Chapter 86- lifetime

Chapter 86: Chapter 86- lifetime What did he mean by that? "Whether he really moved out or not, she’d find out soon enough"? Morrison didn’t answer her question. Instead, he got up and looked at her. "Just finished eating. Want to go for a walk?" Lilian immediately refused, instinctively. "No." Who’d want to go for a walk with him? What kind of nonsense was that? They weren’t some lovey-dovey couple! Honestly, she’d rather stay in her room, glued to her phone playing games or watching livestreams. Morrison didn’t get annoyed. He just smiled warmly and asked again, "Really not coming?" Lilian shook her head hard. Morrison sat back down and casually grabbed the TV remote, turning it on. "Well, then stay inside." He switched between sports and finance channels—both completely boring to Lilian. Feeling restless, she just pulled out her phone to kill time. After a while, she noticed he turned down the TV volume so low it was barely audible. She was about to ask why when strange noises came from the apartment next door. Listening carefully... it was unmistakably the sounds of a couple getting intimate. Lilian’s face flushed bright red as she glared at Morrison. "You—" So that’s what he meant by ’you’ll find out soon enough if someone else moved in.’ Morrison grinned slyly, spreading his hands in mock innocence. When he came back earlier, he’d seen a young couple moving in next door. Of course, that meant noises like this were inevitable. Since Lilian still stubbornly believed he hadn’t moved out, he figured he’d just make her stop hoping. With the sounds drifting over intermittently, Lilian couldn’t stand being in the room anymore. She got up and walked over to Morrison, sounding like she was trying to sweet-talk him. "I ate too much just now... feeling stuffed. Let’s go for a walk to digest?" Morrison didn’t even move, lounging lazily in his chair as he teased, "Wasn’t it you who said no just now?" Lilian was speechless. She had refused, but she didn’t expect the noisy couple next door to make such a scene. Thinking about next door reminded her of earlier that day—how shy she’d been at first, refusing to make a sound no matter what. But he kept pushing her, saying a woman’s voice was the greatest affirmation of a man’s ability. She resisted, but he tormented her in all sorts of ways. In the end, she wasn’t even sure if she was forced or willing. And of course, she had no idea if the neighbors had heard. Originally, she wanted him to come walk with her, but now she was blushing over all these weird thoughts. "If you want me to come with you, it’s not impossible." Morrison leaned back in his chair, looking up at her, then raised a finger to his lips. "Kiss me, and I’ll go." Lilian’s blood boiled just looking at his shameless expression. "No! Forget it! I’ll go alone!" Who did he think he was, pulling her like that? Did he think she’d be too scared to leave without him? Just as she turned to go, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms, blocking her lips with his own. She struggled and whimpered, but in the end, he won—kissing her so hard her lips felt swollen. Lilian didn’t understand—how could he like kissing her so much? And why did he always kiss so deeply, like he was about to undress her piece by piece? How hungry was he? Didn’t he have countless women around him already? After finally letting her go, Morrison grabbed a jacket, wrapped an arm around her, and they headed out for their so-called "digestive" walk. Along the way, Lilian slipped into the bathroom to fix her hair and tidy her clothes. By the time they reached the door, the noise next door had died down from its wild peak and was fading away. Morrison held her close and whispered in her ear, "Definitely lacks staying power." Lilian’s cheeks flushed crimson. She cocked her head, glaring at him. "Can you stop being so shameless?" He tightened his hold, lips brushing softly against her earlobe as he murmured, "I just want you to know—men are different. And the man you have right now? He’s exceptional. Both in bed and out." His warm breath sent a shiver down her spine, teasing and provocative. Lilian was about to lose it. With all his teasing little touches and that arrogant, self-obsessed talk, she could only respond with a massive eye roll. They’d just stepped out into the hallway when Morrison caught her eye roll and, without hesitation, pinned her against the wall, gripping her delicate chin as he demanded, "You not convinced?" He went out of his way to show her how good he was, and she just threw eye rolls at him? Lilian was exhausted—body and soul. Thinking about his messy past, she fired back softly, "I’m not unconvinced. But I’m not like you. You’ve slept with so many women—you know what’s good and what’s not. Me? I’ve never been with another man. How do I know if there isn’t someone who lasts longer than you?" That sentence hit Morrison silent for a long moment. The little lady had packed so much meaning into those few words—not only shutting him down with his history but also implying