Harvey looked up toward the door. His vision blurred around the edges, as if shrouded in mist. Why couldn't he see clearly?He blinked hard. The woman who entered was already standing right in front of him."Harvey." Niamh's legs gave out as she collapsed onto him.Harvey tried to push her away, but his hands were bound behind his back—he couldn't move them. All he could do was scoot his body backward.As if her bones had melted, Niamh slumped against him like a pile of limp clay with her weight dragging downward."Niamh Jones! What the hell are you doing?"Harvey growled, but Niamh's eyes were glazed. She clutched her chest, panting as she looked at him with flushed cheeks."I'm so hot… my body's all tingly."Harvey's gaze turned icy. "Did you take something you weren't supposed to?"Niamh's head was foggy. "I just had a little drink...""Who gave it to you?" Harvey asked sharply."A waiter at the reception," she murmured, sniffing as she looked up. "This room smells really
Niamh's eyes went wide. It wasn't until Harvey said it out loud that everything finally clicked for her. Still stunned, she asked, "Harvey, why are you even here?"Harvey's face was grim as he forced himself to calm down. He laid it out step by step. "Elara's assistant told me she wanted to speak with me alone and asked me to wait for her here."Niamh's gaze dropped to his hands, which had been cuffed behind his back. "Harvey, your hands… Why are you handcuffed? Did Elara order someone to do this?"His expression darkened like scorched iron. He was so agitated and felt like a complete idiot!He didn't even want to think about what had gone through his mind—why he'd believed Elara might still be into that kind of thing. He'd walked right into her trap!The more he thought about it, the more flustered he became. Flames of humiliation and anger seemed to blaze through his chest and gut.He looked around, searching for the key, and urged Niamh, "Help me find the key!""Oh—okay." Nia
"Don't touch me!" Harvey shouted.Nonetheless, Niamh only intensified her efforts, leaping onto him in an attempt to pin him down."Harvey! I'm trying to help you! I'm already undressed! Why won't you take yours off?""No! Let me go!"The more he resisted, the more excited Niamh became. "Why are you making that face? Are you afraid I'll devour you?"Niamh fumbled with Harvey's suit buttons but couldn't undo them.Growing impatient, she snapped, "Ugh! Stop squirming! If you keep wriggling like this, I can't promise what I might do!"Harvey's scalp prickled with alarm as warning bells blared in his head. With a powerful kick of his legs, he sent Niamh tumbling off the couch."Ahhh!" Niamh crashed to the floor with a pained cry.Harvey lay panting on the sofa, staring wide-eyed at Niamh sprawled on the ground. "You've gone absolutely mental!"He even began suspecting Niamh might have orchestrated this trapped-in-a-room scenario. But then reconsidered as Niamh wasn't clever enoug
Harvey staggered back several steps, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. Beads of sweat rolled down his brow, pooling in the hollows of his eyes. The moisture blurred his vision, yet the window remained intact, without even a hairline crack.Suddenly, Niamh wrapped her arms around him from behind. Her hands roamed freely over his body."Harvey... I can't take it anymore..." she said as she reached for his suit jacket, trying to peel it off.Harvey twisted violently, attempting to shake her off. "Let go!"He growled through clenched teeth, but with his hands restrained behind his back, Niamh easily stripped off his outer jacket.The suit jacket caught around his wrists as Niamh slithered like a snake to his front, looping her arms around his neck. She wore barely any clothes now as she stood on tiptoe to reach his jawline.As she pressed closer, Harvey's stomach churned with overwhelming nausea. He stumbled backward in panic, but Niamh clung to him like a leech as her entire b
The moment he heard the name "Elara", Harvey's eyes widened in shock. That name pierced his heart like countless tiny needles, sending waves of pain through his entire body.Niamh cupped his face in her hands. "Harvey, I want to save you! Please, I'm begging you—save me too!"Harvey tried to lift his leg, but with Niamh straddling him, he couldn't shake her off."Get off!" he roared as Niamh's face loomed closer in his vision.With a sudden twist, Harvey rolled violently, sending both of them crashing to the ground."Ahh!" Niamh screamed in pain while Harvey scrambled up in a panic, his body writhing as he desperately put distance between them.Niamh lay on the floor, writhing. "Harvey! How could you do this to me? It hurts!"Harvey glared down at her with an icy gaze. She was barely covered by scraps of fabric. Then, his heart lurched violently, pounding so hard it felt like it might burst from his chest.His vision blurred. As Niamh cried out in pain, her face twisted—and for
Niamh stood up and moved toward him. Sensing her approach, Harvey whirled around to face her with a guarded expression."Don't bother." His voice was hard, his entire body radiating wariness toward her.Niamh didn't understand his refusal. "Let me get your phone! Then we can call for help!"Harvey didn't believe a word she said—he'd already seen the desire in her eyes. He knew Niamh had feelings for him.This woman would gladly use the drug as an excuse to devour him whole. His phone was in his pants pocket. If he let Niamh reach for it, who knew what lines she might cross?Harvey pressed his back against the door. "Stop! Don't move!"He tried to command her with his voice. "Stay away from me!""Harvey! Are you afraid you won't be able to control yourself?" Niamh couldn't suppress a smirk.She pretended to reassure him. "Don't worry about hurting me. If you keep holding back, you'll only hurt yourself!"Before she could finish speaking, the drug's effects surged through her, d
