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Chapter 179
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There's No Turning Back   Chapter 180
Determined to redeem himself, Beau eagerly jumped into the sack. Niamh followed, standing behind him."Harvey, hurry up and get in!" she called impatiently.The moment Harvey stepped inside, Niamh pressed herself against him, but he immediately frowned. She had miscalculated his reaction indeed.Turning to him, she explained, "Harvey, we need to stick closer! That way, we can coordinate our jumps better."As she spoke, she reached for his hand. "Put your arms forward and hold onto the sack."If he did as she said, his arm would naturally rest around her waist, as if he were holding her. The thought sent a shiver of excitement through her.This parent-child event was the perfect excuse to get physically close to Harvey in public, proving to Elara and the other wealthy families just how intimate their relationship was. This was the only reason why she even agreed to join this event.But when she reached for his hand, she grasped nothing but air. A second later, Harvey shoved her b
There's No Turning Back   Chapter 181
That was when Harvey saw Finnegan gripping the edge of the sack while practically lifting both Merida and Elara off the ground.Elara was holding Merida tightly, keeping them steady to prevent unnecessary movement that might throw off Finnegan's balance as he landed.Before long, their family pulled far ahead. They were the only team that hadn't fallen."Harvey! What the hell are you doing? The race has already started!" Niamh called out while dragging Beau along with her.Harvey's entire body tensed, veins bulging even along his forearms. If he had attended these events in previous years, he would have been the one playing the sack race with Elara.If looks could kill, Finnegan's back would have been riddled with holes by now. How could he not see it? Finnegan's feelings for Elara had long surpassed that of a brother.The only reason he kept it hidden so carefully was because Elara still saw him as family. If she ever realized the truth, he feared he would lose the unconditional
There's No Turning Back   Chapter 182
Harvey spoke as he grabbed a cushion and tossed it toward Finnegan. His gaze was filled with undisguised disdain.A nearby teacher hesitated before speaking. "Mr. Fisher, adding a cushion might make it harder for the person on top to stay balanced. I think it's best to leave it as is.""Adding a cushion increases the difficulty. The harder the challenge, the more points we get. One extra cushion means one extra point!" Harvey declared, as if he were now the official rulemaker.The teachers exchanged puzzled glances. Who exactly was running this eventâthem or the parents?Niamh chimed in hesitantly, "Do we really need a cushion?"After all, she had been looking forward to sitting directly on Harvey's back.But the man remained firm. "I want the points."The teachers assumed Harvey was only making things harder for himself because his team was trailing behind. One of them announced, "Alright, as Mr. Fisher suggested, adding a cushion will be worth an extra point."Merida perked u
There's No Turning Back   Chapter 183
Harvey vowed to never lose to Finnegan!"I feel sick!" Beau groaned.Niamh held him in her arms, but she wasn't doing it firmly like Elara. The constant bouncing up and down made Beau dizzy and nauseous. His little head swayed from side to side in Niamh's embrace. Then, the next second later, he threw up loudly!"Ack!" He lowered his head and vomited all over Niamh's thighs.Niamh let out a piercing scream and jumped off Harvey's back in horror. Panicking, she set Beau down and looked at the mess on her pants, her face twisting in disgust."Why'd you throw up on me?" she shrieked in outrage.Harvey, who was still holding himself up on the yoga mat, froze. His entire face darkened. For a moment, he wanted to yell "What the hell are you doing?" at Niamh.Just then, the referee raised his hand and announced, "Merida's family wins first place!"Harvey sat back on the mat as his pale lips pressed into a thin line. He forced himself to steady his breathing, though his chest continu
There's No Turning Back   Chapter 184
