The Billionaire Stands Up for Me-Chapter 178: Constant Chance Encounters

I lost myself in sorrow for a moment, then raised my hand to hail a taxi home.

On the way, I called Wennie Lane.

"Discharged? You’re not fully recovered yet, why are you in such a hurry to leave?" Wennie Lane sounded a bit upset, "I was just a bit busy today, didn’t come to keep an eye on you, and you bolted!"

"It’s fine, I can rest at home just the same. You go ahead and be busy, don’t worry about me."

It’s just that Wennie’s been running to the hospital a lot these days, so I felt guilty about staying too long.

Everyone is busy, even as friends, you can’t always bother other people.

During this time, Daniel Carter was with me, taking care of me meticulously, making me feel an unprecedented happiness.

And now that he’s gone, I feel even more lonely than before.

Even sitting alone at home, I couldn’t help but shed tears.

Realizing this low mood, I immediately adjusted myself, trying to cheer up.

The company had a bunch of accumulated work, so I went back to work the next day.

Calvin Yance was startled when he saw me, "President Miller, what happened to you? You’ve lost so much weight and look so haggard, are you sick?"

"Yeah." I smiled slightly, "I was sick, but I’m already recovering, thanks for your concern."

I went to my studio, and Cherry, knowing the situation, uneasily stayed by my side.

"Ms. Lily, do you really have to break up with Mr. Carter? You love each other so much, can’t any problem be solved? Was it Mrs. Carter forcing you to split?"

"No, there’s always been a world of difference between us, it’s impossible to be together. Having this wonderful experience for this time was already enough." I calmly responded while staring at the drawings, forcing myself to concentrate and throw myself into work.

Cherry sighed, got up, and left.

I held the stylus in my hand, my mind went blank again.

Obviously thinking about the design drafts, but all that kept swirling in my head was Daniel Carter’s face.

After resisting for a while, I eventually gave in, picked up my phone, and looked at the photo on the screensaver.

It was taken the day we broke up, I forced him to take it.

I kissed him on the cheek, his brows slightly furrowed as if surprised, but his eyes still overflowed with deep affection.

The more I looked, the more I couldn’t help but smile.

Like a fool.

The news of my breakup with Daniel Carter spread like wildfire.

Soon, not only the whole company knew, but even people in the circle heard about it.

Of course, there were some cynical remarks.

People weren’t optimistic about us to begin with, given the realities.

But because Daniel Carter’s confession was so high-profile, insiders thought that even if we couldn’t end up together, we could at least have a year or so together.

Who knew, we broke up after just two months.

Many people were gloating, and some directly confronted me face-to-face.

After the New Year, the first get-together for the general manager’s office.

I got up in the middle to go to the bathroom and ran into two familiar faces.

"Oh, Lily Miller... I heard you and Mr. Carter broke up, is it true?" One woman started to tease.

While washing my hands, I smiled and said, "You guess?"

"Humph! You broke up, everyone knows!" The other woman seemed very pleased, fiddling with her hair, "I heard that lately, people going to Carter Manor to propose have almost worn down the doorstep."

I was about to leave after washing my hands, but hearing this, it inexplicably caught my nerve.

What does that mean?

Daniel Carter isn’t with Jessica Sawyer?

"Really? Did your family send someone to propose as well?" I asked with interest.

"What do you mean? Are you mocking me? I know my own worth!" The woman seemed offended and immediately rolled her eyes.

"Indeed, the Carter Family isn’t somewhere common magnates can reach, someone like you... surely isn’t qualified." With that, I turned and left.

But the woman suddenly got angry, storming up to block me in the corridor.

"Lily Miller, what do you mean? Someone like me? What kind of person? Don’t you know your own character? Do you look down on me?"

I didn’t want to cause trouble, responded calmly, "You were the one who started the topic with me first, being so sensitive, does it make sense? My character is not for you to judge. Besides, even if my character isn’t good, I’m still the woman who had a relationship with Daniel Carter—what about you? Have you?"

"You—had a relationship and so what, didn’t you end up getting dumped?" The woman’s face was becoming increasingly unpleasant.

I smiled slightly, "I’m sorry, I was the one who dumped him."

