Osborn quickly parked the car and jumped out, but before he could go far, someone grabbed him.
“Looking for trouble, huh?!”
Just as Osborn was about to get hit, someone stepped in and spoke up. “Upper management said to bring him along too.”
The man who was about to throw a punch immediately loosened his grip on Osborn. “You’re lucky, kid. Get in the car!”
Osborn spat out a mouthful of blood, then followed Lillian.
“What kind of people have you gotten yourself involved with? Did you borrow from loan sharks? Owe a lot of money? Can’t even pay it back?”
For Osborn, seeing Lillian surrounded like this, he couldn’t think of any other reason besides loan sharks or underground gambling rings.
The alleyway was completely blocked off.
Even if Osborn tried to leave now, it would be impossible.
“Listen, no matter what they do or ask, just say you don’t know me, that I paid you to force you into this, okay?” Lillian said.
Osborn frowned. “How can I do that? How could I leave you behind?”
“It’s my fault you got involved, but you have to listen to me. If you don’t want anything to happen to your mother, you have to.” Lillian couldn’t tell him too much.
As they walked upstairs, Lillian saw Andrew.
“Miss Lillian. Mr. Conrad is waiting for you inside.”
Lillian’s eyelids twitched. “I know, no need to remind me.”
Andrew added, “He’s been in a bad mood these past few days. You’d better just go along with him.”
Lillian looked at the doors wide open and gave Andrew a confused look.
“In your room.”
She walked slowly inside. The old, decaying floor tiles in the living room were almost covered by a rug she had gotten from a flea market.
He was still wearing a black shirt, his hair a little shorter, and his sharp brows and eyes were clearly visible. Through the few people standing around, his gaze locked onto Lillian’s.
His fingers, knuckles prominent, held a half-burnt cigarette between them, the red tip glowing in his grasp.
His aggressive stare made her feel like he might swallow her whole.
In the adjacent room, a few men who had been playing mahjong all night were kneeling, and some women in nightgowns stood trembling in the corner. One of them was the woman Lillian had met earlier that morning.
When the dark-eyed man saw Lillian step in, he narrowed his eyes and smirked, flicking his ash into the vase she had bought.
“So, you decided to come back?” Conrad placed both hands on his knees, his eyes predatory, locking onto Lillian, the woman who seemed so heartless.
Lillian found his question almost laughable. Did he really think she wanted to come back?
It had only been a short time, but the dark, oppressive aura around him felt even more terrifying than before.
“Come here.”
Lillian lowered her gaze, remaining still.
“Hey, who are you?!” Osborn, not understanding the situation, questioned before Lillian could react. He was kicked in the back of his knee and immediately dropped to the ground, kneeling.
Lillian couldn’t plead for mercy. If she did, Conrad might do something worse.
So, she asked directly, “You’re looking for me. What did these people do to offend you?”
Conrad smirked. “So, you know I’m after you.”
“Tell them to leave. Our business is between us.”
“What makes you think you can give me orders?” Conrad glared at him with sarcasm, but it was clear to everyone that he wasn’t smiling-he was furious.
“Sorry! Sorry, we shouldn’t have talked badly about you!” The two women were crying uncontrollably, their snot and tears mixing together as they apologized to Lillian, their hair disheveled.
They had only opened the door to yell at someone when they heard noise from the room next door.
Living in a building full of all sorts of people, when Conrad and his men arrived upstairs, the noise was so loud that the people in the next apartment started shouting first. They didn’t know what happened to them afterward, but they were dragged in, beaten like stray dogs, and left bloody. No one in the hallway dared to pass by.
The two women had no idea what was going on when they barged in, shouting and kicking the door, planning to teach Lillian a lesson. But as soon as they insulted her, calling her a bitch, they were immediately dragged in by force.
For the time that Lillian was away, these women didn’t even dare go to the bathroom, just standing around waiting.
The men had it even worse.
“How much do you know about the woman living here?”
After being beaten, everyone thought it was an enemy of Lillian who had come looking for her. Naturally, they started rambling and said a lot of bad things about Lillian.
In the end, they were beaten even worse before they finally told the truth.
“She works at the flower shop downstairs. She never talks to us, and when she eats, it’s at a nearby restaurant. The last time, I just borrowed a bottle of shampoo from her and didn’t return it. We don’t talk otherwise.”
Then, they were slapped hard again.
Who would have thought they’d encounter such trouble just opening a door? They would rather stay hidden in their rental for the rest of their lives than risk showing their faces. They were just incredibly unlucky-should’ve checked the calendar before going out.
“Get them out of here,” Lillian said. “You want me, leaving them here serves no purpose.”
Conrad scoffed, waving his hand to have them leave.
But Osborn-Conrad didn’t let him go that easily.
“So, what’s your plan now?”
“Huh?” Lillian lowered her eyes. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know? Aren’t you all about planning ahead? Losing your ring, changing phones, shifting your target, causing a distraction, one thing after another-all planned in advance, right?”
Conrad almost wanted to strangle the woman standing before him as he spoke.
“Now, tell me. What else did you prepare in order to leave me?”
Lillian plopped down onto the sofa. “I don’t know. I’m just taking it one step at a time.”
“Very well. Good,” Conrad said, giving Osborn a sidelong glance. “Deal with him.”
“Conrad!” Lillian shouted. “He’s just a driver I threatened. If you’re going to do something, come at me.”
“What’s the rush? Did you think I’d let you go?” Conrad tilted his head slightly.
Two bodyguards immediately pinned Osborn down while one of them picked up a stick.
As Lillian moved, Andrew grabbed her arm, holding her back. “Remember what I told you.”
Her heart pounded in her chest, and she swallowed nervously. “Fine. If you hurt him, I’ll feel guilty for the rest of my life, always thinking about him.”