Willow White's mood was terrible. After returning home, she furiously threw several items on the floor, breaking them in an attempt to diminish her anger. Her boyfriend had warned her to stay away from Eleanor, hinting that she had powerful backing from somewhere.
Although Eleanor had been a school beauty back then, she seemed to have bloomed even more now. She was more stunning than before, and there was an air of confidence around her that only enhanced her beauty further. Willow couldn't deny the jealousy boiling inside her when she caught her boyfriend secretly ogling Eleanor from behind. In fact, she had only noticed Eleanor today because she had been following her boyfriend's line of sight. That had been the last straw.
Her fury intensified as she recalled the scene at the store. The day had started so well… she had been overjoyed when her boyfriend promised to buy her a bag and some accessories from Louis Vuitton while they were at the hotel last night. But that vixen had ruined everything. In the end, she hadn't even had the chance to buy the bag she had been eyeing for months.
After finally calming down, Willow picked up her phone and called Jennifer Whitmore, informing her about her encounter with Eleanor. Of course, she left out the embarrassing details of the confrontation. She didn't particularly like Jennifer, but since the White family's business was linked with the Whitmores, her father had ordered her to maintain a friendly relationship. After all, their family was financially weaker than the Whitmores and heavily dependent on them.
Once Jennifer confirmed that Eleanor had truly returned, she immediately called her father.
"Dad, Eleanor is back in Manchester. Willow saw her at Louis Vuitton today, buying an expensive bag," Jennifer reported.
"Are you sure?" William Whitmore's voice was filled with disbelief. "The police couldn't find her back then, even after issuing a search warrant across the kingdom."
"I'm sure, Dad. Willow even spoke to her to confirm her identity."
William gnashed his teeth in frustration. "Why did that bitch have to return now of all times? It's been six years! The board agreed to appoint me as custodian for seven years. Just one more year, and I could have legally inherited her shares. I didn't want to show my hand with the documents I had her sign, but she's forcing me. Those old fools on the board will never support me if they know Eleanor is alive… they were all loyal to her mother."
Jennifer hesitated for a moment before asking, "What do we do now?"
William took a deep breath. "Let me think. Call James this evening. We need to prepare for this unexpected situation."
***
A few hours later, William, Jennifer, Jeanne, and James were gathered in his study for a serious discussion.
"Dad, I went to Louis Vuitton with Willow and checked their CCTV footage. It was definitely Eleanor. She even purchased a bag worth 2,500 pounds," Jennifer said.
Jeanne's face twisted in anger. "Why didn't that bitch just die all these years? Where could she have possibly hidden that the police couldn't find her? I thought she had either perished in some accident or killed herself out of shame."
James scoffed. "The important thing is that she spent more than two thousand on a bag. That means she has financial support. With her looks, she probably found herself a wealthy sugar daddy after running away."
Jeanne sneered. "Who in their right mind would take her as a mistress? Her rape and pregnancy scandal was all over the news back then."
William rubbed his temples. "We shouldn't waste time speculating about her past. What matters is why she's come back now. There's still one year left before she would have been presumed dead. I suspect that someone on the board is involved in this. One of the directors must have discovered our scheme and protected her all these years. I checked Eleanor's call records before she disappeared… no one except us had contacted her. So who could be powerful enough to orchestrate this?"
Jennifer pursed her lips. "I suspect Elliot Grant. He holds the second-highest share after us, 16%. He was also the one who proposed the seven-year presumed death rule, which limited you to being just a custodian and temporary chairman."
William's eyes darkened. "How many shares have you managed to buy from the market so far?"
"Just over 8%," Jennifer replied.
William nodded. "With Eleanor's 35% under my name and your 8%, that makes a total of 43%. We still need support from other shareholders to secure a majority. We have to prepare for the worst. If we have to show our hand, we must ensure we win. I'll work on securing additional support. Jennifer, as the general manager, you need to reach out to other shareholders discreetly. Be careful not to reveal too much."
Jennifer nodded. "I understand, Dad. I'll be cautious."
William turned to James. "I need you to contact your underground connections. If we can eliminate her quietly before she reclaims her shares, we'll avoid a lot of trouble."
James smirked. "Understood, Uncle. But after our last investment in Chen Group, my family is short on funds. You'll need to provide some financial backing."
William waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry. When the time comes, send your men to me… I'll handle the rest."
Jeanne added coldly, "James, this time, make sure she's dead. Don't believe anything unless you see the body with your own eyes."
James nodded. "Don't worry, Aunt. I'll confirm her death personally before disposal."
William exhaled deeply. "Also, try to find out exactly who is backing her. I'll send someone to monitor Elliot Grant's movements."
After further discussion, the meeting concluded, and everyone dispersed to handle their respective tasks.
***
The next morning, Eleanor was preparing to take Freya to school for her assessment when Ethan arrived at the villa.
"Freya, are you ready for school?" Ethan asked, taking a few glances at Eleanor. She was wearing a light green casual suit, her lips lightly colored with lipstick. She looked captivating. Though he wanted to admire her longer, he restrained himself, not wanting to appear indecent.
Freya pouted, clinging to him. "Daddy, I don't want to go to school! Mommy said I'll read, write, and play games there, but I can do that at home too. Why do I have to go?"
Seeing her small pout, Ethan chuckled. "But at school, you'll make lots of new friends. It's much more fun! Daddy went to school at your age, and so did Mommy."
Freya huffed. "But I have fun at home too."
Eleanor crouched beside her daughter and gently stroked her hair. "Sweetie, we talked about this last night. It's only for a few hours. Mommy will drop you off and pick you up every day. You're always home alone during my work hours… this way, you'll have friends instead of being by yourself."
Ethan said, "Since it's her assessment day, I thought I'd come along. Otherwise, people might think her father doesn't care about her."
Eleanor glanced at him, her heart warming at his thoughtfulness. Though she didn't express it, she appreciated his efforts. Ethan had been pursuing her for a long time, but she had yet to give in. She wanted the best for Freya and didn't need a man to provide it.
However, she had noticed the growing bond between Ethan and Freya. As a werewolf, she wasn't sure if her daughter's attachment was entirely voluntary or if the alpha-parent bond played a role. Ethan didn't know that she had already accepted him as Freya's father… she was just hesitant about making him her husband.
Shaking off her thoughts, she followed Ethan to the car. He secured Freya in the baby seat, waited for Eleanor to settle in, and then got into the driver's seat. Their journey to school began.