Chapter 213

On the flight home,Eleanor slipped away to freshen up,eager to wash off the exhaustion from the trip.

She returned a few minutes later,settling comfortably into her seat before turning her attention to the man beside her. "So, how did things play out with the Fist Guild?" she asked, curiosity flickering in her gaze.

Nolan's eyes drifted open, and he gently enclosed her cool hand within the warmth of his own.

A touch of drowsiness lingered in his voice. "The Fist Guild carries great influence in Zerovia. If it were to fall apart, the gangs would splinter into factions,and the disorder that followed would stir up even greater trouble."

He continued, "The woman who runs the Fist Guild actually has her head on straight. She handed back all their ill-gotten gains, trying to make peace before things could turn ugly."

He paused, then pulled a file from his bag and handed it over. "We even ended up with a bonus out of all this." With a puzzled look, Eleanor opened the folder.

Inside, a bank statement showed a sea of transactions,but one transfer from the Benton Group jumped out: one hundred million, clear as day.

Eleanor's expression iced over.

She didn't need to ask. Lainey's fingerprints were all over this.

Embezzling funds on this scale was unbelievable.

Shutting the file with a quiet snap,Eleanor leveled her gaze at Nolan, a hint of a smirk curling her lips."Funny,you mention unexpected bonuses. I've got one of my own," she said, waving her phone. "I found a stash of photos from Lainey's wild days in Horace's lounge.Let's just say she won't want anyone seeing these."

The plane touched down at Elepdon Airport before sunrise.

No sooner had they stepped off the jet than someone rushed toward them.

Lillian threw her arms around Eleanor, clutching her tightly. "Eleanor! I thought I'd lost you for good," she cried, her voice thick with emotion.

Ryland dragged himself along at the rear, exhaustion written all over his face and dark shadows under his eyes.

Nothing about the last few days had been easy.

With Nolan gone to Zerovia to rescue Eleanor, every responsibility for the Stewart Group had fallen on his shoulders.

Endless paperwork kept him busy from dawn to dusk,and to make matters worse, Besty kept storming the Stewart family's manor, demanding Eleanor's return and turning every day into a circus.

Ryland fixed Nolan with a look that mixed relief and exasperation. "You're finally/ back. I thought I'd never see the end of this mess."

As Ryland vented his frustration, Nolan's gaze moved to Lillian, who clung to Eleanor like she might never let go. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

Having just pulled Eleanor out of real danger,Nolan wasn't about to let anyone else keep her out of his reach.

He wasted no time. Reaching out, he disentangled Eleanor from Lillian's grasp and pulled her firmly into his own arms.

"Eleanor needs to rest. I'lI be taking her home now,"he said, tone brooking no argument and leaving no room for protest.

Before leaving, Nolan tossed a folder straight at Ryland. "Take this to the Benton family's estate. Give it to Jeff."

Ryland accepted his fate with a heavy sense of inevitability.

With the document still in his hand, he watched the couple leave and felt a sinking certainty that his long days of exhaustion were far from ending.

He carried the name of the Brooks family, and he could not understand how Nolan could treat him as if he were of so little worth.

Lillian watched in confusion, still processing the abrupt handoff.

All she had wanted was to check on Eleanor. What did Nolan have against her?

Upon returning to the villa in Regal Heights, Nolan held his pillow and stubbornly trailed Eleanor all the way to the third floor.

He claimed he had missed her so much, the thought of being apart again left him uneasy.

A hint of annoyance flickered in Eleanor's eyes before her expression softened. "Alright, but I'm sleeping in my own bed. The guest room's all yours."

Nolan wasn't having it. "If you're in the bed, I'm at least sleeping on your floor. I'm not leaving you alone tonight."

She glanced at the needles near her bedside and considered how much he had been through.Reluctantly, she gave in.

When night fell, Nolan went all out, pulling out every card he had, all the car keys, even offering up the deeds to his properties.

Spreading the documents across the bed, he gave her a hopeful, almost sheepish look. "Eleanor,everything I have is yours if you just let me sleep next to you tonight."

She didn't so much as flinch.

With one glance at his display, Eleanor slid under the covers and turned away. "Goodnight. I'm exhausted."

Seeing she wouldn't budge, Nolan took the hint.

He grabbed a blanket and settled down on the floor beside her bed.

There he was, a billionaire sprawled on the floor,sighing. Winning Eleanor's heart would never be simple, no matter how much he offered.