[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":10},["ShallowReactive",2],{"viewer-data-260322E1C3D0-268":3},{"id":4,"number":5,"name":6,"content":7,"isLocked":8,"price":9,"hasRead":8},268,54,"Chapter 54: Tracing His Abdominals","\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The following morning, in the QX boardroom, Noah Mitchell sat at the head of the table. His expression was a mask of cold neutrality, but the rhythmic tapping of his fingers against the mahogany surface sounded like a countdown to an execution.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The manager presenting the quarterly proposal didn’t dare take a full breath, his pulse racing as he waited for the verdict. When his gaze drifted toward the head of the table, he locked eyes with Noah’s razor-sharp stare. He immediately looked down, terrified to sustain the contact.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"If you think the pond at QX is too small for you, then pack your things and leave,\" Noah said, his voice dripping with intimidation. He tossed a stack of documents onto the table with a sharp slap that echoed through the room. \"Stop wasting my time with this garbage.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"No, no! Mr. Mitchell, I’ll revise it! I’ll fix it right away!\" The project manager scrambled to gather the scattered papers, his hands trembling.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Noah shifted his gaze to the next person. \"Marketing.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The marketing manager gulped, forcing down his nerves before beginning his report. \"We’ve locked in our spring campaign slot, and we’ve booked an ad spot before the season’s hottest show on NBC. However, for the flagship store... the department stores are hesitant. They claim our brand is too new and lacks the necessary prestige, so they’ve rejected our applications for a permanent spot.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Silence descended upon the room. The sheer pressure radiating from the man at the head of the table made everyone squirm. Finally, Noah offered his directive.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Marketing, take those promotional shots from yesterday, edit two of them, and post them on Twitter/X to officially announce our brand ambassador. Once we see the public response, go back to those department stores. Marketing Manager, you won’t come back to me with another rejection, will you?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"No, sir. I’ll ensure we close the deal.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Noah’s voice carried a heavy, natural authority. With his stoic expression, he was the picture of unyielding discipline. The marketing manager was already sweating through his shirt.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Once the work was delegated, the suffocating atmosphere finally lifted as the meeting concluded. As soon as Noah strode out of the room, the rest of the team slumped in their chairs, exhaling in unison.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"That man’s presence is no joke.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Tell me about it. To have that kind of dominance at his age? The man is a force of nature.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Evangeline, trailing behind them, allowed herself a small smile. She really had chosen the right business partner.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The marketing team worked fast. Once the official announcement hit Twitter/X in collaboration with Luna Hughes’s studio, their follower count surged by two million overnight.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">***\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Evangeline scrolled through the impressive backend data, beaming as she shared a high-five with Remi.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Remi, Noah has paved the way. Now it’s all on us.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Let’s do this!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The design department went into a frenzy, working tirelessly to create different collections based on the spring theme, each tailored to a specific demographic. During her rounds, Evangeline reminded them, \"Time is tight, but I don't want just quantity. If I see lackluster work, don't even bother sending it my way. Don't waste my time.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Understood!\" they replied in unison, throwing themselves back into their work.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Though the company was small, the pay and benefits were top-tier, and promotion was based entirely on merit. That was why everyone was so fiercely motivated.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">After the workday ended, the trio gathered in the executive office to discuss their growth strategy. They didn't have any retail partners yet, and the store placements were still in limbo. Although they were prepared, the company was still running on the sporadic orders from their old atelier, and they were already starting to bleed money.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Remi looked worried. \"Evangeline, the marketing push is going to cost a fortune, isn't it?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"It’s fine. I’ll figure out the funding. We just need to grit our teeth and push through this phase.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I'm sorry,\" Noah said, his voice low. \"I can't help with the capital.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Remi feigned indignation. \"Noah, we're all in the same boat now. Stop talking like an outsider!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Exactly,\" Evangeline agreed. \"We're a power trio. We each play to our strengths to make this company unbreakable. I’m counting on you to be our spearhead, leading us in the right direction.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Trust is the greatest fuel for courage. As those words sank in, a surge of adrenaline filled Noah. It was the spark he needed to carve a path through the thorns.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Fine,\" he promised, his eyes burning with resolve. \"I will give this everything I have.