"What?" Another woman stepped forward, looking incredulous, "What nonsense are you talking? You dumped him?"

"Believe it or not." I withdrew my gaze and continued to walk away.

But the path was blocked.

"The good dog doesn’t block the way, move." I reminded mildly.

"Lily Miller, who are you calling a ’dog’? Make it clear, apologize to me!" The woman suddenly made a move, pushing hard against my shoulder.

I staggered back a bit, my face instantly turned cold, "Want to fight? Let me warn you, I’ve had a bad reputation for a while, if a fight breaks out and it’s filmed and posted online, think if you two can handle it."

With this said, those two women hesitated at once.

Impatiently, I reached out and pushed, "Move aside."

One of the women stepped aside, but the other woman boldly took another step forward to block.

I really had no mood to fool around, I shoved her hard.

As a result, the woman gained momentum, stabilized herself, and lunged to grab my sleeve, raising her hand to slap.

Instinctively, I raised my hand to block, prepared to not dodge, had already planned how to retaliate.

But that slap never landed, the scene suddenly fell silent.

Doubtful, I put down my arm, saw the woman’s raised hand was caught by a man’s hand.

At the same time, a familiar forest grass scent filled my nose.

My heartbeat instantaneously flustered, following that hand, I turned my head slowly, unsurprisingly, saw that familiar, etched handsome face.

Daniel Carter, he appeared again.

My eyes widened, staring fixedly at him.

Not sure if his appearance here was by chance, or intentionally...

I didn’t dare think more, swallowed my throat, quickly came back to my senses.

"Mr. Carter—" The woman whose wrist Daniel Carter caught, also looked shocked, even her voice trembled.

Because Daniel Carter’s expression right now was truly terrifying.

"She’s right, she dumped me, you may not believe it, but laying hands on someone?" Daniel Carter didn’t look at me, his eyes were cold and intimidating as he stared at the woman, his tone was also cold.

I watched the two women widen their eyes, clearly shocked again.

I was shocked too!

Daniel Carter actually said this publicly, doesn’t he care about his reputation?

"Mr. Carter, you’ve broken up..." The woman hesitated for a long time, struggled to speak.

The implication was, having broken up with Daniel Carter, he shouldn’t be concerned with my business.

"So what? Breaking up means you can bully her?" While asking this, I wonder if Daniel Carter exerted more force, as the woman’s face suddenly showed pain, moaned.

Another woman hurriedly approached, repeatedly apologizing, "Mr. Carter, sorry... we were just joking, went overboard, sorry!"

"Apologize to her." Daniel Carter nodded in my direction.

That woman turned to face me, nodded and bowed quickly, "Miss Miller, I’m sorry, it was all a misunderstanding."

Saying that, she hurriedly nudged the woman beside her.

The woman, though reluctant, also apologized, "Miss Miller, I’m sorry."

Daniel Carter then let go.

The two women scrambled away in defeat.

I faced Daniel Carter alone, my scalp tingling, my mind buzzing with noise, unsure of what to say.

After a few seconds, when I felt my mind clear a bit, I finally calmed down, turned to him, "Tha—"

Before I could finish a word, I awkwardly found that he just turned and walked away.

From beginning to end, he never even glanced at me, nor did he speak to me.

I stood there motionless, feeling that the slap that was stopped still landed, and it hurt right in my heart, making my tears fall uncontrollably.

I watched his back, thinking about the last time at the hospital entrance, he was just as cold and distant, even worse than how he treated strangers.

But if he hates me so much, why does he always appear in front of me?

Is he deliberately teasing my heart, intending to torment me?

After a while, I relaxed a little and returned to the dining room.

Cherry saw me return and asked with concern, "Ms. Lily, why did you take so long? I was about to go find you."

"Oh, I ran into an acquaintance and chatted for a bit."

"Oh."

Cherry nodded, continuing to chat and laugh with others.

My mood was inexplicably tangled, and I wanted to drink, so I got up and reached for a wine bottle in front of several male colleagues.

Just as I was about to pour, Cherry suddenly sat down and stopped me, "Ms. Lily, you’ve just recovered from your illness, don’t drink, it’s bad for your health."

"It’s fine, just a little."

