Lillian was momentarily surprised, then just smiled at him. “When did you get here?”
“Since you took the call.”
“Oh.”
So, he must have figured it out-she was someone who relied on him for power, full of bluster but weak inside, a liar with a vengeful streak.
Lillian had pretended to be many different versions of herself in front of Conrad. But never had she felt this way, not wanting to hide her true self even for a moment.
“Why are you quiet now?” Conrad asked.
“Oh~ Conrad, she bullied me. She hired people to throw acid on me. But if you’re not going to do anything about it, what can I do? A little threat isn’t too much, is it?”
Conrad looked down at her, who was smiling sweetly, but there wasn’t a shred of sincerity in her eyes. Suddenly, Conrad found her act of posturing increasingly annoying.
“Lillian, I don’t care if you play tricks or try to vie for attention, but you need to remember one thing.”
“What’s that?” Lillian reined in her smile, rarely seeing Conrad speak to her in such a tone.
“I don’t want anything to happen to Evelyn,” Conrad said, reaching out to pinch her chin, lifting it slightly.
His movement was both evaluative and mocking, showing no respect. “Especially if it’s related to you.”
Lillian flashed him a brilliant smile, her beautiful eyes burning like fire.
Lillian had been with him for three years, most of which were spent without resistance, letting him mold her however he pleased.
But recently, Conrad had been seeing more of her sharp edges. Even so, he’d never seen her look at him with such a provocative gaze.
“What if I want something to happen to her?” she asked.
Her chin was suddenly gripped hard. “Do I need to say it again?”
The cool, hard black wolf ring beside her soft cheek, with its sharp wolf head, pressed painfully into her tender skin. Lillian winced at the discomfort.
“Lillian, understand me.”
Lillian stared at him, her hands silently clenching. “So, Mr. Conrad, Evelyn is really important to you, huh?”
“In some ways, yes. So for now, behave yourself,” Conrad’s thin lips parted as he delivered the final word.
Lillian smirked, a smile full of seductive charm. Her voice was slow and teasing. “What should I do, then, Mr. Conrad? It seems I’ve offended the woman you care so much about.”
Conrad lit a cigarette, listening to her sarcastic tone, and irritably said, “Speak to me properly.”
Lillian wiped away her smile, watching him exhale a cloud of smoke. She stood up, closed her laptop, and started to walk toward the door.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
Lillian replied in a flat tone, “Mr. Conrad, you told me to speak properly, but right now, I don’t want to talk. I want to take a nap.”
“Sleep here,” he ordered.
Lillian felt like throwing the laptop in her hands at him. She was so fed up with Conrad’s neediness at times, yet his ability to decisively reject her.
He would give her hope, then crush her with harsh reality.
She felt like a prisoner in an ivory tower of thorns, begging for just a bit of his mercy, even if it was only a sliver.
If he could just lower his head a little, let her see a flicker of hope, she wouldn’t feel so helpless in this city, this place, with no one to rely on.
She felt lost, with nowhere to turn.
She grabbed onto anything she could, once humbly praying that Conrad might feel some affection for her, that she could try to win him over.
Now, she realized she had overestimated herself and underestimated Evelyn.
His protection and care were also given to another woman.
Lillian, a beautiful caged bird, a kept woman, was trapped by his money and power, while she used her body to please this man.
“Turn around,” Conrad commanded coldly.
Lillian quickly wiped away the tears that had fallen without her noticing, composing herself before responding, “My grandmother is about to have surgery. I want to stay at the hospital with her.”
“No.”
“Why not? Mr. Conrad, she’s my only grandmother. You know how important she is to me. If you want, I’ll give everything to Evelyn, okay?” Lillian said, her tears once again uncontrollably blurring her vision.
No matter how much reality beat her down, there was still a corner in her heart where she held onto her pride.
She could lower her head, and mask her sadness, but the sorrow and humiliation still slipped out through her eyes.
Conrad furrowed his brows, staring at her. “It’s not safe lately. Be good and listen.”
“Aren’t there bodyguards? Can I just stay inside the hospital?” Lillian asked.
“Do you have to go?” Conrad shot back.
“It’s my grandmother,” Lillian answered.
“Fine, do whatever you want!” Conrad said, walking past her and slamming the door so hard it shook.
Lillian sank helplessly onto the bed but immediately got up to wash her face. Staring at the woman with red eyes in the mirror, she sniffed, trying to hold back tears.
Before Conrad could change his mind, she had to pack and leave immediately.
Lillian grabbed a few changes of clothes, then searched around, making sure she had everything before quickly rushing out the door to find Conrad.
She searched the game room, the media room, the bar area, and even the underground garage, but it wasn’t until she reached the lower level and the indoor heated pool that she found him.
His graceful form cut through the water like a dragon. Lillian stood at the edge, waiting. After the argument with him earlier, she wasn’t sure what to say.
Conrad swam back and forth twice without stopping, completely ignoring her, as if she were invisible.
Lillian squatted by the edge of the pool, splashing the surface with her hand.
Conrad flipped onto his back and swam right past her.
Frustrated, Lillian stood up and shouted, “Where are my documents? My ID cards, household registration papers-where are they?”
Conrad didn’t even respond.
In a fit of rage, Lillian grabbed a bottle of red wine from nearby, yanked off the cap, and poured it directly into the pool.
Conrad suddenly shot out of the water, grabbed her ankle, and yanked her straight into the pool.
The splash echoed. Since the last time she fell into the sea, Lillian had developed a deep fear of water. As soon as she hit the water, she was choked, struggling to catch her breath. She looked up to meet Conrad’s cold, appraising gaze.
Lillian stopped struggling, deciding to let herself sink, allowing the water to take her. Her golden hair floated around her like seaweed. She closed her eyes, betting that if Conrad didn’t care for her, then perhaps she’d be free.
The air grew thin, and Lillian felt her consciousness begin to drift. For a brief moment, she thought that maybe dying wouldn’t be so bad-she wouldn’t have to carry all that weight anymore.
She feared her father’s disappointed gaze, the contempt of old friends, the disdain of her relatives, and the malicious mockery of her enemies…