CHAPTER 180: A LESSON FROM A MOTHER TO HER DAUGHTER

After waking early in the morning, Eleanor went to the bathroom to freshen up. Freya had slept with her the previous night and was still sleeping peacefully. Eleanor checked the time and decided to let her rest a few minutes longer.

She picked up her mobile and glanced through the news. As expected, James and Jennifer’s scandal was trending on every app. Some news sites had already detailed the events that had unfolded the night before. She clicked on an article that caught her eye.

"Greyson did a good job with the timing," she thought.

Yesterday, she had sent all the photos and videos to one of her old contacts in the World Hacker Alliance. That hacker goes by the name ByteWitch. Their relationship had been solid back when Eleanor was still active in the hacker community a few years ago. ByteWitch had handled several jobs for her back then, and she had always been meticulous in her work.

These days, Eleanor was preoccupied with the various businesses she’d recently invested in. More importantly, she wanted to spend as much time as possible with Freya before the Trial of Yggdrasil. She no longer felt particularly interested in the revenge against the Whitmore family. It remained a necessary task on her list, but her emotional investment had long since faded... unlike five years ago.

That was why she had delegated the job to ByteWitch, instructing her to make sure the scandal remained in the spotlight for an entire week. She believed a week would be more than enough to completely destroy the reputation of James and Jennifer, along with their family.

After scrolling through several headlines and reading the comment sections, she was satisfied with ByteWitch’s work. With a faint smile, she set the phone down, changed into a fresh outfit, and made her way to the study.

Sitting at her desk, she retrieved her Bittium Tough Mobile and powered it on. After entering the secure interface of the World Hacker Alliance, she sent a message directly to ByteWitch’s profile:

"BlackCat: Great job. You will receive 100,000 dollars today. The remaining 200,000 will be sent to your account after six days."

She didn’t wait for a reply.

She copied ByteWitch’s bank account number from the profile to her regular mobile and sent it, along with a message, to Teresa:

"Send 100,000 dollars to this account today, anonymously. Another 200,000 will be sent in six days. Ensure that the recipient cannot trace my identity."

Once the message was sent, she powered off the Bittium and locked it back in the drawer.

Then she took her regular phone and called Greyson Marsh. As soon as he picked up, she skipped pleasantries and spoke curtly.

"Good job. As a reward, contact Francesca Walters, CEO of EverBuild Solutions Limited. Mention my name. She’ll know what to do."

She ended the call before the flattery could begin. She didn’t need to inform Francesca directly. "As a smart woman, she’ll understand why I’ve sent Greyson to her," she thought.

At that moment, she sensed the presence of her shadow guards outside the door.

"Send Ophelia to me," she said in a slightly raised voice, just enough for them to hear.

Sebastian materialised into the study. "Ma’am, Ophelia isn’t here. If you wish, I can handle the job. Or I can send Isadora instead."

"No. I need her specifically. You won’t do," Eleanor replied flatly.

"Understood, ma’am. Please wait... I’ll contact her now," Sebastian said.

He took out his mobile and called Ophelia. After a brief exchange, he reported, "Ophelia will be here within five minutes."

"Good. You may go."

Sebastian vanished silently into the shadows. Eleanor started to check the news regarding the scandal.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the study door.

"Come in," Eleanor called.

"Good morning, ma’am. You asked for me," Ophelia said as she stepped inside.

"Yes. I have a job for you," Eleanor replied with a small smile. "But I need the Black Revenger... not you."

"I don’t understand," Ophelia said, frowning slightly.

"I want you to cut someone’s leg again."

Realisation dawned, and Ophelia grinned. "That’s no problem. Whose leg are we taking this time?"

Eleanor slid her phone across the desk. Ophelia picked it up. The news of the scandal filled the screen.

"This is today’s trending news. I want you to cut off James Clifford’s leg... and destroy it. Just like last time, there should be witnesses. And your appearance must match that of the Black Revenger."

"With this scandal in motion, the stage is set for the Black Revenger’s return. If you cripple him, the public will tie it directly to the ongoing scandal," she added.

"I understand. Consider it done," Ophelia said with a nod.

"You may go. I have to wake Freya and take her to school."

