"The position of Hardin Group's president's wife is all hers if she wants it. I'll even step down and hand her the title of president itself. I'm prepared to give her everything I have. Can you say the same, Mr. Ford?"Don't give me that nonsense about getting tired of her, or about her leaving me one day. Even if that day comes, the money, power, and status that I'm offering now will still stand. It's enough for her to destroy me if she chooses. That's my sincerity. No one can match it."Elijah cast a final glance at Charles. "Only when your precious Mr. Ford is ready to give up everything willingly can he talk about competing with me."Charles stayed silent. It was undeniable that Elijah's offer wasn't just bait. It was a tangible, overwhelming promise. Charles had no justification to stop Liesel from accepting it. Elijah and Liesel had entered Ford Corporation together, and now, they left together. Drew ruffled his hair in frustration. "The Iron Triangle is down to two. Can the
If Liesel had stayed at Ford Corporation, the winner of the upcoming financial summit might be Ford Corporation itself. The saying that "Liesel from Ford Corporation could carry half the business world in Ashthorne" wasn't widespread, but those in the know had heard it.It spoke volumes about Liesel's reputation. She was capable of securing billion-dollar international deals single-handedly. What kind of storm could she stir up once she was free from constraints? Nobody knew for sure. All they could hope for was that Liesel wouldn't turn her focus against Ford Corporation after her departure. …"Big promises, offering me half your assets," Liesel remarked as she settled into the car. Her arms were folded and a faint smirk was playing on her lips as she glanced at Elijah. "What's this? You've got your eye on Shifter Corporation too?" Others might not know Liesel's true net worth, but Elijah did. Shifter Corporation stood toe-to-toe with Hardin Group in terms of statu
Elijah willingly played the fool when it came to Liesel. He admitted that he admired her, even liked her. It might not have reached the intensity of love, but she was firmly lodged in his heart. And for her, he was willing to lower his pride. If she still had feelings for another man or couldn't let go of her past, he was even willing to become a shadow. He was willing to mimic another person for her sake. He was ready to make a ridiculous sacrifice, all for the faint hope of winning her over. "Liesel," Elijah murmured. His fingers brushed against her earlobe. "If I give you my heart, will you accept it?" It was the most vulnerable and passionate declaration he had ever made. Liesel thought it was too much. Still reeling from the emotional wreckage of her last relationship, she wasn't ready to embrace such overwhelming affection—even though she had grown accustomed to Elijah's presence. Her silence was her answer. The car window was slightly open, letting in a warm
Jacob stood frozen as he watched the scene unfold from a distance. He felt as if coarse salt had been mercilessly ground into his broken heart. The searing pain radiating from his chest rendered him incapable of rational thought. All he could do was stand there as the sight before him burned itself into his memory. He wondered why he was there. It wasn't his job to deliver a proposal. There were others—Drew, Charles, countless subordinates—anyone else could have done it. But not him. Yet there he was. Just to catch one last glimpse of her. Nothing would come from seeing her. It would only deepen his wounds and magnify the pain. Jacob lowered his gaze to the proposal in his hands. His grip tightened as disgust welled within him. He didn't move closer. Whether out of pride or self-respect, he straightened his spine, turned on his heel, and walked away as the CEO of Ford Corporation. He told himself he wouldn't falter. He wouldn't give his heart to Liesel. He had long ma
"Can someone please explain to me how beauty like this even exists?""I mean, seriously! I knew Ford Corporation had a so-called 'Iron Triangle,' but no one told me the only female in the group, Ms. Sharp, looked like this! With her talent, I was expecting more of a nerdy, academic vibe—not someone who could put on a potato sack and still look like a movie star!" "I'm done. This face would guarantee peace for generations in ancient times. Add her brain to the mix, and she'd overthrow the king, declare herself ruler, and run a kingdom better than anyone else! She's giving serious 'modern-day Cleopatra' vibes." "Honestly, who cares where she works? She needs to step into the public eye and bless the rest of us already!" The Internet was reeling at Liesel's beauty.One particular image that made the rounds showed Liesel standing in the same frame as the glamorous actress Lara. The comparison was brutal. Lara, dressed impeccably in designer clothes, was utterly eclipsed by Liese
Liesel's beauty, though impressive, was the least remarkable thing about her. It was her intellect and grace that made others admire her.Students from Alden University's finance faculty even believed that Liesel possessed a near-divine quality. It was as though there was an unbridgeable distance between her and them. It was as if she were an angel. Her kindness was genuine, and not for show.The charity foundation she established was still thriving. The brand she created was not only self-sustaining but also capable of helping others. In recent years, her foundation had been making donations at various charity events, and it had become customary for major media outlets to mention both Alden University and its finance faculty when covering the foundation's work.The students, who were proud to be from Alden University, found that being associated with her brought them greater respect. Even during internships, their affiliation with the university often earned them higher regard fr
"We have to bring Liesel back! How can the Iron Triangle exist without Ms. Sharp?" The meeting room erupted in chaos. Some angrily accused Liesel of betraying Ford Corporation after all the kindness she had received, while others voiced concerns that the conditions they had offered wouldn't be enough to bring her back. When they realized their interests were on the line, they could no longer view Liesel as just a "pretty woman." They were finally forced to acknowledge her exceptional abilities.She had the power to influence the stock market all on her own. Even a prestigious company like Ford Corporation couldn’t escape the impact of her departure.Jacob sat silently at the head of the table. His eyes were fixed downward as he watched Ford Corporation’s stock price continue to plummet. His face remained impassive, and he subconsciously tightened his grip around his pen. His gaze wandered instinctively to his right.It was Charles.The person who had often sat there was Liesel.
