"Lili has always been the best." Elijah's affectionate laugh sounded over the phone. After a moment, his voice turned cold again. "Who said you could talk to Liesel like that? You were practically interrogating her like she was a criminal. Are you out of your mind, Tobey? So what if Lili loves power and status? Do you care about those things?"After having a moment of clarity, Elijah began shooting arrows at Tobey, forgetting that that was his best friend he was talking to.Tobey was at a loss for words.Fine, his concern was not needed. Elijah can go and cuddle up to his lover!With a cold expression, Tobey hung up. He rubbed his face and wondered if he indeed was out of his mind. He shouldn't have been concerned about those two. They were a match made in heaven who were deeply in love; no one could separate them.Tobey let out a scoff and then sighed internally.He hoped that Liesel was really capable of helping Elijah stand again…Liesel settled the contract with Tobey and
"Ms. Sharp, you must foster such a capable employee," one of the senior executives who didn't get along with Liesel said, garnering everyone's agreement.How did Liesel feel, knowing that she'd been surpassed by someone younger than her?Was the position that she'd gotten because of her good looks secure? Did she feel threatened having met someone with true capabilities? Would she be able to sleep soundly at night in the upcoming days?Richard clapped slowly with mockery written all over his face.Up until now, he thought that Liesel had only reached this level because of her looks.Austin quickly thanked Liesel for giving him this chance.However, his gratitude felt more like a jab at Liesel.He clearly hadn't gone through Liesel, Howard, or anyone in the research department before submitting the document to Elijah. No matter whether it was intentional or not, he was already opposing Liesel and putting her in an awkward position.What kind of leader would allow their reports t
Austin stood next to Liesel. His gaze flitted between the other senior executives and his direct manager. He looked terrified, as if he'd been bullied by Liesel numerous times already.Everyone else shot Liesel meaningful looks. Suddenly, Liesel had become the central figure in this whirlpool, like she had been the one who caused everything to go wrong.Liesel kept a smile on her face."Enough. Liesel is now the CEO of Hardin Group; she has the right to make any decision!" Elijah said coldly.Elijah's older brother, Sam, spoke up gently. "Elijah, since you've already given your authority to your fiance, then you don't have the right to express your opinion. The shareholders are questioning Liesel, not you. You should understand that.""Exactly. You gave all your shares and assets to Liesel, so why are you getting involved? Also, wasn't it your assistant who'd sent us this proposal and asked for this meeting?""Everyone knows that Liesel is your fiance. Before we even said anythin
Liesel was smiling, but her expression told a different story—"You can express your opinion, but I am definitely not budging."The shareholders turned pale. Yes, they had somehow forgotten about Liesel's power of influence and wide network.The proposal that Austin had shared earlier was now completely unusable.Today's meeting wasn't actually a meeting. It was a stage that Liesel had set up for Austin to put on a show.Austin was the main actor, while everyone else here was part of the supporting cast. On the other hand, Liesel and Elijah were the audience who already knew the truth behind it all.The brave one, the villain, and the righteous one took turns appearing like characters in a play. Coming together for a group performance, they tried to work together to rip chunks of flesh from her body. It was truly a lively and ridiculous spectacle.Liesel was satisfied with the show that she'd just watched. After she'd played everyone as she had planned, she slowly applauded. She s
However, Liesel was different. With her current abilities and status, she was already a threat to many.Even Hardin Group was about to change to the Sharp family name.The Hardins were among those most upset by this.Richard flipped through the contract and forced a smile. The other senior executives also wore dark looks and unreadable expressions.If Elijah really transferred all the authority to Liesel, then what was the point of having senior executives? In the future, they would have to obey her instructions and rely on her for their livelihood. How ridiculous!In response to that, Liesel kept her composure. She acted as if she wasn't that excited by this.It was the truth. She had Shifter Corporation, so she never thought highly of Hardin Group to begin with."Elijah, rather than transferring all the power to Liesel, why not give it to the Hardin family and other executives? Ultimately, there's a limit to Liesel's abilities. If something really went wrong, then who would ta
At that moment, someone who was colluding with Richard was also feeling wary, but he had no choice but to put on a smile of admiration. However, on the inside, he was scheming about how to tear Liesel down.Liesel didn't say much today, but every time she opened her mouth, it was a direct stab to someone's heart.Sitting in the seat of higher management was like stepping into a warzone. Naturally, Liesel wasn't going to show kindness to her enemies, so she had always been ruthless with her attacks.Austin displayed great mental fortitude by still being able to stand. However, he had lost control of his expression. His face was bright red as if it could burst with a slight poke. He felt ashamed.Richard stood up so harshly that he nearly sent his chair toppling backward. He looked embarrassed by the screeching noise that sounded.Liesel was too powerful. In less than a few years, the entire Hardin Group would belong to her, not just the CEO position. She would even slowly get back
