Chapter 187

Barely had Nolan begun to make his moves when the Todd Group's stock nosedived within days.

Before long, headlines everywhere screamed about the Todd family's impending collapse.

In her bedroom, Lainey sprawled across the sofa,a glass of red wine spinning lazily in her hand while her phone screen lit up her satisfied grin.

She congratulated herself for being one step ahead.

Well before Nolan struck back, she had already ordered Horace's men to snatch up Emma.

Now the Todd family's name was drowning in public ridicule, and Emma had disappeared so cleanly that no one could dig up a single clue.

Even Nolan, with all his power, had nothing that tied back to her.

Lainey allowed herself to breathe easy at last.

Grabbing her phone, she tapped a familiar number without hesitation.

The moment the call went through, her voice melted into syrupy sweetness. "Horace, I can't thank you enough. I'll always remember how much you've done for me."

She twirled a strand of hair around her finger, her tone sliding into something more cautious. "But tell me, what about Emma? Are you sure you've handled her the way l asked?"

On the other end, Horace let out a rough, impatient chuckle."You still doubt me, you little fox? | shipped her off to the open sea just like you wanted, andl even rigged the DNA test. Now quit dancing around-when are you giving me the shares you promised?"

The smile on Lainey's face faltered at once.

Because of Fraser's meddling, she hadn't gotten her hands on any shares at all.

And if she didn't have them, she couldn't possibly hand anything over to Horace.

She also knew better than to reveal that.

If he learned she had no claim to the Benton family's assets, he might drop her altogether.

She hesitated, pretending to consider her options,though her heart was racing. "It can't happen overnight. If I hand off a big chunk of shares right after securing them, people will start asking questions. And if they trace the deal back to you,that won't end well."

Horace had never been the kind of man who could be easily tricked.

After three long years of dealing with Lainey, he understood every shade of her cunning.

"It better stay that way." His tone shifted abruptly,the warmth stripped away and replaced with an unspoken threat. "If you ever think of going back on your word, you already know what happens next."

Without another word, he ended the call, leaving dead silence behind.

Lainey's temper flared, and for a split second she almost hurled the phone across the room.

"Damn it!" she hissed through clenched teeth.

That filthy street rat had the audacity to threaten her?

He ought to be thankful she was giving him the shares. She was set to inherit the Benton legacy, a woman whose name alone would carry weight and earn respect from everyone in Elepdon.

And yet some gang leader thought he had the right to negotiate with her?

The moment her place in the Benton family was secured, she swore the first name on her list of enemies would be his.

Just as Lainey's anger ebbed and she sank toward the bed, the faint creak of footsteps stirred the silence outside her room.

A sharp jolt of unease shot through her, and she forced her breathing steady as she tossed the phone onto the sofa with deliberate ease.

Seconds ticked by, yet no knock landed on her door.

Instead, the sound drifted farther down the corridor,leading straight toward the master bedroom.

Curiosity pricked at her nerves, and she slid to the door, easing it open just enough to spy.

There in the corridor, Jeff gripped a bulky brown envelope tight against his chest.

His posture screamed tension, his head snapping from side to side before he slipped into the master bedroom with haste.

Lainey's eyes narrowed, and the corner of her mouth lifted ever so slightly.

Jeff never carried himself like that unless he was guarding a secret.

Whatever lay inside that envelope had to be worth hiding.

Lainey made up her mind to trail after Jeff and find out for herself.

She had no intention of letting his tricks blindside her.

Jeff, however, had no idea a pair of watchful eyes was fixed on his back.

Right then, he was busy passing the envelope into his wife's hands, and she accepted it with a look of eager anticipation.