Family on Their Knees Heart Turned to Ice novel Chapter 915

"You hadn't cut ties with them yet. You were still a family. Was your relationship already so strained that you chose to seek outside investment and found Litech NaLabs instead?

"If that's the case, does it mean your mother's tragic injury was somehow caused by the Mercers, and you were harboring a grudge?"

The moment the topic shifted to the Mercers, all warmth vanished from Lillian's face.

But she decided to address the question head-on.

"To this day, I don't consider the Li Algorithm to be my magnum opus. Nor do I think my talents are uniquely unparalleled.

"There is always someone smarter, someone more capable out there.

"The core values my grandmother and mother instilled in me were humility and a relentless drive to keep learning.

"So, when the algorithm was successfully coded, I didn't see it as a trophy to be flaunted.

"Furthermore, I had no desire to devote my life to the sheer commercialization of a single piece of tech.

"My passion, from the very beginning, has been pushing the boundaries of technology, not building a corporate monopoly.

"Even now, people call me 'Ms. Mercer,' but my heart is strictly in the lab. I've already handed over the CEO position at Lillionix to someone more suited for the boardroom.

"I hope that explains why I didn't aggressively market the algorithm or seek corporate partnerships back then.

"And for that, I will spend the rest of my life being grateful for my partner, Nathan Cole. Because of him taking on the business burden, I was able to focus purely on the research I love."

What Lillian didn't say aloud was that the Mercer Group's portfolio was strictly traditional. They had zero intention of venturing into the high-risk tech sector, content to wallow in the comfortable profits of their legacy businesses.

Naturally, the three Mercer men watching the livestream understood his thinly veiled insult perfectly.

Brandon violently kicked his chair back, pointing furiously at the screen. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?! Is that arrogant prick saying our company lacks vision?!"

Of course, his explosive rage went entirely unseen by Nathan.

Back at the venue, Lillian and Nathan's seamless teamwork effectively steered the conversation away from the toxic Mercer family drama.

"I have a question for both Mr. Li and Mr. Cole!" another reporter shouted.

"You two started a studio together in your teens. You're practically childhood sweethearts with an incredibly deep bond.

"There have always been rumors in the tech circles about your relationship. Setting aside your business partnership, are you two romantically involved?"