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Chapter 69
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There's No Turning Back Chapter 70
When Elara was admitted to Hawke University, Desmond was still the secretary of the university's administrative department.She had been his most promising student. She had enrolled at Hawke University at just 14. To lessen the financial burden on her foster parents, she would attend classes during the day and take on part-time jobs in the evenings under a false age.Desmond had found out and brought her back, giving her a stern lecture. He urged her to focus on her studies, telling her that with her abilities, she could use knowledge to gain a future far beyond anything she could imagine at the time.The year Elara pursued her doctorate at Capitol University, Desmond had also been promoted.He waved her off as he stood at the gates of Hawke University."Elara Lloyd, this is where I see you off. I know you'll reach heights I could never dream of. And when you stand at the peak, looking down at the world, you'll see me cheering for you."Six years later, their paths crossed again—
There's No Turning Back Chapter 71
Elara turned to her daughter and asked, "Merida, do you still want to study at Summit Academy?"Merida looked toward the crowd, spotting Shirley and Paisley gazing at her with eager eyes.They had already entered the school, but with all the commotion at the entrance—James being taken away, the Office of Compliance and Ethics launching an investigation, and several school administrators and teachers being called in for questioning—the younger students, in particular, had lost all focus in class.The kindergarteners stood near the gate, craning their necks. They were more interested in the spectacle than in their lessons, even if they didn't quite understand what was happening.Merida turned to the parents and said, "You need to offer a formal apology to me and my mommy. Only then will I consider returning to Summit Academy."She was only five years old, but she had already sensed the hostility from teachers, classmates, and parents ever since she became Merida Jones.When these v
There's No Turning Back Chapter 72
Merida wrapped one arm around Paisley and the other around Shirley, lifting both of her best friends as she spun in circles with them.Seeing the scene unfold, Rosalie shrieked like a startled hen. "Bambi! What are you doing? Put my daughter down right now!"But her only response was the sound of three girls laughing happily.Elara worried that Merida might actually toss Shirley and Paisley into the air like shot puts, so she gently patted her daughter's back."Go on, head to school now."Merida set Shirley and Paisley down. The two girls were sweating from excitement, but Merida herself showed no signs of exhaustion—no heavy breathing, no flushed cheeks. Her round, dark eyes locked onto the academic file in Elara's hands."My student records were already taken out. Can they be put back in?"Elara reassured her, "You've changed your name, and Mommy came to school today to officially update your academic records."She crouched down and spoke seriously to her daughter. "Merida, I
There's No Turning Back Chapter 73
The employee's voice quickly drew everyone's attention."Is that for real? Let me see!""The people ranked below this unemployed housewife are students from Ashford University, Redmont University, and Westbridge Institute of Technology!"A collective gasp filled the elevator.Even Harvey's secretary, Cyrus, was intrigued by the conversation. However, unlike the other employees, he remained composed.With a faint smile, Cyrus turned to Harvey and said, "It must be a mistake in the ALI Math Competition records. In previous years, the gold medalists in ALI were either top-tier professionals returning from elite institutions abroad or renowned scholars from prestigious universities in the country."There's no way a housewife could enter such a competition, let alone take first place. If that were true, ALI Group would be ruining its own reputation!"Before he even finished speaking, one of the employees read aloud while staring at their phone, "The contestant ranked first is… Elara
There's No Turning Back Chapter 74
"If Elara had continued her PhD and pursued a career in research, she would have achieved far more than I have today," Jasper stated."What a top-tier case of throwing away a brilliant future for love!""She might as well have written 'foraging wild vegetables for seven years' on her résumé.""The heavens gifted her an extraordinary mind, and she used it to be a housewife and raise kids.""But why did Ms. Jones suddenly decide to compete in a math competition?"Jasper couldn't quite figure it out either. He could only sigh and say, "I hope that one day, I'll have the chance to work alongside her."The elevator doors slid open, and Jasper stepped out. The employees continued their discussion."For Elara Jones to suddenly enter a math competition… Her marriage must have hit a rough patch.""It could also be that her husband is the one supporting her participation in ALI's competition?""If her husband really supported her from the start, why did he only let her study up to a bac
