Rewrite Her Thrilling Life (Lillian and Sebastian) novel Chapter 144

Chapter 144: The Stone Gamble

Lilian spun around just in time to see a man briskly approaching her.

Ethan’s eyes widened with genuine surprise. “Is that really you? For a moment, I thought I was imagining things.”

From the moment he stepped inside, Ethan had noticed a girl wearing a baseball cap. Though the brim partially shadowed her face, something about her seemed familiar enough for him to call out. Still, he hadn’t fully expected it to be her.

Lilian returned a polite, composed smile. “What a small world.”

Trailing behind Ethan was a young woman, complaining in a whiny voice, “You just left me behind! My feet are killing me.”

Lilian glanced past Ethan and spotted Nancy, accompanied by Joy and Carson, with a few other staff members following close behind.

She offered a faint smile. “Are you here for business or pleasure?”

Ethan shrugged helplessly. “With such a huge event happening in Morovia, how could I miss it? They’ve never experienced a stone-gambling festival before, so I brought them along.”

Nancy looked at Lilian with a curious expression. “Your friend, Ethan?”

That night at the bar, Lilian had worn glasses and the lighting was dim, so Nancy hadn’t gotten a clear look at her. Now, with only a baseball cap partially obscuring her face, she still couldn’t place the girl.

Before Ethan could respond, Carson stepped forward with a smirk. “Ms. Lilian, we meet again.”

Lilian returned a distant smile. “Mr. Carson. It really is a small world.”

She had never been fond of Carson—perhaps because of Jill. At the very least, she didn’t think highly of his taste in women.

Nancy finally scrutinized Lilian more closely and said, “You’re the girl who was at the bar with Ethan’s sister that night.”

There was something about Lilian’s expression that rubbed Nancy the wrong way, especially given how warmly Ethan was treating her.

Lilian nodded calmly. “That’s me. Nice to meet you.”

Nancy’s smile sharpened. “Girls these days… showing up at events like this. You must have some connections.”

Lilian’s gaze cooled. “That’s really none of your business. However I got here isn’t something you need to worry about.”

Nancy’s face flushed with irritation. She opened her mouth to retort—

But Ethan cut her off sharply. “Enough. If you want to stick around, keep your mouth shut. Otherwise, we’ll be going our separate ways for the rest of this trip.”

Though the others might not realize it, Ethan certainly did—Lilian didn’t need anyone’s help to be here. Nancy’s comment had been like a slap in the face.

Nancy froze, visibly upset, but wisely kept quiet. She knew better than to provoke Ethan’s temper.

In truth, she could assess the potential of each stone with a single glance.

Ethan watched her mark the stones with a hint of skepticism. “You sure about that?”

After all, stone gambling was serious business.

Lilian replied confidently, “I’m sure. I’ve got a pretty good gut instinct.” She added a playful wink.

Ethan’s gaze softened as he looked at her, warmth and indulgence shining in his eyes—completely unaware of how tender his expression had become.

Nancy noticed the look on Ethan’s face and her own eyes darkened. Her tone turned sharp and cutting. “Little girl, stone gambling isn’t about gut feelings. If all businesspeople relied on instinct, they’d go broke. Don’t try so hard to show off. Stick to things you actually know.”

Lilian caught the sarcasm easily. Her voice was casual but firm. “That’s really none of your business, especially since we barely know each other.”

Then, turning to Ethan, she added with a sly smile, “Picking stones and picking women—same rule. You’ve got to keep your eyes wide open. Don’t get fooled by appearances.”

“You—!” Nancy’s face flushed with fury, but before she could respond, Joy tugged at her arm and whispered, “Let it go. We’ll talk later.”

Joy had been watching the entire morning. It was clear this girl was not someone to mess with—and Ethan’s attitude only made that more obvious. If Nancy kept pushing, it would only end badly.

Ethan chuckled softly. “Got it. Next time I pick a girlfriend, I’ll run her by you first.”