The bright sunlight seeping in through the wooden walls of the warehouse stirred Lillian in her sleep. Her eyelids fluttered open. The distant echoes of the shouts, fights, and raucous laughters of the grown men outside poured into her ears.
The atmosphere was quite lively.
Lillian stretched her arms, her muscles protesting against the roughness of the makeshift bed. The sounds of knocking on the door had Lillian open the door. The door creaked open, and Sophie's mischevious, smiling face popped in, holding a set of fresh clothes.
"I told those dudes to clean the washroom well," Sophie expressed, "it won't be a five-star experience though."
Lillian smiled. "I am not that fussy."
Sophie leaned against the doorframe, grinning. "Also, these boys lack tact most of the times. Just ignore their comments, and let me know if they go too far. It is nothing my fist can fix."
There was a playful glint in Sophie's eyes as she raised her fist in a mock threat.
"Boss, are you badmouthing us again?" one hollered from downstairs, followed by a chorus of laughters.
Lillian was skilled enough to deal with those who messed with her, but being taken care of by her friend felt comforting.
"Understood."
---
Once Lillian washed up and changed, she felt a tug of discomfort. She was dressed in a black, tight-fitting leather jacket, paired with equally snug ripped leather pants and a white graphic T-shirt underneath.
In order to fit in with the image of Chen Family, her dressing was always neat and elegant. Designer names were stitched on to the high-end fabrics, showing her status well.
Even when the Chen Family put her through mistreatment, they had her put on the best clothings in order to not let the outside world know of their family scandals. And even if her so-called mistakes were to be mistake, the Chen Family could escape guiltless under the guise they provided her with the best.
Now, she stood in front of the mirror in clothes that screamed rebellion, rather than refinement.
When Sophie noticed her dressed up, along with the discomfort on her face, she burst out laughing.
Sophie, noticing both the outfit and the troubled expression on Lillian's face, burst into hearty laughter.
"I am sorry to have put you in this," Sophie said, wiping away an imaginary tear. "This was my only set of new clothes."
Lillian moved in front of the mirror, examining her appearance with furrowed brows.
"Does it appear very odd?" asked Lillian.
Sophie cleared her throat and commented, "It feels, how do I put it... quite novel?"
Before either could say more, Lillian's ringing phone then caught both of their attention. Sophie picked it up and realized the call was from an unknown number.
"It must be the Chen Family," Lillian lightly commented.
Sophie frowned and received the call.
From the other side of the phone, Mary's angry voice pierced through the speaker. "Where are you?! Get back right now! Don't think you will be able to escape-"
"Who is this crazy old hag?" Sophie's voice was louder. "You can suck my dick before I let my baby enter that hellhole."
Mary's face burned red with her infuriation. Her hand around the phone trembled, having never been degraded in this manner.
"Lillian, if you keep associating with this dirty-"
"Shut up the fuck up before I shove a stick up your-"
Before the next insult could spill out, Lillian took the phone from her hand calmly and ended the call.
"There is no need to dirty your mouth for them," replied Lillian, noticing the way Sophie's jaw tightened.
"Ugh! My chest has been suffocated for so long, and there is a lot I want to say!" Sophie expressed, disgruntled.
Her friend knew no fear. But Lillian was powerless now. She felt afraid of not being able to protect Sophie once her friend goes too far and Chen Family decides to retaliate against her.
"I will give you the chance one day," Lillian comforted. A silent promise lingered in the air.
Then, both of them headed downstairs for breakfast.
As one of the men pulled the chair back, staring at her with bright expectant eyes, Lillian ignored him and sat on another chair without a word. Sophie served the box of dumplings on a plate along with a bottle soy milk.
"Although it is from a street stall, I am assure you it is hygenic and delicious," spoke out Sophie.
Lillian smiled. "Sit down and eat along with me."
Just then, a young man with bleached, spiked hair and punk-style clothes strolled over, placing his silver jewellry adorned hand around Sophie's shoulder.
"Boss, when are you heading out to Velvet to gamble today?" asked Jacob eagerly. "Those bastards are waiting for you to put them in their place."
"Lillian, this is my best buddy, Jacob. We are close to the point we take can take showers together naked," Sophie expressed.
Lillian glanced at him briefly, barely acknowledging him. Her expression was unreadable.
"I want to go to meet my mother today," Lillian said, "will you drive me there?"
Before Sophie could answer, one of the men excitedly offered, "I can drive you there, Beauty, in my handsome motorbike. You will enjoy it."
The spark in his eyes went down the second Lillian's sharp gaze fell on him.
A shudder rang through him along with the rest.
This was a cold beauty.
She shouldn't be triffled with.
"We will go there another day, Jacob. Lillian needs me," Sophie turned him down.
Jacob whined, "Boss."
---
"Are you nervous?" Sophie asked her friend.
Staring out the window, Lillian's face was set in ice the entire time. Although her friend seemed unaffected, Sophie noticed how her hand gripped on to the bag in her hand tightly.
Lillian shook her head. "What is there to be nervous about?"
After her rebirth, Lillian was determined to be collected and calm, not letting anything affect her emotions. Meanwhile, she forgot she was only twenty two when she lost her life.
She was barely an adult.
"You know, if they don't wish to acknowledge you, I am there for you," assured Sophie, "I am enough to support you."
Lillian glanced at her, a flicker of warmth passing through her usually cool gaze. "Thank you."
She must have exchanged all the fortunes in her life to have been granted a friend like Sophie.
As they entered a run-down neighborhood, the car bumped over uneven pavement. Vendors crowded both sides of the narrow road, their shouts loud and chaotic. The air smelled of oil, spices, and city dust.
With her one hand casually on the steering wheel, Sophie lowered the glass, surveying the crumbling walls and broken steps, and commented, "This is way too miserable. No wonder that little bitch abandoned them."
Lillian wore a small smile.
No matter how horrible it looked, could it be worse than her life in Chen Family?
"Do you wish for me to accompany you?" Sophie carefully asked. "Or can you do it on your own?"
"I can handle it. It is no big deal." Lillian sounded calm.
Her hand then stretched out to open the car door. She stepped out of the car, climbed the stairs, and walked down a narrow hallway. According to the information she'd found, this was the place.
A heaviness pressed down on her chest for a second, but Lillian ignored it, pressing the bell next.
After a couple of seconds of waiting, the door in front of her opened.
A stunning woman stood in front of her. Her cat-like brown eyes, strikingly similar to Lillian, were accentuated with light makeup, and a single mole rested right under the left eye. Her crimson red lips coupled with an elegant cheongsam gave her an air of sophistication. Although the woman in her mid forties, she barely looked a day past thirty.
Lillian had heard for years that she looked nothing like Mary Wu. Her soft features contrasted with Lillian's sharp ones.
But now, face to face with the woman who gave birth to her, Lillian could see she got her face from.
The woman's eyes widened in surprise.
"Lillian?"