Beau stomped his feet and threw a tantrum. "Then what are we supposed to do? Are we going to starve to death?"Niamh quickly reassured him, "Beau, we won't starve. We have snacks! Let's just eat those!"They decided not to use their points to exchange for lunch ingredients. Instead, Niamh handed Beau some snacks.Beau eagerly tore open a bag of cheese puffs. Normally, he could only eat five or six pieces under Elara's strict watch. But now, he could stuff his mouth freely, devouring as many puffed snacks as he wanted.After all, Elara wasn't here to stop him. Even better, Niamh loved these snacks too. The two of them sat together, happily munching away as their loud crunching sounds filled the air.As they were snacking, a rich aroma drifted through the air. Other parents had started cooking.Some parents were eager to get on Harvey's good side, so they extended invitations for him to join their families for lunch. But he turned them all down.He could see right through their in
There's No Turning Back   Chapter 185
"I want to eat what Merida's uncle made too, Mommy!" Paisley whispered longingly."No way!" Rosalie snapped, setting a plate of boiled greens and broccoli in front of her.Paisley had been raised as a strict vegetarian under Rosalie's watchful eye. To keep her daughter's figure slim, Rosalie even meticulously controlled her portions.Just then, Merida walked over, carrying a bowl of stir-fried cabbage and crispy pan-seared tofu."Paisley, this is for you," she said, turning to Rosalie. "It's completely vegetarian. There's not a trace of meat."Rosalie was unconvinced. She picked up her fork and stirred through the dish several times."This cabbage was stir-fried in oil, so it's not healthy. And the sauce on the tofu will make you gain weight!" she huffed.Harold interjected, "Let her eat some."He had seen Rosalie feeding Paisley nothing but boiled broccoli every day. Just looking at it made him feel nauseous.Reluctantly, Rosalie took a bowl of water and rinsed the cabbage an
There's No Turning Back   Chapter 186
Elara's expression turned appreciative, and Harold felt as if he were floating on air."You turned down the position of CTO at Fisher Corp just to work for Ohm Technologies? Elara, are you stupid?"She turned her head, her gaze landing on the man who had suddenly appeared behind her. She shot Harvey a cold glare without hesitation. "Mr. Fisher, are you dead?"Her tone was sharp as she continued, "Why are you always lurking behind me like a ghost?"Caught in the act, Harvey's stance only grew more rigid."I was just passing by. Don't flatter yourself," he retorted coldly."Let me tell you, even if you use Joss Tech as your bargaining chip, Ohm Technologies will never bring you into their core leadership! Foreign companies never trust Euconians. They prefer watching them tear each other apart like rabid dogs."Elara turned to Harold. "Is that true about Ohm Technologies?"Harold, who was torn between not wanting to offend Harvey and his hope for Elara to join Ohm Technologies, ca
There's No Turning Back   Chapter 187
The teacher who had brought Xavier over turned to Elara and said, "Xavier has been enrolled at Summit Academy all along."Over the past few months, he's made great progress in his psychological intervention therapy. When I asked if he wanted to join the outdoor activities, he agreed. I didn't expect Xavier to be so attached to you, Ms. Jones."Merida also approached while greeting Xavier cheerfully. The moment she saw him, it was as if a switch had been flipped. Her words flowed freely, and she animatedly described her life to him.She told Xavier that she and Elara were participating in the annual parent-child event again. But this year was different. Her parents were divorced, and only her mom was accompanying her.She also told him that she had invited her uncle to join because he was an amazing cook. But she was a little worriedâwhat if Finnegan couldn't understand the game rules?Xavier took Merida's hand without hesitation. He hoped he wasn't too late. If he was here, then h
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There's No Turning Back   Chapter 469
