0:

    Chapter 217 Carefully Prepared

    b47 /b

    +10 Free Coins

    Lucas froze for a moment when he heard the phrase “ex–fiance,” then replied ambiguously, “Larry wanted to coborate with Peak Corp, but in the end, Peak Corp still chose us, the Hawthorne Group.”

    Sloane nodded knowingly, convinced that Larry was retaliating.

    Lucas didn’t bother to exin further; after all, he hadn’t lied. Larry had always harbored ulterior motives–it was just that the object of his scheming happened to be a person.

    He looked at Sloane, who waspletely unaware of her own charm, and sighed silently. iLooks /iilike /iiI’ve /iigot /iia /iilong /iiroad /iiahead /iiwhen /iiit /iies /iito /iilove/ii. /i

    “My stables recently added a hunting activity. Do you have time this weekend? I could take you out for a little break,” Lucas offered, cing a te of crab meat in front of her.

    “Sure.” Sloane perked up at the mention of hunting.

    The moment she agreed, Lucas couldn’t stop the slight upward curl of his lips. His eyes sparkled with undisguised delight. Outwardly, he maintained his usualposure, but inside, he had already begun to quietly make ns.

    From that day on, Lucas looked forward to the weekend with eager anticipation. The thought of spending an entire day alone with Sloane made it hard for him to contain his excitement.

    Lucas stood in front of a long row of riding outfits, scanning each one carefully. He shook his head. “Next.”

    Andrew waved to the staff to hurry out and bring in the next batch.

    Andrew was getting anxious; they’d been at this all morning, and the CEO hadn’t liked a single outfit. That was on him.

    These were the finest riding outfits avable in all of Stonebridge–from traditional British tailoring to modern minimalist styles, each one crafted by

    14:28 Tue, Sep b9 /b

    Chapter 217 Carefully Prepared

    renowned designers. Yet not a single piece met Lucas‘ standards.

    47

    +10 Free Coins

    “Mr. Hawthorne, these are thetest seasonal styles. Both the fabric and craftsmanship are top–tier. Why don’t you take another look?” Andrew suggested cautiously.

    Lucas gave them a brief nce before frowning, his tone full of disdain. “These designs are toomon; nothing stands out.”

    It was the first time Andrew had seen Lucas so particr about clothing. These selections matched his usual taste perfectly. This shouldn’t have been a problem…

    Then, a lightbulb went off in Andrew’s head. He suddenly had an idea and rushed

    out.

    “Sir, how about these ones?”

    Lucas looked at the new batch of riding outfits Andrew had brought in. His brows furrowed instinctively.

    The colors were indeed bold—bright red, sky blue, even a vibrant yellow. These hues werepletely different from his usual subdued palette; in fact, they were styles he typically wouldn’t even touch.

    “Aren’t these a little too shy?” Lucas asked, a trace of hesitation in his voice.

    Andrew quickly exined, “Sir, your usual style is very reserved. It wouldn’t hurt to switch things up once in a while. Plus, Ms. Rivers is young and full of energy. If you wear something a bit more striking, the two of you would look great together.”

    Lucas‘ expression shifted ever so slightly at the word itogether/ii. /iHe went quiet for a moment, his eyes returning to the bright riding outfits.

    “This one,” Lucas said, pointing to the red one.

    Andrew let out a breath of relief and nodded quickly. “Of course, sir.”

    Lucas changed into the red riding outfit and stood outside the stables with a white horse by his side. He looked up at the time again, debating whether to call Sloane.

    …

    b47 /b

    Chapter 217 Carefully Prepared

    +10 Free Coins

    Just then, a car slowly approached. He instinctively straightened his back and a gentle smile spread across his face.

    The car door opened, and Sloane stepped out. He moved to greet her, but the moment he saw the two people following behind her, his smile froze at the corners of his lips.