Chapter 46: The Daughter Who Knows Him Well

Chapter 46: Chapter 46: The Daughter Who Knows Him Well

~Reynold’s POV~

Lily hummed softly, her eyes lingering on me. "Poor thing... and he’s cute."

I walked over to the sofa, opened the food containers, and tried to focus on eating. I shouldn’t have let myself care about what Frederick called me in front of her. He had made the rules clear from the very beginning. Whatever existed between us was a secret, meant to stay behind closed doors. But somehow, hearing him call me nobody still got to me.

I pushed the uncomfortable feeling aside and forced myself to take a bite.

But the more I tried to pretend everything was fine, the more that one word echoed in my head.

Nobody.

I ate as much as I could just to keep myself busy, sitting far away from them on the plush sofa. I fought against the hot prickling behind my eyes, desperately trying not to cry.

I’m not even three months into this contract, and I’m already acting like a fool, I scolded myself silently.

Can I really do this? Can I survive five years without losing my mind?

I was still lost in my thoughts when I heard light footsteps approaching the sofa. I looked up and saw Lily carrying a small tray with a cold bottle of water. She placed it on the coffee table before sitting down beside me.

"Can I eat with you?" she asked, already reaching for one of the containers.

I blinked, surprised by the sudden question, then quickly nodded. "Sure."

She studied my face for a moment, her expression softening. "Are you okay?"

I forced a small nod, keeping my voice steady. "Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks."

"What’s your name?" she asked, her tone casual despite the tension in the room.

"I’m Reynold," I replied.

"I’m Lily," she said, leaning back against the cushions. "I just turned seventeen a few months ago. I’m his only daughter, and I know my father very well. You heard what he said earlier, didn’t you?"

I shook my head, keeping my eyes on my food. "No. I’ve just been eating."

Lily let out a knowing little smile. "Of course you heard him. I saw the exact moment your expression changed when he answered my question." She reached over and casually picked a piece of food from my plate before tilting her head.

I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling uncomfortable under her gaze.

"So, what’s your relationship with him?" she asked.

I looked at her. "We don’t have a relationship. He’s just helping me."

"If he’s just helping you, why does it seem like you’re so affected by what he says about you?"

I stared at her, unsure of how to respond.

Lily snorted softly and glanced toward the desk, where Frederick was already deep in work. "You just came out of his private suite, hickey on your neck, and your hair is still slightly damp. I may not be eighteen yet, but I’m not stupid. I know what that looks like."

She turned her sharp, intelligent eyes back to me. "And if he’s going to deny you that easily after whatever happened between the two of you... don’t you think you should pay him back a little?"

I stared at her, completely stunned. "What do you mean?"

She took a slow bite of her food, chewing thoughtfully before speaking in a quieter voice.

"My father doesn’t let just anyone into his personal space. If you’re here and staying this close to him, then there must be a reason."

I glanced at Frederick, then back at her. "I just told you he’s helping me. We’re not lovers or anything. He’s much older than me. What kind of relationship could we possibly have?" I said, almost as if I were trying to convince myself.

"It doesn’t matter," Lily said, waving her hand dismissively. "He’s my father, and I know him very well. He’s not the kind of man who falls in love easily. He keeps his heart locked away, and once he decides not to let someone in, it’s almost impossible to change his mind. But I’ll tell you this: if you want to win him over, you have to play his game. Treat him the way he treats you."

"What do you mean?" I asked, unable to hide my curiosity.

"Give him the same energy," Lily explained, leaning a little closer. "Act like you don’t care, even when you do. Look at me. I love my father, and I missed him like crazy, but I’d never admit that to his face. He already knows I love and miss him anyway. He can be incredibly strict and difficult sometimes, but trust me, underneath all of that, he’s a good man."

"Why is that?" I asked her.

Lily gave me a knowing look. "Because my father is a psychologist. Most of the time, he can read people before they even say what’s on their minds. If you’re too soft with him, he’ll notice how you feel about him. And because he doesn’t want you to know that he cares, he’ll make you work for his attention and leave you wondering where you stand with him."