Theodore spoke calmly, "I'll count to three. Decide by then, or neither of you gets the antidote."With a smirk, he looked at Harvey and began, "Three…"A vein pulsed visibly beneath Harvey's forehead. Theodore was clearly toying with them by offering the antidote."Give it to Niamh!" Harvey's voice was ice. He refused to let Niamh take advantage of the drug's effects to maul him freely."Give it to Harvey!" Niamh shouted.Harvey felt his nerves throbbing beneath his skin, as if his blood pressure might burst through."Why the hell should I take it? So I can stay conscious while you assault me?"Niamh flinched at his harsh words; that was exactly what she'd been thinking.After berating Niamh, Harvey turned his fury on Theodore. "You're the one behind this! You had Elara's assistant lure me here using her name!"His voice was firm, convinced of his accusation. Sweat dripped down Harvey's face as he panted heavily, like a caged beast growling at Theodore.Theodore smirked and
Elara chatted with several executives from Snapp Group while glancing at her watch. By now, Harvey and Niamh had likely lost all rationality.Harvey's original plan involved collaborating with Niamh to publicly expose Theodore in a scandal during the acquisition ceremony's cocktail party.But his downfall stemmed from two critical miscalculations: choosing an incompetent partner and underestimating Elara's absolute control over Joss Tech.Harvey arrogantly believed he had successfully bribed several Joss Tech employees. What he didn't know was that these very employees reported his bribery attempts to Elara immediately after first contact.Elara instructed them to play along.Though Harvey exercised caution, ensuring each employee only knew their specific task, the fragmented information ultimately revealed his entire scheme when compiled by Elara.Some installed surveillance in the guest lounges. Others were tasked with serving Theodore a specific drink. A few slipped drugs into
Elara looked under the desk. What on earth was going on?Meanwhile, Harvey observed Elara in her formal women's suit on the computer screen—an attire he'd never seen her wear before.Her hair was pulled back into a bun secured by a simple ebony hairpin. A few strands, gilded by sunlight, curled against her porcelain cheeks.Though she appeared to be looking down at something, Harvey's gaze and thoughts remained completely captivated by her face. Only months had passed since their divorce, yet seeing her now felt like encountering someone from another lifetime.Had time stretched endlessly during his days at Atkina Church?"El—" Harvey's throat tightened as if stuffed with paper.But he quickly regained his usual composed tone. "Elara—no, I should address you as Ms. Jones now. Had Sam not called me, I wouldn't have known you'd assumed Quantum Tech's CEO position."His voice carried that innate condescension of the privileged, laced with unmistakable mockery."Why are you hiding
Elara stood still as she gazed at the tall, distinguished man before her. Meanwhile, Theodore looked up and smiled at her against the light."Why are you so far away?"Elara stepped toward him, teasing lightly, "I wanted a good look at you.""Then you'll need to come closer." Theodore leaned forward, closing the distance between them.Though she stopped a step away, their faces nearly touched. Elara instinctively held her breath as her eyes locked on him."Can you see clearly now?" Theodore asked."Mm," Elara replied."And?""So handsome." Elara praised him sincerely. "You're one of the most attractive men I've ever seen!"She truly meant it. Theodore chuckled through his nose. She'd seen plenty of handsome men in her life—Finnegan, Harvey, and Leonard. Especially Leonard, whose looks even made Theodore feel somewhat threatened."My face is the least remarkable part of me." He declared confidently.Images of those shirtless photos Theodore had sent flashed through Elara's mi
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 legendary—everything 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
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 too—how 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
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 long—she'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 equality—we 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
When Elara came to her senses, she noticed Leonard was already gone—and 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 know—how 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 show—he 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
"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 here—what 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
"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
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 that—"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 complex—it 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