Jacqueline bit her lip.

She felt Lara's analysis was completely accurate, and therefore her hatred for Maria was getting stronger.

“How can I lose to Maria? How am I meant to tolerate her being Anthony's wife?"

Several years ago, the Bowles Group and the Wilson Group had worked together. Lara seized this opportunity and made engagement plans for Jacqueline and Anthony.

Anthony was not aware of this at the time. The arrangement had been made verbally with Raymond and the other Wilson family elders.

Anthony was away in another city when he heard the news and surprisingly rushed back to cancel the engagement in person.

He did this so fast that Lara didn't even have a chance to react.

And then, the bad press about the Bowles Group started to spread. The first batch of so-called high-quality ingredients imported into the country by the Bowles Group had turned out to be replaced with inferior ingredients.

These products had been used for many of the Bowles Group's projects with other influential families, such as the Michelin star restaurants and even a high-end international hotel.

These projects were all subsequently stopped, but luckily Lara was quick on her feet. She immediately reported the foreign food suppliers, transforming the Bowles Group from the criminal to the victim.

This allowed the Bowles Group to just about maintain their reputation. But the several powerful families they did business with were well aware of the situation. Although the overseas food suppliers didn't appear to be part of the Bowles Group, they were all in fact secretly operated by Lara.

After the news got out about the poor quality ingredients, the Smith and Wilson families both immediately cut ties with the Bowles Group.

The Smith family especially; Mathias was resolute about ending the relationship with both the Bowles Group and Lara.

When it came to the Wilson family, though, Raymond and the others concentrated on their own personal interests, regardless of the family's best interests, and secretly kept in touch with Lara for several years.

They were able to do that since Michael was too old and weak to manage the group, and Anthony was away from Sheffield for a while during that time.

"Mom, I don't believe that Maria could've come up with such a clever idea on her own. There must be someone giving her advice."

Jacqueline was unwilling to accept the truth

Should she just admit that Maria was better than her? No way!

She would only accept defeat if it was because of some wise advice Maria had received. In that case, she was lost to Maria's think tank and not Maria herself.

Lara thought for a moment and then reached into her pocket and took out her phone. She quickly searched for Maria's basic information.

High school education?

Only 2@ years old?

Spending her years in the countryside before coming to Sheffield only recently?

“Hmm... right."