Chapter 8 We'll Be Divorced in a Year!
Lillian took the initiative and went to the kitchen to help Kelly with breakfast. Soon, everything was ready and she carried the dishes to the dining room one by one. At that moment, Alexander came down from upstairs, sharp in a navy suit, his build tall and firm, hair meticulously groomed. Despite his polished appearance, there was a weariness in his face and dark circles under his eyes—it was obvious he hadn't slept well.
"Good morning, Mr. Sinclair," Lillian greeted him, feeling a little odd inside. She was used to seeing him at the company, but now, in a different setting with a changed relationship, it invoked a faint sense of novelty in her.
She asked, "Mr. Sinclair, for breakfast, Kelly has prepared a variety of options. What would you like to eat?"
Alexander looked at her with a dark expression, his eyes cold, almost as if she were an enemy.
Confused and frightened by his gaze, Lillian wondered why he was looking at her that way. Aside from a few words she had said to him in the car, she couldn't recall doing anything else to provoke him.
"Mr. Sinclair, did I do something wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, puzzled.
Alexander thought about Lillian's sleepwalking incident the night before and found it absurd. He scoffed in response to her confusion, "What do you think you did?"
"I... I didn't do anything. I just went to my room after coming back last night. I didn't offend you, did I?" Lillian was becoming more perplexed by the question.
"Heh," Alexander sneered, "Lillian, let me tell you, last night you sleepwalked into my room. Get that checked out as soon as possible. I'm giving you a chance this time, but if it happens again, I'll throw you out myself!"
"Sleepwalking? Me?" Lillian's eyes widened in disbelief, obviously clueless about her own actions.
"Milk, sandwich," Alexander said, too lazy to continue the conversation and motioned for her to bring breakfast.
Full of doubt because no one had ever mentioned her sleepwalking before, Lillian nonetheless efficiently set his breakfast in front of him.
Seeing Alexander ignore her, she didn't dare to ask further questions, but she knew he wouldn't lie to her. Still, she could hardly believe that she was capable of sleepwalking—it was just too outrageous!
Putting her confusion aside, she served herself breakfast and started eating quickly. She needed to hurry or she would be late for work.
Alexander barely touched his meal, immersed in his tablet. However, the noise of cutlery clinking caught his attention. He looked up, frowning at Lillian's lack of manners. Who told her to sit at the table? And her eating was so unseemly!
Lillian, absorbed in her meal, didn't notice his glare or his annoyance.
Alexander slammed his tablet down on the table, making a loud noise. He looked at her sternly and said irritably, "Lillian, your place is in the kitchen, not at the table with me. Remember the rules of this house!"
Startled by his tone and demeanor, Lillian felt a mix of complaint and amusement but understood. Grand households had many rules, after all.
"Mr. Sinclair, if that's the case, could you please inform me about any other places I should not go or where I shouldn't be seen with you in this house? It would help me to be aware," she requested.
Alexander took a sip of milk. "In this house, only your room belongs to you. Stay there and don't wander around! Especially at night, keep to yourself when you're asleep!"
Lillian, biting her cheek in frustration, nodded in acknowledgment and took her plate to the kitchen.
After breakfast, she quickly washed the dishes and hurried out of the mansion, immediately being hit by the blustery wind that made her squint. She pulled her scarf up and, looking down at the snowy expanse of the yard, felt a surge of excitement. She gleefully hopped along, imprinting her footsteps in the snow as she made her way toward the gate.
"Ms. Hill still acts like a child, playing in the snow and leaving footprints. It's kind of cute," Kevin said teasingly, his car slowly trailing behind Lillian as he couldn't help but joke.
Hearing this, Alexander instinctively looked up and out, sneering coldly, "Cute? Hopping around like that; it's all an act!"
Kevin just silently smiled and drove past Lillian.
The car made a crunching sound as it pressed down on the snowy ground. Watching Alexander's car leave the driveway, Lillian felt a twinge of envy and quickened her pace, braving the snow as she made her way toward the subway station.
Rushing through the cold, Lillian clocked in at the office at the very last second and hurried to the executive secretary's office.
"Ms. Hill, you've managed to come in rather early today!" Taylor, holding a folder and delegating tasks for the day, remarked with a mix of sarcasm and mock praise as Lillian walked in.
"Ms. Reed, I'm sorry. I'll be more careful next time," Lillian responded without going into detail and swiftly returned to her desk.
Taylor watched her, eyes filled with a hint of hostility that quickly faded away.
Lillian's work remained simple yet tedious. She spent her morning either in the print room, running errands across various departments, or making phone calls. The morning flew by rather quickly.
At lunchtime, Lillian followed her colleagues to the cafeteria. There were about seven or eight people in the executive secretary's office, and they usually dined together, chatting about office gossip while enjoying a relaxed atmosphere.
They ate and talked around the long table, and Lillian was the quietest among them, neither curious nor having any gossip to share, content with simply listening.
Suddenly, her phone rang. It was a video call from Lisa, causing Lillian's brow to furrow as she answered.
"Hello, Aunt Lisa," Lillian said, putting down her fork and stepping out of the cafeteria into the stairwell. She didn't need to ask; she already guessed Lisa was calling about money, and she didn't want her coworkers to overhear the conversation.
Sure enough, Lisa got straight to the point.
"Lillian, did you talk to Mr. Sinclair about the money last night?" Lisa asked with a deliberately pleasant smile on the video call.
Suppressing her irritation, Lillian leaned against the wall, glancing around to ensure privacy before replying in a hushed tone, "Aunt, I'm in a secret marriage with Mr. Sinclair. It's not appropriate to talk about money issues right now."
"Why isn't it appropriate? You're married now. You're practically part of his family, and it's only right that he should give you money," Lisa said cheerfully, hiding her usual sharpness.
After taking a deep breath and considering for a moment, Lillian spoke honestly, "Aunt, to tell you the truth, Mr. Sinclair and I have a one-year marriage agreement. We're getting a divorce after a year!"
