When Love Finds Its Way Back (Cassienne and Dreston) novel Chapter 236

Chapter Two Hundred And Thirty–Six: This Was A Perfect Distraction.

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The heavy silence in Joseph’s study didn’t break immediately. Dreston remained in his chair, his posture rigid but no longer restless. The frantic urgency that had brought him there hadn’t vanished; it had simply evolved into something cold and calculated.

Joseph watched his son, his gaze sharp and expectant. “You have to realize that Tina isn’t acting on a whim,” he said finally. “This is a chess match. She’s been planning her opening for a long time.”

Dreston met his father’s eyes. “I gathered that. She didn’t just walk in with a grudge; she came with leverage.”

“Which is exactly why we cannot afford an emotional response,” Joseph continued, his voice steady.” We wait. We observe. We need to map out exactly how much she knows before we move a single

muscle.”

Dreston leaned back, his brows still knit together in a tight line. “She’s demanding forty–five percent of the company, Dad. We can’t just sit on our hands while she’s holding a knife to the firm’s throat.”

“We aren’t sitting on our hands. We’re refusing to validate a fantasy,” Joseph replied calmly. He leaned forward, his tone becoming more deliberate. “Auralink does not owe her what she’s claiming. It’s true her parents died before they could collect their retirement benefits, and that is a valid, manageable debt. Nothing more.”

“Then what is she holding onto? Why is she so certain?”

Joseph’s eyes darkened. “Fragments. Half–truths. She’s taken old echoes and twisted them into a narrative that serves her. She has documents, yes, but they aren’t the smoking gun she thinks they are. Whoever is backing her knows just enough of our history to be dangerous, and they’re feeding her the

lines.”

He paused, letting the weight of his next words settle. “She isn’t just targeting the company, Dreston.”

Dreston straightened up. “What do you mean?”

“If my instincts are right, Auralink is only a piece of the puzzle. She wants something far more personal.”

The answer was frustratingly vague, but Dreston could see the silhouette of a much larger threat. This wasn’t a simple boardroom dispute; it was an orchestrated siege.

Joseph’s voice softened, losing some of its clinical edge. “You just got your life back. Don’t let a desperate woman drag you back into the chaos.”

Dreston didn’t respond immediately. His mind was already shifting from defense to strategy. After a moment, he nodded slowly. “I understand. We watch her. We let her overextend.”

“Exactly,” Joseph said, leaning back. “And one more thing. Keep Cassienne out of this.”

That request hit harder than anything else they’d discussed. Dreston’s jaw tightened instinctively.

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Chemins Two Hundred And Thirty–rx This Was A Perfect Distraction,

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“She doesn’t need this burden,” Joseph added. “Not now.”

“I wasn’t planning on telling her,” Dreston said, though the lie felt heavy.

“Good.”

By the time Dreston left the estate, his pace was measured. His mind, however, was a whirlwind. She isn’t just targeting Auralink. The phrase looped in his head, shadowed by the image of Cassienne. He climbed into the car and watched the city blur past, his resolve hardening. Whatever this storm was, he

would make sure it never touched her.

When he arrived home, the mansion felt unusually still. The morning’s energy had faded into a quiet, restful evening. He found Cassienne in the living area; she looked up the second he walked in, her intuition immediately picking up on the change in him.

“You’re back early,” she said, rising to meet him. “How was the meeting?”

Dreston hesitated, the truth hovering on the tip of his tongue. “It went well,” he said, forcing a neutral

tone.

Cassienne stopped in front of him, her eyes searching his face for the cracks she knew were there. “You don’t look like a man whose day went well.”

Dreston managed a faint, tired smile. “I’m just exhausted. It was a long afternoon.”

She didn’t look convinced. “Are you sure that’s all?”

“Yes,” he said gently, reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair from her forehead. “It’s nothing for you to worry about. You should be resting.”

She sighed, though she let the subject drop. “I’ve been working all day. I think I’ve earned a break.”

“That’s not what resting means, Cass,” he teased softly.

“I’ll rest later,” she promised with a small smile.

Later that evening, the house settled into a deep quiet. Cassienne emerged from the bathroom, her hair damp and smelling of jasmine. She looked refreshed, though a lingering fatigue showed in the way she moved. Dreston was already in bed, watching her as she sat down.

“How was your day, really?” he asked.

“Busy,” she admitted, towel–drying her hair. “My assistant is buried in all the meetings we postponed. There’s a mountain of work to catch up on.”

Dreston watched her intently. “I figured as much.”

“There’s something else, too,” she said, hesitating. “The esports organization reached out again. They’re pushing for me to accept their proposal.”

Dreston’s focus sharpened. This was a perfect distraction. “And what are you thinking?”

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