Chapter 401 Colluding
Elissa brushed past him, heading straight to Finn for some food and conversation.
Francis wanted to follow, but Willard held him back.
Willard sent his secretary over to get Elissa's signature on some documents.
He clinked his glass against Francis's. "Quick thinking, using me as a buffer for your fiancée. Aren't you worried your family will find out?"
Francis glanced at Elissa, his gaze soft but resolute. "All I want right now is to marry her."
Willard had known Francis for years and had never seen him so invested in anything, let alone go to such lengths.
His eyes darkened slightly. "You've got a weak spot now."
Francis replied calmly, "She's not my weak spot."
A weak spot could be exploited by enemies, used as leverage, becoming a permanent shackle.
He didn't like that idea and didn't want Elissa to be in any danger.
"She's my partner, someone who stands by my side."
Willard felt a bit nauseated and changed the subject. "The Hamilton family has been asking me about their daughter's whereabouts. Are you keeping Sylvia in Seaside City to protect your fiancée?"
Francis shook his head. "No." His eyes turned cold. "Just teaching someone a lesson."
Meanwhile, Elissa finished signing the documents, temporarily binding herself to the Larson family.
By the time the Peterson family found out, it was too late.
"What did I say back then?" Rainey was furious, losing her usual composure. "After what happened with Melinda, how could Francis ever accept Sylvia? Even if they're not the same type, the same tactics won't work. If you wouldn't fall for it, how could your son? Now look, the Peterson family has lost its position of power to him. He made Elissa a partner with Willard, and the project is with the Larson family. We can't make a move now. We can't afford to be enemies with the Larson family."
Jacob's face was equally grim.
After the incident with Melinda, the Wright family intervened, and the Peterson family took a hit.
They had hoped to recover with the Hamilton family's help, but Francis had offended them too.
If they went against the Larson family now, the Peterson family would suffer greatly.
Francis had truly outdone himself.
If it weren't for Elissa, he would be immensely proud of Francis.
"Let's not act rashly," Elysia said. "Francis still has some familial affection for us. For now, it's best if we do nothing."
"These two come from such different backgrounds and educations. As Francis's position rises, conflicts will naturally arise," she added.
Rainey wasn't so optimistic. "Mom, you've seen how Francis treats Elissa. He'd rather hurt himself than see her suffer. If he keeps compromising for her, I don't think they'll ever break up."
"Life is unpredictable."
"Mom, we can't leave things to fate. We need to take control."
Elysia fiddled with her bracelet. "Do you have a plan?"
Rainey didn't.
Elysia continued, "If there's no plan, we can only wait and see. If we make a move now, we'll definitely piss off the Larson family. The Wright family won't miss a chance to jump in. Listen, we just focus on our own business and leave this alone."
For now, that was all they could do.
But Rainey couldn't let it go.
In her room, alone with Jacob, she asked, "You once said to eliminate the problem at its root. Do you have a way?"
Jacob sighed. "That was before."
"Willard can find a partner in no time. Elissa isn't the only capable person. Even if we did something quietly, Willard wouldn't openly confront us. Willard might, if I remember correctly, he owes Francis a favor," he added.
Rainey was shocked. "When? Why don't I know about this?"
Jacob patted her shoulder. "Calm down. My memory is fuzzy, not sure about the details."
"Willard's wife was filming wildlife in a remote area and encountered trouble. Francis was training nearby and helped her," he continued.
Rainey recalled Francis's training timeline. "Wasn't she still a student then? And not his wife yet."
"But she is now." Jacob sat Rainey down on the bed. "And Willard is serious about her."
Rainey punched the pillow a few times. "What a mess. It's all your fault. If you hadn't insisted Sylvia could win Francis over, making him forget Elissa, I wouldn't have gone along with it. I should have..."
"Enough," Jacob interrupted. "It's too late now."
Yes.
It was too late.
Rainey could only wait for them to have conflicts and break up.
Francis draped his suit jacket over Elissa's shoulders.
His cold gaze swept the room.
Those staring at Elissa quickly looked away.
He had helped a lot today, so Elissa didn't argue with him.
Willard finished socializing and called Francis upstairs.
Upstairs was a different scene.
Unlike the elegantly decorated banquet hall downstairs, it was a large entertainment area.
A private room with several card tables, already occupied.
There were also people playing poker.
Elissa glanced around; the stakes were high.
"Everyone," Willard spoke, and the room fell silent.
Elissa couldn't help but admire.
This was the power of a leader.
"Francis brought his fiancée today, don't let him off easy. It's rare to win money from him," Willard continued.
Elissa retracted her admiration.
No matter how powerful a man was, he was still childish with his friends.
A woman approached, scrutinizing Elissa. "Interesting. I thought I'd never see Francis get married."
Francis ignored her. The woman turned to Elissa and teased, "It's beyond me why you stay with him."
Elissa could only smile, unable to explain.
Francis introduced her, "Uma Larson, from the Larson family, Willard's cousin."
"Nice to meet you," Uma greeted.
Elissa shook her hand. "Pleasure."
Uma pulled her away. "Let Elissa play with us girls. You play with Willard."
Francis followed and stood by the card table next to where Elissa sat.
The people at the table quickly made room, understanding the situation.
Willard rolled up his sleeves and sat down, teasing, "You're so clingy."
