10
Andrew had to be overseas for the next month for work, and I immediately joined a new film production.
Ah, the sweet taste of freedom.
This engagement was turning out to be a pretty great deal.
During a break between scenes, as the makeup artist was touching up my powder and lipstick, my assistant, Hannah, rushed over and whispered in my ear.
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“Lily, there’s someone here to see you. His name is Luke Collins. He brought tons of desserts and bubble tea for the whole crew. The director wants you to go say hi.”
Luke Collins? The fair–skinned puppy–dog from my list of suitors? We’d added each other on WeChat and chatted a bit, but after I got engaged to Andrew and disappeared into the mountains with the film crew whe.
re the signal was terrible, we’d lost touch.
Still, just because the marriage arrangement fell through didn’t mean we couldn’t be friends.
What a wonderful person, bringing me food from a thousand miles away! He was an angel!
He had no idea what kind of culinary hell I was living in. The food in these remote mountains was already bad enough, but Hannah had gone insane, convinced my stomach was fragile, and was now feeding me not- hing but bland, unappetizing “nutritional meals” every single day.
I can eat less to be thin, but I can’t eat grass every day to be thin!
My sweet little desserts, I’m coming for you!
On an open patch of ground, there were boxes upon boxes of exquisite gift sets, the black and gold packagi- ng bearing the logo of a famous three–Michelin–star restaurant from the city. I could tell at a glance they
were ridiculously expensive.
A crowd was already forming around the distribution point.
Luke was wearing a gray knit cardigan and jeans, his black–framed glasses taking up half his face. He turned, his eyes quickly finding me in the crowd.
“Lily!”
He grabbed a small box and jogged over, falling into step with me as we walked toward my dressing room.
“This one’s for you. It’s the low–sugar version,” he said. “I heard from your parents that the crew was filming
up in the mountains. I happened to have some work nearby, so I thought I’d stop by. Seeing you looking well
will put their minds at ease.”
Luke’s voice was clear and bright, like a summer spring. His chatter wasn’t annoying at all.
Everyone was gathered outside, so the dressing room was empty. I relaxed and joked with him. “Well, what
ever you do, don’t tell them our only source of heat is a tiny space heater. I’m afraid they’ll panic and try to
ship an entire central air conditioning unit up here.”
Luke laughed, his shoulders shaking. He untied the ribbon on the dessert box and pushed the delicate pastry toward me. “Mango pomelo sago filling with a white chocolate mousse shell. I had a feeling you’d like it.”
Mmm, so good!
No wonder Andrew was so obsessed with sweets. This was like a human cat treat; it could make you bubble over with happiness.
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“Lily,” Luke said, his smile fading slightly. He tilted his head, his eyes searching mine. “You’re engaged to And
rew Vance?”
My family’s background wasn’t public knowledge, but in our circles, everyone knew. It was impossible to
keep an engagement between our two families a secret.
I nodded nonchalantly, my entire focus on the little mousse cake. If I skipped dinner, I could create a calorie deficit and eat this whole thing. Flawless plan.
Luke’s expression suddenly turned unnatural, the tips of his ears turning blood–red. “It’s not an official engag- ement yet, is it? Could you… maybe reconsider? Consider me?”
Huh?!
My eyes widened as I looked up. The impossibly well–behaved boy in front of me had lowered his gaze, unab-
le to meet mine.
His voice dropped to a whisper as he uttered another world–shattering sentence.
“If it’s really not possible… I’d be willing to be your… other man.”
What?! Cough, cough, COUGH!
“Lily, about that Luke guy…”
“Don’t you dare say his name to me!”
It took me two days of careful negotiation to get that lovesick puppy to leave. Hannah, please, give me a break! I was dizzy from filming all day; I really didn’t have the energy to contemplate taking on a long–term
lover.
Hannah changed the subject. “There’s also Andrew…”
I groaned. “I don’t want to hear his name either.”
Hannah fell silent, anxiously shoving a tablet into my hands. The screen was open to an entertainment news
site. She pointed a trembling finger at a rapidly climbing headline about me.
#LilyLaneTwoTiming (HOT)
#LilyLaneExposed AsGold Digger
#LilyLane TheOtherWoman
