Neither outcome would satisfy Jordan. If Elijah was crippled, he would no longer be worthy of Liesel. If Elijah wasn't, then Liesel and Shifter Corporation were sure to suffer severe losses. Either way, Elijah had become an obstacle Jordan hadn't anticipated. He needed answers so he could act. The oppressive heat and humidity broke as rain poured down in torrents. Sheets of water blurred Liesel's vision as they slammed against the ground. The sharp, metallic sound of rain on the wreckage pierced the air and intensified the stench of the wreckage. Liesel clutched at her chest while trying to suppress the wave of nausea clawing its way up her throat. "Let's go back. I know Elijah is alive." She didn't elaborate further. She lowered her gaze as she headed back to the car. Once inside, she pulled out her phone and scrolled through Elijah's last messages. "Heritage Hotel just introduced a new seasonal dish. Should we take Xavier there after his exams?" Before Liesel could
Matthew stood still. His gaze was fixed on the large screen in the lab. Liesel's uploaded video was on an endless loop, and his eyes glimmered with unsettling obsession.The faint sound of movement behind him drew his attention. He turned and towered over Elijah who had just begun to regain consciousness on the hard floor."Mr. Hardin, we meet again."Elijah leaned against the icy wall while fighting to stay awake. His right arm hung at an unnatural angle. It was dislocated. With a sharp breath, he held it with his good arm, and with a sickening crack, he pushed it back in place.His lower body was in agony. He was in so much pain that his face paled. Sweat soaked through his shirt as he forced himself to meet Matthew's gaze."I suspected it might be you, but I didn't think you'd have hundreds of cars go after me just to prove me right. I'm flattered.""Oh, don't flatter yourself, Mr. Hardin. It wasn't just me." Matthew stepped closer."You've made a lot of enemies. Did you real
Elijah's gaze remained cold. "You should know by now that the Hardins are eager for me to solidify ties with the Miller family through marriage. Liesel would never tolerate a betrayal like that."Matthew's eyes widened. He glared at Elijah with a hatred so intense, it was as if he were facing his mortal enemy."You're insane! With Liesel by your side, why would you even consider someone like Belinda?"Elijah hadn't contacted Belinda. He wanted to convince Matthew that his ties to Liesel were irreparably broken. He didn't want Matthew to continue to have a hold on her. He couldn't bear to be Liesel's weak link.Elijah clenched his fists as his expression clouded with sadness. He didn't need a doctor to tell him how broken he was. He was nothing more than a cripple now. Someone like him had no right to stand by Liesel's side.The woman he loved deserved a man who was exceptional in every way. And yet, that someone could never be him.Liesel was surrounded by extraordinary men like
"The Hardins claim that Mr. Hardin was a hopeless romantic who foolishly left all his assets and shares to Liesel in his will. If they can't find Mr. Hardin's body, Liesel becomes the sole beneficiary. She'll inherit years' worth of the Hardin Group's wealth!" "Get rich and lose the husband? That's definitely suspicious!" "The issue is that Liesel cheated with Elijah. She moved on seamlessly, only to have her child with Elijah miscarried shortly after leaving Ford Corporation. And now Elijah's in trouble? Who wouldn't think Liesel's involved?" "If I were one of the Hardins, I'd be fuming too!" "If Liesel orchestrated all this, she needs to be investigated thoroughly. She's a cold-blooded murderer who doesn't see people as anything but obstacles to her ambitions!" "Liesel's no saint, but are the Hardins any better? Let's be real—they only care about what Elijah left behind. Otherwise, why call a board meeting at a time like this? Why not focus on finding Elijah? It's absu
"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
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
"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 Sharp had just unlocked her phone while waiting for her IV drip to be done when she received a message from her best friend, Chelsea Walden. "Jacob's back."She faltered. She and Jacob Ford had barely spoken throughout their month-long cold war, so she had no idea he was back.Soon, she received another message. "He's brought a young woman back with him."A photo had been sent with the message. The young woman in the photo resembled Liesel a little—she was Natalie Sharp, Liesel's younger half-sister. She'd been raised in the countryside.Chelsea continued, "The Sharp family is throwing them a welcome-back party. Do you want to crash it, Lili?"She knew what Liesel was like. Liesel would give Jacob a taste of his own medicine if he dared to do anything to her. There was even a chance she would set the Sharp residence on fire.Liesel checked her IV bag. She'd had a high fever for three days now, and the back of her hand was swollen from the constant IV drips she'd been on. 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
