Chapter 430

After Eleanor gently shut the door, her thoughts were ensnared by the vivid scene she had just witnessed.

Nolan, a man brimming with pride, mnust have stumbled upon a colossal obstacle to seek solace from her in such a vulnerable, almost childlike manner.

The notion flickered briefly in her mind before she chided herself silently.

What was she thinking?

The ties between them had long since unraveled.

Determined to find rest,Eleanor willed herself to sleep.

Yet, no matter how she twisted and turned beneath the covers, slumber eluded her.

In a fit of exasperation, she reached for her phone and powered it on.

The moment the screen flickered to life, two encrypted messages flooded in from her subordinate,which caught her breath.

"Boss! I forgot to mention! The order to confront Ghost-it's from the Stewart family!"

"They issued a bounty, $500 million to have you face off against Ghost!"

Could this be the reason for Nolan's weary eyes and endless hours at the office?

The thought gnawed at Eleanor as her fingers danced across the screen, firing off a quick inquiry to the sender.

The response was almost instantaneous. "Yes. Word is,Ghost wreaked havoc on the Stewart Group's system,bringing it to its knees. And Ghost has refused any monetary compromise."

Eleanor's mind raced as she pieced together the puzzle.

This had all the hallmarks of a scheme orchestrated by Colson and Brodie and Ady, a calculated move to push Nolan out.

Without a moment's hesitation, she typed. "Tell them I'll take the job."

On the other end, a man's lips curled into a knowing smile as he read Eleanor's reply.

He had anticipated her acceptance.

"Understood!" he texted back promptly. Setting her phone aside, Eleanor didn't wait for Nolan's camp to respond. She flipped open her laptop,her nimble fingers flying across the keys as she breached the Stewart Group's internal network.

She needed to gauge the extent of the damage.

But as she delved deeper, the complexity of the situation became starkly apparent.

The system's core had suffered catastrophic damage due to prolonged neglect, far worse than she had anticipated.

To fully resolve the issue, she would need to physically access their internal server, a daunting prospect.

What if someone recognized her?

After a moment's reflection, she fired off another message to her subordinate. "Inform them I'll need to visit the firm. Ensure the area is cleared, no one remains inside, and all surveillance is disabled."

With the message sent, Eleanor felt a wave of relief wash over her.

Tomorrow promised a formidable challenge. She closed her laptop, sank into her pillow, and coerced her racing mind to rest. Just as Eleanor began to drift into a fragile sleep,Nolan was jolted awake by the shrill ring of his phone.

Groaning,he fumbled for the device on his nightstand,eyes still heavy with exhaustion, his voice laced with irritation. "This had better be worth it."

Sleep had evaded him for days, and only the memory of Eleanor's comforting embrace had finally lulled him into a fleeting rest.

To his surprise, Erick's voice crackled through the line,brimming with barely contained excitement. "Mr.Stewart! Fantastic news! Lightning has taken the job!"

Nolan shot upright,instantly alert. "Find out when they can fix the issue."

"On it!" Erick replied, ending the call abruptly.

Moments later, he rang back. "They say Lightning is asleep and will handle it tomorrow morning. But there is a catch; we need to clear out the entire Stewart Group until they are done. No one-not even you-can stay inside, and all surveillance must be shut off."

Nolan didn't blink.

After all, Lightning was the world's premier hacker;a few stipulations were to be expected.

"Fine. Make it happen," he agreed, his tone resolute.

Erick paused, his voice tinged with caution. "What about your father?"

Nolan's response was sharp, stripped of any warmth."Keep him at bay. I'll answer for any fallout. Tomorrow,ensure extra security is in place."

"Understood," Erick replied briskly.

After ending the call, Erick didn't hesitate. He immediately dialed the HR director.

The late-night call startled the director,who answered with a tremor in his voice. "Is... is something wrong?"

Erick was direct, leaving no room for ambiguity."Inform all staff; tomorrow morning, everyone is on leave until noon."

The HR director faltered, caught off guard. "What is the reason for this?"

Erick's tone grew colder, edged with authority. "Mr.Stewart's decisions don't require explanations."

The HR director, momentarily speechless, quickly acquiesced, "Of course. I'll handle it immediately."