Chapter 183: Lily Gets into Mason's Car
News that Jennifer placed first in the national rankings during the preliminary round spread throughout Los University quickly, even though it was summer break.
That evening, Professor Scott sent her a text message to congratulate her.
However, he also reminded her to stay humble and avoid getting carried away.
The fact that the top spot in the Rising Star Contest preliminaries went to a Los University student would surely spur students at other top universities across the country to work harder, determined to outdo Jennifer.
Jennifer always excelled in the written exam, but the upcoming live finals were the real showstopper.
Professor Scott suggested that Jennifer head to the competition camp to prepare for the finals, with the goal of securing a top-three finish and bringing honor to the school.
After thanking him, Jennifer shared the good news with Chloe.
Chloe was thrilled for her and said that she was almost finished making fabric crafts for Michael.
Once they were finished, she could make Jennifer a new dress to wear on the show and during the finals.
"Jennifer, I have two pieces of fabric. One has the white lily pattern you like. The other feels nice to the touch, but our neighbor said the color might look too mature for someone your age. I thought her description sounded unique, so I asked her to send you a picture.”
Jennifer looked at the photo of the fabric. It featured a vintage color palette and exuded a simple yet elegant artistic vibe.
She fell in love with it at first sight and immediately said, "Mom, I love this one. Let's use this fabric."
"I'll win the gold medal wearing the new dress you gave me."
Hearing Jennifer speak with such confidence, Chloe couldn’t stop smiling.
The neighbor was also praising Jennifer on the phone, calling her a rising star and saying she couldn’t wait to see her on TV. The neighbor added that Jennifer was the pride of their neighborhood.
Chloe reminded Jennifer a few more times to get some rest early and not stay up too late reading. Then, the two hung up.
After the call, the vast Starfield Villa didn’t seem quite so lonely anymore.
Reading by the lone lamp, Jennifer found herself smiling without realizing it.
Isla watched her from behind. Though she didn’t know what book Jennifer was reading, Isla suddenly felt a pang of sympathy.
Jennifer was so young, living alone with Kowalski rarely visiting and spending day and night reading.
Isla couldn’t help but care for Jennifer as if she were her own daughter.
Jennifer had taken first place, and Lily was the least pleased.
She went straight to Isabella’s house.
"Auntie, what happened in the preliminary round? Why did Jennifer come in first again? I’ve looked into the rules, and this time neither the highest nor the lowest scores were discarded!"
The only possibility was that Isabella hadn’t helped her at all.
Seeing Lily come at her with such accusations, Isabella was at a loss for words.
"Lily, Jennifer really isn't someone to be underestimated. The entire judging panel praised the essay she submitted. If it weren't against the rules, many of the judges would have given her a perfect score."
Lily was so angry that she was on the verge of tears.
Isabella tried to comfort her. “It’s okay. You made it to the finals, didn't you? Just prepare well. You might not be on par with the top tier right now, but if you put in some last-minute effort, it’s still possible to finish in the top ten.”
From Isabella’s tone, Lily understood that the competition was truly packed with top-tier talent.
Without Jennifer, even a spot in the top three wasn’t guaranteed—she’d have to fight hard just to make the top ten.
Lily asked through her tears, "What about Jennifer? Given her skills, do you think she might end up in the top three?"
Isabella didn’t say it outright, but her expression made it clear that Jennifer had a very high chance of finishing in the top three.
“Lily, keep your composure.”
"But Jennifer just hooked up with a rich guy—she's been putting on an act the whole time!"
Seeing how stubborn Lily was, Isabella could only shake her head in exasperation.
She advised, "Lily, I'll be honest with you—your skills and Jennifer's are simply not on the same level. You might be first and second in your class, but once you step outside, the difference becomes obvious. Do you understand what I’m saying?"
Lily was agitated. "But I have proof! She’s got a thing going on with Mason!”
"That video of yours doesn't prove anything. It's just a normal conversation. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. You mustn’t get any funny ideas, especially if Jennifer ends up winning an award. Don't think about causing her trouble by exposing this. Do you hear me?"
