Cora blinked, taken aback for a second. She quickly recovered, waving off the idea with a dry laugh. " Malisa, don’t start."
"I’m just saying!" Malisa grinned. "You don’t have to believe . But mark my words. That man is either deeply impressed by you or sothing more."
Imdiately, as the car started moving and the engine humd quietly beneath them, Malisa would then continue where she had left off, her voice low but filled with certainty. She sat back against the leather seat, crossed her legs, and looked at Cora with an amused but serious expression.
"You know," she began with a smirk, "while I was seated there... I couldn’t stop watching Robert."
Cora glanced at her sideways, unsure where this was going.
Malisa went on, "Not in a weird way o, but I was just watching how he was watching you. The way he looked at you, the way his eyes lit up every single ti you spoke Cora, that wasn’t just business. Not even close. That was a man being chard in real ti."
Cora rolled her eyes slightly but didn’t interrupt.
"And the smile," Malisa added quickly, raising her finger for emphasis. "That smile he kept hiding anyti you made a firm statent? That wasn’t a polite business smile either. That was sothing else. Like he was proud... or maybe even captivated. Honestly, if I didn’t know better, I’d say the guy has been following you for years."
Cora sighed, clearly trying to dismiss the conversation. " Malisa, please. Let’s focus on the deal. That’s what matters."
But Malisa wasn’t about to let it go. "No, no, listen to . This deal is also part of the proof. Think about it. Which high-level businessman like Robert soone with a powerful family, multiple businesses under his na, and a net worth that could choke a city cos to the table and asks for just 5% in a ga-city project like this? That alone tells everything I need to know."
Cora shifted slightly in her seat but still kept quiet.
"I’m not saying he’s in love or anything dramatic like that," Malisa continued, "but Cora, he’s clearly impressed. Deeply impressed. And you of all people should recognize when soone’s genuinely interested. He didn’t push, he didn’t demand. He ca in respectful, kept it simple, and agreed to your revised terms without hesitation. That’s not just business, that’s trust. That’s soone who wants to make a lasting impression."
Cora turned her head, now staring out the window, a thoughtful expression forming on her face. She wasn’t blushing, but her silence spoke volus.
Malisa smiled softly. "I’m just saying, the way everything played out today... my suspicions might be right. Robert may have entered this deal for the project, but he wanted the low percentage because of you."
At that mont, Cora would then let out a soft breath and shake her head slowly. "I don’t understand what you’re saying, lissa," she said, trying to sound firm but not defensive. "All I saw was Robert being genuine very focused, very serious about what he wants to do. He was clear, organized, and knew exactly what he wanted from this collaboration. That’s what I saw. Nothing more, nothing less."
Her tone was composed, but there was a slight tension in her fingers as they rested on her lap.
Malisa imdiately turned to her with a mischievous look, her eyes narrowing in amusent. "Cora... please," she said, drawing the word out as if she were speaking to a stubborn child. "You’re really going to sit there and tell you didn’t notice the way he was looking at you? The way he spoke to you? The way he even agreed to that new proposal of yours without blinking twice?"
However Cora glanced at her but didn’t say anything.
Then Malisa leaned forward slightly with a teasing smile, her voice light but deliberate. "I an, I get it—you’re a professional woman, always focused, always strategic. But girl, are you also blind?"
Again Cora rolled her eyes. " Malisa"
"No, no, let finish," lissa said quickly. "Why are you even defending yourself like you’re still married or sothing? You’re not. You’ve been single for days now, and it’s not a cri to have a man show genuine interest. Especially not a man like Robert. That guy isn’t just rich and powerful, he’s respectful, classy, and honestly... he’d make the perfect husband for soone like you."
Hearing Malisa words Cora blinked, speechless for a second. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say sothing, but nothing ca out imdiately. She ended up chuckling nervously.
Malisa grinned. "See? You can’t even deny it properly. I know what I saw."
Cora exhaled again, her voice finally steady. "Well, even if that’s what you saw, it’s not what I’m thinking about right now. My focus is on this project, not on who is or isn’t looking at like I’m a dream."
Malisa raised her brows playfully. "Fair enough. But don’t be too focused that you miss sothing or soone important. Just saying."
At that mont, Cora’s face grew more serious.
She spoke quietly, but her voice carried strength.
"What is on my mind now," she said, "is not Robert, and it’s not the dinner or the deal. What I care about right now is eting Levi and understanding what is really going on."
There was a mont of silence as the car continued moving.
"I want to know why he insisted on seeing in person. I want to know what he saw at Jas’s house. I don’t want secondhand stories or vague ssages. I want to hear it directly from him. No filters. No lies."
lissa, sitting beside her, could feel the shift in Cora’s energy. She knew this side of Cora. It was the sa side that once rebuilt an entire failing company from scratch, the sa side that never backed down no matter how tough things got. This wasn’t about curiosity anymore. It was about sothing much deeper clarity, justice, and revenge.
Cora continued, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"And once I have everything I need once I know the full truth and everything becos clear to ..."
At that mont she paused.
"...I will hit Jas with the final blow that he is not expecting."
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