Some hours before the Knicks vs Memphis match...
The TV hummed softly in the background of Lin Yi's villa, filling the bright, airy living room with the sound of basketball chatter. Elizabeth sat cross-legged on the couch, wearing a white crop top and denim shorts, a bowl of popcorn balanced precariously on her lap.
On screen, a morning show of basketball analysts was in full swing. They were breaking down the upcoming matchup — New York Knicks versus the Memphis Grizzlies — with their usual brand of cautious skepticism.
"The Grizzlies' defense has been outstanding this season," one of the commentators said. "If the Knicks want to pull off a win in Memphis, Lin Yi, Chris Paul, and the crew will have to be absolutely flawless."
Elizabeth frowned, her lips forming a small pout.
"Flawless?" she muttered under her breath, shaking her head. "Please. The Knicks are the champions; is the Grizzlies who should be fearful."
She leaned back against the couch, eyes still glued to the screen, a mix of irritation and pride swirling inside her. It always bugged her when analysts doubted him a little — as if they hadn't seen how much work he put in, the hours, the effort, the drive to accomplish all accolades last season.
The most frustrating was that her darling's team was unbeaten, so where from the doubt?
Then her phone rang.
She picked it up, and before she could say hello, a cheerful voice came through the speaker.
"Liz! We're outside — open up!"
Elizabeth's face lit up instantly. "You're here already?!"
She jumped off the couch, tossed her phone onto a cushion, and hurried to the front door. When she opened it, her twin sisters, Ashley and Mary-Kate, were standing there — both in sunglasses, smiling widely.
"Finally!" Elizabeth laughed, pulling them into a hug. "I thought you two forgot where I lived."
Mary-Kate chuckled as she stepped inside. "Blame The Row. We've been drowning in work lately — new line, new suppliers, same old chaos."
Ashley nodded, slipping off her sunglasses. "But we're here now, and we're not leaving until we've had some fun."
Elizabeth grinned and closed the door behind them. "You'd better. Lin permitted me to invite you guys over, and this is literally the first time you've shown up!"
The three of them made their way into the living room, where the game discussion still played quietly in the background. They sat down, kicked off their shoes, and soon enough, the air was filled with laughter and chatter.
They talked about everything — the business, new projects, fashion trends, mutual friends — and, of course, Elizabeth's relationship with Lin Yi.
"So…" Ashley started with a teasing smile, "how's life with the superstar of New York?"
Elizabeth blushed but smiled anyway. "It's normal, you know. He's actually really chill at home."
Mary-Kate raised an eyebrow. "Normal? Liz, the guy's face is literally on billboards."
"Yeah, he is the nicest boyfriend, and that face is for Mama alone," Elizabeth shot back, laughing.
The teasing went on until the afternoon sun started dipping lower through the villa's tall windows. Eventually, Elizabeth stood and clapped her hands together. "Alright, enough gossip. You two are starving, right? Let's go get something to eat."
They headed out to a cozy restaurant downtown — nothing too flashy, just a spot Elizabeth liked because the food was good and the staff were discreet. But discretion wasn't the same as invisibility.
The moment they stepped out of the car, a few paparazzi lenses turned their way.
"Elizabeth! Over here!"
"Liz! What are your thoughts on the game tonight?"
"Is it true Lin Yi has another girlfriend?"
"Rumors say you're only with him for fame — that you're sleeping with him to boost your acting career! Wait— hey! Answer the question!"
The barrage of voices came from every direction, flashing cameras turning the street into a strobe-lit blur. Elizabeth flinched as one of the paparazzi pushed closer, the sharp clicks of shutters echoing in her ears.
Ashley instinctively moved in front of her, arm out as if to block the line of sight. Mary-Kate followed, both sisters shielding Elizabeth as they hurried toward the restaurant's entrance.
Ashley leaned close and whispered, "Doesn't it get exhausting? We had fame during our acting days, but… this is next level."
Elizabeth exhaled slowly, brushing a lock of hair over her shoulder with a half-smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Perks of dating the Knicks' star, I guess," she said lightly, though her tone carried a tired edge.
Inside, the restaurant's warm lighting felt like a relief after the chaos outside. The sisters exchanged a few uneasy glances as they guided Elizabeth toward their reserved booth.
