Conrad had been waiting for this invitation.
“Sure.”
Just then, a sound came from outside, but it soon stopped.
Grandma Kristin had some hearing issues, but Lillian heard it clearly. It was Robert’s mother’s voice. Her hand tightened, and she nervously looked at Conrad, worried he might do something.
However, Conrad simply picked up an apple and said he was going to peel it for her grandmother.
“Our town is famous for its perfume. My family used to run a perfume workshop here, but after industrialization, the small workshop went out of business,” Grandma Kristin said.
“Really? What do most people do now?” Conrad asked.
“They work in the big factories. Half the people in our village work there.”
Grandma Kristin seemed to get along with Conrad, while Lillian went to the kitchen to wash the vegetables, her ears alert to the sounds outside.
Conrad, usually too important to care about visitors, was here chatting about the wages in Boyd Town and what they ate and drank?
Lillian’s heart couldn’t settle; she felt like something was off.
“You are not paying attention while cooking? Planning on cutting your finger and serving it with dinner?” Conrad’s voice broke her thoughts.
Lillian spun around quickly, almost crashing into his chest. She stepped back, but his hands were already braced on either side of her.
“The knife’s behind you. It doesn’t have eyes.” He said, lowering his head and sniffing her scent. “Did you change your perfume?”
“What do you want? What are you trying to do?” she whispered, questioning him.
Conrad lowered his gaze, his long lashes casting a shadow over his eyes. “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean, ‘don’t know’? My grandmother doesn’t know about my past. Just leave already. I don’t want her to find out about what I once was…”
“Was what?” Conrad cut in. “You once were my woman! You are still my woman now! You are not willing to admit that you are my girlfriend?”
“Because I was never your girlfriend. I know exactly what I was.” She scoffed coldly, then muttered, “You’ve got your big, important life to lead, with the Brown Family Group making millions every second. Why waste your time here with me?”
“I’d like to ask myself that too. But Lillian, why don’t you ask yourself? Why don’t you leave Taylor Mansion? Why, after I’ve let you go, do you still hold onto everything of mine? Why are you in such a hurry to find me? Why cry alone in a hospital bed?”
“You-” Lillian began, but he cut her off again.
“Why is it that when that old bastard Kenneth offered such tempting conditions, you refused to help him? He just wants my life. You could’ve agreed to him, so why didn’t you?”
Lillian opened her mouth, staring at him, unable to speak.
He knew everything; he had been watching it all.
She didn’t know how to respond to his questioning.
“So you knew every move I made? Are you a freak or something!?” Her voice trembled slightly. “So, for you, Mr. Conrad, have this time just been about checking if I’m doing okay? Are you curious about what I’m thinking?”
She forced a smile. “I’m doing fine. Every day without you is just great. I cry because I’m free, because I’m relieved. I refused Kenneth purely because I don’t want to get involved in the games and deceptions of your Brown family.”
“Well, nice reasoning,” Conrad said, leaning in closer. But Lillian suddenly shoved him away.
Conrad grunted, and when he looked at her again, his eyes were red, as if they pained him.
Lillian moved aside nervously. “The push wasn’t hard at all! Stop pretending!”
Conrad straightened up. “Mm, not hard.”
It just happened to land on the wound from his recent gunshot.
“Was Robert’s mother here just now?” Lillian asked.
“Who?”
“Don’t play dumb. Since you know everything about me, someone must’ve told you what’s been going on while I’ve been in my hometown, right? You must know who Robert and his mother are?”
“What? You think I have nothing to do but investigate his family history? If your eyesight was any good, you wouldn’t pick some sleazy man who tries to kiss you before he becomes your boyfriend. Does he think ‘I’ll be good to you’ is going to win you over? This scumbag can only draw you empty promises.”
Conrad said all of this in one breath, glancing at her grandmother, who was already asleep on the couch. “I didn’t do anything to that guy’s mother. I was just worried she might cause trouble, so I had someone send her away. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure she’s taken care of, and she won’t disturb your grandmother. Is that okay?”
Lillian shoved him angrily and grabbed the vegetable basket to wash the veggies.
Conrad followed her.
Watching Lillian’s hands wash the vegetable leaves under the tap, he furrowed his brows. “Isn’t the water cold?”
“This is all we have here. Do you think this is Hillside Villa?” she snapped.
Someone walked in with an umbrella.
It was Andrew.
“Sir, it’s time for your medication.”
Lillian continued washing the leaves, pretending these two men didn’t exist.
Conrad said, “I don’t want to have medication today.”
“Sir!”
“Please step aside.” Lillian finished speaking and simply bypassed Andrew to return to the kitchen.
Andrew pursed his lips, staring at Conrad. “Your wound still isn’t healed, and yet you’re running around… as long as Grandma Kristin is still here, she won’t leave.”
“I know,” Conrad replied, but he couldn’t control himself. What could he do?
While Lillian cooked, Conrad stood by the kitchen door, just watching her, not moving an inch.
Lillian worked with such force, as if she wanted to slice him like one of the vegetables in her hands.
“Grandma, it’s time to eat.”
Grandma Kristin woke up groggily. Although she had been sleeping less than usual, her mental energy still couldn’t compare to that of a normal elderly person.
“Conrad, don’t be polite-just make yourself at home.”
“Okay, Grandma.”
“How is it? Is it good? My Lillian’s cooking is amazing.”
“It’s good.”
Lillian felt like it had something stuck in her throat. “Grandma, you eat too.”
As they ate, the rain got heavier.
Conrad lingered, unwilling to leave, but her grandmother was already struggling to stay awake, wanting to sleep.
Lillian handed him the umbrella. “You should head back now.”
Conrad saw that she wasn’t trying to keep him, and his face darkened. “No need. I’ll walk myself.”
“Hey, the rain’s really heavy down there. Your pant legs will get soaked. There’s a guest room on the first floor. If you don’t mind, you can stay.” Grandma Kristin said lightly.
Lillian turned her head, “Our guest room hasn’t been tidied up. Forget it.”
“Alright, thank you, Grandma.” Conrad turned back immediately, acting like a well-behaved child.
Lillian gritted her teeth, her anger boiling.
After dinner, Grandma Kristin wanted to take a bath, so Lillian helped her with a foot soak before reluctantly going to get fresh bed linens and blankets, and handing them to Conrad. “Change yourself.”
She was about to head upstairs, but Conrad suddenly coughed twice. At first, the sound was soft, but then it turned into a cough so forceful it sounded like he might cough up his lungs.
Lillian paused on the stairs, frowning. “Can you keep it down? My grandma just fell asleep.”
Conrad looked like he was in pain, frowning and leaning on the handrail as he glanced up at her.
Lillian intended to keep going upstairs, but then she noticed blood seeping from his chest.
Her pupils constricted. “You… you’re bleeding?”
Conrad seemed to hold his breath. “Don’t worry about it. Go to bed.”
Hearing that, she actually went upstairs, not bothering to care. Who knew if this was one of his tricks?