Single Mother of a Werewolf Baby
Chapter 142: House of Lords

Chapter 142: House of Lords

Three days had passed since the Stockport Scandal erupted across headlines and social media feeds. Yet despite their relentless efforts, the Greymoore Clan found no evidence that could be traced back to the Raynor Clan. Surprisingly, all Raynor members had remained stationed at their respective posts during that dreadful night. Even the activities of the Blanc Clan were scrutinized, but investigators came up empty-handed.

Eleanor had anticipated this scenario long before executing her plan. She had meticulously arranged for all her shadow guards who worked the Stockport operation to travel exclusively in helicopters and cars owned or rented through Edward Miller, chairman of the Miller Group. It wasn’t just a safety measure... it was a calculated move. The Millers, too, stood to benefit from the operation’s outcome.

She had even taken Edward Miller with her when she visited Mayor Grant a day before the scandal broke. With the sudden downfall of the Brown family, Eleanor made sure the Miller Group would have the opportunity to enter Stockport and fill the resulting power vacuum. Edward’s patience and loyalty were now bearing fruit.

Although both Edward Miller and Mayor Grant had some idea of what was coming, neither of them had foreseen the sheer scale of the takedown. The coordinated arrests, the media frenzy, the public outrage... it was beyond anything they imagined. While they didn’t know Eleanor’s exact plans regarding the appointment of the next Prime Minister, the signs were becoming harder to ignore. Her people were becoming increasingly active in the capital, and it was clear that the Eleanor’s influence was rising swiftly. Edward Miller knew all first hand because all Eleanor’s people used vehicles from his company.

The Brown family, once untouchable, had crumbled under the weight of the scandal. Their assets were frozen, their companies placed under government scrutiny, and the media relentlessly painted them as a criminal organization. Oliver Brown, along with his longtime secretary, had vanished. Police searched frantically for him, but no clues had surfaced. Everyone assumed he had fled with help from the opposition party members caught in the scandal.

Unbeknownst to the authorities, Oliver and his secretary had both been quietly eliminated on the very night of the incident by guards from Clan Blanc. After extracting every piece of useful information from them, they were silenced. Eleanor’s shadow team raided Oliver’s hidden vault and retrieved an enormous hoard of gold and diamonds, along with sensitive documents for future use.

Eleanor, never one to hoard ill-gotten wealth, gifted all the retrieved gold and diamonds to the Blanc Clan for their internal development. The act stunned Clan Head Dominic Blanc, who was so surprised by the unexpected fortune that he immediately called Fiona Raynor to confirm if it was truly a gift.

Fiona, unaware of the details, simply replied, "If Eleanor gave it to you, then you should keep it. After all, it wasn’t Raynor Clan money. That wealth was looted from humans. It’s better used for your clan’s future."

During the interrogation phase of the mission, Eleanor’s team uncovered several offshore accounts in Oliver’s name, holding more than ten billion dollars. Without hesitation, Eleanor transferred the entire sum to a secure account belonging to Anastasiya Ivanova in Russia, the beloved granddaughter of Lord Alexander Ivanov. Anastasiya was currently living in Eleanor’s villa area, along with Teresa and Cassandra. The money would serve as a major investment for the joint project Anastasiya and Lily were developing.

Laila Hasanović, a former member of the Imperial Haven... had now been given a new identity: Laila Monroe. She had officially joined Eleanor’s security team. As a woman, she was permitted to board Eleanor’s car and acted as her aide when Teresa wasn’t available. Laila proved especially helpful in managing protocols and security logistics for Eleanor’s increasing busy schedules.

Today, Eleanor was en route to Langford Estate to meet her granduncle, Walter Langford, the current Earl of Birmingham. The visit was not just familial... it had political significance.

American businessman Brian Morgan was currently overseeing the transformation of Langford Park into a major entertainment hub. Since the park was located in the heart of Old Birmingham City, its value would skyrocket upon completion. Councilor Louis Turner had been instrumental in smoothing regulatory hurdles for the project. When both men heard of Eleanor’s planned visit to the estate, they made sure to be present to welcome her.

As Eleanor’s convoy stopped in front of the historic Langford castle and she stepped gracefully out of the vehicle, both Brian and Louis hurried forward to greet her.

"Welcome, Miss Raynor," they said in unison, offering practiced smiles.

Eleanor smiled inwardly at their enthusiasm. Just months ago, these same men had been threatening to both the Langfords and Eleanor. Now they were behaving like loyal supporters.