"I hope everyone will avoid following the crowd. Hardin Group will continue to cooperate with Ford Corporation in the future. Thank you for your understanding and support."Liesel's post made everything clear. There was no conflict between her and Jacob, and though she had some ties to Ford Corporation, it wasn't out of bitterness as suggested by Solstice Inc.Her response quickly became a trending topic.With the person involved speaking out, Ford Corporation's stock price rose once again. It climbed steadily until it stabilized. The mention of potential future cooperation in Liesel's statement further boosted the stock price.Liesel's approach in the business world had always been honest and transparent. She had never been anything else.The meeting room suddenly grew quiet.Charles leaned casually against the wall. His expression was serene yet cold, with a subtle hint of mocking amusement in his eyes."Are you all satisfied with Ms. Sharp's response?" he asked.The board me
"You know how it is. It's always hard to strike a deal between two smart people."Charles laughed.He knew that when Liesel suggested a partnership with Ford Corporation to manufacture anti-cancer drugs, it was actually a huge trap.Liesel and Howard were both researchers. Who could say for sure that after they gave Ford Corporation the drug formula, they wouldn't refine the drug further and make something even more effective?Considering Liesel's and Howard's intelligence, there would undoubtedly be a more potent version of the drug. However, Liesel would never choose to continue working together with Ford Corporation. Therefore, he had decided to ask for a mile. He had asked to collaborate on the artificial intelligence project.It wasn't that he was being greedy.It was because Ford Corporation wasn't the same as it had been a year ago. He had to tread very carefully to avoid falling for someone's scheme again.Without Liesel and Drew, there were many tasks that only he and
"Do you not want to hug?" Liesel cocked her head at him. "Don't think I don't know you. I bet you already wanted to kiss me and hold me the moment you spotted Jacob. Otherwise, you wouldn't have tightened your arms around me."Hadn't Elijah done that to send Jacob a message that Liesel belonged to him?Having been together for so long, there wasn't anything that she didn't understand about him."In that case, thank you for giving me a chance and playing along." Since he couldn't think of an excuse, he just came clean. There was even a look of amusement on his face.He pulled her into his arms affectionately. She also hugged him back, like she was a child staking her territory."Should we add some more spice and kiss?"This was really becoming more and more provocative.Why not?A smile appeared on Elijah's face, as if he was saying to her, "Bring it on."And she did. She peppered Elijah's face with continuous pecks. Then, she yanked on his collar, like she was claiming him as
From a short distance away, Jacob could see Elijah's arm curled around Liesel's tiny waist. She seemed very dependent on him as she lay in his arms listlessly. It was a stark contrast to the way she behaved in public with other people.Whether it was with reporters or business partners, she always seemed like a steady pillar of strength. She was graceful and calm, but there was a hidden sharpness within her.Anyone who interacted with her could feel the hidden threat that was lurking inside of her.Yet, the Liesel now seemed to have shed all the sharp spikes on her body, revealing only the soft insides. She appeared gentle and submissive… Or rather, she only showed this side of her to her lover.He should have been the one to get all of this.He should have been her lover.He was the one who'd thrown all of this away. All he could do was watch as Elijah purposely pissed him off.He was a man too. Of course, he knew that Elijah was doing it on purpose.Of course, he resented Eli
Elijah seized Liesel's wrists while chuckling coldly. "So what if you're someone's wife? If I wanted you, all I'd have to do is tell him. Then, he'd definitely have someone clean you up nicely and send you straight into my bed."He lifted her chin with his finger. "Do you think that your husband is a decent man? Do you think that he'd disobey me for you?"Liesel swallowed. She was enraptured by the look in Elijah's eyes right now.He nibbled on her ear while patting her panicked and pale face. "If you're obedient, I'll treat you well. If you're unwilling to play along and make me happy, I'll kill your husband and lock you up in my home. You'll never see the light of day again."Stripping off her clothes, Liesel bit his earlobe and whispered, "It's such a waste that you didn't go into the acting industry with Chelsea."Elijah chuckled quietly, letting her hands roam all over him. They left a trail of fire in their wake. When he was all riled up and ready to go, Liesel suddenly hugg
