Mario's gaze was like a sharp knife, piercing straight into Eloise's eyes. In the study, only one desk lamp was turned on, casting a dim yellow light that outlined him with a sharp golden edge. Eloise raised an eyebrow, tapping the edge of her coffee cup with her fingertips. "What does that mean?" "Meaning from today onwards, Mario said slowly, "in the eyes of the outside world, the Patnick family and the Nygard family will be completely tied together." He squinted his eyes, "If you're just trying to anger Ronald, there's really no need to go this far." The coffee cup was placed heavily on the table. Eloise was almost laughing out of anger. She even brought out her most valuable mineral assets, and Mario still doubted her motives? The moment of silence, however, led Mario to misunderstand something. He straightened up and his eyes instantly turned cold: "I don't need your charity." "Charity? Eloise stood up and slapped a document on his chest. "Is Mr. Nygard underestimating himself too much?" Mario caught the falling file and, as he flipped open the first page, he froze. This is the transfer agreement of three diamond mining rights in Africa by the Patnick Group, with Eloise's personal seal already stamped on it. "This is not charity, Eloise turned towards the door, her high heels clicking crisply on the marble floor, "It's trust." Her hand rested on the door handle, and suddenly she turned around, imitating Mario's tone from the hospital room: "You wouldn't let me lose, right?" Mario stared at her for two seconds, then suddenly chuckled, "Of course not." After the door was closed, the study returned to silence, and Mario sat in the chair without 0.00% 06:07 moving for a long time. He opened the file and carefully examined it. Every page was signed with Eloise's name, even the notary stamp was affixed. This was not a sudden decision, but a well-prepared plan. The phone suddenly vibrated, and the assistant sent a message: "Mr. Nygard, the four major families have already united with three banks and will apply to freeze our liquid assets tomorrow." Mario's gaze fell on the valuation number on the last page of the document. Enough to fill all the current funding gaps of the Nygard Group. He walked to the French window, and the city lights were bright in the night. A year ago when he left Los Angeles, Eloise was still chasing after Ronald. And now... That was so abnormal. Mario dialed a number: "Reinvestigate all of Eloise's whereabouts in the past six months, especially her interactions with Ronald... No, focus on whether she has had any contact viti people from Switzerland." After hanging up the phone, his fingers unconsciously rubbed the edge of the document. Reason told him that this was likely a trap, but when he remembered Eloise's bright eyes saying "trust"... Damn it, he muttered under his breath as he loosened his tie. The next morning, a major earthquake hit the financial sector. Just before the four major families' united bank was about to freeze the Nygard Group's assets, a financial consortium in Switzerland suddenly announced a $5 billion investment in the Nygard Group. Even more shocking, the funds were actually transferred through the Patnick Group's channels. As soon as the news broke, Ronald exploded in the meeting room: "Check! Find out what 25.10% 06 07 288 Vouchers Eloise and Mario are up to!" At this moment, Eloise was leisurely sitting in the office of the President of the Nygard Group, flipping through the morning's financial headlines. "Satisfied? Mario pushed open the door and was followed by a team of assistants carrying files." Eloise shook her phone and said, "Mr. Nygard is really something. He turned the siege of the four major families into a joke in just one day," The assistants tactfully withdrew. Mario walked up to her and suddenly bent over, propping himself on both sides of her chair, trapping her in between. "Why?" He stared into her eyes. "Those minerals were part of the dowry your mother left you." Eloise smelled the faint scent of his dragon's blood, mixed with the bitterness of coffee from a sleepless night. She tilted her head slightly, her red lips almost brushing against his chin: "Because I believe that you will turn them into more dowry." Mario's pupils slightly contracted. Just then, the door of the office was suddenly pushed open. "Mario! What do you mean?! Ronald stormed in angrily, but froze in place upon seeing the ambiguous posture of the two." Eloise clearly felt Mario's muscles tense up. She chuckled and pushed him away, adjusting her skirt. "Mr. Kobeck, it's not