CHAPTER 178: CHAPTER 178: SO JULIANA JACOBS IS... SHE UNDERSTANDS, COMPLETELY

Juliana was kissed breathless, her body limp, until he let go, and she could lean against him, gasping for air.

She instinctively tightened her arms around his waist to steady herself.

Overhead came Elias Langley’s low chuckle, "What, can’t bear to let go?"

Juliana caught her breath, embarrassed, and punched him lightly in the chest.

"What are you doing in a place like this?"

Elias raised an eyebrow, "You don’t let me kiss you in public or do anything in private. Do we look like a couple?"

That left Juliana speechless.

"Did you visit Jared today?" he asked.

Juliana lowered her eyes, "Not yet."

Elias said, "I found the best neurologist for him. If it can’t be treated, we’ll replace his brain."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a knock on the door.

Juliana quickly pulled away from his embrace.

Elias, uninterested, placed the food box on the desk and called out, "Come in."

Unexpectedly, it was Raine Kane who entered.

Her voice held a hint of excitement, "We have evidence against Isaac Grant. This lab, claiming to develop new energy batteries, is full of hazardous materials. There are also smuggling records, and proof of a master-servant relationship between him and Angus Slade. He’ll at least be sentenced to life imprisonment."

Just as Juliana was about to speak, Quinn Shepherd hurriedly pushed open the door, looking grave.

"Bad news, we just got word. Isaac Grant had a sudden heart attack in detention, didn’t survive the rescue efforts, and died."

In less than a minute, Juliana’s emotions were like a roller coaster, constantly rising and falling.

She exclaimed in disbelief, "A heart attack? I’d believe it if you said he’d starve to death, but a heart attack? Evan Grant never mentioned he had such an ailment."

She was about to take out her phone to call Evan Grant and get an explanation.

However, Elias Langley held her hand.

"It’s useless," he said, voice steady, as if seeing through everything, "In some places, a ’sudden heart attack’ can also be classified as a heart attack."

Everyone instantly understood.

Someone was afraid of being implicated by Isaac Grant and acted first.

"But dying like this is too easy for him."

Juliana’s tone was filled with reluctance and resentment.

Elias enveloped her cool hand in the warmth of his palm.

"Death is the best punishment for Isaac Grant. And those behind him, as long as they remain greedy, will continue to stretch their hands further. It’s only a matter of time before they stumble, just a different way of courting death."

Juliana found some comfort in his words.

...

It’s said that after Isaac Grant’s death, Evan Grant did not show up to claim his body. In the end, Old Mrs. Grant arranged for someone to handle the aftermath.

Cryovault Titanium, controlled by Evan Grant, is far more powerful than Cortexa. But unlike Cortexa, Cryovault Titanium is solely owned by him. The Grant Family’s collateral relatives and even Old Mr. Grant’s old followers can no longer benefit from it in the slightest.

"Evan Grant purchased a nursing home for his grandmother to enjoy her twilight years. I think it’s part of his plan, removing any future concerns so he can fully focus on his rivalry with Elias Langley," said Summer Shaw.

She learned all these inner workings of the Grant Family from Caleb Shaw.

"You need to be careful, Juliana."

These days, Juliana spent her days visiting Jared at the hospital and her remaining time busy in the lab, while in the evenings, she would have dates with Elias Langley at her little apartment.

Except for Jared always wanting her to "move back" to the Langley Residence, life was relatively peaceful.

After listening quietly to Summer Shaw, she remained mostly unaffected.

"Healthy competition isn’t a bad thing. Regardless of why he signed the strategic agreement with Aetherflame, now that Aetherflame has Elias Langley’s protection, he would have to think twice before causing trouble for personal reasons."

Summer Shaw looked at her and smiled.

"Aetherflame is like our child. In times of crisis, you always desperately protect it. That I’ve never worried about. As long as you and Evan Grant don’t rekindle, I can rest easy."

