"Lili, did you really agree to get together with Elijah? The entire social circle is saying that you're now lovers." Chelsea was genuinely worried about Liesel. Otherwise, she wouldn't have rushed to Liesel's place to ask her this after working overtime tonight."Yes, we're together now."Liesel didn't lie. After parking her car, she brought Chelsea upstairs. She explained everything that she'd told Denzel earlier today to Chelsea. Chelsea had rushed here in a panic and ended up leaving feeling speechless. She also came to understand why Liesel had made this choice.Now that things had come to this, the only thing she could do was to give her friend her blessing.She hoped that Elijah was really someone Liesel could entrust her life to and that he wasn't just another Jacob.…Back at the Ford Manor, Vincert had heard some gossip when he went out today.Of course, it was about Liesel and Elijah colluding in secret and banding together.Some knew about Liesel and Jacob's marr
After getting the staff's agreement, Liesel left.The staff was wearing a Bluetooth earphone in one ear. Only after Liesel had walked away did she pause. Who had Liesel said to hand the letter to just now?The staff had been listening to music and hadn't heard who to give the letter to.It should be Jacob, right?Liesel had a good relationship with Jacob. Because of the situation with Dash recently, she must have to give Jacob an explanation. This letter must contain that explanation.The staff was also worried that she would get in trouble for the delay, so she immediately used the internal phone line to inform Drew.When Drew received the call, he was taken aback. However, he must have had the same idea as the staff and assumed that Liesel had written this letter to explain the incident with Dash to Jacob.Liesel, who had no clue that all of this was going on, checked the time. At this hour, she had enough time to take a soak in the hot springs.Stretching, she changed into a
At this time, why would Jacob even think about why Liesel had invited him here?He just wanted to let out the desire that was building within him.He didn't know why Liesel would try to entice him behind Elijah's back right now. She was clearly cheating on Elijah by seducing him, but he didn't overthink it.All he wanted was to plunder her and own her. He just wanted more.Liesel was terrified. Her chest heaved, and her eyes were round. She tried her hardest to push the man who was holding her tightly.However, she could barely fight back.The water splashing around in the hot springs soaked her nightgown completely. Now, her alluring curves were on full display. She could wholly feel the man's uncontrollable desire now.His hand pressed firmly against the back of her head as his lips ravaged hers.The thinning air made Liesel struggle to back away. At last, the two of them fell into the hot springs together."Jacob, are you insane?" Panting, she tried to back even further awa
"We were kissing. Didn't you see us?" Jacob said. His hoarse voice carried a hint of satisfaction from getting a taste of what he desired. He held Liesel in his arms firmly, not allowing her to protest or move."Jacob, you're insane!" Liesel thrashed, trying to push Jacob away. This time, he stopped restraining her. However, even though she was holding the wall, she couldn't stabilize herself. The slap she gave him carried no force whatsoever."Jacob, this is a crime!" She staggered forward and nearly fell, but someone caught her waist. Finally, she fell into Elijah's arms, and he held her firmly.Elijah's gaze was gloomy and dark as he clutched Liesel's arm strongly. "Lili, tell me, did you want to invite him or me?"His eyes were nearly pitch black as he wrapped his arm around her waist. Even now, it was just loosely entwined around her body without any real force."Liesel, did you want to invite him or me?" he asked again in a raspy voice."The one I wanted to invite was you
Elijah wanted to leave his mark and scent on Liesel's body. He wished to make her completely his. Elijah's reputation was far from positive. Although many speculated that he was hiding his strengths, they also believed he was a playboy who visited many exclusive hotels. Countless women were seen by his side. No one knew how many women he had slept with. However, Elijah remained truly innocent all these years. He would simply wrap an arm around these women just to put on a show. He never even kissed them. Even if he did take them into the hotel, he merely spent a few hours going through documents in the room. Once time was up, Elijah would give the woman a huge check to dismiss her. That gave an impression that he preferred fleeting romances.These women enjoyed accompanying him. After all, they would get a large sum of money by staying in the hotel room for a few hours. Who wouldn't enjoy such an easy task? Since Elijah didn't sleep with any of these women, some even wondere
Jacob recalled the days when Liesel was by his side. Her gaze used to be filled with earnestness and clear adoration for him. It didn't take long for her to seek comfort in Elijah, which seemed like a betrayal to Jacob.Jacob gazed at their tight embrace. The look in his eyes seemed to grow more bitter. Jacob stood under the bright light, quietly gazing at the kissing couple. Although the light emitted warmth, he merely felt cold. No one knew how long Elijah and Liesel had been kissing, but Jacob's gaze never left them. Despite feeling his chest ache, he still forced himself to watch Elijah and Liesel kiss each other. Once they finally separated, Liesel relaxed as if she could no longer continue kissing. However, Elijah carefully lifted her in bridal style. He laid her on the long chair outside by the hot springs, allowing her to lie down comfortably. Liesel's bright eyes were tinged with red. Her clear, dark pupils were filled with arousal. His kiss had caused her lips to t
