The sudden, furious outburst left Elena in shock. Holding the phone, she looked bewildered and asked, “Dad, what’s happening? Is something wrong back home?”
Her father’s voice roared from the other end, “You got the nerve to ask? It’s all because of the mess you’ve stirred up!
“Just now, the authorities sent in a bunch of troops. They not only locked down all our assets but also arrested most of our key members!
“Now, the entire Forrest family is on the edge. If this keeps up, I might even end up behind bars!”
“What? How could this happen? Our family business is thriving, and we have extensive connections. Who could seize our family assets?” Elena widened her eyes in disbelief.
The Forrest family business had been thriving. With the extensive network connections, any issues could usually be resolved easily. It never escalated into such a dire situation.
“What the heck have you done? Do you have any idea what’s going on? Someone is dead set on putting you behind bars.
“You troublemaker! Who did you manage to piss off this time?” Owen Forrest, Elena’s father, was fuming.
“I… I haven’t crossed anyone! Why is all this happening?” She looked genuinely distressed.
“Don’t act innocent with me! I don’t care who you’ve offended, but you better beg for their forgiveness!
“If you don’t, the entire Forrest family is in deep trouble, and I’ll be the first one hunting you down!” He was visibly furious.
After a heated exchange, he abruptly ended the call. Elena held the phone, her face in disbelief. What in the world had happened? Why did her seemingly prosperous family suddenly face such a calamity?
“What’s going on?” Eleanor, seated beside her, mirrored the confusion. Even without knowing the details, the audible yelling from the other end of the phone left Eleanor perplexed.
“I… I don’t know… My dad just mentioned that the authorities have sealed off our family, and they’ve arrested many key members.
“Right now, the Forrest family is in serious trouble, teetering on the brink of collapse,” Elena said, panicked.
“Sealed off? Arrested? Is it that serious?
“Eleanor frowned, sensing something peculiar. The Forrest family was among the eight influential families, boasting significant sway and connections.
Whoever had the power to lock down the Forrest family’s assets must be an incredibly influential figure in Oakvale.
At that moment, Eleanor’s phone suddenly rang. Startled by her father’s incoming call, she felt a knot of unease forming. After a brief hesitation, she answered, ” Hey, Dad. What’s wrong?”
“Eleanor! Where are you? Find a place to hide quickly. There’s major trouble brewing back home.” Alistair urgently blurted out.
“Trouble? What happened?” Her anxiety deepened. He whispered, “Just now, authorities sent in a bunch of troops. They’ve surrounded our place, aiming to seal off all our properties and arrest key members of the Welch family. It’s just pure chaos now at home!
“Your mom and I managed to slip away in the confusion. We’re figuring things out. You focus on staying safe. Once we’ve weathered this storm, we’ll get in touch.”
“Dad, what’s going on?” Eleanor’s anxiety grew. The Welch family had faced its share of challenges, but the thought of a raid and being sealed had never crossed her mind.
Alistair replied, “I’m not entirely sure of the details. All I can tell you is that this is a grave situation.
“Some old debts of the family have resurfaced, and now we can either get arrested or find a way to escape. The whole family is in turmoil.
“Take care of yourself. I still have matters to attend to. I’ll hang up first.”
Before Eleanor could ask more questions, her father abruptly ended the call. Like Elena, Eleanor was left in a state of shock and bewilderment.
