Chapter 1350:

Debora swallowed the lump of fear rising in her throat, willing her voice to remain steady. “What did you and Brook talk about? Was it about the company? Will you help us?”

Jayden’s response was sharp, almost dismissive. “That’s none of your business.”

Frustration seeped into Debora’s voice. “But you promised!”

“I promised to visit Owen Group,” Jayden leaned back, correcting her coolly, one eyebrow raised. “I didn’t promise to save it. Tell me, Debora, what exactly do you have to offer in return for saving the company?”

Debora blinked, taken aback by the unexpected question. “What do you mean?”

His voice turned icily pragmatic. “I’ve already left Owen Group. There’s a massive financial shortfall—one you’re asking me to fix. And you think I’d do that for free?”

Debora was so shocked that the words stuck in her throat. “But… you’re still an Owen. Saving the family business would give you a reason to return. Isn’t that enough?”

Jayden’s laugh was low, cutting. “So, my reward for pulling Owen Group out of ruin is… being allowed back in?” His sarcasm hit with the force of a hammer.

Debora paled, her confidence crumbling. She didn’t know how to respond. He seemed like a stranger to her now. Or perhaps, she bitterly realized, she had never truly known him at all.

When Jayden had been with Owen Group, he had thrown himself into it with everything he had, effortlessly steering the company to success. As Enzo had once said, Owen Group wasn’t just a company to Jayden—it was a cause. It was something Jayden would have laid down his life for.

But that was then. Now, as Debora stood facing him, she realized the truth with chilling clarity: the Jayden she once believed in no longer existed.

Her voice softened, trembling with hesitation. “Jayden, what would it take for you to come back to Owen Group?”

Before he could answer, the office door flew open with a bang, and Seth Owen stormed in like a thundercloud. His eyes, blazing with fury, locked onto Jayden.

Debora gasped, spinning toward the intruder. “What are you doing here?”

Seth’s lip curled into a sneer. “I have every reason to be here. How else would I get the chance to confront the traitor in person?”

Jayden didn’t flinch. If anything, his expression grew colder, his calm a sharp contrast to Seth’s fury. “The company’s falling apart, and yet here you are, wasting energy hurling insults. I almost admire your misplaced confidence.”

Seth clenched his fists, his voice rising. “The company is collapsing because of you! Fix it, or—”

Jayden’s smile vanished, his gaze hardening into steel. “Or what?” His voice dropped low, menacing. “Go on. Finish that sentence.”

The tension was suffocating. Debora quickly stepped between them, her hands raised in a placating gesture. “Dad, stop! Please don’t make this worse. I finally got Jayden to listen. Don’t push him away again!”

Message from Noah: Warm greetings, dear readers! New chapters coming this Friday. God bless you, and Noah wishes you all the best. (─‿‿O)