Chapter 40 Liam sat in the Lambert residence, clutching his phone with inexplicable frustration. He had expected Grace to return by now, but three days had passed without any word from her. He knew Grace well enough to realize that two days was the longest she could stay upset. Then, she would come back, offering his favorite gins as an apology. Truth be told, Liam had never held Grace in high regard. He didn't think she was capable of much besides chasing after men.

However, he couldn't deny that her cooking skills were remarkable, and she always catered to his every whim. After all these years together, he couldn't help but feel some attachment to her, even if she were just a dog raised by his side. Just then, he logged off the game and checked the live streams, only to discover Alice engaged in a streaming battle against Grace. Liam felt some relief; Grace was still holding a grudge about Alice stealing Yancey.

But that was no excuse for her to ignore him and not return to cook. He intentionally sent ten rockets to Alice's live stream to provoke her, and stubbornly stayed there, refusing to check on Grace's stream. He was certain she knew who he was, but her expression remained unchanged throughout. She calmly answered viewers' questions, appearing composed as ever. "Mm, I don't know who's sending the rockets. It's unrelated to me. Let's focus on the apples," she said calmly.

Liam almost crushed his phone in anger. Fine! If she wanted to act indifferent, he would make sure she couldn't ignore him. He then sent dozens more rockets, worth nearly a million dollars. His extravagant display of wealth attracted a flood of attention to Alice's stream. The platform always highlighted big spenders, broadcasting their contributions site-wide. Curious viewers clicked in, causing a surge in her audience numbers. "Alice, don't overexert yourself.

Charity is noble, but our family isn't short on money," Liam messaged. Alice's demeanor softened upon reading the message. "Thank you for your concern, Liam," she replied gently. "Although I don't need the money, helping others is its own reward." As the audience observed their heartfelt sibling interaction, they suddenly realized that she wasn't financially strapped. She truly was a wealthy heiress. This realization left them questioning Grace's motives.

While Alice and Liam portrayed their affectionate sibling bond, Grace continued selling apples on her stream with cool detachment. Liam felt oddly unsettled by her demeanor. He briefly hesitated, considering checking Grace's live stream. However, doing so felt like admitting defeat, so he remained, showering Alice with supportive messages. Meanwhile, on Grace's stream, sales soared. She glanced at the rapidly increasing order count, a small smile playing on her lips.

"We've reached ten thousand orders and 200 thousand pounds of apples today. Thank you all for your support," she announced. "I injured my knee last night, so I need to tend to that. I also have to coordinate with the farmers to pack and ship everyone's orders. See you all this afternoon." With that, the stream concluded.

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The audience had anticipated Grace to capitalize on the momentum and continue selling, but her abrupt ending left them disappointed, feeling as though they had been doused with cold water. Observing Grace log off first, Alice quickly adopted a concerned expression and addressed the camera. "You should check on Grace," she advised gently. "She might be feeling hurt. Don't act this way next time.

Send her some gifts when she goes live again, okay?" Upon hearing that Grace might be upset, Liam's irritation dissipated, replaced by a peculiar sense of satisfaction. "I won't. Why did she suddenly flee to Southbrook? Is it for attention or just to mess with you, Alice?" Liam commented. "Don't speak of Grace that way," Alice chided softly. "Never mind, go play your games. I'll stay to finish selling these apples. At this rate, I should reach my charity goal in a few days," Alice responded.

Exiting the livestream, Liam kept glancing at his phone, anticipating a message. Ten minutes elapsed without any notification, souring his previously good mood. Meanwhile, Grace met with the agricultural aid project coordinator across town. The man appeared visibly uneasy. "Ms. Lambert, I need to inform you of something," he began awkwardly. "The farmers... They signed a contract with another team last night. They've chosen not to work with you anymore.

The orders you secured may not be fulfilled. They trust Ms. Alice's team more." Grace maintained an unreadable expression as she locked eyes with him. The coordinator, looking embarrassed, explained further. "Despite your lower sale prices, Ms. Alice offered to personally contribute a million dollars to support the farmers. Upon calculating, they realized her offer would yield higher profits than in previous years.

Consequently, they opted to collaborate with her." "I intended to caution you last night, but Ms. Alice advised against it. She believed it best to let you complete your sales first," he added. Grace seethed at his revelation. "What is this? We had an agreement for this project! Last night, in the pouring rain, I was out there livestreaming, concerned about the farmers losing income! I raised the prices higher than in previous years to ensure they wouldn't suffer losses!

And while I was advocating for them, you were secretly conspiring with Alice to undermine me? Now that all the orders are sold, you inform us that the products won't be shipped? Do you realize the backlash Grace will face for this?" Chapter 48 "You could have informed us last night or even this morning. Instead, you waited until noon, after she processed another ten thousand orders?" Mandy exclaimed furiously. This wasn't merely a betrayal; it was a calculated setup.

Grace had devoted herself to promoting these apples, only to be left with nothing to deliver. Once customers discovered the truth, the blame would fall squarely on her. Mandy's eyes reflected frustration, her heart aching for Grace.