She paused, then continued, "But if you make things difficult for him and stop showing him exactly how you feel, he’ll be confused for a while. He’ll still figure it out eventually because he’s very intelligent, but it won’t be as easy for him to understand what’s going on in your mind."

"Why are you telling me all this?" I asked, lowering my voice. "You don’t even know me."

Lily’s expression softened, and for a moment, I could see the concern in her eyes.

"I want to see my father happy. You see, I won’t be staying long because I have to fly back on Tuesday. And you know, whenever I come home for the holidays, it’s always just him."

"He has his work, his friends, and everything else, but he never really has anyone beside him. I’ve never seen him stay close to someone long enough for it to mean anything. So when I came home this time and saw you here with him, I was actually happy. At least, for once, I knew I wasn’t leaving my father completely alone."

"I’m telling you, we’re not lovers," I murmured, looking down at my hands. "I’m not even allowed to feel anything for him."

Lily shook her head. "It doesn’t matter. My father never lets anyone get this close to him. So if he’s letting you this close, then you must mean something to him."

"It’s because we have an agreement," I said to her.

"Whatever," Lily said with a dismissive wave.

A mischievous smile suddenly appeared on her face. "Do you want to see something fun?"

"Like what?" I asked cautiously.

"Watch this," she muttered.

She raised her voice and called across the office. "Mr. Co!"

Frederick immediately looked up from his desk, his brows furrowing as he gave her a warning look.

Lily simply smiled and waved her phone.

"I just took a picture of this cute guy sitting beside me and posted it in our university group. Now all the girls are obsessed with him. They keep saying how handsome and cute he is." She grinned mischievously. "So why don’t you just let him transfer to my university and start next semester? He could even stay with me."

Frederick’s expression changed instantly, hardening into ice. "No. He doesn’t want to go abroad. He’s fine right here."

"Why not?" Lily pressed, playing along effortlessly. "Besides, he already has a crush on one of my friends. He said she’s really pretty. I think they’d make a great couple."

My heart leapt into my throat. I looked at Lily in sheer panic, but she only gave me a tiny, conspiratorial wink.

Play along.

Frederick’s jaw tightened as he stared straight at me. "Is that true?"

My voice shook as I forced the words out. "I... I like her. She’s beautiful."

Frederick slowly rose from his chair, a dark, dangerous expression settling over his face. "Are you forgetting about the con—"

"What?" Lily interrupted brightly.

Frederick caught himself mid-sentence, his eyes flashing a warning at her. "Nothing."

"Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll just let them exchange social media contacts so they can chat," Lily teased smoothly.

She turned to me and held out her hand. "Give me your phone, Sir Reynold."

My hands shook as I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. But before Lily could take it, Frederick crossed the room in long, furious strides.

He snatched the phone straight from my hand, his expression dark and furious.

I shrank back against the sofa, suddenly nervous.

"Right now, you should be focusing on your studies, not chasing girls," Frederick snapped, his voice carrying a cold authority that left no room for argument. He turned his burning gaze toward his daughter. "And Lily, if you don’t start behaving yourself right now, I’m sending you straight to your grandmother’s house."

Lily burst out laughing, completely unfazed by his anger.

"Alright, Mr. Co. I get the message. Relax."

Frederick turned on his heel and strode back to his desk, keeping a firm grip on my phone before tossing it down beside his laptop.

Once he was back at his desk, Lily leaned toward me and whispered with a wide grin, "See? Very stubborn man."

"Are you... are you not scared of him?" I whispered, my eyes wide.

"Of course I’m scared of him," Lily whispered back with a soft laugh. "But he can handle me, and I can handle him. That’s the first thing you need to learn if you’re going to deal with my father."

I glanced at her uncertainly. "You’re his daughter. I’m not sure I have that same chance with him."

Lily shook her head. "You have to be confident. It won’t be easy, trust me. He’s a good man, and I love him to pieces, but you can’t show him too quickly how much you care about him. If you really want to win him over, remember that."

I stared at her, confused. Why was she saying all of this to me? I hadn’t even said that I wanted her father.

Lily noticed my expression and gave me a small smile.

"Now, let’s finish our food," she said, picking up her fork again. "We have a lot more to talk about later."

With that, she picked up her fork...