Family on Their Knees Heart Turned to Ice novel Chapter 1437

Eleanor had been meticulously styled. Dressed in elegant, flowing garments with tasteful, understated makeup, she looked like royalty.

She possessed an undeniable, breathtaking beauty that commanded the room.

As long as she remained perfectly still and silent, no one would ever suspect she wasn't entirely lucid.

But the moment she made a sound, the illusion of normalcy would shatter completely.

Lillian glided over to her, gently taking Eleanor's trembling hands in hers. With a soft, reassuring smile, she whispered, "Let's go. I'm going to take you to give those monsters a little shock."

For years, the elite social circles had whispered rumors that Martin's first wife had passed away.

A select few knew the dark truth, but while the late Mercer matriarch still ruled the family, everyone politely maintained the facade, never daring to gossip about the tragic daughter-in-law.

During the years when Eleanor was still of sound mind, she had been universally beloved and respected by her peers.

So, after the matriarch's passing, Eleanor's name was rarely brought up in polite society.

As Lillian led her out to the driveway, Leonard and Ethan Hayes flanked them like elite bodyguards.

The group of six piled into two sleek, black SUVs and headed straight for Sebastian's sprawling estate.

Having been there recently, the drivers navigated the route with ease.

At the luxurious countryside manor, Noah was dressed in a sharp, custom-tailored suit. The sprawling lawns were already packed with glamorous guests.

Despite the recent barrage of scandalous headlines surrounding Sebastian, his sheer wealth and the towering prestige of the Blake family remained unshakeable.

However, that didn't stop the whispers.

"Where is Mr. Blake's wife? Don't tell me the divorce is already finalized?" one socialite murmured, sipping her champagne.

'Wife,' of course, referred to Bella.

"She definitely knows how to play the game."

"Shh... keep your voices down. There's another Ward lurking around somewhere. We don't want her overhearing."

"Who cares if she hears? No one respects the Mercer family anymore anyway. My husband said if they don't secure massive funding soon, they'll be bankrupt by Christmas. Even if their new tech launch is a miracle, it'll only buy them until May.

They're about to be permanently exiled from our circle. That Ward woman schemed her way into the family as a mistress, and now karma is finally catching up to her. Her glamorous days are numbered."

While the men clustered together to discuss corporate mergers and stock prices, the women naturally gravitated toward the juiciest scandals.

And since they were standing on Blake territory, Sebastian's dramatic love life was the main course.

Sabrina, completely ostracized from the inner circle, stood near the edge of the patio. She could hear fragments of their venomous whispers but was powerless to defend herself, let alone join the conversation.

Just then, the elder Blakes made their grand entrance, and the flock of socialites immediately abandoned their gossip to swarm Old Mrs. Blake.