Chapter 22 Jealousy

*Forgive her for leaving without saying goodbye.*

When the plane landed at the hometown airport, it was already one o'clock in the afternoon. Lilian hurriedly bought some fairy wands and fireworks, hailed a taxi, and went straight to Lancao Elementary’s Kkindergarten playground.

She felt anxious, excited, and inexplicably nervous.

Taking deep breaths one after another, Lilian still couldn't suppress the wild beating of her heart. The closer she got to the kindergarten, the more her heart raced. She hadn't seen noticed the scenery along the way; in for nine years, ... Iit had changed a lot.

It was the holiday season, and the kindergarten was quiet and empty, without the laughter and voices of children. The teaching building was painted with various colors, like a fairy tale kingdom in books.

The gate was open, and Lilian took a deep breath, carrying a bag of fireworks and walked in.

The kindergarten playground had also changed a lot and added many facilities, making it even more beautiful than before.

The swing was still in its original place. Lilian went forward and shook the iron chain, memories flooding back. Others say that memories from kindergarten are the least clear, but she remembers every bit of playing with William here.

Unconsciously, the memories with William were the happiest and most joyful part of her memories.

A smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.

*Hasn't William arrived yet?*

Lilian looked around, her heart unable to calm down.

*Don't worry, William went through such great lengths to find her in that big advertisement, **she **he **can't not show up... Lilian, have some dignity and don't be so nervous.*

Silently reminding herself, Lilian hugged the fireworks tightly in her arms.

"Miss DeBoer, our young masterMr. Spencer just won't leave, I've been trying to persuade him for a long time," a voice came, and Lilian looked towards the sound.

She saw a tall and beautiful young woman walking towards the direction of the teaching building with an arrogant attitude, carrying a designer handbag, and followed by a man who kept talking nonstop. "Miss DeBoer, please persuade the young masterMr. Spencer, or else the older master Mr. Spencer will get angry again."

"Understood," the woman called Miss DeBoer responded, took taking off her sunglasses while not messing up her newly doing her FrenchFrench manicure, and glanced casually at the swing set as she passed by, and mademaking eye contact with Lilian.

The young woman's bright red high heels paused for a moment, as if contemplating something, then she withdrew her gaze without looking back and walked away.

For some reason, Lilian immediately concluded that this woman was William's fiancfiancée ée.

She was very beautiful, especially with that noble lady's temperament that Lilian had slowly lost during these the past nine years. , nNo matter how she tried, ... she would nevercouldn't compare.

Almost involuntarily, Lilian followed behind them, watching as they entered a classroom.

Sunlight poured into the classroom through glass windows with cartoon characters on them.

William sat in front of the piano playing Chopin, his slender figure dressed in a gentle white suit, just like his gentle personality. His fingertips danced over the piano keys, playing a somewhat melancholic melody.

"William."

The woman walked over in her high heels and directly hugged him from behind.

The piano abruptly stopped, and William turned his head to reveal a bright smile as he looked at her. He was the epitome of refinement. "Why are you here, Rosalyn?"

Lilian's heart constricted. She stood expressionless in front of the glass window.

The bag of fireworks in her arms slipped and hung onto her hand stiffly.

Rosalyn DeBoer sat on his lap, hugging his neck, and leaned against his chest playfully. "Mr. Spencer is hosting a birthday party for you tonight, if you don't go back now, you won't make it in time."

William smiled again, lightly putting his arm around her as he explained, "I do this every year. , and I will go back in the evening."

"I know you always wait for your friends here every year, but she has never shown up, right?" Rosalyn kissed his face gently, patiently persuading, "Why make the father and son unhappy because of a friend who won't appear? Mr. Spencer, your uncle, will surely be upset if you're late to your own birthday party."

William is a man who cares deeply about his family.

Upon hearing these words, his eyes dulled.

Rosalyn quickly pulled him up, "Alright, come with me. If you keep waiting like this, I'll get jealous."

