Chapter 52
Skyler shrugged. “Maybe. But honestly, I’ve never seen him show the slightest interest in anyone p>
Truth be told, he was actually looking forward to the day his uncle finally fell head over heels for someone.
But at this rate, it didn’t seem likely.
After all, Gordon was nearly thirty now.
Over the years, he’d met every kind of beautiful woman imaginable-tall, petite, glamorous, demure—he’d seen it all. If he were the type to fall for a pretty face, he would have done it long ago. It certainly wouldn’t have taken until now.
“Mr. Cumming,” said a man standing beside Mack Quinn, getting up to pour Skyler another glass of wine, his face practically oozing flattery. “I have a cousin who’s just come back from studying abroad. Not to brag, but she’s absolutely stunning-she’s the most beautiful woman in the city, maybe even in all of Eldermere. She’s sweet, well-mannered, and never even had a boyfriend. Coincidentally, Master Ninth hasn’t dated either. Do you think my cousin might have the luck to meet him p>
The speaker was Zack Prescott-not someone Skyler knew well, but a friend of Mack Quinn.
And Zack wasn’t exaggerating.
His cousin, Fidelia, had been the school beauty from elementary all the way through grad school, and every man who’d ever met her ended up falling for her.
That was why Mack Quinn had started entertaining the idea.
No matter how untouchable Master Ninth was, he was still a man.
And when it came to men, even the greatest could fall for the right woman.
If Master Ninth became his cousin’s husband, the entire Prescott family would rise with the tide. Even Mack Quinn would have to defer to him, and then Zack could walk around Silverhaven like he owned the place.
The more Zack thought about it, the more excited he got, as if he could already see Fidelia marrying into one of the city’s top families.
Mack Quinn’s expression darkened. He’d never realized Zack was so ambitious.
Even he wouldn’t dare introduce his own sister to Master Ninth.
Such a small-time player-no shame at all.
Before Skyler could respond, Mack Quinn cut Zack off, bringing his daydreams crashing down. “Didn’t you hear what Mr. Cumming said? Master Ninth isn’t the marrying type. Your cousin could be a goddess, and he still wouldn’t give her a second glance p>
As soon as Mack finished, the others in the private lounge quickly chimed in, all agreeing with him and leaving Zack no room to save face.
Zack lowered his head, silent, but there was a flash of malice in his eyes.
Just wait.
Once his cousin had conquered Master Ninth, there’d be a day when Mack Quinn regretted this.
Zack was sure of it-with Fidelia’s charm, she was destined to become the matriarch of the Sylvester family.
3 a.m.
Skyler, reeking of alcohol, made his way to the underground parking lot of the bar.
His driver had been waiting for a while. When he saw Skyler approaching, he hurried to meet him. “Sir p>
The driver’s voice was calm and respectful-just loud enough to catch the attention of Julian, who was nearby on business.
Julian loosened his tie and glanced over in the direction of the voice, expecting to see a typical Silverhaven socialite.
He certainly didn’t expect to see Skyler.
Immediately, Julian snapped to attention, his excitement barely contained. Afraid his eyes were playing tricks on him, he rubbed them, then looked again. Convinced he wasn’t imagining things, he strode over quickly and greeted him warmly, “Mr. Cumming p>
The lights in the parking garage were dim, and Skyler, slightly tipsy, didn’t immediately recognize him.
Julian caught the uncertainty in Skyler’s eyes and quickly introduced himself. “Mr. Cumming, I’m Julian from the Chandler Group p>
With that, Skyler recognized him. He’d always admired talented people, so he extended his hand. “Ah, Mr. Chandler. A pleasure p>
Julian was stunned that someone as distinguished as Skyler would initiate a handshake. He tried to steady his racing heart. “I’m honored that you even remember me, sir. I’m just a nobody p>
Skyler’s tone was casual. “You’re too modest, Mr. Chandler. Your proposal was so impressive, even my uncle gave his personal approval p>
In Silverhaven, there weren’t many proposals that could earn Gordon’s praise. Julian was the first.
Hearing this, Julian realized that his partnership with the Sylvester Group was practically in the bag. But he was still a little anxious, so he pressed on. “To be honest, ever since the bidding ended, I’ve been nervous, not knowing whether Master Ninth would consider giving us a chance p>
Skyler smiled and patted Julian’s shoulder. “The Chandler Group is one of the most promising companies in Silverhaven right now. There’s no need to worry. You’re young, and you’ve got a bright future ahead. Keep at it—I have high hopes for you p>
And he meant it—he’d reviewed many of the Chandler Group’s proposals. Julian had vision, a boldness reminiscent of Gordon in his younger days. It was the kind of talent that drew people in and left a strong impression.
So Skyler was almost certain his uncle would give them a shot.
But nothing was ever set in stone, so he didn’t give Julian a definite answer.
Still, after hearing those words, Julian stood rooted to the spot, stunned for a long moment.
Skyler said he had high hopes for him. As Gordon’s nephew, his opinion practically meant Gordon’s opinion!
People as dazzling as Skyler were rare in Silverhaven-a prodigy, a once-in-a- decade dark horse in the financial world. Not only was he unparalleled here, but probably in all of Eldermere as well.