Don’t Fall for the Billionaire Lover

Two years later...

Eldridge City's TV station was buzzing with a hot piece of news. "The corporate war has wrapped up, with Sartori Corporation taking the crown over Ballard Group. This business skirmish kicked off over both sides trying to get a foothold in Japan's booming smart tech market. Ballard Group initially poured in heaps of cash, partnering with several research labs..."noveldrama

Inside the Sartori Corporation office, Connor sat glued to the news on his computer screen. Isaac was hanging around too.

Feeling on top of the world, Isaac perched on the edge of Connor's desk, grinning. "This feels so good. Two years ago, Ballard Group was like a dragon waking from a nap, causing chaos left and right, bankrupting the Nagel family in just three months, and dealing a heavy blow to the Gilberts. If it weren't for you and Pax teaming up, the Gilberts might have been wiped out just like the Nagels."

"For the past couple of years, you and Grant have been at each other's throats, especially during those intense buyout battles. I never would've guessed my brother-in-law could keep such a low profile in the business world. Since Grant bounced back, he's been like a different man, expanding his empire like crazy, coming after me multiple times with no mercy. Thank goodness you were there to hold the fort. If not, the Eldridge Elites wouldn't stand a chance against the Ballard Group."

Isaac shivered at the thought. Not long ago, someone had tried to pull a fast one on him, snatching up his company's shares. It turned into a financial showdown, and it wasn't until the dust settled that he realized Ballard Group was behind it all.

It was a nail-biter, but Connor had picked up on the signs just in time. Without his intervention, the Shaw family might have faced its biggest crisis ever.

Isaac couldn't hide his frustration with Grant. "Grant's lost his marbles. I'm supposed to be his future brother-in-law, but the way he goes after me is just brutal. It's inhuman."

Connor stayed quiet, hands clasped near his lips, lost in thought. Isaac sensed he might have touched a nerve.

"Do you still think my sister's disappearance has anything to do with Grant?" Isaac ventured.

He knew the fierce tug-of-war between Sartori Corporation and Ballard Group boiled down to one person: Chloe. She had vanished two years ago, and Connor was convinced Grant had something to do with it. He held Grant responsible, and every chance they got, they clashed fiercely.

Initially, there was suspicion that Grant might have hidden Chloe away. But they realized Grant was searching too, scouring the globe, exhausting every resource and contact. After that plane crash, Grant had been severely injured, taking half a year just to get out of bed. The accident left him with a spinal injury, paralyzed from the waist down. But even from his wheelchair, his ruthless nature hadn't dimmed.

Connor hadn't been in great shape either. When Chloe vanished, he spiraled into despair, refusing to eat, almost wasting away. He became so frail, it was like he

was barely there. Back then, he had lost all hope.

9

In desperation, they left Tim, a crying, fussing toddler, by his side, forcing Connor to pull himself together and care for the child. Slowly, he found his way back fo some kind of normalcy. But through it all, he never stopped searching for Chloe.

Connor finally broke his silence, his voice calm yet filled with determination. "Whether it's him or not doesn't matter anymore. What matters is I will find Chloe."

Isaac watched him closely. Connor had changed so much from the vibrant King of Eldridge he once was. Now, he was more grounded, with a touch of somberness shadowing his every move.