CHAPTER 124: CHAPTER 124: WATCHING HIM STRUGGLE, WATCHING HIM HEARTBROKEN

Juliana hung up his call and walked up by herself.

Her ankle was still swollen; although she climbed the stairs slowly, she didn’t keep him waiting long.

Elias placed a washed teacup in front of her and washed one for himself.

"Are you following me?" Juliana asked warily.

Elias raised his brows without looking up, "I’m not so bored that I’d need to track your daily life for amusement."

"Then you..."

"I just went to the restroom and happened to see you when I came back."

It might be a coincidence, Juliana relaxed.

The waiter brought the dishes, and Elias pushed a tube of ointment in front of her.

"Responsible to the end."

Juliana picked up the ointment and looked at it; it was for promoting blood circulation and removing bruises.

She immediately flared up.

"You bring this thing to an ’accidental’ meeting with me? You are stalking me!"

Elias calmly nodded, "Between the fate of meeting you by chance and purposefully following you, I’d prefer to believe it’s the fate of the latter."

Juliana, "..."

Elias didn’t look at her dumbfounded expression and pushed a serving of tofu in peanut sauce in front of her, his eyes calm, "I don’t know if you like spicy food, so I ordered two types of dips. There’s also a signature dish here called stir-fried pork with tea tree mushrooms, it’s quite good as well..."

Juliana didn’t want to eat; she felt like she’d eaten her fill of anger.

In the private room next door.

Yvonne stormed in angrily.

Quentin and his wife had already ordered the dishes.

Seeing her, Quentin pulled out the chair next to him and said, "Weren’t you busy? Why did you suddenly want to come?"

Yvonne stomped her foot in anger, "He ignores me and won’t let me go to the hospital."

Mrs. Quinn asked, "Is it because he’s dissatisfied that your father didn’t give him the person he wanted?"

"We can’t give him," Quentin said, "Unless he marries our little Yvonne, we can’t let Ryan help him either."

Mrs. Quinn was still somewhat disapproving of their decision.

"He’s already been demoted and might soon be kicked out of the company, and you’re still banking on him?"

Quentin looked at her like she was crazy, "Do you know how much the Grant Family is worth? In Kenton, the Grants are second on the rich list, who’s bold enough to claim first? As the saying goes, a camel dying of hunger is still bigger than a horse. Has your brain rusted?"

Mrs. Quinn realized at his words.

She patted her daughter’s hand, "Men, you need to be a bit more forward and act pampered, and soon he’ll be unable to resist. Then, he’ll hand over all the Grant family’s money to us. When I go out, I want 8 maids, 20 bodyguards, and a new Hermes bag every day, 365 days without repeating."

Yvonne withdrew her hand, "You think Evan Grant is that easy to handle?"

Quentin thought for a while, "Juliana’s neither cold nor warm towards him, I don’t think there’s much left between them. But his half-sister isn’t simple; rumors say they’ve slept together. Is it because of that woman..."

Yvonne snapped the porcelain chopsticks in her hand with a "snap."

"Stella Windsor doesn’t deserve to be my stumbling block."

After a while, she went to the restroom.

Just as Juliana came out after washing her hands.

The two met at the corner.

Yvonne stared at her for two seconds, then said, "Even though you called me over, I don’t feel at all grateful to you."

Juliana casually threw the paper towel in the trash.

"I don’t need your gratitude because you didn’t handle things well, making a mess. I had too high expectations of Miss Quinn; you’ve really disappointed me."

"What are you saying!" Yvonne was a bit angry.

Juliana chuckled scornfully, "Isn’t it true? I delivered the person to you, and you still couldn’t manage, I admit I overestimated you this time. Next time, I’ll find someone more competent and surely they’ll be able to win him over."

Yvonne should’ve been furious, but she suddenly became calm and assessed her.

"Do you... truly not want to be with Evan Grant anymore? He’s so wealthy; many women are desperate to become his wife, you’re willing to give up?"

