Chapter 270: Seeds of Suspicion

Chapter 270: Seeds of Suspicion
Elena's POV

The hospital room fell silent after Miley declared her accident was deliberate. Even bandaged, her eyes burned with certainty.

Ronin leaned close, voice barely masking his fury. "Those people will be caught."
"Just look into Ryan," Miley whispered, her gaze unwavering.

After Ronin left, she beckoned me closer. "Elena, the driver tried avoiding the other car twice, but they perfectly blocked our path both times." She winced. "It was calculated, deliberate."

Anger rose in my chest. The thought of someone targeting my aunt made my blood boil.

Miley squeezed my hand. "I'm fine—just external injuries."

Later that night, as I stepped outside the hospital for some fresh air, I noticed missed calls from Elbert and reluctantly called back.

"Why weren't you answering?" he demanded immediately.

"Aunt Miley was in a car accident," I replied coldly. "I've been at the hospital."

A noticeable pause followed. "Sorry, I didn't know about that," he said, tone shifting to concern. "Is it serious?"

"She'll recover," I answered vaguely, unwilling to share details.

"Let's talk in a few days," I said, ending the call abruptly.

A suspicion formed in my mind about his reaction. Something didn't feel right.

---

The next morning, I found Elbert already in Miley's hospital room with flowers and a gift basket.

"Thank you for coming, but you really didn't need to trouble yourself," Miley was saying coolly.

Elbert brightened when he saw me. "Elena! I heard about Aunt Miley's accident and came to check on her."

Interesting, I thought. Last night he claimed to know nothing about it.

"What a coincidence," I replied mildly, noticing Miley's sharp eyes tracking our interaction.

After asking about her condition, I deliberately added, "This accident was extremely suspicious. I've hired America's best private investigator to look into it."

Elbert stiffened almost imperceptibly.

"I thought Ronin was handling the investigation?" Miley asked, confused.

"Two approaches will be more effective than one," I assured her.

"Do you really think someone planned the accident?" Elbert asked with feigned surprise.

Meeting his gaze directly, I replied, "It's not an allegation—it's a fact. And whoever is responsible will learn the meaning of regret."

Elbert's brow furrowed. "Elena, I need to speak with you privately," he said abruptly, guiding me toward the door.

By the elevator, Elbert was about to speak when I patted my handbag.

"I think I left my phone in Aunt Miley's room," I said. "Wait in the parking lot—I'll join you shortly."

When he offered to come with me, I declined. After he reluctantly left, I hurried back to Miley's room and closed the door.

"Aunt Miley, I need to tell you something important," I said urgently.

"What is it?" she asked, concerned.

I lowered my voice. "Elbert is working with Ryan. I suspect they might be connected to your accident."

Miley's face transformed with anger, her hands clenching into fists. "That scheming little—! And I actually thought he was one of the good ones!"

"I've been gathering evidence," I explained. "I just wanted you to know. I'm handling it."

Taking a deep breath, she advised, "Be careful, Elena. If you need help, talk to Ronin. He has experience with these matters."

"I will," I promised, squeezing her hand. "Just focus on getting better."

With that, I walked out the room and headed toward the elevator, startled to see Eleanor emerging from what appeared to be an obstetrics clinic.

Eleanor is pregnant? The realization hit me like a thunderbolt.

Curiosity led me to follow Eleanor down the corridor. She approached an older couple dressed in simple, modest clothing—nothing like the high society attire Elbert had described.

"How did the checkup go?" Eleanor's mother asked anxiously.

Eleanor smiled warmly. "Don't worry, Mom. The doctor says everything is progressing perfectly. The baby is developing well."

Her mother clicked her tongue. "That Elbert! Missing such an important appointment because of work. What could be more important than this?"

I felt a twinge of sympathy for Eleanor. She clearly didn't know the full extent of Elbert's scheming. Was she just another pawn in his game, or was she complicit in his plans?

"Now, dear," Eleanor's father interjected gently, "the young man is busy. That's normal."

A flash of sadness crossed Eleanor's face before she masked it with a smile. "It's fine, Mom. He really is very busy."

From my hiding spot, I observed with racing thoughts. Everything about them contradicts what Elbert told me about her "high society" background.

I called Teresa immediately. "I need you to investigate someone named Eleanor. I want detailed background information, especially about her family... Yes, it's urgent."

My mind was still reeling from this discovery as I made my way to the parking garage. Not only was Eleanor pregnant with Elbert's child, but it seemed he had been lying about her background. What else was he hiding? And why?

In the hospital parking garage, Elbert was waiting impatiently by his car. "What took you so long? I've been waiting for almost half an hour."

"Sorry," I replied smoothly. "I lost an earring and had to search for it." I watched his face carefully for any sign that he didn't believe me.

Seeming to accept my excuse, Elbert retrieved a folder from his briefcase. "Here's the project documentation I mentioned. Ryan is currently working on this—high profit potential, manageable risk. If Ryan succeeds with this project, his position in Phoenix Group will be even stronger. That's bad for us. We need to decide quickly."

I maintained my composure, but inwardly I was disgusted by his betrayal. Here he was, plotting against Ryan with me while simultaneously working with Ryan against me. The layers of his deception seemed endless.

After examining the documents, I looked up with deliberate skepticism. "How did you manage to obtain something this confidential? Ryan is usually extremely cautious."

Elbert waved dismissively. "I bought off his assistant."

Setting the folder aside, I casually changed the subject. "By the way, I learned something interesting. Ryan approached me recently about buying my Phoenix shares." I watched his reaction carefully.

His eyes widened in shock. "What?! How could he—?" He caught himself, quickly adjusting his tone. "I mean, why would he suddenly want your shares? That's strange."

"He even offered to trade shares from his other companies," I added, emphasizing the point. "The terms were quite attractive."

Elbert's expression darkened. "Are you sure about this? He actually said that?" The doubt in his voice was unmistakable.

I met his gaze steadily. "Of course I'm sure. Why would I make that up?" I feigned confusion. "Is something wrong?"

I could see the conflict playing across his face as he struggled to process this new information. "No, nothing's wrong," he finally said, his voice tight. "Just think about the project. Let me know when you decide." Without another word, he turned and walked away.

I watched him leave, a small smile of satisfaction forming on my lips. I felt no remorse for manipulating him. After all, he had been playing both sides all along.

Now I just needed to watch them grow into mutual suspicion between my enemies.