"If not because of you, why would Gerard do something like this?

Whatever issues we have between us should not affect the Rhodes family," Laura protested.

"I can assure you, I know nothing about this issue. You need to ask Gerard why he took such an action. I had nothing to do with it,"

Lilah explained.

Laura frowned in surprise. Was it true that Lilah really didn't know about it?

But why else would Gerard do such a thing if not because of Lilah?

When Laura first learned of this news, she was very shocked.

During the time she was in a coma, the Harris family had supported the Rhodes family. As a result, they had been steadily developing over the years. If not for the support from the Harris family, her mother would have found it very difficult to cope. Now, the Rhodes family had become the second most influential family in Rivendell, and no one dared to mess with them.

But her mother had called her to tell her that Gerard had successively terminated all partnerships in the past week, which was clearly a huge blow to the Rhodes Group.

Laura knew how critical this issue was.

Even though the lack of support from the Harris family would not cause the Rhodes Group to go bankrupt, her mother would be very hard-pressed, and the status of the Rhodes Group would rapidly decline.

“Lilah, I'm asking for your help here. Don't let Gerard do this, please," Laura begged.

Now that she had humbled herself to beg Lilah, Laura thought that Lilah should be satisfied and agree to help her.

"This isn't about me. You need to talk to Gerard," Lilah stated firmly before abruptly ending the call.

Laura's jaw clenched in anger as she clutched her phone. Damn it! It seemed that she had to pay a visit to the Harris Group.

Her arrival at their office drew curious glances, particularly from the older directors.

In the CEO's office, Gerard sat behind his desk, the very picture of authority and grace in his tailored black suit. His demeanor was one of composed elegance.

Laura, momentarily struck by his charm, gathered her thoughts before speaking. "Gerard, why have you ended your partnership with the Rhodes family?"

Gerard's response was clinical and detached. “Our business decisions are based on mutual benefits. The Rhodes family no longer aligns with our interests."

Laura, aware of the past compromises the Harris family had made for hers, pressed further, “Is there no room for continued cooperation on standard terms?"

Gerard, without lifting his eyes from his work, responded coolly, "The Rhodes family wouldn't be our choice under any terms."

Laura stood there, a sense of loss washing over her. “Must you be so merciless?" she asked, her voice tinged with emotion as her eyes began to well up.

Gerard, responding to Laura's emotional plea, wordlessly handed her a document.

As she scanned the pages, Laura was stunned. The Harris Group's projects had yielded a staggering forty percent of the Rhodes Group's profits over seven years, amounting to over a billion.