Chapter 189

Jeff strode over to Jonny, his voice cutting through the air. "Do you really think our place is some circus where anyone can barge in and create chaos?"

Years of being in charge lent his presence a weight that was impossible to ignore.

Yet, that hardly mattered to Jonny right now.

Emma might have been a handful, but she was his little sister. He had looked out for her all his life.There was no way he could just let her vanish without demanding answers.

Jonny brushed past Jeff, locking eyes with Lainey.His voice was raw, worn down by worry. "Emma called you all the time before she went missing. You saw her the night she disappeared. She came home a wreck, wouldn't touch her dinner or even speak.

Lainey, can you honestly say you had nothing to do with her vanishing?"

His stare never wavered, as if he could force the truth out of her.

Lainey,rattled, squirmed under his scrutiny.

She clung to Jeff's arm, her voice trembling, the very picture of innocence. "Dad, I swear I don't know anything about what happened.Emma came to me a few days ago. She was desperate for money. She looked so lost that I gave her $100, 000, just to help."

Seeing his daughter in tears tore at Jeff's heart,snapping the last thread of his patience.

He signaled to the security guards by the entrance,his tone sharp and final. "Get him out. I don't want Jonny Todd setting foot near this house again. If you can't handle that, you're out of a job."

His order carried real menace.

Feeling the tension, the head of security motioned for his team to close in on Jonny. But Jonny's attention never wavered from Lainey. His eyes held a mixture of disbelief and sorrow, as if the person standing in front of him was a complete stranger.

Two decades had passed with Jonny believing he understood Lainey better than anyone.

A decade spent as her boyfriend had made him confident he knew every side of her.

Recent events shattered that certainty. The truth hit him hard-he had never truly seen her atall.

He now recognized what he had missed. There was nothing but self-interest, cruelty, and lies beneath the surface. All this time, he had chosen to be blind.

Eleanor, he realized, was worth ten of her, though she didn't come from an influential family.

As these thoughts burned in his mind, the security team moved to escort him out.

Jonny stood his ground and kept his expression cold.He pinned Lainey with a glare sharp enough to cut. "You'll be answering to the police about Emma. If you had anything to do with her going missing, you'll regret it more than you can imagine."

Only those with nothing left were fearless-he would take Lainey down with him if it came to that.

The guards led him away, and Jonny left without protest.

All of this played out beneath Hilda's watchful gaze from upstairs. She pieced things together as she watched the confrontation.

That must have been Emma arguing with Lainey before-now Emma had vanished.

Given that Lainey had hid behind Jeff, looking shaken and guilty, Hilda's suspicions only grew stronger.Deep down, she was certain-Lainey was involved.

Everything Hilda believed about Lainey fell apart in a matter of moments.

Deception and greed were only part of what lay beneath the surface; a cold streak of cruelty was there as well.

The years of tension between Lainey and Eleanor suddenly seemed more threatening. If Lainey could turn on her so easily, what might she be capable of next?

Directly confronting her would be pointless.

If Hilda wanted to protect Eleanor, she needed to keep up appearances and watch Lainey closely for any signs of danger.

With her mind made up, Hilda descended the stairs.As Lainey entered, Hilda wrapped her in an embrace,offering warmth she had never shown before."Darling, that man was never good enough for you.I'm sorry for all you've been through."

Confidence blossomed inside Lainey as she believed Hilda finally trusted her after those test results.Victory felt almost sweet enough to taste.

She leaned into the embrace and played the dutiful daughter. "Mom, having you and Dad back in my life everything worth it."

Anyone glancing in would have seen nothing but a picture-perfect family.

Jeff took in the scene with deep contentment.

Finally, it seemed, Hilda had accepted Lainey completely.

The prospect of all three sons returning from overseas only added to his satisfaction.

Soon,their family would feel whole again.

Eleanor resembled his wife, yes, but blood didn't lie.

Maybe, once they made it back to Breoqua,he would speak to Hilda's brother about Eleanor. If there wvas a reunion to be had, it was up to them to decide.