Seeing Alain frown in displeasure, one of the men behind Mr. Anderson hurried to explain:
"Mr. Lancaster, assigning a third party to pay someone's debt isn't standard procedure, but your fiancée was crying so pitifully, and she's so young so we… felt awkward… and so..."
Alain barely heard a word. He lifted a hand and pressed his phone.
"Andy, immediately run an investigation on someone named Elaine for me."
"Yes, Mr. Lancaster!"
A fiancée falling out of the sky, Mr. Anderson's face went ashen.
Impossible. That brat had been constantly calling the Lancaster CEO her fiancé so why would Mr. Lancaster ask, "Who is Elaine?"
That damned kid dared to joke about him! Wait until Westbridge Haven, she'd pay!
A moment later Andy returned with documents and placed them in Alain's hands.
"Mr. Lancaster, according to our inquiry, this Elaine is the beloved granddaughter of the Nightclaw royal family, age twenty-six. She's enrolled in the research program at Kingswell Medical University under the Aurelius system. The royal family isn't exactly pleased, but they haven't blocked her…"
Andy wiped his brow as he spoke.
"And after that?" Alain scanned the file more closely. The name Miss Kunching, he felt it ring a bell, like something he'd heard before. Andy hesitated a little, then continued:
"Actually, you know this lady. Half a year ago she was designated to be your fiancée; you simply never met in person."
Surprise flashed in Alain's eyes. He stopped at the photo in the dossier: a charming girl with luminous violet eyes like moonlight from an ancient wolf lineage. Eyes of that rare color were almost unheard of in the world. He recognized her at once.
Alain suddenly recalled what his mother had often mentioned: the granddaughter of the Ravenhowl Pack. He had always disliked arranged betrothals and had never bothered to meet.
And yet, his first "meeting" with her turned out to be… a one-million-dollar debt.
The girl truly had guts, no manners at all. She hadn't even met him and had already dumped a million-dollar debt on his head like it was nothing.
"Um… Mr. Lancaster, please take a look at this money…" Mr. Anderson asked timidly, unable to stand the cold aura radiating from Alain any longer.
A trace of restraint crossed Alain's face.
"Andy, instruct Finance to release one million USD."
"Yes, Mr. Lancaster!"
"Thank you, Mr. Lancaster! Thank you!!" Mr. Anderson was stunned the matter resolved so quickly so moved he nearly knelt.
Andy escorted them out. "Gentlemen, please come with me to collect the payment."
"All right! Thank you!!" The group left briskly, in high spirits.
Alain flipped through the file again; his gaze rested once more on Elaine's photo. For some reason, the corner of his mouth quirked into a faint, intrigued smile. He immediately tapped his phone.
"Prepare everything. I'm going to Westbridge Haven."
…
Westbridge Haven. Institute of Medical Sciences
A thin veil of mist clung to the western isle of Westbridge Haven. Lindau Bay, charming and bright, housed several prestigious universities. Although the campus was old, it wasn't ostentatious aristocracy, it breathed scholarly spirit and classic Victorian elegance. In summer, the bay's largest lotus pond glittered under sunlight, ancient trees spread cool shade, and the library at the center always smelled faintly of wildflowers.
Students in tidy attire bustled like a scene from a film. To the northwest lay the romantic Victoria shore where fish flashed in the light. At Westbridge Haven Institute of Medical Sciences, female students were few, and Elaine was one of those rare, adorable, outstanding girls who made male students swallow hard in secret. Her violet eyes stunned first, then enchanted but no one dared approach. Everyone knew Elaine was a royal werewolf descendant and a little rascal who spared no one.
"Get out of the way, move!"
At ten in the morning the library's quiet was shattered by hurried footsteps. A petite girl carrying a teetering stack of books so high it blocked her view, stumbled forward, shouting as she tried to look where she was going: "If you bump into someone, I'm not responsible, okay?"
Crash!
Before she finished the sentence Elaine collided with someone. The stack of books toppled like an unstable tower, scattering across the floor. It was Elaine, of course.
Seeing the books she'd labored all morning to borrow now strewn everywhere ignited fury. Elaine planted her hands on her hips and snapped like claws:
"Hey!! Do you use your eyes to look or to breathe? Can you even hear, or are you deaf!?"
She was livid each book was a hard-won piece of research, yet that "papaya" had sent them flying.
"Papaya" was the nickname Elaine had given Judy at the Medical Institute. Judy was a mortal rival; or rather, Judy's busty friends were the real enemies.
Elaine's voice nearly shredded the library silence. Nearby students froze and turned to watch. Judy, cut off by Elaine's words, flushed red, shame turning into anger.
"You! Rotten little rascal! You run out of the library hugging a stack of books like a lunatic, don't you care if you knock someone down? I'm the one who got hit! I'll be the plaintiff here! Is this how royalty behaves?!"
Elaine snorted.
"Oh please, you papaya! I haven't even said anything and you assume I meant to hit you? Why don't you go knock into a real papaya tree then!"
She stamped her foot, bent to collect the books, and didn't bother arguing face-to-face, she was 1.63m while Judy towered nearly 1.75m; shouting up at someone taller is tiring.
Hearing herself called "papaya," Judy's spite flared.
At that moment Claire and Judy's clique arrived.
"Elaine! Why are you making a scene with her again? Move it! I heard the Medical Institute has called everyone to the auditorium to welcome some big-name guest!!" Claire hissed into Elaine's ear.
"Oh my god, could you two stop growling here? Since enrollment it's been nothing but arguments; can't you give the campus hounds a break?" Elaine waved, clearly losing patience.
"I'm telling you Elaine, if you keep showing off like this you'll trip and make a fool of yourself like always. Honestly, it kind of fits, very royal descendant of wolves," one of Judy's friends sneered, sour as vinegar.
"Not done yet," another chimed in. "I heard our noble royal descendant plows through money like water. Two days ago she maxed out her card and owes the bank more than one million USD! Tsk tsk… Elaine, poor thing. Want me to lend you some? Otherwise the debt collectors will tear you to pieces. In Westbridge Haven, the debtor who can't pay is scorned by the whole Pack!"
The group laughed at Jodie's quip.
Elaine didn't bother getting angry. Instead she crossed her arms in effortless ease.
"I'll accept your papaya's charity. But don't worry, you won't be disappointed. I have more suitors than you can count. That one? Not even my pinky is worth as much. Your prominent name is laughable. My grandfather's never heard of you."
"And me owing a million USD? So what? My fiancé paid it already. He's wealthy; one word from him and the transfer's done. Just a million USD, what about you? Can't even keep a few hundred thousand on your card, swipe it clean, and act superior?"
She laughed out loud at the last line.