Larissa had successfully diverted her attention. "We met while studying abroad. He was my senior at the same university, but we were pursuing different courses. Despite having our own clique for international students, we were the only students from Caldor. Although he had another senior, she already had a boyfriend, so she rarely hung out with us, leaving us alone most of the time. He really looks out for me too. However, it was only an attraction we had for each other back then. It wasn't until I returned to Caldor after graduating that we ran into each other again at a party. That's when we discovered that our parents were good friends. Both sides had the intention of bringing us together, and we also enjoyed each other's company. So I happily agreed to be Lucas' girlfriend once he popped the question."It was a pretty sweet love story, but Lana did not seem the slightest bit excited when talking about it. Even her expression remained the same throughout. Her smile seemed more li
Kevan and Larissa's intimate actions made Lucas avert his gaze. His face was as red as Lana's. Lana wrapped her arm around Larissa's other arm, batted her eyelashes, and looked at Larissa expectantly."Stay with me tonight, okay? I'm staying in this hotel."Larissa was completely distracted by the hand Kevan had placed on her waist and had no intention of dealing with Lana. Just then, Lucas happened to turn around and give her a cue. Larissa immediately caught on to what he meant and politely declined Lana's invitation, "No, thank you." "You came all the way to see your boyfriend, so you should spend more time with him.""No!" Lana not only ignored her advice but also started to throw a fit. "It's my birthday, and I'm in charge. You have to listen to me!"She pouted sulkily, her bright eyes wide open, her cheeks streaked with disappointment, looking like a spoiled child. But Larissa wasn't buying it."Be good," she said.Seeing that she was adamant, Lana softened her tone
"Yes." Larissa forced a smile on her face, her voice sounding more airy than before. "I was born and raised in Bartham. Later I got into a university in Covenford, and after graduating, I found a decent job, so I settled down here."She skimmed over the past casually, as if those were nothing more than fleeting memories, including her memories with him. Kevan instantly felt downcast. "Have you not been in contact with your family all these years? Your sister said she has been looking for you," he asked.Larissa pursed her lips, took a moment to think, and then shook her head. "Why?" Kevan felt his heart tighten suddenly. Although he somewhat knew the reasons, he still wanted to hear her express them in her own words. However, Larissa remained silent. The two of them fell into a moment of silence, each lost in their own thoughts, creating a strange sense of understanding between them.They remained silent until they left the hotel. As the cold wind blew, Larissa shivered, fina
In the afternoon, Larissa was called into the office by her general manager. To her surprise, Lana was also there.Lana didn't greet her warmly or approach her affectionately this time. Instead, she sat on the sofa, wearing a polite smile and exuding an air of elegance. The general manager, still unaware of their relationship, said to Larissa, "I'd like to introduce you to the daughter of Mr. Seymour, the president of Cosmic Entertainment. She's an esteemed guest at our hotel."Larissa nodded and followed Lana's suit of pretending not to know each other. She greeted politely, "Nice to meet you, Ms. Seymour." Lana mimicked her and replied, "Nice to meet you too.""Ms. Seymour is from Bartham, and this is her first time in Covenford. She wants to spend a few days here, so please make arrangements to show her around and explore Covenford's charm for the next two days." The general manager finally revealed the purpose of calling Larissa.Larissa had previously thought that Lana was a
Lana remembered Kevan telling Lucas at the banquet the previous night that he needed to fly to Bartham early that morning. "Oh, okay … if that's the case. Three of us having a meal together sounds great too!" Lana sent her a cute emoji.On the first day, Larissa and Lana agreed to meet outside the Regal Dynasty Hotel at eight in the morning. Worried that Lana would be early, Larissa arrived at 7.50 am and texted Lana upon her arrival, but she didn't receive a reply. She waited in her car until 8.10 am, but Lana was nowhere to be seen, so she called her."Hello?" Lana said in a voice that was thick with sleep. She obviously hadn't gotten out of bed. Larissa felt a little angry, but she reminded her mildly, "It's already 8.10 am.""Huh? What!" Lana shrieked and explained hastily, "Sorry, sorry! I set an alarm for 7 am, but I turned it off when it rang. I told myself I'd sleep for just ten more minutes, and I didn't realize how much time had passed … " "Just hurry up and get ready. I
"Here's your breakfast," Larissa said as she turned around and reached for the takeaway bag from the backseat. She pressed her palm against it to check the temperature and added, "The car heater has been on the whole time, so it should still be warm.""Thanks, sis!" Lana's smile stretched until her eyes nearly disappeared, but she did not immediately open the bag after taking it. Instead, she assessed the car's interior. "Larissa, why do you drive such a cheap car?" Lana asked casually, but Larissa still saw the scorn and disdain in her eyes. At last, Lana rested her gaze on Larissa and said, "I heard from Mom that she gave you a credit card with one million dollars when you left home. Didn't you use it?"Larissa recalled the credit card incident. It was back when she had just graduated from university and started working at the Regal Dynasty Hotel. One day, Yvette phoned her, showering her with warm regards and concern for her, causing Larissa to feel uneasy. Yvette had then uttered
There was no way she could forget her own birthday, so the only valid explanation was that Yvette had never set the PIN number to her birthday at all! However, she couldn't be sure if Yvette had remembered her birthday wrongly or just lied to her. When she got home, she cut the credit card in half with a pair of scissors.Larissa took her sunglasses from the glove compartment and put them on to hide her icy gaze. "No," she answered plainly. "Why don't you use it?" asked Lana in confusion. Then, she seemed to have thought of something, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Larissa, do you still hate Mom and Dad?" Her voice quivered, growing softer with each word. Larissa pursed her lips, using her silence as a confirmation. Lana blinked, and her tears streaked down her face. "Actually, Mom and Dad were doing it for your good … Back then, the man they wanted you to marry was the director of Soaring Corporation … Although he's much older, you could have lived the life of a queen if you h
"I've never been to a bar … " Lana complained meekly. "You know how strict Mom and Dad are with me. As long as they think that something's bad, then they won't let me do it. I'm already 24, but they still treat me like a kid, worrying about this and that. I thought they would be less controlling once I had a boyfriend, but they didn't change at all. I only had someone new bossing me around, and that's Lucas! I've wanted to go to bars and see more of the world since I came of age, but I've never even set foot in one until now." Lana leaned against Larissa and rubbed her cheek against Larissa's arm like a kitten. "Lyssa, I'm begging you. Just take me once … please?"Though Larissa had never approved of Yvette and Xavier's parenting methods, she found herself agreeing with them for once. "Bars are messy and dangerous. It's no place for a girl to visit." Especially more so for girls like Lana, who looked cute and innocent. They would easily become prey to men with bad intentions. Perhaps,