Why We No Longer Love Her

Having been kicked by his own sister and seen by employees, Leopold reacted quickly to avoid falling flat on the ground. He shouted, "Get lost!" startling the employees who had lingered to watch the drama, forcing them to scatter under his fierce glare. Soon, only Leopold and Lily remained by the elevator.

Leopold glared at Lily, his face twisted in anger, longing to hurl the boxes in his hands at her. "I'm your brother, and you're happy to see me embarrassed in public?"

Lily, wearing a bracelet of small-leaf red sandalwood beads engraved with Buddhist scriptures, dangled it nonchalantly. Brooks had told her it was blessed, and though she didn't fully understand its significance, she knew it was valuable—Franklin would love it as a gift.

"Well, since you know you're my brother, let me tell you something. Old man Brooks said you wanted this bracelet to give to Zoya, but he saved it for me."

Leopold was speechless. Their father was quite the trickster.

Lily's fingers played over the intricate patterns of the beads, her eyes downcast as she spoke softly, "Brother, before Zoya came, you were the one who doted on me the most. You bought me treats and toys with your pocket money, and you promised that if I called you 'brother,' you'd fulfill any wish I had."

Her sudden vulnerability threw Leopold off balance. "Lily…"

Seeing her red eyes and aggrieved expression, Leopold felt a pang of guilt. "Brother, I've never understood why things changed so drastically after Zoya arrived. Why did you all change? Did I ever do something unforgivable to deserve this? Why don't you love me anymore?"

After Lily left, Leopold stood there for a long time until his father called him back to the office. "Did she kick you?" Brooks asked, scrutinizing the faint shoe print on Leopold's backside. Unable to contain his laughter, he remarked, "Well, that makes me feel a bit better about my own troubles."

The secretary had informed Brooks about the incident, adding that Lily had left with a cheerful demeanor despite recounting numerous grievances. Her candor had forced Brooks to gift her the bracelet and other items to placate her.

"She brought up so many painful memories without a hint of sadness. Seeing the gifts cheered her up. I suspect it's her new strategy to make me feel guilty while getting what she wants without any emotional cost," Brooks grumbled, reflecting on his losses—shares, movie posters, and precious tea—all handed over to Lily.

Leopold, head bowed, seemed deep in thought. After a prolonged silence, he spoke, "Dad, Lily asked me a question. She wanted to know why we all changed after Zoya came. She asked if she had done something unforgivable to deserve losing our love."

Leopold, rubbing his hands together, looked up at his father, "Dad, I used to be the one who loved her the most. You and Mom were always busy, so I took care of her. How did I stop loving her?"

Brooks, equally pensive, said, "Don't dwell on it. Just focus on making a good life with Wang Nian-Nian. She's a talented, gentle girl despite her health issues."

Leopold's frustration grew. Meanwhile, Lily drove out of the L&S Group parking lot and called Aria, "Are you still with your sister-in-law?"

"No, I have an interview at five, so I came back."

It was now half past four. Lily hung up and headed to the studio. Aria was interviewing a driver for the new van they had acquired last month. The candidate was a neighbor of a high school classmate, but Aria was unimpressed by his tired, bleary-eyed demeanor and frequent yawns, questioning his suitability for the job.

Returning to her office, Aria sighed in relief when Lily arrived. Lily handed her a box, "Your dad likes tea, right? Here's some wild Taiping Houkui."

Brooks had only drunk a little, leaving the rest for Lily to distribute—some for Aria's family and some for Edmond. Then she passed over a box of bird's nest, "Our sister-in-law is ill, let's give her a boost."