Chapter 178
Liliana didn't say anything.
I looked at her: "Tyrell isn't being honest. I think he has ulterior motives."
Liliana still didn't say anything.
I waited for her to speak.
She put down her cup, her voice calm: "Actually, I think there's something off about him, too."
I was stunned for a moment.
She looked at me, her eyes clear, without a trace of lovesick confusion.
"I looked into the company where he works. It's not a big company, and they don't have much business." She paused, "Recently, his company hasn't had any business in the Maple Grove area."
I didn't say anything.
She gave a slight smile: "I've read online that you should be careful of people who suddenly appear and seem perfect in every way."
"The reason I haven't called him out is that I want to see what he's really up to."
I frowned: "I'm worried you won't be able to handle him."
She rested her chin on her hand: "I will. I've been bored lately anyway, might as well mess with him for fun."
I didn't say anything.
Liliana looked up at me seriously: "Sophia, don't worry, I absolutely won't let him hurt me."
"You know how smart I am. There's no way he could scheme against me."
Seeing her say this, I felt relieved.
"Alright, as long as you know what you're doing."
After Liliana and I finished eating, we went shopping before heading back.
That evening, Liliana sent me several chat screenshots.
The screenshots were of her chat history with Tyrell.
Tyrell kept badmouthing me and trying to convince her to stay away from me.
I was about to reply when Liliana called me.
"Sophia, I'm showing you these chat logs not to criticize you; I just want us to enjoy the show together."
"That man has no self-awareness at all, and he dares to try to drive a wedge between us. He doesn't know that we've been through life and death together. How could I possibly cut ties with you because of him?"
I looked at her: "So what are you planning to do?"
"Keep seeing him." She smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "I want to see what else he's planning."
For the next two weeks, she continued dating Tyrell as usual. They were very close, like they were already together.
Tyrell thought he was already Liliana's boyfriend, and his attitude toward me got worse and worse.
When we met, he didn't even bother with surface-level politeness. He wouldn't look at me, wouldn't respond to what I said, as if I were invisible.
My second confrontation with him was at Liliana's place.
That day, I went to deliver something to her.
It was a scarf Liliana had asked me to bring back from abroad. It was sold out at the store, so I had a designer I work with save one for me.
Tyrell opened the door.
When he saw it was me, the smile on his face immediately disappeared. He stood in the doorway with no intention of letting me in.
"What brings Ms. Brown here?"
"Looking for Liliana."
He blocked the doorway, not moving.
"Liliana doesn't want to see you, don't you know that?"
I looked at him.
He lowered his voice, speaking at a volume only he and I could hear: "Last time at the restaurant, you talked badly about me. Did you think Liliana would side with you and break up with me?"
"You're overestimating your place in her heart. You mean nothing to her."
He stepped forward, looking down at me.
"You're her friend, not her mom. Who could stand you being so controlling?"
His voice got louder, loud enough for people in the living room to hear.
"You're not welcome here," he said, word by word, "Get out."
As soon as he finished speaking, Liliana's voice came from behind him.
"Who are you telling to get out?"
Tyrell turned around, his expression switching seamlessly. He put away that sharp, mean look and replaced it with just the right amount of grievance.
"Liliana, I barely said a few words to Ms. Brown, and she started cursing at me. I really didn't mean it that way, it's Ms. Brown who..."
"Then what did you mean?" Liliana walked over and stood beside me, looking at him. "You dare tell my best friend to get out? Next time, are you going to tell me to get out, too?"
Tyrell opened his mouth, softening his voice: "I just feel like she's too hostile toward me. I don't want her coming over and ruining our relationship."
"Whether she's hostile to you or not, I can tell for myself." Liliana's voice wasn't loud, but every word was crystal clear. "I don't need you throwing people out for me."
Tyrell's expression changed.
He took a deep breath, adjusted his expression, trying to salvage the situation: "Liliana, I'm doing this for your own good. I don't want you to be used by people..."
"Used?" Liliana interrupted him and laughed. "Who's using who is still up for debate."
She pointed at the door.
"Now, you get out."
Tyrell didn't move.
He stood there, looking at Liliana, the gentleness on his face finally cracking bit by bit.
"Liliana," his voice changed, carrying long-suppressed anger, "you're telling me to get out because of her?"
He stepped forward, emotions taking over, speaking faster and faster: "How have I treated you all this time, can't you see?"
"Whatever you want, I give you. You casually mention wanting to eat from some restaurant, and I wait in line for two hours to buy it."
"I've been so good to you, and now you're treating me like this for some outsider. Doesn't your conscience hurt?"
He pointed at me, his finger almost poking my face: "I have no grudge against her, so why does she get to interrogate me? Is she your mom or your wife? Do you need her approval to date someone?"
Liliana didn't speak, just looked at him.
He was breathing heavily, his chest heaving.
"Fine." He suddenly laughed, his smile twisted. "Since you're being so absolute about this, let's settle everything today."
He pulled out his phone, swiped a few times, opened a document, and held it in front of Liliana.
"All the money I've spent on you during this time, I've kept track of every penny."
I glanced at his phone screen.
The document was three or four pages long, with densely packed line items, categorized and highlighted in bold red.
The most prominent was the bolded red text at the bottom:
[Total: $83,462.30] Note: The above amount does not include interest. If paid in installments, interest will be calculated at an annual rate of 4.35%.
I was shocked.
How could someone be so petty as to calculate down to two decimal places?
Liliana took the phone and scrolled from top to bottom, then from bottom to top.
She read very slowly, line by line. He had even calculated the cost of lunches he brought her, down to the money for her drinks.
She paused for several seconds on the total amount, then laughed in disbelief: "You calculated this pretty carefully."
Tyrell stuck his neck out: "What else? If I didn't calculate it clearly, wouldn't I be at a loss?"
Liliana finished reading and handed the phone back to him.
"I'm too lazy to look anymore. Just tell me the total."
"Eighty-three thousand, four hundred sixty-two dollars and thirty cents." Tyrell held out his hand. "Pay me back."
Liliana nodded, picked up her phone, and opened the transfer screen.
She entered the numbers and confirmed.
Transfer successful.
Eighty-four thousand dollars.
Tyrell received the notification, his expression softening a bit. He put away his phone and straightened his collar: "Now that the money's settled, we don't have anything left to talk about."
He turned to leave.
"Stop," Liliana called out to him.
Tyrell turned back.
Liliana looked at him, her tone unnaturally calm.
"Did I say you could leave?"
Tyrell frowned: "What else do you want?"
"The money is settled." Liliana slowly walked toward him, one step, two steps. "But some things still need to be cleared up."