The Heiress’ Return: Six Brothers at Her Beck and Call (Wynter Quinnell) novel Chapter 1762

Such an extraordinary phenomenon was already rare enough. Combined with Gayle's upright character and the weight of his words, everyone's gaze naturally turned toward Eric. Compared to earlier, when he seemed eloquent and charming, no one believed a word he said now!

It was common knowledge that the reason the Chamber of Commerce in Colifernia managed to establish itself during the reform was due to Gayle's influence.

Back then, Gayle was already advanced in years, which was why he intentionally sought to train successors. Eric had been nothing more than a lowly errand boy at the time. Without Gayle's support, he wouldn't have amounted to anything.

Now, with Gayle's soul pointing fingers at Eric while condemning him, the truth was self-evident.

"This is my fault—I failed to recognize the kind of person you were. I wasn't able to safeguard the chamber that Mr. Quinnell Senior entrusted me with. Worse, I allowed it to fall into ruin."

His words were heavy with regret.

"I've stood by all this time, watching you and the Malone family use the chamber to launder money, oppress small entrepreneurs, and harm our own people—all because they wouldn't bow to you or give you benefits."

Gayle's energy surged with resentment as he looked at Eric. "I hate my own helplessness. But what I hate even more is showing you pity back then! I even gave you food to eat! Eric, you are utterly unworthy of staying in the Chamber of Commerce!"

Eric clenched his fists. What he hated most was being reminded of his humble beginnings.

He couldn't fathom how Gayle's soul had lingered at the chamber's old site all this time. He had checked everything beforehand. Even the other cultivators had ensured that there were no issues. But now, at the most critical moment, Gayle's soul had appeared to ruin his plans.

If he'd known Gayle's soul had remained here, he would've destroyed it long ago!

Gayle knew what Eric was thinking with just a mere glance. "Are you wondering why none of those cultivators you brought could find me?

"You underestimate me. I may not have protected our chamber while I was alive, but in death, I've guarded its last shred of fortune.

"Eric, all you want is the merits and blessings accumulated by Mr. Quinnell Senior and the chamber over the years. You'll never get them! They belong only to the Quinnell family's descendants!"

Azrael, who had been observing silently, finally realized the truth. "I see now. This is the source of the intense resentment surrounding the site," he murmured.

There were tales of loyal and chivalrous figures staying behind to guard a place after death, but such occurrences were exceedingly rare, so Azrael had never considered this possibility.

For a soul to linger after death, bound by a desire to protect a legacy… Azrael couldn't help but wonder just what kind of person Gordon had been to inspire such loyalty.

As Azrael pondered, Gayle's gaze softened as it fell on Wynter.

"I thought I'd have to wait here until my spirit dissipated entirely, unable to ever see the chamber's true heir. Mr. Quinnell Senior never gave me any clear instructions. But now I understand. He was prepared all along.

"Wynter—no, I should address you properly as Ms. Quinnell. We've met before. I stood beside Mr. Quinnell Senior at the time, in Hawford's Frenda Concession. You came to the door, claiming to be his great-granddaughter."

The others were confused by Gayle's words, thinking he must be mistaken. After all, how could people of such different generations have met?

But Wynter understood. She had once thought that the formations she used wouldn't impact real-world trajectories. Gradually, though, she realized that certain mediums—perhaps strong emotions or lingering memories—could leave traces.

Gayle was someone she had seen in the formation. At that time, had he been around 40 years old?

Wynter smiled lightly. "I am indeed his great-granddaughter."

Gayle nodded, his expression one of relief. "I would've sought ways to contact you sooner if I'd known that you were here. I've guarded this place for so many years, and now I can finally rest in peace.

"Ms. Quinnell, the Chamber of Commerce is now returned to its rightful owner. Please, take your seat."

No one had ever seen Gayle show such deference to anyone.

The oldest attendee had faint recollections of a photograph hanging in the chamber's hall. In it, Gayle had displayed a similar level of respect toward Gordon.

Back then, Gayle seemed to serve as an assistant, frequently glancing at the pocket watch he carried. Gordon, on the other hand, stood beside him. He was dressed in a sharp, well-fitted suit, exuding the elegance of a cultured businessman who had studied abroad.

While people often said that exceptional talents were rare, the truth was that those who could recognize and nurture such talents were even rarer.

Gayle had never forgotten the purpose behind founding the Chamber of Commerce. Nor had he forgotten Gordon who had guided him, hand in hand, teaching him the ways of commerce and the principles of saving Cascadia's people through business.

As Gayle stepped aside slightly, it was as though he had reverted to his role as an assistant. Everyone present understood his intent.

It wasn't that the Quinnell family lacked descendants—Gayle had met Shane during his lifetime. However, at that time, he had been gravely ill and wasn't the nicest. He had outright dismissed Shane, telling him to return to where he came from.

Thus, people had assumed that Gayle disapproved of the Quinnell family altogether. But upon reflection, that didn't seem to be the case. It seemed that he now recognized Wynter as the Chamber of Commerce's rightful owner.

"Why?" Eric couldn't comprehend it, his face contorted in frustration. "The Colifernia Chamber of Commerce severed ties with the Quinnell family long ago!