good to enter without knocking." Ronald's face turned pale: "Eloise, do you think he was sincere? Do you know Mario is using you? He doesn't really like you!" Mario slowly stood up and casually adjusted his sleeves, "Did Mr. Kobeck come to my company early in the morning just to say these nonsense?" "Do you think winning this round means it's over? Ronald sneered, "The real show is just beginning." After he slammed the door and left, the office returned to calm. Eloise noticed that Mario's gaze had been fixed on her face. "What? she raised an eyebrow, "Mr. Nygard wouldn't have been persuaded by Ronald too, would he?" Mario suddenly reached out, his thumb brushing against the corner of her lips. "Eloise," his voice was low and dangerous, "you better not let me catch you playing any tricks." His fingertips were a little rough, causing a slight tingling sensation when rubbed against. Eloise grabbed his wrist, staring into his eyes. "Mario, the worst thing a gambler can do is to back out halfway," she said. She lightly nibbled on his fingertip. "And I, never regret." That evening, Mario did not return to the villa, but went to a private apartment instead, holding a newly delivered investigation report in his hand. The data shows that Eloise has almost completely cut off all contact with Ronald in the past six months, instead sending people to inquire about his whereabouts in Switzerland multiple times. The strangest thing was that three months ago she suddenly sold all the gifts Ronald had given her and invested all the proceeds in an anonymous fund project. Mario stood in front of the window, lost in thought. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had overlooked a crucial clue. The phone suddenly lit up, it was a message from Eloise: "There is an auction tomorrow, will you accompany me?" Mario stared at the message, his mouth unconsciously curling up. But soon, he regained his composure. He replied with a "hmm" and then fed the investigation report into the shredder. No matter what Eloise's purpose was, he would find out. But before that... The glass in front of him reflected the slight upturn of his lips. Chapter 15 Eloise had just stepped out of the Nygard Tower, the sunlight making her squint slightly She was looking down at the confirmation letter for the mineral rights transfer when a strong smell of perfume suddenly hit her. "Ms. Patnick!" A pair of hands painted with bright red nail polish suddenly grabbed her wrist. Eloise looked up and saw Cecilia's exquisitely made-up face close by, with two tears hanging in the corners of her eyes that refused to fall. "I know I was wrong... Cecilia's voice trembled as she deliberately raised her volume for the passersby around to hear, "I shouldn't have thought of Mr. Kobeck after receiving support from the Patnick family..." With that, she suddenly knelt down, "Please, forgive me!" A crowd quickly gathered around to watch the excitement. Eloise watched Cecilia's performance coldly, noticing that her kneeling movement was deliberately slowed down, afraid of wrinkling the six-figure Chanel suit. "My grades were really hard-earned, Cecilia sobbed, "You can't bully us poor people just because you have power and influence..." This sentence was like a drop of water splashing into a hot oil pan, causing the onlookers to start discussing fervently. Eloise saw someone raise a phone to start recording, and the flash kept flashing. "Oh my goodness, is that Ms. Patnick?" "It is said that she bullied the poor students based on her family background..." "That was disgusting!" Eloise's heart skipped a beat. "Cecilia." 06:08 Title: Committed In CrushReel's ongoing novel "Committed," a man, grappling with the pressure to propose to his girlfriend, finds himself at a crossroads when he unexpectedly encounters a runaway bride. Seeking an escape from his relationship's demands, he embarks on a journey to Greece where he crosses paths with the enigmatic former... Exploring themes of love, commitment, and serendipity, this modern romance delves into the complexities of relationships and the unexpected turns life can take. As the protagonist navigates between duty and desire, readers are drawn into a tale of opposites attracting amidst picturesque Greek landscapes. What sets "Committed" apart is its heartfelt portrayal of emotional conflict and the pursuit of true connection. Dive into this sweet romance that promises twists of fate and heartfelt revelations. Available to read online at CrushReel for those seeking a story that resonates with the beauty of unexpected encounters.