Jonathan was starting to learn that running a company wasn't a piece of cake. When Jacob was the
one who managed it, he made it look extremely easy.
Therefore, to an onlooker, an illusion of ease was shown. Jonathan had assumed anyone could do it.
However, the reality was rather complex. In this short period of time, Jonathan had learned that running
a company wasn't easy nor was making money out of it.
Now that he was actually in Jacob's position, it dawned on him that he wasn't as capable as he had
thought. This realization made him feel vulnerable. He chose to ignore Alice when he saw her.
He couldn't bear to tell her about it. If he did, he was certain she would laugh at his incompetence.
Jonathan was already going through a lot. The last thing he wanted was to get mocked!
In spite of all this, Jonathan was eager to prove he was better than Jacob. He wouldn't give up just yet.
When all the elite employees proposed to resign, Jonathan agreed unhesitatingly. He did this in order
to save his face.
After all, there was no point in forcing anyone to stay. If they wished to leave, they were free to do so.
Then, he hired a set of new employees, offering them the same amount of money he had given to his
previous employees.
To his utter disappointment, these newcomers weren't very competent. Every time Jonathan was
around them, he couldn't help but think they weren't suitable for the job.
Deep down, he knew that was the case with himself as well. He wasn't fit for the position of CEO.
This thought was what stopped him from finding too many faults with the newcomers. He told himself
with time they would get better.
One after another, the company's orders began to go wrong. And a big problem presented itself before
Jonathan. A foreign technical factory that had previously cooperated with the company decided to bail
on them.
They refused to provide new technology to the Shi Group and also stopped updating the company's
equipment. All this led him to become restless.
He couldn't help but think Jacob had a hand in this. However, there was something that bothered him.
He wondered how Jacob had managed to do such a thing. He let himself forget about Jacob. After all,
he had to deal with the predicament.
Before Jonathan stepped in to become the CEO, almost everyone had noticed he was envious of
Jacob. Jonathan often cursed Jacob for having a smooth life.
He had thought life as a CEO would be a wonderful one. But now that he had gotten what he wanted,
he couldn't even get a good night's sleep.
The first thing he did when he arrived home was flash Alice a sullen look. Then he entered his room
and shut the door. This didn't make Alice angry. If anything, this was what she wanted.
She wanted that man as far away from her as possible. There were occasions when Jonathan would
inform Alice about the company's situation.
When he married her, he knew full well she didn't love him. It was a marriage based on opportunities.
Alice could be used as a pawn to further damage Jacob's life.
Jonathan, in short, didn't love her either. Alice, on the other hand, wouldn't dare to contact Jacob again.
All these years, she had been an equal. She could talk to Jacob with dignity.
But after getting married to Jonathan, Alice felt like an inferior. The humiliation often lingered around
her. She couldn't understand why she felt this way. Perhaps, she was realizing she had been willful and
thoughtless.
A while ago, she had blamed Jacob for everything that had gone wrong in her life.
But now, it dawned on her she was the one who brought this doom to herself. Alice thought she
deserved to suffer.
Every now and then she wondered what Jacob would think of her.
After everything that had happened, she couldn't muster up the courage to contact him again. She also
knew he didn't owe her anything.
As for Jonathan, if he troubled her too much, she would be happy to teach him a lesson. She had no
mercy for him.
One day, Jonathan returned from work. He had a poker face, Alice couldn't read his expression. After
one glance, she ignored him and continued watching the TV.
Her life wasn't too bad. When Jonathan wasn't around, she would delude herself into thinking
everything was fine.
But now, he came and sat next to her. Instinctively, she moved aside. Her reaction angered him.
He had had a bad day at work. In fact, all his days were bad. He wanted to vent his anger on someone.
Looking at Alice, he was instantly reminded of Jacob. He gritted his teeth in silent fury.
Everything was Jacob's fault. If it weren't for him, the Shi Group wouldn't have gotten into trouble.
He was hell-bent on revenge! As his thoughts went to that path, he wondered if getting him married to
Alice was yet another trap! 'What if she is here to spy?' he thought.
Jonathan was now spluttering with indignation. This woman, living at his house, was Jacob's
accomplice!
Jonathan fixed Alice with an icy glare. She knew something was wrong. She sensed the danger coming
towards her. She was overcome by an urge to stand and run away. However, Jonathan had pounced
on her and clamped her chin with his hand.
She let out a cry of pain. Jonathan didn't let her go. However, he felt a little uncomfortable when he
noticed the pained look on her face.
"Tell me, what do you think of me now? Did you tell Jacob I am nothing but a mess? Listen to me, I
haven't lost yet! This isn't over!"
he roared, gnashing his teeth and glaring at Alice. She shook her head, denying his accusations.
A sharp pain shot through her chin. It was unbearable! She was certain this beast was going to break
her chin. But her fear had disappeared. She looked at him with her unyielding eyes.
At this moment, she looked cold and strong. It had finally come to her that Jonathan was more pathetic
than she was.
It took a long time but most people would eventually understand the fault was in them. Jonathan,
however, still lived with arrogance and stupidity.
He was a man with flaws. Instead of accepting his weakness, he would pounce on people when they
pointed it out.
Alice knew he had lived such a life for too long. Perhaps he would never change. What she knew with
certainty was that neither of them would come to a good end.
Her life was ruined and she had come to terms with it. As for this man, he was still delusional. There
was nothing she could do about it.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Jonathan asked, a frown making its way to his face. The
contempt and disdain in Alice's eyes didn't go unnoticed by him.
Jacob used to stare at him exactly the same way. He couldn't understand why Alice was looking down
on him! 'She is more wretched than I am! She has no right, ' he thought to himself, his arrogance taking
over him.
"Nothing," Alice replied in a calm voice. The fear he had seen before was long gone.
Her joy and hope had disappeared. But with it, her love for life had gone as well. She didn't fear death
anymore. Jacob, the man she had loved, had already abandoned her. There was nothing in this world
for her.
Yes, Alice had never been so fearless. This man in front of her was a devil. But she wouldn't beg for
her life. Instead, she flashed him a calm and confident smile.
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