"Elijah once splurged a fortune on a famous star, spending over a million on a single dress.""Yeah, and don't forget how he pursued twin sisters at the same time!"The crowd wasn't holding back, gleefully spilling every last detail of Elijah's past escapades. No one seemed interested in leaving him with a shred of dignity.Elijah's lips twitched involuntarily as he found himself at the center of everyone's roasting session.Liesel, however, maintained her bright, unbothered smile. She listened to the gossip about Elijah purely for amusement. She didn't take it to heart at all. She even clapped her hands cheerfully."See? Everyone's so in sync when it comes to Elijah. That's even more reason to have dinner together. You all clearly have plenty to talk about!"The crowd was at a loss for words.Who on earth would have anything to talk about with that lunatic?They didn't dare say it out loud, though. In the end, the whole group ended up crammed into the same private room.This
With a strained chuckle, Brodie responded, "Well then, I wish you the same kind of good luck as today."Meanwhile, Drew and Kellan were slightly better. Though they didn't meet each other's gaze, at least there wasn't any biting hostility. It was just a normal conversation between two people."Is Ms. Sharp really this terrifying when she goes off?" Kellan, who hadn't had any direct dealings with Liesel, genuinely didn't know her well, which was why he asked such a naive question.Drew pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation."The Iron Triangle of Ford Corporation is also known as LCD—Liesel, Charles, and me. Do you think the order is based on age or capability? Oh no, it's ranked by how insane we are."Drew's lips twitched with a dry smile."Lili outranks Charles. This is Charles we're talking about. That scheming, smirking fox with those sinister eyes. The man who could flood Ashthorne with his dark schemes. He's basically a schemer of the same level as Brodie. And Lili's
Elijah let out a chuckle as he tightened his grip on her hand. Their fingers intertwined. "I was worried my future lover might get jealous, so I made sure to get all the documents ready. I'll show them to you as soon as we get back. I promise. I won't hide anything from you.""So, why didn't you show me the documents from the start?" Liesel's voice was still soft, and she was smiling faintly.Elijah raised an eyebrow. "Do you know what's going through my head right now? You're asking me this because you care about me, right?"If this had been before, Liesel wouldn't have even bothered asking.Her brow twitched slightly. For a moment, she just didn't feel like dealing with him.…The dinner didn't wrap up early. Most of the people there didn't have much in common, and practically everyone seated together were sworn enemies. They were ready to throw jabs at each other the moment they opened their mouths.By the time the dinner finally ended, Jimmy sighed in relief. Sitting next to
Elijah chuckled and cleared his throat. "Yeah, it really does look like that."Even now, Liesel couldn't resist throwing a little jab at Charles and Brodie. Her sense of revenge was really strong.The last few curious onlookers had already left. Liesel stood there, and her gaze never once fell on Jacob. She completely ignored him from the beginning.However, Jacob's eyes stayed fixed on her. As he watched her trying her best to keep her distance, his eyes burned. He clenched his fists.If he really wanted to, he could step forward in front of everyone and reach out to grab her hand again.But he didn't. His eyes were full of pain as he silently watched her walk farther and farther away from him.His throat ached, but his eyes never left her.When Liesel and Elijah finally left, Jacob looked down. His dark eyes glinted with coldness.Denzel wanted to say something, but the words stuck in his throat.Who was to blame for how things had turned out between Liesel and Jacob?Denze
Elijah had appeared in numerous news reports before, usually alongside other women.But in this photo, he looked softer and almost gentle. The once arrogant and handsome face now seemed entirely calm. It had shed all its sharp edges for a more tender expression.The moment Liesel posted the picture, Twitter blew up.Before, many had doubted the compatibility between Liesel and Elijah, but now they were all being blown away by their chemistry."Who was it? Who said they weren't right for each other? Come on, step up! Who dares to say that now? These two are literally the perfect match!""Seriously, this is the classic 'bad boy turns sweet just for you' storyline. This is the dream couple! Stop holding me back from shipping them!""They're so cute! I'm totally here for this strong pair! I'm a loyal fan now!""My goodness! When Elijah was with other women, he was always cocky and cool, acting like the king of the world. He looked at people like they were nothing. He was the definit
The chicken soup that Liesel prepared in the past had always been sweet.Jacob lowered his gaze at the peppercorns in the bowl but still drank all of the soup. The sharp, spicy flavor burned down his throat, intensifying his headache.Isobel heard the sound and hurried out. "Do you need me, Mr. Ford?"When Jacob glanced up, he felt that the figure before him should have been someone else—someone slender, yet exuding a unique strength.He clenched his fist, but his expression remained indifferent. "No, go do your things."Isobel let out a soft, "Okay," but still turned back to look at him with concern. Only when she saw that Jacob truly had no orders did she begin to leave.Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Isobel opened the door and saw Natalie.Isobel remembered Natalie. Before she could say a word, Natalie had already pushed past her and rushed in."Jake, you drank so much just now. Are you okay? Do you need anything? You haven't even changed your clothes yet. Let me help you chan
