The smile on Conrad’s face slowly froze.
It then turned cold, almost icy.
“So, after all this time, the only thing you want to tell me is that I make you feel disgusted?” Conrad felt a weight on his chest, suffocating him.
He realized that this damn woman really couldn’t be kept at a distance
If she couldn’t be touched or seen, she’d quickly forget all about him.
“Otherwise, what do you want me to say? That I’m happy to see you? Do you think that’s what’s in my heart?” Lillian sneered. “Mr. Conrad, I never realized how shameless you really are. Is it that the women who’ve been with you never get to leave? If you enjoy playing this game so much, why don’t you just shoot me? Since you keep saying I started this game, then let me end it.”
Conrad’s eyes narrowed, his voice hard. “What? You’d rather die than see me again?”
Lillian met his gaze without flinching. “Pretty much. If you let go now, just pretend you’ve never seen me. You keep doing your business, and I’ll sell my products. That’s my ideal situation.”
“Why?” Conrad asked directly.
“Why? What’s there to explain? I don’t want to be with you. What other reason do I need?”
“You don’t want to be with me because you were hurt. You can’t forgive me because you loved me, right?” Conrad’s words hung in the air, and the room fell dead silent.
Lillian had never once, face-to-face, discussed whether or not she had loved this man.
Because the word “love” had always been forbidden at Hillside Villa.
She wasn’t allowed to love, and neither was he.
Neither of them had any place for love in their lives.
“Mr. Conrad, don’t you find it ridiculous to say that? You set the rules for me in the beginning: don’t love you. I’ve always remembered that clearly.”
“But you still loved me. You made it crystal clear on your Twitter how you loved me,” Conrad pressed, moving closer.
It was as though he wanted to see some trace of love still lingering on the face of this heartless woman.
Maybe that would soothe the storm that was raging in his chest, even if he appeared calm on the outside.
He had been through so much; there was nothing that could make him panic.
Nothing could settle his heart.
But this woman, with one sarcastic smile, could break him without effort.
It was almost effortless.
Lillian wasn’t surprised that Conrad had found that secret Twitter account.
“So what? You made the rules, and I followed them. Love was never meant to be spoken aloud. And now, just as it should be, I don’t love you anymore. If you’ve seen that Twitter account, you know I haven’t logged in for a long time. It’s just a ridiculous past, and it doesn’t deserve to be remembered anymore.”
Conrad’s chest felt like it was on fire. “You’ve already crossed the line, yet you still think it’s not worth remembering?”
“Is my loving you really worth mentioning?” Lillian looked at the anger in his eyes.
From this angle, seeing Conrad angry felt different.
She no longer feared his departure.
She was no longer anxious about where she would go in the future.
She had herself as her backbone, and she wasn’t afraid of the storm that was coming.
She looked at him from a place of equality and indifference.
“Mr. Conrad, at an age when a woman is desperate, helpless, and powerless, she meets a handsome, powerful man who’s willing to solve all her troubles for her. Loving him is an easy thing to do. I’m just like any other ordinary woman. I wasn’t strong enough to resist your charm back then.”
“When you stayed silent, I was afraid you were getting bored. When you mocked me, I was sad to be your plaything, only worthy of your teasing. When you showed a little care, I thought I could stand by your side.”
“Loving you was so easy. I wasn’t the only one who loved you, and I wasn’t the only one you warned not to fall for you.”
“Mr. Conrad, have you forgotten your own teachings? Now I’m just following your advice, giving up loving you.”
Conrad watched her beautiful face, her rosy lips uttering words that irked him.
But for the first time, he quietly listened as she spoke.
“Since you loved me, loving me again is nothing difficult.”
Lillian seemed to have heard a joke. “Sorry, but you-I’ve already loved you, and it doesn’t mean anything anymore.”
She grabbed her things, “Looks like I’ve made you upset again, Mr. Conrad. I won’t stay any longer so I don’t disturb your mood.”
She said this with an expressionless face, turning to leave.
But Conrad grabbed her arm.
“What’s this?” Lillian was unsure about his intentions, not knowing what he planned to do.
Conrad looked at her. “I came here to take you back. Your things at the rental, someone’s already gone in and packed them up for you.”
Lillian suddenly grabbed her bag, raising it to throw it at him, but he seized her arm.
“Save your strength. Hitting me won’t change anything.” He calmly declared his decision.
He wasn’t going to let her go.
Even if she didn’t love him anymore, he wouldn’t let her go.
“Is this how you find it amusing? Don’t you understand the concept of parting on good terms?” Lillian tried reasoning with him.
Conrad smirked. “Parting on good terms? No one is willing to do so. How can there be a clean break when I’m watching you laugh and joke with other men, when I’m watching you marry someone else and have children? I can’t do that.”
Conrad added, “The ‘good terms’ you speak of, from my perspective, is just about not loving anymore, so you can watch the other person leave. And then you say some sweet words wishing them happiness. Sorry, I’m not like that. I’m as dark and terrible as you say I am, the kind of person you don’t want to love anymore.”
“But what am I supposed to do, Lillian? You’ve stirred me up. I won’t let go. Remember that clearly. If you want to marry someone else in this life, it won’t happen.”
“Conrad, are you crazy?!”
The door was opened, and Lillian was immediately yanked out, still wearing the clothes that had been dirtied.
Conrad dragged her down the stairs.
Downstairs, Simon and his group just stood there, watching him come down.
“Sorry, I’ll take my leave now. We’ll discuss the rest in the meeting later.”
With that, he picked up Lillian and walked out the door.