There's No Turning Back Chapter 75
The interview continued, and the conference room fell into dead silence. Throughout the rest of the interview, Elara never once mentioned Fisher Corp or Harvey.On the large screen, the CEO of NGT Group pulled out a Euconian dictionary. He flipped through the pages until he found the explanation he was looking for.Reading aloud, he said, "Not worth mentioning—meaning something is insignificant or unimportant. Oh?"The NGT Group CEO let out a surprised exclamation. "Harvey, according to your wife, you are… insignificant."Spreading his hands, he leaned closer to the screen and looked directly at Harvey, who was standing in the conference room."Your wife called you her ex-husband. Did you really get divorced from the woman who just won first place in a national math competition?"The atmosphere in the room shifted dramatically. The shareholders could no longer stay calm."Mr. Fisher, how could you and your wife get divorced?""She publicly called you her ex-husband in front of
There's No Turning Back Chapter 76
Elara's adoptive father had leveraged a so-called past favor to pressure Harvey into marrying that woman. But now, that undeserving country girl had finally been kicked out by Harvey once and for all!Ethel's expression softened into a warm smile, as if she was basking in the glow of spring sunshine."You all should help me keep an eye out—find a few well-matched, respectable young ladies from Capitol."It's time to start arranging marriage meetings for Harvey. My precious grandson can't grow up without a mother's love."The socialite wives immediately became animated, eagerly inquiring about the kind of daughter-in-law Ethel preferred.Just then, someone suddenly gasped, "Oh! Elara was interviewed by Gingham TV! She's making waves—she actually placed first in the ALI Math Competition preliminaries!"The moment Elara's name was mentioned, Ethel's smile instantly dropped.Meanwhile, the other elite wives were buzzing with excitement."The ALI Math Competition carries an enormous
There's No Turning Back Chapter 77
Harvey opened his eyes and picked up his phone. The "Capitol Brotherhood" group chat, created by Niamh, had 99+ unread messages.Although Niamh frequently filled the chat with endless banter alongside the other elite heirs of Capitol, Harvey had a strong feeling that today's heated discussion was mostly about him.He tapped into the chat. Someone had forwarded the ALI Math Competition preliminary rankings and tagged Niamh."The first-place winner… is your sister?""Niamh, your sister is this smart? Why have you never mentioned it?"Some, clearly just there to stir the pot, took the chance to joke."Fresh off a divorce and already winning the country's top math competition. Now, let's hear from our very own ex-husband, @Harvey, any comments?"At that moment, Niamh jumped in, tagging Harvey."Do you remember how Elara showed up with Theodore on the 7th? Well, the 7th was the same day as the ALI Math Competition prelims!"She added, acting confused, "Wasn't she supposed to have l
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There's No Turning Back Chapter 472
Theodore's eyes gleamed like sunlight shimmering over a lake. He looked like a large dog trapped in a cage, gazing at Elara with unwavering intensity. If he had a tail, it would have been wagging wildly like a windmill spinning at full speed.Elara screamed internally. This had gone a little too far! Her eyes then dropped to the tip of her own shoe. The place she had kicked… had grown!"Oh!" She quickly jerked her foot back, only to feel her body tip backward uncontrollably.Just as she was about to fall, Theodore reached out and grabbed her ankle.The moment his fingers touched her skin, her heart skipped a beat. Theodore pulled her back toward the desk.Elara froze in place like a statue. Her entire body was tense, her eyes were wide, and her pupils were unfocused."Elara, what's wrong?"Harvey had seen her suddenly lose her balance and fall backward. It startled him so badly, he looked as if he wanted to jump through the screen.A wave of helplessness washed over him. Luckil
There's No Turning Back Chapter 471
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
There's No Turning Back Chapter 470
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
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
There's No Turning Back Chapter 466
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
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 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