"It was Liesel who put on a show and schemed for our wedding to happen. Are you assuming that I care about her? I definitely don't. From the day we married, I warned her that I would never fall for her in this lifetime!"To me, she's just a cheap woman to satisfy my physical needs. Ford Corporation needs her, and my body needs her. She'll never get any love from me."By then, Jacob already stepped out of the hot springs. He had loosened his tie and was staring at Elijah mockingly. "It's hard to believe that you care so much about her. I've already grown bored of the woman I married for three years before you could even touch her."Jacob grabbed Elijah by the collar and mocked him. "Her body has already gotten used to my needs long ago. "As long as I kiss her, she'll definitely respond to me. Why did you think she invited me here? She clearly wanted me to fulfill her physical needs. After all, you, as her new lover, couldn't even satisfy her desires."Everything Jacob said was i
The water in the wooden bucket was filled with ice shards. All of its contents were splashed on top of Elijah and Jacob. The iciness caused their anger to dissipate. Elijah's hoarse voice was filled with obvious fury. "Lili, I just wanted to get revenge on your behalf."After hearing Jacob say all that, Elijah was unable to take it anymore. That was why he hit Jacob. Liesel was Elijah's woman, so he would never allow anyone to humiliate her. Elijah also couldn't accept how Jacob casually dismissed three years of Liesel's passionate love for him. All Jacob said was Liesel deserved it.Jacob was being ridiculous and mean."No need to do that." Liesel wrapped the coat around herself tightly as if she was feeling cold. However, there was a faint smile on her face, which seemed warm and gentle. "I no longer care about whatever he said earlier." As soon as she spoke, Elijah and Jacob were taken aback. No one expected Liesel to hear everything. Elijah pushed Jacob aside and got t
Neal pinched Liesel's ear as he chided with a hint of jealousy in his tone, "Calling someone else your brother right in front of me? How bold of you." Neal wasn't exerting any force. He just couldn't bear to hear her calling someone else her brother.Liesel crossed her arms and teased, "Well, blame Jeffrey. He sowed seeds everywhere, so now I have plenty of brothers and sisters." Caleb couldn't hold back his laughter. "He may have spread his seeds far and wide, but not everyone qualifies to be my sister." Liesel smirked. "Of course. Only someone like me is worthy." Given her status, it was obvious that Caleb was the one benefitting from this connection. After ending the call, Liesel began to consider her next move. She wasn't going to show mercy to Jeffrey. "Neal, do you want to join me in some mischief?" she asked. Neal perked up and humored her. "That depends. What kind of mischief are we talking about?" Liesel hesitated for a moment. She worried that Neal might thin
Jordan had already sent people to investigate the mastermind behind the recent incident. To everyone's surprise, the names at the top of the list were none other than Liesel's own family. Jeffrey and Natalie. Their insatiable greed and jealousy made it impossible for them to leave Liesel and Scott alone. To Natalie, Liesel's very existence was a constant affront. To Jeffrey, Scott was a stain on his reputation. He wanted to take revenge.Had Elijah not insisted on leaving Liesel behind this time, she too might have been caught in the car accident. Liesel knew that her family were scapegoats, but that didn't mean she would let them off lightly. As she was leaving, Liesel crossed paths with Neal, who had rushed over to see her. Seated in her wheelchair, she looked up at him with a radiant smile. "Neal, you came to see me." "I've been swamped recently, so I'll have to leave the financial summit preparations to you and Jordan," Liesel said with a hint of apology. "You're t
Richard let out a bitter laugh."Liesel, those assets belong to Elijah, which means they're part of the Hardin family's inheritance. Naturally, we'll ensure they stay within the family."Liesel smiled. Her smile was breathtaking, but the cold glint in her eyes was impossible to ignore."Then perhaps you should consider why Elijah didn't leave those assets to you but entrusted everything to me instead."It was a sharp question. If their bond had been so strong, why would Elijah bypass his family and give everything to her?The answer was simple: he didn't trust them. He knew the Hardin family was a bottomless pit, a maelstrom of greed that would swallow everything.If his assets fell into their hands, they would never see the light of day again. Elijah left everything to Liesel not just out of love but because he trusted her, knowing she was the one person who wouldn't betray him. The Hardin family, on the other hand, was different. Their endless hunger for profit would destro
Liesel smiled as she glanced around the room. The room fell into silence, but Uriah couldn't resist sneering. "You claim Hardin Group will collaborate with Shifter Corporation, but does saying it make it true? Do you think you're the CEO of Shifter Corporation? You're not Neal!" Jordan's gaze fell. His eyes were cold and sharp as they landed on Uriah. "I think my presence here already answers that."Richard was nearly driven to fury by Uriah's outburst. He quickly reprimanded Uriah and told him to keep quiet. Though he was partial to his youngest son, Uriah was nothing but a fool! He always said the wrong thing at the worst possible time. Jordan was standing here himself. What more needed to be said? As the vice CEO of Shifter Corporation, Jordan had full authority, just as Liesel, the vice CEO of Hardin Group, did. Together, they more than represented their companies. Besides, it was obvious Jordan was here to support Liesel. Uriah's reckless words risked offending him.
