Gordon squinted at the construction site behind him. His car had only been there for five minutes, yet it was already covered in dust. He couldn’t help but think that this girl, Lillian, was surprisingly tough.
“Is your production team bullying you? Letting a delicate young woman like you supervise a construction site? What about the logistics team?”
“They’re all here. Someone still has to finalize the results, though. Trust me, this job isn’t easy,” Lillian replied with a faint shrug.
Besides, she was more than happy to be out here.
Staying in City N would only make her a laughingstock, constantly hounded by reporters. The rumors about her at school were already unbearable. It was better not to invite more trouble for herself.
Gordon put on his sunglasses. “Alright then, Director Lillian, show me around.”
The nickname made her chuckle. She leaned slightly forward and gestured politely, “Mr. Gordon, right this way.”
Gordon tossed his car keys to his driver. “Take the car to get washed.”
When his two bodyguards tried to follow, he waved them off. “Go find a place to rest. There’s nothing here that requires you.”
After all, he wasn’t Conrad, constantly dodging attempts on his life.
“What’s this dark mess supposed to be?” Gordon asked, pointing to an area of the site.
“This will be the centerpiece set. Once completed, it’ll look like this.” Lillian handed him a design rendering. “For authenticity, we’ll hand-paint the details and have hired experts to ensure the accuracy of the visuals.”
The project was a large-scale production of a traditional mythological series. Everything-from props and costumes to set design-was a massive undertaking. Since the story was one that most people grew up hearing, opinions on the production ranged from high hopes to harsh skepticism.
Lillian had worked with various film crews before, but this was her first time being part of such a large-scale, heavily funded project. Naturally, she wanted to give her best effort.
Lillian had to run around the site daily with a camera, comparing the work-in-progress to the design renderings.
Despite her dedication, her voice didn’t carry much weight here. Many people dismissed her because of her youthful appearance and beauty. Some openly teased her, while others insulted her behind her back.
Lillian was well aware of it, but in this line of work, the glamor was all surface-level.
If you couldn’t rise to the top, you’d remain at the bottom, with no authority or respect.
Her face was slightly sunburned, her nose dotted with beads of sweat.
Gordon had seen many sides of Lillian before. He remembered her as the schoolgirl in her uniform, her long golden hair flowing, the campus beauty admired by so many boys.
He recalled seeing her at the Lewis family events, dressed in a petite evening gown, performing piano on stage, and earning a roomful of applause. Under the spotlight, she’d elegantly lift her dress to curtsy, smiling as flowers and admiration surrounded her.
Then there was the time she reappeared after hitting rock bottom, standing awkwardly beside Conrad. She had lost all her former radiance but was still stunningly beautiful. She was no longer the innocent girl but a woman exuding an irresistible allure, like a peach ripening to perfection.
Later, she became sharp, prickly, and sometimes lashed out like a wildcat.
But this-this was new. He had never seen her like this before: dressed in jeans and a hoodie, with a black puffer jacket from the crew draped over her shoulders. Her whole figure seemed coated in dust and grime.
“Why do you keep staring at me? Do I look that weird?” Lillian asked, feeling a bit uneasy under his gaze.
Gordon raised an eyebrow. “Wow, I just think you’re surprisingly resilient.”
“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
“Probably not,” he admitted with a smirk. After all, being resilient often meant having to endure endless hardship, and associating that word with Lillian didn’t sit well with him.
Gordon couldn’t explain it, but he felt a vague discomfort.
“I’ve seen enough here. I can’t really tell much anyway since it’s just scaffolding for now. How long until it’s done?”
“About three months in total. They’ll probably build the rest as we film.”
“And where do you eat around here?”
Right then, the crew was handing out boxed meals. Lillian pointed toward the lunch truck parked in the distance. “I eat whatever’s delivered-boxed lunches.”
She assumed Gordon wouldn’t bother joining her. To her surprise, he obediently followed her to get in line.
Fortunately, there were always extra meals prepared every day.
“Let’s sit over here,” Lillian said, leading him to a temporary tent. “It’s relatively cleaner here.” At least they wouldn’t have to eat dust outside.
Gordon was clearly out of place in his sharp attire, and his broad frame made the tiny stool he sat on seem almost comical.
He looked at the boxed meal skeptically. The oily sheen alone told him it wouldn’t taste good.
Meanwhile, Lillian was calmly nibbling her food and sipping from a bottle of water.
After a moment, Gordon frowned and asked, “Haven’t heard from Conrad lately?”
“No,” Lillian replied firmly, her tone composed.
Resting his chin on his hand, Gordon pressed, “So, it’s over between you two?”
Lillian hesitated, looking unsure. “I’m not really sure.”
And she genuinely didn’t know.
She figured Conrad must’ve grown tired of her. It had been a long time since he reached out.
As for how she felt about it, Lillian wasn’t certain. Honestly, if Gordon hadn’t brought it up tonight, she wouldn’t even have thought about it.
Her days were packed. Whenever she picked up her phone, it was either for work or to check in with Melissa.
Her grandmother’s health had taken up most of her mental energy. Anything related to Conrad was something she’d subconsciously blocked out.
Still, in rare idle moments, his image would slip into her mind unexpectedly.
When? Maybe when she noticed a fallen leaf and realized winter had arrived.
Or perhaps during a frustrating shower, where the water temperature was impossible to get right, and she found herself retreating into a musty-smelling blanket, missing the warmth of his domineering presence.
Lillian chalked it up to withdrawal symptoms.
Three years of living day and night with someone-even if it were just a dog-would leave some kind of attachment.
She knew she’d leave Conrad eventually. If not today, then tomorrow.
There was no need to overthink it or dwell on it.
“So, what do you think?” Gordon’s voice snapped her back to reality.
“Huh? About what?”
“I said, how about I stay and help you supervise the construction?”
“Here? This place is boring. You won’t last.”
“You don’t think I can handle it?”
“Honestly, you’d crack just from the living conditions.”
They both shared the same privileged upbringing and knew the habits ingrained in people like them.
“The project secured significant funding, right? Why are employee accommodations still so poor?” Gordon asked.
It wasn’t as bad as he made it sound-just a standard, modest inn. But Lillian’s sensitive constitution made even that feel rough.
When Gordon started dialing his phone to complain, Lillian quickly stopped him. “I appreciate the thought, but I’ve got work to do. Why don’t you stay here and rest for a bit?”
“Suit yourself,” Gordon replied.
He barely touched his food, though he noticed Lillian hadn’t eaten much either. She looked thinner than before, and it left an uncomfortable feeling in his chest.
Lillian hadn’t expected Gordon to actually stay. Not only did he stay, but he moved into the same inn where she and the crew were staying. Of course, being the big-shot investor, he was given the largest and nicest room.
In her mind, Lillian figured he wouldn’t last more than three days. But to her surprise, Gordon ended up staying for more than half a month.
It wasn’t all bad, though. With the boss himself on-site, the workers who used to slack off or take advantage of Lillian suddenly straightened up. They worked hard, giving it their all, too afraid that Gordon might withhold payments.
Employee treatment also improved drastically. The inn originally didn’t provide breakfast, but Gordon paid out of pocket to contract a handmade breakfast shop in the nearby town. Every morning, the shop delivered bread, milk, and hamburgers.