"Elias Langley..."
Juliana Jacobs smiled enchantingly and alluringly.
"In this world, no one is indispensable. You have your ’lifesaver,’ and I naturally have my ’confidant ally’! Let’s play our own games, not interfere with each other, and life will improve!"
"Juliana!"
Elias Langley shouted, the veins on his arm bulging, but despite his anger, he couldn’t bring himself to raise his fist.
"Why are you yelling at me? If it’s unbearable, just divorce. I won’t hinder you from becoming the Paxton Family’s illustrious son-in-law and wish you a speedy ascension to success."
Seeing as she had made her point, Juliana decided to step back, knowing he was at the brink, and provoking him further might truly be dangerous. So she threw those words at him, shot him a fierce glare, and hurried toward the side room.
Finally, she slammed the door shut with a bang.
Elias Langley was full of anger, his chest swelling with pain.
In a fit of rage... in a fit of rage... he picked up two fallen oranges from the floor and headed to the study.
Juliana returned to the master bedroom, relaxing against the door with a sigh of relief.
Her pregnancy couldn’t be hidden for long.
The current pregnancy symptoms could be concealed, but in three months, when it started showing, there would be no way to hide it.
She had to take a risky move, hoping everything would develop as she directed.
Meanwhile, in the study.
Iris Paxton entered with a glass of milk.
Elias Langley was leaning his head on one hand, deep in thought.
"Elias," her voice was soft, "does your head hurt? The doctor said if it’s truly unbearable, you can inject another dose..."
"Why are you here?"
Elias Langley lowered his hand, looking at her displeased, his eyebrows knitted into the shape of a river.
Iris Paxton lowered her head, speaking somewhat fearfully, "I was worried about you."
This time, Elias didn’t lash out at her, just told her to leave the thing and go out.
Iris placed the milk in front of him, turned to leave, then suddenly turned back and grabbed his hand.
"Elias," she half-knelt before him, her eyes full of earnestness, "if you’re worried that Evan Grant’s appearance will destabilize your position, I’ll help you."
Although this issue wasn’t what Elias was troubled about initially, hearing her say this, his gaze gradually grew intense.
"How will you help?"
Seeing that she had guessed right, Iris quickly said, "I don’t expect any reward for saving you, but the month we spent at The Zenthian Sea was the happiest time of my life; you are the light of my life. Whether or not you give me a status, I’ll clear all obstacles for you; just wait for my good news."
After saying this, she let go of Elias Langley’s hand ’nobly and righteously’ and left the study without looking back.
As she walked, her arms trembled slightly with excitement.
At last, she had found the chance to play the game of desire without asking for anything.
Although she never mentioned the idea of asking him to divorce and marry her, everything about her words, actions, and demeanor suggested that Juliana wasn’t as good as her.
On one side was a wife tangled ambiguously with an ex-husband, making him wear a green hat; on the other was a devoted confidante giving selflessly without seeking anything.
She couldn’t believe Elias Langley would still choose Juliana under the balance of reason and sentiment.
Furthermore, with his past memories gone, he had no emotional foundation with Juliana; if she succeeded this time, her chances of winning would be eighty percent.
After she left, Elias Langley’s gaze shifted from the tightly closed study door, pushing the glass of milk away.
The two small oranges in his other hand were already warmed from being squeezed.
He picked one up, peeled it, and stuffed it into his mouth.
After just one bite, his handsome face’s features wrinkled into a knot, and he almost twisted himself to death on the spot.
He quickly spat it out.
Something this sour, is it even edible?
The next morning, Iris Paxton left the house.
Juliana, of late, had been sleeping a lot, getting up late.
Elias Langley’s sick leave wasn’t over, so he stayed at home; Zachary York delivered daily work summaries for him to keep track of various important affairs.
Though the two were under the same roof, the air seemed filled with an invisible barrier.
Juliana answered a phone call and was about to go to The Innovation Hub when a commotion came from outside the courtyard.
It turned out that Victor Langley had been discharged from the hospital.
With a heavy plaster on his calf, Victor Langley was wheeled in.
Seeing Juliana, his expression was quite unfriendly, followed by Rosalind Linton and his two sons, Jared and Adrian Langley.
"Juliana!" Victor Langley’s voice was loud, erupting with fury from ten meters away, "What right do you have to treat Iris Paxton like a servant? Who gave you the nerve to mistreat her!"
Juliana was wondering what had provoked Chairman Langley again when Adrian rushed over to her, saying, "The company called, saying our biggest investment project in Kingsford was rejected, and it’s Dylan Paxton’s doing. Father thinks it’s a warning for him."
So that’s it.
Juliana slowly walked from the hall to the porch, calmly responding to Victor Langley’s words.
"Elder brother is truly filial, treating Old Mr. Paxton like his real grandfather, and Iris as his real mother."
"You!" Victor Langley was choked by her words, his face turning red, pointing at her, "A parentless, uneducated orphan! Today, as the head of the Langley Family, I’ll teach you some manners!"
With that, he shouted to the bodyguards he brought, "Tie her up for me!"
A bodyguard quickly approached, about to touch Juliana’s sleeve.
The next second, the whole person flew out, hitting the porch pillar, clutching his stomach as he curled up on the ground.
Elias Langley moved so fast; no one even saw how he acted.
He stood in front of Juliana, leisurely moving his wrist, then looked up at Victor Langley.
"She’s an orphan, so what am I?"
Victor Langley, provoked by the coldness in his eyes, became even angrier, "Stand aside; you’re not thinking straight, so I’m not bothering with you. Just know this, everything I’m doing today is for your own good."
Then, turning his gaze back to Juliana, "Can’t the bodyguards deal with you? I’ll handle you myself!"
He swung the metal cane beside his wheelchair, intending to strike Juliana.
"Dad!" Jared Langley, quick-eyed and quick-handed, grabbed the arm with the cane.
Adrian Langley took a step forward, directly standing in front of Juliana.
Elias Langley’s gaze fell on his two nephews shielding his wife, a flicker of darkness passing through his eyes.
Ignoring them, he focused on Victor Langley’s plastered leg resting on the wheelchair pedal.
No one saw exactly what he did.
Only a seemingly casual tap of his toes on the wheelchair pedal’s edge was noticeable.
Then, a distinct crack sounded.
Victor Langley immediately screamed, his entire face turning pale.
The plaster on his leg cracked open noticeably on the side.
"You... you..."