The assistant looked at Laurel Quinn with aplex expression. "But he''ll never know about any of this."


    Laurel''s voice was rational and calm. "I never intended for him to know. From the day I made my choice, I knew it would never be possible between us. But for me, whether we can be together isn''t important. L, don''t forget, we were not only husband and wife, but also partners who fought side by side. I want him to have a good life."


    L sighed. "You''re just too rational. Otherwise... you and he might still have had a chance."


    But then again, if Laurel Quinn weren''t so rational and clear-headed, she would never have been able to secure her position as the head of the family. She was the first and only female head in the history of the Quinn family.


    "Life can''t always be perfect," Laurel said.


    L felt a sense of injustice for her. "You consider Joshua in everything you do, yet Harold still treats you with that attitude."


    Laurel didn''t seem to mind. "Loyalty is a good thing."


    "Jake isn''t as clueless as he is," L said.


    Laurel looked at the indignant L and, for once, borated.


    "L,pared to Jake, I actually prefer Harold. At least his dislike for me is written


    all over his face, and he never initiates contact. But Jake is different. He won''t contact me unless he needs something. He only reaches out when he needs my help."


    At this, a faint smile touched Laurel''s lips.


    "He''s actually smarter and more pragmatic than Harold, and he has a better grasp of people. Dr. Chase may be an old acquaintance of mine, but he ispletely loyal to Joshua. Don''t be fooled by Jake asking me for treatment ns every day, praising me as the world''s greatest doctor, and trying to get on my good side with all that ttery. After I send the n, their team will definitely study and discuss it. They would never just use it without question. Do you think they would risk their boss''s safety based on my word alone? It''s not like Joshua hires idiots."


    It dawned on L. "So, Jake is just trying to use you, Ms. Quinn?"


    "That''s part of it, but not entirely," Laurel said. After all, I can certainly create more value and benefits for Joshua than Ste can. It''s like.


    choosing a husband. Would


    rather choose someone with


    potential or someone who is already sessful? think most people would choose thetter. After all, one is a proven sess, while the


    other''s potential is still an unknown."


    "I see," L said. "It''s true... when men get pragmatic, women don''t even stand a


    chance. In that case, Harold is the more sentimental one."


    "The people who stay by Joshua''s side have all been carefully selected," Laurel exined. "Being too sentimental isn''t good, but being too pragmatic isn''t good either Harold''s sentimentality is a virtue,


    by mot flexible enough. He


    would rather let his boss die from his illness thane to me for help, and that''s not a good thing. Nothing is more important than being alive. When you''re dead, you truly have nothing."


    Laurel was always rational and rarely confided in others. Today, she had spoken


    more than she had on any single asion since bing head of the family.


    She said to L, "I can''t trust anyone else with this. You handle it personally. I have to go study the treatment n."


    "Of course, Ms. Quinn." L took her leave.