Chapter 317

A black car crept along the quiet street, headlights carving pale lines through the night.

In the shadowed back seat, Sherwood sat quietly, his face half-hidden in darkness but his eyes glinting with a keen,watchful sharpness.

He folded his hands together, resting them on his knees, and angled his body toward Molly.

"Talk to me, Molly," he said, his tone low and gentle but edged with worry. "Do you honestly believe you and Luis have a future together?"

Sherwood had been around long enough to see clearly that Luis felt nothing romantic toward Molly.Still,out of consideration for her feelings and a few practical motives of his own, he made a point of arranging chances for them to spend time together whenever they visited the Sampson family.

Even tonight, while sharing forced pleasantries with Joseph,he kept catching glimpses of Molly and Luis,searching for some spark between them.

It was never there, but he couldn't let himself stare

too long, not in front of everyone, and so he could only guess at what was really going on.

Lost in thought of Verena's earlier words, Molly barely registered the question until his words finally cut through her daze. She turned to look at him, her eyes dull and defeated, the shine in them dimmed like a night sky washed out by heavy clouds.

After a long, aching pause, she shook her head and answered quietly, "Dad, Luis just doesn't feel that way about me. Should I really keep chasing after something that isn't there?"

The moment he heard those words, a chill settled in Sherwood's gaze, his eyes narrowing just enough to reveal the edge behind them.

He rubbed his thumb over a hardened patch of skin-a scar from years spent wrestling with ruthless business rivals.

"It's time to face reality, Molly." His words came out steady, but there was a hard edge to them. "You and Luis aren't equals when it comes to business. The only reason Kirk Group is where it is now is because we managed to tie ourselves to the Sampson family."

He let out a heavy breath,voice rough with exhaustion."You're all I've got. Just one daughter. You're still so young,with your whole life ahead,but I'm not going to be around forever."

A soft sadness overtook his eyes. "I've fought for every inch of ground in the business world and seen more betrayals than I care to remember. It's not a kind place."

He lifted his hand as if to brush her cheek, but halfway there,hesitated-then let his hand fall, both palms clasping tightly on his knees again.

"I don't want you to carry the same burdens I once did,nor do I want you to stand alone when the storms of business come crashing down. What I want is for you to live with ease, to succeed without breaking yourself in the process, to stand tall above others with a steady foundation beneath you. Luis has both the strength and the pedigree to give you that kind of life.He can shield you, guide you, and his talent speaks for itself."

His voice hardened, his stare unwavering."That is why he is the only man I will ever accept as my son-in-law."

A shadow crossed his expression as his brows knitted together. "If you marry him, I'll never need to take measures I'd rather avoid."

Molly sat silently, her chest tight with emotion.

Every word reminded her of how deeply her father had planned for her future. From the very beginning,he had placed her happiness above all else.

Her mother's death after childbirth had left him with nothing but grief and a fragile infant to raise.

Back in those tough years, it was Sherwood who had taken on everything to raise her by himself.

She knew all too well the weight he'd carried and the countless things he had given up to make sure she had a chance at a better life.

As his reputation grew and the Sampson family ties pushed him upward, countless people had tried to push women into his life. He turned them all away. His devotion never wavered.

The thought of it warmed her heart, filling her with quiet joy.

Yet the final note in his words unsettled her, like a dark cloud drifting into a clear sky.

Lifting her eyes to him, she whispered, uncertainty coloring her voice, "Dad... what exactly are you planning?"

Sherwood leaned back against the leather seat, his gaze cutting straight into hers. "Molly, you need to remember: two tigers can't rule the same mountain.Business doesn't stop being ruthless just because you decide to play fair. If Luis doesn't become your husband and gives his name to another woman,then the Kirk family will always be forced to kneel beneath the Sampson family. Their roots run deep, and their influence stretches across the entire city."

His fingers drummed lightly against the armrest, his words deliberate and edged with reluctance. "If Luis throws his lot in with another family, their reach will expand beyond measure. Without that bond, we'll be left trailing behind, shut out of opportunities and stripped of the projects that keep us strong."

Molly worried her lip between her teeth, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.

For years, she had watched her father claw his way through the brutal storms of business, raising their family higher with every victory.

But she never truly grasped why they always had to fight for dominance, why being on top mattered so much. Her gaze lingered on him, clouded with confusion, and she finally parted her lips to voice the question that had been pressing in her chest.

But before she could, Sherwood's expression softened,his eyes filled with warmth as he added,"Molly,I know how much you care for Luis."

His hand rose to ruffle her hair gently, his voice a promise. "Don't worry. I'll stop at nothing to make sure you get what you want."

Before Molly could answer, he turned away, staring out into the blur of passing streetlights.

In the blink of an eye, the warmth in his smile disappeared, carried off like it had never been there at all. Under the glow of the streetlights,a chill settled in his gaze, sharp and unblinking. A faint crease formed between his brows, and deep lines slowly etched their way across his forehead.

The memory of dinner brought a curl to his lips, a smile that barely surfaced before hardening into something cold.

Verena might seem aloof, but beneath her polished surface she was simple, transparent even-someone easy to read.

Isaac, however, was another matter entirely. He had sat in silence most of the evening, calm and inscrutable, revealing nothing. That silence was the most dangerous part.

Men who thrived in Shoildon's ruthless world of wealth and power didn't rise on luck alone-they carried both cunning and skill sharpened over years. The realization darkened Sherwood's gaze, his eyes hardening with a chill that cut deeper than before.He warned himself to tread carefully, to watch every step when it came to lsaac.

A different thought stirred, and his fingers began a slow, deliberate rhythm against his knee.

Isaac was far more cunning than Verena, yet that didn't give him the luxury of brushing her aside.

For now, Verena remained useful, and Sherwood had no intention of discarding her just yet.