Chapter 2

"What did you just say?" Lila thought she had misheard Dorian. With a cold face, he repeated, "Put all your work on hold and only come back once you've calmed down. Also, hand over that movie project to your assistant." She stumbled slightly, yelling, "What gives you the right?" Taking a long, deep breath, she finally calmed down a little. "I can hand over other projects, but not this one! I secured that movie project myself, and you have no right to take that away from me." However, Dorian scoffed like he had heard a joke. "You secured it? With what? Did you think that the producer would've met you if it weren't for my connections and resources? Have you become so full of yourself, Lila?" Lila was in utter disbelief, scanning him from head to toe as if a stranger had stood before her. "You're saying I relied on your connections? Where's your conscience, Dorian? "I made you; I got you all the opportunities with my effort. And you're telling me now that I was the leech?" His countenance remained cold. "We're bringing up the past now, huh, Lila? Well, let me ask you: would you have acted as ridiculous as you are now in the past?" Lila took a step back, finding it hard to believe that this was reality. Her pale complexion concerned Dorian. "Come on, Lila, just stop it. No one will ever replace you in my heart." She found it ironic. "And what about Zara? What is she to you?" The impatience he had suppressed reignited. "I see her as a sister. How many times do I have to repeat myself?" Lila covered her eyes, taking a few long seconds to repress her urge to cry. "Stop lying to yourself, Dorian. I know I'll get replaced at any minute since Zara's return, and you want to fire me as your agent." "Lila!" Dorian had become angered at this point. "Zara has nothing to do with your dismissal as my agent. I wanted another agent because I needed the resources in the fashion industry, and she happened to fulfill that criteria. "You know how much I hate repeating myself, yet I do it time after time for you. How are you not satisfied yet? "Besides, didn't you have more time to pursue your directing and photography endeavors after the dismissal? What was so wrong about giving you what you wanted?" His last line elicited an exasperated laugh from Lila. "Giving me what I wanted?" she mused. Back then, Dorian had eyed the resources of that potential new agent and harbored the thought of dismissing Lila as his agent. However, he had no clue how to come clean to her. When she found out, she willingly terminated her position so he could smoothly acquire the new agent's resources. In the end, the narrative became the opposite—that he was the one who fulfilled her wishes. All of a sudden, she began to doubt her relationship of five years. Dorian had never seen Lila like this—her eyes were red and filled with self-doubt, yet she radiated an unmistakable intensity. When he reached out, it felt like he'd pricked himself on thorns, drawing blood with a single touch. He disliked this version of her; she was supposed to be obedient, elegant, and aloof, and she should cling to him like a kitten at all times. "Just stop, Lila." He massaged his brows to calm himself down. "If you like that bracelet so much, I'll just take it back in two days." These words left Lila feeling helpless as if she were punching a pillow. No matter how much she had said, in Dorian's eyes, she was merely making a scene because of a bracelet. What he failed to understand was that this was the final nail in the coffin. Seeing that she hadn't recovered from her emotions, Dorian added, "You like to be my agent, don't you? Fine. You can be my agent again once things stabilize in two years." Her voice came out bitter and helpless. "I don't want that anymore." "Not even you, Dorian," she thought. Dorian was annoyed by her tone of despair. "Then, what do you want? A proposal? Fine. We can get engaged once my work is stable by the end of the year. Then, we'll get married next year." A painful smile appeared on Lila's face. Those moments used to be the time she longed for the most, yet they felt undesirable at that moment. With that thought, she shook her head. "I don't want that, either." Descending into silence, Dorian stared at her coldly without a tinge of patience. She looked up again and enunciated, "I just want to end this relationship." His chest tightened, and his impulse overtook his rationality. Choking her, he scolded, "You're a stubborn fool, Lila!" Tears fell as soon as she closed her eyes. The beads rolled off her face and hit the back of his hand. Feeling the abrupt warmth, he finally realized what he was doing and quickly withdrew his hand. He had known her for seven years, yet despite everything she had been through, he had never seen her cry once. Dorian panicked, albeit for just a fleeting second. He was confident that Lila loved him and, therefore, wouldn't abandon him. "I must've been too nice to you over the years that you're now threatening me with a breakup. You're emotionally unwell, so take a break from work and come back to me once you've thought things out," he instructed with authority and left soon after. Lila stood in her spot and stayed in a trance for a long time. Right then, her phone pinged with a few text messages from the head of Dorian's team. "Hi, Lila. All your work has been put on hold. Please hand over the movie project you've been following recently to your assistant." An official notice, huh? How ironic. She didn't want to stay another second in the office and exited weakly. As she arrived at the end of the corridor, she heard gossip coming from inside the room. "Did Dorian really put off all of Lila's projects?" "Of course. I heard it loud and clear. That's why people need to be humble and low-key. Now that she's lost his favor, I wonder how she'll continue to act so cocky around the office." "Exactly. An orphan like her doesn't even deserve to step into this office." "Now that her work has been put on hold, Dorian will only kick her out of the company sooner or later." One of them exited the room and happened to run into Lila. "Hey, look who we have here." Then, while holding a cup of coffee, she was ready to discard it. She splashed it onto Lila and said, "Oops, sorry." Without hesitation, Lila grabbed the cup and smashed it at the other party's feet. That woman was none other than the promotions manager in Dorian's team, Michelle Davidson. She had always been jealous of Lila for sticking around Dorian and harbored disdain toward her. "Hey, what are you doing?" Michelle screamed. "Your work has been put off, and it's only a matter of time before you get dismissed! Who do you think you are to make a commotion here, you orphan!" Lila shot a cold glare at her. "Do you desperately want me to leave just so you can replace me and cling to Dorian?" "You—" "Sorry to disappoint you, though." Lila smiled mockingly. "You saw the trending news, didn't you? Even without me, you will never have the chance to get near him." Michelle's cheeks flushed. Lila glanced nonchalantly at the few who had come out to watch the show. "The same goes for all of you." She continued on her way. A voice spoke from behind. "Well, aren't you in the same boat as us? Even after all these years, you get nothing in return! What's there to be proud of when you're just a dog that he's abandoned on the street?" Lila halted her steps, the prickling in her heart intensifying. With a gloomy mood, she took a cab and returned home. Evergreen Heights was the most renowned affluent neighborhood in Northridge City, but owning a house here wasn't solely reserved for the wealthy. Anyone who knew Lila would surely mock her for being in this place. Meanwhile, the security guard opened the door for her with utmost respect. "Welcome home, Ms. Hart." Lila nodded politely in response and slowly walked toward a house near the center. This wasn't her residence; it belonged to her uncle, Kieran Morgan. The Morgan family was the richest in the country, while Lila's parents were close friends of Kieran's brother and sister-in-law. After her parents passed away, the Morgans took her in. Though they shared no blood ties, the Morgans treated her well. However, she struggled to fully accept their kindness. Everyone in the Morgan family was capable and accomplished, and she wanted to prove herself through her own hard work—to be worthy of the support they had given her. In reality, Lila hadn't stayed here in a long time. She felt somewhat lost today and had nowhere else to go except for the Morgan residence.