Harold smiled as he explained, "Of course, they're talking about the most prominent figure in all of Capitol."Although Angie had lived in Melcina for years, she still kept up with the major gossip surrounding Capitol's elite families.And when it came to the most famous heir of the Snapp family, none other than Theodore came to mind. His reputation was practically legendaryâeverything he touched turned to gold. It was as if, with just a flick of his fingers, he could rise to the top of any industry."Does he have any business dealings with Quantum Tech?" she asked.Harold replied, "Ms. Price is interested in having Mr. Snapp's firm, Polaris Law Firm, take over Quantum Tech's legal affairs."The moment Harold said this, Angie understood that Priscilla clearly had an ulterior motive. She must be looking to shift her business focus back to Eucon, and using Quantum Tech to pull Theodore into her orbit was the first step."So, that means Mr. Snapp's visit is to discuss a legal partne
There's No Turning Back   Chapter 468
When Angie realized what she'd been saying, she quickly apologized, "Sorry, Leonard, for making you listen to my complaints all this time.""It's fine." Leonard's cool voice resonated like a struck bronze bell, sending subtle vibrations through her heart.This was the first time Angie had managed to keep Leonard on the phone for so long, though their entire conversation revolved around Elara.Leonard showing such rare patience made Angie's lips curve upward in delight."Can I call you again in the future?" She ventured the bold question, though anxiety churned inside."You may call if it's regarding Quantum Tech matters."He had glimpsed an Elara who was completely different from the respectful woman he knew through Angie's words. So, she had a temper tooâhow intriguing.Angie's smile stretched ear to ear as she continued, "Leonard, thank you for listening to my grievances.""Oh, right."Suddenly remembering something, Angie added, "Quantum Tech has a front-end project collabo
There's No Turning Back   Chapter 467
Angie visibly flushed with embarrassment, and the other employees fell silent. Some immediately lowered their heads to focus on their meals, while others held their breath, pressing their lips together to control their expressions."Angie's been abroad too longâshe's not used to strict workplace hierarchies," Samuel defended her, raising his voice."Elara, now that you're CEO, you just can't wait for everyone to bow and scrape before you, huh? You might not realize this, but modern workplaces emphasize equalityâwe all address each other as colleagues now."His mocking tone was unmistakable. As the eldest son of the Quinn family, he clearly didn't take Elara seriously.Elara met his disdainful gaze. "Fine."She continued calmly, "Then let's abolish internal titles at Quantum Tech. All employees will be leveled equally, with salaries determined by performance. Anyone above L4 will be downgraded to L4, so there's true equality across the board. That's the only way to eliminate workpl
There's No Turning Back   Chapter 466
When Elara came to her senses, she noticed Leonard was already goneâand Angie had disappeared with him.The nature of Leonard and Angie's relationship was undeniably intriguing, but since Leonard chose not to share, Elara felt it would be improper to pry into her elder's private affairs.She then joined the other Quantum Tech employees in seeing off the city officials. Harold immediately seized the chance to cozy up to her. "Elara, I'm dying to knowâhow did you become Quantum Tech's leader?"He continued eagerly, "I've been helping out at Quantum Tech recently. Ohm Technologies and my lab are collaborating on a project with them."Elara merely nodded, showing no interest in further conversation.Undeterred, Harold pressed on. "Let me introduce you to everyone at Quantum Tech."His enthusiasm was purely for showâhe wanted the company to know he had special connections with Elara."You know Mr. Quinn, right?" he asked, making introductions.Elara glanced at the sharp-featured man
There's No Turning Back   Chapter 465
"Elara, you're the developer of the Prism project? Why have I never heard you mention this before?" Harold blurted out in confusion.After processing this information, he suddenly remembered Priscilla's second statement. He blinked, wondering if he'd misheard.He immediately turned to Samuel beside him. "Did I hear that wrong? It's so noisy hereâwhat did Ms. Price just say? Who's Quantum Tech's leader?"Samuel's expression stiffened visibly.Meanwhile, Angie stared at Elara with suspicion. "What kind of deal did you make with Ms. Price? How could you possibly be Quantum Tech's lead?"Her instincts told her there had to be some mistake. She'd investigated Elara earlier. She was just a woman who dropped out of her direct PhD program at Capitol University to get married and become a housewife, without any substantial work experience.Someone like Elara might qualify as a janitor at Quantum Tech at best."What qualifications does she have to lead Quantum Tech?" Samuel muttered under
