Chapter 29 Someone's Digging Into His Past
The words had barely left Pearl South's lips when Margaret's smile froze.
Margaret was a notable figure in Northwind, with both status and recognition.
Never had she been subjected to such blatant disrespect and humiliation.
Xena was beside herself, trying not to show her anger. She was used to her grandmother being revered, thus it was unacceptable for this woman to act so casually. Ultimately, no matter how esteemed their opponents were, could they truly surpass the Carnegie family's standing in Northwind?
It was certainly impossible for anyone to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Carnegies on equal footing.
“Who the hell do you think you are, talking to my Mrs. Sackler like that?” Xena stepped forward, and Margaret didn’t try to stop her. It was about time someone put these know-nothings in their place.
Pearl had already done her homework on Margaret and Xena. Now, watching them, she simply sneered with disdain.
A fuming Xena, shaking with rage, pointed at Pearl South, “You...”
Pearl didn't budge an inch, but Julian, by her side, moved quickly, a motion so swift no one caught how it happened. He grabbed Xena's finger that was pointing at Pearl and twisted it savagely.
Xena shrieked in pain, grimacing, “What the hell are you doing? Ah...that hurts...”
Julian let out a mocking laugh, “Miss Sackler, such pretty fingers you have. Remember not to point them recklessly at people. Otherwise, next time you might not be so lucky to encounter my hand but a knife; understood?”
Facing such a blunt threat, Xena was indeed taken aback.
Margaret, who always cared about keeping up composure, this time, didn't dare to aggravate the situation. It was clear they were at a disadvantage. Instead, she whispered to the seemingly in-charge Pearl, “What do you want? Let go of her.”
Pearl gave Julian a look and he released Xena.
Leaning in close to Margaret, Pearl extended her neck and whispered in her ear, “Madam, I bring greetings from our boss Miss Xanthe Ellison.”
Margaret said coolly, “Xanthe Ellison? Never heard of her.”
Pearl South straightened up, a teasing smile on her face, “Doesn’t matter, you'll be meeting her soon.”
With those words hanging in the air, Pearl and her group departed."
Margaret engraved the name Xanthe Ellison in her memory with ironclad certainty.
After boarding the vehicle, Pearl shed her previous aloof demeanor, her smile now warm and genuine.
"Our new boss is quite the character, huh?" Pearl mused, a twinkle in her eye, "She's got some ingenious tricks up her sleeve. Life with her is sure to be anything but dull."
Julian was the first to chime in, "I'm already looking forward to seeing her debut as Xanthe Ellison at Northwind."
Kim, however, wasn't as easily amused and turned to question Cecil West, "When can you get me a background check on Ms. Ellison's new husband?"
Cecil shook his head, "No dice."
At these words, Cecil saw someone suddenly look at him with questioning eyes and a follow up question, "Is he so ordinary that he blends in without a trace? Not a shred of information to go on?"
Cecil's admission came as a surprise to Pearl who had never known him to come up empty-handed before.
"I checked the marriage records; Xanthe has definitely tied the knot," Cecil explained, "But I couldn't even find the guy's name. No name means no leads to follow. Maybe one of you could casually ask Xanthe her husband's name?"
Pearl, Kim, and Julian exchanged glances.
"With her current situation, she's likely keeping her marriage under wraps," Pearl figured. "Chances are, she won't spill about her husband's identity to the likes of us."
Meanwhile, Raymond drove a car with strange plates into a recently minted villa district. Upon arrival, attendants immediately offered valet parking. In contrast to other residential properties, this villa's interior screamed corporate office rather than a homely abode.
Amid the hubbub of diligent workers, Charles rushed up to Raymond as soon as he arrived.
"Raymond, heads up; someone's been snooping around for information on you."
Raymond wasn't fazed, "It's normal for people to poke around after a Carnegie shows up at the Sackler's family bash."
Charles pressed on, "Yes, while I wasn't very concerned about most of it, I noticed that someone was searching for marriage records related to you, specifically, looking up madam’s name."
Raymond's stride faltered. Someone was investigating him through Paige's name at the marriage registry?
Raymond's eyes narrowed slightly, a subtle twist at the corners indicating his intrigue. Did the other party know that Paige was married and was now probing into his background? Amusing.
When Raymond considered who among Paige's acquaintances knew she was married, Louis sprang to mind first. It seemed Louis was still in the dark about the name of Paige's husband being Raymond himself!
Charles observed the shifting expressions on Raymond's face, noting the quirk of his brow. Tentatively, he ventured, "sir, should we block this from all angles...?"
Without letting Charles finish, Raymond interrupted with a wry smile, "Let's leave a little room for surprise. You never know, we might just end up with something interesting."
Charles was still piecing together Raymond's cryptic hint when Raymond strode confidently toward his office.
Inside, several people were already waiting, including Bradley. Upon Raymond's entrance, Bradley was the first to rise. Once Raymond was comfortably seated at the head of the table, Bradley followed suit.
"Everyone's here. Has anyone caught wind of a significant piece of news?" Raymond began, "After nearly eight years of uncertainty, the CEO position at Universe Group is about to be filled by a new successor!"
These meetings in the villa office were not Raymond's usual haunt, but the urgency of this news warranted his presence. At this revelation, the veteran shareholders began buzzing with speculation.
"Didn't that Universe bigwig lose everything because of the incident eight years ago?"
"Without an heir, how could that old coot posthumously pull someone out of a hat to succeed him?"
"Exactly, everyone knows the owner of Universe had no successor!"
Bradley interjected, "Not quite childless. Rumor has it there's a daughter who vanished years ago."
"So, the execs at Universe found this prodigal daughter?"
"That'd be a game-changer. Imagine Universe gaining momentum and coming after Hawke Corporation."
Hearing this, Raymond's brow furrowed deeper, "Whether the news is reliable remains to be seen. After eight years, can anyone here provide a lead on our secret funds?"
The question hung heavily in the air, and was met with immediate silence, even Bradley remained mute.
Still deeply concerned but rising to stand, Raymond posed another, "Just how long has Hawke Corporation been established here?"
Bradley mused with a hint of pride, "It's the big 80th anniversary this year."
Raymond nodded affirmatively. "Well, we ought to celebrate that in a grand style. Let's send out formal invites to the titans of the industry. How about getting the CEO of Universe to attend?"
