Chapter 163
Eleanor’s POV:
The silence on the other end of the line was deafening.
A smile crept across my face. Perfect.
No one could resist information about their biological parents.
This was my chance to extract a significant sum from her, now that
she was living with one of New York’s wealthiest men.
“Audrey?” I said, injecting a note of maternal concern into my voice.
“You need to come over immediately. I have information about your
biological parents.”
“What information?” Her voice was cool, detached–nothing like the
eager response I had anticipated.
My smile widened. Finally, I had something she wanted.
“Information that could lead you to them. But I’m not discussing this
over the phone. And of course, if you want to know more… there
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would be a financial consideration involved.”
“Financial consideration?” Audrey repeated slowly.
“Well, yes,” I said smoothly.
“Information this valuable doesn’t come free. The Bailey Investment
Group is facing some… temporary difficulties. I’m sure someone in
your position could arrange a reasonable contribution to help your
family through this rough patch.”
There was another pause, longer this time. I waited, already counting
the money in my head.
“Let me be perfectly clear, Eleanor,” Audrey finally said, her voice ice-
cold.
“I’m not giving you a single penny. Whatever information you think
you have, keep it. I’m not playing your games anymore.”
I felt my face flush with anger.
“Don’t be ridiculous! This is about your birth parents–don’t you want
to know who they are? Where you came from?”
“Goodbye, Eleanor. Enjoy your delusions.”
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The line went dead.
I stared at the phone in disbelief, then hurled it across the room with
a scream of frustration.
“I’ve never seen such a cold–blooded monster in my life!”
I shouted to no one in particular.
“What kind of person doesn’t care about finding their real parents?
She’s not human!”
“I take it that didn’t go well,” Sienna said from the doorway, watching
me with a mixture of amusement and concern.
I whirled to face her.
“She hung up on me! That ungrateful little-”
I bit back the words, forcing myself to calm down.
“She refused to even listen. Doesn’t even care about her biological
parents! What kind of heartless creature did we raise?”
Sienna leaned against the doorframe with a sigh.
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“Mom, I think you need to stop opposing Audrey.”
“So I should just give up?” I snapped, pacing across the Persian rug.
“It’s, not about winning or losing,” Sienna said, her voice softening.
“It’s about survival. ”
I collapsed onto the sofa, my anger giving way to despair.
“You have no idea how bad things are, Sienna. Bailey Investment
Group is barely hanging on. Your father refuses to admit it, but we’re
practically insolvent.”
Sienna sat beside me, her expression turning serious.
“Then maybe it’s time to cut our losses, Mom. Close the company
before things get worse. Start fresh.”
I looked at her as if she’d suggested we move to Mars.
“Close the company? And then what? Move to some countryside
cottage? Start growing our own vegetables?”
I ran my fingers through my hair.
“If you had just agreed to marry Samuel West when you had the
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chance, none of this would be happening. We’d be linked to the
Thornton fortune instead of drowning in debt.”
Sienna’s jaw tightened. “I’m building my own career. My latest
sponsored post brought in twenty thousand dollars.”
“Twenty thousand?” I scoffed.
“That’s what your father loses before lunch these days. Your little
influencer income is a drop in the ocean of our debt.”
I gave her a calculating look. “What you need is a wealthy husband.
Someone from Wall Street or real estate. Someone who could inject
capital into the family business.”
I waved my hand dismissively. “Just go, Sienna. I need to think.”
She hesitated, clearly wanting to say more, but something in my
expression must have warned her off.
With a small sigh, she turned and left the room, leaving me alone.
What cruel twist of fate had brought me here?
I’d married George Bailey precisely because of his family’s wealth and
standing.
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The Bailey Investment Group had been thriving when his father ran
- it.
Then George took over, and everything started going downhill. His
father had built a rock–solid reputation over decades, but George
managed to erode it in just a few years.
And Sienna–my beautiful, spoiled daughter. She was posting pictures
of herself in designer clothes, pretending to be an influencer while
our real influence evaporated by the day.
The doorbell’s sudden chime interrupted my spiral of self–pity.
“Hello? Is anyone home?” a female voice called after a second ring.
With a sigh, I pulled myself together and went to the door.
When I opened it, I found myself facing a young blonde woman in expensive clothing, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.
“Mrs. Eleanor Bailey?” she asked, extending a manicured hand.
“I’m Daisy Cole. I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”
I stared at her, momentarily speechless. Another one?
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“Let me guess–you’re here about my adopted daughter.”
Her smile flickered.
“So my brother Ethan has already been here. What did you tell him?”
I assessed her quickly–designer clothes, confident posture, that hint of entitlement that comes with old money.
The Cole family was prominent in finance and philanthropy. Not quite Thornton level, but certainly wealthy enough to be useful.
“I didn’t tell him anything,” I said carefully, keeping my hand on the
door.
Daisy visibly relaxed, her shoulders dropping slightly.
“Good. That’s… good.”
She composed herself quickly.
“So, Mrs. Bailey, I understand you have an adopted daughter. May 1
ask who she is?”
I frowned slightly.
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Hadn’t her brother specifically asked about Audrey? Something
wasn’t adding up here, but I wasn’t about to show my cards.
“Information like that doesn’t come free, Ms. Cole,” I said, raising an
eyebrow.
A flash of understanding crossed her face, followed by a calculated
smile.
“Of course. Name your price.”
I studied her for a moment. And this girl clearly wanted something
badly enough to pay for it.
“Fifty million dollars,” I said without blinking.
She didn’t even flinch. “Done. I’ll transfer it immediately.”
My eyes widened despite my efforts to remain composed.
I hadn’t expected her to agree so readily. Regret not asking for more.
She pulled out her phone, tapped a few times, then showed me the
screen–a confirmation of the transfer to the Bailey Investment
Group account.
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“Now,” she said, her voice suddenly tense. “Your adopted daughter’s
name?”
I swallowed, still stunned by the ease with which she’d parted with
fifty million dollars.
“Her name is Audrey. Audrey Lane.”
The effect was instantaneous.
Daisy’s face drained of color, her perfectly manicured hand gripping
the doorframe for support.
She stared at me as though I’d struck her, her lips parting in shock.
“Audrey Lane,” she repeated, the name barely a whisper on her lips.
“Audrey… Lane.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
