Chapter 78 I Will Definitely Not Compete
Lily's face was like stone. "No."
She didn't want to look back.
She definitely didn't want to go back to the team and relive that nightmare.
Austin looked like he was about to crumble, his face white as a sheet, unable to say anything.
Michael had been right all along.
He'd had a chance to set things right before, but he blew it.
Lily walked into the apartment complex, but instead of heading straight upstairs, she decided to take a stroll around the courtyard.
She thought about all the crap she had put up with in the team in her past life. This time, she had finally given it all back.
She wasn't going to the finals!
Since Austin had replaced her and handed the championship to Sophie in her past life, this time, she'd make sure Austin didn't get a shot at winning.
Lily looked up at the sky, determined not to make the same mistakes.
"Hey there, feeling down all alone?"
Out of nowhere, a middle-aged man appeared beside her, looking at her with a creepy grin. "Why don't you come to my place for a drink?"
"No, thanks."
Lily declined, her guard up, and started walking toward a more crowded area.
"Don't go, beautiful. I know where you live. Aren't you the one being kept by those two guys? Whatever they're paying you, I'll double it."
Lily picked up her pace, running outside, shocked that she could run into such a creep just taking a walk.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her hand, and she screamed in fright.
"Lily!"
Dennis held her hand and pulled her into his arms. "What happened?"
Lily opened her eyes and saw it was him.
Instinctively, she glanced toward the garden path, now dark and empty.
She calmed down and said, "Someone was harassing me just now."
"Where?"
"Over there, but I guess he didn't follow me."
He must have seen Dennis and chickened out.
Dennis noticed her pale face. "I told you not to come down alone."
"How was I supposed to know I'd be this unlucky?"
She realized she was still in his arms and awkwardly stepped back to put some space between them.
Dennis's hand fell empty, and he pulled it back. "Should we call the cops?"
"Call the cops."
An elderly woman nearby said, "There's a blind spot in the surveillance on that path. People have reported incidents before, but they never found anyone. Miss, don't go to deserted places alone at night. It's dangerous."
Lily nodded, not expecting to run into such a situation.
Dennis's eyes flashed with coldness but quickly returned to normal. "Let's head back."
Lily didn't want to stay outside any longer, feeling like someone was watching her.
Back in the apartment, she sat on the couch, her mind replaying the recent events.
"Here, drink some water."
Lily saw a pair of long, slender hands and took the glass. "Thanks."
Dennis noticed her pale face and spoke gently. "I'll find out who that creep is. In this world, as long as someone exists, they leave traces. There's no such thing as a surveillance blind spot."
If Lily was going to keep living here, he had to eliminate any potential threats.
Lily looked up. "Are you talking about hacking into the surveillance system?"
"Lily, don't bring TV drama tactics into real life. That's illegal."
Dennis lectured her seriously. "What you need to do now is get some rest."
Lily hesitated. "But that guy knows where I live and knows about you two."
She didn't mention the part about the man saying she was being kept.
It wasn't true anyway.
Dennis's face turned significantly colder. He hadn't expected someone to be so bold!
Dennis said calmly, "You're sleeping here tonight."
Lily nodded. "I can crash on the couch."
Dennis frowned. "You'll sleep in my room. I'll take the couch."
Sleep in his room?
Lily's heart skipped a beat. "Isn't Eric coming back?"
The apartment only had two bedrooms, no extra room.
"His room's a mess. Trust me, you don't want to sleep there."
Lily gave up the idea. "I can really sleep on the couch. It's no big deal."
"Just take my room. I've got work to do tonight, so I might not sleep anyway."
Dennis's expression was a bit off, but he hid it well.
In the end, Lily went next door to grab her clothes while Dennis waited by the door.
When Lily came out with her stuff, seeing Dennis standing there made her feel safe.
She headed to his master bedroom, which was simple and clean.
Dennis brought in a fresh blanket. "Use this."
"Okay."
After setting down the blanket, Dennis walked to the bedroom door.
Since it was just the two of them, it wasn't right for him to stay in the bedroom.
She glanced back at him standing in the doorway, his profile lit by the living room light, casting a long shadow.
His deep eyes met hers. "Get some sleep. Call me if you need anything."
He closed the door behind him.
Lily stood there for a moment. This was his bedroom, and there wasn't much stuff around.
She noticed that Dennis was quite tidy, not like the messy image some guys had.
After showering and changing, she lay in bed, catching a faint scent from the blanket.
It was a subtle feeling, hard to describe.
Breathing in, she noticed it smelled like Dennis.
It felt like he was right there, holding her. Thinking about this, Lily's face grew warm.
She thought she'd have trouble sleeping, but she fell asleep quickly.
Probably because she felt safe.
Meanwhile, Dennis went to the study.
He turned on his computer, switching systems, his voice icy. "Haven't found that creep yet?"
"Found him. He lives in our building!"
Eric's voice came through. "That bastard steals women's underwear from the clotheslines and even has a telescope on his balcony!"
Dennis's expression darkened. "Which floor?"
"I sent you the location. Kick that jerk for me!"
Dennis shut down the computer, sent a message, and headed to the bedroom.
He stood for a moment, then left the apartment.
A group of men in black stood outside, all wearing white gloves, baseball caps, and masks.
Silent.
Dennis's features blended into the darkness as he led them up the elevator, his chiseled face emotionless.
One of the men swiped an electromagnetic card on the lock, and the door opened.
Dennis walked in, hearing moans from the study.
He entered to find the middle-aged man watching a porn movie.
Caught off guard, the man panicked. "Who are you people?"
Dennis turned and raised his hand slightly.
The men in black entered the study, closing the door behind them.
Dennis stood on the balcony, gazing at the stars, his lips curling in a cold smile.
After a while, the study door opened.
Dennis walked in to find the middle-aged man kneeling, bruised and battered, begging. "Please, sir, if I offended you, I can give you all the money in my safe."
Dennis looked down at him, eyes cold as ice.
The man shivered, not daring to speak further.
Dennis took a glove and patted the man's face. "Didn't you say I was keeping a female student? Short memory, huh?"
Lily hadn't finished speaking, but he had found out.