Francis replied coolly, "You're one to talk! You don't even know where your wife is."
Elissa's ears perked up.
Earlier downstairs, when Francis introduced Willard, she was surprised to learn he was Anne's much older husband.
She didn't expect to meet him so soon.
Compared to Madison's vague descriptions, she was very curious about the full story of this complicated love affair.
Just as she was about to ask, the door to the private room burst open.
A familiar face stormed in, grabbed a drink from the table, and threw it in Willard's face. "You're despicable!"
Willard, in his thirties and the head of the Larson family, had a presence that commanded respect and fear. No one dared to look him in the eye, let alone throw a drink in his face.
But instead of showing anger, Willard's eyes softened with affection.
As he wiped his face with a napkin, he said gently, "I'm glad you came to see me."
Anne tried to leave, but Willard grabbed her wrist. "Since you're back, come home with me tomorrow."
Anne refused.
Willard remained patient and kind, "It's a family dinner. You promised my parents."
Anne shook off Willard's hand. "I'll go home by myself tomorrow."
As she turned to leave, she noticed Elissa. "Elissa, what are you doing here?"
Elissa waved at her. "I'm here for a business deal."
"With who?" Anne's eyes widened as she pointed at Willard. "Don't tell me, with him."
Elissa nodded.
Anne rushed over and tried to pull Elissa away.
"Elissa, trust me about Willard. His words are like a chess game where he's always ten moves ahead. Partnering with him is like walking through a minefield blindfolded. By the time you realize you've been outmaneuvered, it's already too late. Come on, let's go," Anne said.
Francis held Elissa back.
Anne finally noticed Francis. "You're here too?"
Francis responded, "She's my fiancée."
Anne looked between Elissa and Francis.
After a moment of hesitation, she said, "Francis is trustworthy, but he's friends with Willard. Elissa, you still need to be careful."
Elissa had always been cautious, but it didn't help.
From Anne's description of Willard, she understood why Francis and Willard were friends.
Birds of a feather.
"Don't worry, this deal is straightforward. It's not about making money, just promoting a brand my friend and I started," Elissa replied.
"With the Hammer Group behind you, ElevateJoy is already huge, and you still need promotion?"
"We want to combine it with local culture and make a splash on the international stage."
Anne was intrigued. "That sounds great. When you go abroad, I'll take photos for you. They'll be stunning."
Elissa nodded enthusiastically. "When we launch, we'll let you know. With your photography skills, we'll carve out our own path."
The two chatted passionately, ignoring everyone else.
Uma's laughter eventually interrupted them, "Must be fate, Anne. You're destined to be part of our family, getting along so well with my brother's friend's fiancée."
Anne's smile vanished at the mention of Willard.
She told Elissa, "I have to go. Let's stay in touch."
Willard wasn't about to let her leave so easily.
"Stay and play for a while," he said.
Anne refused, but Willard insisted, "Your friend just arrived in Seaside City. As the host, you should keep her company."
Francis shot Willard a cold look. He had ignored her for years, and now she wanted a divorce. He deserved it.
Anne wasn't the naive girl she used to be, easily swayed by Willard's words.
"She's familiar with Francis. They're a couple now. She doesn't need me," she said.
Willard's eyes flashed with calculation. "This collaboration needs promotional photos. Since you're close, you'll work well together. Stay and help her out."
Elissa wanted to speak, but Francis stopped her. She glared at him. Francis was exasperated.
"You have other photographers." Anne wavered but didn't want to give in to Willard.
"None as good as you," Willard replied.
Elissa silently observed, thinking to herself that Willard was quite the smooth talker.
"But I have other work," Anne insisted.
Willard coaxed, "Can't you rearrange for a good friend?"
Anne and Elissa hadn't known each other long but got along well. Otherwise, she wouldn't have given her a 9.9% discount. She never gave discounts! And she was interested in Elissa's cultural fashion project.
Elissa couldn't stand it. "Anne, do what you want. As long as you're happy."
Willard's eyes showed displeasure.
Francis spoke up, "Can I say something?"
Anne nodded. "Of course. After all, you saved me."
"Then stay and play with my fiancée?"
"Okay."
Francis looked at Willard, smug and disdainful. Willard was exasperated.
Elissa was curious about the gossip but didn't want Anne to suffer. But Anne chose to stay, so there was nothing she could do.
"Make room," Uma told a girl nearby. "I'll cover your tab tonight."
The girl happily moved to another table.
Uma pulled Anne to sit down. She was straightforward and asked, "How did my brother force you back?"
Anne glared at Willard. "He used environmental protection as an excuse to stop our filming. We waited so long for the perfect clouds, and he ruined it."
Uma gave Willard a disdainful look and patted Anne's shoulder. "Anne, I have an idea. At the family dinner, complain about him. He'll get scolded and punished. Imagine him, with his status, being punished. Doesn't that feel good?"
Anne smiled. "You always have the best ideas."
Uma looked proud. "No big deal."
Elissa watched Willard's expression. His eyes were fixed on Anne, filled with a tender affection that didn't match his image. What shocked her more was that he smiled when Anne did.
But he hadn't cherished her, and now it was too late. What good was it?
Elissa's cheek was suddenly pinched. She met Francis's amused gaze.
"Elissa, I'm still here. Is it appropriate to keep staring at another man?" Francis said.
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