"No!" Liliana shook her head. "I'm okay. It's just that my mom needs me right now, so I can't come back anytime soon.""Alright, I get it. You take care of what you need to. You've lost your job, and there's nothing much for you to do here anyway. You're better off staying busy at home. It was only an internship, after all."After hanging up the phone, Liliana felt a wave of unease.Clutching the latest smartphone, she was reminded of the vast difference between her life and the lives of Sean and Charles.She had felt so powerless that day, like a puppet in someone else's hands. However, Sean and Peter were different. They could snatch away someone's job with the flick of a wrist.When Sean walked in again and found Liliana sitting on the bed, deep in thought, he could not guess what was on her mind."Liliana."She looked up to see Sean offering a lunch box, her forehead creasing with concern.Sean caught the look on her face. He did not like how distant she seemed, even though
Liliana let out a relieved breath. "Thank you!""You know, when you think about it, you were the one who ended up hurt," Sean said. He did not remember that night very well, but he kind of remembered that he was the one who made her do things, even though she was the one who gave him the drug.Liliana hung her head. "I was wrong. I shouldn't have had those thoughts about you, and I definitely shouldn't have drugged you.""Okay. Let's not talk about it anymore. It's all in the past." Sean did not want to lose Liliana as a friend, especially since she was Charles's sister. They used to bump into each other all the time, and he did not want to see her act aloof and distant toward him anymore."Okay."Liliana nodded, and then there was silence.Liliana could only eat a little bit of oatmeal before she could not have any more. Her tongue was hurt, and even eating something as soft as oatmeal still irked it.Sean saw how uncomfortable Liliana was and felt a twinge of concern, but he s
"As long as you're happy, that's what matters!"Liliana asked Tania to make sure Keith was settled in, and then she dashed back to the kitchen to keep busy.Tania snuck up and hugged Liliana from behind, making her jump. "Hey! What's up?""Hehe! It's been ages, and you seem slimmer to me." Tania playfully squeezed Liliana's waist but then looked concerned. "You really have lost weight.""Nope. You're imagining things." Liliana gently pushed Tania's hand away. "Go look after our guest. I've still got things to do here!""Okay, okay. Let's drop the act. You know Keith came here just for you," Tania said as she nudged Liliana aside and started washing the vegetables. "Keith's been missing you for over a month. He's worried. You could've dropped him a line. He's been asking about you, so since you're back, I brought him along."Tania's face turned serious. "Honestly, Keith's liked you for ages. Do you like him back? He's a good guy. If you're single, why not think about it?"Liliana
Compared to Tania and Keith's nervousness, Liliana seemed a bit more relaxed.Worse come to worst, she could always pull some strings or come up with a plan.Liliana really did not want to ask Charles for help unless she had no other choice. She had kept a big secret for so many years—none of her friends or teachers, and not even Tania, knew she was connected to the Hoffman family. She did not want to depend on them.After they finished eating, Tania made Liliana promise to walk Keith out. Liliana could not say no, so she walked with him toward the exit.They took their time going downstairs. Keith walked slowly because he wanted to make the moment last. He wanted to be alone with Liliana for a little while longer.Liliana felt torn. She did not know how to act around Keith. She knew he liked her a lot, and that was why he was always so nice to her.She had thought about being with Keith, but the truth was that she did not like him back. No matter how great he was, her feelings j
Liliana had agreed to give things a try with Keith, but she was not sure what to expect. Keith, on the other hand, was thrilled. Ever since Liliana said she would give it a shot, he was by her side from dawn till dusk, the picture of a devoted boyfriend. Even Tania had to admit that Keith's efforts were impressive.Liliana appreciated his dedication, so she welcomed his affection, except when he tried to spoil her with fancy gifts. Other than that, they enjoyed each other's company a lot.After two months of spending time together, Liliana landed a new job. She and Keith were not super close, but they were not just acquaintances either. She did not mind holding hands from time to time.One day on the weekend, Liliana was getting ready to go out with Keith. He had excitedly told her he got tickets to a big movie release, knowing how much he enjoyed those films.Just as she was about to leave, her phone rang. It was Tania. "Hey Liliana, are you free? Come join me for a drink!"Lilia
Liliana kept to herself who the other woman was. The whole thing with Yasmin and Tania was just too messy, and she did not want to spread the story around, not even to Keith.Keith felt a surge of anger. "That's not right. I thought Jamie treated Tania well!"Since Keith and Liliana became a couple, they had hung out with Tania, Jamie, and a few others a couple of times. Keith had always thought Jamie was a decent guy.Liliana just let out a chilly laugh. Jamie?She did not know Jamie very well, but as Peter's nephew, Jamie was no simple character. She had her doubts about Tania and Jamie from the start. Jamie had seemed sincere back then, and Liliana did not think he would ever betray Tania, but it looked like Jamie was just as bad as his mother now.Liliana took a deep breath to calm herself. "We can't talk about this now. We have to find Tania first. I'm really worried she might do something silly."Tania might not have looked like it, but she was actually super tough. Liliana
