Lila POV
The dining room at Moon Hidden Villa was spacious and bright. A long walnut dining table that could seat ten stood in the center, its warm, smooth surface reflecting the morning light that stread in from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Outside was a ticulously manicured English garden where roses blood vibrantly and colorful clusters of hydrangeas thrived. The morning dew glittered in the sunlight, and the air was filled with the faint scent of fresh grass and flowers—a scene brimming with life.
A lavish breakfast was already laid out on the table. Under silver cloches were Eggs Benedict cooked to perfection, with golden, runny yolks oozing over fluffy English muffins. Beside them lay smoked salmon and sliced avocado, along with a small dish of sautéed mushrooms garnished with fresh herbs. A basket of freshly baked croissants emanated a rich, buttery aroma, placed next to a glass of chilled, freshly squeezed orange juice and a steaming cup of black coffee. The combined fragrances were enough to make one’s mouth water.
"Wow, what a lavish breakfast!" Zoe flopped into the chair beside , her eyes darting mischievously in my direction as a teasing smile played on her lips. She deliberately picked up a croissant, broke it in half, and offered the crispier end to , her voice sickeningly sweet. "Lila, you need to eat up!"
I took the croissant, sowhat confused.
She leaned close to my ear, lowering her voice, but the teasing in her tone was impossible to hide. "I bet you had a lot of... strenuous exercise last night... and maybe even this morning, huh? You can’t let yourself go hungry!"
Her voice was just loud enough for Jasper, who was pouring himself so coffee at the other end of the dining room, to overhear. Heat instantly flooded my cheeks, and I wished I could find a hole to crawl into. ’This girl is such a tease!’
Jasper’s hand, holding his coffee cup, paused. He glanced over at us, his gaze deep. He said nothing, but the corner of his mouth seed to twitch upward ever so slightly.
I quickly changed the subject. "Alright, let’s talk business."
Then, as we enjoyed the lavish breakfast, I laid out my plan for Zoe piece by piece.
My cousin, Lilith, is a classic gold-digger. The only things she cares about are Hermès, exclusive parties, and n who can get her into the upper echelons of society. I wanted to ask Zoe to take advantage of the fact that they go to the sa school to pretend to befriend Lilith. With Zoe’s status as the little princess of the Hale Group, Lilith would surely see her as the ultimate connection to latch onto. She’d be dying to invite Zoe over every day to strengthen their "friendship." That way, Zoe might be able to find so clues about my parents’ car crash—in the study, the garage, or anywhere else.
After hearing my plan, Zoe’s eyes lit up, shining as if they were full of stars. She lifted her chin smugly and said with total confidence, "Piece of cake. I’ve t plenty of girls like Lilith. She’d be desperate to get in with my family. I’ll ask her to afternoon tea tomorrow at the rooftop of the Ritz Carlton. I’ll show her what a real ticket into the top social circles looks like. She’ll be worshipping the ground I walk on, calling every day to invite to parties at her house! Don’t you worry. Leave it to !"
————
Breakfast ended quickly. Jasper stood by the door, holding a dark gray cashre coat. His gaze was fixed on as he said calmly, "Lila, it’s ti to go."
I froze, only then rembering I had work today.
"Oh, right." I quickly stood, folded my napkin, and placed it on the corner of the table before walking toward the door.
Jasper was already holding the coat out to , his movents so gentle it was as if he were afraid of wrinkling it.
"Put it on," he said softly, his voice laced with a tenderness that couldn’t be refused.
I took the coat and put it on. He stood behind and gently adjusted the collar, his fingertips brushing against my neck and sending a cool sensation across my skin.
"By the way," Jasper suddenly said, his voice low. "This shirt you’re wearing... you’ve worn it again, haven’t you?"
I froze, looking down at my cream-colored silk shirt—it was my favorite. But now that he ntioned it, I realized this was already the third ti I’d worn it.
"Well... I suppose I have been wearing it a lot," I said with an embarrassed laugh.
Jasper’s brow furrowed, a pained look flickering in his eyes. "Zoe, put the Lilith plan on hold. Your top priority now is to take Lila shopping. Fill her closet."
Zoe’s eyes lit up at once. "Really? Dad! Is there a limit?"
"Of course," Jasper said calmly. "The budget is unlimited, as long as Lila likes it."
"Yay!" Zoe leaped up in excitent, nearly knocking over her juice glass. "Lila, you can buy whatever you want! Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton... We can shop till you drop!"
I quickly waved my hands dismissively. "There’s no need to be so extravagant... I’m not the type of person who’s into luxury brands."
"This isn’t about whether you’re into them or not," Jasper interrupted, leaning close to my ear. His warm breath grazed my skin. "It’s that I don’t want you to sell yourself short."
His voice was so low, it was ant for my ears only. I could feel my cheeks flush as my heart began to beat a little faster.
In that mont, I wasn’t the girl adopted by the Goodrich family who had to tread carefully through life. I wasn’t the rookie designer at AR Architecture Design Company, desperately trying to prove herself. I was simply a woman cherished with every fiber of a man’s being.
His devotion moved , but it also made uneasy—I was afraid it was all too beautiful to last, that it would eventually shatter.
————
The car slowly pulled out of the gates of Moon Hidden Villa and drove down a tree-lined path. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The only sounds in the quiet car were the low hum of the engine and the wind whistling through the treetops.
"You’ve been frowning a bit today," Jasper suddenly observed, his low voice tinged with concern.
I started and looked up at him. He turned his head to the side, his golden eyes glinting in the morning light with an all-seeing sharpness.
"I’m not," I denied instinctively, but my heart skipped a beat the mont our eyes t.
"Your right eye squints a little when you lie," he said softly, his tone teasing yet laced with that familiar, pained concern.
I froze. Those were the exact words he’d used when he first questioned in his study.
’So he rembered.’
"Are you still thinking about last night?" he continued, his voice low and gentle. "Or... is it about your parents?"
I fell silent. The scenery flew past the window. Sunlight stread in, warming my face, but it couldn’t penetrate the shadows in my heart.
"...Yes," I finally admitted, my voice barely a whisper. "I just feel like... so things... aren’t over yet."
"I know," Jasper said, his voice low and firm. "But you can’t go on like this. Your mother, watching from heaven, would never want you to live in pain and suspicion."
I bit my lip, saying nothing.
"Besides," he paused, turning his head to look at , his gaze softening. "You have to trust that we’re getting closer to the truth, step by step. But in the anti, you need to live a normal life. Otherwise, our enemy will sense that sothing’s wrong, and it will only make them more guarded."
"Then what should I do?" I asked, forcing my brow to smooth.
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