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Tomorrow, I’ll head over to SY Plaza myself to negotiate the lease.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">SY Plaza was the largest department store in the city. The marketing manager must have been too intimidated to push; if they had dropped the right names, there was no way the store manager would have turned them away.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Are you sure you can pull that off?\" Noah asked.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Remi chuckled. \"Noah, you don’t know? SY Plaza belongs to Evangeline’s husband.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Ah. Well, I suppose it’s easy to stay cool when you’re leaning on a giant tree.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Exactly!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">With a clear breakthrough in sight, the mood in the room relaxed.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">When Marcellus arrived to pick her up, he heard the cheerful, easygoing laughter echoing from the office. As he stepped inside, he fixed a deep, piercing look on Noah. Noah caught the hint of hostility, bowed his head, and let out a faint chuckle. He hadn't expected the business world's own lion king to have a side like this.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Marcellus, why didn't you just call me?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Can't I come up here myself?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">*Tsk.* Why was he being so sour again?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I was just worried you were tired,\" she said, winding her arm warmly around his. \"Remi, Noah, we’re heading out. See you tomorrow.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">On the drive home, Marcellus couldn't hold it in any longer. \"Evangeline, does that partner of yours have a girlfriend?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Evangeline thought for a moment. \"I don't think so. Why?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"It’s nothing. He’s just… very capable.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"He is! He was a legend back at university. Handsome, top of his class—he had so many girls chasing after him!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Listening to her rattle off praise, Marcellus’s face darkened instantly.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"And what about you?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"What about me?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Did you like him too?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I like you!\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She looked up at him with a soft smile. Marcellus realized he was being unreasonable and immediately dropped the subject.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Am I being annoying?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He didn't know what was wrong with him. He felt so insecure. He knew his clinginess was grating, but he couldn't help himself.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Evangeline pulled him close, intertwining her fingers with his large, steady hand. \"Once the company is up and running, I’ll make sure to spend more time with you. Don't be afraid. You can doubt anything you want, but never doubt my heart.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I’m not blaming you, and I don’t doubt you. It’s just… I feel so empty inside when you're gone.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">For the past six months, their relationship had felt like a rollercoaster. He was terrified—terrified that this fleeting happiness was just a dream he’d eventually wake up from.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Evangeline looked at the hollow sadness in his eyes and began to wonder if her stubborn drive to build this business was the right choice after all.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Back at Elysian Estate, she tossed and turned on the soft mattress. Despite being physically exhausted, her mind was crystal clear, refusing to let her sleep. She began to wonder: what was the point of this second chance at life?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">No matter how she tried, she couldn't have it all. She wanted to live fully—to honor the dreams that had been cut short in her past life, to cherish the family she had lost, and to hold onto the lover she had almost missed. She had thought she could balance every plate, but now, the conflict was becoming impossible to ignore.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Sigh.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Evangeline let out a long, weary breath. It was emotionally draining.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Marcellus stepped out of the bathroom and saw her lying there, wearing a look of profound distress. He stopped mid-towel-dry, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the cloth.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Evangeline, am I putting too much pressure on you?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"No, I’m just tired.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Marcellus sat on the edge of the bed and began gently massaging her temples. \"Just do what you need to do. My little moods are easy to manage.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Evangeline laughed at his words, reaching out to playfully trace the muscles of his abdomen.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Marcellus, you really are like a little trophy husband. You’re clearly hurt, but you’re still trying to pretend you’re a supportive, magnanimous partner.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Well, if I’m hurting this much, are you going to spoil me?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Evangeline flipped over and pinned him to the bed, eyeing him like a little troublemaker.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Oh, I’ll spoil you. I’ll make sure to spoil you properly tonight.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">...And just like that, the insecure man was easily calmed, his fur smoothed down once again.\u003C/p>",false,0,1774272913242]