Chapter 390: Serpent And The Old Fox - I

Cillian stepped in front of her, his tone softening. "You look like you need a drink. Want to talk about... things?"

For a moment, Jade was tempted to say yes, but Cillian’s evasive, playful answer earlier had left her feeling disappointed.

Trying to pull her hand free, she replied, "You do not have to." She offered him a small smile that failed to reach her eyes. "Thank you for asking, but I do not want to trouble you."

She freed her wrist and made a move toward her door, but Cillian stepped back into her path.

"It is no trouble, Jade. I want to," Cillian replied, and when Jade met his gaze, she saw complete sincerity in his eyes.

For a moment, Jade found herself lost in his gaze, and before she could stop herself, the question that had been weighing on her slipped out.

"Why? Why would you go to such lengths for me? It’s not as though we owe each other any of this."

Her own question caught both Cillian and herself off guard.

Frowning, she hurried to take them back. "Forget I said that. Maybe I-I’m just tired..."

She tried to move past him again, but Cillian caught her hand once more.

Jade released an exasperated sigh. "Cillian..."

"I care about you, Jade," Cillian interrupted before she could pull away again.

Her eyes widened slightly as she slowly turned to face him. His expression was serious, stripped of its usual playfulness, leaving no room for her to mistake his meaning.

He brushed his thumb lightly over her wrist, sending her pulse racing. "Why don’t you freshen up? I’ll come back in fifteen minutes with our drinks."

Jade remained silent, searching his eyes, before she finally turned toward her door. "Thirty... I will need at least thirty minutes."

Cillian smiled softly, releasing her hand. "Thirty it is."

Jade slipped into her room and quietly closed the door behind her.

Cillian remained outside for a moment, his gaze lingering on the closed door. Then he lowered his eyes to the hand that had held hers, a strange sense of loss settling over him now that she was gone.

With a quiet sigh, he finally turned and walked away.

.....

Meanwhile, an exclusive club called The Eclipse, known only to the high-society elite of Astoria, provided everything required for their private entertainment. Beneath its posh interior, the venue dripped with glitz and glamour, offering fine dining, scantily clad female performers, expensive liquor, and high-stakes gambling.

While it appeared to be nothing more than an upscale gentlemen’s club from the outside, deals were struck behind closed doors, the kind that could make or break a conglomerate or ruin a person’s life. Information was traded under absolute secrecy, ensuring not a single whisper escaped those heavy doors.

Inside one of the private suites, thick with the scent of cigar smoke and treachery, Rufus Avery reclined leisurely on a black leather sofa. Dressed in a tailored suit, his dark amber eyes glinted with malice as he stared at the man sitting opposite him.

Swirling the liquor in his glass, Rufus spoke first. "I have to admit, after our last conversation, I did not expect you to accept my invitation and actually show up tonight. But I am pleased you did... Mr. Ross."

Owen sat across from him without touching his own drink. He lifted his wrist to check his expensive watch, his tone brisk. "I would love to stay and chat, but my time is limited, Mr. Avery. So let us make this brief."

Rufus smirked. "Of course, Mr. Ross. First, allow me to express how deeply shocked I was to hear about your father’s unfortunate accident. I wish him a swift recovery."

"Yes, thank you," Owen replied curtly. He offered nothing more, though his fingers began tapping a restless rhythm against the leather armrest, signalling for Rufus to get on with it.

Rufus acknowledged the silent demand with a smooth nod. "Very well. I will come straight to the point, Mr. Ross. As you know, I have harboured serious concerns... ever since my niece assumed the position of CEO at Van Empire."

"You mentioned as much during our last meeting," Owen stated, his expression unreadable.

"Indeed, and my concerns are entirely justified," Rufus continued. "Ever since she took the helm, several board members and I have come to believe she is operating entirely under the influence of her husband, rendering her incapable of making sound decisions for the true benefit of the company."

"What do you mean?" Owen asked, raising a brow.

Rufus leaned forward, lowering his voice. "We have reason to believe that, given how devoted she is to her husband, it is only a matter of time before she sells out the company to him, allowing Archon Group to take over. In short, Van Empire could eventually be absorbed by Archon Group."

Amusement flickered in Owen’s eyes.

"And you think it would be that easy for Archon Group to pull off?" he asked. "Van Empire has held the second position in the industry since its inception. An organisation of its size cannot simply be taken over unless a major catastrophe sends its share price plummeting, leaving it vulnerable to a takeover. That’s a rather far-fetched scenario, wouldn’t you say?"

"Exactly," Rufus agreed. "It is far-fetched, but not impossible." He swirled the drink in his glass before continuing. "Aliana is cold and calculating, but I know what I see when I look at her. She’s willing to give up everything for that husband of hers."

At Rufus’s remark, Owen’s fingers dug tightly into the armrest.

Noticing the reaction, Rufus pressed further. "I am sure you have noticed it as well, Mr. Ross. Have you not? No matter how talented she may be, she is still a young woman driven by emotion. She could easily make a rash decision in the heat of the moment, damaging Van Empire just enough to serve it to Gavriel Valentine on a silver platter."

Owen remained silent for a long moment before asking coldly, "So what exactly do you propose we do about it?"

Rufus’s eyes turned cold, his tone hardening. "I have dedicated my life to this company, giving it my blood and sweat. Yet that arrogant young woman thinks she can simply dismiss my contributions, along with those of the entire board. I have decided to take matters into my own hands to save Van Empire... by having her removed before she drags us all down with her."

There it was.

Owen could see right through the conniving old fox as he finally bared his teeth, practically salivating at the thought of stealing the throne of Van Empire.

Not that this was news to Owen. Rufus’s greed had been glaringly obvious from day one, so much so that even Aliana was well aware of it.

The real question was why this man was revealing his intentions to him.

Did Rufus truly believe Owen would assist him, knowing full well that his own sister, Jade, was Aliana’s closest friend?

"So... this gathering is about usurping the queen of the empire. That much is clear," Owen remarked, his eyes gleaming with sudden amusement, as though settling in to watch a performance.

Resting his chin against his knuckles, Owen asked, "Are you not concerned that I might report this conversation directly to Aliana? As you know, our families have been close for years."