Her father stepped forward, his voice rising with anger. “You seriously think that pauper has the power to cancel a multi-million-dollar deal? Stop this nonsense, Lily! It’s Jonathan. He’s probably playing some game, but he’ll come around. He has to.”Lily shook her head, trying to get them to understand. "No, it’s not Jonathan. It’s Robert. You don’t know him like I do—"Her mother cut her off, her voice shrill with fury. “Shut up! If you don’t fix this, Lily, we’ll deal with you ourselves. I won’t have you bringing shame to this family because of your foolish choices!"Her half-brother chimed in, his voice dripping with contempt. “You better get that deal back, or you’ll regret ever standing up for that pauper. You’re either with this family or against us.”Lily felt a cold wave of panic wash over her. The pressure, the anger, the threats—it was all too much. Unable to bear the suffocating atmosphere any longer, she spun on her heel and stormed up the stairs, tears streaming down he
Lily’s face flushed with anger. She couldn't believe how low they had sunk, and her voice cracked with frustration as she snapped at them, “Instead of trying to appease him, you’re still disrespecting him? After everything?!”But her words only fueled their laughter, a bitter chorus of mockery echoing through the room. Her mother scoffed loudly, “Appease him? This pauper?” She shot Lily a look of disdain, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Since when you started hanging around him, you seem to have completely lost your senses, Lily.”Her father chimed in, shaking his head, “What a shame. Our daughter, with someone like him? It’s no wonder you’ve become blind to reality.”But Lily had enough. “Stop it!” she shouted, her voice quivering with fury as she stood between them and Robert. “You don’t know anything about him! He’s been nothing but good to me, and I won’t let you keep disrespecting him!”Her father’s expression darkened as he stormed toward Robert, his fists clenched, his face a
Robert’s patience had already worn thin, and as he left the Hartley house, a faint smile tugged at his lips. If only they knew, he thought to himself, if only they understood that I could secure the deal with a single call, they wouldn’t be so flippant. But instead of revealing his hand, he simply nodded, keeping his cool. Walking back to his car, he agreed to the deal on the surface and left the house without looking back.Five days passed, and the atmosphere in the Hartley household grew tense. Lily had had enough of watching her parents treat her life like a game of ping pong. Her frustration had reached its peak, and she realized she couldn’t just sit around any longer. Taking matters into her own hands, she made a bold decision — she would go to the Glidson Group of Companies herself and try to salvage the deal.Determined, but nervous, she picked up her phone and called Robert. As the phone rang, her heart raced. She wasn’t sure how he would react to her sudden decision, but sh
He had already bribed a few junior executives to downplay any of Lily’s proposals or make her appear unprofessional. Additionally, Derek had gathered enough dirt on her supposed relationship with Robert, which he intended to use against her. He had planned to imply that Robert was only interested in her because of her association with the Hartleys' wealth, a narrative he knew would cast doubt on her in the eyes of anyone listening.“All I have to do is drop a few well-placed comments during the meeting,” Derek mused. “And those snide remarks about how she’s nothing more than an adopted outsider will do the trick.” He knew that undermining her confidence would make her falter in negotiations, and he’d step in as the “hero” to salvage the situation. The executives would see him as the one capable of getting the deal back on track, and Lily would be painted as the incompetent, useless woman he had always believed her to be.But his plans didn’t stop there. If he could successfully sabot
Robert’s patience had worn dangerously thin, and his calm facade cracked under the weight of Derek’s relentless insults. His temper flared, and with a sudden motion, he stood up, his frame towering over Derek. His eyes burned with a fierce intensity, his voice low but carrying a dangerous edge.“You better watch what you say,” Robert warned sternly, his fists clenched at his sides. “I’ve tolerated your arrogance long enough. Don’t push me.”Derek’s eyes widened briefly, surprised by Robert’s sudden shift in tone. But the surprise quickly faded, and a smirk curled on his lips. He wasn’t intimidated. In fact, Robert’s outburst only fueled his desire to humiliate him further.“Oh, look at you!” Derek mocked, laughing harshly. “Finally decided to grow a spine, huh? What are you going to do, Robert? Threaten me? Please.”He stepped closer, sneering in Robert’s face. “You’re nothing but a poor, pathetic nobody clinging to Lily like a parasite. Do you really think you can intimidate me?"Rob
As soon as Derek spotted Lily, he didn’t miss a beat. "Oh look who’s here," he sneered, his eyes narrowing with disdain. “Your broke boyfriend’s already here—probably scrubbing the toilets to secure that contract for you. And I suppose you’re here to worm your way through to the director, huh? Desperate times, I guess. Honestly, I expected better, but I really shouldn’t be surprised. I’ve always expected too much from you.”Lily’s face flushed with anger, her fists clenched at her sides as she struggled to contain her rage. Derek’s words cut deep, not just because of their cruelty but because they reflected his utter lack of respect for her and Robert. Her eyes flashed with fury, and for a brief moment, she looked like she was about to tear into him. But she caught herself, biting her tongue as her mind raced.Meanwhile, Robert watched the scene unfold with growing anger. His calm demeanor was slipping, and a dangerous edge flickered in his eyes. The thought of how to handle Derek, h
Derek’s face was flushed with a mix of confusion and rage, the veins on his neck bulging as his frustration boiled over. He paced furiously, his mind racing in disbelief. “This is absolutely unacceptable!” he spat, glaring at the secretary and then back at Lily. “I got here first! I’m representing our family, not her! I deserve to be attended to first, not this... this nobody!”His voice cracked with indignation, and he jabbed a finger in Lily’s direction as if her mere presence offended him.He couldn’t wrap his mind around it—Lily, the one he had always dismissed as a burden, the adopted child he had treated as beneath him, was now walking ahead of him. It felt like an insult, a mockery of his entire existence.He sneered as the thoughts spun around in his head. “How is she getting priority? She’s worthless! I don’t get it—why would anyone treat her like she’s more important than me?!”Derek's voice had risen to a near-shout, his composure completely lost.Lily, trying to keep her o
Simon listened attentively, his smile reflecting genuine interest as Lily recounted their relationship. He could see the sincerity in her eyes and the affection she had for Robert. “That’s quite a story,” he said, his voice warm and encouraging. “It’s clear that you both care deeply for each other.”With that, Simon gestured for Lily to make herself comfortable as they continued their conversation, her nerves slowly calming under the gentle approach of Robert’s trusted friend.Simon leaned back in his chair, his warm smile never wavering. “Robert is indeed a great guy,”he said, nodding in agreement. “I’ve always enjoyed hanging out with him. It’s good to know that the two of you are getting along so well.”Lily felt a sense of relief at Simon’s words, but the lingering tension still gripped her. She shifted uneasily in her chair despite Simon’s kind demeanor. She had expected the director to be stern and difficult, yet here he was, smiling and being surprisingly friendly. Summoning h