Chapter 416 Let's Break Up
Elissa called Anne back right away. "Did you make it to Maple Valley?" she asked.
Anne's voice had a hint of frustration. "I've been here for over three hours, waiting at the hotel. I'm starving. Willard's been watching me like a hawk. It's so annoying."
Willard came too?
Elissa apologized, "My bad. I'll come get you for dinner right now. Send me the hotel name."
After hanging up, Elissa received Anne's message and called out to Francis, "Let's go, Francis."
As they drove to the hotel, she asked Francis, "Is Willard here for work or something?"
Francis snorted, "Neither."
So he came with Anne.
Elissa nodded and then playfully poked Francis's cheek with her delicate finger. "Francis, let's enjoy this last meal together. Make it count."
Francis held her hand, playing along, "Sure."
When they arrived at the hotel, Anne was already waiting.
Francis got out to make room.
Anne said, "Thanks, Francis. You look great."
Francis just glanced at her and went to the car behind them.
Willard got in next.
"What's the plan?" he asked bluntly.
Francis replied coolly, "Don't act like you're here to help me. Just admit you're here to win back your wife. There's no point pretending otherwise.
Willard was speechless.
In the car ahead, Anne was recounting her day.
Elissa looked at Anne with pity.
She'd been tricked.
Anne comforted Elissa. "I saw the video. Don't be upset. I've told you my troubles, and I think I'm worse off than you."
Before meeting Anne, Elissa only knew her from online.
She seemed like a loner, a bit quirky.
But in person, she was surprisingly sweet.
Using her own troubles to comfort others was a first for Elissa.
Elissa replied, "You've had it rough. Eat your heart out tonight and forget your sorrows."
"Will do!"
At Velvet Gourmet, Hope was already waiting in a private room.
Elissa whispered something to her.
Hope blinked, "Can you two pull it off?"
"Just play along and don't tell anyone. Anne's here, and I think it could help her."
Hope glanced at Anne, who was engrossed in the menu, and nodded in agreement. "It should work."
Anne was oblivious. She'd heard about Velvet Gourmet for a long time and was excited to finally try it.
Willard suddenly spoke up, "You can't have this dessert. It has peanuts, and you're allergic."
Anne got up to sit with Elissa, but Willard held her back.
He whispered in her ear, "Couples sit together."
Anne looked over.
Elissa and Hope were sitting together, with Francis and Jerry beside them.
She'd been too focused on the menu to notice.
"Elissa..." Anne said.
Elissa immediately scooted closer to Francis, and Hope moved closer to Jerry, making room for Anne.
Anne smugly raised her chin at Willard and then asked Elissa about the specialties.
Elissa pointed out a few dishes and asked, "Besides peanuts, any other allergies?"
"None with food," Willard answered before Anne could, "but she's allergic to wool."
Elissa and Hope exchanged a knowing smile.
Anne glared at Willard, "You act like you know me so well. We're getting divorced. I don't want people to get the wrong idea and mess up my chances of finding a boyfriend."
Willard's expression didn't change much, but Elissa and Hope felt the tension.
Those in power always seemed intimidating, even if it was just jealousy behind it.
"Are you going to stand there and serve us dinner?" Jerry joked, and Francis tapped the chair next to him. "Sit down."
Willard realized he was outnumbered.
But he still pulled up a chair and sat behind Anne.
Jerry got up, moved Hope and her chair two spots over, and sat next to her.
Willard slipped into the spot next to Anne, giving Jerry a knowing look.
Jerry grinned, "You owe me one."
Willard thought, 'I'll never be able to repay all these favors.'
At the Wright Villa.
Aiden had followed Francis back to Maple Valley.
He secretly sent a message to the Peterson family and waited for their response.
But the Peterson family didn't reply.
Francis and Elissa were still very much in love.
They even went out together tonight, showing no signs of stress or breakup.
Aiden watched the online discussions, which he'd paid to keep in the top ten trending topics.
