Conrad’s mood set the tone for the entire company that day.
Lillian hadn’t stepped foot in Conrad’s company, Brown Family Group, in three years-she’d only ever waited for him in the car with Ford.
And it wasn’t as though she had any intention of actually working here. Ford didn’t even give her any tasks, except sending her in to refresh the coffee and snacks whenever the employees were getting chewed out.
By the fourth trip that afternoon, Conrad finally couldn’t hold back. “What, do I look that dehydrated?” he muttered, raising his eyes to meet hers.
The employees could barely hold in their urge to bolt.
“Redo it. Get out!”
At those words, they scattered like birds in a storm.
“I asked you a question.” Conrad tapped his desk impatiently.
Lillian lowered her head and stepped closer, brushing against the hand he’d placed on his chair as she approached. She murmured, “Mr. Conrad, I just thought you might be thirsty…”
“Here with water, are you?”
Only the two of them understood this code. Lillian had… a unique allure.
But he didn’t move, watching her coolly.
“You’ve delivered it; now you can leave.”
“The water here’s arrived, but the water I brought hasn’t,” she replied, and in one swift move, she perched herself on his desk, subtly parting her legs right in front of him.
“Oops, don’t look now~,” she teased, adding a playful sound.
Conrad’s throat bobbed as he cursed under his breath, “Damn!”
This outfit…
Lillian looked at him with a mischievous gleam, her long fingers playing with the garter on her stockings. Her figure wasn’t the slightest bit frail, and her legs were full, smooth, and perfectly proportioned-a result of years of dance training. Conrad knew firsthand how soft they felt after three years of familiarity.
She teased his leg with her foot, feeling the strength beneath the suit pants. They held an unspoken challenge in the air between them.
He didn’t rush in this time, watching to see what she would try next.
What could she try?
All she had to her name now was her body.
But she was born with this natural, almost effortless allure, her gaze lacking the usual greedy intent, which only made him want to know more.
Conrad’s gaze darkened, his breathing turning heavier. The office’s privacy curtains had automatically closed five minutes ago, yet the door could open at any moment, revealing the CEO tangled up in his office with an “employee.”
Noticing his reaction, Lillian nudged forward, brushing her toes along his pant leg until he caught her ankle firmly with his hand.
“What’s this? Office politics??” he asked.
“Since Mr. Conrad hasn’t had a sip, clearly I haven’t done my job well enough,” she leaned forward and placed her legs by his mouth. “Mr. Conrad… care for a drink?”
Where on earth did she learn all this?
Conrad took a deep breath, just about to hold her knees in place, when she suddenly pressed her legs together. “Looks like Mr. Conrad isn’t thirsty after all. Fine then.”
She turned, ready to leave, but the next second, he pulled her back into his arms. They both let out a muffled grunt, and the computer on his desk wobbled.
“Mr. Conrad, what are you doing, hmm? I’m just a little employee; why are you picking on me?”
Conrad let out a chilly chuckle. “Yeah, I don’t feel like picking on anyone else-just you.”
As he set her down on the heavy, solid wood desk, Conrad grabbed a file to place underneath her. In her haze, Lillian glanced down and caught sight of Justin’s face on the document.
Her whole body tensed, and Conrad let out a sharp breath. “Relax.”
Lillian’s fingers clutched the file. This guy… had he secretly investigated Justin? His control issues ran even deeper than she’d thought; he clearly had no intention of letting her go.
She couldn’t help but think back to the White family’s reluctance to let that specialist treat her grandmother. Was that also his doing?
Seeing her staring off at the picture of Justin, Conrad sneered. “Still so useless. Who gave you permission to stare at another man? You into that loser?”
“This guy’s grades are average, can’t even make it to first place, and don’t get me started on his pathetic background. With your spoiled upbringing, do you think he can afford to support you for even a week?”
Lillian’s mind was still blank, and Conrad kept babbling with spiteful words, none of which she was really hearing.
“Did you hear me?!”
“Wh-what?”
“I said, stay away from this loser!” Conrad didn’t care about Justin; the thought that Lillian could stare at that man’s picture like that made him seethe with anger, full of resentment. He almost felt like killing her right there.
The doorknob suddenly twisted, and every nerve in Lillian’s body went on high alert.
“There’s someone… mmph…”
But Conrad acted like he hadn’t heard a thing.
