Lilian started working on the files on her desk immediately she walked into her office. She wondered why Moses was not here yet but she did not really think too much of it.KnockSomeone knocked on the door, Lilian raised her head and looked at the door.“Come in” Lilian said in a bit loud tone.The door was pushed open and an employee walked in to the office.“Hello Miss Lilian” Jane said as she walked into the office, she was the one who was gossiping with the receptionist downstairs before.“Hello.” Lilian said as she put down her pen.“These are the files from the personnel department” She said.“You can drop it” “Can you really handle it? Because it is the CEO who works on these files” Jane asked like she was actually concerned but she was just mocking her.Lilian's eyebrow arched in disbelief. Is she really questioning me? “You can drop it” she replied, her voice steady but edged with irritation, signaling that she wouldn't tolerate any more condescension.Jane shivered when
Lilian finished eating and she stood up, she looked at the girls and saw the girl that came to deliver some files to her. Lilian raised an eyebrow when she saw her. No wonder she questioned her.She knew they want her to hear them that is why they came to sit down close to her. And they had no idea the relationship between she and Moses. Only few people knows and those are just the shareholders . Lilian walked out of the employees restaurant. She walked back to her office. She left the office early so she can pick up Matt from school this time instead of Moses.Lilian pulled into the school parking lot, her heart fluttering with anticipation. She watched as Matt's teacher hurried inside, the familiar routine bringing a smile to her face. ‘I can't wait to see his happy face’, she thought, feeling a wave of warmth wash over her as she imagined their afternoon together.Lilian got down from the car. Matt teacher, miss jasmine was shocked to see her instead of her brother. “Hello Matt
Moses drove them out of the house, they finally got a restaurant.Lilian got down from the car, Matt also got down to immediately, he followed Lilian into the restaurant while Moses was trying to look for a good place to park the car.The waiter immediately approached them when they walked into the restaurant.“Hello Miss, welcome to our restaurant, do you want to eat here or get a room instead?” He asked with a polite smile on his face.“Well…. “ Lilian said, she does not know what to do whether to eat at the lobby or a private room.“Who is this? Lilian!?” She heard someone called her name. Lilian turned her head and looked towards the voice, she was a bit shocked when she saw Aria, Marcus younger sister, Lily was standing beside her. Lilian's breath caught in her throat as she turned to see Aria. She quickly masked her surprise with a composed smile, knowing it was only a matter of time before their paths crossed again.Lilian turned away from Aria, refusing to let the provocatio
“It is obvious that she doesn't like you but you still care so much about her” Aria said, feeling her heart break at Lily's kindness.Lily smiled and shook her head. “It does not matter if she likes me or not. What matters is we should be good no matter what” Lily said gently.…Lilian looked at the table to see if what she ordered was enough.The waiter was standing not far away looking at her wondering if she wanted to pack the rest home, cause he did not believe that she would eat all the food on the table. Lilian raised her head and looked at the waiter. She beckoned for him to come, the waiter immediately walked towards her. He thought she wanted to ask for the rest to be packed away.“How much is the bill?” Lilian asked the waiter.The waiter looked at his iPad. “It is $55,000” He said, he looked at her and shook his head. She ordered so much food in one sitting? “Okay go and give it to her” Lilian said with a satisfied laugh and stood up.The waiter was confused when he saw h
“Yes miss” the waiter said again.Lily finally understood what Lilian did. No wonder Lilian accepted her words easily. Lily looked at the table, the wines were all open and she could not ask for the food or wine to be returned that she is not interested in buying anymore. Her reputation will be at risk besides the restaurant will not accept that either.Aria's heels clicked sharply against the polished floor as she approached Lily. The ambient hum of conversation from the nearby tables felt distant, as if they were in their own world now. Lily stood motionless, her gaze fixed on the half-eaten plates, the heavy scent of wine lingering in the air around her. Aria's footsteps slowed, sensing something wasn't quite right.“What is wrong?” Aria asked Lily.Lily's gaze drifted to the table, where the waiter packed up the untouched plates. The food was still steaming, a stark contrast to the stillness in her chest. She swallowed, trying to push down the knot that had formed in her throat.
