Chapter 267: No Mercy for Usurpers

Chapter 267: No Mercy for Usurpers
Elena's POV

Ryan was shocked. "That's impossible! You're lying!"

I challenged him, "Don't believe me? Find out yourself."

Ryan made an excuse to leave. "I just remembered something urgent."

Grandpa pressed me, "Elena, what's your relationship with Mr. V?"

I nervously denied it. "I only said that to annoy Uncle Ryan." Avoiding his gaze, I excused myself. "I have a call I need to take."

Thank God. It was Ethan and Zoe calling. I hurried to a bench in the garden and answered the video call. My expression softened immediately. "Hello, darlings. Miss mommy?"

Ethan complained, "Mom, you said you'd be back soon!"

I gently explained, "Mommy still has things to handle. Wait just a few more days?"

I cautioned, "Listen to Benson and Matilda. Don't try to come to London."

Their guilty expressions betrayed them. I caught on immediately. "You're planning something, aren't you?"

Zoe admitted, "We just thought about it... If daddy can find you, why can't we?"

I smiled. "Sweethearts, I promise to return soon. The situation here is complicated."

They finally nodded. "Okay, we'll wait."

My mood lightened. "What presents should I bring you?"

As they excitedly listed items, I gazed at their innocent faces, my heart filled with longing.

Later in the garden, Auntie Miley approached my bench. "You and the children have a good relationship."

I smiled softly. "We depend on each other."

"Mutual dependence, mutual fulfillment," Miley observed thoughtfully. "Now, why are you hiding out here in the garden?"

I sighed. "I'm not afraid of Ryan's schemes. I'm afraid of Grandpa's matchmaking."

Miley's expression shifted to something more serious. "Actually, I came to warn you about something. Blair is planning to cause trouble for you."

"Blair?" I frowned, the name unfamiliar.

"Blair Montagues," Miley clarified. "Augustus's youngest son's wife. Her daughter Calla recently fell out of family favor."

Recognition dawned on me. "Ah, the mother seeking revenge." I laughed coldly. "Don't worry. She's just trying to save face after I dealt with her daughter."

I dismissed the threat entirely. After handling Calla, Blair hardly concerned me.

---

The next morning, Teresa and I were heading to Huntington Group headquarters when several cars suddenly surrounded us in a coordinated ambush. About twenty black-suited bodyguards emerged, forming a barrier around our car.

Through the tinted windows, I spotted a blonde woman watching our car with unmistakable malice—clearly Blair, with a striking resemblance to her daughter Calla.

When a sharp knock broke the silence and a deep voice demanded I cooperate, I simply lowered the window slightly and pressed my handgun against the bodyguard's forehead.

"Asking me to step out?" I continued coolly. "You don't have the qualifications."

Blair's face darkened with rage. "What are you all waiting for?" she snapped at her men. "There are so many of you—can't you handle one woman? She wouldn't dare actually shoot—"

Before she could finish, a red dot appeared over her heart. Teresa had somehow produced a mini submachine gun and was now aiming it directly at Blair.

Blair froze mid-sentence, her face draining of color as she approached with raised hands. "You've misunderstood," she stammered. "I only wanted to apologize for what happened earlier. Please don't misinterpret my intentions..."

"What an interesting way to apologize, madam," I remarked sarcastically.

Blair frantically motioned her bodyguards away until only she and the captain remained.

Stepping out of the car, I watched Teresa casually toss aside what was clearly just a toy gun with a laser pointer. "Oops," she said nonchalantly. "My nephew's toy."

When Blair's face flushed with fury, Teresa swiftly pressed a knife to her throat, silencing her instantly.

"What brings you here with such an entourage, Mrs. Montagues?" I asked, amused.
"Just... apologizing," Blair managed through clenched teeth.

"Please proceed," I gestured graciously.

When Blair's rage resurfaced, Teresa applied slight pressure with the knife. "I'm a moral exemplar," she said sweetly. "Choose your words carefully."

"I'm sorry!" Blair blurted. "It was Calla's fault—she deserved what happened!"

Leaning close, I whispered, "If you were smarter, you'd realize Calla's actions were merely a pretext—an excuse for Augustus to move against you."

"Impossible!" Blair looked frantic. "We're Montagues! Augustus wouldn't abandon us!"

"Are you certain?" I smiled coldly. "Especially after Thaddeus's sudden passing..."

The color drained from Blair's face. Without another word, she fled to her car, her captain following with one last apprehensive glance at us.

Back in our car, Teresa glanced at me curiously as we continued toward Huntington headquarters.

"Was what you told Blair true?" she asked.

I smiled enigmatically. "Sometimes it's more effective to let your enemies frighten themselves than to threaten them directly."

When I walked through the main doors of Huntington Group, the receptionist did a double-take.

"Ms. Huntington! You're back!" she exclaimed, then lowered her voice. "Mr. Ryan Huntington is in today, though not in the best mood."

I nodded, already guessing why.

On the executive floor, the staff stared with surprise and unease. Their expressions revealed everything during my absence.

I raised an eyebrow. "This is Huntington Group. Am I not allowed to return?"

My assistants rushed forward, relief evident in their faces. "Ms. Huntington, if you hadn't come back soon—"

A sharp female voice cut through the air. "What are you all doing standing around? Don't you have work to do?"

A strikingly beautiful woman approached, and when she spotted me, her perfectly sculpted eyebrows furrowed in displeasure.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "A new consultant? You're fired."

I maintained my composure. "On what grounds?"

"Because you walked into this company with your left foot first," she replied haughtily. "Is that reason enough?"

One of my assistants quickly intervened. "Ms. Langley, this is Ms. Elena Huntington."

The woman's expression flickered momentarily before she regained her composure. "So you're Elena? Not very impressive, are you?"

"What a coincidence," I replied smoothly. "I was thinking the same about you. Though I must ask—since when do you have the authority to fire people in this company?"

"I'm the Chief Executive Assistant, Serafina Langley," she declared proudly. "And yes, I can fire people. Your uncle arranged it."

My eyes narrowed as I realized Ryan had been making moves.

When I approached my office, I found Serafina Langley's name prominently displayed on the door. My mood darkened instantly.

Serafina followed me, barely concealing her satisfaction. "Sorry about that. Since you haven't been working here, I borrowed your office. You don't mind, do you?"

Without hesitation, I called both Ryan and Elbert, instructing them to come immediately.

I then removed Serafina's nameplate and dropped it unceremoniously to the floor. "This is my office. Since Ms. Langley received a prestigious Oxford education, surely she understands taking without asking is theft?"

Serafina raised her hand to point at me accusingly, but Teresa swiftly caught her finger in a painful grip.

"If Ms. Langley can't control her fingers," Teresa said coldly, "I'd be happy to help her with that."

Serafina's face contorted with rage as she pulled her hand free. "Are you threatening me?"

Just then, a thunderous voice echoed down the hallway: "What's going on here?"