Natalie thought to herself that she would make Jacob keep his promise. She was going to get everything she wanted.For a moment, Jacob seemed lost in thought. His mind wandered to a memory from years ago.Back then, Ford Corporation was growing too quickly. As its heir, Jacob had become a target for rival companies.When he was just a teenager, he had been in a car accident and was abducted to a rural town in Holmfirth.He was taken to a human traffickers' den, where they planned to sell him off to some remote area or even overseas.Among the other abducted children was a little girl, who turned the tables on their captors. She rallied the kids, outwitted the adults, and escaped with him through treacherous forests and streams.The girl, with a smile in her eyes, had gently touched his head. Her voice was sweet as she said, "I won't let them take you. I'll get you out of here. I'll save you. You have to trust me, okay?"Her eyes shimmered as though she was holding back tears. "Y
"Jake, you promised to protect me," Natalie said as she tried to ensnare Jacob.Deep down, she knew he probably didn't love her anymore. But did that matter to her? Not one bit.If she couldn't have his love, she would take his name and his status. She had sacrificed too much to walk away empty-handed now."I will protect you," Jacob replied as he looked up. His deep-set eyes lingered on her, and the faintest trace of a bitter smile tugged at his lips—one he didn't even notice himself.Had he really been saved back then?Why did it feel like he was still trapped in that abduction, unable to escape or move on?His entire life seemed destined to be lived out in guilt and bound by the weight of that debt of gratitude.What right did someone like him have to hope for more?"Go back." He looked at Natalie while struggling to suppress the pain within himself. "I've had too much to drink."The moment he stood, Natalie's eyes flickered with a flash of triumph. She moved to grab his ar
"Looks like Jeffrey thinks way too highly of himself. He really thought he was Heather's husband. No wonder he's got such a grudge against Xavier. What a joke! Doesn't he ever look in the mirror and wonder if he's even worthy of Heather's affection?"These were the mocking comments from people in the circle who had seen Heather before.Some younger folks, not understanding why Heather could stir such a huge uproar in the network, asked, "What makes Heather so special?"Before they even knew it, an old photo from a decade ago surfaced.It was a black-and-white picture. But the moment anyone looked at it, their eyes would be drawn to the person in the center, as if her presence alone illuminated the entire space.She wore a simple black evening dress, but she shone like the brightest star in the night sky. The dress perfectly hugged her graceful figure, and her face was like something out of a masterful painting. Her beauty was unforgettable.Her eyebrows were like strokes of art,
The Heather Mallone Jeffrey had married was actually someone with the same name. In other words, everyone had been played by Heather.From the beginning to the end, there had never been a real marriage between Heather and Jeffrey. She only used him for her own benefit.The post showed a wedding photo and certificate of marriage between Jeffrey and another woman named Heather Mallone.The foreign company offered a brief explanation, but it was obvious what they meant.It was nothing more than a warning to certain people that Xavier and Liesel were not Jeffrey's children. They were Heather's bloodline and had no connection to the Sharp family.Jeffrey's infidelity was true as well. He had an affair with Natalie's mother, Angeline Herrera, during his marriage to the other Heather. And that was how Natalie came into the picture.Jeffrey was the only one who had cheated.Natalie felt a wave of dizziness.How could this be? How could this happen? Why would Heather do this?Heather's
Jeffrey had a heart attack at home out of sheer anger. After he took his medication and regained consciousness, the first thing he did was point at Natalie and accuse her."Why did you say that? You better explain yourself! It was your mom who seduced me! Heather had nothing to do with this!" he spat.Natalie merely shoved him aside and scoffed coldly."Even now, you're still worried about Heather's reputation? You're so blinded by love for her that you can't see she doesn't care about you at all! My mom may have had designs on you, but if it wasn't for Heather's scheming, you two would never have ended up in bed together!""That still doesn't—"Natalie shoved her phone in front of Jeffrey. "Take a good look. It's Xavier being attacked right now, not your precious Heather!"Hearing those words, Jeffrey finally fell silent.As her gaze fixed on him, she clenched her teeth tightly in frustration. Her anger bubbled over, and once again, she hired online trolls to flood the internet
The internet buzzed with outrage and intrigue."Heather is Liesel's mother. Heather Mallone is the woman who first proposed the research into 3D holography at Draskia. She was the one who had her notebook sold for an insane price recently and had won design awards abroad."The daughter of the Mallone family, raised as the heiress, could never be a weakling. I didn't believe for a second she was ever humiliated into suicide!"Another netizen commented, "Exactly! That's Heather we're talking about! Who would dare betray a woman like her? Do you know how ruthless she was in the business world? She could destroy your company with a single word! Liesel may seem harsh, but compared to Heather, Liesel is soft-hearted!""Who does Jeffrey think he is to betray Heather? If he tried, she'd castrate him in a heartbeat. I totally believe this!"This was related to the Sharp family, and those who had been paying attention to it were all from high society. The scandal had dragged too many people
Natalie continued, "He just didn't want to raise a child who isn't his own flesh and blood. Is that a crime? Years ago, Zack was an upstanding teacher. Who could've predicted he'd later become a gambling addict? Who would've known that he'd do those despicable things?"My dad tried his best to find Xavier a better place. He's already done more than enough. It's unreasonable to expect him to keep caring for the disgrace left behind by his deceased wife for over a decade. Show me a man who would do that.""The ones in the wrong are the Scotts, not my dad!"The reporters were stunned.Nobody had expected this. How did Heather get involved?"H-Heather wouldn't do something like that. From what I heard, Xavier was born after Heather and Jeffrey divorced. Besides, Jeffrey cheated on Heather. Otherwise, how do you explain your existence as a love child?"Some reporters, who were fans of Heather, turned their cameras on Natalie. They challenged her accusations with fierce determination.
