CHAPTER 673

As the night grew darker, the atmosphere on the terrace became heavier.

Upon noticing Gwendolyn’s furrowed brow and distant gaze, Cedrick tenderly embraced her and spoke softly. “I understand, I understand. Just look at you! Lately, you’ve been risking yourself in perilous locations because of this situation. You’ve lost a significant amount of weight. But now that we have a lead, leave the rest to me and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Please, don’t worry any longer, all right?”

Unable to find the right words to comfort him, Gwendolyn expressed her support by wrapping her arms around him and wordlessly nuzzling her head against his neck.

After a while, Cedrick delicately cupped Gwendolyn’s face in his hands and tenderly kissed her soft, rosy lips.

Then, he slowly slipped his hand under her nightdress and tenderly rubbed slow circles around her sensitive spot.

Gwendolyn moaned softly, and her entire body trembled with pleasure.

Cedrick brought her atop him, leaving the blanket discarded on the floor as their skin became illuminated by the moonlight.

The night turned to passion.

The following morning, under a cloudless sky, the sun shone brightly. Cedrick arose early and made his way to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

In the office, the air conditioner kept the air cool against the sun’s heat.

A stack of documents sat neatly on Cedrick’s desk. He typed away on his laptop, issuing orders in various languages.

Just then, a knock echoed on the door, and Jasper popped his head in, announcing, “Mr. Jenson, Mr. Kron has arrived.”

Channing’s robust laughter resonated from outside the door. “Ah, Team Nine, I’ve missed you guys. How about rejoining my team? I must admit, working with you all has been incredibly gratifying lately…”

Dressed in a burgundy suit, Channing exuded an air of jubilation. He entered the room with an enormous smile on his face, giving Jasper’s shoulder a friendly pat as he passed by him.

Jasper awkwardly shrugged off his hand and countered in a stony voice, “We only get along because of the rules in place.”

With that single sentence, Channing was abruptly reminded of the jurisdiction he was in. Since he was there to meet the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, he’d better adhere to their protocols and regulations.

Channing received the message loud and clear, immediately grasping the gravity of the situation.

There were many rules in place, and he understood the potential consequences if any information were to be leaked and exploited.

Gathering himself, Channing approached Cedrick with purpose.

“Mr. Jenson,” he greeted.

Cedrick nodded in reply and gestured for the man to sit, “Mr. Kron, I apologize for the way I’ve invited you here.”

Subsequently, he raised an eyebrow at Jasper, signaling him to prepare a pot of coffee.

Channing and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were supposed to be on opposite sides. Cedrick had no choice but to discreetly invite Channing over.

“No problem, Mr. Jenson. It’s an honor to be here.”

Thirty minutes later, Jasper returned with a pot of coffee in hand. He carefully poured two cups, one for Cedrick and the other for Channing.

Channing raised the cup to his lips and softly blew on the surface of the coffee to cool it down.

After taking a sip, Channing flashed a thumbs-up sign at Jasper. “Impressive, Jasper! Your coffee- brewing skills are truly exceptional! It’s only been a few days, but I’ve become quite dependent on your talents!”

Cedrick’s lips formed a playful smile as he glanced at Jasper. “What do you say, Channing? How about I lend you Jasper for a few days? He can conduct undercover investigations at your place while using official business as a cover, and he can also impart his coffee-brewing expertise to your team.”

Jasper was taken aback by Cedrick’s offer. “Mr. Jenson!”

There were all sorts of peculiar individuals in Channing’s territory, and Jasper did not like the idea of it at all.

Perceiving Jasper’s hesitance, Channing burst into laughter. “Forget it. If Team Nine were to openly visit my place, it would raise suspicions that I’ve gotten myself into trouble once more. My team would be on edge! Moreover, if news spreads that I’m in hot water with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, it would be quite embarrassing!”

The men chuckled, signaling the end of that topic.

Thereafter, the conversation shifted into a more serious tone as Cedrick gestured for Jasper to bring over the stack of documents from his desk and place them in front of Channing.

Channing swiftly scanned through the documents, his expression flickering with uncertainty as he glanced up at Jenson. He asked, “Mr. Jenson, this is…”

“I’ve enjoyed working with you, Channing. I find you to be a very reliable person. I am considering gradually transferring the management of Jenson Group’s baby formula business into your capable hands. What do you think?” Cedrick divulged.

Maintaining a casual tone, he tapped the empty space at the bottom right corner of the page. “Simply sign here if you agree.”

Then, Cedrick lifted his cup of coffee and reclined on the couch in a leisurely manner, appearing nonchalant about Channing’s decision.

In contrast, Channing had an intense reaction. He clutched the collaboration agreement in his trembling hands, finding it hard to believe that he was being presented with such a lucrative opportunity to collaborate with Jenson Group.

He carefully read the agreement and asked again, “You’re sure you want to work with me?”

Cedrick nodded firmly.

“Is there any problem, Mr. Kron? Feel free to speak your mind.”

“I accept!” Channing blurted out.

Jasper threw him a strange look. What kind of answer is that?

“I’ll be honored. Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Jenson.”

Channing picked up the pen and with a flourish, signed his name on the dotted line.

“To be frank with you, I’ve long wanted to go straight, but I’ve been in my line of work for so long. It’s too difficult to break out of it. As I’ve gotten older, I no longer wished to live on the edge. I want to spend my remaining days living peacefully with my wife and kids, but the opportunity never came,” Channing confessed. “Thank you again for this precious chance, Mr. Jenson!”

Channing continued sharing his life story, while Cedrick nodded at the appropriate moments, giving the impression of attentive listening.

However, Cedrick’s mind had long drifted to other matters.

Absentmindedly, Cedrick toyed with his diamond-studded wristwatch, his jet-black eyes losing focus as he gazed into the distance.

He was acutely aware of the time. He knew that the person he had sent should have already returned.

As a movement caught his attention at the door, Jasper vanished briefly only to return and speak softly into Cedrick’s ear. “Mr. Jenson, Swain has something to report to you.” This is from .

Channing observed the expressions on the faces of the two men turning solemn, sensing a shift in the atmosphere.

Promptly rising from his seat with a smile, he declared, “Well, that concludes what I had to discuss. I have some matters to attend to, so I won’t take up any more of your time.”

Once Channing had departed, clutching the collaboration agreement, Jasper couldn’t resist asking, “Mr. Jenson, are you completely certain about entrusting the entirety of Jenson Group’s baby formula business to Mr. Kron?”

“Yes,” Cedrick responded calmly.

He had once again drifted into his thoughts and did not utter another word to Jasper.

Within Jenson Group, the baby formula business was no longer “clean.”

To reveal the mastermind behind the scenes, he would need to go all out.

“The enemy lurks in the shadows while we remain in the light. After all this time, have we truly made any progress?” Cedrick posed a question.

Jasper kept silent.

Not only had they failed to make any progress, but they had also endured substantial losses. Apart from the ongoing issue with Hamish’s men, the overall situation appeared bleak and discouraging.