"Good morning, Mr. Morgan. Mr. Turner. How have you both been?" she asked with polite warmth.

The two men exchanged pleasantries with her, clearly eager to stay in her good graces.

Walter Langford and the Langford family’s long-serving butler, Graham, stood at the castle gates with several other senior staff to receive her. Eleanor walked up to them and greeted, "Good morning, Granduncle. Good morning, everyone. I hope all is well."

Graham replied, "Thanks to you, everything here has improved dramatically. Councilor Turner has even lent us his support several times."

Eleanor turned toward Louis with a nod. "Then I must thank you personally, Councilor."

Louis offered a modest bow. "It’s nothing, really. It was my duty as a local representative."

Walter gestured toward the entrance. "Come inside. You’ve traveled a long way to get here."

Eleanor agreed. "Yes. And I need to speak with you privately."

After everyone was seated in the castle’s grand hall, Eleanor and Walter withdrew to a secret chamber, accessible only to members of the Langford family members.

Once seated, Eleanor went straight to the point. "I’m sure you’ve been following the news regarding the Stockport Scandal."

Walter chuckled. "Indeed. It’s been fascinating to watch. Who would’ve thought a single search warrant would devastate the entire kingdom."

Eleanor’s expression grew serious. "I came here to discuss a related matter. During the investigation, one of the House of Lords members was arrested. He held a Hereditary Peerage. Now, his seat is vacant."

Walter’s eyes narrowed. He instantly understood Eleanor’s intension. "And you want me to re-enter the House of Lords?"

Eleanor nodded. "Yes. The Langfords have been out of politics for too long. I want you to reclaim your place."

Walter hesitated. "I could express my intent to return, but there’s a vote involved. That might complicate things."

"You don’t need to worry about the vote," Eleanor said calmly. "I’ll take care of that. All you need to do is call your party leaders and inform them that you’re interested in filling the vacant seat."

She could see doubt flicker in his eyes. Eleanor looked at his eyes, her gaze piercing. "Call them now. Restore the Langford name. As the Earl, it is your duty."

Under her commanding presence, Walter finally took out his phone and began dialing. To his astonishment, everything moved faster than expected. The party leaders responded with enthusiasm, welcoming his return to politics. Their tone was deferential, even eager.

What Walter didn’t know was that Eleanor had already spoken to them in advance, urging them to support his nomination. She had cleared the path... he simply needed to walk it.

After returning to the main hall, Eleanor joined the others in discussing the progress of the Langford Park Entertainment Center and several other development projects involving Langford Estate properties. Brian Morgan’s company had taken the lead in most of these developments. Since Teresa had been handling the collaboration, Eleanor hadn’t had the chance to learn about the full scope of the projects. She listened carefully, asking a few sharp questions, and nodded with quiet approval at the responses.

After about half an hour, Eleanor politely excused herself. There was one more place she needed to visit before leaving—the grave of her mother, Helena Langford Raynor. She walked alone through the quiet garden path to the small family cemetery behind the estate, the wind gently brushing her hair. The stone was simple, elegant. Eleanor stood silently for several minutes, lost in thought. Her lips moved slightly, perhaps in prayer, perhaps in a promise. Then, with a deep breath, she turned back toward her car and began the journey to Manchester.

Seven days later, news broke that Earl Walter Langford had been elected to the House of Lords. The announcement sent shockwaves through Birmingham’s political circles. Many local politicians had written off the Langfords as a fading name—respected, yes, but no longer influential. They had only maintained public courtesies because the people of the region still admired the Langfords for their long history of humanitarian work.

The most stunned among them was Councilor Louis Turner. He had maintained close ties with the Langfords in recent weeks but hadn’t sensed even a whisper of this development. When he confronted Brian about it, the American simply shrugged and said, "If Eleanor Raynor is involved, then anything’s possible."

When Brian discovered that Eleanor’s mother was the daughter of previous Earl Langford, he had been certain that the Langfords were destined to rise again.

Louis, on the other hand, found himself in an unexpected predicament. His growing association with the Langfords and the development of Langford Park had already boosted his reputation. People began seeing him as a rising star, a strong candidate in the future political landscape. Whispers circulated about him running for Member of Parliament from Birmingham. Some even asked him directly if he was planning to stand in the next election.

It got him thinking. Perhaps he could ride the wave and board the Langford ship in time for the next election. But there was one problem... his current party was in power, while the Langfords aligned with the opposition. He wasn’t sure how to switch sides without creating a scandal.

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