Andrew held the car door for Lila. He waited for her to come out of the car.
"Do we really have to go inside?" Lila didn't move. "We can go to some food stall by the river, or ice cream. I still have money to buy you dinner, as long as it's not in Angela Barlow.""I can take you for dinner there, we'll go after the party. But first, since you look stunning in that dress, why don't we go inside and make them jealous of you?"Snorting, Lila got out of the car. "There's only you and I here. No need to tell a lie. And I don't want to go to Angela Barlow, because I can't afford it."Andrew furrowed. Why couldn't she afford it? She had the gold card. And even if she didn't use her gold card, she was with him though. What's the problem?Shrugging, he followed her inside the restaurant where her cousin held the party.As soon as they were inside, all eyes nearby turned to them. Making Lila uncomfortable."It's your fault. They'r"Tony…" Carla clung her hands over Tony's neck.Letting go of Carla's hand, Tony repeated his question. "Permission about what?""She said, I can have you like it's up to her." Told Carla to Tony."Have me?" Tony was amused, wondering what kind of brainless person who said it. He turned to see the woman who stood across from Carla. "Lila?" Tony couldn't believe his eyes. Throughout the three years of dating her, he never saw her wearing a pretty dress like what she wore tonight. "What are you doing here?"Lila was so tired of the irrelevant and nonsense talk. She wanted to be out of this situation so badly. Her eyes roamed, looking for Andrew, blatantly ignoring Tony."Wait." Tony held Lila's arm as she was about to turn around. "I know what you're doing. You're trying to seduce me by looking so beautiful. You know that I'll be here, right?"Feeling a little traumatic when Tony's hand touched her skin as the memory of his failed
"Doctor Phillips hasn't come yet." Max reported as he saw Andrew walking out from his private elevator.Andrew hummed at his assistant's report. He came to his office near lunch time, bringing two cups of ice chocolate from Angela Barlow café. He knew Lila would love to have a good taste of it.A woman like Lila couldn't understand flowers. Their language was not flowers, it was something that they could taste, sometimes bitter and sometimes sweet. And sometimes, he could read her like an open book. All the things that he recognized about her had nothing to do with his experience with women, because he had none. It was based on observing her for thirteen years.In his other hand, he held a small sterile box. A bag of his blood was in it. The blood that he had promised Lila to give it to her.Speaking of promise, he also promised her to give that scumbag ex of hers a punishment."Give me all the National Bank's directors' names. The latest
Lila opened her eyes. It was dark, but not too dark, though she couldn't think of the reason why.I'm not going blind. Thought Lila in relief.Gradually, her sense was back. Judging by her uncomfortable position, her upper body was lying on her side while her waist down was hanging like in a sitting position. Both her hands were tied in her back and her feet also tied. A fabric was over her head, covering her vision.Then she felt pain around her abdomen and the skin on her left cheek felt burnt. Instantly, the memory of what had caused her pain was coursing into her head at once.She remembered walking in the alleyway toward her lab when suddenly she heard footsteps that made her turn around, thinking she would see her interns.Instead of her interns, it was unknown two men. They cursed her in an eastern accent which made her aware of who they were. It seemed being recognized by her made them amused. Because they smiled, in an amused evi
"They want the exchange tomorrow." Told Andrew as soon as he ended the call."Becky!" President Preston held his wife. She fainted for the second time.The first time happened after President Preston and his wife watched the record of CCTV footage in Andrew's office.The mood then was so tense. Henry and his team lost track of the car that had Lila in it. While Evan's men managed to gather and inform of possible places to hide from all over the city and the borders. But without any trace, they couldn't determine the search point.Andrew knew he had to stay calm and rational to fix this situation. But, there was always but in any tense situation, which he couldn't take because it felt disturbingly like a dead end. And it scared him like hell.Things that neatly arranged on his fancy desk were broken and shattered on the floor. If Henry and Evan didn't hold him, he might break his desk or even his hand as well.A phone call on the
"Yesss…" Lila whispered cheerfully.She managed to untie her hands. Then she quickly untied the rope that twisted very tight around her ankles.The four evil men who thought she was Andrew's girlfriend were snoring peacefully on the other side of the room. One was on the very ugly and worn out couch, while the other three were sprawling on the floor.Lila tried to stand, but since her legs were in a folded position for more than twelve hours, she couldn't stand tall right away. She bent, waiting for her legs's strength to be back and also enduring the pain in her abdomen.When she felt her body was strong enough and used to the pain, she tiptoed toward the table where the three boxes were.Once she was in front of the table, she shifted her eyes at the four men. They were asleep, undisturbed.Lila made a face at them and stuck her tongue out. You know nothing about me!Her escape plan was to make some explosive weapons f
"It's been two days. When will she be awake?" Asked Andrew nicely but in an impatient tone.One of Andrew's attending doctors was assigned to take very good care of Lila in Andrew's mansion. She was placed in the largest room on the mansion's top floor which had direct access to the helipads on the rooftop.Since Andrew decided to protect the information about his rare blood type's condition, he needed a medical team to treat him or his cousin if they got hurt. That was why he created the top floor's room similar to a hospital. But the room remained unused until now."Her recovery is impressive. She should be awake anytime soon." Answered the doctor. True, all Lila's senses were back including her consciousness, but drowsiness still clouded over her nerve system.Slowly she tried to open her eyes, but only managed to make it half open. She could recognize the silhouette of whose face that was looking at her with a sad expression even tho
"You said it will be a fun meeting." Lila was sitting next to Andrew on the plush two seater sofa."It will.""Then, why are they wearing formal attire?" Lila pointed with her eyes at the employees who passed by the exclusive waiting room where Lila and Andrew were sitting.They were in the National Bank. Leaving as soon as the doctor told Lila that she was okay.Immediately, Andrew had Max arrange an urgent board meeting. The agenda of the meeting was a surprise, since there was nothing important to be discussed. But all directors had to attend the meeting because Andrew wanted them to.Andrew glanced at where Lila was staring. "They're working. We're not.""Yea, at least I'm not wearing my ragged usual outfit." Lila murmured.She wore Magnolia Gallery's last season long-sleeved dark grey silk shirt with a V-neck collar. The shirt elegantly fit in her along with the skinny jeans and flat shoes. While Andrew looked comfo
"Mr. Chairman…" Said the CEO politely, letting Andrew to lead the meeting.Andrew hummed. His face was expressionless when he looked at all the directors across the table. "I believe all of you are wise enough to keep whatever we're going to discuss in today's meeting, stays in this room."Silence.Wow. Thought Lila. No small talk, just straight to open warning."Alright." Andrew continued, assuming the directors understood and agreed. "I have a question." Said Andrew calmly, gazing at all the directors one by one briefly. "Does anyone here know me?"Some directors frowned, wondering what kind of question was that? Or was that a tricky question?And some successfully hid their puzzled expression with an unreadable face, while wondering the same things. "Nobody?" Asked Andrew again when no one in the room uttered any word.Lila was suppressing her smile. She was afraid her smile might turn into laughter because