"Back then, when Shane came, didn't you say you'd never hand over the chamber unless Mr. Quinnell Senior himself appeared? You're already dead, yet now, why are you ready to step aside?"

This single act by Gayle was enough to not only seal Eric's defeat but also ensure that every branch of the Chamber of Commerce would fall completely under Wynter's control. After all, many of those connections had been cultivated by him.

"It was you who called Shane over," Gayle said slowly. "And Ms. Quinnell has always been Mr. Quinnell Senior's designated successor. I've already explained—I didn't understand at the time.

"Now that I've met Ms. Quinnell, I finally see the truth. The Chamber of Commerce was always meant for her—not for me and certainly not for you. It belongs to her. All these years of dormancy and decline were merely a waiting period for her to grow up and come claim it herself."

When Gayle finished speaking, the room fell silent. A profound stillness overtook the space as everyone turned their eyes to Wynter.

However, for some reason, Wynter suddenly felt an intense headache, as though someone were whispering directly into her ear. She concealed her discomfort in front of the crowd, merely closing her eyes briefly to suppress the strange sensation.

Nevertheless, not only had the vision not disappeared, it had grown even clearer.

Someone seemed to be crouching in front of her, dressed in a fine-quality suit. Their voice was low, hoarse, and laced with regret. "Wrong again."

What was wrong?

Wynter tried to move, but the figure appeared to peel open a candy wrapper for her before straightening up. "Many people are waiting for you. It's time for you to grow up…"

Realizing that she might faint, Wynter shook her head slightly.

Behind her, Leo pressed his head lightly against her waist, relying on Carol and Dora to stack him up just enough to steady her.

"Master, are you okay?" Leo asked softly, careful not to draw the other cultivators' attention.

But none of this escaped Kaspar's sharp gaze.

Though Leanan may not have had remarkable abilities, he had been right about one thing—Wynter's path was not going to be an easy one.

She bore the weight of merits passed down from souls, while also harboring malevolent spirits. There were at least three of them, by Kaspar's count, though he couldn't rule out the possibility of more.

Wynter's smile deepened. "Who said I don't have evidence? The Malone family has already fallen. Do you really think you can walk away unscathed? For someone who prides himself on business acumen, you're quite the fool."

"Then bring the authorities to talk to me. Throwing around threatening words won't achieve anything." Eric continued with narrowed eyes, "I've weathered bigger storms than this. I'm not scared of your games."

Wynter's expression remained calm. "I wonder why you're so confident. Is it the official you bribed or the cultivator backing you?"

Eric froze at the mention of a cultivator.

Wynter chuckled. "So, he's nearby."

Eric clenched his fists. "There is no cultivator."

"Well then, we'll discuss that in a more appropriate setting."

As soon as Wynter finished speaking, a group of people entered the room. They were members of the Special Unit, authorized to conduct cross-provincial investigations. Their distinctive insignia left no doubt about their authority.

Eric's expression darkened. He was certain he'd left no evidence of his involvement. The Malone family's affairs had been handled through subtle hints, and he had never directly participated. There was no way they could arrest him!

Turning to the investigators, Eric yelled, "You have no evidence! I won't accept an arrest without proof. I have lawyers!"

One of the investigators responded calmly, "Mr. Lofstedt, you are under suspicion of international economic crimes. You are free to hire legal representation, but this is an arrest."

Helpless, Eric could only glare at Wynter with malice. "You're something else, aren't you? Don't think that you've won just because you've taken the chamber. This is just the beginning!"

Wynter shrugged, unfazed.

No matter how unwilling he was, Eric was eventually forced into a car. He didn't even have time to make a phone call, leaving him in an utterly disheveled state.

The media outlets that had claimed to side with Eric were now quick to switch sides, understanding the shift in power. There was no way they would miss the opportunity to report on such an event!

Everything that happened today—be it the Malone family's downfall, the drama within the Chamber of Commerce, or Gayle's miraculous appearance—was headline-worthy and bound to dominate the trending topics!

They were already brainstorming potential headlines. "The Chamber of Commerce Returns to Its Rightful Owner—Is This the Charm of the Quinnell Family?"

Colin, following closely behind Wynter, had already earned a trending spot himself.

The public knew him as the drug enforcement hero. While he had chosen not to return to his old role, his presence alongside Wynter signaled a bright future ahead—at least, that was what the public was rooting for.

Still, Wynter had insisted he wear a mask and directed the media to only capture his upper-body silhouette from behind. The reporters couldn't understand why, but they were more than happy to comply with Wynter's instructions.

The media were human, too, and they understood the underlying reasons for Wynter's action, particularly when it came to the Chenoweth siblings.

The Malones' and Lofstedts' downfall created opportunities for countless small businesses to rise and thrive. It also meant that those who had been oppressed and wronged could finally see justice.

Even Anastasia, who was notorious for bullying classmates without repercussions, was now facing the consequences of her actions. Each offender got what they deserved.

Standing in the chamber's heritage site, Wynter's gaze lingered on the old photographs hanging on the walls. Her eyes lowered slightly as her mind replayed the vivid memory from earlier.

She couldn't help but wonder what it meant and who that person was.