Chapter 34

"Do you honestly think a single word from you is enough to make me stop? Now that would make me look pathetic," Wilbur said, striding forward without slowing.

"Wilbur." Elias pronounced his name with a deliberate sharpness, each syllable cutting through the air.

The sound of his name felt like a command that rooted Wilbur to the spot. The weight of Elias's presence bore down on him, a suffocating force that felt like a blade poised above his head, ready to fall.

"Fine! I hear you," Wilbur said with a forced grin, quickly turning back and hurrying to the desk. "You have no idea what I went through to get this scoop for you. Go ahead-see for yourself." He set the tablet down in front of Elias.

Elias didn't react to Wilbur's usual antics. His eyes froze on the screen as a photo came into view-Emilia's radiant smile was turned toward Oliver, and the way they looked at each other carried an unspoken connection.

Two more faces appeared in the picture, yet Elias dismissed them without a second thought.

With a smooth motion, he slid his finger across the screen. Even as more images appeared, only Emilia and Oliver seemed to catch his attention.

The air seemed to drop in temperature, as if the room itself had caught his mood.

He pressed his lips together, pausing before he finally asked, "Tell me, how did the two of them end up together?"

"Wasn't it just yesterday that his daughter got into a car accident?" Wilbur hopped onto the desk, earning a chilling glare from Elias, though he carried on unbothered. "Ms. Harris happened to be there and gave her first aid right on the spot. Thanks to her, the girl made it to the hospital in time. After that, the girl was lucky enough to be operated on by Asclepius."

Wilbur let out a breath of admiration. "Imagine the luck of the Edwards family. Without Ms. Harris buying the girl that time and then crossing paths with Asclepius, Oliver's daughter never would have survived.He must be overflowing with gratitude toward her, and since he knew about her passion for racing,he decided to reward her with a Pagani."

Elias scrolled through the images, his stare cold and unyielding.

"Did she agree to take the car?" His voice cut through the silence, carrying a chill that made Wilbur uneasy.

"She did!" said Wilbur. "Why didn't we ever think to impress her with a supercar before anyone else could?"

Suddenly, a new worry hit Wilbur, and he blurted out, "Do you think that Oliver's trying to secure his daughter's future by striking some secret deal with Ms. Harris for the treatment opportunity from Asclepius?That would be disastrous! if anyone deserves that arrangement, it should be us. We were the first to approach her."

Regret flooded his face as Wilbur slapped his own leg and groaned, "Can't believe we didn't come up with the idea to send her a luxury car first."

"I have faith in her," Elias replied without hesitation.

Wilbur blinked, startled. "Faith? What exactly are you saying?"

"She promised that if she chose to sell, we'd be the first she considered. I believe she won't break that promise." There was a rare certainty in Elias's words when it came to Emilia.

"That's a first. I've never seen you put this much faith in anyone," said Wilbur, leaning in, curiosity etched on his face.

Their faces hovered near each other, nearly aligned.

Wilbur glanced down at Elias, a grin teasing his lips, while Elias met his gaze with a chilling look and a chin lifted ever so slightly.

Each of them had features that looked as if they'd been carved out of stone, their Adam's apples standing out, sharp and striking.

A playful glint,flashed in Wilbur's eyes as he asked, "Don't tell me you've actually taken a liking to her." Not bothering to answer, Elias straightened his cufflinks, letting the gemstones catch the light, and rolled away without another word.

"Wait-where are you headed? Don't tell me you're ditching your work just to chase after Ms. Harris?"Wilbur hopped down from the desk, his long strides quickly carrying him after Elias.