Chapter 13 

A sudden spark of anger flared up in Issac’s chest. Lia? Could it really be her?” 

Just as Issac was about to step closer to find out. Frostina grabbed his arm. “Babe, let’s go back. I want that, too. 

Frostina leaned in, puckering her bright red lips, but Issac angrily shoved her away. “Fuck off” 

“No” Frostina didn’t want him focusing on someone else, so she used all her strength to pull him away. 

“What are you doing?” If she wasn’t a woman, Issac wouldn’t have put up with her acting like this. 

“Babe, I want it too,” said Frostina, 

“Frostina, you’ve gone too far. If you do this again, get lost.” Issac shook her hand off and walked away. 

Frostina burst into tears, chasing after him. “Wash! Babe, wait for me!” 

Issac was too 

was too heartless to her. 

Lia was dizzy from the kiss, her mind all scrambled, and instinctively wrapped her arms around Coby’s neck to stop herself from falling. 

The footsteps grew fainter, and Coby’s lips curled into a barely noticeable smile. 

Then, Coby slowly pulled away from her. 

Lia’s eyes sparkled, and her soft lips trembled slightly, filled with nervousness and confusion. 

“I just couldn’t help it, Coby spoke softly, gently brushing his thumb over her soft cheek. 

“Okay.” She lowered her gaze and gave a quiet response. 

He didn’t really need to explain. For Lia, as long as it wasn’t illegal, she had no right to say no. 

“Can you walk?” He glanced at her legs. 

“Yeah.” Noticing his intense gaze, Lia shifted awkwardly. 

He smiled faintly and wrapped his arm around her slender waist. Let’s head back.” 

Lia nodded. 

‘Nobody else was here just now, right? Lia thought to herself. 

She had thought Coby was calm and controlled, but she didn’t expect him to do something so surprising in public. 

He was really hard to figure out 

In the car, Lia rolled down the window, letting the fresh air cool her down. The heat from earlier seemed to fade away. 

“Are you mad?” Coby casually asked, playing with her hand. 

Lia looked at him seriously. No. Whatever he wanted, it was deserved. 

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. It didn’t hurt. She just felt a little ticklish. 

“You can be mad if you want. If you’re not happy, I’ll be more careful next time.” He said it softly, thinking about her 

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feelings. 

Lia shook her head slightly. “We were dating back then, right? Even if we did those things, it should’ve been normal.” 

She just didn’t get why he acted that way in that situation, but it wasn’t her place to ask. 

He smirked. “Back then? What about now?” 

“Huh?” Lia didn’t understand what he meant. 

He leaned in slowly, lifting her delicate chin so she would meet his eyes. 

“Lia, can I kiss you?” His eyes were calm like a still lake, but in an instant, the s 

surface 

rippled, like a storm was coming. 

Lynn hadn’t meant to overhear, but he couldn’t help it. He never knew Coby had this side. No wonder he himself didn’t have a girlfriend–be just didn’t know how to flirt. 

In contrast, Coby was basically a pro at flirting 

Lynn had followed Coby ever since graduation and had never seen him act this way with a woman unless it was work- related. Coby barely spoke to women, unlike now–Coby was like a peacock showing off. 

Lia blinked. It seemed like Coby was saying something strange. Shouldn’t whatever he wanted be fine to her? 

“Can I kiss you?” He asked again, patiently. 

Lía simply said “okay, and her soft lips were sealed by his 

He didn’t hesitate, moving in with confidence. 

Their breaths quickened, and she melted into his 

He loved how her calmness had cracked, and he couldn’t get enough of it. 

A while later, Coby asked softly, “Why aren’t you better at kissing? Was I a bad teacher?” 

Lia’s face turned red. His teaching was fine; she was just clumsy, struggling to keep up. Sometimes her mind wandered, but, she just let him lead. 

“You’re really good.” Lia murmured in his arms. There was something about the kiss that felt off, 

He ran his fingers through her hair at the side of her temple. “A kiss without feeling always feels incomplete.” 

‘No feeling? Yeah, it was missing that. Lia agreed. 

But how could we have feeling? She sneered to herself. 

Coby was reading in the 

room at Skyview Villas. Lia didn’t want to disturb him, so she made an excuse to go for a walk. 

She sat on the swing in the garden, gently swaying back and forth. 

The moonlight was hazy tonight, and there were no stars. 

Lia took out her phone and called Layla. 

It was Olive who answered. “Lia, why are you calling so late?” 

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“Mom, I just wanted to check on Grandma,” said Lia 

“Your grandma’s fine. You didn’t go to see your boyfriend, did you?” Olive asked, hinting. 

She continued. “There are so many scammers these days. Don’t listen to men. Some men look for young, pretty girls with little experience, just to trick them for money and sex. I’m telling you, the man I found… 

“Olive, what are you saying? Layla snapped when she heard Olive. “Give me the phone. 

ir–Olive 

“Oh, Old Mrs. Phillips, I’m just trying to look out for Lia. There are lots of scammers out there. Here, take it.” Olive reluctantly handed over the phone. 

Layla said. “Lia, don’t listen to Olive. Even though honest people are rare these days, I trust your judgment.” 