"No way, you hold the glass and you’re sure to get drunk." Cherry snatched the bottle away and placed it further.

"Here, have some corn juice, it’s still warm." Cherry poured me a cup of corn juice and placed it in front of me.

It seems like Cherry really understands me.

She knows I’ve been heartbroken lately, and drinking would definitely be a one-way trip to oblivion.

I felt a bit helpless then.

But a week later, I was especially grateful to Cherry.

The gathering ended after nine in the evening.

Having not drunk any alcohol, I drove myself home.

When I got near the building, I saw a familiar figure standing by the roadside in the distance, so familiar that my heart ached as if grasped tightly by an invisible hand.

It was Daniel Carter.

He helped me at the restaurant but refused to say a word to me, or even spare me a glance.

But why appear outside my building in the cold late night?

My heart was racing too erratically for me to hold the steering wheel properly.

Yet, I still tried to calm myself, reversed into a parking space, turned off the engine, and got out of the car.

He stood by the roadside, who knows how long he had been there.

His black coat melded with the night, absorbing the cold wind and frost.

I hesitated for a while, but finally approached him on my own.

It was I who said we should part on good terms and remain friends after breaking up.

So I worked hard to move my facial muscles, and when I got in front of him, I forced a smile and greeted, "Good evening. Did you come to see me for something?"

Daniel Carter was much taller than me, he lowered his eyes to look at me and then at the car I had just parked.

"You didn’t drink tonight?" 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"No..."

I answered, then froze.

Soon, I understood.

"Were you worried I’d drink and get drunk, so you came late at night?"

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have asked that.

But this also meant he didn’t stay long at that restaurant.

Or even if he did, he didn’t inquire about me.

Maybe it was just a coincidence after all.

But showing up here late at night, there’s only one reason.

He cares about me, cannot let me go.

We gazed at each other silently, I waited for his answer, but he remained silent.

The weather was cold, I wore little and shivered slightly.

Just when I was about to suggest coming upstairs for a chat.

He suddenly turned and walked towards the car waiting nearby.

"Hey, you—" I involuntarily called out, wanting to retain him.

But I held back just in time.

How to retain him? For what reason?

And after keeping him, then what?

A single man and woman, just broken up not long ago, late at night—

With those three factors combined, even thinking with my toes, I know what would happen.

And once that happens, our relationship would be back to the tangled mess again.

Then everything would become more complicated.

So I restrained myself in time and forced myself to walk away.

However, once I got home, I couldn’t help but rush to the balcony and look down.

But below, there was no sign of that car.

He came quietly and left silently.

Seemingly leaving no trace, yet quietly taking my heart, taking everything away.

The next day, I told Wennie Lane about it, hoping she could help analyze what Daniel Carter meant.

"What else could it mean? He can’t let go of you! Fallhaven is so big, almost two million people. If he didn’t want to see you, it’s impossible you’d ever run into him again in this lifetime. But with these frequent ’coincidences,’ what else could it mean?"

Wennie was speechless and scolded me over the phone.

"I think neither of you has let go of the other, what’s the point? Torturing each other. Even if all external factors force you apart, you could still secretly interact, who would know."

"You’re being too naive. If the national security investigates, what can’t they find out? If they discover that I’m interacting with him secretly, deliberately avoiding surveillance, they’d be more suspicious of ulterior motives."

I tossed and turned on this issue, sleepless last night.

For the past few days, the national security agents have approached me again.

They said Mason Miller’s espionage case has been confirmed with solid evidence, and as family members, we’ll be under close observation.

That’s basically warning me to behave, implying that if I don’t have such thoughts, good; but if I do, I should extinguish them promptly.

I swear I don’t, but they may not believe me.

If they find out I’m still in contact with Daniel Carter, that I’m his "secret lover," doesn’t that mean I’m pushing Daniel Carter into the fire?

No, definitely no.

While chatting with Wennie Lane, the phone screen changed with an incoming call.

It was a call I least wanted to take, from Shirley Turner.

Initially, I wanted to hang up.

But worried she’d run to the company and cause trouble, which would be even worse.

So finally, I had to answer.

"Lily Miller, save your father! He’s suddenly comatose, needs rescue! Needs a lot of money! Please come save him! I beg you..."