CHAPTER 45: RECRUITMENT DRIVE

By the time Eleanor finished interviewing all 37 candidates from the Blanc Clan, it was already noon. She leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temple gently, feeling the weight of the long morning press against her shoulders.

The candidates came from a wide range of professions... Accountants, Lawyers, Public Relations Officers, Data Engineers, Software Engineers, HR Officers, Project Managers, Content Writers, Receptionists, Cleaning and Maintenance Staff, Drivers, and Maids. A complete workforce walked through her doors, ready to serve.

Among them, sixteen women possessed shadow powers. Eleanor had expected as much. From her understanding, these women had originally trained with the Shadow Guard but hadn’t been able to complete the grueling process. Instead, they had chosen alternative careers to support themselves.

Without hesitation, she called Teresa to her office and handed her twenty-three CVs.

"These candidates have experience in various fields," Eleanor said, her voice firm. "Recruit them into appropriate departments immediately."

Then, she picked up the remaining CVs and held out one to Teresa. "This one here is a female driver. I’ve decided to assign her to you. Take one of the Range Rovers for yourself and appoint her as your personal driver. She’s trustworthy. In fact, all the applicants are reliable... they’ve served the Raynor family for generations. They won’t betray us."

Teresa blinked. "I can drive my own car. Besides, a Range Rover is a bit too flashy for my taste."

Eleanor’s gaze sharpened. "You don’t get a say in this. I’ll be traveling outside the Kingdom soon to establish our international businesses. Nigeria is already in progress. You’ll need to stay here and act in my stead."

She paused, then added, "My current driver is also a trained bodyguard. I intended the same for you, but after meeting this female driver, I changed my mind. She’s single and willing to live with you for convenience and security."

Teresa sighed. "Okay, okay. Whatever you say, Boss."

Eleanor leaned back and crossed her arms. "I didn’t mention this before, but there was an attack on me two days ago. As a result, I’ve decided to purchase all the villas surrounding mine. I want to relocate my bodyguards and household staff into those homes."

Her eyes flicked to Teresa. "You, Maya, and Lily should also move into nearby villas. There are four in total. Try to buy all the Villas as soon as possible. Offer a generous price so the current owners will be willing to relocate. Prioritize this. I want the area secured as soon as possible."

Teresa’s expression darkened. "Why didn’t you tell me earlier? You do remember how many times you were attacked back in the U.S., right? Who’s behind this one? The Chens? Or Sage?"

Eleanor gave a dry, humorless smile. "The Whitmore family... or at least, my investigation points to them."

She let that sink in for a moment before changing the subject.

"By the way, I’ll need to go to Russia soon to continue the investigation. The organization that sent the assassins uses a server located near Zelenograd. Look for a tech company there that produces the items we require. Schedule a meeting with them. I’ll bring a few of my trained guards along, but I need you to stay here and oversee everything else."

Teresa nodded. "Understood. I’ll handle it."

"Oh, and I almost forgot," Eleanor added. "I offered the Blanc family free recruitment. There might be more people from the family looking to work with us soon. Recruit them all. Assign guards, maids, and household staff to the villas. The others can join the company."

"I’ll inform the front desk," Teresa said.

"Perfect. I’m heading out now. I want to spend some time with Freya."

With that, Eleanor stood and walked out of her office, leaving Teresa to handle the new whirlwind of assignments.

***

When she reached home, Eleanor found the house quiet.

Freya was not there. She went out with Ethan.

A flicker of worry crossed her face before she pulled out her phone and dialed Ethan’s number. He picked up almost immediately.

"Where are you?" she asked.

"I’m at Legoland. Freya was bored at home, so I brought her here to play."

"Trafford Centre?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Wait for me."

She hung up the phone, got back into her car, and instructed her driver to take her to Legoland Discovery Centre.

At Legoland, Ethan’s voice rang out over the crowd. "Freya, Mommy is coming!"

Freya, who was carefully trying to build the London Bridge out of colorful Lego bricks, paused. Her little face scrunched with concern.

"Will Mommy be angry?" she asked softly.

"No," Ethan said with a chuckle. "We can all play together. She’ll have fun with us. After you finish building your bridge, you should try the Merlin’s Apprentice Ride."

"Okay, Daddy," Freya said with a big smile.

A few minutes later, she successfully completed her Lego bridge and ran to the Merlin’s Apprentice Ride... a pedal-powered flying ride where kids could control how high they soared. Freya laughed out loud as she pedaled hard, her tiny legs working with determination. When the ride ended, she was smiling from ear to ear.

That was the scene Eleanor walked in on.

She stood there silently for a moment, just watching her daughter. Freya was glowing with happiness. A twinge of guilt tugged at Eleanor’s heart. She hadn’t been able to spend much time with Freya recently, as she was too busy with her work.

What hurt most was noticing how much Freya had bonded with Ethan over the past few days. The thought that Freya might one day prefer staying with him more than her... it stung.

Still, she forced her expression into a wide smile and approached.

"Sweetie, did you miss Mommy?"

"Yes, Mommy! Let’s play together!" Freya chirped.

"But the rides are for children, not adults," Eleanor said gently.

Ethan chimed in with a smirk, "There are several that parents can join with their kids."

Eleanor gave in. "Alright, let’s play then."

They went to the Kingdom Quest Ride, where they boarded a chariot equipped with laser blasters. The goal was to shoot trolls and skeletons to rescue a captured princess. Freya was practically bouncing with excitement. For the first time, she was playing with both her Mommy and Daddy at once.

When she scored higher than both of them, she couldn’t stop giggling.

Next, they entered the Lego 4D Cinema. After slipping on 3D glasses, they watched The Lego Movie: A New Adventure, starring Emmet, Wyldstyle, and their quirky crew.

Freya gasped in delight as bursts of wind blew across her face, light sprays of water tickled her arms, and snowflakes fell from above, all perfectly timed with the action on screen. Her laughter was infectious, and both Ethan and Eleanor found themselves genuinely enjoying the silly, animated movie.

Afterward, the trio headed to Hawksmoor, where Ethan had already booked a private dining room. The quiet luxury of the space allowed them to relax and enjoy their meal in peace. They ordered roasted scallops, Freya’s favorite lobster, rib-eye steak, roasted sweet potatoes, and drinks.

After lunch, they headed home.

Freya, worn out from all the excitement, fell asleep in the car, her head resting on Ethan’s arm. When they arrived, he gently carried her inside and tucked her into bed. She stirred just long enough to see she was home before drifting off again.

Eleanor returned to her own room and changed into fresh clothes. After taking a few moments to collect herself, she stepped out and found Ethan relaxing in the lounge.

She walked over and stood before him.

"We need to talk."