Chapter 114 Can You Win Over Alexander?
Lillian and Angela exchanged glances and asked in unison, "So soon? Do your parents agree?"
Wendy, looking deflated, said, "I haven't told them yet. I'll take it one step at a time."
"Have you found a job? What kind of job?" Lillian asked.
When asked about the job, Wendy perked up and said excitedly, "I applied online to a home design studio. Although I'm not a professional, I have some small design projects of my own. They were quite satisfied after seeing them and informed me that if I wanted to join, I would have to start as an intern. I gladly agreed!"
"Of course, you have to start as an intern since you have no experience," Angela said, raising her juice glass. "Congratulations on taking the first step. No matter what happens in the future, you have to bear the consequences yourself. This is your choice!"
Lillian chimed in, "That's what I want to say too. Since it's your dream, stick to it!"
"Don't worry, even if the road I chose is tough, I'll crawl to the end if I have to," Wendy said with determination.
Lillian smiled. "That's great!"
The three girls clinked their glasses together, producing a crisp sound filled with joy.
After putting down her glass, Angela said realistically, "Wendy, once your new job stabilizes, you still need to explain this to your parents. You can't keep it a secret forever. If they find out later, they'll be even angrier."
Wendy frowned and said, "But I'm so scared, not daring to tell them."
"Don't be afraid. Lillian and I will be there with you," Angela encouraged her.
After talking to Wendy, Angela turned to Lillian like a caring sister and asked, "How about you? Does he send you flowers for Valentine's Day? I bet he didn't. You didn't give him any chocolate either, right?"
Lillian lowered her head, stuffed some grilled meat into her mouth, and shook her head indifferently, mumbling, "Neither of us give anything to the other."
Wendy interjected, "But Lillian does receive a bouquet from a mysterious person today."
Angela laughed, flipping the meat on the grill, and said, "Lillian, have you ever thought about winning over Alexander? Let's not talk about his condition. You two have already been intimate. All the conditions are right. Why not consider it and make sure he doesn't slip away?"
Lillian swallowed her food, looked at her curiously, and asked, "Angela, what do you mean?"
"Lillian, I've never seen someone as straightforward as you!" Angela said, "Even though your marriage is fake, you should think about yourself. You'll be 25 this year. Once your contract with him ends, it will be very hard to find another man with such good conditions. Why not take advantage of your time together and make him fall in love with you? That way, you won't have to worry about Oscar's illness for the rest of your life."
Lillian stared blankly at Angela, blinked, and slowly chewed the grilled meat in her hand, saying, "Angela, this is the second time you've asked if I can win him over. Do you really think I have what it takes?"
"Where there's a will, there's a way," Angela said casually. To her, it didn't seem like a difficult task.
Wendy said, "But it also depends on whether Lillian likes Alexander. Then again, he is such a high-quality man, excellent in every aspect. There aren't many women who wouldn't like him. Lillian, do you like him now?"
Lillian took a sip of juice and didn't hide anything from them, saying frankly, "Our relationship has indeed improved a lot compared to before. Especially after coming back from the Aetherland, his attitude toward me has softened quite a bit. Maybe he feels guilty because I got implicated because of him? No one knows. You have no idea how much I love his embrace. When I dive into his arms, that sense of security is really like having a dad protecting you. It feels so safe, like nothing can scare you."
"You've already thrown yourself into his arms, and you're still pretending with us. You're so shameless!" Wendy shouted.
Lillian picked up a piece of meat and stuffed it into her mouth. "Can you let me finish?"
Angela laughed at Wendy's dumbfounded look.
Lillian, a bit embarrassed, explained, "There are a couple of times when I accidentally bump into his arms. He suspects I am deliberately trying to seduce him. Later, in the Aetherland, we are acting in front of Blake to make him think I am important to Alexander, forcing Blake to take action. At that time, I thought Alexander was quite dark. Anyway, back to the point, I don't even know what I feel about him now."
Angela put down her fork, took a sip of water, and said, "Whether you like him or not is secondary. You need to plan for your future, okay? Think about it: in this world, it's just you and Oscar. His health isn't good. You have no one to rely on. Wendy and I can help you, but that's not a long-term solution. You need a man to depend on. I'm not saying that we women are weak or incapable, but if there's a ready-made opportunity, why not take advantage of it? What do you think?"
Lillian pondered but didn't speak.
Wendy, resting her chin, said softly, "Angela is right. It's too exhausting that you're carrying everything on your own. You have to take care of Oscar, pay for his schooling, and repay the money you owe. In the end, you get nothing. You need to think about yourself."
Lillian thought for a while but still shook her head. "You both make good points, but I don't want to do that. If I don't have feelings for him, I can't force myself to please him. I don't know how to do that. So, I'll just let things take their course. After leaving him, I'll find someone who loves me back, work hard, save money, and cure my brother's illness. Or, if I can't find anyone, I'll stay single. It's not a big deal."
"Do you really think you have no feelings for him?" Angela asked. "You just said you enjoy being in his arms. If you hated him, you wouldn't feel good about it. Maybe you've already fallen for him!"
"No!" Lillian frantically denied, "I don't have a crush on him. I like his embrace."
Angela skeptically pursed her lips. "Alright, I've said everything I wanted to say. We won't force you to do anything. My suggestion is to help you have a better life and not miss a good opportunity. If you don't want to, that's fine. After you leave him, I'll find you another excellent guy."
"Thank you, Angela. I know you mean well. But I'm too naive to learn those little tricks. I really can't handle Alexander. So, I'll just pray to God and hope that this fool gets some good luck," Lillian said.