The next day, Lilian woke up earlier than usual, determined to take Matt to school herself instead of relying on Moses. She had decided that today was a good day to handle things on her own. After a quick breakfast, she made sure Matt’s lunch was packed, tucking his sandwich and juice into his lunchbox carefully. When the time came, she grabbed the box and stepped outside, the cool morning air brushing against her skin.She walked to the car, setting the lunchbox on the back seat before closing the door with a soft click. Just as she was about to get into the driver’s seat, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching behind her. She turned to see Matt, his schoolbag slung over one shoulder, walking toward her.“Mom!” Matt called, his face lighting up as he came closer.Lilian smiled and opened the back door for him. “Get in the car, sweetheart,” she said, her voice warm but steady.Matt climbed into the back seat, his little hands gripping his lunchbox. Lilian gently closed the door
Lilian stepped into the office, her heels clicking on the polished floor. As she did, she cleared her throat, the sound cutting through the tense air. Her eyes immediately landed on Emily, who stood too close to her brother’s desk, acting as though she was busy with something important. When Emily saw Lilian walk in, she stiffened, her face paling. She quickly stepped back, trying to act casual, but it was obvious she was caught off guard. Before Lilian had entered, Emily had assumed that Lilian must have taken the day off. That’s why she had taken the opportunity to come into the office herself, pretending to deliver some documents. Her true intentions, however, were less than professional. Emily had been hoping to get closer to Moses, perhaps to gain his attention, or more. But now, with Lilian standing in the doorway, all of that was quickly falling apart. Lilian’s eyes narrowed as she scanned the room, noticing Moses asleep at his desk, looking slightly disheveled. She couldn’t
Lilian stepped into the office, her heels clicking on the polished floor. As she did, she cleared her throat, the sound cutting through the tense air. Her eyes immediately landed on Emily, who stood too close to her brother’s desk, acting as though she was busy with something important. When Emily saw Lilian walk in, she stiffened, her face paling. She quickly stepped back, trying to act casual, but it was obvious she was caught off guard.Before Lilian had entered, Emily had assumed that Lilian must have taken the day off. That’s why she had taken the opportunity to come into the office herself, pretending to deliver some documents. Her true intentions, however, were less than professional. Emily had been hoping to get closer to Moses, perhaps to gain his attention, or more. But now, with Lilian standing in the doorway, all of that was quickly falling apart.Lilian’s eyes narrowed as she scanned the room, noticing Moses asleep at his desk, looking slightly disheveled. She couldn’t h
Matt blinked innocently at the question, his expression earnest. “We only met Grandma Clara, and she took us to the shopping mall. She bought me some toys before we went to the restaurant,” he said, carefully leaving out everything else that had happened.Lilian glanced at her Eldest brother, her lips lifting into a faint smile. “I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me.” She tried to sound convincing, but deep down, she understood why they were concerned. They cared about her—it was as simple as that—and that thought melted her heart.“Why wouldn’t we worry about you?” Noah said, his voice tinged with both affection and exasperation. “You’re our only sister.”Lilian let out a soft laugh and nodded. “Yes, yes, I know,” she replied, brushing off their concern as gently as she could.Moses, the quieter of the two older brothers, gave her a small smile. “Just be careful,” he said, his tone firm but caring.Lilian met his gaze and nodded again. “I will, I promise. It’s just that Aunty C
Lily felt awkward. She had wanted to see a pained, vulnerable expression on Lilian’s face—something to prove her presence still affected her—but Lilian’s features remained cold and indifferent, as though she were looking at nothing more than a passing stranger. That wasn’t the reaction Lily had hoped for, and it gnawed at her.“We’re leaving,” Clara said, her voice firm and crisp. She turned to Marcus with a look that brokered no argument. Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Matt’s small hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Let’s go,” she added, nodding toward Lilian.Lilian nodded silently, her expression neutral, and rose to her feet. Without a glance back, she followed Clara out of the restaurant. Her movements were slow, deliberate—steady in a way that seemed to irritate Lily even more.Left behind, Lily turned to Marcus with wide eyes, playing up her confusion and innocence. “It seems Aunty Clara still doesn’t like me,” she said softly, her tone carefully layered with
They started eating in silence. Clara seemed more focused on Matt than ever before, her attention unwavering as she carefully observed him. Lilian couldn’t help but feel a warm sense of happiness at how well Clara treated her son. The tenderness in Clara’s actions brought comfort to Lilian’s heart.Clara kept putting food into Matt’s bowl, making sure he had enough to eat. Then, suddenly, Marcus picked up a piece of fish and placed it in Matt’s bowl as well.The table fell silent. Everyone froze.Lilian blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected gesture. It felt strange, an odd shift in the air that unsettled her. Across the table, Lily’s face darkened, her expression turning sour as she frowned deeply.Matt, noticing the fish in his bowl, frowned too. For a moment, he stared at it as though unsure of what to do. Then, without a word, he picked it up and placed it into his mouth, chewing silently.Marcus smiled faintly when he saw Matt eat the fish, the small success lighting up his
