Chapter 91

It wasn't until Eleanor and Nolan vanished completely from the venue that Lainey finally returned to reality.

She could hardly believe her eyes.

Nolan, acting as though Eleanor were the most precious person alive, was eager to hand over money?

What exactly did Eleanor possess that made her worthy of such devotion?

Her first instinct was to chase after them,but Jonny's hand held her back firmly.

The Benton family might wield incredible power in Breoqua,but here in Elepdon, the Stewart family ruled.Offending Nolan in his own territory would be a mistake even the Bentons couldn't rectify.

Being restrained by Jonny only made Lainey look down on him further.

He was utterly useless, always holding her back.

But seeing Nolan's generosity sparked an idea. Once she was acknowledged by the Bentons, she would push them to extend their influence domestically and arrange a strategic alliance with the Stewart family.

That way, Nolan would eventually be hers.

If she could have taken Jonny from Eleanor once,surely she could take Nolan too.

With her mind made up, Lainey stopped her protests and obediently followed Jonny back to the villa.

Her compliance, however, was only skin-deep.

Inside, her mind was a storm of anger and jealousy.

Thinking about Eleanor's bank balance churned her stomach with envy.

She assumed the money had come from Nolan and knew it would ultimately be hers.

A scheming smile crept onto her face as she formed a plan to investigate Eleanor further.

Hours passed, but she found nothing.

Still, she refused to give up.

Then, just as she was about to shut down her computer, she stumbled upon a critical detail. The Queen's diamond tiara, the same one Eleanor had auctioned tonight, was an exhibit from overseas.

According to the rules, the auction winner had to pay customs duties. But Eleanor hadn't done so.

Lainey's eyes lit up with mischief. "Eleanor, you've brought this upon yourself," she whispered under her breath.

Given her prestige in the design world, any post about Enigma would go viral instantly, and especially the one hinting at a legal misstep.

So within a day, Lainey's anonymous tweet exploded online.

The headline blared, "Shocking news! Famous designer Enigma caught evading taxes!"

She had even included a link to the official auction page.

A quick click revealed the words "tax unpaid" listed under the Queen's diamond tiara.

It was indisputable evidence.

Eleanor could almost guess who was behind this, but she had no way to defend herself. Technically, she hadn't paid the customs fee, but in reality, since the auction was for charity, no tax was required. Even if she wanted to pay, the museum wouldn't accept it.

However, Eleanor couldn't reveal this reason,or her identity would be blown.

If that happened, she would end up spending far more than necessary on future auctions for national treasures.

Her fans, unaware of these details, saw only the headline that their idol had broken the law.

Disappointment swept through the fandom, and many abandoned her.

Even the operation of Enigma's store in Elepdon was affected.

After receiving a panicked call from Besty, Eleanor headed to the store immediately.

The moment she stepped out of the car, she was swarmed by media.

"Miss Warren! Is it true you evaded taxes?"

"You spent $100 million on the Queen's diamond tiara;was that money legitimate?"

"Will Enigma brand suffer because of this?"

Besty quickly appeared with her bodyguards, skillfully creating a human shield around Eleanor.

Once they reached the lounge, she handed Eleanor the report detailing the losses.

"Boss, I'm sorry. My poor management..." Besty's voice was full of guilt.

They had lost one hundred million in just one day, and she felt she had let Eleanor down.

Eleanor took the document, gave it a quick look, and set it on the table. "It's fine. It's not your fault."

She could handle this loss, and if needed, she could make more under the name of the Soul Surgeon through the Underground Network, a move that would also protect her from constant scrutiny there.

Still, Besty felt responsible. "There are fans willing to defend you, but they're afraid to speak out because of legal issues. Should we post something on Twitter?"

Eleanor shook her head. She would rather take the criticism than risk exposing her identity.

She gave a few instructions to Besty and headed out.

Outside, the persistent reporters hadn't gone anywhere.

Paying them no mind, Eleanor walked directly to a taxi at the curb.

Her calm, indifferent demeanor, completely ignoring the commotion, was once again photographed by onlookers, and within moments, the footage spread across social media.

The public reacted strongly.

"Who does she think she is? She's so cocky!"

"Look at her! She's probably scared and staying quiet to dodge the problem!"

"Not responding is the same as admitting it.Investigate her thoroughly!"

Before long, Enigma's once-spotless reputation began to tumble, the whispers growing louder with each passing hour.