The hallway behind the VIP lounge was dimly lit, humming with muffled bass from the main floor.
Sebastian leaned against the cool, textured wall casually. He pulled a silver cigarette case from his pocket and flipped it open with one hand, plucking a stick out lazily.
"Tell me," he said, cigarette resting between his lips, "how did I impregnate you without touching you?"
The flame from his lighter flared, briefly illuminating his sharp features.
Before he could light it, Lillian stepped forward and, without hesitation, snatched the cigarette from his mouth. She crushed it before tossing it into a nearby trash can.
"Passive smoking isn't healthy," Lillian pointed out flatly.
The corner of Sebastian's lips twitched. "The rumors were pretty true. You act quite entitled and rude, Kid."
"I have an offer that will interest you," Lillian went straight to the point, ignoring his comment.
Sebastian raised one of his eyebrows. "Is that why you ruined my reputation earlier?"
Lillian blankly replied, "I assumed you're used to it."
Sebastian's reputation preceeded him. The rumors painted Sebastian as a notorious playboy who changed women more often than his clothes. He was always on the tabloids with his scandalous affairs with models and actresses.
Although his philandering was known to everyone, his family status, attractive looks, and generous wallet made the ladies eagerly approach him.
His image in the media was quite messy.
He was the type of person Lillian avoided in her past life— the ones that lived meaninglessly, wasting away their life. Their philosophy never collided.
But the insight she received from her memory let her know he was hiding deep, very deep.
Sebastian was someone she couldn't cross.
Someone perfect for her to ally with.
Sebastian chuckled, the sound low and smooth, almost lost under the pounding music. He pushed off the wall, slowly circling her with the grace of a predator indulging in curiosity.
Sebastian leaned closer, letting his shadow swallow her frame under the dim lighting. A glint crossed through his eyes. Although Lillian's heart was without any ripples, she had to admit the face was quite to her liking.
His slender fingers held on to her chin and lifted it in a mocking motion. An imperceptible smile appeared on his lips.
"Kid, you're not my type," Sebastian commented, "although I love women, there is a standard."
He let go of her just as casually, taking a step back. A flicker of amusement flashed across his face. "I know I'm attractive, but it's time you stop fantasizing about your future brother-in-law. It's indecent."
Not often did Lillian get her feathers ruffled by a stranger, but Sebastian did have a way to irk her.
He turned his back on her, about to leave after waving his hand.
Just as he slid his hands into his pockets, Lillian sharply enunciated, "Ark Investments."
Sebastian's steps halted for a second.
"It belongs to you, right?" Lillian added.
Finally, he turned to look at her. The calm, devil-may-care glint in his eyes dulled into something sharper, darker. The hallway lights reflected a different side of Sebastian Xu. His posture hadn't changed, but the air around him grew heavy, tense.
"You shouldn't run your mouth around like that, Kid," he said, "it will get you in danger."
There was a dangerous undertone in his words, warning her.
"Ark has been eyeing the land at the north. However, the biggest obstacle you are currently facing is June Ventures. Odds are on their side," Lillian continued unfazed.
June Ventures is one of the subsidiaries under the June conglomerate, and it belonged to the Chen Family.
Jason was the current President of June Ventures. The land at the north of the city was eyed upon by all the big shots in the industry, and from the memory of her previous life, Jason managed to win the rights. The project there cemented his rise in the industry.
Other than the power of the Chen Family, Jason had luck by his side. No matter which project he touched, everything would turn into success, and later, he was awarded with the position of Chairman in June.
However, behind his sucesss, Lillian had her hand as well. Although she was young and didn't major in relevant field, her willingness to help Jason made her persistent.
She researched all the market trends, stayed up late to learn all the content, and socialized heavily simply to win Jason's approval.
In the end, all the credit belonged to Jason.
Since he couldn't acknowledge her efforts, this time she was determined to throw his face in the mud to let him finally see her.
"I don't understand why you are telling me this," spoke out Sebastian smoothly, acting clueless. "What is this Ark you speak of?"
"Sebastian Xu, you act like a good-for-nothing, reckless illegitimate son of Xu family, spending your time fooling around. But behind the facade, you're building your own business in order to take down the Xu Family," Lillian revealed.
Sebastian's jaw clenched visibly.
Lillian's heels clicked against the floor as she narrowed the gap between them. She remained composed and confident.
"I have no hostile intentions. Consider me as someone who came to lend you a hand," Lillian stated.
"Help?" Skepticism was carved on his features.
Taking out a pendrive from her purse, she said, "This has all the information you need to win the rights to the land. You can trust it. This is straight from Jason Chen's computer."
Sebastian chuckled. "What is your motive? You don't seem the type to betray your beloved brother."
"I tend to settle my grudges well," replied Lillian. "My words might not seem trustworthy, but you can check it out to see how legitimate this is. Extra precautions will never hurt you."
Sebastian took the pendrive from her hand. There were questions in his eyes.
"What do you want in return?"
What did she want?
For a moment, Lillian didn't speak.
Lillian pulled her lips into a thin line before grabbing on to Sebastian's shirt and pushing him against the wall. Then, she stepped closer to him.
"You."