Chapter 134- New Life

Words : 1368 Updated : Oct 5th, 2025

Chapter 134: Chapter 134- New Life Morrison was thirty-three now—the prime of a man’s life. And yet here he was, still chasing after his girlfriend, while other men were already basking in the bliss of love with their girlfriends or wives. Take Dave, for example; he didn’t have to start from scratch. Linda sighed again. Who could blame her? Her son had made his choice—turning away from a good girl and a good love. Otherwise, he could have been enjoying that kind of warmth and intimacy by now. But sighing and regretting changes nothing. With a deep breath, she climbed the stairs and knocked on Morrison’s bedroom door. "Son," she said gently, "I support you. Lilian is a good girl. She’s worth the effort to win her back." As a mother, all she could do at this moment was offer her support. It seemed that if she ever wanted to see grandchildren, she’d have to start with her younger son. Half a month later, Morrison made his second trip to America. After wrapping up several business projects, he cleared his schedule and rushed back. But this time, the blow hit harder than ever. Bert’s company had moved. Standing in front of the old office building, Morrison stared at the locked doors, feeling a hollow emptiness in his chest. He tried calling Bert—no answer. Morrison knew Bert was doing it on purpose. Recently, Bert had sent him another photo of Lilian—this time she was chatting happily with a young man. In the photo, she looked radiant. Her eyes curved in a gentle smile, her fair skin glowing in profile, and the calm elegance she carried was undeniable. The boy across from her was young, handsome, and openly enamored, his gaze full of admiration. The background suggested an outdoor mountain activity, and Bert had deliberately pointed out that this was a new friend he had introduced—someone particularly outstanding and genuinely nice. Perhaps Morrison had been hurt too many times, because this time, seeing the photo didn’t sting. Instead, he quietly saved it for later, a small, private reminder he could revisit. Of course, he only cared about her—her companion was immediately censored with a mosaic in the photo. He tried asking around, but no one seemed to know where Bert’s new company had relocated. Calmly, Morrison returned home once again. Good. Bert was ruthless. In truth, part of the reason Bert moved his company was to avoid Morrison, and part was just the practical needs of business. After going through so much, fully rejecting his old self, Bert returned to America determined to focus on his own enterprise. For years, he had coveted the company, convinced he should be at the very top. His attention had never been on his design firm; he had been focused entirely on competing with the company Dave managed. This time, he finally sat in the seat of power, but it wasn’t as easy as he had imagined. He realized he wasn’t suited for a life of pure business—and, frankly, he lacked the ability. Giving up on the company, he decided to return and manage his own firm seriously. After all he’d been through, Bert understood something essential: in life, being able to do what you love and make a living from it—that is true happiness. He rehired a few people, keeping only the most capable, and moved to a new office. Fewer staff meant the old space was wasted, so a fresh start was in order. As for Lilian, Bert had decided that she shouldn’t think too much about work or studying at first. Instead, she should take some time to relax, explore the sights around America, and enjoy herself. Only once she felt more at ease would she start thinking about her future. Lilian, however, felt that her mood didn’t need to be "relaxed." She was fine just as she was. Respecting her opinion, Bert asked whether she wanted to continue her studies in the U.S. or find a job first. "I want to work and study at the same time," Lilian replied. Honestly, Bert hadn’t expected her to be so determined. He thought she’d have to choose one—work or study—but she chose both. She wanted a daytime job, and in the evenings, Bert was to find a school for her—not necessarily a prestigious university, but somewhere she could deepen her knowledge of finance. So Bert arranged for her to join his newly reorganized company. She would work in finance—but this time, she held the top position. All of the company’s accounts would pass through her hands. Lilian accepted the responsibility happily, joking that she was now his "housekeeper of finances." Of course, her experience was still limited. Even though she had spent a year working at Morrison’s company and had grown a lot, one year was still just one year. So Bert assigned the most senior finance officer in the company to assist her—effectively acting as a mentor, subtly teaching her the ropes. In the evenings, Bert found her a training institution run by a friend. He even told the instructors that Lilian was his sister, ensuring she would receive special attention. But aside from work and study, Bert gave Lilian another very special task: she would become the exclusive model for his design studio. Every new collection he created would be showcased by her, photographed for promotion. Lilian was surprised. She had always lived a quiet, orderly life and had never imagined stepping into the spotlight. Being a model meant her promotional photos would be sent to buyers and clients far and wide, relying on her to attract attention—it was real exposure. It went against the principles Tiffany had drilled into her since childhood: a girl should be modest and well-behaved. Lilian hesitated. But Bert gave her confidence. He had long noticed that she was a natural at carrying clothes. She wasn’t as tall as professional models, and her figure wasn’t extraordinary—but somehow, everything she wore looked amazing. Every outfit had her unique charm. Even a simple T-shirt looked better on her than on anyone else. The first time she rushed out in one of his white dress designs—her tears streaking her face—if it hadn’t been for the crying, the moment would have been stunning. Bert, as a designer with a sharp eye for models, decided then and there to make her his exclusive muse. He believed that with her aura and his designs, every piece of clothing would sell brilliantly. He explained all of this to Lilian, teaching her what fashion really was, and what made it powerful. Lilian had never realized she possessed such charm—that she could make ordinary clothes look beautiful, that she could even lead trends. Until then, she had believed fashion could only be led by those tall, long-legged professional models on the runway. But Bert’s unwavering belief in her gave Lilian a newfound confidence. After consulting Tiffany, Lilian decided to give modeling a try. Tiffany agreed. She understood that Lilian must be going through all kinds of emotional turmoil right now, and whatever she wanted to do, it was better to let her try. So, after arriving in America for just half a month, Lilian’s life became packed to the brim. Between work and study, she would head to the studio to model Bert’s designs for photographs. There wasn’t a single moment of idle time. As for living arrangements, of course she stayed with Bert. She was new to the country, and being a young girl alone would make Bert uneasy. Originally, Bert had offered to pay her separately for her modeling work, but Lilian refused. "Keep it as part of the rent," she said with a smile. Bert’s mother didn’t live with him—both had their own homes. When his mother fell ill, Bert spent the first few days caring for her. Once she gradually recovered, he would just visit her regularly. Lilian could sense that Bert’s relationship with his mother wasn’t particularly warm, but that was his business. As his half-sister, it wasn’t her place to interfere. Between them, though, Lilian and Bert got along extremely well. He looked after her in every little way, making sure she was cared for completely.

Chapter 134- New Life

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