Standing there again, Lily Parker felt as if she had stepped into another world. She stood frozen at the door, tears blurring her vision as memories flooded back. They lived on the fifth floor, and she disliked climbing stairs. Every time she went out with Ethan Hart, she'd insist on being carried up, refusing to get down at the door until she'd fished the keys from his pocket to unlock it, then let him carry her inside. After washing her hands, she'd direct him in preparing vegetables and meat while she cooked. When he left, she'd clean and mop. Their upstairs and downstairs neighbors thought they were a newlywed couple. A couple – how much had they wished to be just that? But they couldn't. Wiping her tears haphazardly, Lily turned, intending to flee this place that had shut out all her happiness. But after just a few steps, she heard a clatter from inside. Not knowing whether to be happy or not, she instinctively searched her bag for the keys, her hands trembling as she unlocked
Tears streaming down her face, she nodded vigorously, even stepping forward to lean into his embrace. He smiled, leaning down for a light kiss on the corner of her mouth, like completing a ritual. Satisfied, he smiled, "There, the princess is awakened with a kiss, and the prince has fulfilled his mission and can now retreat."At the Lorehaven International Airport, a 9 PM flight was scheduled to depart for Los Angeles.Ethan Hart had almost no luggage, standing alone and unencumbered.Lily Parker insisted on seeing him off, telling him that this time, it was her turn to watch his retreating figure, to see him turn and walk away.Throughout the journey, they didn't speak a word, until they stood at the boarding gate. Watching the crowd of people coming and going, some leaving, others bidding farewell, she truly realized that he was leaving her for good.The boarding announcement echoed through the airport.He said, "Take care of yourself."She replied, "Have a safe trip."He smiled, ge
Lily Parker returns to school, seemingly realigning her life's trajectory towards a simple, dutiful existence. However, her heart remains incomplete, perhaps only to be healed by time. As winter deepens, she finishes her semester exams and preliminarily decides on her thesis and performance pieces with Professor Caldwell. Despite her father, Henry Parker, still refusing to see her, she visits him daily in the hospital. Fortunately, there's hopeful news: the hospital has consulted a renowned specialist in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, offering a chance for recovery. Returning to her dormitory, Lily is greeted by the warmth of the heater, a relief from the biting cold. She finds her roommate, Aria Mitchell, packing her belongings. Surprised, Lily asks why Aria is moving out before New Year's as planned. Aria, with a crescent-moon smile, explains she's found a place near her company and her boyfriend suggested moving in earlier. Aria and her boyfriend have decided to sett
Normally, Julian would have reacted angrily, but this time, he raised an eyebrow, a half-smile on his face as he held her hand, "Huh, getting a temper after not seeing you for a few days?" Lily felt the focused gazes around them, like spotlights. Although there were only a few people, she felt uncomfortable. She didn't want to deal with Julian, so she pulled away and walked towards the door. But as soon as she stepped down, the pain made her hiss. Julian's expression turned serious, worriedly asking, "Did you twist your ankle?" Seeing her stubborn silence, he glared at her and pulled her to sit in the audience seats, then knelt down himself. Lily tried to pull her foot away, but there was no escape. He pressed down on her knee, removed her shoe and sock, and his warm hand touched her icy foot, his face growing grimmer. He gently probed her ankle, "Does it hurt here?" Lily didn't respond, but her shrinking body couldn't lie. He added, "You might have twisted a muscle or bone. I'll ta
In the chilly hospital corridor, Lily Parker felt an overwhelming heat, not from the surroundings, but from Julian Sterling's intense gaze. She averted her eyes, breaking the silence with a slow, deliberate voice, "But I've already rejected you."It was a dance of pursuit and rejection, a prelude to a love chase.Julian stood backlit, his tall and imposing figure casting a shadow over her, bringing an oppressive sense of dominance. Lily rubbed her frozen fingers, her head aching as she pondered how to escape his vine-like entanglement.But who was Julian Sterling? A man who had grown up in the corridors of power, adept at steering situations to his advantage. He pushed the choice back to her, "Even if you reject me, you wouldn't reject a chance to cure your father, would you?" Like a hunter in love, he laid out his most tempting bait, closing in step by step.Lily's heart sank. She struggled to find a response, then looked up to see Julian, calm and composed. Taking a deep breath, she
Lily felt inexplicably restless. The beautifully packaged paper bag held not only the autographed album of the master she yearned for but also a pair of small, black, oversized men's sheepskin gloves, utterly unsuitable for her. She sighed helplessly, thinking of Julian, a man with a stern and profound demeanor, hard to refuse. She slowly walked towards the school. After a while, her phone rang. It was Eleanor Brown. Lily answered, but there was no response, just deep, intermittent sobs. She had never seen Eleanor cry in the half year they'd known each other, and she immediately became anxious. Tentatively, Lily called out, "Eleanor? What's wrong?" After a moment, Eleanor's voice came through, pleading like a child, "Lily... can you, can you come and keep me company in the studio?" "Of course, I'm on my way. Wait for me," Lily said without hesitation and immediately took a taxi to Eleanor's art studio in the east of the city. As soon as Lily Parker stepped into the studio, she wa
Lily put away her sympathy, fetched a spare blanket, and tucked Eleanor in. She then slowly began to tidy up the scattered mess around the studio. Once she had a moment to sit down, she glanced over to see Eleanor still deeply asleep. With nothing else pressing, Lily began to look around the small but fully equipped studio. The warm yellow walls were adorned with Eleanor's paintings, mostly of cozy subjects, and one side of the display cabinet held her published series of hand-drawn picture books. Lily had seen most of them; they were heartwarming, wordless illustrations, telling love stories through heartfelt lines, perhaps even Eleanor's own story. Although Lily wasn't privy to the intricacies of Eleanor's relationship with Oliver Sinclair, through these paintings, she could feel Eleanor's heart – throbbing, helpless, anxious, yet strong in love. Just as Lily was about to put a picture book back on the shelf, a photo fell out from between the pages – a family portrait. Eleanor was
Charlotte stepped back with disdain, whispering to the person beside her, "That's her, the one who ruined Isabella de Valois's engagement, eloped with Ethan Hart, and then clung to Julian Sterling, driving a man out of the country. What a shameless person." Such remarks, though seemingly harmless, were the most hurtful, especially when echoed by those unaware of the truth. Rumors spread like wildfire. Lily, not wanting to cause a scene, tried to leave with Eleanor, but Eleanor refused to budge. She glared sharply at Charlotte and retorted, "The upright need not fear a crooked shadow. Everyone knows who really messed things up. After all, what goes around comes around, and those who do wrong will eventually face their karma!" Charlotte, infuriated and seeking revenge for her sister Isabella, glared at Lily and spat, "I think the karma is for you. Now you're probably left with nothing, failing to secure either Ethan Hart or Julian Sterling. Don't delude yourself into thinking you can