?Chapter 154:


    Catching sight of the site supervisor passing by, Cedric called out, “Marco, got a smoke?”


    Marco Pittman, a no-nonsense guy, grinned as he dug into his pocket.


    “Well, I didn’t expect you to ask for a smoke,” he remarked with his thick ent, pulling out a cigarette and offering it to Cedric.


    The workers regrly offered Cedric cigarettes, but he always declined. Most people thought he didn’t smoke.


    And yet, here he was now, sitting down on the ground with a cigarette in hand.


    Still wearing his hard hat, he leaned back, staring up at the skyscraper towering before him, its sharp edges cutting into the sky.


    With a satisfied smile, Marco said, “This year’s shaping up nicely. We’ll have something to celebratee the New Year.”


    Cedric stayed quiet, lost in his thoughts. Marco turned to him, grinning.


    “Mr. Phillips, you’re young, but you’ve got the work ethic.”


    He shed a big thumbs-up, then added, “Not many guys like you these days—down-to-earth and dependable.”


    Cedric gave a faint smile, the cigarette still smoldering between his fingers, not yet touched.


    “But honestly, with your status as a CEO, what are you doing out here? I saw your name in the financial news.


    You’re handling deals worth billions. So what brings you to the site?” Marco asked curiously.


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    Cedric’s smile lingered as he tilted his head back, his gaze fixed on the towering structure before him. A glimmer of a smile flickered in his eyes, as though he could already see Dani stepping into the building — radiant, confident, andpletely untouched by the wind or rain.


    “I don’t have anyone behind me. Everything I’ve built, I did it step by step, with hard work and setbacks. I’ve been reckless before and spentvishly on sports cars and mansions. Had it all, but none of it felt meaningful.”


    His crisp white shirt was streaked with dirt, but it didn’t seem to bother him.


    There was such honesty in Cedric’s voice; it didn’te across as boasting. It felt more raw, more sincere.


    The cigarette burned down to the filter in his hand, but he hadn’t taken a single drag. He snuffed it out on the ground and said, “But this project I’m working on, this one feels meaningful.”


    In the warmth of the morning sun, Cedric shared something personal with someone he barely knew.


    Marcoughed, giving Cedric a hearty p on the back.


    “You remind me of myself when I was chasing after my wife years ago. So, who’s the lucky girl?”


    He scratched his head, thinking it might be someone from the site.


    “But that doesn’t make sense. With your looks and status, why would you go through all this?”


    Cedric let out a soft chuckle.


    “She’s beyond amazing. She’s so extraordinary that just thinking about her feels almost wrong.”


    Marco let out a low whistle, teasing, “Sounds like you’re chasing an angel straight from the heavens!”


    At that moment, Cedric’s phone buzzed, the notification pulling his attention away.


    Cedric lowered his head and checked the message.


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