Liesel stood up, clutching her abdomen, and slowly approached Natalie.Blood continued trickling down her hand, forming small red pools on the floor with each drip."Take off the dress now." She wiped away the tears on her face, but blood smeared across her cheeks, giving her an unsettling, almost sinister look.However, her face was pale, and the fragile, exhausted woman somehow still projected this eerie sense of strength.Lowering her gaze, she looked at Natalie again and spoke once more. "Take off the dress."Natalie tried to run, but Liesel looked down and grabbed Natalie's wrist with her uninjured hand. "Don't covet it if it's not yours."Then, she sneered. "Go snatch Jacob if you want to snatch something from me!"Jacob was right next to her, and his body seemed to tense for a moment.He looked into Liesel's eyes and noticed the unmistakable chill. It was as if she really had no feelings left for him. It was like Liesel had truly let go of the three years of relationship
Jacob repeated in a flat tone. "Take off the dress and return it to Liesel."After that, he cast a brief, indifferent glance at Elijah. "You've watched enough. Leave now."Natalie needed to change, so they couldn't linger.Elijah's playful smile faded as his gaze remained fixed on Liesel's face. Upon hearing Jacob's voice, a smirk appeared on his lips. He regained his usual carefree demeanor."Liesel, call me if something happens. Though I don't belong to you yet, I surely will in the future. I don't mind you starting early by commanding your soon-to-be property." With that, he left the room.Jacob also followed, closing the door behind him.This room was at the corner of the second floor, where leaning against the wall provided a clear view of the extravagant scene below.Elijah observed the crowd in the banquet hall, and those pretending to be wealthy were moving about with airs of grandeur. Some flattered Jeffrey, while others tried to curry his favor as though his birthday c
"Dad only said one thing," Natalie said with a smirk as she looked at Liesel. "Can you guess what it was? He said, 'What a bummer!'"She chuckled. "He said Heather was really inconsiderate. Why did she choose to kill herself at his birthday party? If she had to die, it should have been at another time."Seriously! Why was Heather so inconsiderate? She could've chosen a good day to die instead of making you run around like this."Liesel knew Natalie was just trying to get under her skin, but she couldn't control the anger rising within her.She glared at Natalie, who was grinning smugly. Yet Natalie continued to smile and tossed her silver dress at Liesel."Do you think I like wearing a dead person's dress?"Natalie pulled out a new high-end dress and sneered, "I wore that just to see you lose it. And look at you—totally losing it."With no one else around, Natalie finally showed her true colors when facing Liesel alone."So this was all planned?" Liesel let out a chuckle."I k
Liesel acted as though Jacob didn't even exist, or maybe she just didn't care anymore.Jacob watched her retreating figure with a dark and heavy gaze.It seemed like their relationship was truly over. Only now did he feel that Liesel was truly leaving him.Instead of immediately pushing open the closed door to the room, he walked over to the window at the corner, where he could see Liesel and Elijah walking away together.Her words echoed in his mind. "I can give up Jacob's love and even the identity of Mrs. Ford!"If you want to steal something, go after Jacob."Those two lines felt like they were seared into his brain.She didn't care about him at all. At that moment, his heart simmered with a rage he could no longer suppress.But it was over between them. She was just his ex-wife, and he was only her ex-husband. He had no right to argue.In fact, this should have been what he wanted, yet inside, he was restless and frustrated.Frowning, Jacob pushed open the door, only t
Today was Heather's death anniversary.What had he done? Memories flashed through his mind. The last three years played back in his head in slow motion."Jacob, it'll be my mom's death anniversary in three days. Can you come with me to pay your respects?"Before she had even finished speaking, he interrupted her. "I have an urgent meeting in Fruece. If you need anything, just get it yourself."He handed her his black card and hurried away.Liesel frowned slightly, yet her smile remained.He recalled receiving a photo from Liesel while he was in Fruece."I told Mom I married an amazing guy."The sky was so blue. It felt like I could sense Mom's gentle smile when I said that."Jacob, could you come visit Mom with me next time?"And what was his reply? "We'll see."She had invited him each time during Heather's death anniversary, but he found various reasons to decline—work, meetings after work, or gatherings among friends that he could skip.He had continuously refused Liesel
Was marrying Jacob a blessing or a curse for Liesel?Jacob remained silent for a long time.He finally understood why Liesel had reacted so strongly when Natalie appeared in that dress during the party.What had he said?He had told Liesel to stop acting crazy.How could he utter such cold and cruel words to hurt her?Jacob's gaze darkened. "Contact the best designers in the industry and have them recreate that dress exactly."He sent Drew the picture of the silver dress Liesel had shared with him long ago.Drew said nothing and turned to leave.As Jacob watched Drew's hurried figure, his gaze wavered.…Meanwhile, Liesel got into Elijah's car.Moments later, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number. "Jordan, read the files I sent you. Create a strategy targeting Sharp Group. I don't want them to receive any collaboration offers for the next three months."Her eyes were red. Her exquisite features were overshadowed by the icy tone of her voice.Jordan Steele was the d
Liesel Sharp.On the surface, she was the legitimate daughter of the small Sharp family and a genius who graduated from Alden University in Ashthorne with perfect scores.But behind the scenes, she was the true mastermind steering the rising Shifter Corporation.With her background and identity, how could she not be worthy of Elijah's pursuit? Someone like her belonged with him.Their backgrounds, personalities, and everything about them indicated that they were a perfect match.Elijah had initially been unaware of Liesel's true identity. If he had known, he would have treated her with more seriousness.He had thought Liesel merely owned a business, never realizing she was the driving force behind Shifter Corporation, which was growing at lightning speed.Elijah asked, "Why is it called Shifter Corporation?"The name didn't seem to have any connection to Liesel at all.Liesel replied flatly, "Shift means to transform. I want to bring about change and innovation in our country.
