Chapter 8 Rubbing Her Stomach, Tangled in Heat…


    John stiffened, then subtly pulled away from Elsa. “Lily…”


    “John, I earned the Siren role with my own ability. What right did you have to give it to Elsa?What right?!”


    Lily had been barely holding back her emotions, but the sight of John and Elsapletely shattered her


    And seeing Elsa still wearing her parents‘ pendant filled her eyes with a raw, rising hatred.


    “And that pendant… that’s something my parents left me. What gives you the right to give it to Elsa? John, what gives you that right?”


    “Lily!”


    Seeing Elsa’s teary eyes and her trembling body, John’s gaze turned cold with disapproval.


    “Can’t you stop being so unreasonable? Voicing Siren has always been Elsa’s dream. She only has six months left. Why do you insist on fighting her for everything?”


    <i>Unreasonable </i><i>again</i><i>…. </i>


    Lily actuallyughed.


    Sheughed so hard her eyes turned red, gleaming with bitter tears.


    “John, voicing Siren was my dream too.”


    If she’dnded the role through connections, and he took it back to give to Elsa, she wouldn’t have been this angry.


    But she’d earned it with her own talent. He had no right to give it away.


    “Lily, you’ll have more opportunities in the future. Elsa doesn’t have much time—”


    Lily cut him off with a cold smile. “So just because she’s dying, she gets to wear the wedding dress I stitched by hand? Just because she’s dying, she gets to keep the pendant my parents left me? Just because she’s dying, everything I have must be handed over to her? Is her life the only one that matters? Does mine not count? Just because she’s dying, the whole damn world has to revolve around her? John, if you’re so obsessed with Elsa and want to take care of her, that’s your choice. But you have no right to use my things to please her or to mess with my life!”


    John’s pupils contracted sharply at the hatred shing in Lily’s eyes.


    He had never imagined that she would look at him that way–like all her love had dried up, like she didn’t want him anymore.


    For the first time, panic and unease surged through him.


    “Lily…”


    That dull ache in his chest spread violently.


    Just as he was about to say something, Elsa’s voice–hoarse and pained–cut through the tension.


    “Lily, I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was taking the role from you. I just really wanted to voice Siren… it’s my final wish… I’m sorry…”


    Elsa closed her eyes with stubborn grace, tears sliding silently down her cheeks.


    She looked so noble and proud–like a proud red rose crying in the wind. It made people want to give her the world just to see her smile.


    She coughed again, delicate and sickly.


    Momentster, blood stained her lips.


    “Elsa!”


    John forgot all aboutforting Lily.


    He turned around, quickly catching Elsa as she swayed.


    “Are you okay? Are you in pain? Let’s go back to the hospital!”


    “I don’t want to go back.”


    Elsa gripped his hand weakly, her alluring eyes filled with fragile hope. “I want to sign the contract… I can’t miss Siren… it’s always been my dream…”


    “Okay. Let’s go sign first.”


    Afraid she’d fall, he scooped her up into his arms.


    Lily’s peach blossom eyes gleamed with contempt and mockery, and it made John feel deeply ufortable.


    But he thought she was just angry.


    And Lily was easy to calm down. Give her a little space and she’d run into his arms on her own. Half the time, he didn’t even need tofort her–she’d make herself feel better.


    No one in the world could love him more than Lily.


    She would never leave him.


    But Elsa… Elsa didn’t have much time left. He couldn’t let her final days be filled with sorrow.


    As Elsa continued to silently cry, he frowned and scolded Lily.


    “Lily, you went too far today. I gave Elsa the role–this has nothing to do with her. Go back to the house tonight. And stop picking fights with Elsa. No more talk of breaking up.”


    <b>His </b>meaning <b>was </b>clear: he didn’t ept the breakup.


    Elsa heard the underlying message and clenched her fists.


    But her face stayed soft andposed. Even if she wanted to tear Lily to pieces, she still looked at her with warmth and sincerity.


    “Lily, please stop fighting with John. I know you misunderstand me, but there’s really nothing between me and John. I never wanted to take anything from you. I’d never hurt your rtionship. I just want you both to be happy.”


    <i>She </i><i>never </i><i>wanted </i><i>to </i><i>take </i><i>anything</i>…


    Lily almostughed again. Elsa really had a gift for lying with a straight face.


    She didn’t want to take anything–yet she stole Lily’s wedding, insisted on wearing the dress Lily sewed herself?


    She didn’t want to take anything–yet she clung to the pendant Lily’s parents left her?


    She didn’t want to take anything–yet…


    But what was the point of arguing with shameless people?


    Lily didn’t waste her breath. She just sneered.


    “Yeah. You and John are so pure. Pure enough to kiss, pure enough to get married. Why don’t you go pure in bed too?<b>” </b>


    With that, she turned and strode out of the building.


    “Lily!”


    John’s face went dark, the air around him freezing.


    He had never thought of sleeping with Elsa.


    Lily’s jealous tantrum waspletely out of line!


    “John, my stomach really hurts…”


    Elsa’s soft voice interrupted.


    John didn’t chase after Lily.


    be


    He held Elsa tighter and said gently, “Let’s go upstairs and sign the contract. We’ll head straight back to the hospital after.”


    “No need… it’s just a cramp. If you rub it for meter, I’ll be fine.”


    Elsa’s voice turned sweeter and softer. “Just rub it for me, okay?”


    Mm<b>.” </b>


    From a distance, Lily still heard her voice.


    Elsa wanted John to rub her stomach.


    Adult man and woman. Skin to skin.


    Like hell they’d <i>stop </i><i>at </i>just rubbing.


    The image of the two of them wrapped around each other burned like a knife in her chest.


    But she didn’t hate herself for hurting.


    Because she knew–trying not to love John anymore was like cutting off infected flesh from her body.


    The pain would linger.


    But if she kept walking forward, didn’t look back–the pain would fade.


    And in the end, she’d be reborn.


    Losing the Siren role didn’t crush Lily.


    She didn’t me fate, didn’t copse.


    She auditioned again. And again.


    But it was as if someone were deliberately working against her. Every time shended a semi–famous role, the studio would notify her before signing–she’d been reced.


    And every single time, she was reced by Elsa.


    Still, she managed tond a few roles–small parts, but roles nheless.


    She gave her all to each one, serious and full of heart.


    Elsa tried to crush her, make her fall, make her disappear.


    But Lily was determined to rise to the top.


    She would rise–no matter what.


    The hotel offered a breakfast buffet.


    After washing up in the morning, Lily headed down for breakfast.


    But when she opened her door-


    She came face–to–face with John’s cousin, Yvonne Gordon.