Chapter 1269

Chapter 1269:

“Yeah, this is ridiculous. Let’s just wait a while longer. Even the Welch and Perkins Groups are waiting here with us.”

“Speaking of the Welch Group, they’ve had nothing but bad luck. The project in the west of Estresa is a gold mine, but they botched it so badly it cost someone their life. Now that the government is reevaluating partnerships, it’s obvious they’re looking for new players. Maybe we’ll get a shot at it this time.”

“If you ask me, the one with the best odds of securing the lion’s share is Aldwin. His daughter’s been getting pretty cozy with the CEO of Homelight Enterprise…”

From the moment Aldwin and his subordinate had taken their seats, they exuded an air of unshakable confidence. Across from them sat Healy and his secretary.

Hearing the hushed speculations swirling around the room, Aldwin remained impassive, but inwardly, he was smug. His gaze flickered toward Healy, his eyes glinting with a silent message: “You’re still wet behind the ears, kid.”

Young, ambitious, and having been suppressed by the Perkins family more times than he cared to count, Healy was determined to turn the tide. Had it not been for Madisyn’s guidance, he might have blamed himself entirely for the recent failure, convinced he had failed to handle the residents’ resettlement properly. He never would have uncovered the truth—that someone had been pulling the strings all along. And that someone was none other than the man sitting beside Aldwin at this very moment.

Healy drew in a slow breath, his sharp gaze landing on Aldwin’s subordinate.

Not long ago, he had used this man’s connections to track down the ruthless debt collector who had pushed the resident to his death that fateful night. The drunk debt collector had spilled more than he should have.

Now, with damning evidence in hand, Healy had been biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike—to teach Aldwin a lesson he would never forget.

Healy remained silent, but gone was the reckless young man of before. Experience had tempered his impulsive nature. Instead of reacting to Aldwin’s barely concealed scorn, he met his gaze with quiet intensity, exuding a presence that refused to be overshadowed. His eyes gleamed like unsheathed steel, sharp and unwavering.

Aldwin narrowed his own gaze, taken aback by the change.

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He leaned back slightly, intertwining his thumbs as he studied Healy. There was something different about him—something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

“It’s…”

“It’s been a while, Mr. Welch. You’ve become much more composed. Not like before. I used to see you as nothing more than an inexperienced youngster.”

The statement sent a ripple through the room.

Aldwin’s words were a subtle way of asserting dominance. It positioned Healy as an underdog, someone lacking in capability.

Once upon a time, Healy might have bristled at the remark, his temper flaring at the implication. It had always reminded him of the whispers circulating through Estresa—the rumors of the Welch family’s decline.

Healy curved his lips into a faint smile and said, “Mr. Perkins, people grow. I’ve always believed we should look at people and situations with a developing perspective, not get stuck in the past.”

His words, laced with subtle sarcasm, were aimed squarely at Aldwin.

Aldwin’s eyes narrowed, and he pressed on with a pointed remark that hit a nerve with the Welch Group.

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