Clara, Lilian, and Matt left the shopping mall promptly after Clara paid for their purchases. Lilian had offered to pay, but Clara shut her down immediately with a dismissive wave of her hand.“Not today, Lilian. This one’s on me,” Clara said firmly, a small but satisfied smile on her face.“Alright, fine,” Lilian relented, shaking her head slightly. “Thank you, though.”Clara simply smiled, her attention quickly shifting to Matt, who was already preoccupied with staring out the window of the car, waiting for it to move.Once they were all settled inside, Clara glanced back at her grandson through the rearview mirror. “Are you hungry, sweetheart?”Matt, still fiddling with his seatbelt, immediately perked up at the question. He looked up, his eyes bright with excitement. “Yes, Grandma! I’m really, really hungry,” he said earnestly.Clara chuckled lightly as she started the car. “Well, let’s fix that, then. We’ll get something good to eat.”The drive was quiet and comfortable. Lilian s
When Lilian arrived at where the commotion, her brow furrowed at the sight before her. Her son, Matt, stood stiffly near a brightly lit toy display, his little fists clenched at his sides. Beside him stood another boy, roughly the same age, though his posture was far less composed—one hand on his hip, the other gripping a toy car. Facing them both was a woman Lilian didn’t recognize. The tension in the air was palpable, and all three wore expressions that hinted at a brewing argument.“What’s going on here?” Lilian asked, addressing the store attendant nearby, her voice edged with concern.Before the attendant could respond, Matt turned sharply at the sound of her voice. Relief washed over his small face, and he immediately ran to her side. “Mom!” he said, his voice a mixture of urgency and relief.The woman scoffed, folding her arms tightly across her chest. Her expensive-looking jacket crinkled as she shifted, her glare unwavering. “Oh, you’re his mother?” she said, her tone sharp a
“Yes, that is Moses,” Lilian said softly, her tone tinged with both surprise and reflection.Clara, seated in the driver’s seat with her hands loosely gripping the steering wheel, raised an eyebrow. “Oh,” she muttered, as though trying to process this bit of information. Then, shaking off her curiosity, she smiled warmly and said, “Well, get into the car so we can go.”Her voice was cheerful, coaxing Lilian into movement.Lilian nodded and turned to Matt, holding out her hand to guide him. “You first, buddy.” Matt clambered into the backseat, his little legs barely reaching the car floor. Lilian slid in next to him, securing his seatbelt before settling into her own spot.Clara waited until Lilian had closed the door before starting the car. The engine hummed softly as she backed out of the driveway and onto the main road. The three sat quietly for a moment, each lost in their thoughts, until Clara glanced at Lilian through the rearview mirror.“The mall’s our first stop,” she announc
The next morning, Lilian emerged from her room and walked into the living room. The house was already alive with small movements. Moses was seated at the far end of the couch, engrossed in his laptop, the light from the screen reflecting on his focused face. Meanwhile, Noah was sprawled comfortably on the other couch, casually munching on a bag of snacks.“Good morning, brothers,” Lilian greeted cheerfully, her voice light as she walked into the room.Moses looked up, the corner of his mouth lifting into a smile. “You’re finally awake? How was your night?”“It was okay,” Lilian said with a nod, taking a seat near Noah. “What about yours?”Moses leaned back slightly in his chair, stretching his arms before answering. “I woke up feeling a lot better today,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips.Lilian smiled back. “That’s good to hear.” She looked over at his laptop. “You’re not heading to the company yet?”Moses let out a small sigh, shutting the laptop for a moment. “I will, but
Finally, they were done.Clara and Lilian stepped out of the restaurant, ready to call it a night.“Do you want me to drop you off?” Clara asked as they walked toward the parking lot.Lilian shook her head, offering a smile. “No, we came with a car.”Clara nodded, smiling back. “Oh, that’s true.”She would’ve said yes if she hadn’t driven her own car there.They walked toward Lilian’s car, and Clara waited until Lilian pulled out of the parking space and drove away. She watched the taillights fade into the distance before walking over to her own car.Lilian and Matt finally arrived home. Lilian opened the front door, and they stepped inside to find Moses and Noah sitting on the living room couch.A smile tugged at Lilian’s lips when she saw them.“Welcome back,” Moses said, raising an eyebrow playfully.Lilian chuckled under her breath. “Brother,” she muttered warmly as she closed the door behind her.Matt broke into a run toward Moses. “Uncle!” he shouted, throwing his little arms ar
Lilian smiled when she heard Clara’s voice. She nodded slightly, acknowledging the unspoken truth—technically, it made sense. Clara and Mrs. Thompson were practically the same age.“Oh,” Matt murmured when his mother confirmed it. His expression shifted, brightening into an innocent, radiant smile. “Grandma,” he said, his voice cheerful as he looked up at Clara.Clara froze for a moment, her lips parting slightly in surprise before breaking into a warm smile. The word lingered in the air, filling her chest with a strange, comforting joy. She could feel her heart soften at the little boy’s words.As she looked at Matt—his round cheeks, curious eyes, and bright expression—Clara couldn’t help but wonder how her sister would react. Her sister, who hadn’t even heard the word “Grandma” from her own grandson yet. Oh, what a story this would make, Clara thought with a sly smile tugging at her lips.Clara seated herself across from Lilian and Matt, her smile lingering as she took in the sight