“Wow,” Lillian kicked the bank card lying at her feet. “So, all these years, you’ve been silently doing so much for me behind my back, and it’s me who should be ungrateful?”
Helen looked at her with what seemed like helplessness. “Lillian, making mistakes when you’re young isn’t a big deal. You’re still young. You have plenty of time to correct your path. The opinions of those people in City N don’t matter. Come back with me, and I’ll give you a bright future.”
“I still have some connections. You’ll be able to live comfortably, no need to struggle so much. As for all those things… Conrad is not for you. I heard he’s about to get engaged. There’s no future for you two. He’s just playing with you, attracted by your youth and beauty.” Helen added.
“So what? Being with Conrad is better than being sold off by your brother to thousands of men.” Lillian retorted.
“You! Why are you so stubborn? Why do you have to ruin yourself to hurt me?” Helen was deeply disappointed.
“Turns out you can feel hurt too. There’s no need for that. I’m doing just fine with Conrad. My life is none of your business.”
“Do you have to be so stubborn, shattering yourself just to please your own twisted sense of satisfaction?” Helen demanded.
“Yes, I don’t care if I break into pieces. So, you’d better stay away from me, and stay away from my grandmother. If you interfere with my life again, I won’t hesitate to bring up your past. My reputation is already ruined-what’s a little worse to me? But you, the great actress, surely value your spotless image, right?”
Helen raised her hand without thinking, but Lillian wasn’t the type to stand there and take it anymore.
“John and Grace have slapped me enough. Even my dad never laid a finger on me. Who do you think you are?”
Helen trembled with rage. “Ungrateful! You’re so ungrateful. All you do is break my heart! I should have never-”
“Never what? Say it! Go ahead, but it’s too late now!”
“If you’re so stubborn, then there’s nothing more to discuss. Take this money-it’s to settle my guilt for all these years. Your grandmother’s surgery isn’t your decision alone. It’s up to us, her children. Since when does a junior like you get a say?”
Lillian laughed like she’d just heard the world’s biggest joke. She bent over, tears streaming from the corners of her eyes as she laughed uncontrollably.
“What are you laughing at?” Helen stared at her in disbelief.
How could this girl possibly be her daughter?
Her daughter was supposed to be graceful and elegant-or at least sweet and beautiful like Sophia.
Not notorious. Not a disgrace who’d sleep with men for money!
She couldn’t stand it. Taking a deep breath, Helen shook her head and broke down. “You’re a disgrace to me.”
Lillian paused slightly, raising an eyebrow. “This is what you call disgraceful? Perfect! We both can’t stand each other. Why even bother meeting? Can’t we just stay strangers and save ourselves the trouble?”
“Me? What could you possibly hold against me? I’ve done everything I could for you.”
“Oh, you’ve done plenty. I’ve never blamed you for abandoning me. Ignoring me was your choice. But coming back now to criticize me, delaying Grandma’s treatment, and helping John go against me? Helen, has your brain been eaten by a dog?”
Lillian wanted to shout at her. Sophia is your precious daughter, but what about me? Am I nothing but a disgusting pest to be despised by everyone? I can’t even say no without being scorned?
“Well, now you know. This is who I am.”
Helen couldn’t hold back anymore. “I won’t let this go.”
“Go ahead. I’d love to see you try. Let’s see if the once-renowned actress, who abandoned her elderly mother for over twenty years, is ready to admit it now. Or do you still want to play the devoted daughter? You and that heartless brother of yours. Try me, Helen. If you dare, I’ll fight you to the end.”
Helen didn’t dare. It was her Achilles’ heel. She couldn’t risk tarnishing the image she had carefully built over the years. The public couldn’t know about her disgraceful past.
And her daughter? She wasn’t the proud little princess she used to be. She couldn’t afford the shame.
Helen fled in a panic, stumbling and twisting her ankle as she rushed off the rooftop. She shot Lillian one last hateful glare before storming away.
Lillian took a few deep breaths, pressing her hand to her forehead as she finally sat down.
“You’re not thinking about jumping, are you?”