Liesel left.Charles gazed at the still-warm cup of tea on the table. There was a chilling look in his eyes.This was one of the times he'd made the wrong move.After walking out of Charles' office, Liesel wasn't surprised to see Jacob. However, she didn't even stop and simply walked out.He trailed after her leisurely until she was nearly out of Ford Corporation. Just as he was about to call out to her, he heard a cheerful, gentle voice calling her name."Lili, I'm here to pick you up." Jacob's eyes darkened. When he looked up, he saw Elijah sitting in a wheelchair and smiling at Liesel.Liesel didn't mind at all that he was a cripple. With a grin on her face, she crouched down next to him. Then, she grabbed his hand and placed it against her cheek.Jacob's chest clenched when he saw that. It felt like arrows piercing his heart.Liesel could still feel Jacob's eyes on her, but she didn't care. She even pecked Elijah lightly on the lips in front of Jacob. Then, while pushing
"Charles, even though we worked together for three years, you still don't understand me at all."Liesel tapped her fingers against the desk. While it was quiet, it also sounded indescribably threatening."Have you not seen what happened to Dash?"If someone tries to snatch something from me, not only will I make their wishes come true, but I'll also make them pay the price."You can only take what I give you. If you insist on snatching what I'm unwilling to give… then you will find out the price you'll have to pay."She grinned, but it carried an obvious iciness.Dash was indeed the best example.He had tried to snatch collaboration opportunities from her, so she squashed him. And that wasn't all. She also bought his land and assets from him for dirt cheap.Dash tried to steal her data and establish his own vehicle manufacturing plant in Draskia, so she simply chased him and all his businesses out of Draskia.Anyone who tried to plot against her and steal from her suffered hor
"If you have something that even Jacob doesn't, you must be very loyal to him.""Thanks for the compliment." Charles chuckled quietly. "Of course, I am loyal to Mr. Ford. It's because I'm loyal to Mr. Ford that I kept the evidence just in case."If Matthew decided to betray Mr. Ford one day, then I could use this to retaliate against him. After all, you also know that Matthew is far from a nice person."Jacob placed a lot of importance on Matthew because his parents had passed away early, so he'd been raised by Matthew and Vincent since he was younger. He ended up viewing Matthew as somewhat of a father figure. His love for his family had ended up blinding him, making him unwilling to bring harm to Matthew.However, Charles was different. He didn't have any significant feelings toward Matthew. He only cared about protecting Jacob's interests.Matthew was a selfish person who only cared about his own interests. This was why Charles had gone against Jacob's orders and kept the evi
If it had been Elijah who'd done this, what would Liesel have done?Could she still be so righteous?However, Jacob's words only made her stifle a laugh. Without even turning around, she said sardonically, "If Elijah was this kind of person, then I would never have gotten together with him."Whether it comes to family or lovers, first of all, they should have the right principles. They should know what they should or shouldn't do."Even a child can tell what's right from wrong, but an adult like Matthew doesn't know where to draw the line. Jacob, one day he will pay the price for everything that he's done."In the end, Jacob didn't stop her from leaving.He couldn't help but clench his fists. His eyes darkened.Liesel had always been strongly opposed to evil. Making things worse, Drew was the scapegoat for Matthew's misdeeds this time.Over the years, Jacob had already gotten Matthew out of trouble countless times. He was getting tired of it.He really wanted to call out to Li
Natalie wanted to destroy Ford Corporation as soon as possible.Once there was a new leader in Ford Corporation, would Jacob still be so arrogant?Natalie laughed coldly. Then, she remembered the words she heard in the hospital, and her expression frosted over.She thought that since she was already in the same boat as Edward, and that Edward might become the future leader of Ford Corporation, she could go for him instead.After all, Edward was tall and handsome. In her eyes, he wasn't inferior to Jacob at all.However, she never thought… that Edward already had a lover, and that it was his sister, Ophelia, of all people.Till today, she still remembered how that bitch, Ophelia, had once insulted her because of her background. To defend Liesel, Ophelia had mocked her for being a bastard child.How come Ophelia deserved to be with Edward? They were siblings! Even if they weren't related by blood, they had still grown up as brother and sister. Weren't they afraid of getting expose