Peter's eyes narrowed when he saw Sean. "You got here quickly."Sean let out a chilling laugh, his face fixed with a fake, friendly smile. "When you call, Peter, I wouldn't dream of taking my time."Peter glared at him, and Sean quickly put up his hands. "Okay, okay, no need for that look. You didn't just call me here to stare me down, did you?"Peter scrunched his eyebrows together and then handed Sean a student ID. "Vista University?"Sean raised an eyebrow, but when he saw the student ID, his eyes landed on the innocent face pictured, and he could not help but smirk. "Wow, looks like a young girl has totally played you!""She's not that skilled!" Peter snapped back, his fingers laced together on his lap. His eyes seemed colder than before. "Do you know her?"Sean's mouth twitched at Peter's intense gaze. "Could you look any scarier?""Out with it!""Her name's Tania, Liliana's classmate and bestie," Sean said casually. "What's she done to you?"Since Liliana was involved, S
"That overprotected nephew of the Lennon family? No way. How is Tania even connected to Jamie, and why did she come to you to catch a cheater?"Sean thought the situation was funny and let out a soft chuckle. "You know, you really don't need me for your investigation. You've got people way better than mine."Peter gave Sean an indifferent look. "I’m glad you realize that."Sean's mouth twitched with annoyance. "Peter, just because you're older doesn't mean you can...""Hmm?"Sean clammed up. "Fine. What do you want me to do?""By tomorrow morning, the news about today will be all over the papers and magazines," Peter said, tapping his knee. "I want all the stories pulled." He paused, thinking. "Actually, leave one.""What's your plan?"Sean was confused about Peter's intentions. "You're not thinking of...""Nobody knows I was at the Grand Hull Hotel today," Peter said with a slight chuckle. "I'm curious to see who's bold enough to try and play me.""And the girl...""She'll
After speaking, Liliana supported herself against the wall and headed to the restroom. Bob, still holding the bottle of hangover remedy, stood in place with a glimmer in his deep-set eyes.He smirked faintly, then chuckled and shook his head. Casually, he stuffed the remedy into his pants pocket and lingered there a while longer, lighting a cigarette before finally returning to the private room.Sean was inside drinking with a few others. They were all people brought in by Bob and were prominent figures in the pharmaceutical and medical industries.Truth be told, the entire dinner was simply Bob paving the way for Sean. Although these individuals were leaders in their fields, they still had to curry favor. The man they aimed to please was Bob—better known as Andy Jones, the second son of Jones Group.Though Bob was technically the second son, everyone in Cascade City knew he was the legitimate heir to the Jones family and, eventually, the Smiths as well. That made him a powerful fi
Liliana had not wanted to drink, but the other party insisted on making a toast. Under such circumstances, she could not exactly refuse. It was clear they would not even continue discussing the partnership unless she played along.She glanced at Adalee, whose expression was far from pleasant. However, given that they still had to maintain a working relationship with the client, Adalee subtly signaled Liliana to go along with it. Liliana understood—she could not say no.Hence, round after round, Liliana did her best to hold her own. She even tried to fake it occasionally, but she still ended up drinking quite a bit."Excuse me, I need to use the restroom," she said eventually, unable to take any more. Her head felt light, and her steps wobbled slightly as she walked.Though her alcohol tolerance was not exactly terrible, the combination of red and white wine tonight was rough. Even someone with a decent tolerance would struggle.She had not even reached the restroom when she stum
After finishing dinner, Liliana and Adalee went to pay the bill, only to be told it had already been paid for.Liliana instinctively suspected Sean, but Adalee, unaware, asked the cashier, "Who paid for it?""Are you Ms. Hoffman?" the cashier asked.Adalee shook her head and pointed at Liliana. "She is."The cashier smiled. "That's right. A Mr. Smith said to put the bill under his account."Liliana nodded. "Got it. Thank you."Adalee gave Liliana a curious glance. Judging by her reaction, she clearly knew the person. "Didn't you say you had never been to Cascade City before? How do you know someone here?"It was not until they got into the car that Liliana explained, "He's also from Brookville—a distant relative. I ran into him just now when I went to the restroom."Adalee nodded. Though she suspected things were not that simple, she did not press further.During their business trip in Cascade City, Adalee kept Liliana incredibly busy. Every day was packed to the brim, making