Only then did Liesel put on a smile and kiss him beside his ear. "Wait for me at home."Upon hearing that, Elijah gave her palm a squeeze before letting her go.Austin observed them from afar, not daring to go closer.Liesel's gaze swept over him. Her eyes glinted slightly.She had set up the stage for him to put on a show. Then, once it was over, she had torn it down so that he'd fall.She hadn't done that because she was petty and couldn't allow a subordinate to surpass her. She had other ideas.A desperate dog would try to jump over a wall, and a distressed rabbit would try to kick a hawk. A person would naturally lose their composure when they were anxious. Liesel wanted to see what Austin's real intention was.The elevator opened, and Liesel's subordinates entered one after another. Austin followed then, shrinking stiffly in a corner. They were all colleagues from the same department, but there was a clear divide between the two camps.Some were already quietly criticizing
The employees knew that if it weren't for Liesel securing such a substantial budget, they wouldn't be receiving doubled bonuses. They might even receive twice the amount of their bonuses at the end of the year. "Thank you, Ms. Sharp!""Ms. Sharp, you've been working overtime at the research department lately. Why don't you go back and rest? You don't have to work overtime tonight.""Exactly. Let us handle the budget report." Several employees hurried over and genuinely voiced their concerns. Perhaps that was simply Liesel's charm. She could be assertive and intimidate others, but she also knew how to reassure them gently. Liesel knew when to be firm or gentle. She would seize any opportunity that arose so she could climb ranks faster. In comparison to Liesel, Austin was still too inexperienced. He stood at the same spot and watched her leave with a darkened gaze. No one knew what was on his mind. Liesel walked into Howard's office, followed by his drone. "A warm welcome t
Ophelia was done with Yvonne. Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, she took to Twitter to attack her."Did you really think that every gift I painstakingly made was worthless? After years of devotion, the person I once adored has become completely unrecognizable. When I confronted her, she acted as if nothing was wrong."She even claimed that because I was her fan, I had no right to criticize her. I find that utterly absurd."I once asked her what a fan meant to her, and she dismissed us as shallow, saying our love was something that could be discarded. I always believed an idol should be the pillar of her fans' dreams, a beacon of hope. "But the Yvonne I loved—the one who shone so brightly in pursuit of her dreams—was gone."So, from that day on, I severed all ties. The doll I once gave her on Twitter was my final farewell gift. It was a proper goodbye, not a sign of regret. I stopped logging into that account because I wanted to leave with dignity."And don't say Chels
Ophelia was utterly disgusted. She felt that any shred of loyalty she once had for Yvonne had completely vanished.She retweeted Yvonne's latest Twitter post and attached a formal statement of her own."I hereby solemnly declare that I was once a die-hard fan of Yvonne. I never betrayed her—I simply grew tired of the endless fan duties. I refuse to support an idol who is self-absorbed, caring only about herself while dismissing her fans. Today, I proudly stand as a fan of Chelsea because she is truly worth it."Honestly, when I first stopped being a fan, I never intended to expose all this. At the time, I just wanted to part ways amicably. Publicly trashing someone you once adored is downright disgusting, and I didn't want her remaining fans to follow suit. So, I swallowed my disgust."But it seems she saw me trending and thinks she can win back a fan with some influence. She even brought Chelsea into the mess and hinted that her fans should attack my current favorite idol. I simpl
Back in the day, when Ophelia first visited Huntaria, she had seen Yvonne performing at a local event and instantly became a fan. Coming from a wealthy family herself, Ophelia never hesitated to shower Yvonne with lavish gifts and even rallied her few devoted fans to support her idol.Later, when she learned that Yvonne had returned home to compete in a training camp, Ophelia was among the very first to cheer her on. But things took a bitter turn when Ophelia overheard Yvonne berating reporters backstage.Yvonne claimed that her fans were useless and couldn't secure her a center spot. She even mentioned Ophelia's name. According to Yvonne, Ophelia only sent gifts that she didn't want, and she'd be better off using her connections to get a debut instead.Ophelia finally realized what kind of person she had been supporting.Furious and heartbroken, Ophelia stormed into the backstage area and declared that she was done being a fan.Up close, she realized that Yvonne was pretty averag
