Jordan was the person Jacob valued most, even more than Drew or Liesel. Within Ford Corporation, Jordan held a position comparable to the senior executives, and in some ways, his influence even surpassed theirs. He not only wielded significant power but also held shares in the company.Later, with Liesel and Drew around, Jordan often dealt with external business affairs and seldom went to the company. His temperament was cold, and like Jacob, he cared only for ability and interests. When Liesel first joined the secretary department, Jordan gave her the cold shoulder. It wasn't until she secured a major contract abroad that Jordan truly accepted her. At that point, he officially recommended Liesel to be Jacob's other executive secretary, taking on part of his workload.Over the years, Liesel had proven her worth, but what about Natalie?Jordan eyed her with quiet scrutiny. The intensity of his gaze made Natalie feel uncomfortable, and she instinctively took a step back. "So i
If the operation was mishandled, Ford Corporation's liquidity would have been frozen due to the poor investment.When Natalie heard this, she felt as though the sky was falling. The news was about to break, and when the scam was exposed, it wouldn't be Liesel who was ridiculed, but Natalie.In a situation like this, the only thing she could do was plead with Jacob for another chance to return to Ford Corporation. At least, she could regain her position as a secretary and make others believe it was all just a misunderstanding.She could say that Ford Corporation had never actually planned to sign a contract with Dash, and it was only a tactic to lure the rival company into a trap. It was pure business competition."Jake, please help me. I made a mistake," she begged. "Solstice Inc. is about to reveal the truth—that the contract was a scam. If Ford Corporation won't take me back, no other company will hire me.""Jake, you have to help me…" Natalie sobbed, her tears flowing freely, but
"You forced Liesel out, but do you even have the ability to take her place? Now that you're here instead of her, do you think that the Iron Triangle will remain stable?" Jordan's words were filled with mockery.Natalie's face flushed with embarrassment. "I didn't intend to ruin your relationship. Liesel is still with Ford Corporation. She's just been promoted to a manager in the project department!"Jordan retorted, "Are you really that stupid, or are you just pretending? As Mr. Ford's executive secretary and assistant, her position is almost on par with the department heads, if not higher."Liesel being reassigned to the project department is just a demotion disguised as a promotion. Liesel can handle complex contracts and manage foreign partnerships. Do you have half the ability to do that, Ms. Sharp?"How many languages do you speak? Do you even know how to negotiate?"Each word was a sharp jab, leaving Natalie with no room to think, let alone respond. Her mind went blank, and
Elijah couldn't even imagine how furious Liesel would be if she found out that Henry had been rescued. He clenched his fists. "What are you betting on?""I can make her leave the project department and return as my executive secretary. Will you take the bet?"Elijah lifted his eyes and glanced at him. "So, you're betting on whether Liesel will agree to return as your secretary?"Elijah crossed his arms nonchalantly. "Why not? If Liesel refuses to return as your secretary, you'll have to release Henry."Jacob stated his other terms. "If Liesel agrees to be my secretary, you'll have to hand over the project Hardin Group just landed."The project Elijah had secured recently was a government-backed initiative, one that had caught the attention of the higher-ups. Jacob certainly had big ambitions.At first, he had thought Jacob was only focused on Matthew, but now it was clear that Jacob had his eyes set on his contracts."Seems like you've been closely monitoring Hardin Group, Mr. F
Liesel hadn't anticipated Elijah's sudden kiss. She didn't resist, but she didn't reciprocate either. When the kiss ended, she looked at him with a faintly detached gaze.Elijah was smiling. He was clearly entertained by the situation.Why had Jacob come here today? Was it to enjoy the spectacle? Or to convince Liesel to return as his secretary?Yet, before Jacob could even bring up her reinstatement, Liesel had already decided she wouldn't be returning to Ford Corporation anytime soon.Didn't that mean Jacob had already lost before he even opened his mouth? How amusing.At that moment, Elijah felt as though his injuries no longer hurt. The glimmer of amusement in his eyes was almost tangible.Was taking care of Elijah more important than work? Of course not. Even at the height of her love for Jacob, Liesel had never been so blinded that she would abandon her work, let alone now, after being hurt by him.She was saying this to Jacob deliberately. "Isn't taking care of him import
Even though Elijah knew Liesel well, he couldn't help but worry that she might agree to Jacob's offer out of impulse. He was just as anxious as Jacob.Liesel continued peeling the apple at a measured pace. When the peel was about to touch the floor, she nudged a nearby trash bin closer with the tip of her foot, catching the peel neatly. For a long time, she didn't respond to Jacob. Her expression remained calm and composed.Elijah and Jacob started chatting about business, but their attention remained fixed on Liesel. It was then they truly understood how agonizing waiting could be.When the apple was finally peeled, Liesel sliced it into small pieces, placed the pieces on a plate, and handed it to Elijah on the bed. She took a napkin and tucked it into his collar.Her gentleness moved Elijah deeply, but the apple seemed tasteless in his mouth. Without the answer he was hoping for, nothing else mattered. Jacob pulled out a gold cigarette case from his suit pocket and fiddled w