He couldn't figure out what Francis was up to.
"Are you confident?" Aiden's father, Dash Wright, asked.
Aiden turned the jade ring on his thumb. His usually sharp eyes were now dull.
He was more somber than usual.
If this plan failed, the Wright family might never recover.
Dash analyzed, "Jerry has taken the fake Ollie away. Francis's people are investigating. Maybe he has dirt on you, which is why he's so calm."
Aiden remained silent.
He'd been careful all his life.
The Wright family had its dirty secrets, but he had no incriminating evidence against him.
At least, nothing fatal.
Minor issues wouldn't threaten him.
But Elissa's situation, with Ollie involved in a death, was different.
With Elissa as Francis's fiancée, Francis's path couldn't be smooth.
If Francis's progress was hindered, the Wright family would have no competition.
They could even surpass the Peterson family.
Businesspeople still had to curry favor with those in power.
Dash pressed on, "I'm talking to you. Do you have a plan?"
Lost in thought, Aiden remained silent.
Anne was happily full, patting her round belly, and dragged Elissa to the restroom.
Hope needed to go too.
The private room was left with three men.
Jerry got up, clinked glasses with Francis, and sat next to him, draping an arm over his shoulder.
Grinning mischievously, he asked, "Are you sure about this plan?"
Francis sipped his drink, "Aiden's hard to catch. He's very cautious. Without creating some doubt, he won't let his guard down."
Willard joined them, "What's the plan?"
Francis smirked, "You'll see soon."
Jerry added, "Don't forget, you owe us one."
Willard was smart.
But he was clueless now.
He soon found out what their "plan" was.
The three women returned, grabbed their bags, and walked out of Velvet Gourmet arm in arm.
The three men followed behind.
Just as they were about to get into the car, Francis suddenly said, "Elissa, let's break up."
Elissa was about to feign surprise when Anne suddenly exclaimed, "What did you say?"
Elissa cleared her throat and reached out to pull Anne back.
But Anne had already run up to Francis. "How dare you say break up. Elissa is going through such a tough time, and you bring up breaking up now?"
Francis's lips twitched slightly, forcing himself to continue the act.
He said, "I can't afford any scandals right now. Elissa, if you love me, let me go. I..."
Elissa was interrupted by Anne again.
Anne stomped her foot in anger, pointing at Francis's nose. "I can't believe you're this kind of person! When you saved me, I thought you were a man of great character. But now, you're abandoning the person you love for your future! You're just like Willard, both of you are terrible men!"
Willard, who was innocently dragged into this, was speechless.
Francis's temple throbbed, almost unable to continue the act.
"This is between Elissa and me," he said.
Elissa pretended to wipe away tears and said to Hope, "I feel so guilty."
Hope hugged Elissa, seemingly comforting her but actually whispering, "Just finish the act. If it comes to it, we'll apologize to her later."
Elissa nodded, "That's all we can do."
Anne, thinking Elissa was shaking from sadness, immediately went over and hugged her from behind. "Elissa, don't be sad. This kind of bad man isn't worth your precious tears. You still have me. I'll always be here for you."
Elissa felt even more guilty, almost breaking character.
Taking a deep breath, she looked at Francis and choked out, "You promised me before, no matter what happened, you wouldn't leave me."
Francis's lips pressed into a hard line. "I didn't know about your past before. I respected you by not digging into it, but you should have told me after knowing my future plans. If you had told me earlier, I could have made arrangements. Now, we're in such a passive situation."
Elissa sniffled dramatically, "I wanted to erase such painful memories, not relive them. How could I bring it up?"
"Besides, when the Peterson family tried to separate us, didn't I tell you? You insisted, and now you've proposed to me, only to say this!"
"And you put all the blame on me. I never realized you were such a coward!"
Anne chimed in, "Exactly, I misjudged you too. You saved me, but that doesn't excuse this. I hate you."
Francis was at a loss for words.
