?Chapter 1041:


    Not only did Evelyn fail to secure the fifty-billion-dor deal, but she also got scolded by Jeffry, leaving the study in disgrace.


    Once she stepped out of the study, Evelyn caught sight of Elena standing on the stairs. Her boiling anger desperately needing an outlet, she decided tosh out at Elena. With a re, she snapped, “You areughing at me, aren’t you? Don’t get too pleased with yourself. You’ll get married one day, and with your attitude, your husband’s family will only look down on you.”


    Elena’sposure didn’t falter. “Spout nonsense as you please.”


    Evelyn felt her frustration mounting, like she was smashing against an invisible wall. What was with the expression on that hick Elena’s face? Was it scorn and disdain?


    Days ago, Evelyn had urged Jolie to marry Elena off while Elena was still young, clinging to the hope that maybe Elena would secure a decent match. But Jolie hadn’t given her advice a second thought.


    In Evelyn’s eyes, the whole Harper n seemed hopeless. They acted like that rude Elena, raised in that backwater town, was some kind of priceless treasure.


    Her elite upbringing and remarkable education had once made her confident she would be the Harper family’s gem after she joined them through marriage. However, the reality couldn’t have been more different from her expectations. She’d bitterly found herself constantly eclipsed by Elena. It grated on her, drove her mad, and filled her with envy. If only Elena would just disappear.


    Falling short of convincing Jeffry of that massive deal left Evelynpletely stranded. She racked her brain for a way to face her father, feeling the pressure mount with every second. Out of sheer desperation, she dialed Ste’s number, only to be met with silence—her friend was unreachable.


    Meanwhile, Ste stormed back home. Ethan’s cold dismissal still burned, and with vengeance on her mind, she was dead set on getting her father to handle him.


    Life had always bent to Ste’s will. As Liam’s only daughter, she had grown up spoiled, used to everyone in the—no matter their status—treating her with deference. Yet Ethan, the one man who should have at least been polite to her for her father’s sake, had shown her not even a shred of respect. That humiliation ate at her. Without wasting a moment, she stormed into her father’s study. “Dad, someone dared to treat me badly. Are you really going to let them get away with it?”


    Liam doted on Ste and hated seeing her upset. “Who would be so bold as to mess with my daughter? They’re going to regret it,” he said, eyes narrowing.


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    “It was Ethan Morrison,” Ste blurted out, her voice rising. “He’s the Director of the National Security Bureau. He had his guards throw me out! I want you to get him fired! I want to see if he’ll still act so high and mighty by then!”


    When Ethan’s name came up, Liam’s face lost its light and his features turned grim. He stared at Ste, voice low and serious. “You can pick fights with anyone in the—except him. His father is the favorite to win the next presidency. We’re not touching the Morrison family, no matter what.”


    “So? We’re just going to let it go?” Ste refused to back down.


    Liam’s tone softened, yet the warning remained. “I’ve always let you have your way, Ste. But this time, you must trust me. We cannot afford to provoke the Morrison family. Do you understand?”


    Reluctance twisted Ste’s mouth into a pout, but eventually, she gave a small nod. “Fine. I get it.”


    Liam noticed her sulking and tried to coax a smile from her. “Don’t pout, sweetheart. Didn’t you say you liked Wesley? How about I talk to him and see if he’ll propose to you soon?”


    “Are you serious?” Ste asked, studying her father’s face for any hint of a joke. Winning Wesley’s heart had never been easy. No matter what she tried, he remained distant, unmoved. That constant rejection eventually wore her down, turning her longing into quiet frustration.


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