I ran into the garden before finally stopping, placing my hand on my chest as my heart raced with shyness and nervousness. As I tried to calm myself down from Antoninus's words that had accelerated my heartbeat, a familiar voice sounded from behind.
"Lily!"
Surprised, I turned around to see Ben. He looked visibly more exhausted compared to the last time we met. His cheeks were gaunt, and his eyes had a faint shade of bruised circles. Even his eye bags appeared swollen. Despite his weariness, a smile appeared on his face when he saw me, slightly rejuvenating his appearance.
I smiled back at him, curious as I asked, "You're here for the banquet too?"
Ben let out a wry smile, replying, "Of course, I had to buy a ticket to get in."
"Buy a ticket?"
There were tickets for this banquet?
How did I not know about this?
Seeing my confusion, Ben explained, "Since I didn't receive an invitation, I had to find another way to get in."
Roman suddenly hugged me and claimed I was his girlfriend? I was stunned by this sudden declaration, not knowing how to react in the moment. By the time I regained my senses, I noticed Antoninus glaring at me with anger.I wasn't sure if he had heard Roman's words just now, but he clearly hesitated in his steps for a moment. Then, he changed his direction and headed straight to the center of the event. I could sense that he was truly furious.He must have thought that I had refused to be his companion because of Roman...I wanted to cry out in protest, but Roman continued to hold me tightly in front of Anna, showing off our affection. "I don't know what misunderstanding there is between you and my girlfriend, but I don't want to see you bothering her again tonight," he said to Anna.Anna was just as shocked as I was. She alternated her gaze between Roman and me, her eyes burning with jealousy. Yet, with Roman by my side, she couldn't drop her ladylike fac
The banquet was even later than we had imagined. Marcus actually waited until after 6 pm to make his entrance. He had Antoninus waiting for him for over two hours!I didn't understand the details of their power play, but I was genuinely happy. There were appetizers before dinner if we got hungry, wine and drinks for thirst, soothing music in the background, and the witty and handsome Roman by my side to keep me company. The atmosphere at the banquet was truly enjoyable.However, as I chatted with Roman, something unexpected happened. Lucius also made his grand entrance, dressed to the nines, to join the festivities. He stood with Antoninus and other highly respected individuals, yet his gaze crossed the crowd and landed on me.He grinned at me, a smile laced with malicious provocation.I found his stare irritating and looked away, not wanting to engage.But my gaze unexpectedly shifted to the person standing between Lucius and Antoninus.I'd
Lucius forcefully gripped my jaw to prevent my teeth from biting down on his invading tongue. Anticipating his move, I thrust my foot hard into his toe as he lifted his head. Lucius winced in pain, taking a few steps back and stumbling. Seizing the opportunity while he was off balance, I hurriedly rushed toward the door. Lucius quickly regained his footing and gave chase, grabbing my arm once again... But just as the situation hung on a razor's edge, the door was suddenly pushed open. Mirabelle cautiously entered, holding a plate of rice. "F**k..." Lucius furrowed his brows, muttering a curse under his breath in frustration. At the doorway, Mirabelle's face lit up with surprise and excitement as she looked at me. She asked, "Lily! Have you managed to cure Alice?" Seeing Mirabelle at that moment left me dumbfounded. I couldn't comprehend why she was standing here so innocently. Moreover, I had no clue who this "Alice" she was ref
Was he jealous? I had no clue how to react, so I turned to Antoninus for assistance. Antoninus seemed taken aback by his father's actions too and quickly interjected, "Father!" Tiberius snapped back to reality. He immediately stepped back, and the affection in his gaze vanished, replaced by caution and hostility. "Who are you?" "Lily, Lily Miller." "Lily." Tiberius's emotions shifted once again, but this time, I couldn't decipher what he was thinking. He nodded politely and coldly gestured for me to step aside. "Excuse me, please move." "Oh." I quickly backed away. Tiberius glanced at Antoninus, then briskly walked away, clearly agitated. I was left utterly perplexed, not sure what had just transpired. Antoninus walked over to me, explaining, "Don't be too surprised. The outfit you're wearing today was my mother's favorite." "You mean this pirate costume I'm wearing is something your mother liked?" I asked, eyebrows raised. Antoninus nodded. Having received an explanation fo
Antoninus' kiss fell. But compared to Lucius, his kiss was gentle. As I took his kiss, I smelled his rich wine... When I came back to God, I found that I actually took the initiative to cater to his kiss. But Antoninus clearly craves more. He's got me on my desk. My feet hung in the air, and I had to lift my legs around his sturdy waist. And his hot hand went over my thigh and up. He's unbuttoning my shirt. I finally got a little nervous, quickly pushed him away and begged, "Mr. President..." My eyes were still misty and my lips were still wet and glistening. After seeing Antoninus' lustful eyes as he couldn't swallow me in one gulp, I realized I might be tasty. But! I'm not having sex with him here. At the very least, I don't want to give my body to an unconscious drunk. Antoninus sensed my resistance, looked down at me for a moment, and then leaned down again. My instinct is to struggle. He just buried his chin in my neck and said hoarsely, "Don't move." Let me hold
"I'm sorry..."I didn't understand why Antoninus was in my room. But I was caught off guard and hastily pulled my leg back, choking on my words."It's fine," Antoninus said calmly.His alcohol haze seemed to have cleared, and he reverted to that indifferent expression he always wore, seemingly unaffected by everything.As my senses returned, a hint of irritation grew within me. Why was it fine? Who gave him the right to sneak into my room while I was taking a shower?Under the cover of darkness, I shot him a fierce glare. He, however, nonchalantly rolled over and lay next to me again.I was frustrated. I shook him awake with force, unable to stop myself from reminding him, "Antoninus, Mirabelle has already gone home...""So?" he replied."So, there's no need for you to sleep in the same room as me."Furthermore, his father, Tiberius, had made it clear that he was not allowed to sleep with me anymore.I wasn't too
"Just building a cabin?"Antoninus's voice was cold, "Do you think that's an easy task? Have you considered issues like lighting? Structural load-bearing, windproofing, insulation, material selection, or even maintenance and termite prevention after construction?"Um... I guess I haven't considered those things.I lowered my head guiltily.Antoninus then pulled out a few books from the stack and spread them out in front of me, saying, "Start with these. Remember, always be prepared before you start anything, instead of rushing in impulsively only to give up halfway. Understood?""Okay, okay, you don't need to say anymore. I'll start reading!"He seemed like he wanted to say more, but I just couldn't bear to listen.I'm not Chris, why does he always treat me like a child in need of guidance?Even if I mess up, I can just fix it. It's not a big deal.I took a deep breath and reluctantly opened the book he handed me.
Back in my room, I began redrawing the blueprint based on Antoninus's design. Even though I was adding interior details and furniture within his framework, I was still filled with joy. But when I took the sketch and headed back to the "construction site," I realized there was someone else here?A tall, slender man was inspecting the wooden stakes that had been hammered into the ground. Was it Tiberius? He hadn't left the estate!I hesitated, unsure whether I should turn back. However, Tiberius suddenly spoke, "Vibia always wanted a cabin. Small, yet warm and cozy, away from the hustle and bustle. Just the two of us living inside."Was he talking to me? I glanced around, confirming that there was no one else here. I reluctantly approached, trying to engage in conversation. "And what happened later?""I let her down." Tiberius lightly tapped the wooden stake, his expression a mix of joy and sorrow. "I never fulfilled her wish, even until her death."