"I'll sit next to you," Lia murmured, shifting awkwardly. But the man's grip on her waist never loosened.
"Why are you so nervous? Are you afraid of me?" His hand gently pinched her soft waist, and Lia stiffened, her voice barely audible. "No, let's eat."
The man seemed to be in a better mood, releasing her. Lia quickly slid into the seat beside him, hastily picking up some food for him.
"Mr. Cassius, please eat."
He glanced at her with a faint smile. "What's my name?"
She paused for a moment, then quietly answered, "Cassius."
Lia was well aware of how particular he was about certain things, but she hadn't realized he would be so insistent about his name.
"Don't forget," he said with a playful smile, ruffling her hair.
"Okay," Lia responded softly, her eyes lowered. His fingers, long and slender, gently tipped her chin upward. "Lia, you're so good. Should I be kinder to you?"
*Am I good?* Lia never thought of herself that way. She had always viewed her relationship with him as just a job—whether at work or in his home. If you wanted something, you had to pay the price.
"You're very good to me," Lia replied, even though she barely knew him, despite their few days together.
"Stay the night," he said casually.
She hesitated, then said, "Sorry, I have something else to do."
Unbothered, he nodded. "Alright, I'll take you home."
"Thank you."
Lia assumed it was just a joke, but after dinner, Cassius actually drove her home.
"Miss, we're here."
"Thank you for bringing me." Lia bowed slightly, gratitude in her voice.
Cassius glanced at the neighborhood before looking away.
"You live here?" he asked.
"Yeah."
In an effort to save money, Lia had rented an old building. It was a walk-up with no elevator, but the price was affordable.
"Well, I'll head back now," he said.
Lia nodded, and once he was gone, her thoughts turned to the man. She waited until the car was out of sight before entering the community.
Once inside, she quickly changed out of the clothes he had given her. They were too expensive for her to keep.
Though Lia earned a decent salary as a secretary at Valen Group, the money barely stretched. She was the one paying for her grandmother's medical bills and daily needs, all while supporting her adoptive parents who had limited means.
Ten minutes later, Lia gathered a few things and hailed a taxi to the hospital.
Her adoptive mother, Karen, was overjoyed to see her. Recently, she had been staying by her mother's side, whispering comfort into the old woman's ear.
"Lia, you're finally here. Grandma is asleep," Karen said warmly.
Lia smiled softly. "I'll go pay the hospital fees first."
"Oh, go ahead. By the way, what are those marks on your neck?" Karen's sharp eyes quickly noticed something off, and her expression shifted.
Lia instinctively pulled her collar tighter, but the turtleneck still didn't hide the marks Cassius had left.
She had no idea why he was so fixated on her neck. He seemed to have some kind of fetish, always leaving marks in places she couldn't cover. If she said nothing, he'd keep going.
"What's wrong, Lia? Why is your face so red?" Karen asked, sensing her discomfort.
Having been through a lot in life, Karen suspected her daughter might be in love. But that won't do, because she had already set her sights on someone else.
"It's probably mosquitoes," Lia said quickly. "There are more of them around lately. I forgot to light the coils last night. I'll go pay the bills first."
Karen didn't press, knowing that her adopted daughter was usually quiet about her feelings. Now that her husband has lost his job, she still counts on her adopted daughter to support them. She might find another way to learn more later, especially since Lia was so obedient.
On her way back from paying the hospital fees, Lia bumped into Dr. Arthur.
"Hello, Dr. Arthur," she greeted politely.
"Lia, you're here," he responded, smiling. He had become familiar with her as he'd been treating her grandmother.
"Thank you for everything, Dr. Arthur. You've helped a lot with getting grandma the medicine she needs."
"It's my pleasure," he said. "Lia, do you have time for lunch today?"
Lia paused. "No, what's up, Dr. Arthur?"
"I'd like to treat you to lunch and talk about your grandmother's condition."
Lia hesitated, but then said, "Okay, but I'll pay for it. I can't trouble you."
"Then I'll treat you next time," Arthur insisted.
Lia smiled and nodded. Though she said she would pay, she knew she couldn't let him.
After parting ways with Dr. Arthur, Lia returned to the ward. Karen received a phone call and rushed off, leaving Lia alone with her grandmother.
"Grandma, you're going to get better," she whispered, holding the old woman's fragile hand, her voice trembling.
Lia had always been an orphan, unwanted by anyone. Mrs. Selena had taken her in from the orphanage, but she had only seen her as a servant. Lia's life with the Valen family had been far worse than at the orphanage. Lucas, the young master, bullied her, and the servants disliked her because of his treatment.
She knew from a young age that she was unwelcome in the Valen home, but she had no choice but to serve them without complaint. Anything less would result in further abuse.
Once, she was falsely accused of stealing jewelry. Despite there being no evidence, no one believed her. She was beaten so severely that her wounds became infected and caused a high fever, which led to a coma. Mrs. Selena refused to let doctors treat her, but her grandmother secretly gave her medicine, and miraculously, she survived.
Though she survived, Mrs. Selena wanted nothing to do with her afterward and intended to send her back to the orphanage. It was only thanks to her grandmother's pleading that she was allowed to stay.