"You came to ask me because you've already agreed to Natalie's request to return to Ford Corporation. You're paying her a high salary, yet you still need someone competent to clean up the mess, so you thought of me," Liesel said evenly."All of this is because Natalie needs me, and temporarily. But Charles is back now. Whatever I can do, he's more than capable of handling."Elijah leaned against the headboard. He casually speared slices of apple from the plate, taking a bite now and then. The smile in his eyes deepened.He liked this version of Liesel—the one who was clear-headed and unflinching. Yes, this was her. The Liesel who had once wallowed in heartbreak because of Jacob paled in comparison to the confident woman before him now."You're different from Charles," Jacob countered. Liesel's hand stilled as she peeled the fruit. Elijah naturally took the apple and knife from her hands, continuing where she left off. She glanced at him but didn't stop him."Of course, I'm d
"Yes. Just as Elijah said, I won't be returning to Ford Corporation." Liesel smiled gently. Her answer was clear and decisive as if no further consideration was needed. She turned to Elijah and asked, "I turned down Mr. Ford's invitation for your sake. Does that make you happy?" Elijah paused mid-bite into his apple, then resumed after a moment. Yet somehow, the apple now felt overwhelmingly sweet.All the restless waiting, the anxiety, and the uncertainty dissolved in an instant. It was all replaced by a deep sense of satisfaction and joy. He had won the bet.Jacob's hand clenched around the cigarette box. When he lifted his gaze to Liesel, the faint spark in his eyes extinguished completely.An oppressive mix of emotions—heaviness, gloom, pain, and even despair—poured from the cracks in his heart. He had lost.For a moment, he stood rigidly by the hospital bed, then silently pulled out a chair and sat down. Outwardly, he still looked as cold and unyielding as ever, but Elija
"Well, that's a relief."Liesel logged into her Twitter account, uploaded all of Howard's research data without altering a single word, and tagged a small anonymous Twitter account.She captioned her post, "Thank you, Mr. Durham, for this opportunity to collaborate. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow at the dinner party." To top it off, she included a photo of Howard's handwritten letter.Reuben raised an eyebrow. "You posted all of it?"Liesel crossed her arms. Her expression had a subtle hint of amusement."Didn't you say there wasn't anything that couldn't be made public? Mr. Durham's brilliant work deserves to be shared with the world."The sloppy, near-unreadable handwriting was enough to invite mockery from anyone who saw it. It was a calculated strike.Liesel would make sure to flip someone's world upside down before they could even react if they ever crossed her.Still riding the wave of attention from her public confession to Elijah, Liesel's latest post quickly ca
Nothing was going according to Jacob's plan. Liesel was insane. She had drawn the curtains wide open and kissed Elijah in full view of the world. She waited for the moment she would be seen. She didn't care about telling the internet who her choice was. They were just collateral.She had to know Jacob had sent Toby. It was her way of fighting back. She wanted him to know she had chosen Elijah.Liesel was as ruthless as ever.He had hurt her once, and that was her revenge. She'd rather choose a cripple than Jacob.Jacob dialed a number. His voice was hoarse and laced with barely controlled anger. "Take down the trending posts. I don't want to see any of that by tomorrow."There was a pause before Charles responded, "Can't do it."Jacob's mind raced as he questioned why the posts couldn't be erased. The only explanation was that Liesel had gotten involved.Without another word, Jacob hung up and replayed the video. He imagined himself in Elijah's place, but reality always broke
Toby froze. His legs nearly gave out when he heard who it was on the phone."Had enough pictures?" It was Liesel.Toby's heart pounded so hard he could hear it in his ears. The rush of adrenaline left him lightheaded. "Ms. Sharp… you knew?""I know Jacob sent you. Go ahead and upload tonight's photos and videos online. Don't worry about me."Toby was speechless."Are you sure about this, Ms. Sharp?" He was asking if Liesel was truly choosing Elijah."Did I stutter?"Toby let out an awkward chuckle, and Liesel hung up without another word."What the hell just happened? Who called you and scared you so bad?""Don't tell me you got served court papers or something.""You're being too quiet. What's going on? What shook you so badly?"The group crowded around Toby. He swallowed hard and recounted what Liesel had said. The room fell silent. After what felt like an eternity, someone murmured, "Was that Liesel's way of confessing to Elijah?"It was. She unapologetically used that f
"Would they love me like you do? Or would they just drain me of everything I'm worth?" Liesel was genuinely curious. "If you love me, then stay with me forever. Don't ever give anyone the chance to hurt me again."If you care so much about your legs, I'll contact the best medical team. I'll build a research institute if I have to. I can do so much for you, just like Heather did for Jason. So, please, stop saying we're not a good match. We're the perfect match."Liesel stood up and braced her hand against the nearby furniture. At this moment, she seemed taller and more commanding."Look into my eyes, Elijah. Tell me. What do you see?"Elijah froze. His gaze locked onto hers. In those usually calm eyes, he saw an overwhelming depth of emotion that made his throat tighten."I think you can tell the difference between love and indifference. So, what's your answer?"Before he could respond, Liesel pressed on, "Never mind. Even if you want to hide, I won't let you retreat any further."