"I understand," Liliana said quietly, though deep down she wanted to retort, "You're not my real brother, so why do you care so much?"She truly did not want Sean meddling in her business. It would only make her overthink things. Especially when he reached out and ruffled her hair again, it only made her heart more chaotic.Sean looked at her expression and seemed to realize he might have overstepped. "Your brother isn't here, and you're out here alone. I'm his best friend. Of course, I should look after you."Liliana gave a faint, bitter smile. She knew it. Sean was only kind to her because she was a Hoffman and because she was Charles' sister."It's getting late. Have you finished eating?" Sean asked, rubbing his temples. His head throbbed a little—probably from the alcohol he'd had during the earlier dinner.He ran his long fingers through his thick hair, massaging his temples for a while before easing up. When he noticed Liliana staring at him, he looked up. "What is it?"Lil
By the time Liliana and Adalee left the factory, it was already evening. Adalee noticed that Liliana had been unusually quiet, so she tapped the notebook in her hand and asked, "Any thoughts?"Liliana blinked and replied, "Not really… Ms. Cobb, do you always handle everything personally like this?"Adalee found the question amusing. "Do you think getting to this position just means sitting comfortably behind a desk?""I didn't mean it like that!" Liliana's cheeks flushed slightly. "I actually admire you a lot."Adalee did not seem very old, yet she held a managerial position, which proved just how capable she was.Adalee waved a hand casually. "I was just lucky, and I worked hard for it. With time, you'll get there too.""I hope so."Liliana did not say more, and Adalee, thinking she might be hungry, brought her to a well-known seafood restaurant in Cascade City. "This place is pretty decent. I used to come here often when I traveled for work. Try it."Perhaps Adalee saw a bit
The first thing Liliana did after returning to the hotel was take a shower. When she came out, she noticed a missed call from Keith.She immediately called him back. "Keith? Sorry, I was in the shower when you called.""It's fine. I just wanted to check if you arrived safely."Keith sounded busy on the other end. He majored in computer science, and after graduating, he naturally found work in a related field. Liliana never asked much about his job, though Tania had mentioned that the company Keith worked for was quite decent."Have you finished work?""Almost. Just a bit more code to finish," Keith chuckled. "What about you? Tired?""Not really. I just had dinner with my supervisor. Now I'm back and planning to rest," Liliana said, rolling over on the bed.Remembering what Tania had told her the night before, she hesitated a moment and added, "Um, Keith… When I get back, let's go on a dinner date."There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. Then came the sound of s
"That's right!" Liliana nodded.Tania suddenly let out a squeal. "Didn't Keith come looking for you? Or at least ask you out for a farewell dinner or something?""What are you talking about? It's not like I'm never coming back," Liliana said as she reached out and tapped Tania on the forehead."I still need to pack and check on the flight. You think I'm just sitting around with nothing to do?""No, no, that's not what I meant. You're going away for a whole week! Are you telling me you two can stand being apart for that long?" Tania looked at her in disbelief. "Don't tell me you're in some fake relationship!"Liliana paused slightly while packing, clearly affected by Tania's comment.She had not thought much of it at first, but now that Tania mentioned it... Even though she and Keith were "trying things out", it felt like he was the only one putting in the effort. Had she done anything at all?"Normal couples would probably go out for a meal before a trip, right?" Liliana reflect
Joanna's expression turned utterly sour. She had not expected Liliana to react that way. There was no admiration or envy, just a sharp, sarcastic jab that left her embarrassed.It was obvious Liliana meant to mock her, implying she had no authority to make decisions because she was not actually Sean's girlfriend.Joanna was furious with Liliana's attitude. She had thought that even if Liliana did not say much, she would at least show a bit of jealousy. Maybe she would act like her classmates earlier at the restaurant, casting admiring and envious looks her way.Liliana had no idea what Joanna was thinking at the moment, but if she had, she would probably think Joanna was out of her mind."Joanna, I've got something to do. I'll head off first."Liliana spotted a cab pulling up, waved it down, and got in before Joanna could even react.Joanna stood where she was, watching the car drive off with her fists clenched tightly. "Liliana, what are you so smug about? Even if Sean treats yo
"Ms. Cobb?""Mhm, Adalee was my student. If I didn't know her well, I wouldn't have recommended you to her." Sofia looked at Liliana's serious and focused expression."You're capable, but some personal matters affected your work recently. You'll be graduating soon. It's important to plan things out. Figure out what you want and how to get there.""Thank you, Ms. Chapman!"Liliana genuinely felt Sofia's concern. "I'll definitely keep your advice in mind.""Good, very good." Sofia nodded in approval, clearly pleased with Liliana's mindset. "By the way, that young woman who's often with you… Her name is Tania, right? How's she doing?""Thanks to you, she's doing well."Dinner went smoothly. Perhaps it was because Liliana realized she would soon graduate and that she would not have many chances to see the professor who had taught her for four years.After walking Sofia out, Liliana lingered by the roadside for a bit.Suddenly, a shadow loomed in front of her. Liliana turned her he