Be good, hug me

"What? Just curious about how her charm managed to attract Cassius. She's not even that pretty," one woman said disdainfully, her tone dripping with judgment. 

"Yeah, exactly. Everyone's looking at Cassius, not her," another woman chimed in, adding, "That woman's not even presentable."

The woman in the bright red dress, clearly not impressed by the newcomer, straightened her chest proudly. "She's just wearing something like a sexy outfit, clearly showing off her figure. Not as big as mine, though," she added.

Lia overheard their words but couldn't help but find them somewhat amusing. 

"Wait, aren't you fake?" another woman rolled her eyes and retorted, her voice full of snide sarcasm.

"So what if I am? Men don't mind fake, at least it's better than your flat chest," the woman in the red dress shot back, looking down her nose at the others.

"You're flat-chested," came the sharp reply from a shorter woman, clearly not taking the insults lying down. "I'm not like someone who's too fake. Men aren't fools, they'd rather hold onto stone than something fake."

"Shut up!" The argument escalated, voices rising.

"Enough!" another woman snapped, clearly fed up. "Are you two trying to make everyone annoyed?" 

At that, the bickering stopped. The other women quickly moved to flatter the one who had spoken. "That woman isn't as pretty as our Miss Alicia," one of them said, trying to shift the focus.

"Exactly, anyone with eyes can see that Miss Alicia is the most beautiful here," another woman agreed, nodding vigorously.

Alicia, who had been quiet until now, raised her chin with a smug expression. "It doesn't matter what they say. That woman must have some tricks up her sleeve. She used to be a secretary for Lucas."

"Really? How do you know?" asked the woman in the red dress, curiosity piqued.

Alicia's eyes glittered with vindictiveness. "How could I not know? Lucas and I were dating, and she used to cling to him like a shadow. They treated her like a nanny, calling her whenever they wanted her, and just dismissing her at will."

Alicia had always been the one to break up with men, but now that Lucas had dumped her, she couldn't quite get over it. 

"No way, really?" The woman gasped. "I didn't think she'd be so tricky."

The conversation quickly shifted back to Lia, as the women speculated more about her background and relationship with Lucas. Even though Lia had tried to remain unaffected by their gossip, she couldn't help but feel the sting of their words.

Suddenly, the door to the bathroom opened, and the women fell silent as Lia stepped out, their eyes locking onto her.

Ignoring their stares, Lia calmly walked to the sink and washed her hands.

"Miss Alicia," Lia said, her voice cutting through the silence. "I've already told you, I have nothing to do with Lucas. So, please, stop spreading rumors."

She shot Alicia a cold glance, then turned to the other women, addressing them with quiet confidence. "As for what I'm wearing, it's a cheongsam. I'm sure you're all familiar with it. If you're not, you can always Google it." Her voice dropped slightly, a glint of challenge in her eyes. "And, by the way..." She pointed to her chest. "I'm real."

After making her statement, Lia walked out of the bathroom with her head held high, leaving the women to exchange nervous glances. 

"She doesn't look like a nanny at all," one woman said, clearly startled by Lia's boldness. "And she's really beautiful, especially when you look at her closely."

"Yeah, and she has a great figure," another woman added, more thoughtfully. "Most importantly, she's real."

The woman in the red dress was livid, her face flushed with anger. 

Alicia, however, wasn't much better off. "What are you all talking about? Hurry up and leave! Don't embarrass yourselves by standing around here," she snapped, her patience clearly wearing thin.

Meanwhile, Lia returned to her seat, feeling the weight of the stares that followed her. Everyone seemed to be watching her, though she couldn't quite figure out why. Still, she quietly continued eating, trying her best to ignore the attention.

"How about trying this?" Cassius seated beside her eagerly offered her a new dish.

"Okay, thank you," Lia replied politely, grateful for the distraction.

Feeling like she should reciprocate, Lia picked up some food and placed it on his plate.

"Look at them," one of the older guests nearby commented, admiring the young couple. "These young couples really do get along well."

The elders, smiling warmly, couldn't help but shower Lia with compliments, praising her and Cassius for their apparent closeness. 

Lia felt slightly embarrassed by the attention but was relieved to see Cassius looking quite happy. He seemed pleased by the praise, and that put her mind at ease.

As the meal wound down, Cassius gently guided her from the table. Throughout the evening, he had been by her side, attentive and caring, ensuring that she felt comfortable despite the grand setting.

But just as they reached a quiet part of the corridor, Cassius suddenly stopped and pulled her toward a corner, away from the bustle of the event. 

"Cassius, what's wrong?" Lia asked, confused by his sudden move.

Without answering her question, Cassius pressed his hand against the wall, guiding her gently into his arms. 

"Be good, hug me," he said, his voice low and soft, a smile playing at the corner of his lips.

Lia was taken aback for a moment, then, realizing what he wanted, she instinctively wrapped her arms around him. 

Cassius's eyes softened as he looked down at her, his gaze full of warmth. "Lia, I want to kiss you," he murmured, his voice full of quiet intensity.

Before Lia could respond, he lifted her chin gently and leaned down, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss that was more tender than anything she'd felt before. The kiss was slow, deliberate, and full of passion. It was as though everything around them had faded away, leaving only the two of them in that moment.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the corridor, Lucas was walking with Sophie, his arm linked with hers. He glanced around, distracted, clearly looking for something—or someone.

Sophie, sensing his mood, frowned. "Honey, what are you looking at?" she asked, irritated. 

Lucas had been so absent-minded lately, and she couldn't help but wonder if it was because he was eyeing yet another beautiful woman at the party.

"I didn't see anything," Lucas replied impatiently, his brow furrowed. But something had caught his attention. Just a moment ago, he thought he had seen someone—a man, possibly holding Lia's hand—but now he couldn't find them. It was strange.

Frustrated, Lucas brushed it off. It must have been an illusion, a trick of his mind. He had been feeling restless lately, unable to sleep properly, and now this just added to his irritation.

Sophie, noticing his distraction, tugged at his arm. "Honey, let's go. It's cold here," she said, deliberately trying to distract him by rubbing his arm.

Lucas shook her off with a curt gesture. "Be careful in public," he muttered, irritated.

Sophie pouted. "Okay," she murmured, feeling the shift in his attitude.

As they turned down another corridor, Sophie noticed something unusual. "Honey, we're going the wrong way. That's the exit," she pointed out.

"I know," Lucas snapped, clearly irritated. 

He had just caught a glimpse of something he couldn't shake—two people kissing, passionately, without any hesitation. The man had his back to him, so he couldn't see his face clearly. But that woman... why did she look so much like Lia?