It was getting chillier, and the leaves outside were turning yellow.


    Quinn was chilling by the window, watching the leaves dance around. She had this wooden figure in her hand, already carved up. She was just mindlessly stroking it. Next to her, Sprout was trying to get up from his stroller but kept failing. He reached out his tiny hand, trying to grab the thing in Quinn''s hand. When he couldn''t get it, he started tugging at her sleeve.


    Quinn turned and saw him grinning at her, mouth wide open, drooling like crazy.


    She paused for a sec and handed him the wooden figure. His hands were so small that it fell right into the stroller as soon as he grabbed it.


    But he didn''t give up and reached out with both hands to pick it up again.


    Quinn sighed and pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe the drool off his face.


    Looking into Sprout''s eyes, she couldn''t help but think of that familiar face.


    It had been a year since Sprout was born, and she often thought Alexander was dead.


    When that thought popped up now, Quinn wasn''t as freaked out by it as before. But every time she saw Sprout, those old memories woulde rushing back.


    Every time she saw Sprout, she''d think about Alexander''s death and the past, torturing herself over and over.


    After a while, she had the postpartum nurse take Sprout away and headed to the office.


    Kyle brought over a stack of documents. She was pretty familiar with this stuff now and could get the gist of it with a quick nce.


    As she flipped through the papers, she suddenly saw a foreignpany based in Country H.


    Quinn zoned out for a moment.


    Noticing she was staring at that page for a while, Kyle asked, "What''s up, Mrs. Kennedy?"


    Quinn snapped out of it and looked up at him. "Got any news about him?"


    Ever since she heard "Country H" from Casey, she had Kyle looking into it, but he hadn''t given her any updates.


    Kyle was caught off guard and shook his head, "Nope, we don''t have many connections there. It''s tough to dig up info. Last time you mentioned expanding our business there, and it''s just starting to show some progress." "How''s it going?" Quinn asked.


    "We found two partnerpanies and set up a financialpany there, but you know how strong their local forces are. It''s almost impossible for us to grow big," Kyle replied.


    He added, "And we can''t register thepany under the Mellon Group name. Otherwise, given our size, setting up apany there would definitely attract attention."


    Quinn knew this. She had been keeping an eye on Country Htely. Their local forces were strong enough to cause political upheaval and truly controlled the national economy.


    "I know." Quinn sighed. She didn''t care about thepany''s size. Expanding business to Country H wasn''t about making money.


    Kyle guessed her thoughts and hesitantly said, "Just so happens that next month we need to discuss next year''s strategic n with those twopanies. How about you go there for an in-person meeting?" Previously, all meetings were online. It wasn''t impossible for Quinn to attend an in-person meeting.


    "How long will I need to stay?" Quinn asked.


    "The meeting won''t take long. If you want to spend some time there, the duration is uncertain," Kyle answered.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Quinn had wanted to go for a long time, but now Sprout was so young. If Sprout didn''t see her for a long time, he''d cry and need her tofort him personally. But taking him along might lead to unexpected incidents. Kyle noticed her concern and exined, "It''s pretty safe there. After all, it''s a country governed byw. We don''t have enemies there, so even if you take Sprout, nothing should happen."