LOGINMadelineheard Ralph's words and slowly nodded. Her expression was lowered, and there was something faintly frightening in the way she spoke.Her eyes remained lowered, hiding the emotions within them. Her voice was soft and gentle, yet for some reason, it carried an indescribable chill."Please take the medicine first."She picked up the medicine from the table and handed it to Ralphas though nothing unusual had happened.Ralphwas still full of anger, but he did not continue arguing. He took the medicine she handed him and sat back down. The room gradually became quiet.The only sounds left were the faint clinking of the glass and Ralphswallowing the medicine with water. The tense atmosphere settled into an uneasy silence.Not long after, Nolanreturned.The front door opened, and hurried footsteps echoed through the living room.The moment he entered the room, his eyes went directly to Madeline.
Although Nolanfelt uncertain, he still asked softly, "Why are you so nervous?"Even though he had already sensed that something serious had happened, he forced himself to remain calm. Years of managing the company had taught him that panic never solved problems.The person on the other end of the phone sounded flustered and hurried."The contracts we signed before, they all called to terminate the cooperation. Not only that..."The employee's breathing was uneven, as though he had been answering phone calls without a break since morning.The employee continued speaking rapidly, reporting one matter after another.Every new piece of news was worse than the last. One long-term partner after another had either suspended cooperation or expressed the intention to withdraw. Several ongoing projects had also been affected, leaving the entire company in chaos.Nolan's expression gradually changed as he listened. By the time he heard the
Everyone in the office looked at each other.No one spoke immediately. The atmosphere in the meeting room turned subtle and tense.The silence stretched for several seconds. Although no one dared to question Ellenaopenly, the surprise on everyone's faces was impossible to hide. Some quietly exchanged glances, while others lowered their eyes to the documents in front of them, trying to conceal their thoughts.Although the Smithfamily only owned a small company, they were still fairly well-known in Herton City. Much of that attention had originally come from their engagement with the Arnoultfamily. Back then, the connection alone was enough to place them in the public eye.The marriage alliance between the two families had attracted considerable attention from both the business community and the media. Even people who had never paid attention to the SmithGroup had heard of its name because of its relationship with the Arnoultfa
Ellena's eyes were filled with a frightening warning.There was no need for her to raise her voice or show anger. The coldness in her gaze alone was enough to make the atmosphere tense.Her eyes were like a layer of frost, calm yet piercing. They carried neither hesitation nor pity, only an unmistakable warning. Anyone who met that gaze would instinctively feel an invisible pressure settling over them.Madelinewas stunned for a moment.She had not expected Ellenato look at her that way. For an instant, she seemed shaken. But very quickly, she recovered herself. The hesitation on her face disappeared and was replaced by stubborn hostility.Her fingers unconsciously tightened into fists beneath the table. She straightened her back as though doing so would restore the confidence that had been shaken by Ellena's words.She narrowed her eyes and said sharply, "Spencerdealt with Naomi, is it not because of you? If it wasn't becau
Ellenaonly raised her eyes to glance at Madelineand said a name indifferently, "Spencer."The single word was enough to change Madeline's expression.The pride that had been on her face a moment ago immediately showed a crack. Her fingers tightened around the coffee cup, and for an instant she did not know how to respond.The smile lingering on her lips stiffened before gradually disappearing. She instinctively lowered her gaze, trying to hide the sudden panic that flashed across her face. Although it lasted only a moment, Ellenacaught every subtle change in her expression.Ellenahad guessed from the beginning that the person who spread the news about Elainewas Spencer. There had never been many people who knew enough to use that matter against her. Spencerwas the most likely person.After all, Elaine's existence had always been carefully concealed. Very few people knew the truth, and even fewer possessed both th
There was no news on the Internet yet, but the people around Ellena already knew about Elaine's existence.The matter had spread quickly, yet nothing had appeared publicly online. That alone made Ellena feel that it was deliberate. Someone had chosen to let the information circulate only among people connected to her. It was not meant to create a public scandal yet. It was meant to reach her directly.That kind of method was far more unsettling than simply exposing everything to the public. It showed restraint. It showed calculation. Whoever was behind it knew exactly what they were doing. They were carefully controlling the pace, making sure the rumors reached the people Ellena knew before the outside world caught wind of them. It was as though an invisible hand was tightening around her, waiting for her to react before making the next move.Was this a warning?The thought flashed through her mind almost instinctively.As soon as that thought appeared in her mind, Ellena's phone lit u
Out of instinct for survival, Ellena struggled violently and fell to the ground with the chair."F * ck!"The kidnapper cursed and kicked Ellena in the stomach. He reached out to pull her hair and was about to pull her up.His kick was a bit powerful. Ellena was in so much pain that she broke out in co
Ellena was driving while paying attention to whether Ralph and the others' cars had caught up with her. When she was about to reach the abandoned garage, there was a sharp turn. After Ellena turned the corner, she did not see Ralph and his car again. She parked the car at the entrance of the abandon
Ellena's words were a little harsh. However, that was what she thought in her heart. Although Madeline seemed to be living a wealthy life in the Smith family, compared to other rich ladies, she was relatively easy to support. Most of the time, Madeline was making food and clothing for Ralph and the
Ellena's voice fell and the carriage fell into a strange silence. She looked at Paul who was driving in front and then turned to look at “Nicklaus”. Seeing that he was lost in thought, she reached out and patted him. "You still haven't told me what your cousin likes to eat." Edward came back to his







