The next day, early in the morning, Ella had just gotten up and was still sitting on the toilet when she received a call from Cendy. There was a lot of excitement on the other end, "Ella, did you see the news?"

Ella frowned. She was just about to check, actually…

"Your Lucien and Eden made headlines!"

"Lucien isn't 'my' anything," Ella muttered.

"So that means Eden is?" Cendy snickered.

"Cendy!" Ella gritted her teeth. Cendy was pissing her off.

Cendy laughed exaggeratedly, "Anyway, check out the news. I think it's kinda funny…"

With that, Cendy hung up the phone. Ella didn't really need to look to know what the media would write. It would probably be a bunch of vapid comments about Eden and Lucien, as expected. Ella looked at the trending list on a couple of major media sites.

"#CharityBanquet raised hundreds of millions. #EdenDillon comes out as the top donor."

"#LucienWilliams won't spend money on his wife #EllaFord"

#EdenDillon's sporadic behavior continues. Spent $30M on impulse gem purchase."

For the first time, Eden wasn't on the hot seat for his gossip about the news; instead, it made legitimate headlines in finance and society, receiving mixed reviews.

For the first time, Lucien found himself being mocked and demeaned. When he saw the news, his face darkened.

He had never been praised for anything before, but this time he was being picked on by the media. They called him stingy, questioned his love for Ella, and shattered the perfect image created by rumors. Even the Williams Family's finances were dragged into the spotlight, with rumors of problems in their money chain.

Indeed, there were problems, and that's why he became so desperate to marry into the Ford Family immediately, seeking their unconditional financial support. Never did he anticipate that, at such a crucial turning point, that bastard Eden would nearly ruin his years of hard work.

What made him even more furious was the nosedive in Williams Group's stock after the articles were published. To stabilize the market, the Williams Group would have to move a significant amount of money, potentially worsening their financial situation.

Despite his anger, Lucien tried to keep his composure, telling himself to calm down even as his body shook with frustration.

The most important thing now was to marry Ella. That needed to come first before anything else.

The Fords ranked among America's top four financially powerful families, second only to the Dillons. If he gained control of the Fords's fortune, combining their financial strength with the Williams Family's resources, it would directly overpower the Dillons. Eden would never stand a chance…

With the Ford Family's support and resources at his disposal, taking them down would provide him with the capital and means to pursue becoming the most powerful man in the world. As Lucien entertained this idea, a sinister smile crept across the corner of his mouth. He was determined to exact revenge and make sure the humiliation he experienced today would be repaid tenfold.

—

At the Ford Family estate, Ella was engrossed in watching the trending news, enthralled. Cendy called again, asking, "Did you watch it?"

"I'm watching it right now," Ella replied. "What's wrong with you? Why do you sound so excited?"

"Because of you!" Cendy squealed. "Before, I thought you were going crazy, so I was thinking of ways to convince you to stop, but now I get it. You saw right through that scumbag Eden from the beginning. You used him!"

Ella couldn't tell if Cendy was praising her or not. She tried to clarify: "It's not like that between me and him."

"Then what is it like?" Cendy's voice was edged with interest.

"You'll find out later."

"You're starting to hide things from me? Ella, you've changed!" Cendy accused.

Yes, she indeed changed. She became vindictive.

"Fine. Anyway," Cendy suddenly remembered. "Winston's back."

"Yeah?" Ella answered.

He was supposed to be back in town for just a few days. Ella couldn't remember how long exactly.

"He came back quietly last night and scared some of the servants. The house key…" Cendy hesitated to continue.

Ella, on the contrary, was at the edge of her seat.

"I just know he's up to no good. He must have come to rob us!" Cendy asserted confidently, "Too bad I'll never let him get away with it."

Ella wanted to tell her the truth, that the one who had conspired to rob the family property with her was not her half-brother, but someone she had loved with all her heart. However, she felt she needed time to convince Cendy.

"If you don't want Winston to steal your family's property, then you should take charge of the company yourself," Ella suggested. "Wouldn't it be better if you were in control?"

"Eh...." Cendy didn't respond. It was obvious that she was so indifferent that she had no desire to go to work at all. After a moment of silence, Cendy spoke again, "Isn't there still Bowen Lewis? He can help me hold our family together!"

Cendy was similar to Ella in her past life, just as innocent and naive.

"Anyway, think about my suggestion. Oh, my grandmother's calling me," Ella said as he phone started to vibrate.

"What good could your grandmother want with you?!" Cendy said in a no-nonsense manner, clearly skeptical about the call.

Nothing good indeed, but dealing with all of these pesky characters would take time.

She decided to end the call with Cendy and picked up her grandmother Athena's call instead.

"Grandma–"

"Who are you talking to on the phone, not answering my calls for ages! You're just like your father. Neither of you care about me!" The voice on the other side was clearly resentful.

Ella held the cell phone stoically for a moment. The patriarchal thinking within the family was severe, and her grandmother had never liked her. Instead, Kim, the eldest son of her great-uncle's family, had always been the old woman's. Over the years, Ella, like her father, had avoided her grandmother at all costs.

But now, reborn into a new life, she wasn't going to take the disrespect anymore, not even a little bit.

"What do you want?" Ella asked bluntly.

"Come back to the old family mansion!" Her grandma's words were forceful before she violently hung up the phone. Ella's face sank, and she realized it was time to give her grandmother a piece of her mind. She couldn't let the old crone continue acting like some kind of queen without any pushback.

She put down her phone and quickly washed up before heading downstairs to get ready to go out. "Ella? Where are you going? You haven't even eaten yet!" Daisy called out to her daughter in a hurry.

"To Grandma's house," Ella replied.

"What are you doing over there?" Daisy seemed a little surprised by Ella's sudden decision.

It was true that Daisy's mother-in-law scorned her from the bottom of her heart. Ever since she married into the Ford Family, she hadn't received a single kind glance from her mother-in-law. The reason for that was Daisy's humble family background, which Athena couldn't overlook. Fortunately, her father-in-law took a liking to her. He supported her marriage to Jack wholeheartedly.

After they got married, Daisy did her best to avoid Athena whenever possible. Now that she heard her daughter wanted to go back to Athena's house, she naturally felt reluctant about it.

"Grandma said there is something she needs to talk to me about," Ella explained to her mother.

"What is it?" Daisy asked curiously.

"She didn't say."

Daisy had never dared to rebel against Athena all these years, so naturally, she wouldn't allow her daughter not to go. After thinking for a moment, she said, "I'll go with you."

"You're worried about me being bullied by Grandma, aren't you?" Ella asked.

"When does she not bully you?" Daisy asked nonchalantly.

"You'll be in the same boat if you come," Ella said, poking fun at her mother mercilessly.

Ella was well aware that her mother didn't want to create too much family conflict and would never defy her grandmother openly.

"At least you won't be alone when she yells at you," Daisy's presence was her way of providing protection for Ella.

Ella smiled, appreciating her mother's kindness. She agreed, "Alright then."

'I'll show you how to clean up after that old witch,' Ella thought to herself.