There's No Turning Back   Chapter 464
"My apologies, Ms. Price, the alarms in the data center are too loud. Let's switch to a video call."As she spoke, Elara connected her phone to the projection system. Priscilla tapped her screen to enable video, and in the next second, her face appeared on the large display.Everyone looked up at the screen in surprise. Angie even gasped. "Ms. Price?" From Priscilla's perspective, her phone only showed Elara's face through the camera feed."Ms. Price, I'm already in the data center. Please give your instructions," Elara continued.Her tone remained perfectly neutral. Priscilla responded, "You're Quantum Tech's leader. What professional guidance could I possibly give you?"Elara turned on the speakerphone, amplifying Priscilla's voice through the room. Amidst the urgent wailing of alarms, Priscilla's words sounded almost surreal. The surrounding crowd struggled to process what was happening."Elara Jones, do you realize city officials are inspecting Quantum Tech today? With the
There's No Turning Back   Chapter 463
Angie led the group into the digital data center."Good afternoon, Ms. Shelton." The employees greeted her with deep respect, their gazes filled with admiration.Angie maintained an aloof demeanor as she asked, "How's the testing on Prism's data coming along?""The basic framework is stable now. We're currently fine-tuning the details of Prism's database."Angie nodded. "Run the Prism system for our guests.""Uh... About thatâ"The staff hesitated. "We haven't fully mastered this framework yet..."Angie frowned. "After all this time, you still haven't figured it out?"Seeing their uneasy expressions, she sighed. "This framework's structure is elementary. Fine, I'll do it myself."The researchers' eyes lit up with excitement upon hearing this."The Prism model's framework design is incredibly complexâit completely defies conventional understanding. Yet Ms. Shelton mastered the entire codebase so quickly after joining!""No wonder she's Aempleforth Street's most sought-after g
There's No Turning Back   Chapter 462
Samuel sneered. "I bet she's just clinging to Prof. Fisher by exploiting her past connection with Harvey."Harold pressed his lips together, silently agreeing with Samuel's words.As Angie finished her introduction of Quantum Tech, she took advantage of the officials' hushed discussions to glance at Elara. Remembering the photos Rosalie had sent herâshowing Elara painstakingly building rapport with XavierâAngie let out a cold, mocking laugh through her nose.She strode directly to Leonard's side to ask, "How's Xavier doing?"Elara was slightly surprised by the question. Angie bore some resemblance to Xavier, so she wondered what exactly their relationship was.Leonard ignored her inquiry and instead asked, "How long do you plan to stay at Quantum Tech?"Their exchange suggested familiarity."My goal is to join Dragonheart!" said Angie.She met Leonard's gaze with blazing confidence, but his expression remained as cold and detached as an eternal glacier.Craig interjected, "Pro
There's No Turning Back   Chapter 461
The mayor, Craig Strickland, was both surprised and delighted by Elara's words. "So, Quantum Tech has made such rapid progress on the digital project under Ms. Jones' leadership!"He turned to his secretary and ordered, "Clear my schedule for the next two hours. I'll be accompanying Ms. Jones to inspect Quantum Tech."Elara's voice drifted to Leonard's ear. "Would Mr. Fisher like to join us as well?"Leonard let out a soft scoff. "You do enjoy making trouble for people."Elara volunteered eagerly, "I can push your wheelchair!"Only after she had wheeled Leonard onto the MPV did he speak again. "Do you plan to use me as your shield at Quantum Tech too?""Mr. Fisher, I need you." Her voice, that was soft yet earnes,t sent a ripple of something unnameable through Leonard's chest."I need your guidance. I want you to watch over me a little longer."She settled into the seat beside him as the MPV door slid shut. Leonard's expression tightened imperceptibly, his right index finger re
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