Chapter 2
I first took Liam back to my place to pack up.
Liam looked at the somewhat shabby apartment, a hint of disdain in his eyes.
“Ava Adeline, you live in this dump?”
I opened the wardrobe and suitcase, slowly packing my things.
“Yeah, just living in this dump.”
“No wonder you have so many complaints, it’s because of your poor quality of life.”
I rolled my eyes, “My poor quality of life is because someone won’t give me a raise and keeps docking my bonus.”
“Docking pay for mistakes is justified.”
“Whatever, suit yourself, now I can give myself, oh no, give you, Ava, a raise.” I stood up, proudly using Liam’s height to look down at “Liam.”
Haha, I love how Liam can’t stand me but can’t do anything about it.
“When we switch back, I’ll dock your pay in a second.”
“Well, say that when we switch back.”
I shrugged.
Liam silently clenched his fists.
While packing, he glanced over again, full of disdain, “You usually rotate between these few ragged clothes? Really shabby.”
I was about to retort, but Liam spoke, “Take my card and buy a few outfits later.”
“Really, Mr. Beckett!”
“Deduct from your bonus.”
I was deflated.
“Look at you, alright, it’s a reward, but only three outfits,” Liam added.
Three outfits are fine, better than nothing.
I quickly zipped up the suitcase, “Let’s go, Mr. Beckett.”
Liam: “…”
So I happily pulled the suitcase out, casually walking into a chic women’s clothing store I never dared enter before.
And “Liam,” like a fool, followed behind with a resentful face.
“Hello sir, are you buying clothes for your wife here?” the sales associate greeted warmly.
The “Liam” behind me said coldly, “I’m not his wife.”
“Sorry… then, is it… sister?”
I jumped in, “Yes, yes, just a sister, I’m here to buy my sister some clothes.”
I forcefully put my arm around Liam’s shoulder, and I must say, using a man’s strength feels great.
The sales associate smiled, showing me the latest styles of the season, and I was dazzled.
“This white set, that blue set, the pink one over there, and another new style I just saw, and…” I looked around, directing like a general.
The sales associate took them down one by one, and I turned to Liam, who was already bulging with veins, grinning brightly, “Sister, what do you think?”
Liam gritted his teeth, he wasn’t out of money, he just hated my cheeky attitude.
Liam gave me a warning look, making a three with his fingers.
I immediately got the hint, “My sister says they’re all okay, wrap them up in size S, and charge it to the card.”
When I walked out of the store, satisfied with six shopping bags, Liam was fuming beside me.
Ah, this feeling of treating myself is just too satisfying!
If you can’t have a CEO husband, then make yourself the CEO!
Thinking this, my steps became even more cheerful.
As Liam and I were about to leave the mall, I heard a sharp female voice calling “Ava Adeline.”
Liam Beckett clenched his jaw. It wasn’t about the money; it was my irritating attitude he couldn’t stand.
Liam gave me a warning look and held up three fingers.
I quickly caught on: “My sister said everything’s fine. Wrap it all in size S, and I’ll pay with my card.”
As I left the clothing store, pleased and burdened with six shopping bags, Liam was beside me, fuming and pacing.
Ah, the thrill of maxing out a card is just unbeatable!
If I can’t marry a CEO, I’ll become my own!
With that in mind, I walked with a spring in my step.
Just as Liam and I were about to leave the mall, a sharp female voice shouted, “Ava Adeline.”
That voice was all too familiar. It was my mom!
Without a second thought, I grabbed Liam and sprinted away.
We stopped only when we reached the underground parking, both of us out of breath.
I looked around to make sure my mom hadn’t followed us and finally felt relieved.
“Someone called your name, why did you run…” Liam panted, annoyed after being dragged for what felt like forever.
“I owe some money to a loan shark. Be careful when you go out from now on.”
I said, trying to sound serious, as I loaded the shopping bags into the trunk of Liam’s Maybach.
