Chapter 157

The Eilish family.

"Has he left the resort? No suspicions?" Nora Eilish sat at the piano, with phone in one hand, casually tapping a single finger on the piano keys.

With her hair draped down, her nose high, and her complexion fair, she looked like the epitome of grace and poise.

"Yes. Mr. Holland checked the surveillance, broke his phone in a fury, and returned to City A overnight."

"Good. Keep a close eye on his movements and report back to me immediately," Nora Eilish said, ending the call. She placed the phone aside and began to play an upbeat tune.

As the melody ended, she turned around to applause.

Anthony walked in.

The early evening breeze carried a touch of crisp air as Anthony, casually dressed in a white shirt and a light camel cardigan, exuded an effortless aristocratic charm. He seemed to be aglow, every inch the epitome of perfection.

"Hey, brother."

"Nora, it's been a while since I heard you play the piano," Brenda said, entering the room with a cup of chamomile tea in her hand and a smile on her face. "This piece sounds lovely; it puts me in a good mood."

For a time, Nora used to play melodies tinged with a gentle sadness.

"I'm always in a good mood with Mom spoiling me like this," Nora beamed, her smile bending.

Her birth mother had passed away not long ago, and her father brought Brenda into the Eilish family. Naturally, Nora resisted at first. As a child, she made things difficult for Brenda, showed her cold shoulders, and played pranks on her. Once, Nora even locked Brenda in a storage room, leading to an injury that broke Brenda's leg.

Nora was terrified, thinking Brenda would tell her father, but when questioned, Brenda claimed it was an accident. Even under her father's skepticism, Brenda protected her.

Years passed, and Brenda cared for her as if she were her daughter. Nora gradually let go of her grudges, seeing Brenda as her mother. Their bond grew strong.

"Drink your chamomile tea while it's warm," Brenda offered the cup to Nora. In this girl, who was about the same age as her daughter, Brenda saw a chance to heal her regrets, pouring all her maternal love into Nora.

"Thanks, Mom."

"How's the company renovation coming along?" Anthony inquired.

"We're still waiting on the design plans from Miss Adkins," Brenda replied.

"Hard to believe Miss Adkins is such a talented designer at such a young age." Anthony's mind briefly pictured Layla's face-oval-shaped, with ample collagen, big eyes framed by long lashes, every bit the image of a scholar.

Nora paused, her hand holding the cup of chamomile tea froze, and she looked up at Anthony, "Have you met her?"

"Just a couple of brief encounters," said Anthony nonchalantly.

Yet Nora felt a ripple of unease at his words, instinctively cautioning, "Brother, it might be best to keep your distance from her."

Brenda and Anthony looked puzzled.

"She has a boyfriend," Nora added, her internal radar piquing. She couldn't ignore the fact that Layla managed to captivate both Nathan and Samuel-it made her wary.

A boyfriend? A faint frown creased Anthony's brow. A flicker of emotion passed through him, and on closer inspection, it seemed to be... disappointment.

How utterly bizarre!

What did it matter to him if Layla had a boyfriend?

That fleeting feeling quickly dissipated.

"I've got to run," Anthony said with a nod and turned to leave.

The room was left with only mother and daughter. "How are things going with Mr. Holland lately?" Brenda asked.

"They're okay," Nora Eilish responded coolly.

"Your brother is meeting a high-society lady next week. Maybe you should consider..."

"Mom, I've told you, it's Samuel or no one. He might do blind dates, but I won't." Nora Eilish was a woman of principle, firm in her decisions.

"How confident are you? I don't want to see you struggle with emotions. Marriage should be about mutual love, after all." Brenda wasn't the type to prioritize social matching; she wished for her daughter's genuine happiness, not a marriage of convenience.

"I know, Mom. Don't worry about me; I've got this."

"Mhmm," Brenda didn't press further, even though she was concerned.

The brightest woman could become fools in love, and her daughter might be no exception.

...

The worn-down neighborhood seemed out of place.

Sarah, clad in Chanel and high heels, strutted like a proud peacock amidst surprised and envious stares and climbed into a Maybach.

"Morning, Anthony," Sarah said sweetly after removing her sunglasses.

"Good morning," Anthony nodded.

"I've missed you so much in the last two days," Sarah said with blushing cheeks, coyly adding, "Anthony, I hope I'm not interrupting your work. I didn't want to trouble you with accompanying me to the audition, but Director Shaffer is one of the most renowned here, and it made me a bit nervous."

"It's okay; I can accompany you whenever I'm free."

Sarah felt like she was in heaven.

Such a considerate gentleman was rare among the wealthy elite. The thought of Layla, who should have been enjoying this attention, filled Sarah with unbearable jealousy. She was determined to cling to Anthony and prevent him from discovering Layla was the real angel.

With that in mind, Sarah didn't hold back her charm, grabbing Anthony's hand and snuggling against his arm, "Anthony, you're so wonderful. Being your girlfriend must be blissful."

Despite her blatant hinting, Anthony patted her head and glanced at her bracelet, saying nothing of the sort she hoped to hear. He instructed the driver to start the car.

Sarah was disappointed.

Did he not get the hint, or did he not like her?

Still, Sarah wasn't one to give up. She'd go to any lengths to have this man, no matter the cost, even if it meant resorting to drugging him!

He would be hers, no matter what.

...

Hilton Hotel.

"Okay, I'll handle it when I get back to the office this afternoon." Standing on the balcony, Anthony hung up the phone, a gentle breeze blowing, but his mood was far from light.

Ten floors up, gazing out at the distance, even the glittering concrete jungle felt oppressive to him.

No one knew that he had no love for the business world; his true aspiration was something else.

Yet, the weight of the entire Eilish Group rested on his shoulders; he couldn't just chase his dreams recklessly.

After all, hadn't he always lived according to his parents' expectations? He was used to it, wasn't he?

Even his gold-rimmed glasses couldn't mask the hint of melancholy in his sharp features; he was far from happy.

Turning around, he saw Director Shaffer and the assistant director storming out of the audition room, fuming.

"I'm livid! In all my years as a director, I've dealt with plenty of actors shoved onto the set by investors. Still, never one this arrogant!" Director Shaffer sputtered, his face flushed with anger.

"Tell me about it! Some community college kid with zero acting chops. And her acting? Over the top! Playing angry is just glaring and yelling, and sad is dry crying without a single tear-she almost made me puke up my breakfast.

"If I have to cast that woman as my lead, I'd rather not shoot at all," Director Shaffer raged.

"But what can we do? If we don't shoot, the Eilish Group will just find another director to pamper her. Didn't you hear? She claims she's Mr. Anthony's girlfriend and threatens to blackball us if she doesn't get the lead. No matter how celebrated a director you are, you can't compete with the Eilish Group. Let's just cool down."

Though Director Shaffer was incensed, he dared not openly challenge the might of the Eilish Group, and with a frustrated sigh, he muttered, "What was Mr. Anthony thinking? Falling for some ghetto girl. She's utterly tasteless; makes me sick!"

"Exactly! She's such a poser! Way too cocky!"