NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Shadows of Control
[Location: Lilly's Apartment – Evening]
The envelope was gone.
Lilly stood by the window of her apartment, staring out at the city lights as they blinked softly against the dark skyline. She should have felt something—relief, satisfaction, perhaps even regret.
But all she felt was space.
Her phone lay silent on the marble counter behind her, untouched since she'd left Rocky's office. No messages. No calls.
Not that she expected any.
Rocky wasn't the chasing type.
Even so, Lilly found herself glancing at the screen every so often, half-expecting a notification to flicker to life. The soft hum of the refrigerator and the distant echo of traffic below were the only sounds keeping her company.
The game's system meter hovered faintly at the corner of her vision.
[Rocky Chan: -92 (Hatred)]
[Anna Feng: +89 (Like)]
Of course.
Anna's affection rose every time Lilly stepped away. She had always been the game's sweet, innocent lead—the type to thrive under the attention of others, Rocky included.
But Lilly wasn't here to chase falling meters.
She pushed off the windowsill, moving toward the kitchen as she slid a glass from the cabinet. The cold water ran over her fingers, steady and grounding.
She had done her part.
It didn't matter what Anna or Rocky did next.
Her phone buzzed softly against the counter, breaking the stillness.
Lilly's eyes flicked toward it, brow lifting faintly as the name appeared on the screen.
Evelyn Chan.
Of course.
Lilly let the phone ring twice before answering, pressing it lightly to her ear.
"Evelyn," she greeted smoothly. "It's late."
A soft chuckle echoed from the other end. "You've always been sharp, Lilly. That's one thing I've admired about you."
The meter in the corner remained frozen.
[Evelyn Chan: Meter Locked]
Lilly leaned against the counter, watching the city beyond the glass. "I assume this isn't a social call."
Evelyn's tone was calm, but there was weight behind her words. "Rocky mentioned the papers."
So he did read them.
Lilly swirled the water in her glass, pretending she didn't already know. "Did he?"
"You're being reckless." Evelyn's voice cooled slightly, losing its earlier warmth. "Do you really think you can walk away without consequences?"
Lilly smiled faintly to herself.
There it was.
"No consequences," Lilly replied lightly. "Just decisions."
For a moment, Evelyn didn't speak.
The weight of silence stretched across the line, pressing just faintly into the space between them.
Lilly could almost picture her—seated in her grand estate, the evening lights spilling across the marble floors, fingers delicately wrapping around a porcelain teacup. Evelyn Chan never lost control. Not in public. Not in private.
But behind that refined exterior was a woman who had orchestrated every major decision in Rocky's life since he was old enough to stand in her shadow.
Evelyn wasn't here to express concern.
She was here to remind Lilly of her place.
"You know," Evelyn began softly, "I was the one who encouraged Rocky to propose to you. He would have walked away after the first month if I hadn't intervened."
Lilly's fingers tightened slightly around the glass.
She knows exactly what to say.
"I appreciated that," Lilly replied smoothly, refusing to let her voice shift. "I'm sure Anna appreciates your support just as much now."
A faint pause.
[Evelyn Chan: Meter Unlocked]
[-5]
Lilly's brow arched slightly.
Ah.
There it was—just the faintest crack.
"Anna is irrelevant," Evelyn said, her voice cool but clipped. "You were the wife. Don't let that go to waste."
Lilly exhaled slowly, the calm veneer never leaving her.
"She can have him, Evelyn," she replied softly. "You said it yourself. This marriage was only ever a means to an end."
Another pause.
Evelyn's meter shifted again.
[-8]
Lilly leaned further into the counter, resting her chin lightly against her hand. "Why does it bother you so much?"
Evelyn's voice sharpened. "Because I know you, Lilly. And I know you're not the type to walk away without a plan."
Smart.
She wasn't wrong.
But there was no reason to confirm it.
Lilly let the silence stretch before offering a soft, nonchalant reply. "Maybe I just got tired of playing this game."
Evelyn's voice lowered, dangerously soft. "Then you're underestimating how quickly someone else will take your place."
The line clicked dead before Lilly could respond.
The system flickered faintly.
[Evelyn Chan: -10 (Displeased)]
Lilly set the phone down with a soft clink, letting the weight of Evelyn's words settle.
It wasn't a threat. Not in the traditional sense.
It was a warning—one Lilly didn't plan to ignore.
As she sipped her water, her gaze drifted back to the skyline.
The papers were signed, but the game was far from over.
[System Alert: New Objective Unlocked – Surpass Evelyn Chan]