Single Mother of a Werewolf Baby
Chapter 77: The Indifference

Chapter 77: The Indifference

The Clifford family and the Whitmore family had long suspected that someone was backing Eleanor. After weighing the possibilities, they concluded it must have been Elliot Grant. Given Eleanor’s mother’s past association with him, he seemed like the most likely candidate.

But now, seeing her beside Edward Miller, it was evident they had all been wrong.

She hadn’t just found protection, and she had found it in the highest of places. Eleanor Whitmore had become a plaything of Edward Miller.

It all made sense now... how she had vanished without a trace, how not even the combined efforts of the Cliffords, the Whitmores, or the police had found her. Of course, they hadn’t. The Miller family had the power and means to make someone disappear and remain invisible for years. If they wanted to hide someone, no force in the city could uncover that person’s whereabouts.

Back then, although only James and his mother had truly tried to search for her. At least the Clifford family name was behind them. And now, it was clear why the police had been so uninterested in pursuing her case. She had been under the protection of the Millers from the very beginning.

"That bitch," James thought through gritted teeth. "She wouldn’t even let me touch her when we were dating. Now she’s sleeping with an old man without shame?"

His fists clenched, his face flushed with rage. But a second later, he caught himself.

"Calm down. It’s not worth getting worked up over." He reminded himself, forcing a deep breath.

Fearing he might explode in front of everyone, James decided to take a moment to cool off. He turned to his companions with a forced smile.

"I need to use the restroom. I’ll be right back," he said.

The others barely noticed his departure, too preoccupied with selecting which woman each of them would approach later in the evening.

James slipped away, navigating the banquet hall until he reached the restroom. Luckily, it was still early in the event and the washroom was empty.

The moment the door closed behind him, his façade shattered. He let out a growl of frustration and punched the concrete wall hard enough to split his knuckles. Pain shot through his hand and momentarily dulling the storm inside his head.

"Who would’ve thought... that bland, boring little girl would turn into that," he muttered bitterly to himself, still seething. "Back then, I tried to get into her pants countless times. But she always resisted. And the more she resisted, the more I wanted to break her."

His lips curled into a sneer.

"I never even got aroused by her... not like I did with Jennifer and other girls. With Eleanor, it was just the thrill of domination... the frustration of control I couldn’t have."

Then he chuckled darkly as a memory resurfaced.

"Even the kidnappers didn’t want to touch her. Said she looked like a child. I had to force them by adding rape to the contract. They only did it for the money. If they had seen what she would become just a few years later..." He laughed coldly. "Those bastards hit the jackpot. They got her first."

His expression twisted as he leaned against the sink, blood dripping from his knuckles.

"And to think, Edward Miller didn’t get her virginity either. Ha! That old bastard’s probably playing secondhand now."

He threw his head back and laughed loudly, like a man unhinged.

Then suddenly, a realization struck him.

"The killers... what’s taking them so long?" he muttered, eyes narrowing. "No way it should take this long."

A new thought surfaced... sinister and fueled by lust.

"Maybe I should delay the order," he said aloud. "Even if she’s Edward’s whore now... she was mine once. She loved me... loved me more than anyone else. That can’t just disappear."

A twisted smile spread across his face.

"I’ll act like I want her back. That should be enough. She’s always been stupid when it came to me. I can fake a few tears if I have to. I acted for years, and she never suspected a thing."

With his decision made, James felt strangely calm. His rage had been replaced by desire and delusion. He cleaned his hands, straightened his suit, and walked out of the restroom wearing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

***

When Eleanor stepped out of the car, she lightly touched her earring to activate the microphone. Her shadow guards immediately reported the current situation.

No threats were detected. All staff had been screened and cleared. Still, the guards remained alert and vigilant.

Her earpiece stayed on, allowing her to listen in on all internal communications.

She moved through the crowd alongside Edward, meeting numerous influential businessmen. Some she made a mental note to investigate further, while others she promptly dismissed from memory.

Though Joseph Ingram had been instructed by Teresa to support Eleanor during the event, he hadn’t been able to fulfil his role because someone else had unexpectedly stepped in.

Out of nowhere, Grayson and his wife Florence became Eleanor’s assistants. Both served her enthusiastically, even without being asked. It was so sudden that Eleanor asked Sebastian to investigate their backgrounds out of suspicion.

After some time, Sebastian delivered his preliminary report.

"Ma’am, Mr. Marsh is clean. He’s not a member of GMITCC. His family business isn’t even in the same field, they supply construction materials. Mrs. Marsh’s brother works as a clerk in the Chamber’s office. He managed to secure an invitation by requesting it from the president and gave it to them."

Sebastian paused, then continued, "Mr. Marsh has a daughter. A young heir from one of the prominent families tried to court her, but she rejected him. Now he’s pressuring the family by obstructing their business operations, demanding they send their daughter to him for a few days. The family, naturally, refused such a disgraceful demand, and as a result, they’re on the verge of bankruptcy. They came today to seek help from Mr. Miller, hoping that with the Miller family’s support, that boy wouldn’t be able to do anything."

After another pause, he added, "That’s all I’ve found so far. If you need more details, I’ll gather them tonight."

Eleanor lightly touched her nose to cover her mouth and replied softly, "That’s all for the moment. Thank you."

While she was listening to Sebastian’s report, the group of young masters approached to greet Edward Miller, led by Benjamin Chen.

He stepped forward, hand outstretched. "Good evening, Chairman Miller. It’s an honour to meet you. Your reputation precedes you. I’m Benjamin Chen, CEO of Chen IT."

Edward accepted the handshake. "I’ve heard of you, Mr. Chen. You’re doing quite well for yourself. Chen IT is on a sharp upward trajectory under your leadership."

Benjamin smiled modestly. "You’re too kind, Chairman. I’m only where I am because of my family’s support. Compared to your achievements, I still have a long way to go."

Edward chuckled. "Modesty suits you, Mr. Chen. But facts are facts. You’ve already outpaced my company in several sectors."

As the rest of the young masters greeted Edward and Michael Hammond in turn, Benjamin turned to Eleanor.

He extended his hand again. "Good evening, Miss. It’s a pleasure to meet you."

Eleanor didn’t acknowledge the gesture. She looked directly into his eyes and gave a polite nod. "I’m Eleanor. It’s nice to meet you."

Benjamin, sensing the cool formality, withdrew his hand smoothly and turned to Mason to continue the round of greetings... careful not to let his rejection show.

At that moment, James, who had been waiting in line, stepped forward and greeted her, "Hello. It’s nice to see you."

Eleanor looked him in the eyes and replied politely, "It’s nice to meet you too, Mister."

James, staring into Eleanor’s eyes, felt his world collapse. Those eyes were cold, indifferent, and utterly devoid of emotion. There was no trace of familiarity in them. It was as if they were meeting for the first time. Her entire demeanour radiated only one thing... indifference.

Yes, indifference... that was the only word echoing in James’s mind.