Isabella wasn’t acting on anyone’s orders. She simply knew Lily too well.
But how could Lily possibly understand her intentions? Seeing that Isabella refused to help her no matter what she said, Lily turned and stormed off in a rage.
Leaving the apartment complex, Lily walked alone under the streetlights, wiping away her tears.
Last semester, the entire school had already mocked her over the scholarship. If she couldn’t beat Jennifer this time, the troublemakers would surely make fun of her mercilessly!
Thinking back to the mockery she’d endured during the scholarship evaluation, Lily trembled with anger.
Suddenly, she spotted a familiar figure:
Mason!
He was dressed in casual clothes.
He must live nearby because he had just come downstairs to buy a drink.
He was holding a bottle of Coke and a pack of kids’ yogurt.
At almost the same moment, Mason recognized Lily, too.
Lily was pretty. With her hair styled in a princess cut, wearing a pale yellow dress, and her eyes red from crying under the streetlight, she looked like a little rabbit—a sight that would tug at anyone’s heartstrings.
She looked at Mason shyly.
Mason, a man in his thirties, could tell at a glance that Lily had feelings for him.
He suddenly clenched the yogurt in his hand, forgetting all about his daughter waiting for him upstairs. He walked over to Lily and spoke to her in a gentle, refined manner.
“You’re a student at Los University, aren’t you? I remember you from the lecture I gave at your school last time.”
"What's wrong? Why are you crying?”
Lily looked at Mason, the man who had made her heart flutter the moment she saw him. She thought of her aunt, who had refused to help her.
At that moment, she completely forgot Jennifer’s advice. Filled with a sense of injustice, her tears flowed even more freely.
“Mr. Wilson…”
Mason smiled."That's me."
"Mr. Wilson, I had a fight with my family."
Mason glanced at the neckline of her dress and her legs, smiling to himself. Then he handed her a pack of tissues.
"Wipe your tears. Would you like some yogurt? We can talk in my car.”
Lily got into the car and sat in the passenger seat, buckling herself into the same seatbelt that Jennifer had worn.
At first, Mason acted like a mentor, speaking to her in a concerned tone.
But, unlike with Jennifer, when Mason’s hand reached toward her and his lips brushed her ear, Lily forgot to resist.
She didn’t know what had come over her. As if by some mysterious force, she was bewitched by Mason’s tenderness and thoughtfulness.
The half-finished packet of children's yogurt she'd been drinking fell under the car seat.
Even more shocking was that Mason deftly pulled a pack of condoms out of the center console.
When he opened the compartment, she saw that it was filled with condoms—well over a hundred of them—aside from his driver’s license.
Lily was dumbfounded by the sight.
She never would have imagined that Mason—that polite, refined man on the podium—would have over a hundred condoms in his car.
Having never dated or even been around men, she couldn’t fathom why Mason had stockpiled so many or what kind of person he really was.
By the time Lily tried to refuse, however, it was already too late.
Mason couldn’t control himself and tore open the condom wrapper eagerly.
He noticed her hesitation and touched the bow in her princess-style hair.
“What’s wrong, Lily?”
“Don’t tell me you’re feeling shy now.”
“Backing out at the last minute isn't something a cool girl should do."
He stroked her face.
Lily froze in place. She had even forgotten to ask about the Rising Star Contest. She was nervous and afraid, yet amidst the fear, she sensed a faint thrill.
"I’m sorry. This is my first time," Lily said.
A flicker of delight crossed Mason’s eyes, and his gaze instantly softened.
He ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her.
“Good girl.”
"I know. Let's go to the back of the car."
Since the interior wasn’t spacious, Mason pulled Lily from the passenger seat to the back.
The backseat offered more privacy. The windows were tinted dark, so nothing could be seen from the outside.
Lily was pressed down onto the seat by her shoulders. The cold leather seat made her shiver instinctively.
Mason pressed his whole body against her.