Chapter 145

As soon as the Faulkners were gone, Erick's hard look melted into a lopsided grin. "You doing alright?"

Eleanor's lips parted just enough for her to breathe out a quiet word of gratitude.

To her surprise, Erick quickly waved her off and nodded toward Nolan, standing a little distance away.

"If you're grateful, you should be thanking Mr.Stewart," Erick said before ducking out of sight.

Left standing there, Eleanor said nothing as her gaze landed on Nolan, who made his way over at a relaxed pace.

He stopped right in front of her, eyes zeroing in on her lips, a sly smile flickering. "I thought you had something to say to me. I'm listening."

Catching the mischievous glint in his eyes, Eleanor instantly understood what he was angling for.

Her eyes flicked upward in exasperation. "Forget it.If you keep pushing, I'll walk away right now."

Nolan's teasing look vanished in a flash. His attention shifted to the angry red mark on her arm, and his expression turned icy.

The Faulkner family. They would pay dearly for touching her.

After carefully cleaning her wound and placing a fresh bandage, Nolan pulled out his phone and fired off a message when she didn't notice.

Within moments, Erick sent back a quick reply."Already on it!"

Nolan wasn't usually harsh, but the Faulkners had overstepped. They had no idea what kind of trouble they had brought on themselves.

The following day, the Faulkner family's underhanded attempt to trap their competitors with bogus contracts was exposed for all to see.

The IRS moved in without delay.

By the afternoon, the entire Faulkner empire was under investigation, and their tax evasion alone was enough to destroy everything they owned.

Once considered one of Elepdon's most powerful families, the Faulkner family were forced to declare bankruptcy.

That the Faulkner family caused trouble for Eleanor and ended up ruined was hardly a coincidence.

Everyone quickly connected the dots. Nolan had been the architect behind their downfall.

A wave of panic swept through the city's social elite.

Wealthy families scrambled to review their own affairs,terrified that one careless relative might have crossed Eleanor or Nolan.

Even the slightest suspicion of a misstep sent family leaders rushing their members to the Stewart family's estate, eager to beg forgiveness in person and desperate not to be next on the chopping block.

The moment Norwood uncovered the whole truuth,rage overtook him. He smashed his favorite mug in a fit of anger and demanded Nolan's return that same night.

The second Nolan walked inside, Norwood swung his cane at him.

"What on earth were you thinking?" Norwood snapped.

With his head lowered, Nolan took the blow without protest.

Norwood, voice trembling with rage, jabbed a finger at Nolan. "Our family name carries weight in Elepdon,but you'd risk making enemies out of every family in town for the sake of one woman? What do you think will become of us then?"

He had been right about Eleanor. She had always attracted trouble, and a woman with so many enemies could only drag Nolan down. In his mind, someone like that could never become his grandson's wife.

The longer Norwood dwelled on it, the more his fury hardened into resolve. His hands shook as he leveled a finger at Nolan, the very man he had raised, and issued a final warning. "End things with that woman now, or I'll take matters into my own hands."

Nolan's eyes turned steely.

He drew himself upright and locked eyes with Norwood, defiance written in his stare. "Grandpa, I did nothing wrong. The Faulkners were rotten, and their end was coming either way. I only sped up the process. As for my relationship with Eleanor..."

After a brief silence, he spoke with unwavering resolve. "I refuse to leave her. If you deny me the chance to marry her, then I'll stay single for the rest of my life."

For the Stewart family, with wealth and legacy on the line, such words carried heavy weight.

Norwood struggled for air as his cane slammed hard against the floorboards. "That woman's bewitched you! Someone, take him away! Lock him in the basement. He's not leaving until he's done five hours of penance.