He then looked at me, his expression dark and unreadable. "Rebecca Crawford, do you even have any dignity left?"
I lowered my head slightly and gave a bitter smile. "As long as it's your request, I'll agree to it no matter what."
Connor's eyes trembled slightly after he heard this. Just as he was about to say something, the door was suddenly pushed open.
Lily glanced at me, looking forlorn. "Connor, did I come at a bad time? Am I interrupting you and your fiancée … "
"She's not my fiancée." Connor pushed me away forcefully and hurriedly stepped forward to grab Lily's hand.
I lost my balance and lurched backward, hitting the table behind me. Glass fragments scratched Lily's ankle as the bottles and glasses on it broke on the floor.
Connor squatted down with a face full of concern, tending to her wound. His friends, eager to please the two of them, picked up a bottle of wine and poured it over my face.
Connor didn't stop him, watching me coldly. "Rebecca, don't think that just because you agreed to donate a kidney, you can act superior in front of Lily. In my heart, Lily is the true mistress of the Lynch Family. You're just a clinger who refuses to leave. You don't deserve to be compared to her, let alone compete with her!"
The sharp alcohol stung as it trickled down my face. I kept my head down, saying nothing.
Connor held Lily in his arms, comforting her softly. "Lily, let's not bother with her. I've prepared a gift for you; let's go see if you like it."
They left hand in hand and the rest of the people also dispersed. I stood there alone, and the tears I had held back for a long time finally fell.
I could only try to comfort myself in my heart. "It's okay, just five more days. In five days, this nightmare will end. The man who truly loves me will return. He'll protect me in every way, just as Connor does for Lily."
As I was about to go home, a torrential downpour started. Stuck in traffic due to the heavy rain, I had to take shelter in a convenience store. Not long after, I received a message from Connor. [Room 808. Bring five boxes of condoms within ten minutes.]
I glanced at the storm outside, gritted my teeth, and ran out with the condoms I had bought.
The wind and rain lashed against my face like knives, making it almost impossible to open my eyes. After stumbling and falling several times, I finally reached the hotel. I handed the things to Connor in the muddy hands, shivering from the cold.
Connor's expression was complicated. "You didn't have to bring it in this rain ... never mind. I'll have the maid make you some ginger tea when you get home. Rest well."
Hearing Connor's words, I finally breathed a sigh of relief. Yesterday, to help him secure a contract, I had nearly drunk myself into alcohol poisoning. My body hadn't fully recovered, and now I was completely exhausted.
When I got home, I collapsed with a fever. In my delirium, I felt a warm hand gently stroking my forehead. It felt just like Colton.
Whenever I was unwell, he would stay by my side all night, feeding me medicine and lulling me to sleep. Tears rolled down my face as I grabbed that hand and murmured, "Colton … "
The next moment, a sharp pain shot through my wrist. I opened my eyes to see Connor's angry gaze. "Rebecca, why are you calling my brother's name?"
Feeling guilty, I averted my eyes. "No ... I just dreamed of our childhood. I wanted him to take better care of you."