Joseph immediately took a jab at Jeremy in the group chat. "Jasper was right. This mess is all on you, Jeremy."Jeremy was stunned. In his mind, he fumed, "I was the first one to change my avatar—and back then, I never even egged you shameless bastards on to do it together! Now you're all blaming me? Have you lost your minds?"Everyone was trying to avoid the barrage of marriage talks from their parents."This whole situation can be taken one way or another. I promise I'll set Damian straight so he stops stirring up scandals, but let's be clear, if it weren't for Jeremy changing his profile picture, the media wouldn't have run wild with rumors. And if you're going to call my grandfather, don't mention my name.""What? Jasper shoved this mess onto me, but now you're the one egging me on so I end up taking the fall?""I only shared the comments, headlines, and videos in the group. The one who kicked off this whole avatar fiasco was you," Joseph rebutted.Jeremy gritted his teeth an
Jimmy scrolled through the chat logs on his phone. His eyes grew wider with every message. He noticed that the group's avatar change had even hit trending topics. "Man, these guys are totally off their rocker," he thought—but then he grinned. "Maybe I should jump in!"He quickly typed. "They all switched their avatars and went completely nuts. Why not add one more crazy guy? Tobey can't get me over the phone!"So what if we change our avatars? It's all in good fun. Look on the bright side. If Chelsea ends up divorcing Tobey, being with Damian might not be so bad. As they say, 'good stuff stays in the family,' right?"The group was speechless. Everyone else had changed their avatars on a sudden whim. But Jimmy was different. His wild mind was always a few steps ahead and constantly fired off impulsive ideas.Even Elijah was stunned silent.After a beat, Jeremy couldn't hold back any longer and added, "Tobey's going to log in after a long day and see his world crumble!"At that ver
Headlines such as "Covering Up Only Makes It More Obvious!" and "Top Execs Switching Avatars to Hype the DamSea Pairing! If DamSea Isn't real, Then Who Is?!" started appearing.The group fell silent.Justin practically pounced on Joseph. His tone was seething with anger. "What the hell, Joseph? I told you to change your avatar! What kind of nonsense is this? You're shipping this couple, aren't you? Stop it, now!"Joseph immediately realized that Justin had turned into a hardcore hater of Damian and a rabid Chelsian. He clicked on Justin's profile and saw that his status read "Fake, fake, fake!" He had even posted on his Twitter saying, "It's all fake!"Meanwhile, Justin genuinely adored Chelsea and, at the same time, despised Damian with every fiber of his being.As chaos ensued among the top execs, Jeremy kept the group chat buzzing."No way—we've all switched to the water droplet avatar. Tobey, you need to change yours too! @Tobey You can't sit out the fun, man! @Tobey"Everyo
Jeremy was the first to speak."I was just trying to change my profile picture for a little fun! If the system's gonna go down for maintenance, it might as well be now. I'm about to party so hard my legs give out!"If Tobey finds out the truth, he'll probably try to assassinate me! And how am I supposed to flirt with the ladies? A water droplet? That basically tells them I'm a total player!""I'm the one who should be worried here," Joseph replied.Joseph's phone was buzzing non-stop as his WhatsApp notifications were blowing up.Unlike the others, who only had a couple of reporter contacts in their circles, Joseph had acquired an entertainment company for Damian and invested heavily in showbiz ventures. His WhatsApp was loaded with gossip accounts, celebrity insiders, and directors with a penchant for scandal.Since many stars and celebrities were still out late shooting scenes or rushing between gigs, most hadn't gone to bed yet. They were all catching wind of Damian's latest s
"In just a few hours, Damian and Chelsea had created a child called, 'DamSea,'" Joseph said.Jeremy chimed in after rewatching the video, "Damian couldn't take his eyes off Chelsea when he got drunk. It was as if Chelsea had him wrapped around her finger! That's gotta be love!"I'm shipping these two! DamSea is the real deal!"Not satisfied with just words, Jeremy changed his profile picture to a big blue water droplet—a stolen icon from DamSea. Other group members jumped on the bandwagon and switched their avatars to the same image. Even the usually reserved Jasper joined in to show he was part of the fun.The only one missing out was Elijah as he was still fast asleep and completely unaware of the online party.Those guys were among Ashthorne's top business elites. Naturally, they knew the ins and outs of the latest gossip. Many had even added journalists on WhatsApp, and those reporters were well aware of the connection between Damian and Joseph.Soon enough, the journalists n
Joseph quietly scrolled through the online comments, deliberately selecting a few fresh posts from some shippers. As a high-powered executive who could make millions in minutes, he painstakingly compiled these comments into long screenshots and shared them in the group chat.He even attached the song "Green Pastures" and tagged Tobey."It's an honor that my little brother had the nerve to make a move on Chelsea," Joseph messaged Tobey.Tobey remained silent, but everyone in the chat responded with three question marks. Their collective confusion was clear.Jeremy—Joseph's younger brother and the wildest spirit in the group aside from Jimmy and Damian—immediately jumped in. He wasn't one to hold back."That's rough! Lark Corporation went bankrupt and Mr. Lark's wife ran off with his best friend's twink of a little brother!"Jeremy's comment caused a stir. It offended the Lark Corporation couple and Joseph, who detested being called a "twink".Jasper chimed in with a word of cauti