Mag-log inThe next morning, Ellena dressed in a crisp black suit and tied her hair into a low, elegant bun. Her face looked calm, composed but her heart was heavier than she let on.This was her first official visit to the Arnoult Group after the news of her takeover had gone public.Though she had been connected to the company in name through Edward for years, this was the first time she walked into its halls with true authority. With a title. With power. And with pressure.Paul arrived at her house right on time to escort her to the office.The moment the black car pulled into the underground parking lot, employees began to take notice. And when Ellena stepped out in heels, sharp lines, and an unreadable expression, their murmurs followed her like a low, curious wave.Some watched with blatant curiosity.Some with restrained skepticism.And some with open disdain.After all, in their eyes, Ellena had never truly belonged to this world of n
Ellena chuckled lightly, the corners of her lips curling up with a cool grace. “Previously, Madeline had been frantically looking for Naomi. I guess they’ve finally found her.”“Sure enough, I knew you’d guess it!” Chloe’s eyes lit up as she clapped her hands in excitement. “I had the same feeling too. I mean, who else would make the Smiths go in and out of a hospital so often? It's not like they’re known for compassion.”“I know the Smith family well enough,” she continued. “They don’t care about people without a reason. The only ones they’d be so cautious about are either deeply tied to them… or Naomi herself.”Ellena’s expression darkened slightly as memories she would rather forget came rushing back. She had long seen through the veneer the Smiths used to disguise their hypocrisy. Their affection was always transactional, calculated.“The
Ellena's refusal didn’t end the reporter’s line of questioning. Instead, the man pressed forward boldly, as if emboldened by the silence that followed.“I think this is still related to the Arnoult Group, Miss Smith,” he insisted, voice rising slightly. “Now that the group is under your control, we just want to understand the reasons behind the transfer. Don’t the public and shareholders deserve to know?”A few gasps and murmurs followed among the crowd of reporters.Ellena’s expression didn’t waver. Her tone remained composed, but colder this time. “That is a personal matter,” she replied crisply. “Forgive me for not answering you.”The reporter opened his mouth again, but before he could utter another word, Paul stepped forward. With a subtle nod, he signaled to the staff on standby. Within moments, two security personnel made their way over and led the persistent reporter out of the room.This wasn’t an ordinary company. It was the Arnoult Group. Even with Edward’s disappearance, t
Paul took the neatly folded newspaper from his side and handed it to Ellena with a solemn expression. The headline was bold and striking, unmistakably referring to the Arnoult Group and Edward’s disappearance.Ellena accepted it calmly, her eyes sweeping across the front page only for a brief second before she folded it again and placed it aside on the coffee table. “I’ve already read it online,” she said with detached poise.In truth, she hadn’t read every word. She didn’t need to. All the headlines said the same thing, about the accident, the disappearance, the missing CEO. She didn’t need words to feel the chaos boiling just under the surface of her carefully constructed calm. She was already living it.Paul remained quiet for a moment, perhaps surprised by her nonchalance. But Ellena had always been strong in her own way. After a moment, he said, “We might hold a press conference next.”Ellena nodd
However, the problem was that they had no news of Edward yet, and there had been no trace of Sampson either.Judging from the current situation, they had no news of Edward.It was hard to say whether Edward would take the initiative to contact them.However, the most pressing issue right now was that the the Arnoult Group. If Edward disappeared for one more days, the employees of the Arnoult Group would be even more panicked.After the two of them finished speaking, they became silent.After a while, Paul said, "Miss Smith, please consider it."What he meant was to let Ellena consider taking over the Arnoult Group.Ellena's expression became more indifferent. "I don't know how to do business."A hint of joy flashed across Paul's eyes. "That's okay. I will help you."In terms of affection, Paul had been through more experience than Edward had.He and Carolina had been in love when they were in college. In the end,
Ellena reached out to the nanny Paul had introduced. The woman was a native of Herton City, living in the quiet outskirts.There was nothing ostentatious about her—no airs or pretense. Just a calm, homely simplicity in the way she spoke and carried herself.Despite everything she had been through lately, Ellena still trusted Paul’s judgment when it came to people. After a short conversation with the nanny over a cup of warm tea, she sensed a kind of grounded warmth in the woman. Perhaps it was the steady gaze or the gentle tone of her voice. Ellena made her decision.The housekeeper moved into Ellena’s home the very next day.Elaine, to Ellena's relief, did not reject the nanny. In fact, she seemed curious—watchful but not hostile. Ellena had braced herself for tears, tantrums, or stubborn silence from her daughter. But there were none. Elaine's quiet acceptance surprised her and, in a strange way, made her feel both hopeful and he
After Ellena left, Paul went to Edward's study room.Paul looked around the room and quietly helped the chair up from the ground and pushed it behind Edward.Edward sat down with an ashen face.His tone was cold. "Did you call Ellena over?"Paul's heart skipped a beat. His expression changed slightly. "
Ellena returned to the kitchen and placed her hands on the counter. She took a deep breath and started to boil the water.In the past, when she cooked for Edward, how could he bear to give it to others?Edward had cherished every meal she had made for him in the past, and he would have never been will
Chloe heard this and asked with a surprised expression, "Did he hit you? Your father beat you up?" What she said just now was just a joke. But she did not expect it. Although she also felt that Edward was terrifying, no matter how she looked at it, she did not think that Edward would beat up his own
When Ellena and Chloe hurried back and opened the door, they saw that the television in the hall was turned on. Ellena looked around and called out, "Ellie?" Elaine stood up from the sofa. Her chin and face were full of potato chips. Her hair was messy and she was holding the remote control in her h







