Chapter 8

Glority had canceled all its collaborations with the Nora Group. It was unimaginable.

As one of the country's top ten most powerful corporations, losing its support would result in incalculable losses.

Seeing Eleonora's stunned expression, her secretary shook her head. She had no idea why this was happening.

Eleonora quickly regained her composure and dismissed her secretary. "Alright, I understand. You can leave. I'll make some calls and figure this out."

The moment the door closed, she picked up her phone and dialed one of her contacts at Glority. She had to get to the bottom of this. If she didn't, the ripple effects of losing their partnership could be catastrophic, even leading to bankruptcy.

The call connected.

"Hello, Mr. Willis from the Glority Group? This is Eleonora Posher, the Nora Group's CEO. I'd like to know why your company has suddenly decided to terminate our partnership," she said, her voice tense.

The reply was brief and impersonal. "I'm sorry, Ms. Posher, but I don't know the reason. This order came directly from Mr. Milne, and we have to follow his instructions."

Eleonora was stunned.

Had the chairman, Raymond, made the decision himself? Why? Had she somehow offended him or Glority without realizing it?

Before she could ask more, the call ended.

She was left in utter confusion.

…

It didn't take long for the consequences of Glority's withdrawal to unfold.

Shortly after Eleonora's call with them, her secretary rushed in with even worse news—several other companies had also pulled out of their contracts with the Nora Group.

News spread quickly in the business world. If Glority was cutting ties, others would surely follow.

Fresh from the high of her company's IPO, Eleonora now felt as though she was sinking into an icy abyss.

The rest of her afternoon was spent scrambling for solutions, but nothing seemed to work.

"This won't do. I have to go to Glority in person!" Eleonora decided.

She grabbed her coat, determined to confront Raymond face-to-face.

This was the greatest crisis she had ever faced. If she didn't resolve it, the Nora Group would be doomed.

Just as she was about to leave, her phone rang.

She glanced at the caller ID—it was her mother.

Eleonora didn't have the patience for this right now.

The calls kept coming, one after another, signaling an emergency.

Suppressing her frustration, she finally answered. "Mom, I'm really busy right now. What's wrong?"

Ruth's frantic voice came through immediately. "Eleonora, this is too much! If you hadn't picked up, your brother would have been beaten to death!"

Eleonora's heart skipped a beat. "What happened?!"

Between sobs, Ruth wailed, "It was Castiel! He broke your brother's arms and legs! He's in the operating room right now, and I'm waiting outside!"

"What?!" Eleonora was in shock. "Why would Castiel attack Lex?"

Ruth wouldn't tell the truth. Instead, she launched into an exaggerated tale. "It's all because of your divorce! He's holding a grudge and wants revenge!

"We ran into him at the Glority Group. Lex saw him struggling with some things and kindly offered to help. Instead of being grateful, Castiel cursed at me!

"Lex got angry and scolded him a little, and then, out of nowhere, Castiel snapped—he attacked and broke Lex's limbs!"

She sobbed again. "Eleonora, you're the most successful one in the family now. We're counting on you! You have to stand up for Lex and me! We can't let Castiel walk all over us like this. He's just an ungrateful snake!"

Eleonora frowned. "Mom, are you sure about this? That doesn't sound like something Castiel would do."

Even though she had abandoned him, she knew Castiel's character—he wasn't the type to lash out like that.

Ruth's voice sharpened. "How could I be wrong? Eleonora, I'm your mother! Are you really going to believe an outsider over me? Do you think I'd lie to you?"

Eleonora felt a headache coming on. "Fine, I understand. I'll look into it. How is Lex now?"

"The doctors say his life isn't in danger, but he'll need a long recovery after they fix his bones," Ruth replied.

"Alright. I'll visit him at the hospital later." Eleonora ended the call, rubbing her temples.

She took a deep breath and dialed Castiel's number.

…

At present, Castiel was standing at the foot of Genting Hill.

His phone buzzed, and when he saw the name on the screen, he frowned before answering.

"Castiel! Did you break Lex's arms and legs? And insult my mother?" Eleonora's voice was filled with accusation.

Castiel's response was calm. "There was a reason for it. They provoked me first."

"What did they do?" Eleonora asked instinctively.

Just as Castiel began to explain, Eleonora cut him off impatiently, "Never mind! I have too much going on right now to listen to your excuses.

"Castiel, I know you're bitter about our divorce. I understand that. But if you have a grudge, take it out on me! You had no right to hurt my family. What did my mother and brother ever do to you?"

Castiel fell silent.

"I can't believe I never saw you for who you really were. I must've been blind!

"From now on, we're done. I won't hold you accountable for my brother's injuries—consider it my atonement for leaving you.

"From this moment on, we have nothing to do with each other. I hope you can at least have some dignity and move on," Eleonora declared, then hung up.

Castiel stood there, stunned.

After a long moment, he scoffed. "What a lunatic."

Shaking his head, he pocketed his phone and turned toward the entrance of the villa—a private lift leading to the mansion atop Genting Hill, built exclusively for him.

Since traversing the hill on foot was impractical, Glority had thoughtfully designed an elevator to transport Castiel seamlessly.

The villa was not only the most luxurious estate in Ripara but also the most secure, offering unparalleled privacy. At the base of the hill, security personnel patrolled diligently. Some exuded an unmistakable air of danger—men who had clearly faced life-and-death situations.

As Castiel passed, they subtly straightened, offering respectful nods before resuming their casual stances.

These were his personal guards. Castiel preferred a low profile and had relied on their discreet protection for years.

They had watched over him without intrusion for three years, even while he was with the Posher family.

Just as Castiel extended his hand to scan his fingerprint for elevator access, a sharp voice echoed behind him. "Castiel! What are you doing here?"