Lillian froze, her entire body stiffening as she jerked her head up.
Gordon raised a hand, still holding a half-smoked cigarette. Who knew how long he’d been sitting in the corner of the rooftop?
“What are you doing here?”
“My foot’s not healed. Came for a follow-up. While waiting for the report, I decided to get some fresh air.” He raised his hand again. “I swear I wasn’t following you. Total coincidence.”
Lillian narrowed her eyes at him. “So you heard everything just now?”
Gordon thought for a moment. “Do you want the truth or a lie?”
“Forget it,” Lillian said, not wanting to discuss it further. She figured one more embarrassing story about herself wouldn’t make a difference at this point.
Gordon clicked his tongue and turned his wheelchair around. Despite his injury, he insisted on making his leg in a cast look like some kind of robotic contraption.
“At first, I didn’t hear clearly. Thought you were just arguing with that woman. Later, I realized…” When Lillian didn’t respond, Gordon took a deep breath and said, “Do you need a shoulder?”
“A shoulder for what?”
“In case you feel like crying.”
Lillian couldn’t help but laugh. “Not necessary.”
“Are you sure? Not even a little?”
“What’s the point of crying?”
Gordon thought seriously for a moment. “Stress relief.”
Lillian was quiet for a moment before saying, “You’re right, but I don’t think I could cry in front of you.”
“Fair enough. With my stunning good looks, you’d probably want to jump into my arms laughing instead.”
“Get lost,” Lillian retorted, then turned her gaze to the sky.
“Well, I’m feeling a little upset and frustrated,” she admitted.
“Then go beat her up. Or expose her?”
“There’s no need. Pretending she doesn’t exist is the best outcome.”
“That’s why I say you’re both beautiful and kindhearted,” Gordon teased. He patted himself down. “Unfortunately, I’m not in the habit of carrying tissues.”
Not that Lillian felt like crying anymore. Whatever emotions she had were interrupted by his sudden appearance.
“How’s your leg?”
“Not bad. Still recovering. My mom’s worried I’ll end up with a limp and never find a wife.”
Lillian quickly said, “Then let me go with you to wait for the follow-up results.”
“You’re that worried? Afraid I’ll stay single forever?” Gordon joked, tapping his leg with a mischievous grin. “Relax, it’s holding up fine.”
“If not for this brace, I’d be taking you out for a spin right now.” He sighed wistfully. It had been ages since he’d even touched a steering wheel.
Lillian thought for a moment. “Have you had lunch yet? I owe you a meal from last time. How about I take the chance to treat you now?”
Gordon raised an eyebrow. “You know me, I rarely turn down an offer from a lady. Where are we eating?”
“I’ll cook for you,” Lillian suggested.
Gordon’s fingers froze on the armrest of his wheelchair. “I get that kind of treatment now?”
Lillian hurried over to push him. “I used to work at a private kitchen nearby. I can rent a small private room and have you wait there while I cook.”
Gordon had only tasted Lillian’s cooking twice before, both times when he was with Conrad at Hillside Villa.
The first time wasn’t great-he distinctly remembered the fish tasting fishy. Conrad had grumbled about how bad it was while still somehow managing to eat it.
The second time, however, was a complete turnaround. If he hadn’t been told it was Lillian’s cooking, Gordon would’ve assumed it was made by a top chef.
They took the hospital’s back path to leave.
Gordon found it refreshing to sit and wait for a woman to serve him a meal. His girlfriends were always models or actresses, subsisting on little more than salads. Cooking for him? That was a pipe dream.
Something about the whole situation felt oddly novel to him.
When Lillian finally brought the dishes over, she smiled. “Try it. If it’s not good, I’ll treat you to something else later.”
He couldn’t help but smirk. What am I, a glutton? Why is it always about food?
Gordon picked up his fork and took a bite.
“Well? Is it good?” Lillian asked, her eyes wide with anticipation.
“Yeah.”
“Then why do you look like that?”
“I was just thinking,” Gordon said, his tone light, “Conrad’s a lucky guy.”