“With your timid nature, you dared to take out a loan? You’re a riot.” Liam mocked.
“Not worth my time.”
The next day at work, I arrived at the company entrance with “Liam Beckett,” only to find it swamped with people.
I wanted to push through the crowd but remembered I was now Liam.
So, I put my hands in my pockets and cleared my throat twice.
No one noticed.
I cleared my throat again.
Still, no response.
Liam almost burst out laughing.
I had no choice but to speak loudly: “Why aren’t you all working? Gathered here like this, do you want to lose your attendance and year-end bonuses?”
Finally, the crowd reacted and parted, murmuring “Mr. Beckett” as they did.
Strangely, they were all whispering among themselves.
Curious, I went to see what was happening and found a woman hanging a banner at the company entrance, ignoring the security’s attempts to stop her.
That woman was my mom!
I halted in my tracks. How did she find the company?
Linda Nolan, calling her my mom is an exaggeration; she’s more like a debt collector.
She’s never fulfilled her motherly duties, only seeing me as a money-making machine.
“Ava!”
The voice was the same as in the mall yesterday. Liam instantly reacted and asked me what was going on.
Before I could answer, Linda Nolan lunged at “Liam Beckett” like a madwoman: “Ava! You’re so hard to find! Living the high life in the city, have you thought about your mom, or your brother?”
Linda Nolan sat at “Liam’s” feet, wailing.
“Liam” frowned and stepped back in disgust.
Linda Nolan cried even louder: “Ungrateful daughter! Now that you’re doing well, you don’t recognize your countryside mom!”
Linda Nolan was even scarier than Betty Wilson’s mom, always exploiting me. My mind nearly shut down; I didn’t know how to handle this scene.
It was “Liam” who raised his voice: “What is security doing? Don’t you know to take her to the police station for disturbing public order?”
Hearing her daughter being so heartless, Linda Nolan cried even more fiercely: “Everyone hear this? Ungrateful daughter! A daughter wants to send her own mother to jail!”
She cried and pounded the ground, while many colleagues started recording.
I calmed myself, trembling, and spoke as Liam: “Just say it, what do you want by creating such a scene?”
Seeing me speak, Linda Nolan rolled and crawled to my feet: “You’re my daughter’s boss, right? Please judge this! Everyone come judge this! My daughter has a brother who’s about to get married.”
“Usually, we don’t ask her for money, but now that her brother’s getting married, we thought of borrowing some from her, but this ungrateful girl blocked me! She even said she’s no longer a daughter of the Adeline family!”
Hearing this, it felt like something was stuck in my throat. My vision blurred, and the words “ungrateful daughter” seemed to tear my brain apart, making the world spin.
“Enough!” I shouted.
Linda Nolan was stunned by my shout.
Taking a deep breath, I said, “You said you rarely ask Ava for money? But as far as I know, Ava takes six thousand from me monthly, spends two thousand on rent, one thousand on herself, and gives you three thousand! She’s living tight, and now you want more?”
Linda Nolan was momentarily speechless.
I was about to continue when “Liam” suddenly spoke: “Did you know about these things? I bet you didn’t care to know, right? And about your brother’s wedding, I heard he just got out of the detention center a few months ago, probably back in and needs money to bail out, right?”
How did Liam know that?
Linda Nolan’s guilty eyes darted around, trying to come up with an excuse, but her tongue twisted, and she could only rush to “Liam’s” feet, pulling her hair and cursing.
“You good-for-nothing Ava! I can’t believe I have such a shameless daughter! Accusing your brother and consorting with shady people!”
Liam was seized by the hair, grimacing in pain. The tension in the air was palpable as I stepped forward to pull Linda Nolan away. The security guard, who had been merely observing until then, quickly intervened and restrained Linda. Suppressing my anger, I said, “My employees contribute to my success; they aren’t weaklings to be exploited by parasites like you.”