The room fell silent as Ms. Sharp made her statement, but the crowd quickly erupted into laughter.
“Hah, Ms. Sharp is at it again! Nathan cuts ties with you, so now you’re throwing out some mysterious big shot to scare us?”
“Ms. Sharp, stop struggling. Everyone knows this is your last desperate fight.”
“Half an hour to reconsider? Where does Ms. Sharp get her confidence from?”
“If Ms. Sharp insists on being stubborn, we’ll not only refuse to pull out our investments-we’ll increase them. We’ll swallow the Sharp Group whole and take an even bigger share.”
They all thought Rose was being overly obstinate.
Despite their efforts to persuade her, she stood her ground, unmoved.
Fine, if she wouldn’t listen, they wouldn’t hold back. The Sharp Group had become a juicy piece of meat-the more they invested, the more they stood to gain.
To them, Rose’s claim of a mysterious benefactor was nothing more than a psychological ploy.
If everyone became wary and withdrew their investments from Lilia’s side, Rose would undoubtedly continue the charade. Half a year was all she needed to fully establish her distribution channels for the two Ancient Formula products. After making a fortune, her position would strengthen, making it harder for them to take over the Sharp Group.
They weren’t about to fall for it.
Lilia, bolder than the rest, sneered openly. “Is that the best you’ve got, Rose? Another smokescreen? How pathetic.”
“Out of tricks? Stop pretending. Surrendering is your best option.”
“Of course, I’d prefer you resist to the end-it just means I’ll get to take more!”
Lilia’s eyes narrowed coldly, her face a mask of frost.
A few months ago, Rose had humiliated her by using her conference to release an upgraded version of the Ancient Formula Returning Heart Pill, causing the Hussain family to lose billions.
Later, Rose exploited the Acebegron Clear Relief scandal to snatch two companies back from Braiden.
The Swanson Group was left crippled, robbing Lilia of a strong ally.
She hadn’t forgotten any of it.
If Rose refused to surrender, all the better.
Not only would Lilia recover her losses, but she’d also devour the Sharp Group entirely.
The two Ancient Formula products would be hers.
Rose, however, simply smiled. She didn’t bother responding to Lilia, instead addressing the room.
“I’m giving you half an hour. If you remain firm, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
With that, she swirled her wine glass and walked a few steps away to enjoy her drink.
Kendal Roy frowned and quickly followed her, lowering his voice.
“Ms. Sharp, what are you doing?”
“I worked so hard to arrange this negotiation, and you’re just throwing it away?”
“I must have misjudged you. I can’t believe I partnered with someone so irrational.”
“Misjudged me?” Rose wasn’t angry. She smiled faintly, her tone tinged with mockery. “Second-in-command, you know exactly why you partnered with me.”
“We’re all businesspeople. Don’t play the righteous man with me.”
Kendal’s lips twitched, caught off guard. He admitted, “I partnered with you because you offered more. I won’t deny that.”
“But for the same reason, I wanted our cooperation to last. Now, with this opportunity for negotiation, you’re throwing it away. Isn’t that a waste of my efforts?”
Rose chuckled coldly. “Oh, such noble intentions! Second-in-command, using my interests to boost your prestige-I’m truly overwhelmed with gratitude.”
Kendal froze, at a loss for words. After a moment, he sighed.
“Ms. Sharp, you’re in the weaker position right now. The fact that I managed to secure this negotiation at all wasn’t easy. There’s a huge disparity in power here. How can you expect fairness?”
Rose’s smile remained, her voice calm but firm.
“Second-in-command, let me be clear. I’m here to announce a final battle, not to negotiate.”
“Save your breath. Even if Layla hadn’t made such outrageous demands, I would still ensure her side faces utter ruin.”
Her voice carried the weight of a decade’s worth of pain.
Because of the alliance between the three families, her mother had died, her father was imprisoned, and her family was torn apart.
Betrayed by those she once trusted, her face scarred, she had spent countless nights crying alone.
Her strong exterior hid a heart on the verge of despair.
Ten years of suffering couldn’t be resolved with a single negotiation.
A drop of hatred deserved a flood of vengeance.
Kendal’s face darkened. His tone turned icy.
“I’ve said all I can. If you insist on marching to your death, don’t blame me for abandoning you.”
“From this moment on, our partnership is over.”
With that, Kendal turned and walked away, anger simmering in his chest.
He had hoped to use this opportunity to bolster his reputation, but Rose had refused to cooperate.
Fine.
If she was doomed anyway, he wouldn’t hesitate to take his share of the spoils.
Kendal decided to invest ten billion in Lilia to help carve up the Sharp Group.
The hall buzzed with chatter and laughter. No one took Rose’s warning seriously.
Nathan stood frozen, utterly baffled.
Madeline, summoning her courage, walked toward him. She bit her lip, her expression shy and hesitant.
“Nathan, hello.”
Nathan blinked, surprised to see Mr. Clark’s ex-wife approaching him. His tone was calm, almost cold.
“Ms. Kaur, what do you need from me?”
His indifference left Madeline stunned.
Wasn’t he supposed to smile when facing the woman he liked?
Ah, she understood now. Because Flynn was nearby, Nathan didn’t dare show his feelings openly.
Madeline smiled slightly, her tone soft.
“Nathan, my mother asked me to thank you.”
She glanced toward Paulina Johnston, who stood a short distance away.
Nathan frowned, following her gaze.
There stood a middle-aged woman with a sallow complexion, smiling at him.
I don’t even know this woman, Nathan thought, confused. Why would she send her daughter to thank me?
“Thank me for what?” he asked, his tone puzzled.
Madeline bit her lip, looking up at him nervously.
“You helped the Kaur family secure three contracts. She wanted me to express her gratitude.”
“Three contracts? What are you talking about?” Nathan was completely lost.
Madeline froze, equally shocked. Could it be that Nathan wasn’t the one who helped?
“Corbin Calder, Charlie Carlson… weren’t they acting under your instructions when they gave the Kaur family those contracts?” she asked, her voice trembling.
Nathan straightened, his gaze sharpening as he studied her.
“You must be mistaken. I don’t even know those people. Why would I instruct them to help your family?”
“Besides, why would I help you at all? I have no reason to.”
What the hell is going on today? Nathan thought.
First, they said I helped Rose. Now, they’re saying I helped Madeline.
With Mr. Clark around, would they even need someone like me to intervene?
“It wasn’t you?” Madeline gasped, her face pale as she stumbled back slightly.
It was as if she’d been struck by lightning.
Paulina Johnston, noticing her daughter’s distress, hurried over with a smile.
“Nathan, didn’t you scold a Jewelry King star for Madeline the other day? And when the Stewart family caused trouble for her, didn’t you step in to resolve it?”
“I know you like Madeline. Otherwise, you wouldn’t keep helping her. You’re just pretending not to admit it because Flynn is here.”
“Don’t worry about him. That useless man’s days are numbered. Even if you confessed your feelings, he wouldn’t dare say a word!”
“Just accept Madeline’s thanks. There’s no need to care about what that loser thinks.”