Chapter 126 Fire Meets Ice Ch
Ouly whers would dress up for Lily!
All day. Simon kept reminding himself that he wasn’t looking forward to this date–didn’t care about it
one but
And yet, three hours before the scheduled time, he still grimly ordered his assistant to prepare a few suits for him and had a stylist come in to do his hair
Lily sdidn’t really want to trouble James by having him come pick her up at the recording studio.
But she didn’t know where the date was, and she didn’t have his number. All she could do was wait for him.
He was very punctual.
He’d said he’d come at seven, and sure enough, at 6:59, she saw his car pull up not far from the studio.
As they drove, she couldn’t help but wonder what her blind date would be like.
There were several moments when she really wanted to ask
But every time she looked up, all she saw was the cold back of his head, clearly radiating “don’t talk to me energy. So she held it in
Whatever. I’m going to see the guys enough. Doesn’t really matter if I ask or not.
When they arrived, her date was already there
James pushed open the ornate double doors inlaid with gold. The moment they opened, Lily’s eyes were drawn to the man standing by the flour–to–ceiling window, framed by heavy velvet curtains embroidered entirely by hand.
He had his back to her.
Lily couldn’t see his face.
But his tall, upright frame gave off an effortless elegance–like a lone pine on a mountain cliff. Even his
Thouette exuded nobility and untouchable grace.
The burgundy suit wrapped around him like crushed twilight. He twirled a wine glass lazily in his fingers, welding a layer of relaxed charm.
He looked good
Lily wasn’t the kind of girl to fall for someone based on their back view alone.
But still–her first impression of him was a solid.
O
Chapter 125 The Man in Burgundy
She was starting to think James might actually be reliable.
He’d clearly put some thought into setting her up with this guy. So far, he seemed like a great pick.
Her last relationship had left her with nothing but pain and heartbreak.
After breaking up with John, she’d thought that maybe she was done with love for good.
Maybe it was better to stay away from men. She’d be just fine on her own.
But that failed relationship–that was John’s fault, not hers. Just because she made one terrible choice didn’t mean she should give up on happiness altogether.
If this man turned out to be kind and like–minded, she’d be open to giving it a shot.
Simon had already been there for an hour.
He kept telling himself the date was just a formality.
He’d weathered all kinds of storms–this was nothing.
No reason to be nervous.
But somehow, the closer it got to the time, the more erratic his heartbeat became.
And when he heard footsteps behind him–James and Lily approaching–his heart started pounding in his chest like a war drum. Even the wine bottles in the temperature–controlled cabinet seemed to be glowing red, reflecting off his ears.
His ears turned redder and redder, like they were being dyed in wine.
“Simon, I brought Lily,” James said.
Just hearing her name made Simon’s ears burd hotter.
Gripping the stem of the wine glass with a flushed face, he turned around stiffly and gave a proud, awkward grunt. “Mm.”
That’s when James got a good look at his cousin.
In his memory, Simon was always in black–proper, but never one to care about his appearance.
This was the first time he’d seen him in such a showy shade of burgundy.
And it was obvious he’d gotten his hair styled beforehand.
It couldn’t be more clear how seriously he was taking this date.
Watching his cousin strut around like a peacock, James felt a weird pressure in his chest.
Still, he didn’t like Lily. So it didn’t matter.
2/3
With no expression, he looked away from Simon and spoke evenly. “Lily, this is my cousin Simon. He’s a decent guy. You two should get to know each other.”
Chapter 125 The Man in Burgundy
Then he glanced at his watch. “I’ve got something to take care of. I’ll leave you to it”
Without another word, he turned on his heel and left the room.
Lily wasn’t blind.
She recognized her date instantly–Simon. That absolute weirdo.
The tiny spark in her chest that had started to hope for a fresh start was immediately snuffed out
Just like that, her impression of James took a nosedive.
He’d gone out of his way to pick this guy for her?
She wouldn’t trust his taste in men again.
“Lily“”
Simon put down his wine glass. His handsome face was cool and composed, like a clear sky after rain
But beneath that calm, he could clearly hear his own heartbeat thundering.
Looking at her face–completely bare of makeup and still astonishingly beautiful–his mind involuntarily replayed the image of her that day, drenched in freezing water, soaked and helpless, despair written all over her.
