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Chapter
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Leanna sighed deeply, her chest rising and falling as she tried to let go of her concerns.
In the end, she knew it was no use.
Cole had inherited his fatherâs stubbornness. Once a decision was made, it was etched in stone.
She couldnât help but think of Cainâhow similar father and son were, both unyielding, both driven by something that few could understand.
Both were obnoxious and extreme.
Leannaâs thoughts drifted back to a time long ago, to when Cain had been pursuing her with the same relentless fervor.
Memories flooded her mindâhow Cain had gone to absurd lengths to prove his love, the grand gestures, the unwavering persistence.
She could still vividly picture that momentâCain, the man who had captivated her in a whirlwind of less than a month, dropping to one knee before her, holding a breathtaking ring.
The pink diamond at its center sparkled like a fragment of the sunset, unlike anything she had ever seen. It wasnât just any ringâit was a masterpiece, the kind royalty would envy, worth more than she could fathom.
And despite all her resistance, despite all her attempts to push him away, she had fallen for him. Hard.
A soft giggle escaped Leannaâs lips, surprising even herself. Their love story . . . it had been such an adventure, full of twists and turns, passion and turmoil.
Leanna smiled wistfully, her eyes softening as the memories washed over her like a warm tide.
And now, watching her son pursing a woman with the same intensity . . . like father and son indeed.
Leannaâs heart softened as she watched her son. Perhaps, despite his cold facade, he had inherited something else from his fatherâthe capacity for love, fierce and unrelenting.
"Alright, Cole," she said gently, shaking her head with a smile. "Just . . . donât overwhelm her too much. Even the grandest gestures can be intimidating."
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"Donât worry, I wonât."
Something told Leanna that wasnât going to happen. Like his father, Cole didnât know the word . . . moderation.
Cole then changed the topic. "You said Eve loves cream puffs, didnât you?"
Leanna paused, startled by the shift in conversation. "Yeah. Why?"
"Well, she hates them."
"That canât be right. She told me she loved them too," Leanna mused, her brow furrowing in thought. "But you know whatâs funny? She asked me once if
you
liked cream puffs. When I told her yes, she suddenly claimed to love them as well. Do you think she only liked them because you did?"
Cole stared at the screen, her words echoing in his mind. He hadnât noticed it before, but now that he thought about itâEve had always seemed to mirror his preferences, whether it was something as small as food or as significant as lifestyle choices.
Had she ever truly liked those things, or had she been molding herself into what she thought he wantedâbending, shifting, just to fit into his world because she had loved him that much?
It was only now that he understood. She hadnât just liked him. She had loved him with a depth and devotion that went beyond anything he deserved.
She had poured her heart into a man too blind to see it, wasting time, energy, and her very self on someone who never gave her the same in return.
The weight of her silent sacrifices, the quiet way she had tried to align herself with his desires, suddenly felt suffocating. It was a love so profound, yet he had been too consumed by his own indifference to recognize it.
Now, it was too late for regrets.
Leanna watched Cole closely, her motherly intuition picking up on the subtle shift in his mood.
She decided to leave him to his thoughts for now. "Iâll have the servants bring you some dinner up here," she said softly, wheeling herself toward the door.
Cole nodded and resumed on what he was doing.
As the auction neared its end, Cole glanced at the total. Hundreds of millions spent on these extravagant piecesâall to make Eve happy, to show her some form of affection.
In the end, Cole had won every piece of jewelry at the auction house, but the one thing he truly wantedâa complete jewelry setâremained elusive.
Frustrated, he picked up his phone and called his right-hand man and personal bodyguard, Zen. They were the same height, built like athletes, and had been inseparable since childhood.
When Zen entered, his usual air of calm was met with Coleâs impatience.
"You want me to source out a jewelry set for you?" Zen asked, his brows slightly furrowed.
"Thatâs right. Iâll send you a picture of Eve, so you can match it," Cole replied, scrolling through his phone.
There was a stunned silence on Zenâs part. "A woman? Waitâthis isnât for your mother or sister?"
Coleâs patience was wearing thin. He always got these questions when buying something for Eve. "No, Zen, itâs for
Eve
Rosette
. Find me a jewelry set that complements her features. I donât want one or two, find me as many as you can."
Zen hesitated for a moment, clearly taken aback. "Uh, right. Eve Rosette . . . for her birthday, right?"
Cole didnât bother answering, his mind already moving to the next topic. "While youâre at it, source some bags tooâluxury brands."
Zen, still processing the first request, blinked in confusion. "Just to be clear, this isnât for you, right?"
Coleâs gaze stopped him cold. "
No
. Itâs for
Eve
." How many times did he need to emphasize that part?
Zenâs jaw dropped, and before he could stop himself, the words came out. "Arenât you going a little overboard with the gifts? I mean, this is likeâextreme, right?"
Coleâs sharp eyes flashed in warning. "Is it your money?"
Zen paused, raising a finger in mock surrender. "Good point. Itâs your hard-earned cash. But as your loyal friend, secretary, butler, brother, and bodyguard, itâs my job to remind you not to blow it all at once. Didnât you say you wanted to start a Cybertech company with that money?"
Cole leaned back in his chair, unbothered. "I already have a separate account for that."
Zenâs eyelid twitched as a bittersweet jealous smile crept onto his face. "Of course you do. Why wouldnât you? Youâre Cole
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FAY
, after all!" he almost forgot that part.
"Now get to it," Cole added, the finality in his tone unmistakable.
Zen, shaking his head in disbelief, muttered under his breath as he left. "Rich people . . . I wish I had problems like that.
âOh no, I need more diamonds and bags!â
Meanwhile, Iâm over here debating if I can afford extra cheese on my burger."