Lila tilted her head, eyes gleaming with quiet amusement as she looked at Violet. For a moment, the vixen faltered. This wasn't the old Lila who cowered and hid whenever someone raised their voice. No—this version met her gaze with an unsettling calm that left Violet shifting uncomfortably.
"I've been hearing the rumors about you," Violet said with a scoff, forcing her confidence back into place. "Beating people up, walking around like you don't care. But you and I both know you'll always be the same old fat, ugly duckling who hides her head like a coward."
Lila's lips curved faintly. "Are you done ranting? I have other things to do, so I'm not in the mood to fight."
The words slipped out smoothly, sharp enough to slice Violet's pride. Her eyes widened. "How dare you talk back at me? You—" She paused, catching herself, then waved a hand as though dismissing it. "I'll just overlook it."
Turning to the receptionist, Violet snapped her fingers. "I want to buy that laptop she's holding."
The receptionist froze. Everyone in the store knew who Violet was and what trouble she could cause. Yet, whispers had also been spreading—about the youngest billionaire taking an interest in Lila. Her hands trembled as she looked between them, unsure which path was safer.
Lila noticed the woman's distress. Though she didn't truly care, she decided to make Violet choke on her arrogance. "Why don't we let the person with the most money buy it?"
Violet's laugh rang sharp. "Why bother? Everyone knows I come from a wealthy family. Your people would be grateful to eat from our leftovers."
Ignoring her jab, Lila glanced at the receptionist. "How much is it?"
"Twenty dollars," the woman replied quietly.
"I'll pay ten thousand."
Gasps rippled across the store.
Violet sneered. "Twenty thousand."
Murmurs grew louder as onlookers gathered, their eyes wide with disbelief.
"Thirty-five thousand," Lila countered smoothly, her tone so casual it was almost insulting.
"Forty!" Violet burst out, her voice a little too high, desperate not to lose.
The receptionist's lips parted in shock. The amount they were tossing around could buy a thousand laptops. Before she could speak, Lila leaned back slightly, her smile cool and cutting.
"Then sell it to her," she said evenly. "But make sure she pays in full."
For a long second, Violet didn't move, her face paling as realization dawned. "Wh…what? You tricked me? How dare you—"
Lila's smirk deepened. "I was never interested in that laptop. It just took a fool like you far too long to realize you were being played."
She brushed past Violet without another glance, picked up a different laptop, paid the exact price, and walked out with it as if nothing had happened.
Behind her, the receptionist cleared her throat nervously. "Ma'am… your card, so I can withdraw the forty thousand."
Violet's jaw tightened. "Shut your mouth and take it. Do you think a few thousand dollars will hurt me?" But inside, dread coiled in her stomach. She could already hear her father's scolding when he learned she had wasted so much money on a simple laptop.
By the time Lila returned home, her family was already pacing in the living room, worry written across their faces. The moment she stepped in, she knew trouble was brewing.
"What did I do this time?" she asked lightly, setting her bag down.
Her eldest brother, David, strode toward her, his expression grim. "I heard from colleagues that the billionaire has chosen his bride. From the description, I know it's you."
Lila tilted her head, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Oh? How did you know I was the one? Am I really that fortunate?"
"It can't be her," their mother interjected quickly, clutching her chest as though the thought alone was unbearable. "Not my baby girl."
"I had to be sure, Mum," David insisted, turning back to Lila. "Answer me, young lady. Are you the one they're talking about?"
She met his stare evenly. "And what if I am? What if I'm not?"
The tension in the air thickened.
Ethan, ever the peacemaker, stepped forward with a smile. "Come on, Bro, cut her some slack. She just got home. She's tired. Lila, why don't you freshen up first?"
Without another word, she turned and walked upstairs, leaving them in silence.
David exhaled sharply. "You're both indulging her. She's not the same anymore, and I don't like it. She's always going out, always different. I don't understand this new Lila, and I won't be around if she causes trouble."
Their mother and Ethan exchanged a weary glance but said nothing as David stormed out.
Upstairs, Lila settled into her chair, opened the new laptop, and her fingers began to fly across the keys. For ten straight minutes she typed, eyes narrowed with focus. When she finally leaned back, a small, satisfied smile touched her lips.
"Done," she whispered.
She shut the laptop, her gaze turning cold and sharp. "I need to see Boss tomorrow."