However, the man didn’t leave. Instead, he went to a nearby convenience store, bought a sandwich and some milk, and brought them to her.
Lillian furrowed her brows. “What exactly do you want?”
“If you want to wait, I’ll wait with you.”
Fanny came out of the restaurant, talking on the phone, complaining to Grace about Justin. She said something about him being a returnee from overseas with educated parents and government connections, but all he really cared about was how pretty Lillian was, and that’s why he followed her around like a puppy!
She didn’t even notice the two of them in the corner, and while she was still cursing Justin, she hopped in a cab and left.
Lillian didn’t respond to him, and Justin didn’t get upset. He just sat there, quietly keeping her company.
Finally, when Conrad came out, Lillian quickly stood up. “Mr. Conrad.”
But Conrad didn’t even look at her. He allowed Lillian to be stopped by his bodyguard and, before getting into his car, made sure Pandora was escorted out.
Justin protected Lillian, stepping in to separate her from the bodyguards.
When the convoy finally left, Justin spoke up. “It’s no use. No matter what you’re trying to get from Conrad, he won’t give you a chance.”
He opened the car door. “Where do you live? Let me drive you home.”
Lillian turned to him. “No, thank you. We’re not that familiar.”
Justin watched as she crossed the street, her slender, graceful figure disappearing into the distance. A strange feeling stirred in his heart.
******
Conrad hadn’t slept well the night before, so by the time he got to the office around noon, his face was like thunder. Papers piled up on his desk, and with each file he reviewed, he’d tear into someone. Staff left his office looking like they’d seen a ghost, and soon enough, people were too scared to even go in.
“Mr. Conrad, here’s your coffee,” an assistant said.
Conrad frowned, ready to snap, but when he glanced up, he noticed a familiar wrist-and above that, yeah, a familiar breasts he’d been intimately familiar with just days ago. He let out a sarcastic chuckle. “Quite the skills you’ve got. How’d you sneak in here?”
“Thanks to Mr. Conrad for giving me the chance.”
She wouldn’t have gotten in if Ford hadn’t bent the rules for her.
Conrad’s face darkened instantly. “What do you think my company is? Get out.”
“I have something you’ll want to see, Mr. Conrad. I doubt you’ll turn me away. I’m officially here as an intern secretary in the executive office. It may not be my field, but it matches your hiring standards just fine. I went through all the right channels.”
“What, done with your little commercial shoots? Decided to work for me instead?” Conrad glared at her.
Lillian was speechless. Not like she’d want to be here if it weren’t for the fact that your dear Evelyn was down sick, and everyone’s waiting around for her to recover, she thought to herself. But outwardly, she played sweet.
“Shooting those ads is exhausting. I’m all rough and calloused now.” She pouted, extending her hand. “But more importantly, you haven’t been paying any attention to me, Conrad.”
Conrad capped his pen. “Get out.”
Lillian didn’t push it. She backed off, but not before she let his coffee spoon fall to the ground. Bending down to pick it up, she made sure he got a full view of her figure in that fitted pencil skirt, with her curves on display. The skirt’s length stopped just where her stockings began, and her posture was just the right mix of poised and enticing.
Feeling his eyes on her, she gathered herself, picked up the spoon, and sauntered out with a subtle sway of her hips.
Ford watched her head to the break room, taking it as a sign he’d made the right call this time. Conrad hadn’t called him to demand answers-yet.
“What are you doing here?” Alice, who was making coffee, turned, expecting to see a new intern. The sight of Lillian’s face left her speechless.
Lillian had anticipated this reaction and just smiled. “What, Alice, you’re making coffee for yourself now?”
Alice frowned, quickly glancing around before lowering her voice. “How’d you get in here?”
Lillian shrugged. “Obvious, isn’t it? I got in through official procedures. But do you really need me to spell out who approved it?”
Alice gritted her teeth. “Mr. Conrad’s about to be engaged. Weren’t you so high and mighty before? Didn’t you say you didn’t want to be his mistress anymore?”
“Life’s full of surprises,” Lillian replied, not bothering to explain. Back when she was with Conrad, Alice had never missed a chance to make trouble for her, even going so far as to ‘accidentally’ ruin her dresses more than once.
As expected, the moment Lillian walked away, Alice furiously dialed Evelyn, who was still in the hospital.
“What are you doing? Lillian’s gone and made herself Mr. Conrad’s secretary! What the hell are you doing about it?” Alice hissed.
Evelyn was stunned. “Alice…how…”
Alice took a deep breath, lowering her tone. “Evelyn, sorry for the outburst, but I’m really just looking out for you. You’re stuck in the hospital while that scheming Lillian is practically sitting under Conrad’s nose. You see it now, right? She’s just playing hard to get.”
“If you don’t act fast, you’re going to lose him! You know how it is-there’s never a shortage of women around Mr. Conrad.”
When Evelyn heard this, she was both anxious and furious.
Just then, Booth came to see her, and when he saw her tears, he grew worried and distressed. “Evelyn, what’s wrong?” he asked.
Evelyn shook her head, but Booth’s face darkened. “Is it that Lillian again? Hurting Janet wasn’t enough-now she’s bullying you? You’re already in this state, and she still won’t let up. Just wait; I’ll make her life miserable for what she’s done!”
Evelyn looked at him, feeling wronged. “Forget it,” she sighed. “Conrad loves her so much; he’d never let anything happen to her.”
“Hah, don’t worry. I’ll make sure Uncle Conrad has his fill of disgust from her.”