This lunatic, this absolute maniac! If someone actually walked in right now!
Did he not care at all?
Lillian was trembling, terrified, but the next second, the doorknob clicked twice and stopped moving. She sighed in relief-until she heard voices outside. It sounded like Hogan.
“What’s going on in there in broad daylight? Why’s the door locked?”
Conrad carried on at a slow pace, ignoring Lillian’s attempts to wriggle free. She went rigid as Hogan nearly forced the door open. Just as it swung inward, Conrad lifted her up and carried her into the private lounge.
Hogan frowned at the slightly swaying desk. “Where did he go?”
Ford let out a breath, keeping a calm, blank expression. “No idea. Mr. Hogan, maybe wait a bit?”
“Not here for anything urgent. Just passing by to see if he wanted lunch.”
Lillian couldn’t hear what they said anymore. Conrad seemed to have lost his mind; the intensity of the close call had only spurred him on. Across from his office were towering buildings, but the president’s lounge was soundproofed to perfection.
This bastard… As he pressed her up against the floor-to-ceiling window, he muttered, “Maybe I’ll get some camera equipment in here next time. How about it?”
“You’re a perv…”
Who sets up cameras for sex?
“You wouldn’t get it. It’s the ambiance.”
“I… I didn’t tell you something.” Lillian suddenly remembered she hadn’t mentioned it to Conrad.
“Do you have to kill the mood right now?” Conrad frowned.
“The specialist… my grandma needs a specialist. You… help…” She couldn’t finish her sentence before collapsing in his arms.
When Lillian came to, Conrad was shirtless, on the phone, his gaze fixed right on her.
The setting sun was blinding, and Lillian squinted as she hugged the blanket to her chest, sitting up.
Had she slept that long? And he’d been here the whole time? The bed still felt warm beside her, so he’d only just gotten up.
He hadn’t been sleeping well lately-ever since Lillian left, he felt her presence everywhere. He couldn’t sleep without her beside him.
“Go brush your teeth and wash your face,” he said when he saw her awake.
Every time after he had sex with her, Lillian’s mind felt fuzzy, somewhere between clarity and haze. She didn’t even catch his first sentence.
But Conrad liked her like this-definitely better than her recent, sharp-tongued self that always seemed ready to bite back.
“Didn’t you say you needed that the specialist at the White family? The White family invited me to dinner. Coming or not? If you’re not, I’ll head out now.”
“I’m coming!” Lillian’s spirits perked up instantly. She threw off the blanket, only to realize she wasn’t wearing a thing. She wanted to yell at Conrad not to look, but instead, feeling shy, she rose on her toes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him down to kiss him.
“Thank you, Honey.”
A lot of women had tried calling him that, but none of them could quite hit Lillian’s tone-sweet, yet not cloying, and always with a hint of flirtation. It was like bait, reeling him in to take a bite.
Conrad gave her a pat on the backside. “Go on.”
There was a hint of a smirk on his face, and he looked pretty easygoing now that he was satisfied with sex. Guess her efforts had worked out today.
In the bathroom, Lillian looked at the marks all over her body and let out a tired sigh. She blinked a few times, and splashed water on her face, and when she came back out, fresh clothes were already waiting. A simple, business-style skirt suit-it was clear she’d still be playing the role of his “secretary” tonight.
Back in the obedient, well-behaved mode she’d mastered while following Conrad, she changed and then put on a playful pout, complaining that he’d ruined her stockings.
Conrad let out a low laugh. “I’ll buy you new ones. You’re actually complaining about that?”
Lillian followed him out of the office, where Ford was waiting by the door. With Conrad gone all afternoon, the office was practically empty now.
“The White family dinner is at Monte Hotel.”
“Alright.” Conrad didn’t care where it was held.
The three of them stepped into the elevator, leaving behind Alice, who clenched a pen so hard it snapped in her hand. She was seething, and she made sure to pass along the details to the right person. She wouldn’t dare go directly to Daisy. A person like Daisy wouldn’t do anything to Lillian even if she found out, as long as her own position remained secure. Whether one woman came or went, Daisy would always be Conrad’s fiancee.
So, Alice sent the message directly to Evelyn, knowing that with Evelyn’s sensitive nature, she’d fill in the blanks and imagine the drama herself without needing any further details.