Adam remained silent at first — his jaw tightened, a spark of disbelief creeping into his normally composed demeanor. His hands, crossed in front of him, pressed together just a little tighter, knuckles growing white beneath his tailored black gloves.Ava pressed her lips together, trying to keep her voice from faltering under the pressure. “Grandmother… please… tell me… Why?”Her words fell into a piercing silence. The room seemed to tremble under the weight of her question — all eyes darted back and forth between Ava and Christie.Ava pressed on, her confidence faltering just a bit but not entirely gone. “LangTech isn’t going bankrupt… we’re going through a tough quarter, sure, but we’re far from finished. Furthermore… my father… my father built LangTech with his own two hands… without the Langston’s wealth… without anyone else's help.”Christie remained icy and immovable, piercing Ava with a piercing stare. “Your father… is a Langston… whether you wish it or not.”Ava fell silent.

Carson crossed his arms smugly. “See, Ava… I told you. Langtech was barely qualified to make a bid after that 10 million investment we scraped together. Did you really think you could compete in a battle of scale and resources?”He let out a short, icy laugh. “Or do you think you can use your body again… now that the Dragon Group has a new chairman?”Ava tightened her grip on her portfolio, knuckles turning white beneath her neatly polished nails. “Watch your mouth, Carson.”She was about to say more when a clear voice cut through their rivalry.“Hello everyone.”It was Secretary Chen. She walked up to the stage gracefully, exuding confidence in a tailored black suit.“I’m Chen Priscilla, secretary to the chairman of the Dragon Group.”Carson fell silent immediately. His jaw nearly fell to the floor as he whispered under his breath, “What the heck… the new chairman has such a beautiful woman as his secretary? He really knows how to enjoy life.”A few men nodded in agreement; some whis

Langston Mansion was filled with laughter and clinking glasses. The grand hall, adorned with crystal chandeliers and gold-plated accents, buzzed with celebration. Carson stood at the center, basking in attention like a sun soaking in praise. “Wow! Congratulations, Carson!” “You really pulled it off!” “He’s incredible. The Dragon Group deal? That’s legendary!” "You've won the tender… that means Langtech will officially be yours now!" Christie beamed, her voice almost trembling with pride as she gently took the sleek contract file from Carson’s hands. “Haha, Grandma! Here it is—see for yourself.” Carson puffed out his chest, his voice loud and proud, like a knight returning from battle. He handed her the document with a flourish, soaking in the applause. Christie, draped in her finest emerald silk gown, looked up at him with teary eyes. “Yes, yes… I’m so proud of you. As expected of my amazing grandson. Our Langston Family Group finally has someone worthy of carrying our na

“I refuse to hand over my company!” Ava’s voice rang through the grand Langston mansion like a thunderclap.The room fell silent for a moment, the tension stretching like a drawn bowstring. Christie’s gaze turned cold, her eyes narrowing as she slowly raised her hand and pointed at Ava, trembling with indignation."How dare you!"Ava however spoke back pointing back at her. “You have no right to speak to me that way,” she said, voice laced with venom. “You're not even a real Langston by blood.”Christie stabbed her finger toward herself. “I married into this family, bore its name, defended its legacy, and I’ll be laid to rest in the Langston ancestral hall. What about you, Ava?”Christie’s voice climbed with each word, her fury palpable. “You're a woman. One day you'll marry, take another man’s name, and birth children who don't even belong to this family. You think you can lead us?”“I don’t care what you say!” Ava shouted, stepping forward, fire burning in her eyes. “Langtech was my

Adam stood by the grand window of the Langston Mansion’s sitting room, arms folded, eyes focused on the blackening sky beyond the glass. Something felt off. The way Albert spoke. The tone of Stanley’s so-called "interest." The deal itself. Fifty million? Overnight? With Ava having no active control of Langtech? It didn’t make sense. Adam’s senses had long surpassed those of an ordinary man. His hearing, his instincts—razor-sharp. And from the moment that call ended, something inside him stirred. Like blood before a storm. He turned slowly, watching Ava as she applied light makeup before the hallway mirror. Her hands trembled slightly, though her face was composed. “Miss Ava,” he said at last, his voice calm but direct. “You’re not so naïve to believe someone would hand over that kind of partnership… to someone stripped of any real power. Are you?” She froze. The room was quiet for a beat too long. Then, without turning around, Ava snapped, “Just shut up and get the car read