Eleanor stood, picked up her phone, and walked out of the room. Behind her, Ophelia melted silently into the shadows.

***

By the time mother and daughter were ready for the day, Ethan was already waiting downstairs to take Freya to school. They got into Ethan’s car and began the short drive to the academy.

On the way, Eleanor said, "I have an appointment today with Stella Rimington, the headmistress of Freya’s school. You’re welcome to join me if you have time."

"Has something happened?" Ethan asked.

"No, it’s just a routine meeting about Freya’s progress and future planning. They called a few days ago. All the parents were asked to choose a time slot... I chose drop-off time today. One parent is mandatory, but both are allowed to attend."

"Then count me in. It’ll only take a few minutes. Do we need to bring anything?"

"I asked in the mom’s group. Apparently, it’s customary to bring a gift for the teachers... some bring homemade food, others bring chocolates or small presents. I decided to give them each an iPhone. There are thirty-seven teachers in the school altogether. Teresa bought forty phones yesterday. Laila has them in my car."

Ethan glanced behind. Eleanor’s convoy was following them closely.

"If your convoy enters the school grounds, won’t that cause a bit of a scene?"

"Don’t worry... they’re aware. Only my car will enter the school premises. The others will park at a distance."

Ethan nodded. "That’s good. But don’t you think giving out so many iPhones is a bit... excessive?"

"I’ve thought it through. It’s just among the teachers. The students won’t know. Besides, I’ve already seen other parents giving gifts to teachers on multiple occasions. I want to make sure everyone gives my daughter the attention she deserves."

Ethan gave a faint smile. "As you wish."

Beside them, Freya had been listening quietly. She asked, "Mummy, can I give my friends some phones too? Some of them don’t have anything to play with at home like I do."

Eleanor turned to her, her voice gentle but firm. "No, sweetie. You can’t give your friends expensive gifts. No matter how much money we have, it’s better to appear moderate. The human mind behaves strangely. If you show too much wealth at your age, you’ll end up with no real friends. Some will praise you, some will admire you, and some will envy you... but in the end, you’ll be surrounded by false smiles and empty words."

She paused, letting the thought settle, then continued.

"On the other hand, if people believe you’re poor, they might pity you, try to help... or worse, look down on you for not fitting their standard. Again, you’ll be left with no real friends. Only by showing a moderate amount of wealth can you find people worth keeping around."

She met Freya’s eyes directly. "You’re a clever girl. I know how sensitive you are to falsehood. As a Raynor, you already have the strength that no one in your class can match. Don’t reject anyone, even if you sense they’re lying or have hidden motives. I sent you to this school so you can mix with these children. Watch them. Learn why they behave the way they do. Speak with them in a way that makes them happy to be near you, but never let yourself lose anything in return."

"As a Raynor, you’ll one day have to deal with other races... for business, for alliances, for influence. This school is your training ground for interacting with humans. Use this time wisely. Children are truer to their behaviour. The older they grow, the more false they become. When you meet adults, you’ll find nothing but masks."

Eleanor’s tone grew serious as she leaned slightly towards her daughter.

"Helping others is a virtue. But helping someone unnecessarily can cause more harm than good. Think about it... Perhaps some of your friends used to have devices. Maybe they abused their screen time, and their parents took those devices away to teach them restraint. If you give them new ones, their parents’ lessons will fail."

"Not everyone is as intelligent as you. And don’t forget... you’re physically superior to them as a supernatural being. Help others when they’re truly in need... I won’t stop you. But make sure your help will be appreciated, not resented. And remember: never expect anything in return. No gratitude. Not even a thank you. Help only for your own satisfaction. And if you no longer feel satisfaction from helping others, don’t force yourself... even if they seem to need it."

She added, "The world is cruel. But you must never be cruel to yourself."

At that moment, the car came to a gentle stop in front of the school gates. Eleanor picked up her phone and dialled Laila.

"Bring the box to my car," she instructed.

Ethan, Eleanor, and Freya stepped out of the vehicle. Laila approached and handed the box over to Ethan, who carried it effortlessly.

After handing Freya over to Miss Cooper, Eleanor walked into the school and made her way towards the headmistress’s office. Ethan followed close behind, carrying the large box containing forty brand-new iPhones.