Sweet Love 2x: Miss Ruthless CEO for our Superstar Uncle-Chapter 92: Before Departure

The morning at the forum began without urgency.

Sunlight came through the large glass windows of the suite and lay across the low table by the window. The lake outside looked pale in the early light, its surface calm and still. The city beyond was not fully awake yet; only a few cars moved slowly along the waterfront road. Inside the suite, nothing had shifted.

Franz was already dressed when Arianne came out of the bedroom. He stood by the counter, his sleeves buttoned and his tie fastened. He did not look up right away when she entered. He picked up one cup of coffee and walked towards her at a relaxed pace.

He held the cup out to her silently.

Arianne stayed calm. Their fingers met briefly at the rim before separating.

She looked up at him.

He didn’t speak. She didn’t either.

He watched her over the rim of the cup. She noticed and held the look a second before turning toward the window.

Arianne walked to the window and took a small sip from her cup. Franz leaned against a chair and looked at the lake for a moment before checking his watch. Neither of them rushed to fill it.

"We have forty-five minutes before the meeting," she said, lowering her cup.

"That’s enough time," he replied.

He stayed where he was, and she did not back away from him. Over the past few days, the space between them had narrowed. Now neither adjusted it.

Arianne and Franz reviewed the morning’s notes at the small round table by the window. She placed her tablet on the table and opened the summary file, while Franz leaned in to look at the screen.

Their shoulders were close together as they read the same information, and neither of them moved to create more space. The edge of his sleeve brushed her arm once. Neither adjusted their posture.

"Julian wants to know when we’ll make the disclosure," she said as she looked through the document.

"Two days after we get internal approval," Franz replied quickly. "Doing it sooner complicates things."

She glanced at him briefly. "I agree."

He pointed to a line near the bottom of the page. "This wording needs to be more direct. It sounds defensive."

Arianne adjusted the wording right away. "Is this better?"

He read it again. "Yes."

The conversation was shorter than it had been a few days earlier. There was no extra politeness or unnecessary details. They leaned in close to the same screen, speaking in quick, clear sentences.

When they arrived at the executive lounge for the final review, Julian was already sitting at the long glass table, looking over a stack of printed summaries. He looked up when they came in and motioned for them to sit beside him.

"Morning," he said.

"Morning," Arianne replied as she took the seat next to him. Franz sat beside her without hesitation.

Julian glanced at them for a moment as they got settled. He didn’t stare or smile; he just noticed how close they were, how quickly they opened documents, and that there was no space between them.

"The updated compliance note is here," he said, sliding a page to Arianne. "Blackwood Corporation moved sooner than expected on the secondary acquisition. This caused a small change in the order of disclosures."

Franz didn’t look up right away. He read the paragraph before he answered.

"That matches their usual behavior," he said. "They often act quickly if the way is clear."

Arianne read the line twice before she nodded. "Then we don’t respond. We stick to our plan."

She didn’t raise her voice. She didn’t look at Franz for confirmation.

Julian observed both of them as they talked. They kept the conversation on the task. No hesitation. No side glances.

"I’ll update the timeline summary," Julian said. "There’s no immediate impact."

"Good," Arianne replied.

They looked over the documents together, leaning toward the table for a closer look at each page. At one point, Franz reached for the same sheet Arianne held, and their hands lightly touched along the edge of the paper. Their hands separated without comment.

Julian noticed and said nothing.

The briefing ended in thirty minutes. Delegates started to leave the lounge. Some went to the departure desks, while others stayed for quiet discussions. The mood was lighter than the previous day. They had reached agreements, and the forum had achieved its purpose.

Franz sat for a moment after Julian closed his folder.

"I need to finalize travel plans this afternoon," he said, looking at Arianne instead of Julian.

"For the production?" Julian asked.

Franz nodded. "Yes."

Arianne asked him directly, "When?"

"Next week," he answered. "We start filming the opening sequence."

Julian leaned back a bit. "On location?"

"Yes," Franz replied. "It’s a remote coastal site with limited infrastructure. I need to travel there early and stay for the entire shoot."

"How long?" Arianne asked.

"A week," he said. "Seven days."

He held her gaze as he said it. Not long. Just long enough.

He didn’t soften the number.

Julian tapped his pen on the table. "That will overlap with the second rollout phase."

"It will," Franz agreed. "I’ll keep remote access for daily briefings."

Arianne looked at him a bit longer than usual. "Signal stability for the first forty-eight hours," she noted. "After that, the pattern stays the same."

"It will," he confirmed.

Julian gathered his papers and stood up. "I will send out the updated schedule before we leave," he said. "Safe travels."

"Thank you," Arianne replied.

When Julian left the lounge, the room became quieter. The lake outside reflected the rising sun.

Franz stayed seated. He rested his hands flat on the table, fingers spread, as if anchoring the thought before speaking again.

"You will need extra security on-site," Arianne said calmly. "Remote locations can be unpredictable."

"It’s arranged," he answered. "We’ll have a small crew and limited access."

She nodded once.

"You’ll handle the acquisition sequence before we leave," she said.

"Yes."

She didn’t look away. "And afterward?"

"I’ll stay in touch."

Arianne stood and gathered her tablet. Franz stood up as well.

They walked back to the suite to get their luggage. They could hear the soft sounds of people leaving—rolling suitcases, distant elevator sounds, and quiet goodbyes. The forum was wrapping up.

Inside the suite, the light was brighter. Arianne set her tablet on the console and went to the wardrobe to get her coat. Franz watched her for a moment before getting closer.

"The location is isolated," he said as if sharing important information. "The signal might be weak."

"Then make sure the technical team prepares backup plans," she replied.

"I will."

He paused for a moment before continuing. "The scene needs a lot of outside shooting. The schedule might change." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Arianne turned to him. "Make adjustments as needed."

Her voice was calm. She didn’t seem worried about the distance.

Franz looked at her a moment longer than usual.

"I’ll be gone for a week," he said again, not because she didn’t understand, but to make the reality clear.

She didn’t soften or step back.

"I heard you," she said quietly. He knew she wasn’t asking him to stay.

He nodded once, but didn’t step back.

The space between them changed. He stepped closer, stopping just short of touching her. She didn’t step back.

"I won’t delay departure," he said. "It’s set for Monday."

"Understood."

Franz looked at her face for a moment, as if he was trying to understand something inside her. He didn’t say what he found.

Instead, he picked up her coat and handed it to her.

Their fingers brushed as she took it. This time, he didn’t hold on. His hand dropped to his side instead of lingering.

They left the suite together and walked toward the lobby. The forum doors opened automatically as they approached, letting in a rush of cool air from the lake.

Cars stood along the curb for delegates leaving. Drivers moved between doors. Assistants checked names twice before waving vehicles forward. Engines idled. Doors shut in sequence. Conversations cut off mid-sentence as cars pulled away.

Franz turned slightly toward her before they reached their car.

"I’ll finish the call schedule tonight," he said.

"Send it to me," she replied.

He nodded once.

They stood still for a moment, surrounded by the noise of people leaving. He held her gaze a second longer than usual.

Arianne held his gaze steadily.

"Don’t be late," she said.

A slight smile appeared on his face. "I won’t."

The driver opened the car door.

They got in next to each other.

As the car pulled away, the forum receded behind them.

The car merged into traffic along the lake.

Franz checked his phone. He scrolled once, then locked the screen without reading further.

Arianne looked ahead. Her hands rested steady on her lap.

Neither looked back.