Liesel made it perfectly clear and explicit. She wanted nothing personal to do with Elijah.Suddenly, Elijah scoffed, almost as if amused by her straightforwardness."Not bad. I get such benefits from just helping a little. I hope you'll remember me if opportunities like this come up in the future, Ms. Sharp."Liesel's gaze remained cold as she responded, "That depends on how much value you can offer me, Mr. Hardin."She truly was direct. She set firm boundaries without hesitation.Elijah stayed silent for a moment, locking eyes with Liesel for several seconds before speaking again. "Liesel, you can't put up walls with me just because you've been hurt by Jacob."Liesel looked at him and smiled faintly. "You had ulterior motives from the start, didn't you?"If his original purpose wasn't genuine, how could he expect her to respond with sincerity?Liesel understood this all too well.If someone's initial motives were selfish, how could she trust that person enough to build a dee
Ophelia still remembered the melancholy and confusion that she'd seen in Edward's eyes. He had looked like a young boy who couldn't find his way home.The moment Edward saw her, he stubbed out his cigarette. Holding her hand, he led the bleary-eyed Ophelia back to the bedroom.Worried that she'd catch a cold from the freezing winds, he made her a cup of hot chamomile tea. She didn't like the taste, so he had to try his hardest to coax her into drinking it.Upset, she said to him accusingly, "Edward, I feel I'm turning into a chamomile plant."Edward laughed.He was handsome. Even when he laughed, he looked attractive. Amusement bloomed on his charming and elegant face.She complimented him dazedly, "Edward, you're really good-looking."Even though she was still mad that she'd been coaxed into drinking a whole mug of chamomile tea, she still found herself lost in his handsomeness. Edward's eyes were curved from his broad grin, and he reached out to rub her head."You're very goo
"So it is because of Stanley.""Well, I'm much older than you. Stanley is young so there wouldn't be a generation gap between you two. You must like someone younger."That's not all. Stanley has excellent grades. I naturally understand that you'd choose him. After all, he's the first guy you've ever called your boyfriend."You don't have to say anything; I understand. I'm not up to standard. Stanley will definitely achieve greater things than me in the future, so I shouldn't keep clinging to you…" I must have put you in a difficult position. If I had known that you had picked Stanley, I wouldn't have come back and disturbed you. I've disturbed the peace in your life."Every single word Edward said felt like a stab in Ophelia's heart.Was he crazy? Why was he talking about Stanley in every sentence?Ophelia tried her hardest to bite her tongue, but in the end, she failed to hold her anger in."You keep talking about Stanley, but didn't I already tell you that we've broken up? A
Ophelia snatched the junk food box in a huff to fill the gift boxes with snacks."You! Stop causing trouble!""Okay, okay! I'll stop messing around." With that, Joseph muttered, "It was just a few sweets…"Ophelia glared at him. Joseph immediately cleared his throat and no longer uttered a word. Instead of teasing her, he also began helping her pack the boxes. Not trusting him, Ophelia intentionally inspected each box. She only felt assured to hand him the boxes once she was certain none of the chocolates or snacks were missing.Not long after Joseph started packing, he began looking around absentmindedly. He looked down and noticed many private messages on Ophelia's phone. Those still part of Yvonne's fandom had sent those messages. They were scolding Ophelia.Ophelia merely glanced at the messages before nonchalantly turning off the phone screen. Not only were she and Joseph done wrapping the boxes, but Edward had finished preparing breakfast as well. Edward prepared all of
"Oh!" Joseph exclaimed. He whirled around and took a step back before patting Edward's palm. "Shouldn't you give me something in return for my advice? A present or something, right?"Edward came off as rather domineering as he asked icily, "Tell me which car you want. What model and series? When do you want it?"Yes, Edward had brought up cars. Joseph's eyes lit up. "I want the latest SUV from Land Rover within the next three days."It wasn't as if Joseph couldn't afford the car. He simply liked messing with his friends. After all, free things were the best. "Sure." Joseph continued flatteringly, "Bro, this is how it works. Women are usually more soft-hearted, especially someone like Ophelia at her age. You should give in sometimes."Be shameless if she ever tries to drive you away. Hug her and act pitiful by saying that you don't want to leave her. Say that you can't sleep or will have nightmares if you don't see her. You can even be more dramatic."Joseph was quick-witted enou
