Liesel deliberately tried not to think about what had happened today, but she couldn't help it. The thoughts only grew deeper.Rubbing her forehead, she stood up. Her gaze landed on the wedding photos hanging on the walls of the room.In those pictures were Jacob and her.They had been taken three years ago after Vincent insisted Jacob take her for a photoshoot. Even though Jacob had been reluctant at the time, he had no choice but to comply.Vincent had specifically asked Edgar to hang the best shots on the walls.In the photos, Liesel was smiling gently. Though a hint of worry lingered in her eyes, it was overshadowed by a deep longing and hope for the future—a yearning to build a life with Jacob.At that time, she was so innocent. She stepped into marriage without a care for the world and somehow bound herself to it.He didn't love her. No matter what she did, he would never love her. That was a foregone conclusion.A loveless marriage was destined to wither. In the end, eve
Jacob was already dating Natalie. Liesel couldn't bring herself to be intimate with him.After everything that had happened today, how could they possibly connect on that level?If she were to accept his kiss casually after experiencing all this, what would that say about her character?Breathing heavily, Liesel pushed Jacob off her. Her cold gaze was fixed on him as she slowly spoke."We're divorced, Jacob. So please, stop it."For a moment, it seemed like Jacob truly halted in his actions.His gaze lingered on Liesel's face as if he were searching for something or trying to understand the emotions playing across her features.Liesel's lashes trembled as she repeated, "Your girlfriend is Natalie."Not Liesel Sharp.Finally, Jacob released her.Whether it was her words that reached him or because he recognized who she was, he didn't continue further.Liesel lay back on the bed while trembling slightly in the chill of the night.Once she calmed down, she retrieved a blanket f
Just like what Elijah had told her that day. The rising sun symbolized her new beginning.Since it represented a fresh start, she shouldn't dwell on the past with Jacob. They were both set to embark on new lives."Mrs. Ford, why are you up so early?" Edgar, an early riser himself, had planned to take a stroll in the courtyard but found Liesel sitting on the swing, watching the sunrise."I couldn't sleep," Liesel replied with a smile.Edgar didn't pry further. Instead, he changed the topic. "What would you like for breakfast? I remember you love muffins. Should I have the kitchen prepare extra for you to take away?"Liesel shook her head. "It's quite a hassle to make muffins, and I have a lot to deal with. I don't really have the time to wait for them to be ready." She smiled again.Actually, she just didn't want to entangle herself further with the Ford family."Well, Mr. Ford was drunk last night and will probably sleep in today. By the time he leaves, the muffins should be rea
Liesel sat in her office chair. Her black-framed glasses conveniently hid the wound on her forehead.On someone else, they might have looked bookish or stiff.But perhaps it was her striking beauty that made even something as simple as black-framed glasses become a stylish accessory.She adjusted them slightly on her nose. She had cried the day before, so her eyes were still red and slightly puffy despite the cold compress she had applied. The coldness in her gaze seemed to have softened somewhat."I don't have time for these trivial guessing games. If you have something to say, say it. If not, you can leave whenever you want."She was so cold and distant, as she had raised her defenses once again.Even though Elijah had told her he was nothing like Jacob and urged her not to treat him the same, she hadn't taken his words to heart.She refused to be hurt again. As long as she didn't invest her emotions, she wouldn't be vulnerable to pain. That, she knew all too well.So, she di
Upon seeing this, Elijah leaned in to watch.Liesel's fingers flew across the keyboard as she quickly typed the latest code. She dismantled the existing foundation piece by piece and integrated more complex and profound coded data."The code your researchers have developed isn't entirely wrong. However, to create a fully functional holographic pod, you'll need to invest a significant amount of time deconstructing every single line of code. This data will eventually connect to our brains, so it's crucial to be careful and precise."As she spoke, she entered another long string of data. "Just like this. Here's another segment of more detailed coded data."Elijah didn't specialize in this area, but he had enough understanding to recognize the intricacies involved.He could clearly see the sparkle in Liesel's eyes when she discussed this research. It was entirely different from when she talked about finance and other collaborations.She seemed to be a researcher who truly understood
As the secretaries were gossiping, they fell silent upon seeing Elijah. They quickly greeted him. "Mr. Hardin."Elijah smiled. "Is Mr. Ford in his office?"The lead secretary replied, "Yes, he is. Do you need to speak with him?"Elijah smiled again. As he pushed open the office door, he immediately spotted Jacob sitting at his desk while rubbing his temples.Upon hearing the door open, Jacob looked up briefly. His gaze swept over Elijah before returning to his paperwork.His dismissive glance only widened the smile on Elijah's lips. "Mr. Ford, I've heard you're quite skilled. Care for a spar?"Jacob set down the file he was holding. His dark eyes glinted with a cold light.Elijah was quite interesting. Even before Jacob could reach out to him, Elijah came knocking first. Of course, Jacob wasn't going to turn him away.…Elijah entered unscathed but left with some bruising around his eyes and mouth.Yet he didn't seem to mind. Before he left, he flashed Jacob a grin that was a
