Pandora turned to the mirror and began fixing her hair. “In our industry, if you don’t have someone backing you up, it takes less than two weeks to fade into obscurity. When it comes to someone like Conrad, there’s no point in getting jealous-you’ll never keep up. There will always be a steady stream of women vying to get close to him.”
Pandora glanced at her, “But he treats me differently. I’m lucky to have met Mr. Conrad. With his support, I’ve been able to shine and showcase my abilities on the right platform. I wouldn’t have made it this far without his help. That’s why I don’t get jealous of other women. I know Evelyn wanted to join this production, but in the end, I’m the one who got in.”
Lillian stared at the glass of water in front of her, feeling utterly drained.
“Miss Pandora, your relationship with Mr. Conrad is none of my business. You’re free to handle it however you see fit.”
What Conrad did or where he went was none of her concern.
Pandora seemed taken aback by her response and gave her a once-over.
“Miss Pandora, it’s time for dinner,” her assistant said as they entered the room.
Pandora smiled again and said, “Coming. Director Lillian, see you at the shoot.”
Lillian sank back into her chair as soon as they left, only to be startled by the buzzing of her phone. She looked at the screen and saw Conrad’s black profile icon.
[Head to the parking lot. Your belongings are packed. We’re returning to City N.]
Rubbing her temples, Lillian knew she couldn’t refuse. Dragging her tired body to the parking lot, she found Conrad already waiting, his impatience evident.
As soon as she got into the car, he pulled her into his arms and ruffled her messy hair. “What took you so long? Were you growing mushrooms in there?”
“I didn’t sleep well last night and was trying to catch up on rest.”
“Sleep poorly and throw a tantrum, huh?” he said.
Early in their relationship, there had been a time when he woke her up, and Lillian, thinking she was still at her own home, had reflexively slapped him across the face. When she realized who she had just slapped, she was so terrified that she burst into tears on the spot.
To this day, Conrad remembered that Lillian was the first woman ever to slap him.
Lillian opened her eyes and looked at him. “Mr. Conrad, I barely slept last night. Is it so wrong to want a quick nap?”
He stared at her intensely, then suddenly chuckled coldly. “Lillian, are you really just tired, or did Pandora’s words get under your skin?”
That icy chill climbed up her neck again.
Her lips trembled slightly. “How do you know what we talked about in there?”
Conrad scoffed lightly. “Is it that hard to find out?”
“You’ve been spying on me?”
“You’re mine. Wanting to know what you’re doing isn’t spying.”
“Conrad! Do you even understand the concept of privacy?” Lillian’s voice rose sharply.
She was sick of feeling like she was constantly under someone’s watchful eye.
“If you behaved, why would I bother keeping tabs on you?” Conrad didn’t see anything wrong with his actions.
He let go of her abruptly and leaned back against the seat.
Lillian turned her head away, staring out the window, refusing to acknowledge him.
From where he sat, Conrad could only see her profile.
“Lillian,” he called.
She didn’t respond.
The next moment, before she could react to the sensation of something approaching, his lips were already on hers.
The partition in the car’s backseat had already been raised. Lillian pounded on Conrad’s shoulder with all her strength, but his body was as unyielding as ever. Her resistance seemed more like an amusing distraction to him, utterly ineffective.
It wasn’t until her entire body went weak under his kiss that he finally let her go.
“Lillian, I can’t stand it when you act all silent like this.”
Her eyes were red as she glared at him. Then, with a burst of defiance she didn’t know she had, she swung her hand and slapped him hard across the face.
The car swerved sharply, and the driver nearly lost control.
Ford, sitting up front, couldn’t help but glance back.
Conrad’s face was whipped to the side by the impact. He touched his cheek where she’d slapped him and turned back to glare at her with a cold, menacing expression.
“Getting bold, aren’t you?”
Lillian stared him down, her voice trembling with fury. “You bullied me first!”
Her fiery gaze mirrored the wild, defiant look Ada had when it first came to the house.
But what Lillian didn’t know was that she’d completely misunderstood him. She assumed Conrad preferred her soft, obedient, and coquettish side.
In truth, what captivated him the most was the fierce stubbornness and defiance she showed when pushed to her limits.
He thrived on conquest, loved taming those who dared to challenge him, and making them submit.
Conrad tugged at his collar, his expression half amused, half annoyed.
“Kissing you counts as bullying? Then what do you call slapping me? Throwing a tantrum?”
Lillian was so enraged by his shamelessness that her lungs felt ready to burst.
He deserved that slap!
“Why do you look like you’re about to throw up?” Conrad frowned at her, noticing her disgusted expression.
“I’m not!” she snapped, turning her face away. “If you want to hit me back, just do it. Then I’m going to sleep.”
“Lillian, since when did you become this shameless? Have I ever hit you?” Conrad couldn’t help but laugh at that.
“You haven’t hit me enough?” she shot back, tears welling up in her eyes. But she didn’t want to appear weak, so she quickly turned her head back to the window.
“That doesn’t count as hitting,” he muttered, unimpressed. “And I barely used any force.”
Conrad grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to face him. “What’s your problem? Every couple of days, you throw a fit.”
“Me? Throwing a fit?” Lillian felt like she’d heard the biggest joke of her life. “Mr. Conrad, if all you wanted was a doll with no emotions, you’ve got enough money to have one custom-made. Shouldn’t be hard for you.”
“Oh, you’ve got plenty to say now, huh? But when I ask you what’s wrong, you clam up like a mute!” Conrad snapped. “Who’d want a doll like you anyway? One that slaps people? They’d shut down the factory making them.”
Lillian tried to push his hand away.
“Lillian, if you move one more time, I’ll show you what I mean,” he warned.
Of course, she believed him. Whether she resisted or not, he’d still find a way to bother her.
Fuming, she lowered her head and sank her teeth into the bone of his hand. Conrad frowned slightly but didn’t pull his hand back.
It wasn’t until she tasted blood that she came to her senses. She looked down and saw neat, red bite marks at the base of his thumb.
“Are you a dog?” Conrad asked, glancing at the wound.
Now calmer, Lillian’s voice softened as she said, “Why didn’t you pull away?”
Conrad didn’t bother answering. Instead, he closed his eyes and leaned back to rest.
If he argued with her, it would probably make her feel better. But this sudden silence, so unlike him, left her uneasy. She had no idea what kind of punishment he was planning for her later.