Chương 32: The Unforeseeable Message From An Unexpected Sender

All three of them slept in the living room. Nadia and Liliana put the coffee table and moved the other couches away before they lay down futons on the carpet. Nancy was sound asleep much to their relief.

Even though it was already the witching hours, the city was still busy. The sound of vehicles passing the roads downstairs echoed in the quiet night.

While lying on their respective futons, Nadia whispered to Liliana. The lights had been switched off.

"Lili, will you really go to the New Year banquet at the Xin's?"

Liliana turned her head to her right side where Nadia was. She answered softly, "Yes, in the afternoon. It won't be as big as the Lunar New Year banquet though."

Nadia silently nodded while adding, "Well, just ignore everyone and eat lots of good food. Make that your priority."

Liliana covered her mouth. She almost burst into laughter.

"Hehe, Grandma also said the same thing. She told me to enjoy the food."

"Thank goodness Old Madam Shen continues to care for you," sighed Nadia in wonder, "If not for her, you won't get that much property division and alimony."

"That's true..." Liliana moved her eyes to the ceiling above her, her voice turned quieter, "At first, I just wanted to leave without anything. But... Grandma convinced me otherwise. I need the money for my new life and for my mother too."

Nadia shared the same view, "Yes. Even if your father stops supporting your mother's treatment, you can handle it by yourself. Old Madam Shen is really wise."

Both Nadia and Nancy knew Liliana's situation in the Xin and Shen families. She didn't have any solid support in her maiden family while her grandmother-in-law doted on her so much.

At first, Nadia was skeptical about Old Madam Shen favoring Liliana. She found it hard to believe that a matriarch from a prominent family would love to have an illegitimate child as her grandson's bride.

Despite knowing so little about high society, Nadia at least knew that illegitimate children were taboo. Fortunately, Old Madam Shen proved that she really cared for Liliana.

But...

Why?

What was it that made the old madam set her eyes on Liliana and even helped her to get the most favorable condition in the divorce?

Nadia just kept those thoughts inside her mind. As long as Liliana got along well with Old Madam Shen, she didn't mind anything.

The three ladies slept in until nearing noon. The cold weather made them so lazy to get out of their blankets.

Liliana was the first one to wake up. She glanced at the clock, finding that it was already half past eleven. Seeing that both Nancy and Nadia were still curling up under their blankets, she quietly went to the washroom.

"I should make something," murmured Liliana.

Some fried chickens hadn't been touched last night. Liliana boiled the white rice, made tofu and seaweed soup and fried three eggs. They could just have these as brunch later.

"Lili... you woke up already?" muttered the groggy Nadia from her futon. Her eyes were still closed tight.

"Want coffee?" Liliana inserted a coffee pod into the machine. She answered from the kitchen, "I just cooked simple dishes. We can eat the fried chicken from last night."

"Wow~ That smells so good," Nadia was lured out of the blanket by the divine scent of the coffee, "Make one for me too."

While Liliana and Nadia were having coffee and food later, Nancy finally woke up from her long sleep. Her eyes were still swollen but, her spirits were better than before.

"Go wash up," said Nadia to the sleepy Nancy, "Let's eat. Your shift's in the late afternoon, right?"

"Yes..." replied Nancy after yawning, "I feel so lazy... don't want to go to work... New Year's Eve is the worst..."

The three friends didn't talk much during eating. All of them actually were still groggy. After they were done, they gathered back in the living room.

"That scum didn't text you?" asked Nadia while slumping back on the futon. Liliana and Nancy also did the same.

"No," Nancy glared at her phone screen, "He knew about me staying here. He must be happy because I'm gone."

Nadia and Liliana exchanged a look, thinking of what they talked about last night.

"Nancy, you won't get back with Gilbert, right? After we finish our revenge plan?" Nadia stared sternly at Nancy.

"Hell no! Why should I?" Nancy quickly refuted Nadia, "I'm dying to slap his face. He wasted all the years I spent with him!"

Liliana and Nadia nodded in agreement. To them, a cheater would always be one. If Nancy suddenly decided to forgive Gilbert and start anew, they would smack more sense into her head.

Not only Gilbert cheated on Nancy with other women, but he also misused the funds in the joint account. Perhaps, he had done more but, still unnoticed by Nancy.

"So... what do you guys think?" Nancy looked at Liliana and Nadia alternatively, sounding so dejected, "What should I do? Do I just confront him with what I've found?"

"Well, here's the thing," Nadia started to get serious, "Listen to me first and then decide if you wanna follow the plan or not."

Nancy nodded a few times. Liliana kept her silence, letting Nadia bring up her ideas.

As how shocked Liliana was last night, Nancy also was the same. Nadia laughed seeing the frightened look on Nancy's face.

"How's that? Won't it be so satisfying?" Nadia smirked. She raised one of her brows, "For wasting your years with him, I think that's fine."

Nancy blinked. Her horrified look slowly changed to acceptance. She muttered, "I can really do that, right?"

"Do it," insisted Nadia, "We'll help you with that. Gilbert won't be able to retaliate."

"But, how can we source it out?" asked Liliana after thinking it through, "Do you know how, Nadia?"

Nadia laughed sheepishly, "Well... no."

Liliana and Nancy glared at Nadia. The latter continued laughing.

"Don't worry, just set up the beginning stage first," Nadia reassured her friends, "Hurm, I can ask my artist friends. They should know about these things."

Liliana and Nancy began to worry but, they chose to just trust Nadia. Her connections were extensive, unlike theirs. She had friends from every part of the globe.

"Well, if you worry about..."

Ting~

Liliana was disrupted by her phone ringing. It was a notification for a message. She quickly tapped on the screen, thinking that it was Old Madam Shen.

But...

The sender was someone she didn't expect.

[Mr.Liu: Ms. Xin, I'm sorry for not replying to you. I'll be straightforward. If possible, may I ask for your help? I'm in a dire situation now.]