Denzel never expected that the one injured would be Jacob's new lover.To be honest, he was generally friendly toward women.In Jacob and Liesel's relationship, he placed most of the blame on Jacob. However, he struggled to find a way to excuse Natalie's behavior.Those who interfered in others' relationships, regardless of gender, were just despicable.Denzel had intended to take a quick look and leave, but Jeffrey recognized him and greeted him with a sycophantic smile.Jeffrey claimed to be inquiring about Natalie's injuries, but he was actually more focused on ingratiating himself with Denzel.Denzel listened impassively as Jeffrey rambled on. When he saw Natalie making a pitiful call to Jacob, he merely raised an eyebrow and glanced at her without saying anything.However, Jeffrey tried to excuse her. "Nat is very dependent on Mr. Ford. She kept calling his name even during the surgery."Jeffrey spoke as if to highlight Natalie's deep affection.When Denzel heard the word
Regardless of whether Liesel was truly responsible, Natalie had already attributed all blame to her.She and Liesel weren't on good terms.How could Liesel, injured at Jeffrey's birthday party, not seek revenge?Lately, Natalie hadn't offended anyone else. The only person she had crossed was Liesel. If it wasn't Liesel, who could it be?Moreover, how could it be such a coincidence?Liesel had a cut on her forehead, and Natalie had one too. Liesel injured her hand, and Natalie had a similar injury as well.Wasn't it obvious that Liesel was deliberately hurting her to let her know that this was all her doing? How could she not report this to Jacob?She needed to tell Jacob and let him know how malicious Liesel truly was.Suddenly, Jacob's expression darkened. His voice was cold. "You think it was Liesel who did this?"Natalie shivered at his gaze. Her lips trembled as she asked, "Wasn't it her?"Even at this point, she still wanted to drag Liesel down."You can ask her." Jacob
Felix nodded at Liesel, who was standing on stage. Just as he was about to speak, his phone began buzzing loudly.Every phone call was crucial during such a critical moment. Felix waved his hand, gesturing for everyone to wait for a moment. He checked his phone and saw that he had received more than ten of the same videos over and over again. On the video thumbnail was a silhouette of Liesel embracing Thomas.Felix's fingers twitched as he looked up at Liesel, who was still waiting for his response. At the same time, all the other executives' phones vibrated. Everyone had received the same videos. The crowd stared in shock at the sight of Liesel and Thomas in those videos. She had cheated on Elijah by hooking up with Thomas. Didn't that imply it was actually possible for her to betray Hardin Group? That was the crucial moment Richard had been waiting for. He couldn't help but give some sarcastic remarks. "How exciting for you, Ms. Sharp. You've used my son to take everything aw
Howard paused, but he wasn't surprised that Richard was trying to cast the blame on Liesel at that moment. Felix also instantly looked up with a fiery gaze. He really didn't understand why they weren't coming up with a solution at that moment. Instead, Richard wanted to continue the internal conflict and fight for some power that outsiders would consider insignificant.Dakota hurriedly placed a hand on Felix's shoulder and hinted for him to calm down. Dakota continued, "Mr. Donner, the same technology with the exact specifications happened to be released before we could even launch it."Things can't be that coincidental. We must get to the bottom of this, but we shouldn't panic and lose our composure either."The turbulent emotions within Felix faded away instantly as he ordered, "As long as the matter isn't clear yet, no one is allowed to make any statements that would negatively impact the company or their colleagues!" The first order of business was to keep everyone's mouths
"No. Ms. Sharp wants to achieve a global market share of 35%.""Wow! That target is insane! If Ms. Sharp succeeds, won't our company be making a fortune? Those two are our most profitable projects!""We can't be sure how much our company will earn since those amounts are way beyond our imagination. We might as well think about how much bonuses we'll receive this year.""I think I can use my bonuses this time to pay a down payment for a house in Ashthorne. I might even be able to get a nice car."Everyone's excited voices drifted across the spacious office. Their eyes lit up with excitement and hope. Austin tossed the files aside before reaching for his phone to send a text. "It's time." After sending the message, he deleted it instantly, and the chat vanished as well.A moment later, an overseas car manufacturer suddenly announced some earth-shattering news, causing a stir across the automotive industry.At the same time, Augustine's family also revealed their cancer treatment
