Chapter 1

“Hello, may I ask if you are…”

Elizabeth Lawrence shifted her gaze from the book in her hand and looked up. Her deep black eyes met the man who had greeted her.

The man stared at Elizabeth's delicate face, his tongue nearly tied in knots, “Professor Lawrence, I can't believe it's you. I'm Thomas Harrison, I was…”

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and her voice was indifferent, “I know, I taught you four years ago.”

Thomas was delighted upon hearing this, “I can't believe you still remember me.”

Elizabeth, “Yep.”

After a pause, she added, “Because you were the dumbest student I've ever taught.”

Thomas was speechless.

Graduating with excellent grades from Metropolitan University, Thomas responded with an awkward but polite smile, “Is that so? (laughing)”

Elizabeth glanced again at the book in her hands. When she looked back at Thomas, it was as if she was examining a test subject. She said, “Where are you going?”

Thomas seemed not to understand how to answer.

It was a simple question, but given Professor Lawrence's serious expression, why did it feel like he was being interrogated by a headmaster?

He cautiously replied, “I'm going back to Metro City.”

Upon saying that, he felt the question was rather idiotic. But since Professor Lawrence asked it, there must be some profound meaning behind it.

So he added, “I'm going home for my sister's wedding, and my younger brother is starting school. Our family business just landed a big contract, so I have to help out…”

Elizabeth thought that Professor Emeritus Lawrence had told a lie to her. Making friends couldn't be that hard; she hadn't even started her barrage of questions and this test subject before her had already revealed his entire background.

What an enthusiastic young man!

Elizabeth paused.

Thomas spoke until he was parched, yet Elizabeth showed no signs of stopping him.

Clearing his throat, he changed the subject, “Is Professor Lawrence going to Metro City for work?”

Elizabeth closed her book, “I'm going back to see some relatives.”

Thomas was baffled.

He remembered that Professor Lawrence was an orphan, adopted by Professor Emeritus Lawrence who had been dead for six months. So what relatives was she talking about?

Did they spring up from the cracks in a rock?

Thomas got more and more baffled.

The plane touched down at the airport, and it was already six in the evening in Metro City.

The sky was still light as it was late summer, painted with the colors of a beautiful sunset.

Elizabeth wheeled her suitcase out of the exit, scanning the crowd until her gaze locked onto two people not far away.

A man and a girl.

The girl had pigtails, a round face with large eyes, and was wearing a modest yet lovely dress. Her eyes darted around as she looked left and right.

Standing beside her was a tall man, slim with straight legs.

With a prominent nose bridge, deep-set eyes, and skin as white as jade, the man had captivating peach blossom eyes. Yet, there was a hint of aloof detachment in his gaze.

He wore an unbuttoned white luxury shirt that revealed his muscular forearms and a tantalizing glimpse of his collarbone.

Elizabeth's eyes lingered on the man's face for a few seconds before she walked toward the duo, pulling her suitcase behind her.

When Alexander Williams casually glanced sideways, the girl standing beside him caught his eye.

She looked as beautiful as a doll on display.

She wore a white short-sleeved top and fitted jeans that revealed her fair ankles. The fingers pulling her suitcase were slender and pretty.

Her skin is as white as porcelain, with dark brows and upturned eyes. Her eyelashes droop slightly, devoid of energy, lending her gaze a certain distant coldness.

“Elizabeth Lawrence?” Alexander arched an eyebrow.

“That's me.”

Elizabeth replied nonchalantly.

Despite her bland response, it struck Alexander as overly submissive.

Emily Williams stared at Elizabeth for a moment, then blurted out, “You're really beautiful.”

“Thank you. You look like you'll be blessed with good fortune in life,” Elizabeth responded sincerely.

She remembered that the older women in the countryside always praised people in this way.

Emily didn't know what to say.

Emily twitched her mouth, “Your way of giving compliments is unique.”

It is said that the young lady of the Wilson family was kidnapped and raised in the countryside. Emily thought that Elizabeth would be full of rural qualities and should appear timid and weak upon her first visit to a big city.

Emily, who is slightly obsessive-compulsive, was mentally prepared for this. Even if Elizabeth were to make the car dirty, she would bear with it. After all, her parents had repeatedly instructed her to be very respectful toward Elizabeth.

Confused by this, Emily wondered, “Why should I be so respectful? Maybe my parents got their words mixed up.”

Feeling somewhat anxious, Emily asked, “Do you remember me? My mom says we used to have a role play together when we were kids.”

To her surprise, Elizabeth nodded and said, “Yeah, I remember.”

Emily thought Elizabeth was just being polite. Who could remember something from when they were three years old?

Without giving it a second thought, Elizabeth continued, “We played together once when we were three, in kindergarten. You tripped and fell while walking ahead of me. You cried and told the teacher that I had pushed you. Mrs. Wilson, fearing trouble with your family, had me transferred to another kindergarten.”

Emily was speechless.

“Well, well, I was young and immature. I didn't do it on purpose.”

She felt wronged, and awkward, and wanted to bang her head against a wall.

Fortunately, Elizabeth was just stating facts and understandingly said, “I get it. You were afraid that people would find out you tripped over nothing and felt embarrassed, so you instinctively blamed me.”

Emily chuckled awkwardly.

Elizabeth bit her lip. Wasn't honesty important between friends? Why did Emily seem unhappy when she was honest?

Professor Emeritus Lawrence was right; making friends is indeed difficult.

Emily wisely decided not to mention their childhoods anymore. She turned around to introduce the man standing behind her, “This is my brother, Alexander Williams. I brought him along to be the driver.”

Alexander looked down at Elizabeth, his eyes warm and inviting, “Hello, little girl,” he said with a playful tone in his voice.

Elizabeth's ears twitched slightly, and she looked up at Alexander, her eyes slightly glowing, “Hello, you're really good-looking.”

Emily was visibly unimpressed.

Alexander's eyebrows subtly lifted as his gaze fell on Elizabeth's delicate face.

Even though she's already eighteen, she looks like she's fifteen—such an innocent child, speaking so purely.

Just as he thought this, he heard Elizabeth say something in her gentle and childlike voice.

“I remember you, you were nine years old when you came to pick up Emily from school. I accidentally ripped your pants, and you said you lost your innocence because of it.”

“You threatened me that since I'd seen your ass, I would have to take responsibility for you in the future.”

Alexander didn't know what to say.

Emily was shocked,”What?️”