Chapter 23: Enemy
Willow White's mood was terrible. After returning home, she furiously threw several items on the floor, breaking them in an attempt to diminish her anger. Her boyfriend had warned her to stay away from Eleanor, hinting that she had powerful backing from somewhere.
Although Eleanor had been a school beauty back then, she seemed to have bloomed even more now. She was more stunning than before, and there was an air of confidence around her that only enhanced her beauty further. Willow couldn't deny the jealousy boiling inside her when she caught her boyfriend secretly ogling Eleanor from behind. In fact, she had only noticed Eleanor today because she had been following her boyfriend's line of sight. That had been the last straw.
Her fury intensified as she recalled the scene at the store. The day had started so well... she had been overjoyed when her boyfriend promised to buy her a bag and some accessories from Louis Vuitton while they were at the hotel last night. But that vixen had ruined everything. In the end, she hadn't even had the chance to buy the bag she had been eyeing for months.
After finally calming down, Willow picked up her phone and called Jennifer Whitmore, informing her about her encounter with Eleanor. Of course, she left out the embarrassing details of the confrontation. She didn't particularly like Jennifer, but since the White family's business was linked with the Whitmores, her father had ordered her to maintain a friendly relationship. After all, their family was financially weaker than the Whitmores and heavily dependent on them.
Once Jennifer confirmed that Eleanor had truly returned, she immediately called her father.
"Dad, Eleanor is back in Manchester. Willow saw her at Louis Vuitton today, buying an expensive bag," Jennifer reported.
"Are you sure?" William Whitmore's voice was filled with disbelief. "The police couldn't find her back then, even after issuing a search warrant across the kingdom."
"I'm sure, Dad. Willow even spoke to her to confirm her identity."
William gnashed his teeth in frustration. "Why did that bitch have to return now of all times? It's been six years! The board agreed to appoint me as custodian for seven years. Just one more year, and I could have legally inherited her shares. I didn't want to show my hand with the documents I had her sign, but she's forcing me. Those old fools on the board will never support me if they know Eleanor is alive... they were all loyal to her mother."