"I would never force my personal opinions on you. However... as you all know, companies that have already made breakthroughs in 3D technology have accumulated strong financial backing. After 3D comes holograms... and what comes after that?"What I offer you is always the latest cutting-edge technology. Tell me, what can anyone else provide you with that can match that? Immediate gains or long-term benefits—what is it that I can't offer?"Greed was a part of human nature.You give someone a hundred, and they'll want a thousand. You give them a thousand, and they'll want ten thousand.Liesel didn't know what the Hardins were offering, but whatever it was, she could certainly offer more. In the face of immense benefits, small, petty gains couldn't compare.The deals she could bring in were big deals and not empty promises. Just her recent 3D imaging had already caused Hardin Group's stock prices to skyrocket.Even with what happened to Elijah, Hardin Group's stock barely even droppe
Jordan raised an eyebrow as his gaze settled on Sam's gentle smile. He had encountered his fair share of duplicitous businessmen—those with dark hearts, aggressive tendencies, or deeply buried schemes. But to Jordan, Sam was nothing more than a fool. "Mr. Sam, I thought you only had one brother?" Jordan narrowed his eyes. "And isn't that Mr. Elijah? Since when did you and Uriah become so chummy?"Elijah's barely out of the picture, and yet here you are, toasting drinks and forming alliances. It seems your so-called 'brotherly bond' with him wasn't all that deep." Sam had always harbored a hidden resentment toward Elijah. For years, he had quietly hated him. He kept this dark feeling hidden because he knew he was a failure, reliant on Elijah's protection and care for the rest of his life.So, he had to play a part, pretending to be someone he wasn't.The truth was, he knew deep down that he was already mentally disturbed, a parasite hiding in the shadows.Uriah and Elijah s
"Wait! My friend's a top talent agent! I'm sending this guy's photo to them right now. Seriously, that guy's face alone is going to make him jump for joy!" "He's standing next to Liesel and he still manages to stand out? That's what you call a real beauty!" Those who recognized Jordan's name were stunned. "Wait, are you guys seriously saying you don't know who Jordan is?" "Jordan! As in Shifter Corporation's vice president!" "Shifter Corporation? The multinational conglomerate that's basically untouchable? The same one with international influence, where even seasoned capital firms clamor for partnerships?"Yeah, Shifter Corporation. Do you want him to ditch all that to join the entertainment industry? Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea how much he earns per second?" The chat slowed down for a brief moment before exploding in a torrent of frenzied comments. "Jordan lives up to the hype. That face could make anyone lose their train of thought." "So,
Liesel raised her gaze. Her eyes were cold as they locked onto Uriah. The chill radiating from her was impossible to miss. "And who exactly are you supposed to be?" she asked with one hand resting lightly on the edge of the table. "I worked at Ashthorne for three years and never once heard of some grand figure like you at Hardin Group." She made a shocked face. "Ah, Mr. Uriah. My apologies. It's been so long since I've seen you. You look so diminished. Have you lost your appetite? Or maybe you're just too weak to keep up." The remark was a blatant jab. Everyone in the room knew it hadn't been long since Elijah ousted Uriah from his position at Hardin Group—a coup that wouldn't have been possible without Liesel's support. To Uriah, Elijah couldn't have taken Hardin Group away without Liesel. She was the reason he had lost everything. He slammed his hand on the table as he stood abruptly. "Liesel! Without you, do you think Elijah would've had the guts to take Hardin Group
"I'm not crazy, but sitting in a wheelchair for negotiations is not my style." Jordan rubbed his temples. "Ms. Sharp, you're stunning enough. You could sit in a wheelchair and still be the most beautiful person in the room. Can you just be reasonable for once?" "No," Liesel shot back. "If I'm sitting in a wheelchair next to you, it'll make you look better than me. I can't have that." Jordan was annoyed. It wasn't his fault that he was good-looking. "Fine. I'll bring the wheelchair, but you don't have to use it. Just promise me you'll call if you feel like you need it. I'll be right there." Liesel trusted Jordan completely. But she knew that showing even a hint of weakness would give the board members ammunition to undermine her. They'd latch onto the fact that she was recovering from a miscarriage. They would turn that into a weapon to question her capability.When they arrived at Hardin Group, the board meeting was already underway. Employees gave Liesel suspicious loo