“Grandma, I know. Thank you.” No matter what, Layla always had her back. Lia was touched. 

Layla said, “No problem. Don’t worry about me. Go have fun with your boyfriend.” 

“Old Mrs. Phillips, are you serious? What kind of talk is that? Go have fun with y 

your boyfriend‘ so late?” asked Olive. 

“Don’t get me wrong, I meant on normal days. Why do you always think all sorts of nasty things?” Layla glared at Olive. After all these years, she knew what Olive had done. 

Layla always tried to keep the peace for her son, but Lia had been the one suffering. Now Olive still wanted to use marriage to exploit her. Layla would never agree to that, even if it cost her everything. 

Sorry. Olive gritted her teeth in frustration, but didn’t dare make a scene. 

She said, “Lia, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of Grandma Just make sure you find our about his family. If it’s not good enough, I’ll find someone else for you 

Olive took a step back, thinking there would be plenty of chances later. 

“Hmm, goodnight, Grandma,” said Lia 

Lia didn’t have a deep bond with her foster parents, but they had gotten along well over the years. As long as things weren’t too much, she would just turn a blind eye. 

She didn’t know why her biological parents didn’t want her, but it didn’t seem like something she needed to know. 

Coby walked up to the floor–to–ceiling window and looked outside. 

Lia sat on the swing, her slender legs slowly swaying. She looked up at the night sky, lost in thought. 

She enjoyed the quiet, the solitude, and the time to think. 

She was so mysterious, and Coby couldn’t help but be curious. 

He smiled faintly, grabbed his coat, and walked out. 

Lia had been sitting there for a long time. It was time to go back to her room. If Coby needed her, it wouldn’t be right to stay there playing around. 

“Who’s Ms. observing, 

Mr. Ford seems to really like her.” A few mails gathered by the floor–to–ceiling window, secretly 

“How could Mr. Ford like her? It’s probably just one of those kinds of relationships,” one maid said dismissively. 

“What kind of relationship?” another maid asked, puzzled. 

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“You know… one of those the former maid said. 

oticed 

“Ahem, ahem.” Someone noticed Lia was coming and hurriedly warned the others. 

The maids lowered their heads in silence when they saw Lia, not daring to speak anymore. 

Everyone was thinking. “We’re in trouble. Olly just warned us last time. 

Lia just glanced at them and quietly walked away. 

They didn’t really need to be scared. She knew her place. She’d heard much worse gossip at the Allen villa. Besides, their relationship was indeed unclear. 

The maids exchanged a few glances. “How come Ms. Phillips isn’t angry?” 

“She’s just being magnanimous. Let’s not gossip. 

“I think Ms. Phillips is really nice. She’s always so calm, and she doesn’t boss us around 

“Yeah, Ms. Phillips is really nice. If she were a spoiled rich girl, who knows how she’d treat us?” 

The conversation shifted, and they all started praising her. 

Lia was just about to reach the stairs when she ran into Coby. He was still holding a coal. 

“Coby, are you going out?” she asked, stepping aside. 

“It’s cold outside. Put your coat on Coby draped the coat over her. 

Lia looked at the coat So, he had come to give her some clothes. 

“Thanks, it’s not cold in here,” she said, though it had been a little chilly in the garden earlier. 

He took her hand. “You don’t want to watch the stars now 

‘How did he know I was watching stars? Lia suppressed her confusion. “No” 

Coby said, “Let’s go back to the room. 

“Okay” Lia followed him into the room and immediately hung up her coat. 

Coby lay on the bed, reading. Lia picked up her pajamas and went to freshen up. 

Twenty minutes later, she came out, and he was still reading. 

Lia climbed into the bed on the inside, and as soon as she did, Coby put down his book and pulled her close, nuzzling her 

neck. 

“Coby.” Lia shrank her shoulder, but he moved closer. 

“You smell so good,” he said softly. 

“It’s the smell of the body wash” Lia thought his comment was strange. It was hard to imagine him saying that. 

“Hmm, and your scent, he added, his meaning beyond the words 

She blushed. She couldn’t smell anything herself. 

He hugged her waist gently, and she naturally leaned into him. “Coby.” 

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Chapter 13 

Lia placed her hand between them, but he took her small hand and placed it on his waist. She froze, too nervous to move. 

The light in his eyes looked familiar. 

Coby nuzzled her soft cheek with his nose and whispered in herear, Lia, I’ve been thinking, is your body feeling better 

His meaning couldn’t be clearer. 

Lia lowered her gaze and gave a slight nod. 

He smirked, sat up, and took something out from the nightstand. 

He said. “The box you gave me last time only has one left.” 

“Then I’ll go buy more.” She hadn’t expected that the condoms she gave him would end up being used on herself. 

That night, it was her request to use condoms, and he respected that, but he had used the box she gave him. 

His large hand once again wrapped around her slender waist. I don’t let women buy this.” 

“Uh…” Lia said, thinking, ‘Does that mean he prepared it himself before? 

Seeing her blush, unable to lift her head in embarrassment, he added. “I never prepared it before. 

Lia was speechless. 

Coby said, “But I’ve prepared it now,” 

Their conversation was awkward, but he didn’t seem to mind. Lia had no idea how to respond. 

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