Chapter 16
Chapter 16:
“Great.” Austin nodded, then offered a soft, fleeting smile—so brief it was almost as if Brinley had imagined it.
Her heart thudded unexpectedly as she watched him head upstairs. The fact that he had cooked for her himself, and his insistence on visiting the Shaw family, left her unsettled.
A man like Austin was supposed to be distant and restrained.
So why was he paying attention to things that seemed so trivial?
Brinley frowned, lost in thought. She knew that when things didn’t add up, there was usually a reason buried underneath.
𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻
What exactly was Austin’s reason for this unusual attentiveness?
Was there some secret within the Moore family that she didn’t know about? Or some hidden scheme?
The light near the stairway corner cast Austin’s shadow long and dark against the wall. Brinley narrowed her eyes at the silhouette, suspicion tightening in her chest.
Later that night, once she was back in her room, she fell asleep almost immediately, her doubts slipping away with exhaustion.
Whatever plans Austin might have, the Shaw family was not something he could toy with. If he dared to target them, he would regret it.
The following morning, Brinley headed to the office.
Over the past three months, she had been building her own company, VantagePath Realty—a firm operating in the same sector as Palmer Group.
At the mere thought of Colin, Brinley’s face tightened with displeasure. Since he had chosen deceit over loyalty, he needed to be ready to pay the price. She intended to crush his pride in the very field he valued most.
The days that followed left Brinley with no time to dwell on Austin. Her hours were consumed by preparations for the company’s business proposal. Austin, having only recently returned to the country, was also tied up with work.
During this period, Colin tried repeatedly to seek Brinley out, but she never once agreed to see him.
In Bleron’s new development zone, a major commercial complex was about to open for bids.
The potential profits were enormous, drawing the attention of countless companies.
Palmer Group had spent a full year laying the groundwork for this project, with Colin personally overseeing every step.
This very project had played a significant role in Brinley’s decision to return to Bleron.
Aware of that, Austin quietly instructed his assistant to forward Brinley the latest city-planning information.
At that moment, Brinley sat at her desk, revising her proposal on the computer screen. The most recent land assessment reports were spread neatly in front of her.
“Ms. Shaw, the final version of the bid presentation is ready,” an employee said, handing her a stack of documents.
Brinley accepted them.