Jessica stood quietly at the edge of the banquet hall, watching everything unfold with an expression of complete disbelief. From the moment Marcus revealed the five-million-dollar painting, to the appearance of Artist Kyodshi, and finally to Rain's arrest and Mr. Zed transferring his support to Julia, every event felt like a heavy blow to her heart. Jealousy burned fiercely inside her chest. She couldn't understand where Marcus had gotten so much money. Five million dollars wasn't an amount an ordinary person could casually spend on a birthday gift. More importantly, she couldn't understand why Julia always seemed to benefit whenever Marcus was around. It was as if fortune itself followed them everywhere they went. Looking around the hall, she saw countless business executives and wealthy investors surrounding Julia, eagerly introducing themselves and offering congratulations. The very people who had barely acknowledged Julia earlier were now trying to build connections with h

Marcus stared at Jessica, his mind reeling as the dizziness intensified. "What have you done?" he demanded, his voice thick and unsteady, the words slurring slightly at the edges. Jessica smirked, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction as she held him close, her body pressed firmly against his. "What needed to be done," she whispered, her breath hot against his ear. "Maybe after this, you can change your mind." The realization hit him like a punch—the wine. She had drugged it. And from the way his body was burning, the overwhelming heat flooding his veins and the uncontrollable stiffness straining against his pants, she had put in a very large quantity. He decided to use his bracelet power to surpress it, but surprisingly, it wasn't working. Jessica didn't waste another second. She rose on her toes and kissed him instantly, her lips soft and insistent in a very romantic way—deep. Her tongue traced his lower lip before slipping inside, coaxing his mouth open with tender insistence

Meanwhile, inside the Alfred family mansion, the atmosphere was suffocating. Mr. Alfred stood in the study with his phone pressed tightly against his ear. "Please... don't do this," he pleaded desperately. "We can still work something out. Give us a little more time. We can negotiate." The person on the other end didn't respond. The call was abruptly disconnected. Beep. Mr. Alfred stared at the screen for a moment before his face twisted with rage. "Fuck!" He hurled the phone onto the marble floor. Crash! The device shattered into pieces, sending fragments flying across the room. Everyone present flinched. Not a single person dared to speak. Mr. Alfred's chest rose and fell violently as he pointed angrily at the broken phone. "Mr. Eric!" he roared. "Our last major shareholder has pulled out too!" Silence filled the room. He laughed bitterly before slamming his fist onto the table. "Do you know what that means? We have nothing left! Alfred Enterprises is nothi

Outside the massive mansion, the entire Alfred family stood quietly, staring at the enormous estate in disbelief. The luxurious building, the perfectly maintained gardens, and the security system surrounding the property were far beyond anything they had imagined. Even Steve, couldn't hide his shock. "So... Julia owns this place?" he muttered in disbelief. Nobody answered him. Everyone was too focused on the reality in front of them. The person they had once looked down on, the person they had treated as though she was nothing, was now living in a place that even the entire Alfred family couldn't compare to. A few moments later, the large entrance door finally opened. Julia stepped out with Marcus beside her. The moment Mr. and Mrs. Alfred saw her, their expressions immediately changed into forced smiles. "Oh, Julia," Mrs. Alfred called out warmly. "Long time no see." Mr. Alfred also smiled and nodded. "Yes, it has been a while." Julia's expression remained completely cold.

The following day, Julia officially took over the Alfred Group. Although she held the title of CEO, everyone inside the company understood the truth. From that day onward, the company belonged to her. The Alfred family had no choice but to hand over complete control, while receiving only the agreed percentage of the profits. The change was almost immediate. Projects that had been abandoned for months suddenly resumed. Several business partners who had previously cut ties with the company unexpectedly returned. Even more surprising, investors who had shown no interest before now began competing to invest in the company. The Alfred family watched everything unfold with disbelief, wondering how Julia had managed to turn the situation around overnight. Even Julia herself found it strange. She had expected resistance, negotiations, and months of rebuilding before the company could regain its footing. Instead, doors that should have remained shut were opening one after another. It almost