"Rosalyn..." William seemed a bit helpless hearing his fiancfiancéeée's words.

"Who waits for a childhood friend for nine hours?" The Rosalyn pouted her beautiful lips, looking aggrieved, and continued,

"William, I really feel jealous..." Rosalyn's beautiful lips pouted, looking aggrieved.

"I'll go with you," William affectionately touched her face, then turned to the man at the door and said, "James, wait here and call me immediately if Lilian comes."

"Understood, young mastersir."

*If Lilian comes, call me immediately...*

Lilian couldn't explain her own feelings. She didn't step forward to greet them and quickly hid around the corner of the wall before they came out.

She clearly came to see William.

But in that second, she withdrew.

All her courage disappeared completely when Rosalyn appeared.

Rosalyn was dressed in international luxury brands, and she...yet her entire outfit, from head to toe, cost less than three hundred dollars.

She used to dress up just like Rosalyn, always looking pretty.

But now she was no longer a rich young lady. She couldn't imagine how shocked William would be to see her in her current state...

She couldn't gather the courage to go up and reveal herself.

*It **would be better... it* *would be better to let the past Lilian live in William's memory.*

*Why should she humiliate herself by going up to him now**?**...*

Lilian's body leaned out from behind the wall and silently watched them leave.

With Rosalyn's arm hooked around his, William turned around and deeply glanced at the teaching building.

Lilian quickly pulled her body back.

"Let's go, William. If she cared, she would have shown up already. Why would she let you wait here like a fool?" Rosalyn tugged his arm.

"It's okay, I've already waited for nine years, I don't mind waiting a little longer," William's voice was unusually gentle, tinged with a hint of disappointment.

Lilian pressed her lips tightly against the wall, fighting back tears.

It was a long time before she didn't hear any more sound, and then she cautiously peeked out again.

She saw the man called James standing still, then he picked up a phone and respectfully said, "Miss DeBoer, rest assured, I won't really wait here, I'll leave immediately and make sure the young master Mr. Spencer doesn't have to wait for Lilian."

...

After finishing the call, a moment passed before James left.

Lilian bitterly smiled and leaned against the wall, slowly squatting down. Rosalyn was his fiancfiancéeée, and no one would want their fiancfiancéeé to still think about another female friend...

Even if they haven't seen each other in nine years.

Looking at the bag full of fireworks in her hand, Lilian suddenly felt ridiculous. She impulsively ran here after seeing an advertisement, but then she couldn't bring herself to see William..William..

*She was really laughable**, laughable**...*

Dropping the fireworks, Lilian walked away like a zombie. Before leaving, she glanced at the classroom they had just been in, and one glance made her freeze as if struck by lightning.

On the blackboard, in colorful chalk, elegant words were written: "I'm getting engaged, will you bless me?"

*Such a big question mark.*

Lilian couldn't hold back her tears any longer and ran into the classroom, picking up a chalk and writing the word ‘"congratulations’" with a heavy hand. "William, congratulations on your wedding," she said with a choked voice. She touched the words with her hand, tears flowing even more vigorously.

In William's eyes, she was a friend, a friend who he wished to receive blessings on her his engagement. He never knew that she had liked him since childhood, that she always wanted to accompany him alone, even if it was just sitting and daydreaming...

Lilian erased the word ‘"congratulations’" and wrote "’I like you,’" but reconsidered and erased it again, then wrote ‘"congratulations’" once more, only to erase it again. After all the fuss, the blackboard was left with six trembling letters, ‘"congratulations, but I like you."’

Rosalyn would never let William see these words, and Lilian didn't want to ruin anything either. So, ... she would honestly write down her feelings and then bless them,... with happiness.

Her love and admiration as Lilian were destined to be buried forever...

Warm tears kept dripping uncontrollably, and only after sobbing for a long time did Lilian finally leave the classroom. The kindergarten gate was already closed, the sky was turning dusk, and the red glow on the horizon was dark...