"The Hardins claim that Mr. Hardin was a hopeless romantic who foolishly left all his assets and shares to Liesel in his will. If they can't find Mr. Hardin's body, Liesel becomes the sole beneficiary. She'll inherit years' worth of the Hardin Group's wealth!" "Get rich and lose the husband? That's definitely suspicious!" "The issue is that Liesel cheated with Elijah. She moved on seamlessly, only to have her child with Elijah miscarried shortly after leaving Ford Corporation. And now Elijah's in trouble? Who wouldn't think Liesel's involved?" "If I were one of the Hardins, I'd be fuming too!" "If Liesel orchestrated all this, she needs to be investigated thoroughly. She's a cold-blooded murderer who doesn't see people as anything but obstacles to her ambitions!" "Liesel's no saint, but are the Hardins any better? Let's be real—they only care about what Elijah left behind. Otherwise, why call a board meeting at a time like this? Why not focus on finding Elijah? It's absu
Elijah's gaze remained cold. "You should know by now that the Hardins are eager for me to solidify ties with the Miller family through marriage. Liesel would never tolerate a betrayal like that."Matthew's eyes widened. He glared at Elijah with a hatred so intense, it was as if he were facing his mortal enemy."You're insane! With Liesel by your side, why would you even consider someone like Belinda?"Elijah hadn't contacted Belinda. He wanted to convince Matthew that his ties to Liesel were irreparably broken. He didn't want Matthew to continue to have a hold on her. He couldn't bear to be Liesel's weak link.Elijah clenched his fists as his expression clouded with sadness. He didn't need a doctor to tell him how broken he was. He was nothing more than a cripple now. Someone like him had no right to stand by Liesel's side.The woman he loved deserved a man who was exceptional in every way. And yet, that someone could never be him.Liesel was surrounded by extraordinary men like
Matthew stood still. His gaze was fixed on the large screen in the lab. Liesel's uploaded video was on an endless loop, and his eyes glimmered with unsettling obsession.The faint sound of movement behind him drew his attention. He turned and towered over Elijah who had just begun to regain consciousness on the hard floor."Mr. Hardin, we meet again."Elijah leaned against the icy wall while fighting to stay awake. His right arm hung at an unnatural angle. It was dislocated. With a sharp breath, he held it with his good arm, and with a sickening crack, he pushed it back in place.His lower body was in agony. He was in so much pain that his face paled. Sweat soaked through his shirt as he forced himself to meet Matthew's gaze."I suspected it might be you, but I didn't think you'd have hundreds of cars go after me just to prove me right. I'm flattered.""Oh, don't flatter yourself, Mr. Hardin. It wasn't just me." Matthew stepped closer."You've made a lot of enemies. Did you real
Neither outcome would satisfy Jordan. If Elijah was crippled, he would no longer be worthy of Liesel. If Elijah wasn't, then Liesel and Shifter Corporation were sure to suffer severe losses. Either way, Elijah had become an obstacle Jordan hadn't anticipated. He needed answers so he could act. The oppressive heat and humidity broke as rain poured down in torrents. Sheets of water blurred Liesel's vision as they slammed against the ground. The sharp, metallic sound of rain on the wreckage pierced the air and intensified the stench of the wreckage. Liesel clutched at her chest while trying to suppress the wave of nausea clawing its way up her throat. "Let's go back. I know Elijah is alive." She didn't elaborate further. She lowered her gaze as she headed back to the car. Once inside, she pulled out her phone and scrolled through Elijah's last messages. "Heritage Hotel just introduced a new seasonal dish. Should we take Xavier there after his exams?" Before Liesel could
Fragments of charred sports car debris lay scattered across the ground. Liesel's wheelchair couldn't navigate the terrain. Jordan was forced to help her walk into the chaos. The midday sun was hidden behind a sky darkened by thick clouds that cast an eerie gloom over the mountains. Black smoke rose in columns and merged with the clouds as if the earth was lamenting the devastation.The scene was grim as there were piles of smashed cars. Faint cries for help drifted from within some of the vehicles. When they drew closer, twisted wreckage of vehicles could be seen as jagged shards of metal glinted faintly amidst the shadows. Occasionally, sparks flickered from damaged car parts.The stench of burning rubber and gas was vomit-inducing. It forced anyone present to hold their breath.Flashing red and blue lights from police cars against the gray skies added an unsettling edge.It wasn't just law enforcement that came as paramedics swarmed the area. Their bright reflective vests s
If Liesel truly was the head of Shifter Corporation, it would change everything.Shifter Corporation had revolutionized domestic commercial capital.It was the first Draskian company to establish a foothold abroad. It broke into the Fortune 500 within a year and dominated the fields of renewable energy and cybersecurity in just three years. Now, it was a global powerhouse that businesses worldwide sought to partner with.The idea that such a company—one that inspired awe at the mere mention of its name—belonged to Liesel was staggering.Denzel sat silently on the couch for a long time.He raised his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose. At this moment, he couldn't say a single word. He even felt that anything he said now would be pointless.How deeply had Liesel once loved Jacob to the point of forgetting who she was?She had set aside all her glory, all her accomplishments, just to get close to him. And in return, she had received only indifference and harm.Denzel's throat