Chapter 165 Scent-Marked Ground

Chapter 165 Scent-Marked Ground


Raven studied Elena with sharp wolf eyes, her red lips lifting into a calm smile filled with command. “You searched into my trail quite deeply,” she said.

Elena met her gaze without flinching. “Miss Raven, you kept Plot Number Two till the end because you understand its weight in this territory. Its size is small, yet its position controls the flow of this project. If you release it to Farrington Corporation, both sides will feast well.”

Allowing Farrington Corporation into the project also meant Raven would gain a firm hold inside the project circle. That was the real aim behind the investment. It was not charity. It was a power exchange.

Raven felt it clearly.

Elena lifted her coffee cup, the metal of her watch glinting under the light.

Raven raised her cup too. The two cups clicked with a light sound. “To a shared victory.”

The agreement settled like scent marking fresh ground.

Elena moved fast. She sent a message to her aide. Orders were clear. Deliver the Plot Two contract at once. On the other side, Raven contacted her own subordinate. She was not the registered holder of the land, so the rightful signer had to appear.

They ate with ease. Conversation stayed sharp yet pleasant. Only when the last course was cleared did Florence arrive, holding the contract folder close.

Raven scanned the document. Her brows lifted in surprise. The figure printed there shone brighter than expected. Elena had not slashed the price. She had raised it far beyond RushGreen Group's internal offer.

“This shows my respect for this alliance,” Elena said calmly.

Raven laughed, a low sound filled with approval. “Working beside you feels refreshing.”

“There will be more projects ahead,” Elena replied. “Each one should benefit us both.”

“Without doubt.”

Raven placed a call. Her representative arrived. Signatures followed. A deal worth more than four point eight million was locked into place as the meal ended.

Elena left the restaurant holding the contract. She sent a lighthearted message to Dolphus then returned to the company with a lifted spirit.

Moments later, the news struck like a blow.

Plot Two was gone.

Farrington Corporation had already claimed it with an offer of four point eight million.

The room spun. Rage burned through Vallora's chest. Her knees weakened.

Business followed no mercy. Until ink met paper, nothing belonged to anyone. Spoken words meant nothing. A breath of delay could lose an empire.

Vallora swept the ornament from her desk. It shattered on the floor. She shut her eyes, inhaled slowly, then turned to her aide. “Reach Mr Dolphus, and ask him if Raven whispered into his ear. If he is stirring trouble to strike back for a forgotten mate?”

The assistant stepped closer, lowering her voice. “Miss Vallora, calm yourself. Dolphus holds no affection for your sister. Everyone knows his nature. Cold. Distant. He would not act out of old ties. This feels like the Farringtons seeking profit, not revenge.”

Vallora's eyes hardened. “Call Dolphus first. Learn what they want.”

The assistant left and returned soon after. “Miss Vallora, I spoke with Dolphus's secretary. He knew nothing. After checking, she confirmed the choice came from the new Vice President of Administration. Miss Elena.”

Vallora couldn't move an inch. “Miss Elena,” she repeated. “You mean the adopted one.”

Silence filled the room.

Vallora understood at once. Like many others, she saw Elena as a rival within the Farringtons. As an adopted wolf, Elena needed ground to stand firm. The RushGreen Group project promised power for years. Taking Plot Two secured her position.

Money alone would not reclaim it now.

Vallora had planned patience. Once the project went public, she would approach Elena with cooperation. Enemies often shared enemies. Elena’s presence shook the Farrington succession. Dolphus was tied to Raven. Vallora could not allow him to rise as the chairman of that company.

“Contact Miss Elena,” she said at last. “Invite her for coffee. Today.”

The assistant hurried to comply.

When the call reached Elena’s office, Florence answered. Prepared already, she stated that Elena was unavailable.

Vallora stood at once. “We go there,” she said. On the way, she ordered another call. Since Elena could not come, I, Vallora, would go and meet her by myself.

Pride no longer mattered. This project had been torn from her youngest sister’s claws. If her sister succeeded, Vallora would lose her inheritance and live under her shadow forever.

At Farrington Corporation, Florence ended the call and turned to Elena. “Miss Elena, should I let her in?”

Elena smiled. “Why would you stop her? Bring the development files for the new factory land. When Miss Vallora arrives, escort her here yourself.”

Florence answered at once. “Understood.”

Elena leaned back in her chair, eyes fixed on the glowing screen before her. She did not know Vallora well. This meeting would be her first real scent check. Once Vallora stepped into the room, Elena would read her tone, her patience. If the she wolf showed caution, Elena would circle slowly. If she showed greed or fear, Elena would strike straight at the core.

Whispers had already spread through the corporate packs. Gamma Raphael Farrington had placed Elena in the role of Executive Vice President not as a reward, but as a test. Two wolves stood before the throne. Elena and Dolphus. One would prove stronger.

Elena intended to let the rumors breathe. Fear made rivals careless. Hope made allies pliable.

Before long, footsteps sounded outside her office. The door opened. Vallora arrived sooner than expected, moving with purpose. After a brief greeting, she wasted no breath.

“I heard you took a parcel of land from a minor holder,” Vallora said, with a tight voice. “Name your price, Elena. That land matters greatly to me.”

Elena lifted her brows slightly, masking her readiness. She reached for a folder and slid it forward across the desk. “Do you mean this one?”

Vallora looked down. Her gaze sharpened. She nodded once. “Yes. That is the one. State your price.”

Elena smiled faintly. She tapped another stack of papers resting beside her chair. They detailed expansion plans. “I regret disappointing you, Miss Vallora. Since our breakthroughs in chips and lithography systems, Farrington Corporation plans to expand rapidly. This location fits our needs perfectly. So…”

Vallora cut in, impatience slipping through her calm mask. “Have you heard about RushGreen Group’s newest CBD project in Pasadena?”

Elena withdrew her hand from the papers and nodded. “I have heard echoes. With state support behind you, success seems assured. You have my advance praise.”

“That land is part of it,” Vallora replied, lips curving stiffly. “Without your interference, the contract would already be sealed. Still, the land now rests in your claws, so I will be open. RushGreen Group needs it badly. If you release it, I will owe you.”

Elena traced the arm of her chair slowly. “I just stepped into this role. Youth does not protect position. Strength does. I must prove my worth to keep my ground against Dolphus. Capital matters. Influence matters.”

Vallora watched her closely. Inside, her thoughts raced. Her suspicion was confirmed. Elena sought leverage. That could be useful. Helping Elena rise might weaken Dolphus. And Dolphus belongs to Raven. His presence was the reason Raven had survived within the RushGreen Group for so long.

“So,” Vallora said carefully, “how does Vice President Elena want me to cooperate with her?”

Elena reached beneath the stack and produced a single document. She placed it before Vallora. “This project would be handled jointly. Farrington Corporation would fund half. This land would be included.”