Willy didn't answer directly, instead saying, "If we don't leave now, we'll be late."
His mother, Grace, glanced at him reproachfully before quickly turning her gaze back to Lila. She showed no intention of leaving.
Instead, she asked, "Are you here to see my family's elderly lady?"
Lila nodded upon hearing this. "I was wondering if the Madam is awake yet?"
Grace maintained a faint smile throughout. "She woke up in the morning and is sleeping again now. By the way, how should I address you?"
Hearing this, Lila didn't answer immediately. Instead, she instinctively looked toward Willy.
She was met with a face as cold as ice.
The moment their eyes met, Willy averted his gaze, leaving only his sharply defined jawline.
His lips were pressed tightly together, and he did not urge Grace to leave again.
Lila knew that what must be faced would eventually come.
After a moment of contemplation, she secretly took a deep breath and then said to Grace, "Hello, Auntie. My name is Lila."
As soon as the words fell, she heard Willy's voice, cold and devoid of any warmth, ring out. "I'll wait for you downstairs."
This, of course, was directed at Grace.
After speaking, he strode away.
Grace responded with a faint "Mmm," but by now, the smile had vanished from her face.
When she smiled, she looked very gentle, as if she were constantly exuding kindness.
But when she wasn't smiling, she was a completely different type of person.
She was stern, and there was an innate, icy aloofness that kept others at a distance.
Lila, of course, noticed such an obvious change.
However, she did not retreat in fear. Instead, her back unconsciously straightened slightly.
In this manner, she carried herself with neither subservience nor arrogance.
It wasn't until Willy was far away that Grace spoke again. "No wonder you look familiar. You look more and more like your father."
Marcus was famously handsome in his youth in Jingbei, and Lila closely resembled him in appearance.
However, she deeply disliked hearing others associate the two of them.
Grace paused briefly before continuing, "After all these years apart, you've certainly given me quite a substantial 'greeting gift.'"
Hearing this, Lila deduced that Grace had recognized her at first glance and that her previous reaction was merely an act.
From a young age, Lila had known that the other party was a formidable figure.
Young as she was, she was already a professor at Jingbei University and also the CEO of a biotech company—a true strong woman who held high prestige within their circles.
She was also an anomaly among the wealthy wives.
Lila did not evade the question and stated frankly, "The child's arrival was an accident. Giving birth to her was a choice I made following my heart, without any ulterior motives. My mother taking her to Jingbei to find you, and the elderly lady thinking highly of me—both of these were also unexpected to me."
At this moment, her mind was very clear.
She hadn't fully made her decision yet, so she didn't state her position definitively.
Moreover, when facing someone as shrewd as Grace, she had to be even more cautious with her words.
She stopped speaking for a good while, but the other party didn't say anything, only staring at her.
Lila did not avoid her gaze and met it directly.
Gradually, the corners of Grace's lips turned upward as she let out a light laugh, but her eyes remained unusually calm, and her voice was similarly composed. "Our family is fully capable of raising the child. However, regarding marriage—I disagree. After all, you and Willy are not from the same world."
She was very blunt.
Lila was not surprised by these words.
She softly responded, "Mmm..." and then simply stood there quietly.
Seeing her like this, Grace's lips twitched almost imperceptibly. "You're even more composed than I imagined. Not simple at all. But then, our family's daughter-in-law doesn't need to be like this. I prefer girls who are more... simple."
Lila remained silent.
The more Grace looked at her, the more displeased she felt, and she lost the patience to continue this stalemate.
So she said, "If you want money, just say so. No matter the amount, our family can afford it. Of course, being able to afford it is one thing—making exorbitant demands is another."
Lila finally reacted.
She shook her head and said, "My daughter is not a bargaining chip. I have hands and feet; I can naturally provide for her myself."
To Grace's ears, these words sounded utterly hypocritical. "Enough, don't speak too soon. I'll wait for you to name your price."
Lila responded without hesitation, "Not necessary."
With those words, she raised her head and walked straight away.
She knew Grace would not allow her to see the elderly lady.
Since that was the case, she might as well leave on her own.
She just needed to be sure the elderly lady was alright.
Grace stood where she was, her gaze fixed on Lila's retreating figure.
What showed in her eyes was mostly disdain, and she felt even more disgust toward Lila.
In her view, this matter with Lila was a stain on Willy.
Although she had mostly digested her anger, she still couldn't accept that the son she took so much pride in had done such things behind her back.
How could he be like those good-for-nothing playboys within their circle?
Lila had an important client in the afternoon, introduced by her good friend Yan Wan.
Sure enough, while she was on her way, her phone rang.
"Ms. Lila, this is Hugo, Shasha's assistant. We have an emergency and need to move our appointment up by an hour. Is that possible?"
Shasha was currently a rising star in the entertainment industry, known for her looks and acting skills. A recently popular historical drama featured her as the lead, and her pairing with the male lead had garnered a massive following of devoted "CP fans."
In reality, however, her relationship with the male lead was quite ordinary; the rumors were mostly fabricated by their companies to promote the show.
Shasha was actually in a passionate relationship with a male singer.
The reason she came to Lila was to get matching couple tattoos.
Lila knew all this because Hugo had told her.
"Alright, no problem. I should be at the studio in about twenty minutes."
The assistant on the other end of the line was very happy to hear this. "Thank you for accommodating us."
When Lila arrived at the studio, Shasha and her team were already waiting inside.
Time was tight, so after a brief exchange of pleasantries, they got straight to the point.
Neither was particularly outgoing, so the entire process was conducted in silence.
Lila was quite famous in the tattoo community. She had won championships in two major competitions, which built her reputation.
Gradually, she began taking on only high-end, appointment-only clients.
Aside from her own skills, her friend Sylvia played a significant role in this, as she had connected Lila with many of her initial clients.
Looking at the vivid rose tattoo on her inner forearm, Shasha couldn't help but smile.
Her gaze inadvertently fell on Lila's face, and despite her usual cool demeanor, she couldn't help but offer a sincere compliment: "Ms. Lila, you are not only beautiful but also exceptionally talented at your work."
She genuinely meant it.
From the moment she first saw Lila, she had been struck by her beauty.
With such looks, she would undoubtedly stand out even in an industry filled with beautiful people.
Hearing this, Lila smiled and said, "You flatter me."
Shasha was about to say something when movement at the door caught her attention. She abruptly closed her mouth and looked over.
She was stunned.
Then she blurted out, "Boss Willy..."
Hearing this, Lila stopped what she was doing and slowly lifted her eyes.
Seeing Willy striding in, she faintly frowned.
"Come out."