"You really should get some bodyguards," Ashley said as they sat down. "I'm sure Lin would agree."
Elizabeth shook her head, staring briefly at the table before replying. "He's already offered — a driver, security, even private transport. But I said no. I didn't want it to look like I was… taking advantage of him."
There was a faint trace of guilt in her voice, and she forced a small smile. "Anyway, can we not talk about that? Tonight was supposed to be fun."
Mary-Kate opened her mouth to respond — but before she could, there was a polite knock-knock at the booth divider.
A man in a tailored suit stood there, bowing slightly. "I'm terribly sorry for the disturbance outside, Ms. Olsen. Please accept our apologies — dinner will be on the house today."
The sisters exchanged surprised looks. Elizabeth gave a gracious nod. "Thank you, that's very kind."
The man smiled briefly before excusing himself.
For a few moments, the air was still tense, but eventually, the mood softened again. Their conversation drifted back to lighter topics — stories about work, memories from their childhood, teasing laughter that helped the evening find its warmth again.
By the time they finished their meal, the earlier tension had faded into background noise. They laughed as they walked back to the car, heels clicking against the pavement, and the city lights painted soft glows across their faces.
...
The car rolled up the long driveway of Lin Yi's villa, its headlights washing over the quiet marble steps. The city lights were far behind them now, replaced by the calm hum of crickets and the soft rustle of the evening breeze.
Inside the car, laughter had faded into a comfortable silence. Ashley was the first to break it.
"Well," she said softly, glancing out the window, "this place still feels like something out of a movie."
Mary-Kate smiled, turning to Elizabeth. "You've really made a life here, Liz. It suits you."
Elizabeth nodded, her smile tender but wistful. "Yeah… it's peaceful. Just wish he was home more often."
The car came to a stop. She turned to face her sisters, eyes shining under the porch lights. "Thanks for coming, you two. I really needed this."
Ashley leaned over, pulling her into a hug. "Don't get all sentimental now," she said, laughing softly, but her grip lingered.
Mary-Kate joined in, wrapping her arms around both of them. "We'll come by again soon. Promise."
Elizabeth held them close, reluctant to let go. "You'd better. No excuses this time."
They laughed, kissed each other's cheeks, and for a few seconds, the world outside the car seemed to slow down — three sisters, bound by love and memory, finding comfort in each other's warmth.
As they got back into their car, Elizabeth waved them off, watching until the taillights disappeared beyond the gate. The night fell quiet again.
She turned and walked back inside the villa.
The living room was dim, the faint glow of the TV still flickering from when she'd left. She slipped off her jacket, padded upstairs, and drew herself a warm bath. The steam curled softly around her face as she sank into the water, eyes half closed, letting the tension of the day melt away.
Afterward, she wrapped herself in one of Lin's oversized hoodies — the one that still faintly smelled like his cologne — and padded barefoot to the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of soda, tossed some popcorn in the microwave, and returned to the couch just as the Knicks–Grizzlies game tipped off.
The analysts were still talking — about how "difficult" it would be, about how "Lin Yi needed to be MVP Lin," about Memphis' "elite defense." Elizabeth smiled faintly, shaking her head as she curled her legs beneath her.
"Just watch," she murmured.
And then — the show began.
From the first quarter, Lin Yi was unstoppable. Three-pointers, mid-range fades, slashing drives — the Grizzlies tried everything, but nothing worked. He scored in every way imaginable, orchestrating the offense with Chris Paul like a symphony.
By halftime, the commentators' tone had changed. By the fourth quarter, they were out of superlatives.
"Unbelievable performance! Lin Yi now has eighty-six points — eighty-six! This is beyond historic!"
Elizabeth's popcorn bowl had long since gone untouched. Her eyes were glued to the screen, a wide, proud smile spreading across her face.
When the final buzzer sounded and the arena erupted, she leaned back against the couch, her chest swelling with quiet pride.
She pointed at the screen, grinning. "Yeah," she said softly, almost to herself, "I told you so."
Her voice was calm, certain — filled with that deep, unwavering faith only love could carry.
Because she never doubted her man. Not for a second.
...
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