Chapter 2 Reunion
Lily calmly replied, "No."
Even as they fell asleep, Olivia was still cursing David: "What was his problem back then? A bad man who neither accepted nor rejected responsibility. Can I come to your reunion? I want to tell him about Chase face-to-face. You shouldn't bear all this alone."
Olivia was always tough on the outside but soft inside. She knew they couldn't let the world know about Chase; it would be a huge blow to Lily, bringing back all those painful memories.
"By the way, what's going on with you and Joshua? I thought it was just for publicity. Why are you on a dating show together?"
Back when they were still unknown in the entertainment industry, Joshua's grandmother shared a hospital room with Chase. Joshua had no time to care for his grandmother, so Lily helped out, thinking it was no different from caring for one more person. They had become close, and now they were just playing a couple for the cameras to generate buzz. Privately, they had a more intimate relationship with each other than ordinary relatives.
They chatted late into the night. When Lily woke up, her manager called her to the Summit Plaza office. As she walked in, her colleague Elizabeth Perez approached, looking exasperated.
"Lily, Ms. Garcia wants to see you in her office."
When Lily entered, Ella Garcia was on the phone. As a top manager, she had brought Lily up from nothing. After half an hour, she hung up and looked at Lily excitedly.
"Your big break is here! All our hard work is paying off. Next week, you'll have the chance to share the stage with the renowned international model, Mia. Tonight, I'm organizing a get-together so you can meet!"
"Don't worry, I'll make sure someone is with Chase. When I first found out you had a son, I was shocked, too."
After all, with her youthful, radiant face and elegant demeanor, Lily looked like she had just graduated from college, not like someone with a child.
"Ms. Garcia, I..." Just hearing that name made her tremble. In a few short years, she was going to see Mia again?
Lily rarely got opportunities like this, and even though she felt terrified and disgusted inside, she couldn't figure out how to say no to Ella.
The hotel had everything set up, and the room buzzed with the clinking of glasses and lively chatter. The crystal chandelier on the ceiling was so bright that Lily could barely keep her eyes open. She kept sipping water, trying to calm her nerves.
There were quite a few people here today, and Joshua had also been invited to join the fun. Ella stood at the door early, waiting for Mia to arrive.
The tension weighed heavily on Lily, making her feel dazed. Suddenly, the crowd around her started to stir, and everyone turned to look at the entrance. Joshua craned his neck and then waved at her, "She's here! Look, it's Mia. She's got the perfect figure!"
Seeing Lily remain seated, Ella grew anxious and quickly handed her a glass of red wine, urging, "She's a senior, you need to show some respect."
Ella dragged Lily to the front, where the scene was chaotic. Lily's expression was dazed, and in the confusion, someone bumped her arm holding the wine glass. The dark red liquid spilled all over her green dress, dripping down from her chest.
For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Lily's mind went blank, and she stared at the wine stains on her dress, forgetting to react.
For the third time, she had embarrassed herself in front of Mia...
Mia looked at the scene and chuckled, which made Lily feel even more hopeless, her eyes reddening with suppressed tears.
As Mia walked up, the room fell silent. The chatter and excited shouts from earlier vanished instantly.
She was as dazzling as ever, gracefully drawing all attention away from the noise around her. Her long satin dress shimmered like moonlight, highlighting her smooth, almost translucent skin. Her hair cascaded like a waterfall, loosely tied with a few strands falling over her shoulders.
Mia's beauty was pure and untouched, distant enough to make one hold their breath, like something suspended in the sky, only to be admired, never defiled.
Ella felt a bit awkward and quickly spoke up, "Lily was a bit clumsy, Ms. Wilson, please don't mind. But judging by your reaction, do you know her?"