Suddenly remembering something, she continued, "The new factory site has been decided. Tomorrow I’m going to do an on-site assessment with Ms. Thorne, you should come too."

As her words fell, Juliana’s eyelid twitched.

"What’s wrong?" Summer Shaw saw her uncomfortable expression and asked.

"Nothing, can I skip it?" Juliana asked.

Summer Shaw laughed, "You’re a shareholder of Aetherflame, try not to miss important company matters. Otherwise, if one day I fall sick..."

"Nonsense! Take it back!" Juliana interrupted her.

Summer Shaw laughed, correcting herself, "When one day I want to take a leave for romance, you’ll have to hold down the fort at the company for me."

Juliana sighed with relief, glanced at her, "Our division of labor is clear, technical matters fall to me while management and external affairs are yours. It’s great this way, no need for change."

Though she said that, the next day Juliana still accompanied Summer Shaw.

Upon arriving at the destination, she finally understood why her eyelid had been twitching.

The new factory location was not far from where last time, Stella Windsor had hired someone to pretend as a taxi driver and take her to be fed to the wild dogs.

The person showing them the factory explained, "This factory has been closed for several years now and is currently one of the best-preserved in terms of environment and facilities among the several nearby abandoned factories. Though this area has been desolate for a long time, it’s now designated as a key development zone, with future plans to build enterprise factories all around."

Luna Thorne glanced at Juliana and asked, "Does Director Jacobs have any insights about this area’s development?"

Juliana could tell she was hinting for her to inquire with Elias Langley.

She smiled lightly, "Ms. Thorne should trust her own judgment."

Luna Thorne gave a mechanical smile, sensing hostility, and wisely refrained from provoking further, instead chatting with Summer Shaw.

Reaching a corner, Summer Shaw considered for a moment and suggested to Juliana and Luna Thorne, "It’s too large here to see everything at once. How about we split into three groups? Juliana, you check out the experimental functionality area, Ms. Thorne, you examine the spatial layout and load-bearing structure of Plant 1, and I’ll check the second floor to see if the lifting outlets suit modifications. Let’s regroup in ten minutes, shall we?"

Luna Thorne had no objections, but she took the "guide" along to accompany her.

"Summer, there are many wild dogs over there, be cautious," Juliana advised.

The guide, having taken a few steps with Luna Thorne, quickly turned back upon hearing this and assured, "Rest assured, that area’s dangerous creatures have been cleared as per a top directive. Even the leadership didn’t dare neglect."

Juliana was surprised.

It must have been Elias Langley’s doing.

Summer Shaw laughed, "Don’t worry, see you in ten minutes."

Juliana walked towards the experimental area, growing more anxious with each step.

A foreboding sense of something ominous looming overhead entangled her, prompting her decisively to stop moving forward and return to find Summer Shaw.

Meanwhile, Summer Shaw had already reached the second floor.

In the corridor stood a man.

"Hello, may I know who you are..."

The man, dressed in a tight-fitting leather jacket, turned around with sunglasses covering his face.

"Are you Summer Shaw?" he asked.

Summer Shaw barely nodded when he was suddenly in front of her.

Before she could speak, a dagger was already plunged into her heart.

Summer Shaw shuddered, yet unusually composed, softly asked, "Why?"

The man chuckled, "Because you carry blood that shouldn’t flow."

Seeing her confusion, he coldly added, "I don’t kill the confused. A DNA test was conducted on you, identifying your biological parents, but you shouldn’t have been born into their family, understood?"

Summer Shaw suddenly recalled how Isabelle Sinclair had touched her hairpin at the gala, only to find the hair gone.

Unbeknownst to that woman, however, she and Juliana had swapped hairpins that day.

So Juliana was...she understood, completely understood it now.

Seeing her expression of sudden realization, the man assumed she had discovered her identity and pushed her down the stairs.

Just as Juliana arrived at the foot of the stairs...