Chapter 396

At the villa in Regal Heights, Ryland updated Nolan on the investigation.

The more Nolan listened, the heavier the pit in his stomach grew.

If Elora's baby didn't belong to her ex, then whose child was it?

Without finding the father, how was he supposed to shut down the media storm?

And if the rumors kept spreading, what chance did he have left with Eleanor?

Ryland wasn't any calmer.

If Nolan failed to win Eleanor back, then Betsy would slip out of his reach for good.

He paced back and forth across the study, frustration written all over him. "Nolan, think! Who's Elora been around lately? She can't have just plucked a stranger off the street to drag you into this mess."

Nolan pressed his fingers against his aching temples,trying to think it through. "Since she moved into the villa, she's hardly stepped out. Other than the guards and the servants, there's been no strange men near her."

That answer crushed what little hope Ryland had.He dropped into the chair beside Nolan,sighing in defeat."So,what do we do now?"

Nolan lowered his head into his hands, forcing himself to stay collected.

After a long pause, he finally muttered, "The smarter way is to start with Ady. Since she's pulling the strings,she might be the one who arranged for Elora to end up with that man."

Ryland perked up, nodding quickly. "Good idea. But hurry, Nolan. If this drags on, my parents can forget about having grandkids anytime soon."

Nolan shot him a sharp look. "Don't pretend it's about grandkids. You're just annoyed that you can't sleep with the woman you love."

Ryland, caught, didn't even try to deny it.

He smirked instead. "And you're not?"

Nolan shoved him aside with a scowl."Get out."

Ryland stormed out of the study and nearly ran into Fannie, who had been pacing near the doorway. She hesitated, then stepped closer. "Ryland,are you two looking into something?"

He glanced back at Nolan's brooding figure inside,then turned toward Fannie with his usual crooked grin,purposely speaking louder.

"We're just trying to clear Nolan's mess. If we don't,Eleanor might really walk away for good. And who knows, if the press keeps twisting things,you might just end up calling Elora your sister-in-law."

His words carried a teasing edge mixed with mischief.

Still,beneath the humor,he couldn't hide his irritation.

If Nolan hadn't been so blind earlier, he and Betsy might have already been together by now.

Fannie wavered, then nervously held out a crumpled swimsuit. "Um, maybe this could help?"

She had been restless ever since Nolan confronted her last night.

All night, her mind kept circling back to every odd moment since Elora had moved in.

The longer she thought about it, the more uneasy she became.

It finally hit her how badly Elora had tricked her by using her again and again as a pawn against Nolan and Eleanor.

And that was why she remembered this particular swimsuit.

Ryland's smirk dropped the instant he saw it. His eyes narrowed, his voice turning sharp. "That's Elora's.Where did you get it?"

Caught off guard by his sudden seriousness, Fannie stammered out, "It was... that day everything happened. Elora asked me to grab it from the pool.She said it was a keepsake from her mother before she passed. I hid it so Eleanor wouldn't notice."

She didn't get to finish. Nolan had already stepped out of the study, snatching the swimsuit from her hands.

He turned it over in his grip.

The fabric was stained, the shoulder deliberately ripped.

But Nolan knew that wasn't why Elora wanted it hidden.

If she could go as far as weaving such stories, it meant she wasn't worried about him discovering her schemes.

What she truly feared was proof. Evidence that could expose her. And this swimsuit might carry exactly that.

Nolan's gaze lifted, cold and cutting as it landed on Fannie. "Stay put. Don't leave the house until I return."

The iciness in his tone made her shrink back, her lips trembling, unable to reply.

Ryland stepped in protectively, throwing a look at Nolan. "Hey, relax. No need to scare her."

But Nolan was already striding out, not sparing a glance back.

"Wait up! Where are you running off to?" Ryland called,hurrying after him.