Chapter 45
Lenora woke up a bit later than usual. Yesterday had been decent enough, but the night took a turn. She ran into Ethan, who was as arrogant as ever, and then had a brief argument with Harley, which soured her mood. By the time she got to bed, it was late, and she even managed to sleep through her 6 a.m. alarm.
It was already after seven, almost eight.
Lenora glanced at her phone, got up, and started her morning routine. She made herself a quick sandwich and a cup of milk, scrolling through Twitter while she ate.
Everything was calm; there wasn’t a single post that involved her
After finishing her milk, she unrolled her yoga mat and headed downstairs to feed the fish.
November in Hobart City wasn’t too cold yet. By nine, the sun was up, and while the breeze was cool, it wasn’t chilly. She finished with the fish, went back upstairs, and was about to start her two–hour yoga session when her phone rang.
It was Horace. Surprised, Lenora raised an eyebrow.
She hadn’t expected him to gather information about Katelyn so quickly.
“Good morning, Mr. Terry,” Lenora greeted.
“Good morning, Ms. Maynard. Something happened last night. I thought I should let you know sooner,” Horace said, sounding concerned.
Lenora frowned slightly, puzzled. “What is it?”
“Well, after we parted ways yesterday, I took a chance and planted a listening device on Katelyn’s phone. Last night, she went to a bar with Mr. Valentine and Mr. Milton, but after Miss Sheppard’s request for a ride was turned down, she ended up in a car with a man named Landon,” Horace explained.
And,” Lenora replied, waiting patiently for him to continue.
“And last night, Miss Sheppard and Landon got a room at the Salia Hotel. I listened to the recording this morning, and it turns out she mentioned you,” Horace added.
When an adult man and woman get a room together, it’s not hard to guess what’s going on.
Lenora hadn’t expected Katelyn to be so bold, but it didn’t matter to her. What she didn’t understand was why Katelyn would bring her up.
“What did she say to Landon?” Lenora asked.
“Ms. Maynard, you’re as sharp as ever,” Horace chuckled, then played the recording for her.
The conversation started faintly, and then Lenora heard the voices clearly: “You’re even better than I imagined!‘ ‘Oh? I wonder how I compare to Lenora.‘ ‘Is Lenora your rival?‘ ‘You’re quick, Landon.‘ ‘Maybe I’ll have to try your rival out sometime too.‘ ‘I’m sure you’ll get that chance.”
After listening, Lenora was quiet for a moment. “Do you know who is Landon, Mr. Terry?”
“If you’d like, Ms. Maynard, I can find out for you,” Horace offered.
Lenora smiled. “Alright, let me know once you have something, and I’ll make sure you’re compensated.
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Chapter 45
“I knew I could count on you, Ms. Maynard. I should have what you need in three days,” Horace said.
“Alright,” Lenora replied, lowering her phone.
After a moment of thought, she went back upstairs to finish her yoga.
No sooner had she wrapped up her yoga than Lillian called, reminding her of her lunch meeting with Isaac.
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Lenora hadn’t forgotten. She showered, dressed, and took about half an hour to put on some light makeup before heading.
out.
When she arrived, Lillian was already waiting.
As Lenora pulled up, Lillian approached her. “Ms. Maynard,” she greeted.
Lenora nodded and smiled, removing her sunglasses. “Is Isaac here yet?”
“He arrived about ten minutes ago,” Lillian replied.
Lenora raised a brow, slightly impressed. “He’s punctual, I’ll give him that.”
Lillian led Lenora inside. “Mr. Sheppard is asking for 100 million dollars,” she informed her.
“Quite the hefty demand,” Lenora remarked.
Barlow Ventures had gone public five years ago. With a current valuation of over 330 million dollars, Isaac dared to demand a hundred million for a five percent share.
Lenora’s smile faded as she followed Lillian into the private room, her expression growing colder.
Lillian led her all the way to the door of the private room. Just as Lillian pushed the door open, Isaac stood Samantha!” he exclaimed.
- up.
“Miss
However, when he spotted Lenora, his expression shifted dramatically. “It’s you?”
Lenora chuckled softly. “Ms. Samantha couldn’t make it, so I’m her new secretary,” she said, pausing to flash him a smile. “Mr. Sheppard, I believe introductions aren’t necessary.”
Isaac’s face was a picture of disbelief. When Lenora married into the Brandt family, the Sheppards had been quick to gossip, and his wife even went out of her way to insult her.
It was an old memory, but Lenora never forgot a grudge.
Isaac didn’t respond quickly, so Lenora sat down. Lillian poured her a coffee, and Isaac finally spoke, “You’ve changed, Ms. Maynard.”
“I like to think so. In fact, I owe part of it to Mrs. Sheppard. Tell her I said thanks.” Lenora sneered.
Years of business experience let Isaac know exactly what she meant.
Suddenly, he was feeling trapped, second–guessing his decision to reach out to MorningMyst.
If Samantha wasn’t available, he wouldn’t have pushed for this meeting.
When Lenora first married into the Brandt family, he kept quiet but his wife and daughter didn’t hold back, constantly throwing snide remarks her way.
Now, though, it’s a different story–the tables have truly turned
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Chapter 45
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Lenora skimmed the menu, then ordered two dishes before meeting Isaac’s gaze. “Barlow Ventures is worth between 800 million and 1 billion dollars, and yet you want 100 million dollars for a five percent stake. Do you think MorningMyst just gives money away?”
She got straight to the point, not leaving any room for pleasantries.
Isaac was speechless, even tempted to walk out, but his other prospects had dried up. If he lost MorningMyst’s support, Barlow Ventures would struggle.
Lenora glanced at Lillian, who promptly laid out a purchase proposal for Isaac.
“Let me make it simple, Mr. Sheppard. 800 million dollars, MorningMyst buys out Barlow Ventures. How does that sound?” she asked.
“You–you’re being unreasonable!” Isaac stammered.
Lenora sighed. “I suppose this meeting is over, then,” she said, gesturing for Lillian to follow her out.
As they reached the door, Lenora stopped and looked back at Isaac with a knowing smile. “Oh, and Mr. Sheppard, you might want to keep an eye on Miss Sheppard. She seems to have a lot of free time on her hands. You don’t want any regrets down the line, right?”
With that, she walked out of the room, only to run right into Harley.
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