Coveting

Wesley, who was presumed to be in Mercianna, made a sudden and unexpected appearance. Even Emelie was taken aback, and the surprise was evident on everyone else's faces.

The moment Wesley appeared, William's jaw clenched visibly and his expression turned cold.

One of the guests, who had vaguely recognized Wesley but couldn't quite place him, suddenly had a realization. He gasped in astonishment and muttered, "That's Wesley, Mr. Graham's youngest son. He's been living abroad for years! I saw him at a banquet three years ago."

While the other guests hadn't seen Wesley before, they had heard of him. "Mr. Graham's youngest son? Then isn't he Mr. Cronus, the heir to the Filo Group?"

"Yes, that's him. But why is he going against Mr. Middleton again? They nearly fought at a banquet three years ago. Luckily, Mr. Graham intervened just in time. Back then, we all suspected it was because of a

woman...

The crowd grew, much to Emelie's irritation.

She had hoped to avoid a scene at Melanie's wedding and prevent stealing the spotlight from the bride and groom. This was why she had tolerated William for so long. However, things still escalated.

It couldn't be helped though. Both William and her were prominent figures in Capebatt City, and their mere presence attracted attention. On top of that, Wesley had arrived.

Wesley, standing tall and dressed impeccably in a black suit as usual, exuded an air of elegance. However, his demeanor was different from William's.

While William was cold and distant, Wesley resembled the white camellia pinned to his lapel-pure and elegant, yet understated.

Though he was reserved, Wesley didn't possess the same intimidating air as William. Amidst her frustration and anxiety, Emelie calmed down when she met Wesley's serene gaze.

"Emelie, come to me," Wesley said softly.

Emelie moved toward him without hesitation. Yet, William maintained his grip on her other hand, preventing her from reaching Wesley.

Wesley calmly said, "Mr. Middleton, even if you wish to invite my fiancee for a second dance, you need her agreement. As businessmen, we all know that coercing a deal is a subpar sales tactic."

The word "fiancee" caused William's gaze to darken.

He said, "When did you arrive in Capebatt City, Mr. Cronus? What a surprise."

Capebatt City was the Middleton family's territory, so Wesley's arrival shouldn't have gone unnoticed.

Wesley replied, "Mr. Middleton, you're not an immigration officer. If I choose not to disclose my arrival, you would be unaware."

If Wesley wanted to maintain secrecy, there were numerous ways to do so. Did William truly believe he had complete control over the city?

The exchange between the two men appeared ordinary, but in reality, they had discreetly clashed in front of each other.

William's smile widened, but it was chilling. "I underestimated you, Mr. Cronus."

Wesley glanced at William's hand still holding onto Emelie and asked, "So, Mr. Middleton, when will you

release her hand?"

William took a step closer to Emelie, reducing the distance between them and creating an illusion of intimacy.

"Are you telling me to let go of my wife?" William declared.

Emelie's head snapped to the right. William hadn't lowered his voice, and everyone within earshot heard his statement.

A murmur of surprise swept through the crowd.

"Wife? Is Ms. Pierce Mr. Middleton's wife? But didn't Mr. Cronus just say she was his fiancee?" one person asked.

A second person explained, "You didn't know? Ms. Pierce used to be Mr. Middleton's head secretary, Emelie Hoven. She admitted to their relationship and their near-marriage at Mr. Middleton Senior's memorial."

"Oh my god..." The crowd realized the conflict between William and Wesley was indeed over a woman. Wesley remained composed and calmly stated, "Ex-girlfriend. She hasn't been 'yours' for a long time." Then, Wesley reconsidered what he said and also moved closer to Emelie.

"She was never truly yours. She is the treasure I entrusted to you, and now it's time for her to return to me, "he declared.

William's expression turned cold. He recalled being together with Emelie in high school and Emelie's confession of using him as an emotional crutch after Wesley's departure.Text © 2024 .

"Return to him," William thought.

He didn't feel a need to assert ownership. He was certain Emelie had always belonged to him. Wesley had merely taken advantage of his absence, acting like a thief coveting treasure that was never his to begin with.