4. Losing Everything

Lily stared at the man in front of her.

His face looked familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before.

However, her mind was still far too chaotic to remember clearly. Her heart, hammering violently from almost being hit by the car, had not yet returned to its normal rhythm.

"Are you all right, Miss?" The man's concerned voice snapped Lily out of her daze.

"Oh... yes. I'm fine," she answered quickly.

She tried to stand, but the moment she shifted her leg slightly, a sharp pain shot up from her knee. Lily furrowed her brow, then lowered her gaze to her legs.

"Your knee is bleeding," the man said, sounding increasingly worried.

It seemed the man's pull hadn't been fast enough, and the car had grazed Lily's leg.

Yet, strangely, she hardly felt the physical sting of the wound. Perhaps... because the wound in Lily's heart was far greater.

Betrayed by her fiancé.

Cast out by her own father.

Fired from her family's company.

Compared to all of that, the scrape on her knee was nothing at all.

Lily lifted her head, noticing the man looking at her with pity in his eyes.

She offered a faint, strained smile. "Thank you for helping me, Sir. I can manage on my own. I'm sorry for the trouble."

Without waiting for a reply, Lily bowed slightly to show her gratitude, then limped away.

The man merely watched in silence, observing her until the girl's figure completely disappeared at the end of the street.

Then, he let out a breath, turned around, and walked toward a black car parked not far away.

Once inside, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Sir, it seems there's a problem with Miss Mahesa."

"Your father fired you?!"

Haris—Lily's uncle and the only close person she could still trust—stared at her with an expression of shock and fury.

"How could he be so heartless!"

His tone was thick with disbelief.

Haris reached for his phone, seemingly ready to call Adhitama.

"I'm going to talk to him. Whatever the issue is, the way he's treating you has gone way too far!"

However, Lily quickly caught her uncle's hand.

"Uncle, don't."

Haris looked at her sharply. "Why? Are you still going to defend a man who didn't even think twice before casting you out of his family?"

Lily bit her lip. There was a painful truth in her uncle's words, but she couldn't blame anyone other than herself.

"Dad has every right to be angry," Lily said softly. "I was in the wrong for going to that bar that night... and I was also wrong for speaking without thinking in front of all those people. I won't make excuses to justify myself."

Haris let out a long sigh.

He looked at Lily for a long moment before finally asking, "Then what is your plan now?"

Lily fell silent for a second.

She knew her father had surely cut off all her privileges. Even her car had been left behind at the Mahesa Group office. Today, she had to take a taxi just to come to her uncle's house.

After pondering for a moment, Lily looked up.

"Uncle, do you have any acquaintances whose company is hiring? I want to find a job."

Haris raised an eyebrow, examining Lily closely.

"You don't want to try talking to your father first?" he asked. "Who knows, he might reconsider."

Lily shook her head.

"This issue isn't that simple." Her voice was filled with resolve. "And this time... I want to prove to Dad that I can stand on my own two feet."

Haris sighed again.

Seeing his usually pampered niece suddenly turn into someone so resolute left him with no choice but to help.

Finally, he said, "Try applying here."

Haris mentioned the name of the company and shared information about the job opening he knew of.

Lily nodded, taking in the details with eyes glittering with hope.

"Thank you, Uncle."

Following the meeting with Haris, Lily wasted no time and went straight to apply the very next day at the company her uncle had recommended.

She brought along all the necessary documents required by the company for the job application.

However, upon arriving in front of the building, Lily was momentarily stunned.

ARS Company.

An influential multinational corporation in the country.

The building was grand, its vast lobby boasting a luxurious and modern interior.

Doubt crept into her mind for a moment. Did she truly deserve to work here?

Lily swallowed hard, then stepped inside.

Yet, before she could even approach the receptionist to inquire, a painfully familiar voice froze her in her tracks.

"Look who just washed up here?"

Lily turned her head, her eyes instantly narrowing.

Sonia.

The woman stood with her arms crossed over her chest, sneering at her.

Lily clenched her jaw. Of all the places in the world, why did she have to run into this woman again?

Sonia smirked, glancing at the folder Lily was clutching to her chest. "What's this? Are you applying for a job here?"

Lily kept her expression blank. "None of your business."

Her eyebrows drew together, however, as she saw the sheer disdain on Sonia's face.

The woman let out a low chuckle. "I'd suggest you back off before you regret applying here."

Her tone dripped with malice.

"Just so you know, my position here is quite high." She smirked. "So, if you join this company, I can make sure your life becomes a living hell."

Lily brushed away Sonia's finger as it poked roughly against her shoulder.

"Get your hands off me."

Her voice was ice-cold.

Sonia glared. "Who do you think you are, huh? I told you—"

"What is going on here?"

A deep, chilling voice cut through the air between them.

Lily gasped softly. She immediately turned toward the source of the voice, and her entire body froze solid.

Arsen.

The man stood there with a cold expression, his sharp gaze piercing right through them.

Why was this man here?

Then, Sonia's next words caught Lily completely off guard.

"M-Mr. CEO..."

CEO?!

ARS Company. Arsen.

Lily's heart sank instantly.

This company belonged to Arsen?!