Chapter 11

　　The air seemed to freeze. 　　In the silence, Lillian slowly walked onto the stage, surprising everyone. 　　Danny introduced her gently, "This is my daughter, Lillian, and she will be the future president of the Stone Group's domestic branch." 　　There was a brief silence, then scattered applause started, quickly turning into thunderous clapping. 　　Standing in the spotlight, Lillian observed the audience. 　　She saw Ashley's stiffness, Jeffrey's wide eyes, and the varied reactions. 　　She stepped forward and smiled slightly, "I'm grateful to my father for this role. Our first project will be with the Larsen Group. I'll carefully consider their plans and decide between Mr. Luke Larsen and Mr. Jeffrey Larsen." 　　Her smile didn't reach her icy eyes. 　　Lillian knew this decision mattered to Jeffrey and Luke. She could declare Jeffrey's failure now, but she wanted him to suffer the agony of waiting, after all he had done to her. 　　Jeffrey's face paled as he clenched his fists. 　　The news was so