The Heiress’ Return: Six Brothers at Her Beck and Call (Wynter Quinnell) novel Chapter 1756

Meanwhile, after hanging up the phone, Eric's gaze darkened. He knew the current situation was unfavorable for him.

Nevertheless, he still had people to replace Lenny. As long as he remained in his position, replacements were always an option. Right now, his priority was to stabilize the situation. With so many media personnel present, he had to ensure he distanced himself from any involvement.

Unfortunately, things were not looking optimistic. As soon as he re-entered the event, he ran into Cairo, who was departing. His instincts told him the incident's nature had shifted.

"Mr. Irack, are you leaving now?" he asked.

Cairo nodded slightly. "I have another meeting to attend shortly. I need to head over now."

Eric didn't push him but opted for a more tactful approach. "Mr. Irack, I apologize for taking up your time today. I'll find another opportunity to host you properly and make amends."

Cairo said nothing in response.

Seeing this, Cornell immediately stepped in. "Mr. Lofstedt, we need to leave promptly. Let's discuss this another time."

After that, Cairo and Cornell headed toward their vehicle. Eric knew social cues very well, personally opening the car door for Cairo.

Cairo gave him a meaningful glance before saying, "It seems the Chamber of Commerce's affairs are quite complicated."

Others might not understand this statement's subtext, but Eric, with his years of experience navigating the bureaucracy, caught on immediately.

"Rest assured. The media here today are all familiar faces. This matter will focus solely on the Malone family. I will handle it appropriately."

"Good to know. Make sure to guide them on what can and cannot be published," Cairo said before getting in the car.

Eric knew this was Cairo's main point. He wanted to control the narrative and prevent any stories from spiraling out of control. After all, the impact of certain topics on the internet could easily lead to major problems.

Inside the car, Cornell sat in the passenger seat. Noticing Cairo's fatigued expression in the backseat, he thoughtfully opened a thermos and handed it over.

"Mr. Irack, regarding that lady from the Quinnell family, should we intervene a bit? After all, this is Colifernia."

As he spoke, he carefully observed Cairo's expression.

Cairo blew on the tea in the thermos and didn't look up as he responded, "I recall the Quinnell family has a file under review at the prosecutor's office."

Cornell immediately caught on. "Understood. I'll handle it right away. In the current economic climate, there's no room for extra policies benefiting external enterprises."

Cairo replied with a soft hum and closed his eyes, as if resting, occasionally coughing lightly.

Cornell had been about to suggest cleansing themselves of any lingering bad omen from that day. He believed he had caught a glimpse of something unclean that had been present earlier.

However, seeing Cairo's pale complexion, he assumed it was simply due to exhaustion from the day's events.

He also remembered how Cairo hadn't seemed particularly concerned about the spirits' presence in the banquet hall. Hence, he decided not to bring it up again.

What still annoyed him the most, though, was Wynter's attitude. He had worked closely with Cairo for a long time, and everyone knew his position and authority. He had never been so casually dismissed before.

But what struck him as odd was Cairo's high opinion of Colin. He couldn't seem to figure out the reason.

…

It was clear that the remaining people in the banquet hall no longer had the mood to continue discussing business as soon as Cairo left.

The situation with Lenny had escalated far beyond expectations, to the point where an undercurrent of unease was palpable among the attendees.

Adding to their concerns was the fact that Wynter was accompanied by Kaspar. This forced everyone to reconsider their stance and think carefully about their next moves.

Mt. Verfait was a prime example. With Leanan in his current state, the CEOs who had previously gone out of their way to curry favor with him now wished to maintain their distance.

It was a similar case with Lenny. No one would now admit to having been close to him, despite their past attempts to leverage the Malone family's influence to establish themselves in Colifernia. Now, they worried that Lenny's downfall might implicate their own businesses.

The CEOs, who had initially arrived with joy, expecting to divide the Chamber of Commerce, were in no mood to celebrate. Their only reassurance was Eric's presence.

Eric was indeed a man who had walked the razor's edge countless times. He managed to remain unfazed by Lenny's arrest.

With a composed expression, he addressed the room, "Over the years, the Malone family has been domineering and reckless. As this chamber's chairman, I've often been caught in a difficult position, unable to balance resources fairly. It's been an injustice to all of you."

The chamber members present felt comforted by his words, and even the media didn't seem to associate Lenny's wrongdoing with Eric. This was Eric's brilliance.

Across the room, Wynter observed him in the crowd and was impressed by how great of an actor he was.

However, she wasn't in a rush to deal with him. Instead, she turned to Kaspar and asked, "What do you think? Did you sense anything unusual?"

Kaspar carefully examined the surroundings again before shaking his head. "You mentioned someone using the Arcane Way to steal fortune. Such witchcraft wouldn't escape my detection if they were used."