Lilian stared dumbfounded at the closed gate, realizing that she couldn't climb over it no matter how hard she tried.

*Was today her unlucky day? She finally mustered up the courage to meet William, but ended up avoiding him... and now the gate was closed, leaving her to spend the night here?*

Remembering that she had turned her phone off before boarding the plane, Lilian leaned against the iron gate and turned on her phone. It immediately started vibrating intensely. ‘"You have 72 missed calls, you have 20 new messages.’"

*... **Who would be looking for her so urgently?*

Lilian was startled and opened the messages. She saw that 10 missed calls were from her Uuncle, while the other 62 missed calls were all from Vincenzo.

*What happened to Vincenzo?*

Lilian was about to call her uncle back when the screen suddenly displayed the words "tyrant." She frowned and answered, "Hello, this is...".

"Where the hell are you?!" Vincenzo's enraged voice interrupted her, "Lilian, how dare you turn off your phone?!"

Lilian's ears rang from his shouting, causing her to hold the phone farther away.

*Has this man lost his mind?!*

"Lilian, you better have a damn good reason to explain why you didn't show up at E.Sthe studio! Otherwise, I'll strangle you!" Vincenzo continued to rage through the phone.

Lilian could almost imagine him going crazy on the other end, his eyes glaring like he could eat her alive.

"I'm sorry, something unexpected came up... I'll personally explain it to you when I next see you. I will also apologize to Yoo-na for missing the interview.”

*Miss **Lilian apologized. Lilian apologized with some remorse.* *Originally, she had arranged an interview with Yoo-na, but she ran out to City C alone.* *Whatever the* *reason was that she didn’t show up* *case**, it was her fault, and for the sake of her job, she should indeed apologize.*

Vincenzo remained silent on the phone.

"Hello? Hello?" Lilian glanced at her phone with confusion.

*They were still on the call, so why did the tyrant suddenly stop yelling? This was unlike his usual temper.*

"Come to the villa immediately!" Vincenzo's cold voice came through, followed by the sound of him hanging up the phone.

...

Lilian looked at the darkened screen speechlessly. She swore that she really hated it when people hung up first, especially when Vincenzo used his domineering tone, which made her feel even more lowlyworse.

Ignoring Vincenzo's anger, Lilian made a call to her uncle, weaving a lie to cover up the situation. Her uncle thought she was out of town for a news report and had no suspicions.

As the sky grew darker, realizing that she would have to stay here overnight, Lilian simply sat on the steps and absentmindedly opened her messages, which were all from Vincenzo.

"’Lilian, how dare you turn off your phone?!’"

‘"Lilian, call me back immediately!’"

"’Lilian, if you don't show up at studioE.S, forget about getting any exclusives!’"

‘"Damn it, Lilian, are you in trouble?’"

‘"The magazine said you came out for an interview, why haven't you arrived yet?!’"

‘"Lilian, if you don't show up, I'll ask your Uuncle for help!’"

"’Don't tell me you're jealous of Yoo-na! Men fool around all the time, it's normal.’"

‘"Damn it, I won't touch that woman, Yoo-na, anymore!’"

‘"Lilian!’"

‘"Whether dead or alive, call me back!’"

"’Very well. Lilian! You waitStay hidden and, don't let me find you! Otherwise, I will definitely kill you!’"

...

Lilian couldn't be bothered to read the rest of the messages, as they were all filled with exclamation marks, indicating Vincenzo's state of mind at that time. However, he probably didn't go to her uUncle to get peoplehelp, otherwise her uncle wouldn't would’vehave askedsaid something nothing on the phone just now.

He still remembered her words. If she really let it slip in front of her uUncle, then she wouldn't be able to stay in this family or at this magazine anymore.

*She **just **had**n't* *turned **on **her phone* *off* *in the afternoon, and he thought she was in trouble or jealous...*

*This man, was he really concerned about her?*

Chapter 26: Open the Door!