These new projects were worth hundreds of millions in the market, and Liesel was the reason everyone could enjoy the profits. Before the announcement was even over, rounds of applause echoed across the meeting room several times.The optimized cancer treatment medication was enough to surpass the related treatments that foreign countries had always dominated. The medication had outperformed those of the Bergs' family company, which led to Hardin Group capturing their market share.Everyone in the meeting room beamed at Liesel on stage. Even Richard was amazed by how profitable these projects were.Howard held a remote as he leisurely controlled a colorful drone. Despite being present at such a crucial meeting, he remained carefree and indifferent. However, no one dared to criticize him. He was the only one who could develop the blueprint Liesel had drafted. Hardin Group could only go as far as Howard's strong capabilities.The executives' faces had gone red from excitement, and s
Of course, Thomas heard of Elijah before and became indignant instantly. "I can definitely achieve whatever Elijah has! He always spends his time flirting with women. How could I not be better than him?" Thomas was disdainful. To him, Elijah was a spoiled heir just like himself. "You've not kept up with Elijah for so long." Cameron seemed to have aged a lot in a moment. "He's been pretending all this while. Have a look for yourself."Cameron had ordered someone to organize all information related to Elijah last night so Thomas could have a look once he was awake. Thomas looked through every page. The more he read, the more despondent he grew.Elijah pretended to be useless, but Thomas was truly incompetent. If Thomas had to make a point, the Kellers were far wealthier than the Hardins. In terms of looks, Elijah was known for being attractive. Thomas was even once worried that Liesel might find him too muscular.Thomas' eyes lit up as he read the last part of the files. It deta
"I want rewards as I did last time." Howard really wanted to meet Heather, so he began asking for more rewards this time. "I'll give you the latest codes." Liesel forwarded the codes to Howard's computer with a glint in her eyes. "I've rewarded you, Mr. Durham. Time for you to work. You might have to work overtime tonight since there's plenty to do." Liesel rested her chin on her hand with a lazy smile.Howard already started typing to work on the series of codes. After some time, he fastened his white coat with stiff fingers. "I only need to work overtime for one night? I don't mind working overtime for another ten more nights." Howard simply wanted more codes. He looked at Liesel with a darkened gaze before adding, "As long as you reward me."Liesel couldn't help but laugh. "One night will do. If it's not enough, I'll reward you accordingly."Her words caused Howard's eyes to light up. She then stood up and walked around to the back of the chair before placing her hands on h
"Let me explain things properly. The other person might forgive your deceit or even give you another chance."Even if the other person refused, Cameron would still pay for her to give Thomas another chance. Cameron had everything planned out.Thomas gazed at Cameron for a long time before finally saying, "It's Liesel Sharp.""Liesel Sharp. Ms. Sharp, right? Let me get ready before visiting her... Hold up! Who did you say you're in love with? Did you just say that you like Liesel?"I asked you to work at Hardin Group so she can mentor you. I never thought you'd actually fall for her! Have you lost your mind?"If Thomas had fallen for any other woman, Cameron might have been confident enough to use his own money or other methods to convince her to be with Thomas. But things were tricky if the woman Thomas had fallen for was Liesel.Cameron was wealthy, and so was Liesel. The Kellers were indeed the wealthiest family in Bloomfield and also somewhat influential. However, their influe
"Elijah.""Yes, I'm here," Elijah answered."Elijah," Liesel yelled again. "Yes, I'm listening," Elijah replied again. He stroked her soft, long hair with a warm gaze. "I assume you've thought things through," Liesel said. She assumed that he had considered everything and gave up on the idea of leaving her so someone else would take care of her. Instead, he would always be with her.Elijah understood what Liesel meant. He gazed at her gently before leaning forward to kiss her on the forehead. "Yes, I've thought things through."Elijah would not hold Liesel back. He would propose to her if she could heal him and give her everything. If she fell for someone else during that time, he also would not forbid her from leaving him.Elijah loved Liesel, but she would always have her freedom. He knew very well that he loved her, but he always wanted her to be free forever.He wanted her to stay by his side because she loved him, not because she pitied him. It was the only way he could
Liesel's gaze flickered as she waited for Elijah's response. Struggle was written all over his gaze as he looked past her. He was lost in a daze. Her words seemed to pull him into the future.Elijah watched Liesel slowly drifting away from him. He could only sit in his wheelchair as if he were a spectator and watch her run toward another man's arms from a distance.He saw how affectionate she was with the other man, doing things only lovers would do. The way she cast a charming smile at the other man…No. Absolutely not.Elijah was still unable to let Liesel go so easily. She was his lover, so he refused to let her leave. He drew her into his embrace with one arm and held her tightly. "Lili, I was wrong." The hoarseness in his voice was quite evident. "I can't accept the idea of you leaving me. I don't even want to imagine it. Please don't be with Thomas." To Liesel, the current Elijah seemed extremely fragile. A slight push could cause him to break down. She could feel his swe