''ll be a joke."


    Craig was confident. "I used to worry about this, but things are different now. You''re about to marry Sadie, and with the James Group backing you, why sweat the Clemens family? Tristan can''t stand Micah. If he knows Micah''s bailing, he''ll jump in for sure."


    "But-" Joe started, but Craig cut him off. "Stop overthinking," Craig patted Joe''s shoulder. "The James family and the Clemens family are sworn enemies. You''re about to be Tristan''s brother-inw, so keep your distance from Micah." Joe was troubled and stayed quiet.


    "You''re too wishy-washy," Craig scolded, fed up. "Get a grip! It''s not you who wronged Micah; he''s the one being shady, gathering shareholders against you."


    "Dad..." Joe started, but his phone rang. It was rence. He quickly answered, "Hey, rence."


    Craig grabbed the phone and put it on speaker.


    rence''s excited voice came through. "Joe, I told the other shareholders about your wedding. Everyone''s stoked for you. Listen-"


    Then, a bunch of shareholders'' voices came through, all congratting Joe and saying they wouldn''t miss the wedding for anything.


    Everyone was hyped, and someone asked who the bride was. Joe was a bit stunned and took a moment to react, yelling, "What about Micah?"


    "Mr. Micah Clemens just finished a meeting with us and went to rest," a board member said. "He hasn''t looked welltely, probably worn out from Mr. Raymond Clemens''s passing. Oh, and he brought Mr. Nathan Clemens with him, likely to the vi to chill."


    "Joe," rence took the phone back, "I told him about your wedding. He asked me to congratte you and to let him know once the date''s set."


    Hearing this, Joe got even more anxious and quickly asked, "Did Micah say anything else?"


    "Not much, just some good news to share," rence said with a smile.


    "What good news?" Joe''s hand shook a bit as he held the phone. He thought this "good news" might be a bad joke.


    rence announced, "Mr. Clemens has upped his investment in our project. We don''t need more funds and can start early. When are youing back to Sunvale? A few of us will meet you there."


    Joe was floored. He thought Micah would pull his funds and leave him hanging. But Micah didn''t just stay in; he upped his investment.


    Joe wondered, ''Does he really not me me?''


    Craig was also shocked, looking confused. What was Micah up to?


    "Joe, Joe," rence called out a few times on the other end.


    "Oh, I''ll leave this afternoon and be in Sunvale by tomorrow," Joe snapped back, distractedly saying, "I''ll call Micah first." "Alright!" rence agreed.