The familiar weight of the documents in Grace Wu's bag pressed against her side as she stepped out of the cab. Lilly Li's building loomed overhead, its glass exterior reflecting the deep indigo of the evening sky.
She took a breath. This visit was earlier than before—too early by the original timeline's standards. But Grace wasn't interested in repeating old mistakes.
Stepping inside, she passed the front desk without hesitation, heels clicking softly against the marble floor. The receptionist barely glanced up.
By the time Grace reached Lilly's door, she'd rehearsed the conversation twice in her head. Be direct, but not overeager.
Her knuckles barely grazed the wood when the door opened—Lilly, glass in hand, eyebrow arched.
"Well," Lilly drawled, leaning against the frame. "This is unexpected."
Grace offered a faint smile.
"I thought I'd drop by," Grace said lightly. "Is this a bad time?"
Lilly glanced at the wine in her glass, then at Grace's sharp blazer and unflinching posture.
"That depends," Lilly replied, stepping aside. "Are you here to check if I've started throwing things out yet?"
Grace slipped inside, eyes sweeping over the familiar apartment. Warm, but calculated. It hadn't changed—just like before.
"I'm not here on Rocky's behalf," Grace said simply.
Lilly shut the door with a soft click.
"That's new," Lilly said, swirling the wine in her glass as she leaned against the counter. "Rocky usually has you running errands until midnight."
Grace's fingers tightened briefly around the strap of her bag, but she kept her tone light.
"Maybe I'm reconsidering how much of my time I want to waste," Grace said, setting the documents on the counter with a quiet thud.
Lilly's gaze flickered to the envelope.
"And this is…?"
Grace tapped it once with her finger.
"Business," she replied. "Rocky's been sniffing around Skybound."
Lilly's easy smirk faded just a fraction.
"Already?" she murmured, setting her glass down. "I thought he'd wait longer before trying to crawl back into that mess."
Grace didn't respond right away, letting the silence stretch. She recognized the flicker of irritation in Lilly's expression.
"Victor's moving quietly," Grace added finally. "Rocky's starting to notice."
Lilly's fingers drummed lightly against the counter, her gaze sharpening.
"Victor always moves quietly," Lilly said, eyes narrowing. "The difference is Rocky doesn't usually care until it's too late."
Grace nodded, adjusting the sleeve of her blazer.
"I thought you'd want to know early this time."
Lilly's gaze lingered on her for a long moment, the air thick between them.
"Rocky doesn't know you're here, does he?" Lilly asked, tilting her head.
Grace's lips curved faintly.
"No," she replied.
A flicker of amusement crossed Lilly's features.
"Interesting."
Grace leaned against the opposite counter, arms crossing loosely.
"I'm not interested in being part of the fallout again," Grace said, tone even. "Last time, I stayed too close and got burned. This time, I'm stepping back before things start crumbling."
Lilly swirled the wine in her glass, watching Grace carefully.
"Smart," Lilly murmured. "But you didn't come here just to give me a heads-up."
"No," Grace admitted.
Lilly arched a brow.
"Well?"
"I want in," Grace said without hesitation. "When this all falls apart, I don't plan on being caught under Rocky's mess. I need somewhere to land."
Lilly's gaze sharpened.
"You're asking me for a job," Lilly clarified, voice light but probing.
Grace met her gaze without flinching.
"I'm asking for a chance," Grace replied smoothly.
For a long moment, Lilly didn't speak. She set the glass down, leaning closer as if studying Grace for cracks in her resolve.
Finally, Lilly smirked.
"You're serious."
Grace shrugged lightly.
"Would I be here if I wasn't?"
Lilly's gaze flickered with something close to approval.
"No," Lilly admitted. "You wouldn't."
A quiet beat passed. Then, without ceremony, Lilly extended her hand.
"Fine," Lilly said with a faint smile. "Let's see if you're as sharp as you think."
Grace didn't hesitate. She clasped Lilly's hand firmly, the weight of the moment settling comfortably between them.
"I won't disappoint," Grace said quietly.
Lilly's smirk deepened.
"I know," Lilly replied. "If you do, you'll hear about it."
Grace released her hand, tucking the envelope back into her bag.
"I'll keep Rocky in the dark," Grace added. "At least for now."
Lilly's eyes glinted with something unreadable.
"Let him wonder," Lilly said lightly.
As Grace moved toward the door, Lilly's voice stopped her.
"For what it's worth," Lilly said, voice softer, "you're making the right call."
Grace paused, glancing over her shoulder.
"I know," she replied, echoing Lilly's earlier words.
And with that, she slipped out into the night.