Juliana laughed mockingly, "It’s impossible to explain to someone with your IQ, now move."

Yvonne didn’t budge, forcing herself to say, "Actually, your husband isn’t completely uninterested in me. When we were together, he touched me — every place he should touch. If he hadn’t been hospitalized, we might’ve slept together already."

Juliana looked at Yvonne and realized she really wasn’t suitable as a chess piece, but could still be used as a tool.

So she nonchalantly said, "Then I wish you success in climbing the ladder soon, my friend is still waiting for me, excuse me."

Returning to the private room, Juliana saw Elias had just finished a phone call.

"Still eating?" he asked.

Juliana pondered, "Do you have time to come to the signing ceremony for Aetherflame’s new energy truck battery?"

Elias raised an eyebrow, "Do you hate me, yet want me to come—are all women so contradictory?"

Juliana closed her eyes, suppressing her urge to argue.

"Forget I mentioned it. Thanks for the ointment, this meal’s on me."

Thus, we owe each other nothing, and won’t even need to see each other again.

As she finished speaking, she turned and left without hesitation.

Elias took a step outside, just as Quentin stepped out of the private room.

Seeing him, Quentin smiled ingratiatingly, "Mr. Langley, it must be fate."

Elias, "..."

After a while, Quinn Shepherd picked Elias up.

He asked with concern, "You’ve eaten together, so there shouldn’t be any barriers, right? Did Miss Jacobs give you the hair?"

Elias pursed his lips, not speaking.

Quinn understood, anxiously suggesting, "How about we just kidnap her and take her blood directly?"

Elias, "How long have you been with me?"

Quinn seriously calculated, "Ten years and three months."

Elias, "It’s been ten years and you still have that bandit air? Grabbing hair right away is something street thugs do—in what we do, We must be civilized."

Quinn learned his lesson and nodded.

"By the way, the M&A case with Apex Corp, their chairman changed his mind again. That old guy’s really cunning, trying to have his cake and eat it too."

Elias gave him a faint glance, "Then arrange for someone to take him out for a drink and let him learn the consequences of being greedy."

Quinn was taken aback, "Boss, we must be civilized."

Elias frowned, "I’m teaching you business tactics, and you’re talking to me about civility?"

Quinn, "..."

Two days later.

Aetherflame Dynamics’ signing ceremony for their new energy truck battery project was held in The Apex Hotel’s conference hall.

Even Evan Grant received an invitation.

After careful consideration, Juliana and Summer Shaw decided to partner with Cryovault Titanium.

This meant that unless Ryan Donovan had a product that could surpass Aetherflame, his dominance in Cortexa’s heavy truck business was entirely defeated.

Evan Grant could almost envision the curve of her lips as the woman handed him the invitation card.

She wanted to see him embarrassed, to see him heartbroken.

But if that made her feel good, then he would go.

Cryovault Titanium attached great importance to this signing ceremony; the Tahoe District president attended in person.

Summer Shaw stepped onto the stage in a sharp business suit and sincerely shook hands with the opposite president.

Behind her were Juliana and several company executives.

From a continually losing, unknown small company, to now officially standing on a stage attracting industry attention.

Aetherflame finally stepped into everyone’s view.

Summer Shaw raised her champagne glass, her eyes glistening with tears.

Juliana placed her hand on her shoulder, letting her lean against her.

It felt as if to say, no matter how big the storm, as long as I’m here, as long as we face it together, we can get through it.

Evan Grant looked much better today; he sat in the audience, looking up at Juliana.

She had once done the same thing and said these very words during his toughest times.

How did the two of them end up like this in just four short years?

While feeling sentimental, Stella Windsor bent down and approached him from behind.

"Brother, the next event is the celebration banquet. The doctor said you shouldn’t drink, so since the signing ceremony is over, why not leave now?"

Evan Grant nodded.

Just as he stood up, Stella instinctively reached out to support him.

At this moment, Juliana’s voice came from behind them, "Vice President Grant, Mrs. Grant, are you leaving already?"