Single Mother of a Werewolf Baby
Chapter 37: The Return of the Lady

Chapter 37: The Return of the Lady

In front of Langford Castle, only a few people could be seen doing odd jobs around the area. Two cars were parked to the side. A few children were playing football nearby, not paying much attention to anything. Everything outside the castle was calm and peaceful.

The silence was suddenly broken by a convoy of cars speeding in through the main gate, sending fallen leaves flying in their wake. The hum of engines echoed across the castle grounds.

Ten black Range Rovers came to a halt in front of the castle, one behind the other, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. The sight caused a stir. More than thirty armed guards stepped out of the vehicles and took up strategic positions around the area. Once the perimeter was secured, the driver of the middle car exited and walked to the back, opening the rear door.

A tall, graceful, and strikingly beautiful young woman stepped out of the car and stood still for a moment. She wore a deep purple, handmade cashmere-striped business suit that enhanced her natural elegance. On her feet were special edition Amethyst high heels, boosting her height to over six feet. She looked around with an air of authority, then walked gracefully into the castle through the front door.

Another woman emerged from the opposite side of the car. She was Asian, tall, and well-proportioned, dressed in a sleek black business suit. She hurriedly followed the first woman.

While one bodyguard remained near the car, the others repositioned themselves... some stationed at the castle entrance, others circling to the back and covering the perimeter. One guard followed the two women into the grand hall, the only area where activity could be sensed.

Inside the hall, chaos reigned. Two opposing parties were shouting at each other. Butler Graham Langford was frantically trying to contact the police but found his mobile had no signal. Someone had jammed the network. Realizing the gravity of the situation, his face turned pale as he silently prayed for a miracle to prevent impending disaster.

At that moment, the sharp click of high heels on the concrete floor echoed down the corridor, catching everyone’s attention. Heads turned toward the door as an extraordinarily beautiful young woman entered, followed by the Asian woman in the business suit and a muscular bodyguard.

The leading woman commented as if speaking to the air, "Oh! It’s lively here. Please, carry on." She and her entourage stood there, their posture suggesting they had come to watch a show.

The Langford household froze in shock. One name surfaced in everyone’s mind: "Lady Esmeralda Langford." They stared at the newcomer in disbelief, unable to speak.

On the other side, Brian Morgan’s face paled as he recognized these women. He knew them well... Miss Eleanor Raynor and her assistant, Miss Teresa Li.

"Why are these two dangerous women here now? Are they also after the land? I need to leave immediately. This isn’t worth dying over. There will be more chances to make money... if I survive today," he thought, panic rising.

As a member of the California Chamber of Commerce, Brian had heard many terrifying rumors about these two. Miss Eleanor ran her business empire like a sovereign monarch. Within two years, she had absorbed dozens of companies into her conglomerate. Once she targeted a company, it either sold to her or went bankrupt, regardless of its size or strength. Even more disturbing were the directors who had opposed her sometimes vanished without a trace. Though there were numerous reports filed, no concrete evidence had ever been found to implicate her.

And Teresa Li? She was known in the business world as the Harbinger of Death. Within the CalChamber, there was an ominous saying: "If you see Miss Teresa Li in your office, start praying so that she offers you a fair deal." No one could refuse her... those who did either went bankrupt or disappeared.

In seconds, Brian adopted his most flattering expression and stepped forward, bowing slightly. "Good afternoon, Miss Raynor, Miss Li. I had no idea you were interested in this land. If I had known, I wouldn’t have dared set foot in the Kingdom. Please forgive me. I’ll leave immediately... no, I’ll leave the country."

Eleanor looked genuinely confused. "Do I know you?" she asked, turning to Teresa.

Brian quickly interjected, "A woman of your stature wouldn’t know someone like me. I’m just a humble member of the CalChamber. I’ve merely seen you and Miss Li at our programs. Please pardon my boldness. I’ll be leaving right away."

He turned to a stunned Louis, who had been interpreting all the Langford’s shocked expressions as fear. Brian grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the castle. Louis began to protest but went quiet as he saw the armed guards in full tactical formation outside. He climbed into the car without another word, and the vehicle sped away.

Inside the grand hall, the Langfords stood frozen, completely bewildered by what had just occurred. These same men, Brian and Louis, had been threatening them mere seconds ago. Now they had fled, seemingly terrified, all because of one woman’s arrival.

"How powerful is she? What’s her relation to Lady Esmeralda? Our Lady died many years ago. She couldn’t have come back to life, right?" the staff silently wondered, their minds racing.

Breaking the heavy silence, Eleanor finally spoke. "I am Eleanor Langford, daughter of Lady Esmeralda Langford. I’ve come to visit my relatives and pay my respects at my mother’s grave."

It was as if a bomb had exploded in the hall.

After a long pause, Butler Graham Langford was the first to regain his composure. He bowed deeply. "Welcome home, My Lady. It’s an honour to have you among us."

The rest of the staff, stirred by his words, followed suit and said in unison, "Welcome, My Lady."

Eleanor smiled gently. "Thank you, everyone. I’m happy to see you all. From your appearance, I can tell many of you knew my mother."

From the main seat, Earl Walter Langford rose slowly and walked in a daze toward Eleanor. He stopped in front of her and reached out with trembling hands to touch her face. The moment his fingers made contact; his body visibly shivered. The authoritative aura he had carried before in front of Louis and Brian dissolved into vulnerability.

He whispered, almost inaudibly, "How...?!"

Eleanor didn’t reject his touch. She could feel the emotion from the old man. From what she had heard from Mayor Grant, this man must be her mother’s uncle — the current Earl of Birmingham, Walter Langford.

After a few moments, Walter regained some composure and said in a trembling voice, "How could Esmeralda have a daughter and no one informed us? Why didn’t you come back to the family? It must have been tough for you to grow up outside the family. Why didn’t you come back earlier?"

Tears streamed down his face as he spoke, and in the end, he stopped talking... only holding Eleanor’s face in his palms and crying silently.