Chapter 32

Inside Todd Group's office, Jonny glared down at the empty investor list Allard had delivered.

Rage boiled over, and in one violent sweep Jonny sent everything on his desk crashing to the floor.

"That damn Enigma! From this day on, we are enemies!"

His fury only grew as his thoughts spiraled.

Those spineless investors-switching sides at the last second.

All because of Enigma.

How could they value some faceless designer above Todd Group's legacy?

The very idea was absurd!

Jonny's chest rose and fell in uneven bursts, his face darkening as his fists clenched so hard the sound of his bones straining filled the office.

Was the entire world plotting against him?

No-he would never accept that.

He would not lose. Not like this.

In a sudden motion, he turned to Allard, his eyes wild with resolve. "Send word immediately-we're willing to give up half of the agency rights for the Usepsall project. Anyone serious about negotiating can come to the table."

It was a desperate gamble, but he convinced himself it was enough. With bait like that, someone had to bite.The Usepsall project was hailed as one of Elepdon's brightest prospects in years. Even a fragment of it could raise a modest company to the level of a public listing. With bait that tempting, investors were bound to circle.

"But..." Allard hesitated, his words dragging before he forced them out. "You already promised forty percent of the agency rights to Lainey..."

Jonny's voice sliced through the air before he could finish. "Take it back."

Nothing outweighed the survival of Todd Group. Not even Lainey. He would smooth things over with her later, one way or another.

Allard, sensing the finality in his tone, gave a quick nod.

Jonny's personal matters weren't his concern.

All he wanted was for Todd Group to endure a little longer-long enough for him to reach retirement without disaster looming over his head.

The situation looked grim.

At the current pace, Todd Group might not survive another six months.

What value did the Usepsall project hold if the company collapsed before it bore fruit?

Without Eleanor, the fall of Todd Group felt inevitable.

Lainey brought nothing to the table, and Jonny himself was stumbling blindly. The sharpest directors had already cashed out their shares and walked away.

Allard could only sigh-better to take things one day at a time.

Even with a sliver of hope, Jonny's mood stayed dark.

He slumped into his chair, pressing his fingers to his temples as if he could knead away the pressure building in his skull.

In his haze, he caught the faint sight of steam rising from a bowl of soup placed neatly on the desk.

In front of it, Eleanor's face appeared, her usually steady eyes soft wvith quiet admiration. Jonny blinked hard, straining to see her more clearly.

But in the next instant, both the bowl and Eleanor's figure vanished like smoke, leaving only the empty desk.What was wrong with him? Why did Eleanor keep invading his thoughts when he least expected it?

With a harsh shake of his head, Jonny tried to drive her image away, as though erasing her could steady him again.

Still,Colby's words echoed like a curse he couldn't silence.

Was it possible Todd Group truly couldn't survive without Eleanor?

The thought sounded ridiculous.

And yet, he couldn't deny the truth. When she was by his side, no matter what storm hit the company, they had always managed to pull through at the last possible moment.

With Eleanor's steady hand, the company stayed afloat, and his personal life ran like clockwork. Everything was in order, leaving him free of worry.

A knot tightened in his chest, strange and unwelcome.

Enough,he told himself-there was no use dwelling on the past.

The only thing that mattered now was shoring up the company.

Once that was done, he could go to Eleanor.

She had adored him for years, lowering herself time and again.

She wouldn't simply turn cold overnight.

He only needed to reach out, tosoften his tone, to make amends.

Eleanor's anger now? He dismissed it as jealousy. Of course she would be upset-he was living with Lainey.

But wasn't that proof of how much she still cared? He convinced himself it would take little more than gentle coaxing to draw Eleanor back.