Chapter 113

The video call lasted nearly two hours. When she left, Lily was still reading in her office, saying she wanted to cultivate her temperament and follow the path of an elegant woman, which put Aria at ease. However, when she returned, there was no elegant woman to be found, just a drunkard.

Sometimes after a busy day, Lily enjoyed a little drink, and she had even reserved a small room just for her wine. Aria knew she wasn't in a great mood today.

Earlier, while eating grilled fish, Lily had pointed to the small sandalwood beads on her wrist and said, "Old Jian said he would give this to me, but Leopold wants to take it and give it to Zoya. He says I don't like it. Isn't that infuriating? He expects me to cause a scene in public to safeguard his love. What thick skin he has."

Lily's resentment towards Brooks and Layla had always been clear, but when it came to Leopold, it was mixed with some lingering affection. After all, Lily had been practically raised by Leopold.

When Lily found out about Leopold and Zoya, she didn't expose them because her grandmother had loved Leopold dearly, and she didn't want to break her heart. Also, deep down, she didn't want to ruin Leopold.

The beads were a minor issue, but the fact that Leopold always prioritized Zoya and wanted her to act out in front of their families to preserve his love and reputation really hurt her. Aria had left to give Lily some space and time, thinking she would be only half-drunk, but she ended up completely wasted.

Aria helped Lily outside. The drunken Lily was swaying, causing Aria, who was in high heels, to wobble as well. When they descended the steps, Aria's heel slipped, and she almost fell. In an instant, someone pulled Lily away, allowing Aria to regain her balance.

"Why did you drink so much?" Edmond, who had caught Lily, held her waist. Under the wall lamp, he frowned as he looked at her flushed face.

Aria, feeling that Lily's grievances shouldn't go unheard and her suffering shouldn't be in vain, decided to complain. She recounted everything Lily had told her about Leopold, adding a bit more for emphasis.

"Leopold is truly despicable. He doesn't want to marry, can't handle things himself, and expects Lily to cause a scene. It's too awful. Lily's life is also precious."

"If this incident spreads, many would blame Lily for ruining her brother's marriage. And if it gets worse, people might even blame her if Zoya can't get married. How can Lily not be resentful?"

Edmond's eyes darkened. He paused for a moment and then looked at Aria. "I understand. Thank you for taking care of her. It's late; you should head home."

Aria indeed needed to go home, as she had to visit her sister-in-law tonight. "Alright, take care on your way."

Lily had asked Aria to bring some bird's nest to her sister-in-law, so she went back inside to fetch it. Then, suddenly remembering something, she turned around and came back.

"Mr. Zhou, could you tell Alistair that if he wants to completely let go, he should contact me? It's affecting his dating life."

"Okay."

Edmond carried Lily into the car, knowing she was feeling unwell. He placed her on his lap, her head resting on his shoulder. The driver steered the car onto the main road and, after a glance in the rearview mirror, considerately raised the divider.

Lily had indeed drunk a lot tonight. Red wine had a delayed effect, making her stomach feel tumultuous and her body unbearably hot.

"I'm so thirsty, Edmond. Please give me some water. I'm burning up."

Edmond helped her drink half a bottle of mineral water. After finishing it, she started tugging at her clothes.

"It's so hot, Edmond. Help me take off my clothes; I'm dying here."

Instinctively, Edmond glanced up and saw that the divider was already up. He breathed a sigh of relief and decided to give the driver a raise later. Holding her hands to stop her from fidgeting, Edmond kissed her lips gently and coaxed her softly.

"We'll undress when we get home."

Lily nestled in his arms for a while, then started tugging at his shirt again.

"Edmond."

With her chin resting on his chest, her eyes were red from drinking. Edmond traced her eyelids with his fingertips, his voice low and sensual.

"I'm here."

Lily's bewitching fox-like eyes trembled as if she had suffered a great grievance, tears streaming down, making her look pitiful and endearing.

"Edmond, don't be so good to me. Aria said you might like me... Even if you do like me a bit, don't be so good to me."

Edmond cupped her face, wiping away her tears with his fingers. "Why can't I be good to you?"

The tears kept flowing, soaking Edmond's palm, and Lily, the source of his distress, looked utterly aggrieved.

"I'm afraid one day you'll stop caring for me. They... They all used to care for me, but then one day, they just stopped. You will too. Love will disappear..."

Usually fearless and indifferent, Lily was now releasing her vulnerability and grievances under the influence of alcohol. She rubbed her face against his shoulder, and Edmond held her tighter, comforting her for a long time.

Eventually, a heated, passionate kiss that lasted until the car stopped finally calmed her down. Lily, now completely drained, lay limply in Edmond's arms. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she vaguely heard him curse through gritted teeth.

"Leopold really deserves to die."

The next day, Lily was woken by the sound of her phone ringing. Still sleepy, she reached for her phone on the bedside table.

"Lily, I have some good news and some bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"

Aria's voice came through, not entirely calm, seemingly suppressing some anger. Lily's brain was still foggy. "Either."

"Are you still in bed?"

Aria noticed something off in Lily's voice. "It's almost lunchtime, and you're still not up?"

The room's curtains were drawn, making it pitch black. Lily used the phone's light to check the time.

11:41. It was almost noon.

Aria remembered that Lily had been drinking last night and quickly summarized. "The bad news is, I used your account to post a behind-the-scenes photo, and now Michan's fans are attacking us. The comments are terrible, so avoid going on Weibo for now. I don't want you getting into a fight with your alt account. We need to stay low-key."

She then mentioned the good news. "Your new assistant has arrived. He's waiting at the studio. Should I tell him to go back if you're not coming over now?"

Lily was now fully awake. "I completely forgot about that. He did say he'd arrive at ten this morning."

Last night in the group chat, the 'Night Owl' had added her, asked for the address, and said he'd arrive at ten. She had agreed but overslept. Lily sensed something off in Aria's tone. "What's wrong? It sounds like you're gritting your teeth. Did he upset you?"

Aria couldn't describe it. "I've never met a real-life chatterbox before. He talks way too much. I'm serious. You might want to reconsider, or he'll drive you crazy."

Not wanting to say more, she added, "You'll understand when you get here."

Lily turned over and rubbed her face. "I'll be there after lunch. If he doesn't want to wait, let him go home. If he does, get him some lunch."

Hanging up, Aunt Fang knocked on her door to call her for lunch. Lily crawled out of bed naked, the discomfort between her legs reminding her of last night's antics. Fragmented memories started to come back.

She remembered Edmond carrying her to the bedroom, giving her a bath, and her insisting he join her. Later, she had demanded more, and he had initially refused, saying she'd feel worse after drinking so much. She had practically forced herself on him.

Gosh, she was getting more and more shameless, increasingly addicted to his body.

At noon, Lily went downstairs. Seeing the tall figure in the dining room, she was stunned.

Edmond was setting the table with one hand and holding his phone with the other, discussing work. His profile was sharp and imposing. Hearing her footsteps, he turned and beckoned her over.

"Come here."

It wasn't the weekend, so Lily hadn't expected him home for lunch. "Why are you back?"

Edmond pulled out a chair for her. "I have a flight at two. Came back to have lunch with you."

Lily sat down. "A flight? Are you going on a business trip?"

Edmond, now seated across from her, raised an eyebrow in surprise and smiled at her question.