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Chapter 414
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There's No Turning Back Chapter 415
"Elara!" Harvey shouted.The moment Elara sprinted away, he felt as if an immense magnetic force radiated from her body, pulling his heart out after her. Harvey began to chase after Elara without hesitation."Wait! Mr. Fisher!"Ralph also ran after them, his face etched with anxiety as he wiped sweat from his brow and stared toward the auditorium. His heart pounded with unease.Two weeks earlier, Beau had ordered them to survey the school auditorium."I want a fire to break out in the auditorium! Then you'll tell Daddy and Mommy I'm trapped inside and can't escape."If Mommy truly loves me, she'll rush in to save me without regard for her own safety!"At the time, the assistant assigned by Harvey to care for Beau broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this plan."Mr. Beau, this is far too dangerous! We absolutely cannot allow you to be in an actual fire!""That's why I'm asking you to figure out a way to make it less dangerous!" Beau said as he stood before him, emanating an a
There's No Turning Back Chapter 416
"If Mommy doesn't rush into the fire to protect me, I won't let Daddy blame you either—because you helped me see how heartless Mommy really is toward me!" Beau declared.Ralph still hesitated, so Beau delivered his ultimatum, "If you don't do as I say, I'll fire you on the spot!"Hearing Beau's final warning, Ralph's legs instantly turned to jelly. He couldn't afford to lose such a lucrative position in this tough job market.Besides, he actually did know how to start fires safely. During his previous job at a fire station, he'd been the one responsible for controlled burns during building fire drills.…Meanwhile, Finnegan pulled out his phone and called Theodore. The gala performance had ended, and they were all preparing to leave.Theodore sat in his sports car, watching as Finnegan's off-road vehicle came to an abrupt stop nearby, and Elara suddenly came sprinting out. He was just about to exit his vehicle when his phone rang.Theodore answered the call, and Finnegan's voice
There's No Turning Back Chapter 417
Theodore said, "If Beau went looking for Merida, he's probably on the second floor."The second floor served as the students' backstage changing area.Elara kept the call connected as she slipped her phone into her pants pocket. She removed her backpack and took out the insulated water bottle inside.After soaking a handkerchief with water from the bottle, she asked Theodore, "How long do you think I can stay on the second floor with just this wet cloth over my nose and mouth?""If the fire remains uncontrolled—56 seconds maximum," Theodore replied.He had already calculated that after 56 seconds, the carbon monoxide concentration on the second floor would reach lethal levels. Any longer, and Elara risked losing consciousness from poisoning."Alright, then I'm counting on you to time me!"She entrusted her life completely to Theodore, who remained safely outside the auditorium. Though physically separated, they functioned as one—back-to-back against unseen dangers.With the dam
There's No Turning Back Chapter 418
Beau stared blankly at Elara as she desperately sawed at the ropes binding Xavier. Xavier couldn't possibly escape the closet without cutting them.Xavier began coughing uncontrollably. Elara immediately stripped off her outer layer and poured the remaining water from her thermos onto the fabric.She wrapped the soaked garment around Xavier's head, covering his nose and mouth. The cloth obscured half his face, leaving only his wide, panicked eyes visible as he watched Elara struggle with the ropes."Elara, you need to evacuate now!" Theodore's voice came through the phone's speaker, laced with uncharacteristic agitation.With no cameras in the second-floor rooms, Theodore could only monitor the hallway footage from his car. He pieced together Elara's situation solely through the phone conversation between her and Beau.Even as he spoke, his slender fingers flew across the keyboard. The surveillance system itself remained intact, and the missing footage resulted from someone disabl
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Xavier, still collapsed inside the closet, stared wide-eyed at Beau.At that moment, Theodore also heard Beau's words through the phone. With one arm crossed over his chest and the other hand resting on his chin, his icy gaze fixed on the computer screen showing surveillance footage of Beau shoving Xavier into the room.Merida stood behind the driver's seat, her small hands gripping the headrest. Her round eyes trembled, and her dark pupils were shaking with distress."I'll keep both of you alive!"Elara's response didn't satisfy Beau."No! You have to choose just one!" he screamed, grabbing Elara's arm with a look that mixed stubbornness and desperation."Mommy! Xavier will be fine! Just come with me!"Let's leave together and reunite with Daddy! We can be a happy family again!"A sudden thought struck Elara. She turned sideways, rummaged through her backpack, and pulled out a bobby pin. Carefully, she attempted to thread it through the knots of Xavier's bindings.Her focus b
There's No Turning Back Chapter 420
Theodore tapped his phone screen, hitting the merge call button.When Finnegan answered, Theodore snapped impatiently, "Where the hell are you? Did you stop to solve world hunger first? Even the old man with a walking stick could've made it to the fire by now!""Shut it!" Finnegan's voice sounded muffled, as if coming through a barrier.Theodore guessed he must have already put on his breathing mask."Going in!"After this brief notification, Finnegan hung up.…Clutching Elara's phone on the second floor of the auditorium, Beau ran out of the room. He glanced down at the screen displaying "Theodore" and decisively ended the call.Though he knew this was his orchestrated fire—that Ralph had guaranteed his safety within the auditorium—his body still reacted to the rising temperature. Even through the soaked handkerchief, the acrid smell penetrated his nostrils.Panic rising, Beau dashed down the stairs toward the main entrance. Four fire trucks had surrounded the building outsi
There's No Turning Back Chapter 421
Beau turned his head to look at his assigned assistant. Meanwhile, Ralph stood clutching his own head, staring in horror at the collapsing section of the auditorium.Suddenly, he felt a tug on his suit jacket. As he looked down, he found Beau gripping the fabric. The boy's face was flushed red, slick with a mixture of tears and snot."Will Mommy… die in there?" Beau asked him again.Ralph jumped as if he had been stepped on. He yelped, "How should I know?"Though he'd scouted the auditorium multiple times, he never imagined the upper structure was so dilapidated that his fire would burn through the roof this quickly!"This makes no sense!" Ralph muttered.His research confirmed the rooftop used fireproof materials—that's why he'd chosen it as the ignition point.His original plan assumed the flames would die out naturally after consuming the combustibles. Now a terrifying possibility dawned on him.The auditorium's material reports must have been falsified! Someone had clearly
There's No Turning Back Chapter 422
"What month was Xav born?" Elara asked Leonard.The man responded, "That's confidential."Xavier's origins and birth month were classified secrets.Elara then said, "Merida's always been the younger sister at home. Could you let her be your big sister, Xav? Let Merida take care of you, okay?""Come play with us again next time, Xav.""Xav! Merida and I have been waiting for you!"Elara's warm voice echoed through Xavier's fading consciousness as he lay teary-eyed in the closet. Suddenly, a splintering sound erupted above them. Something was collapsing on the upper floor.Blood oozed from Elara's hands, the sticky fluid making it impossible to grip the bobby pin. Without hesitation, she tore at the ropes with bare hands, wrenching Xavier free.When the boy tumbled into her arms, two hearts—one large, one small—plummeted from suspense into relief.She scooped Xavier up, but as she stood, her vision blurred dangerously. Each breath became a struggle. The exit seemed to recede as
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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 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
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 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
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 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
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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
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"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
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 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
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 her—showing Elara painstakingly building rapport with Xavier—Angie 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