Jeffrey's lips were dry, and fear was evident in his eyes. "No... I can't... I can't do that... They can't insult Heather..."Despite everything, he still refused to utter a single word against Heather.Natalie trembled with rage."You're the evil one all this time, and now you're pretending to be romantic? You love Heather, but did she love you? She betrayed you a long time ago! She never loved you!"She tried to frame you! Isn't that what you said? If it weren't for her plot, you wouldn't have ended up in bed with my mom, and I wouldn't even exist! Heather's the truly vile and malicious one! She ruined all our lives! She's the real sinner!"It was all Heather's fault.If not for Heather, her mother wouldn't have become a mistress, and she wouldn't have been an illegitimate child. It was all because of Heather that she could never hold her head high in life."Shut up! Don't talk about her like that!"Jeffrey's face twisted in fury as he slapped Natalie hard across the face. "S
Liesel noticed that Austin and Alisha grew closer, and her interest in Austin reignited. She visited the cafeteria almost every day to observe Austin's every move.It was only during meals that Howard's researchers were able to leave their labs and meet with employees from the research department.The cafeteria became a place for Austin and Alisha's dates.Alisha seemed to have broken up with her boyfriend. For a while, she appeared very downcast. Austin made efforts at the table to lighten the mood. He would tell jokes and share stories and amusing anecdotes from work to help Alisha move past the darkness.The two grew closer, often appearing together.But in just half a month, they drifted apart. When they met, they didn't greet each other. They merely walked past each other as if they were strangers.Had they fallen out?Liesel didn't think the answer she saw was the full truth. The more they tried to avoid suspicion, the deeper their relationship might have been behind close
Alisha's crying suddenly stopped.Since she was working at the research institute, her intelligence was not in question. She had probably always known her boyfriend didn't truly care about her.Perhaps she had even wanted to escape this unhealthy relationship. But under the mental control over time, she had lost the ability to resist.Austin's appearance was an opportunity for a way out."I-I'll sell you the tickets." Alisha's voice was choked, but her tone had calmed.Upon hearing that, her boyfriend had lost all reason. He shouted and cursed, making a fool of himself. "You bitch! Those are my tickets! How dare you sell them? How could you date a boy toy behind my back? Are you crazy?""Shut up! I'm going to talk to Ms. Olsen about the concert. Please don't bother us." Austin seemed to have taken the phone from Alisha and ended the video call."Stop crying. Let me take you to wash your face. He doesn't deserve you…"The door opened with a slight creak, and the soft comforting
The man's voice grew even more impatient. "Then what's the point of going?""But I've bought the tickets. Each one cost over a hundred dollars," the woman murmured."My friends want to go. Give me the tickets. I'll have them go instead.""Can't we go?""The back row is too far. Can I even hear anything from there? Get someone to deliver the tickets to me now!" The man's tone was full of commands."How about I find a scalper? They should have VIP tickets," the woman suggested reluctantly. She opened her contact list to search for someone.The video call continued.At the top of the stairs, around the corner, Thomas took out his phone and began texting Liesel. "This woman is being manipulated. If her boyfriend gets the tickets, he'll surely take another woman to the concert."Liesel nodded."Should we help her?" Thomas asked.They exchanged glances. Liesel hesitated. As a woman, of course, she wanted to help prevent this fiasco, but intervening in someone else's personal matter