Too Late to Hold Me Back novel Chapter 1315

Because they operated as a private intelligence syndicate, they occasionally brushed against the gray edges of the law, which meant vetting clients was a matter of survival.

"I'm Ethan, and this is my sister, Mira. Rest assured, Mr. Doyle, we have absolutely no intention of causing you any trouble."

Clarence nodded slowly. "The National Academic Laureate and the market oracles. With your status, what kind of business could you possibly have with me?"

"As the saying goes, it's lonely at the top. As our influence continues to expand, the situations requiring your unique expertise will only multiply.

"To be completely transparent, the contract we're offering today isn't massive, but we view it as an opportunity to establish a lasting friendship with you,"

Mira explained smoothly.

"Since you two possess such remarkable foresight, as long as the price is right, I have no qualms about putting my resources at your disposal."

"There's no need for subservience. Everyone has their specialty; we stand on equal footing."

With the pleasantries out of the way, they laid out their exact requirements for the investigation. To demonstrate their sincerity, they paid double the asking price upfront.

The connection was successfully forged. In the future, a simple phone call would suffice instead of a physical visit.

True to his reputation, Clarence swiftly delivered a comprehensive dossier on Sebastian and Owen right to the siblings' desk.

After analyzing the intelligence, Sebastian's actions in this life finally made perfect sense.

Sebastian had been reborn before Mira was even born. He vividly remembered how Mira's presence had torn his household apart, pitting mother-in-law against daughter-in-law.

He remembered how his daughter, consumed by toxic jealousy toward Mira, had recklessly married the degenerate Lawrence Lance, ruining her entire life.

Even though Mira had eventually stepped in to save the Quinn Group from bankruptcy, they viewed her financial aid as a drop in the bucket compared to the fortune Eleanor had bestowed upon her.

They felt her rescue of the Quinn Group was nothing short of an absolute obligation, and even then, they believed she hadn't done enough.

Leveraging his memories of the future, Sebastian orchestrated behind-the-scenes maneuvers to help Owen crush Jocelyn Lance and successfully seize control of the Lance Group.

Years later, as Seraphina grew older, Sebastian exploited a moment when Eleanor fell critically ill. Under the guise of a superstitious "warding-off-bad-luck" marriage, he pressured Owen into an engagement with Seraphina.

Owen was fully aware it was a manipulative ploy. At the time, he was relentlessly pursued by Aethelgard's elite socialites, many of whom vastly outshone Seraphina in every metric.

That dynamic hadn't changed from their previous life.

Truth be told, Owen had every right and ability to reject Sebastian's emotional blackmail.

Yet, for some inexplicable reason, the usually unyielding and fiercely independent Owen had agreed to the arrangement.

This outcome played perfectly into Sebastian's hands.

With Owen bound to him as both a foster son and a son-in-law, the alliance was impenetrable. Sebastian arrogantly believed that even if Mira re-entered the picture, she could never steal Owen away.