The Phantom Heiress Rising From The Shadows

Chapter 540:

Ethan stiffened slightly, reluctant to spend an evening babysitting Jayceon’s wounded pride, but the idea of enduring the blind date was even worse. Without missing a beat, he replied, “Yeah, sure. I’ll head over now. We can’t afford to let this deal slip through our fingers.” He made sure his voice carried, ensuring Elsa and Minna overheard him, proving to them that he wasn’t trying to escape but had work matters to attend to.

As he ended the call, a weight seemed to lift off his shoulders. Finally, he had the perfect excuse to leave, one that wouldn’t make Elsa furious or make Minna feel rejected.

Across the room, Elsa caught his last few words, her face tightening in disapproval. She crossed her arms and said pointedly, “There’s always another deal waiting. But…”

“You only get one chance to spend time with family. It’s Minna’s first visit here. Isn’t it rude to just leave now?”

Ethan, feigning ignorance of the underlying meaning of her words, responded, “Mom, this deal has been in the pipeline for months. There are heavyweights in the running, undercutting our bids. Yet, the partner acknowledges our superior quality and is open to another discussion. If I skip out tonight, the deal might as well be gone. Go ahead and have dinner without me; I really need to handle this.” Without waiting for Elsa’s approval, Ethan excused himself and hurried out the door.

leave, her heart fluttering. What could Elsa possibly say

his heart lay elsewhere, with

storm of anger brewing within her, Elsa masked it expertly, offering Minna an apologetic smile. “His company demands so much of his time. Please, don’t take it to heart. I’ll set up another meeting soon. Next

grace, a smile softening her features as she gently dismissed Elsa’s concerns, saying, “Oh, please don’t worry about it. Let him focus on his work. He’s not like me, idly passing time

???? ?????

woman would easily pass up an opportunity to be with

exuded a serene and promising aura, starkly contrasting with Brenna’s ostentatious

that a woman needed a touch of reserve; being too capable wasn’t good for a woman. The Harper family didn’t require

the sofa. He collapsed into the plush cushions with a sigh

expression was etched with torment, his eyes bloodshot, hinting at tears shed or stifled. Ethan, sitting across from him, seemed oblivious to Jayceon’s distress, his disdain for him barely concealed. In his eyes, Jayceon had crossed a line by unfairly pinning Patrick’s accident on Brenna, and he deserved no