3/3
Ever since he’d learned she hadn’t bullied Mathilda, Simoni couldn’t stop feeling a strange discomfort whenever he remembered that scene.
But the fact remained–Lily had definitely bullied Elsa. That part wasn’t in question. So he glared at her and warned, sharply. “Don’t lay a hand on Lizzy ever again. If I find our you’ve been targeting her–like you did in college–I’ll make sure you pay for it.”
Lily’s pretty face turned cold as icr.
Fine. She couldn’t stand Simon
But she did like Nancy–a lot.
And Simon was Nancy’s nephew.
Initially, for Nancy and James’s sake, she’d planned to get through the night civilly. There was no future with this guy, that much was clear. She just wanted to part peacefully.
But if he wanted to pick a fight?
Then bring it on.
Lily stepped forward, one step at a time, head held high like a fearless cub challenging a lion.
“The only time I ever interacted with Elsa in college was when we performed in the same show. How exactly did I “bully‘ her, huba
Simon, are you retarded or what?”
“Lily!”
Simon’s handsome face darkened instantly, black as coal.
This ungrateful woman–she really had the nerve to say his brain had been eaten by a dog? Was she suicidal?
His eyes turned glacial, sharp as blades. “Lizzy doesn’t lie. I saw you slap her with my own eyes. Even if you deny it to your grave, it won’t change what you did. Lily, you’d better behave. Or I swear, I’ll make you regret it.”
“Simon, you’re out of your damn mind!”
Lily had never met anyone so infuriating.
Burning with rage, she shoved him hard.
Chin raised, she glared at him with scorn. “I don’t think your brain was eaten by a dog. I th washed away at birth!”
it got
“In school, I never bullied anyone. Fine–1 admit I slapped Elsa. But she was a shameless homewrecker who kept trying to ruin me. She deserved it. That day, she nearly got me assaulted by that pervert Randall. A few slaps were letting her off easy!”
III
1/8
Chapter 126 Fire Meets Ice.
“Lily, Lizzy would never do something like that!
The mention of Randall made Simson feel a strange twist of unease.
But Randall was a well–respected elder, and Lizzy–sweet, innocent Lizzy–was the last person who’d ever do such a thing. To him. Lily was just flipping the truth upside down without shame.
His gaze turned even colder. “This is your last warning–stay away from Lizzy. I don’t care if Aunt Nancy or James keep protecting you. If you cross the line again, I’ll make your life a living hell.”
“Then tell Elsa to stay away from me!”
The more Lily looked at Simon’s distorted sense of right and wrong, the more disgusted she felt.
She shoved him again, even harder this time.
She forced him back against the wall, then stormed up to him like a wild little lion, ready to fight until someone bled.
She grabbed him by the collar, eyes blazing. “She wants John? Fine. She wants trash? I gave her trash.”
“She’s a garbage bin. She shouldn’t be overflowing with trash and still trying to ruin other people. I’ll say it now–if she ever tries to set me up again, or smear my name, or pull any of her schemes, I hit her. Every single time I see her!”
“Lily!”
The second she said she’d hit Elsa, fury exploded in Simon’s veins. He was this close to grabbing her by the neck and ending it right there.
But when he looked down, he met a pair of fire–bright, smoldering peach blossom eyes.
She was wild, defiant, and alive–like a sunflower burning under the midday sun.
His heart skipped a beat.
Especially when he noticed where her hand was–clutching his collár, her fingertips grazing his collarbone. The anger boiling in him sputtered out, smothered by something he couldn’t name.
His breathing quickened. His skin burned. His brain turned to mush.
He stood frozen, ears burning, unable to think.
Finally, red–faced, he managed to squeeze out a weak warning. “Let go. Step back. If you if you dare-”
She yanked harder on his collar.
Her face tilted up, brushing lightly against his jaw.
The sudden shiver that ran down his spine erased the rest of his thoughts. He stood there, stunned.
Normally, Simon buttoned his shirts all the way to the top.
He liked that clean, restrained look.
2/3
C
16:39 Tue, 22 Jul
Chapter 126 Fire Meets Ice
But tonight, for reasons he couldn’t explain, he’d left the top three buttons undone.
Now, with Lily gripping just one side of his shirt, the collar was pulled wide open.
All he had to do was glance down–and there it was: his well–defined chest, fully on display.
