Chapter 1128Â
Julliard’s decision to have Johanna steal the Walton Group’s trade secrets–his bid to strike back at Jamie–had been a private act, one he’d told no one in the company about.Â
Now that everything had unraveled, his assistants and secretaries all assumed the crisis was a simple cash flow problem. But in truth, it was his own doing. He’d walked straight into Jamie’s trap.Â
Flint, however, believed Macaron Group had fallen because of Sharon.Â
Julliard wanted to deny it. The words hovered on his lips, but somehow, he couldn’t bring himself to say them.Â
What if Sharon truly thought the Macaron Group’s downfall was because of her? Would that guilt make her trust him more… depend on him more?Â
And if she believed the fifty billion had come from him–money he supposedly raised by selling his own shares -then wouldn’t she feel she owed him, enough that she’d never refuse him in the future?Â
But he also knew that admitting it carried risk.Â
If the real “Mr. F” ever appeared, his lie would collapse instantly, undoing everything.Â
Weighing his options, Julliard’s expression softened into a faint, casual smile.Â
He neither admitted nor denied. Instead, he changed the subject.Â
“It’s all right, Sharon. The Macaron Group will make it through this.”Â
Sharon left his office with a heavy heart.Â
The moment she stepped outside, she nearly collided with Joanne, who was carrying a lunchbox.Â
Joanne’s expression shifted sharply when she saw her.Â
Her voice was laced with frost. “You didn’t even have the means to acquire Silverstone Group, yet someone else had to clean up your mess for you.Â
“If it weren’t for you, why would Jamie have targeted the Macaron Group in the first place? We wouldn’t be short on liquidity, and there wouldn’t be a crisis!Â
“Sharon, you can get yourself tangled up with Jamie all you want, but why did you drag the Macaron Group down with you?Â
“Mr. Macaron must have been cursed to meet a woman like you.‘Â
Sharon looked at her calmly. “I’ll find a way to repay every cent I owe the Macaron Group.”Â
Joanne’s tone sharpened. “Money’s easy to return. But what about the chain reaction that followed?Â
“Mr. Macaron spent more than three years building his business network, and because of your impulsive acquisition, everything’s now on the verge of collapse.Â
“Sharon, what makes you think that once you pay him back, your debt is settled?”Â
When Thomas returned from his phone call, he found Sharon standing by the corridor window, gazing absently at the city outside.Â
He walked up beside her. “You’re done talking already?”Â
She nodded. “Mm. He has too much on his plate right now. I didn’t want to stay and disturb him.”Â
They spoke as they headed downstairs.Â
Once inside the car, Thomas asked, “Did he tell you why Jamie is targeting him?”Â
“Julliard said he’s not sure,” she replied softly. “But I think it’s probably because of me. Otherwise, Jamie wouldn’t have any reason to come after him.”Â
Thomas’s brow furrowed. “And what about this Mr. F business? Did he admit it?”Â
Sharon had already shared her suspicions with him earlier, before going to meet Julliard.Â
At the time, Thomas had told her, ‘If you’re suspicious, ask him directly.‘Â
Now she sighed. “He didn’t admit it, but he didn’t deny it either. He just changed the subject.”Â
Thomas let out a cold laugh. “He’s lucky words don’t burn the tongue. Admitting that kind of thing would take real nerve.”Â
He’d always spoken sharply about men like Carter and Julliard, and Sharon didn’t take his sarcasm to heart.Â
Instead, she continued, “When I was leaving, I ran into his secretary, Joanne.”Â
Then she recounted everything Joanne had said–word for word. 1Â