she might sleep with another man? Morrison couldn’t stand that. He got annoyed immediately. "So, you want to sleep with other men?" Lilian smirked, batting her big, watery eyes at him teasingly. "Why not? You get to sleep with other women, but I can’t sleep with other men?" Morrison was about to explode with rage. He grabbed her arm tightly. "Back to the room—now. We need to talk!" "No way! I’m going for a walk." With that, Lilian yanked her arm free and ran off. She wasn’t about to go back with him—who knew what "talk" he had planned. She wasn’t usually the type to pick fights. She didn’t even know why she brought up his past. But when he warned her not to think about other men, all she could think about was his messy history, and the words slipped out. His past was one thing—but she just couldn’t believe that in the future, she’d be the only one in his life. When it came to their future... she felt only doubt. Maybe to others, a girl like Lilian—with her prestigious family background, wealth, and good looks—would seem like someone overflowing with confidence. After all, many girls would kill for a life like hers. And yes, she was confident. But it depended on who she was with. When it came to Morrison, all those advantages meant nothing. Because he had just as much wealth, and when it came to looks... he shone even brighter. Not to mention his impressive ability to lead MOS Corp. to greater and greater success. Compared to him, she was just ordinary—plain, unremarkable—and utterly lacking in confidence. Even if marriage was off the table, just thinking about love made her lose hope for their future. She didn’t know when he might get tired of her, or when he might fall for someone else. If she hadn’t been so afraid of those things, she wouldn’t have been the one to break up with him in the first place. Back then, she thought it was better to cut ties before her feelings for him took root—before they grew into something that, once planted deep inside, couldn’t be pulled out. Otherwise, when he moved on so effortlessly, she’d be the only one left hurting. But who would’ve thought they’d still be tangled up like this today? Through all their ups and downs, that gnawing insecurity never left her. So when he finally promised to marry her, she rejected him—trembling. She felt unworthy. Not because she didn’t want it. She wanted it badly. But she was truly afraid she couldn’t have it. A man like him didn’t deserve a plain, ordinary woman like her. His brilliance demanded a woman who could shine just as brightly—a partner who would complete and challenge him. So here they were, at this crossroads, unable to decide whether to part ways or stay together. She felt lost and helpless. But she didn’t blame anyone. After all, wasn’t this all her own doing? If she hadn’t made that reckless, bold, and ridiculous decision to ask him to teach her how to love, she wouldn’t be stuck in this mess. Wanting to love, but too scared to actually do it. Those days were dark for her. Her parents’ and brother’s marriages had collapsed one after another, dragging her spirit into a deep pit of despair. If it were now, she wouldn’t make the same mistakes. Morrison hadn’t expected her to run so fast. When he finally caught up to her in the garden, he found her staring blankly at clusters of unknown flowers. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, a touch of sadness mixed with frustration and helplessness. To Morrison, she’d never been one to dwell on feelings like this. Seeing her like this made him feel unexpectedly tender. He had been angry that she ran away—but now, seeing her downcast, his anger vanished. He slowed his steps, picked a bright flower, and handed it to her. "A flower should be picked when it’s blooming, not after it withers away." If it were any ordinary girl, Morrison wouldn’t bother with poetic lines. But it was her. He knew she would understand. Lilian had grown up immersed in Tiffany’s teachings, reading classics since childhood. She knew the poem "Jin Lü Yi"well, and understood exactly what he meant. When a flower blooms, seize the moment—don’t wait till it’s just an empty branch. It was an indirect plea to cherish the opportunities and people one has now, before they’re lost forever. Then he wrapped his arms around her from behind, his low, enchanting voice whispering in her ear, "When love comes, you have to hold on tight. Don’t hesitate, don’t be afraid." Lilian lowered her eyes to the flower in her hand, bursting with color. Was he silently encouraging her—to be brave enough to love him? But could she give her whole heart to him? Would he do the same? She could feel that he loved her now—but how long would it last? Forever? Until the end of life? Some might say she was too paranoid, worrying about forever and the future. That love now was enough. But she couldn’t help it. Her idea of love was foolishly simple—either not love at all, or love with everything. If she took his love, he’d have to give her a lifetime. And of course, in return, she would love him for a lifetime too.