The Scorned Heiress: No More Mercy novel Chapter 383

Tara doesn't bother dancing around the subject. While her bond with Eleanor isn't quite the same as the one she shared with Cian, her grandmother's love is genuine, and they can speak freely.

"Yes, he did," Eleanor replies, her brows furrowing in surprise. "How on earth did you find out about that? Has something happened?"

Eleanor's protective instincts immediately flare up, completely forgetting her earlier attempts to mend Tara's relationship with Jake.

"It's nothing major," Tara says, keeping her tone light. "I'm just curious about who this woman was and why it didn't work out."

"It didn't work out because your grandfather and I personally destroyed the relationship. We absolutely refused to let that woman marry into the Dennis family," Eleanor states proudly, feeling no remorse whatsoever. In those days, arranged marriages were the standard for elite dynasties, and parents held ultimate veto power.

"Why? Was it just because her background wasn't prestigious enough?" Tara asks.

"The Torres family was heavily involved in cultivating medicinal herbs, which aligned perfectly with our core operations. They were somewhat prominent back then. Her father, Gale, was brilliant but fiercely greedy. He refused to run an honest business. Instead, he started trafficking highly classified national biological secrets."

Eleanor shakes her head. "Eventually, it caught up with him. He was thrown into federal prison with a life sentence. Even with parole, he won't see daylight anytime soon. The Torres family's reputation was completely annihilated after that."

Looking back, Eleanor feels intensely relieved that Cian saw through Gale and Jovani's ruthless ambition. Stopping that marriage saved the Dennis family. Deanna might be a naive, easily manipulated socialite, but she comes from the prestigious Sterling Dynasty, making her a far safer choice.