Chapter 376

The nurse approached the sleek black sedan and handed a small vial of blood to Eleanor Blackwood.

"Everything went smoothly?" Eleanor's fingers trembled slightly as she took the vial, her lips curling into a satisfied smile.

The nurse nodded. "His sister was terrified of needles, so he volunteered to go first to show her it wasn't so bad. Such a sweet bond between siblings."

Eleanor barely registered the comment. Her focus was solely on Henry Thorne. The boy bore no resemblance to Dominic Blackwood, and rumors had long circulated that Lily was Evelyn's child with another man.

Even if Henry turned out to be Dominic's son, Eleanor had no intention of welcoming Evelyn into the family. How would society perceive Dominic if he took back a woman who had borne another man's child?

She carefully tucked the vial into her purse and shut the car door with a decisive click.

The vehicle glided toward the prestigious DNA testing center. Upon arrival, Eleanor handed over the blood samples—Dominic's and Henry's—to the waiting technician.

"How long until we get the results?"

"Typically three business days. We'll notify you immediately once they're ready," the technician assured her.

Eleanor's pulse quickened with anticipation, though she maintained her composed facade with a curt nod.

Meanwhile, at Thornfield Industries, the weekly executive meeting was underway.

"President Thorne, Margaret Thorne is making aggressive moves," the vice-president reported, tension lining his voice. "She's acquired three companies in one fell swoop and already begun restructuring. But the real shocker? She's secured one point five billion in funding. Investors are betting heavily on her."

A colleague chimed in, "A contact at her firm says Margaret's ambitions are sky-high. She plans to dominate the drone market by undercutting prices, then pivot to luxury models once she's captured the customer base. Her endgame? Pushing us out entirely."

Michael Sterling scoffed. "Let her try. We'll see who crumbles first."

"President Thorne, your thoughts?" The vice-president turned to Evelyn. "Our product quality is unmatched, but we should still prepare countermeasures."

Evelyn sipped her coffee thoughtfully. "We'll monitor her next move. Slashing prices means heavy marketing spend. She might gain customers quickly, but profitability? That's where she'll stumble."

Michael smirked. "One wrong step, and she'll be left with nothing but empty pockets and broken dreams."

Laughter rippled through the room.

Evelyn set her cup down. "Is the one point five billion figure confirmed?"

"Announced at her investor meeting. Even if inflated, she's definitely secured at least a billion."

Evelyn's gaze swept the table. "Are our drones overpriced?"

"Not for their caliber. But for the average Eldermere citizen earning a few thousand a month, spending thousands on a drone is a stretch."

Evelyn nodded. "We stay the course. Unless she develops AI surpassing ours, she can't touch us. Focus on innovation, not panic."

The team visibly relaxed.

Still, Margaret amassing such capital so quickly was unsettling.

After the meeting, the vice-president lingered. "President Thorne... I heard Dominic Blackwood invested heavily in Margaret's venture. That's likely how she raised funds so fast."

Evelyn's fingers tightened around her tablet. She fought to keep her voice steady. "If Dominic sees potential, it's just business. We're past personal entanglements."

"But at your expense? He's practically bankrolling your downfall!"

Evelyn exhaled sharply. "Dominic didn't get where he is by playing it safe. Even without him, others would fund her. We'll face this head-on."

Her tone was ice, but her chest burned.

She strode to her office, the weight of unspoken words pressing down with every step.