Ophelia was left dumbfounded after hearing Joseph's advice. What nonsense was he talking about? He was supposed to be on her side, not sabotage her. Edward shoved Ophelia out of the kitchen. "Something's wrong with his brain, so just ignore him. Go and rest."Ophelia was still perplexed as Edward pushed her out of the kitchen. However, she didn't probe further since she refused to speak to him for now. Once Ophelia was gone, Joseph immediately cursed. "You're such a beast. 28cm, 28cm. Why don't you cut off that thing of yours? Did you think your sweetheart is someone who appears in those adult films?" Edward's eyes twitched. He finally understood what Joseph had been blabbering about. Joseph was such a pervert through and through. Edward slammed the knife onto the chopping board. "I'm talking about my age. What's gotten into you?""Oh, it's your age." Joseph sighed in relief. He had been worried about how Draskia could have such a pervert like Edward.After a while, Joseph e
"Ophelia." As soon as Edward spoke, Ophelia glanced at him nonchalantly. "I'm starving."Edward was relieved that she was still willing to talk to him. "I'll prepare breakfast." With that, he cast a glance at Joseph. "Come and help me."Joseph scoffed. He got to his feet before stretching lazily. He hadn't slept for the whole night as he accompanied Ophelia playing video games and doing other things. He was indeed slightly exhausted.But Joseph was well aware that Edward did not want him to be alone with Ophelia. Regardless, Joseph was fine with helping Edward with preparing breakfast. After all, he was there for the drama.Every three days, a housekeeper would drop by Ophelia's condominium and replenish her fridge with all kinds of fresh vegetables and fruits. While studying abroad, Edward wasn't used to the local fast food. Hence, he became independent and learned how to prepare meals on his own. Now, he was an excellent cook.However, Edward was still at a loss on how to
Ophelia took a picture of the fan merchandise she had wrapped before posting it on Twitter, where Chelsians were still waiting for the giveaway. No one could be bothered with Yvonne, who was trying to stay relevant.Ophelia was still preparing the fan merchandise when she heard the doorbell ring in the middle of the night. Within the next second, she received a WhatsApp call from Joseph, which she answered."Ophelia, open the door for me."Ophelia was surprised. She wondered what was wrong with Joseph. Shouldn't he be sleeping now? Why had he dropped by in the middle of the night?She was no longer worried, knowing that Joseph was at the door. She opened it and watched Joseph squeeze through the door while holding a large bag of what seemed to be snacks."Shouldn't you be sleeping now? Why are you here?" Ophelia couldn't help but roll her eyes."You're not asleep either." Joseph went through the large bag before finally fishing out a game controller, which was also a limited-edit
Sebastian's face had turned ashen, having understood how grave the situation was. "I'll go and apologize to the Fords tomorrow. This matter mustn't drag down our family."Although Brandon doted on Yvonne, he refused to let her have her own way. "Dad, she should apologize for what she did, so you don't have to go. I'll take her to apologize to the Fords tomorrow to show our sincerity."Veronica refused to give in. She continued protecting Yvonne, feeling rather upset. "No! We should never allow our Yvonne to apologize!"Who did they take Yvonne for? Why should she apologize in person? The Fords are really misusing their power over these small squabbles. "If they want an apology, I'll go! No matter what, Yvonne's not allowed to go! She's a celebrity. If someone takes her picture, her journey to becoming a star is completely ruined!""Her journey to becoming a star is definitely ruined if she doesn't apologize in person! Mom, you need to understand. Without anyone's orders, would pe
"Dad, Mom. Yvonne has always been filming on set this whole time. How could she have offended Chelsea? It probably has nothing to do with Chelsea."As soon as Brandon finished speaking, Sebastian and Veronica thought his words made sense. However, Yvonne became sheepish and didn't say a word.She had sought out Sebastian, Veronica, and Brandon to seek justice for her, yet she felt extremely embarrassed. She continued sobbing, sounding sadder than ever."Yvonne, what's going on? Say something! I won't know what actually happened if you keep crying!" Veronica was so upset that she began tearing up.Yvonne threw herself into Veronica's arms. "Mom! What am I going to do? They're going to blacklist me from the industry. What should I do…"Brandon's eyes twitched. He felt that something wasn't right. He wondered if Yvonne had gone viral after offending someone in the entertainment industry.Brandon's heart raced as he scrolled through the Twitter trends. His heart sank instantly, and h