The Heiress's Comeback
Chapter 338: [ Volume 1] Chaper 338- power of money

Chapter 338: [ Volume 1] Chaper 338- power of money

Esme’s laughter slowly faded, her amusement lingering in the air as she leaned back, shifting Ray onto her lap. She positioned herself comfortably, lowering her head until it rested just beside his. Ray, still with a hint of concern, looked up at her, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Esme," he murmured, the worry evident in his tone. His voice softened further, laced with genuine concern, "Are you sure Aron is okay?"

Esme’s brow furrowed slightly, her eyes searching his face as if trying to decipher the meaning behind his words. "What do you mean?"

Ray lifted his head from her shoulder and met her gaze, his worry growing. "After all, Aron is alone, and those people are really vicious. Are you sure he’s okay?"

Esme’s response wasn’t what Ray expected. She paused, studying him for a moment, then burst into laughter. The sound was so unexpected that it startled him, and for a moment, he simply stared at her, unsure of what to make of it. She laughed so freely, so uncontrollably, that it seemed to consume her entirely.

Ray looked at her, confusion written across his face. "What happened? Did I say something wrong?" His words came out with a slight hesitation, the uncertainty clear in his voice.

Esme wiped away a stray tear from the corner of her eye, her laughter subsiding into a soft chuckle. She held Ray close, pulling him back into her arms as she explained, "No, no, it’s okay. It’s my fault for not explaining." She hugged him tighter, the warmth of the embrace enveloping them both.

Her voice softened, almost like she was sharing a secret with him, one that only a select few knew. "You know, I was only 17 when I started working at Valhale Company."

Ray, still processing her earlier words, nodded absently. "Of course, I knew that."

Esme smiled knowingly. "But officially, I started at 18. Before that, though, I’d already been working since I was 17. Most people don’t know that."

Ray listened intently, but something about her tone made him feel like there was more to the story. She looked at him with a glint of something playful in her eyes before continuing. "Even before working with Valhale, I had already built up quite a bit of wealth. I did it through... various secret businesses."

Ray raised an eyebrow, curious but skeptical. "Secret businesses?" he repeated, trying to piece it together.

Esme’s smile widened, and she leaned in closer, her voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper. "You’ve heard of the secret information company, A, right?"

Ray blinked in recognition, his mind catching up with her words. "Of course, everyone knows about that company. The one that can find any type of information in the world. The one that’s practically a legend."

Esme’s eyes sparkled with pride as she casually confirmed, "Yeah. I made it."

Ray’s world tilted on its axis. He froze, staring at her in utter disbelief. "What? Did I hear that right?" His voice was barely above a whisper, a mix of confusion and awe washing over him.

Esme, looking entirely unbothered, nodded calmly. "Yeah, I was the one who made that company."

Ray’s head spun as the truth of her words began to sink in. His mind raced, trying to process the enormity of it. He sat up straighter, a baffled expression on his face. "So... you mean to tell me that the company known as the most brilliant, the one everyone fears, was formed by you?"

Esme didn’t even flinch, her gaze steady and unwavering. "Yeah. That’s exactly what I’m saying."

Ray took a long, deep breath, his chest tightening. His thoughts were in chaos, unable to wrap around the fact that his wife—his Esme—was not just a business genius, but the mastermind behind one of the most powerful and secretive companies in the world. A company that was responsible for gathering information that could bring empires to their knees.

How could he have not known? How could someone like her—someone so close, so integral to his life—have kept such a monumental secret from him?

As he stared at her, his breath slow and deliberate, he couldn’t help but feel a mix of awe and disbelief. This woman, the one he loved, had done the unimaginable. She had created a legacy that could never be undone. A legacy that would echo through the world for years to come.

"You’re... you’re incredible," he whispered, his voice filled with admiration.

Esme simply smiled, her hand resting lightly on his cheek, and in that moment, Ray realized that there was still so much more to discover about her—about the woman he thought he knew, and the world she had created in the shadows, just beyond his reach.

Hearing Ray’s words, Esme’s lips curved into a smile, one that was soft yet full of warmth. She appreciated his admiration, but she wasn’t interested in discussing her own achievements right now. "Thanks for the compliment," she said, her voice light but thoughtful, "but I’m not talking about my achievements."

Ray raised an eyebrow, a slightly puzzled look crossing his face as he tried to process her shift in focus. Esme, noticing his confusion, continued with a quiet but deliberate tone.

"You see," she began, her eyes holding a distant, almost nostalgic quality, "even before becoming the CEO of Valhale Group, I worked in many places, in many companies. And as for my family—" she hesitated for a moment, her gaze clouding slightly, "even though they couldn’t get close to me, that didn’t mean they weren’t toxic. If they’d found out about my wealth back then, they would have tried to snatch it from me. After all, I was legally bound to them at that time."

Ray listened intently, his brows furrowing as he tried to piece everything together. Esme’s eyes softened, a brief flicker of emotion crossing her features before she spoke again.

"You see, me, Helga, and Aron, we’ve always grown up together, like childhood sweethearts. Of course, Aron has seen it for himself, even though his investigations couldn’t uncover everything. He knows what we’ve been through."