He glanced at Willard, signaling him.
Willard grabbed Anne, "Stop adding fuel to the fire. Let's go back to the hotel. Let them handle their own issues."
"What do you mean 'their own issues'!" Anne broke free from Willard, glaring at him. "Don't try to take sides. You're just trying to help your friend by dragging me away! Don't touch me again, or I'll accuse you of harassment."
Willard could only try to control Anne.
Francis's voice turned completely cold, "Elissa, if you want compensation, just say it. But we're done."
Elissa wiped away imaginary tears, "Forget compensation, but I can't take off this ring. Give it to me. From now on, we're strangers. Even if we run into each other, we don't need to greet or acknowledge each other."
Hope chimed in, "I'll take you home."
Anne quickly followed, "Elissa, don't cry. This trash isn't worth your tears."
Jerry patted the stunned Willard, "Take her back. Don't waste this opportunity."
Willard's mind slowly pieced everything together. "So this is..." he hesitated.
Jerry cut him off with a look.
Walls had ears.
Willard understood what Jerry meant by owing a favor.
While Francis and Elissa were acting, Anne was upset for Elissa, and he could comfort and help her.
This way, Anne might see him in a better light.
Even if she thought he was just like Francis, it could improve their currently hostile relationship.
Forgiveness would be within reach.
"Let's go," Willard said to Anne.
Jerry noticed Willard's steps were lighter.
He guided Francis to another car.
Now he had to play the "good friend."
Jerry said, "Let's have a drink."
In the car, Hayden reported the situation, "We've got plenty of people, top-notch journalists and private investigators. They'll take the best photos, blur the lines, and spread misleading news."
"In less than ten minutes, the internet will be buzzing with news of your breakup with Mrs. Peterson," he added.
Francis rubbed his temples and asked, "What about the Wright family? Any findings?"
Hayden replied, "Simon reported back. Aiden doesn't have any fatal dirt, but the Wright family has been rotting for years. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so desperate to marry into the Baker family."
He continued, "Aiden had planned to stay single out of loyalty to his deceased partner. That shows the internal issues of the Wright family. Any one of them could be fatal."
Francis's eyes flickered, "How serious are the issues?"
Hayden said, "A mining accident occurred, resulting in the deaths of everyone involved, and it was subsequently covered up. Significant amounts of hush money were paid, though the source of the funds was questionable."
"However, concrete evidence is still under investigation. The cover-up was executed thoroughly. Currently, Arthur and Sebastian are attempting to obtain information from the victims' families."
Jerry chuckled, "Such a big issue left unresolved, and they still dare to mess with you. So confident, thinking Elissa's scumbag dad could bring you down."
Suddenly, a deep malice flickered in Francis's eyes. "I'm looking forward to the paternity test results."
He suspected Ollie wasn't Elissa's biological father. They didn't look alike, and Ollie was too harsh on Elissa.
There were unloving parents, but it always seemed odd to him.
To avoid alerting Aiden, the test was conducted secretly, so it was slow.
"To the bar," Francis said.
Meanwhile, the three women squeezed into one car, heading to Elissa's place.
Willard followed.
But in the underground garage, Anne stopped him, "Why aren't you with your good friend? Why are you following us?"
"I don't agree with his actions, so I don't want to be with him," Willard said seriously.
Anne didn't believe him, "Impossible. You're just like him, both self-serving."
Otherwise, why would he ignore her for three years?
During those cold years, people in their circle mocked and ostracized her, making her career path difficult.
He never stepped in.
Given her profession and background, she wouldn't have married Willard if it weren't for his grandfather owing her grandfather a life debt.
He refused to acknowledge her, wouldn't even try dating her, and never took her out.
He thought she was beneath him.
Just like Francis now, breaking up with Elissa for his career.
Anne's expression turned somber, her eyes darkening. "Willard, don't make me hate you."
Willard thought, 'Why is this going differently than I imagined?'
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