Chapter 1180:

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At the hospital, Gracie’s expression soured as she read the message.

Brayden, watching her from the bed, chuckled. “What on earth has you making a face like that?”

Gracie locked her phone and turned to him. “Eaton messaged my new assistant. He wanted to keep my assistant.”

“What?” Brayden was surprised. “He’s never been publicly linked to anyone. Now he’s suddenly pursuing your assistant? Is he trying to buy loyalty through a romantic angle?”

Gracie’s frown deepened as she shook her head. “Well, my new assistant is a man.”

The room fell into an abrupt silence.

Brayden’s expression darkened. “So that’s his preference. It’s no wonder he’s been plotting against us lately; it seems he’s been focused on reviving Theo’s interests from the start.”

Gracie nodded, recalling the details Jessie had shared with her. “Zane is a fresh graduate, brand new to the industry. As his employer, I have a responsibility to protect him from this kind of workplace harassment.”

Without waiting, she dialed Zane’s number.

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀.𝗰𝗼𝗺

The call was answered on the second ring.

“You don’t need to respond to him,” Gracie said firmly. “If the situation makes you uncomfortable, I’ll delegate your follow-up tasks to someone else.”

“It’s fine,” Zane replied, his voice steady. “I know how to handle my boundaries.”

After confirming he was truly okay, she gave a few final instructions and ended the call.

“He’s talented, certainly, but Eaton has clearly lost his grip on reality. He hid his true nature for years, and now he’s stopped pretending altogether.”

“He has the reagent you gave him, so he’ll likely make his move soon,” Brayden noted. “I’ve already instructed Charlie to keep him under close surveillance. You’re close to your due date — don’t let these distractions stress you out.”

At the mention of the birth, a shadow of lingering sadness touched Gracie’s eyes, but she masked it quickly.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I’ll take care of myself and the babies.”

The moon hung low as Zane stepped outside to toss the trash, only to find his path obstructed by a silhouette.

“Care for a chat?” Eaton asked. A faint, intrigued smile played on his lips. “You haven’t replied to my message. Were you avoiding me, or just intimidated?”

Zane straightened his posture, meeting Eaton’s gaze with renewed interest. “I’ve heard plenty about you, but I didn’t see this coming. If I were a woman, I’d understand the approach. But this? Are you trying to use romance to bribe me for information?”

“I’ve already told you, I’m not looking for anything complicated,” Eaton replied bluntly. “I just want to talk. A few meals, some conversation here and there. That’s the extent of it.”

Zane’s expression shifted, his brow furrowing as he turned serious.

“I saw you outside the prison recently. Were you there visiting someone?”

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