Chapter 5

At ten o'clock the next morning, Lydia was in the conference room, leading a project planning meeting with her team.

Sunlight streamed in through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm glow over the room. Everything was perfectly organized.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated.

It was a WhatsApp message from the receptionist: [Lydia, there are two older people downstairs who say they're your parents. They're here to see you, but they don't have an appointment.]

Lydia's heart sank. She didn't expect them to come so soon, and to find her at work.

Her team was still animatedly discussing the project plan in the conference room.

Lydia took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. She whispered a few instructions to her deputy, then stood up and walked out of the conference room.

As the elevator descended, Lydia studied her reflection in the mirror.

She wore a tailored business suit, her makeup flawless, her gaze steady and resolute. She was no longer the timid, easily bullied Lydia she used to be two years ago.

The elevator doors opened. Down in the lobby, Lydia spotted two familiar figures causing a scene with the receptionist. It was Frank and Sienna.

They wore the kind of clothes people back home would wear, totally out of place in this shiny, modern office building.

Sienna was practically spitting as she yelled at the receptionist. "I'm her mother. Why do I need an appointment to see my own daughter? What kind of messed-up rule is this?"

Frank lingered awkwardly off to the side, rubbing his hands together and glancing around, clearly uneasy.

Some employees passing by had already stopped to watch, obviously interested in the drama unfolding.

"Dad, Mom," Lydia said, not loud but clear enough as she walked over.

At the sound of her voice, Sienna immediately turned around.

She paused, almost not recognizing Lydia. Lydia looked so different now.

Then her eyes lit up, like she'd spotted a savior, or maybe the walking money.

She grabbed Lydia's arm with surprising strength.

"Lydia, finally you came down." Sienna grabbed her arm. "What's up with you? Why did you suddenly hang up on your dad yesterday?

"Do you even know how upset he was? He didn't sleep a wink all night."

Sienna was ready to give Lydia a piece of her mind.

Lydia withdrew her hand without showing any emotion. "This is my workplace, not the place for this. If you want to talk, let's do it outside."

Her voice was steady, almost icy. Sienna was left momentarily speechless by her attitude, her face darkening.

Sienna looked like she wanted to say more, but Frank tugged at her arm, stopping her.

Frank shot her a look, telling her to chill for now. "Alright, alright, we'll talk outside." He quickly stepped in, trying to defuse the situation.

Lydia turned and brought them out of the office building, leading them to a secluded garden nearby.

"Alright, tell me. Why are you here?" Lydia said bluntly, making it clear she wasn't interested in small talk.

Sienna saw Lydia's cold, businesslike attitude, and her irritation flared up again.

But remembering Liam's instructions, she forced a smile, so strained it was almost painful to look at.

"Honestly, Lydia, is that any way to talk to us?" Sienna said.

"We missed you, you know? It's been two years since we last saw you, so we made a special trip to check on you. You've lost weight."

Lydia felt sick to her stomach at her mother's phony concern.

"If that's all you wanted to say, you don't need to bother," Lydia said. "I'm busy. I've got tons of things to deal with."

She was made to leave, but Frank hurriedly stepped in front of her, blocking her path. "Lydia, please, don't go," he pleaded. "We're here for a real reason, something serious."

Frank glanced at Sienna, and she immediately understood. In the next moment, her eyes welled up with tears.

She started wiping her eyes, her voice taking on a weepy tone. "Lydia, it's all my fault. I'm so sorry for what happened two years ago when you were sick. I wasn't thinking straight.

"Things were really tough for us back then. Liam had to pay off his car loan, and Alex needed money for school. I had no choice.

"Please don't blame me, honey. It's been hard on me, too."

As she spoke, Sienna kept sneaking glances at Lydia, trying to read her face. But Lydia's expression was dead calm.

Sienna's sobs paused for a moment, but she kept up the performance. "Now, something really serious has happened at home.

"Alex is really something. He got into a top university overseas. It's like a miracle for the Sullivan family. But the tuition was way too much.

"Liam and Linda are so stressed. We really had no other option but to come to you. Lydia, please, help Liam out, and give Alex a chance."

"Please, help him. That 300 thousand dollars might be a few months' pay for you, but for Alex, it's his whole future. It means everything to him."

Tears streaming down her face, Sienna was almost buying her own act.

Frank chimed in, "Lydia, you can't let Alex miss out on college because of money, right?

"If word gets out, what do you think people will say about you? They'll call you cold-hearted."

One played the sympathy card, the other tried to shame her with public opinion. They figured this double pressure would surely make Lydia cave.

Lydia listened in silence, her expression blank. There was no anger, no sadness. She felt nothing. Her heart had gone numb two years ago, back on that freezing operating table.

She stared at the two people in front of her. She took in their faces, warped by greed and calculation, and suddenly, she almost wanted to laugh. "Are you finished?" Lydia asked.

Sienna and Frank froze, caught completely off guard.

"If that's all you have to say, I'm going back." Lydia turned and walked away.

"Stop right there." Sienna finally dropped the act, yanking at Lydia's clothes and showing her true colors. "Lydia, what do you mean by this?

"Give it to me straight. Are you giving us the money or not?"

Lydia spun around, her eyes locking onto Sienna with a chilling glare. "No." Her curt response hit Sienna and Frank like a punch to the gut.

"What did you say?" Sienna couldn't believe what she heard.

"I said, no," Lydia repeated, enunciating every syllable. "Not a single penny. You won't get anything from me."

Sienna shrieked, her whole body shaking with rage as she raised her hand, ready to slap Lydia.

Lydia snatched her wrist before she could move. "Don't even think about hitting me here, Mom," she said.

Lydia's gaze was icy. "Every inch of this place is under surveillance. Cause a scene, and it'll only blow up in your face."

Sienna was so stunned by Lydia's icy glare that she didn't even try to fight back.

Lydia shook off her hand. "Let me say this one last time. I earned every penny myself. It's got nothing to do with you or the Sullivan family.

"My life has nothing to do with you anymore. From now on, don't come looking for me. Especially don't show up at my company.

"If you do, don't blame me for cutting you off. I'll call the cops, no hesitation."

With that, Lydia didn't spare them another glance. She turned and strode back into the office building.

Frank and Sienna stood there, lost and helpless.

Watching Lydia walk away without looking back, they finally realized that she wasn't the girl they could push around anymore.