Chapter 73-another one？

Chapter 73: Chapter 73-another one? Monna had already figured out exactly what Norton wanted the moment he rushed through dinner like a man possessed. And yes—her period had really come. But that only gave her a devilish idea. She teased him on purpose, seducing him bit by bit, letting his desire burn to the brink... Only to drop the bomb that they couldn’t do it. Let him suffer for once. Norton was furious. He stormed over and pinned her down on the sofa, kissing her hard like he wanted to punish her through her lips. "You think you’re getting away with this that easily?" he growled. Before she could react, he grabbed her hand and forced her to wrap it around his throbbing desire. Monna gasped, flustered, and tried to pull away, but her resistance only fueled his frustration. He was already like an arrow on a drawn bow—trembling with tension. In the end, Monna had no choice but to help, until her hand was sore and numb. Fuming with helpless anger, she waited until he went to take a shower, then snuck over and turned off his phone alarm. The next morning, Norton overslept and was horribly late. Later that morning— Lilian was in the middle of her work when a call came in from an unknown number. She picked it up politely, "Hello?" A soft, calm voice came through the line. "This is Bert." Lilian froze. She couldn’t understand why Bert was suddenly calling her. "Y-you... hello," she said, stumbling. She wanted to call him brother, but the word got stuck in her throat. Calling him by name didn’t feel right either, even though technically, he was her brother. In the end, she just left it at "hello." Bert could sense her nervous hesitation and asked gently, "Would you like to have lunch with me today?" "Ah...?" Lilian was clearly torn. "I—I... um..." She fumbled her words. After everything that had happened—after her mother Tiffany and Emma Washington were once abducted by Bert—she wasn’t about to casually accept an invitation from him. But... Things had changed lately. Bert and Burg Eltz had started to reconcile, at least on the surface. Her father, Daniel, had been helping Bert at the company from time to time, and even Dave had offered a hand occasionally. Maybe... it was safe now? Bert wasn’t a fool. The moment he heard Lilian stammering on the phone, he could already guess what she was worried about. He chuckled softly. "You don’t have to be afraid. I just want to have a meal with you." Then he added, "If you’re uneasy, feel free to ask your parents or Dave for their opinion. See if they think you should come." He said it so sincerely that Lilian felt like refusing would only make her look petty. "...Alright," she said eventually. "Just tell me where." Bert gave her the name of a restaurant—it was near her office, walking distance. In that, at least, he was being thoughtful. When lunchtime rolled around, Lilian made her way there. But just as she stepped into the lobby downstairs, she ran into Morrison, who was just returning from a meeting with Norton. She instinctively lowered her head and walked past them without a word. Things between her and Morrison had been cold for a while now. She didn’t want to poke the bear. But just as she stepped out of the office building, her phone buzzed. It was Morrison. His voice was distant, almost bored, but his words were anything but. "Where are you going?" Lilian answered calmly, trying to sound casual, "Out for lunch." "With who?" he pressed. She rolled her eyes. Was he her mother now? Why was he asking so many questions about one meal? She wanted to brush him off. "With—" But the words caught in her throat. She was going to say "a friend," but realized that wasn’t true. Bert wasn’t a friend. Aside from one brief meeting at the hospital when her father was sick, she and Bert had never interacted. Then she considered saying "with my brother"... but calling Bert that still felt too awkward. So she just froze, holding her phone and stumbling for words, completely cornered by her own hesitation. As she slowly walked toward the restaurant, just a few steps away now, she had no idea that a tall figure was following her, ten steps behind, long legs closing the gap at an unhurried pace. Morrison’s voice came through the phone again, now with a touch of mocking amusement. "Don’t tell me you’re sneaking off to see another man behind Karl’s back?" Lilian nearly exploded. "Wh—what are you talking about?! Don’t be ridiculous!" But even as she shouted, guilt stirred in her heart. Because the truth was—she was going to have lunch with another man. Bert was very much a man. And her flustered tone gave her away. Then, suddenly, a voice—real, not from the phone—came from behind her, low and displeased. "So it’s true. You really are going to meet some guy." Before she could react, a strong hand grabbed her arm. Lilian gasped and turned around—only to find Morrison standing right there. When had he even caught up? She immediately pulled her arm free and took a step back, puffing her cheeks in protest. "Why are you following me?!" Morrison stepped closer, his tall frame casting a shadow over her. He looked dangerous, like a storm in a suit. "You’re about to cheat on Karl. Of course I’m going to follow you," he said, voice laced with anger. "Or should I just sit back and let you put horns on his head?" He spat the words through gritted teeth. Anyone overhearing might have thought he was the one being cheated on. Lilian’s eyes stung at his cruel accusation. In his eyes... was that really what she was? Just a disloyal woman who’d jump into any man’s arms? She had just opened her mouth, about to tell Morrison that she was meeting Bert for lunch— when a voice called out from ahead of her. "Lilian?" She froze. Turning her head, she saw Bert walking toward them from the entrance of the restaurant. His eyes shifted briefly to Morrison, confusion flickering across his usually composed face. "Boss? What are you...?" Bert was sharp. It took him all of two seconds to sense the strange, crackling tension between Morrison and Lilian. He looked between them, clearly waiting for an explanation. Morrison’s expression instantly darkened at the sight of him. To him, Bert was nothing more than a manipulative bastard who had once taken Tiffany and Emma away, leaving Lilian heartbroken and frantic with worry. That alone was enough to put him on Morrison’s blacklist for life. So now, seeing Bert here—meeting Lilian, no less—his voice dropped to a dangerously cold pitch. "Don’t tell me... he’s the one you’re meeting?" Lilian pressed her lips together and didn’t say a word. But her silence said everything. Morrison’s temper erupted on the spot. "Do you know what kind of person he is?!" he snapped. "Do I have to spell it out for you?!" He jabbed a finger toward Bert, not even bothering to mask his contempt. "You’re really dumb enough to meet this kind of scum alone? Are you not even slightly afraid he might sell you off to god knows where?" The word scum hung in the air between them. Loud, unfiltered, and completely unapologetic. Bert’s title, his current standing at Washington Co.—none of it mattered to Morrison. He couldn’t care less. In his eyes, Bert didn’t deserve even basic respect. Morrison’s fury only built with each passing second. Yes, Bert had been acting more like a "decent human being" lately. Yes, he’d cooperated with Burg Eltz and hadn’t caused trouble recently. But could anyone really trust a man like him? One moment of goodwill didn’t erase his shady past. And now Lilian—his Lilian—was here, stupidly walking right into what could’ve been a trap. Was she trying to get herself hurt? Lilian stayed silent. Morrison’s words were harsh, but they weren’t entirely wrong. Deep down, she knew Bert was a risk. She hadn’t forgotten everything he’d done. So why had she said yes? Why had she believed him when he said it was "just a meal"? Why did she trust, even for a second, that this wouldn’t end badly? She didn’t have an answer. All she could do was lower her gaze, a burning shame rising slowly up her cheeks.