"Was nothing used even during my confrontation with Leanan?" she asked.

Wynter wasn't making baseless assumptions but was probing for reactions. She was curious as to how that man would react if he saw her demonic manifestation.

But Kaspar remained firm. "No."

Wynter looked down at the Spirit Token in her hand, lost in thought.

Earlier, Leo had indeed reacted. Moreover, the method of using spirits to fuel cultivation was eerily similar to the person inside the formation.

Wynter refused to believe it was a coincidence. From her perspective, someone was exploiting Medwyn's actions for their own ends.

If the Malone family had not fallen, and Colin had been forced to act today, the resentment surrounding Sylvia would only grow stronger. Because under these circumstances, Colin would immediately be deemed guilty of a serious crime.

The old man's intention must be to create a larger Earthbound Formation. But why choose the Malone family as the breakthrough point? And why today?

Wynter pondered these questions deeply. Previously, she had focused her suspicions on the cultivators present. But now, she abruptly looked up at Eric, who was still eloquently spinning his narrative to influence the crowd.

It wasn't about which family or what date. The critical point was the Chamber of Commerce's new site selection.

If everything went according to plan, the accumulated merit of the Quinnell family's ancestors would also be affected by the Earthbound Formation. This would be the perfect opportunity for him to seize fortune.

Realizing this, Wynter halted in her tracks and asked, "Mr. Stavius, when you said you didn't sense anything earlier, did you mean from everyone or just cultivators?"

"Everyone?" Kaspar paused. "The time was tight, so I only focused on those who practice the Arcane Way. Are you suggesting that the person using witchcraft might be an ordinary person? How is that possible?"

Abraham Lofstedt, who had been fine just moments ago, suddenly looked as though he was desperate for something upon hearing Wynter mentioning him. He started sniffing repeatedly.

Having served in a Special Unit and undertaken missions at the border, Wynter was all too familiar with the reactions of long-term drug abusers.

"I heard that you treasure your nephew greatly, taking him everywhere and even declaring you would hand the Chamber of Commerce over to him," Wynter said.

She slowly walked toward Abraham as she continued, "But Mr. Lofstedt, it seems you've forgotten that the Chamber of Commerce originally belonged to the Quinnell family. It's not yours to give away."

Eric's hawk-like eyes fixed on her as he asked coldly, "What are you trying to do?"

Wynter smiled faintly. "What could I possibly do? Colin, you're a former drug enforcement officer. Take a look at the gentleman in front of me—what do you think?"

Colin, being straightforward, took one glance and frowned deeply. "He's nervous. Sweating abnormally. Sniffing excessively. He's craving drugs!"

Colin's words hit the room like a bomb. Compared to anything Wynter might say, the words of a former drug enforcement officer carried much more weight.

However, Abraham wasn't just anyone—he was Eric's nephew. He was the Lofstedt family's lifeblood, a late-born child doted on by all. No one had ever heard that he had problems with drugs.

But now, with the scene unfolding, the media exchanged glances, unsure whether to act.

Wynter spoke in a neutral tone. "Mr. Lofstedt, it's inappropriate for you, as a senior family member, to claim ignorance of what your nephew has done."

Although Eric was reluctant to abandon Abraham, he couldn't afford to reveal the truth now.

With a dark expression, he turned to Samlet and barked, "Why have you never told me about his condition?"

With the blame now on him, Samlet protested weakly, "I thought you were too busy..."

Wynter didn't let the charade continue. "Mr. Lofstedt, with such a mess in the Lofstedt family to deal with, I don't think you should concern yourself with the Chamber of Commerce anymore, especially about deciding who inherits it."

Eric looked over at her. "You want me to step down."

"The Southern Cascadia Chamber of Commerce has always belonged to the Quinnell family," Wynter replied matter-of-factly.

Eric squinted and laughed. "You need the gold-eyed goldfish to inherit the Chamber of Commerce. Without it, you can't reclaim the chamber no matter how capable the Quinnell family is."

Wynter raised an eyebrow. "The gold-eyed goldfish?"

Ignoring her, Eric pulled something from his pocket. Seeing it, the chamber's elder members immediately straightened up. The gold-eyed goldfish symbolized the chamber's fortune. Whoever held it inherited the chamber.

"It really is the gold-eyed goldfish! It's been in Mr. Lofstedt's possession all along!"

"We old-timers are stubborn. Whoever holds the gold-eyed goldfish controls the Southern Cascadia Chamber of Commerce."

"The Quinnell family is a thing of the past."

Seeing their reactions, Eric's confidence soared. Years ago, when he served under Gordon, he had seen the original gold-eyed goldfish and meticulously crafted a replica. Now, it had become his key to controlling the chamber.

Just then, a light remark drifted into Eric's ears. "Since when did counterfeits become so rampant?"