"You could at least do something to earn my respect," Liesel said. "You've injured your legs, and you acted like it's the end of the world. It's not like you've lost your manhood. And even if you did, we can always have a platonic relationship. Anything works when the person is right."Do you hear me, Elijah? Love between a man and a woman does involve physical attraction and intimacy, but that's not all of it. True love comes from the resonance between two souls, from the empathy and connection they share."Even as she spoke, her words circled back to the real issue. She was still angry at Elijah for giving up on himself.Elijah's voice was hoarse as he responded, "I just can't bear it, Lili. You're so wonderful. Have you ever seen the kind of twilight where the entire sky is bathed in warm orange hues, and stars begin to twinkle faintly at the horizon?"That kind of twilight feels like it bridges heaven and earth. I've been to many places in my life, but that twilight was the onl
"Elijah, do you know how upset I was?" Liesel asked.Elijah's injuries were severe. His entire body was battered. Even his strikingly handsome face bore scars. His right arm was broken, and his chest, back, and legs were covered in countless wounds.Anyone else would have clung to Liesel like a lifeline, terrified that she would abandon them. But Elijah just wanted to push her away."What can I say, Lili?" Elijah's tone carried a hint of helplessness. "It feels like whatever I say now will just be wrong. Do you want to judge me? You're welcome to do so.""I just don't understand." Liesel held his hand. Her grip was gentle as if afraid of causing him more pain. "What do you take me for? What do you take yourself for?"This world has so many people suffering because they lack money or power. But we have both. You're incredibly hot, and you're standing at the pinnacle of society. So what if your legs are injured? There are countless people worse off than you. Why let this drag you do
Reuben handed Liesel a red-covered envelope, but his expression was strange as he did so. Was there something hidden in the letter?Liesel opened it, and her eyes twitched as she read the few words written inside. "What is this?"The writing looked like a tangled mess of worms twisted together into a few sentences. It wasn't just ugly—it was excessively so.Reuben fell silent for a moment. "It's not that hard to read."Liesel handed the letter back to him. Her gesture clearly said, "If it's so easy, you read it."Reuben's face remained as calm as ever. "Liesel..." He simply said her name before stopping."It's not important. What matters is that the only person who can match Howard's intellect and keep up with his progress is you. Since he wants to meet you and the authorities want you to be involved, I hope you can take this collaboration seriously, Ms. Sharp."He said it wasn't important, but actually, he just couldn't read Howard's alien handwriting.Liesel clicked her tongu
Belinda's verbal attacks only made Liesel realize one thing—Belinda wasn't a particularly smart person.Once truly intelligent people understood their opponent's cards, they wouldn't provoke them so recklessly, without considering the family's reputation or the consequences of their actions.It was selfish, cold-hearted, immature, and laughable.Liesel was already pushing Elijah's wheelchair out of the Turner residence's living room when Reuben nodded slightly at Nathan. His commanding gaze swept over Belinda as he murmured, "The younger generation of the Turner family needs to be properly taught manners."With that, Reuben left with the special forces.Glaring at their retreating backs, Belinda ground her teeth, but her expression was one of desolation.She could feel the vast distance between her and Liesel. She was unwilling to accept her defeat. She wouldn't just hand Elijah over to Liesel. One day, she would take Elijah back, no matter what.Liesel remained unaware of Belin
But since Heather had chosen her lover over her children when she was forced to make that choice, she was doomed to carry that guilt for the rest of her life.She had made her choice, and it was a mistake. Maybe it would be easier if she truly believed she was heartless.Since Liesel and Xavier were her and Jason's children, they had to be exceptional. Only then could they truly live up to their brilliant bloodline.Heather arrived at the research facility and looked at the man lying quietly on the bed, who was slowly recovering. Crouching on the cold floor, she gently held his hand and softly rubbed it."Jay, do you think I've made a mistake?"There was no response.Only the soft whisper of the breeze could be heard. Though it was the height of summer, the air felt unnervingly cold.Heather gazed at Jason, who was still trapped in his deep slumber."Jay, when you wake up, we'll go back to Ashthorne. They may not accept me, but they'll accept you. We can… go home together."Sh