Lily Bennett returned to the sofa in the living room, and Caliy Thornton immediately approached her, concerned, asking if Kaytlyn had bullied her. Lily shook her head and smiled.
However, in the backyard, Kaytlyn was still reeling from the shock Lily had just given her. Meanwhile, Lily glanced toward the study room. Judging from the situation, it seemed Lida Yang and Thornton Chairman were conducting a session of ideological education for their son. They were probably advising him, telling Maxwell that Dr. Bennett might appear to be a gentle woman, but beneath that soft exterior lay an arrogant, scheming, and deceitful nature. They were likely saying she wasn’t suitable for him, nor for their prestigious family. Afterward, they’d likely force Maxwell to break up with her.
Maxwell might not listen, and this would leave Lida and the Chairman displeased, prompting them to find Lily and ask how much money she would need to leave their son.
Lily had thought it all through in her mind. At that point, she only needed 3 billion to pay off Maxwell’s debts, then she would take their son and leave his life, returning to her old, simple existence.
Such a simple dream—was that too much to ask for?
Lily sat waiting on the living room sofa for quite a while before Maxwell and his parents finally emerged from the study. As expected, when Maxwell came out, his face didn’t look good at all. Based on what Lily knew of Maxwell’s personality, his expression clearly showed that he was extremely displeased. Originally, he had agreed to spend the night with her at his parents' house and leave the next morning. But something must have happened during that conversation in the study, because as soon as Maxwell stepped out, he took Lily’s hand and spoke to his parents.
“I have work at the company tomorrow, and it’s quite far from here. We won’t be able to stay overnight.”
Lily immediately put on a bright smile, pretending to be the obedient girlfriend. She bowed politely to Lida and Thornton Chairman. “Thank you so much for your hospitality. The dinner was truly delicious. I’ve imposed on you both quite a bit.”
“Next time Maxwell comes home, you should join him,” Lida Yang smiled warmly at Lily.
Lily was momentarily stunned. Did they really want her to come back again? But she figured this was just polite chit-chat. Deep down, Lida probably didn’t like her—at least not at this moment!
After pretending to be unaware of everything and saying cheerful goodbyes to everyone, Lily was promptly pulled toward the door by Maxwell. Kaytlyn suddenly rushed out from the garden. “Maxwell, wait for me!”
Maxwell stopped, turned, and glanced at Kaytlyn. “You should stay here. If you’re bored, you can learn the art of tea brewing with my mother. It’s not too tedious.”
Tea brewing?
Kaytlyn shook her head vigorously. “I don’t want to learn anything about tea. I’d rather cook or clean your house. Maxwell, please let me go home with you.”
Maxwell’s indifferent face turned away. “There’s already someone doing that, and you know who.”
With that, he pulled Lily toward the door. Lily finally understood— in his eyes, she was just a maid, cooking and cleaning, nothing more!
Lily swallowed her anger and followed Maxwell, not forgetting to say her polite farewells with a standard smile until they got into the car. But as soon as the engine started, her expression darkened.
Maxwell, surprised but clearly amused, asked, “Why aren’t you smiling anymore? Weren’t you all smiles just a moment ago?”
Lily turned her head to look at Maxwell. “Didn’t you say I had to behave properly, or else the contract would be extended automatically? So, I forced myself to smile that much. Didn’t you notice my face nearly froze?”
“Quite the performance.”
Lily waved her finger, “That wasn’t even my best. To really impress your family, I’d have to make them hate me even more.”
Maxwell’s tone suggested he wasn’t happy, which only made Lily more excited. Despite her seatbelt, she leaned towards him, smiling brightly as she watched his stone-cold face. “So, what did your parents say earlier? Were they pleased with how I behaved? Do they like me?”
Truthfully, Lily really wanted to ask, “Did your mother badmouth me? Does your father dislike me? Did they try to force us to break up?” But she held back from asking Maxwell directly.
Maxwell glanced at her, his eyes deep with meaning. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you really care whether they like you.”
Realizing she was being a bit too obvious, Lily controlled herself. “Of course I care! I don’t want the contract to be extended.” She looked away from him and continued, “It’s a shame, though! I thought I did well, but it seems your parents don’t like girls like me. Maybe they prefer soft, cute girls like Kaytlyn or a sharp, manipulative woman like Zelda Bennett.”
She stared intently at Maxwell. “If that’s the case, maybe I should learn from Kaytlyn and Zelda Bennett to win their favor.”
After saying that, Lily smiled and followed Maxwell out of the car and into the house. “By the way, were they serious about the engagement?”
“They were serious,” he said, tossing those two words at her with a blank expression.
Lily walked up and grabbed Maxwell’s hand. “So, should I continue working with you on this engagement? Our contract doesn’t cover that!”
When Maxwell opened the door and entered the house, he realized Lily was still standing at the entrance. He looked at her seriously. “The contract won’t change, so don’t worry. Now, come on and get some rest.” Maxwell took off his coat and tossed it on the sofa beside him, signaling for her to come inside.
That gesture…
The subject had shifted so quickly that Lily’s brain couldn’t keep up, leaving her standing there dumbfounded. Maxwell walked straight over, scooped her into his arms, carried her inside, and sat her on the sofa. He then slammed the door and headed straight for her bedroom.
Lily hurriedly chased after him. “Kaytlyn isn’t here, so why aren’t you sleeping in your own room?”
“ The housekeeper hasn’t finished cleaning yet, and the bed sheets are still damp. Besides, I don’t like sleeping on a bed where someone else has slept.”
“But the bed you’re about to sleep in is the one I’ve been using! Why do you still want to sleep in it?” Lily pointed at her soft, spacious bed.
Maxwell raised an eyebrow. “You’re not ‘someone else.’ You’re mine. My woman.”
Lily’s eyes widened in shock, her entire body softening as if she were drunk on the sweet words from the man standing in front of her.