Chapter 4: It Changed Her Life

Leo had paid her a good sum in her currency and she used it wisely.

Lillian quit her other corporate work and focused on her own company. She made her travel company bigger and created branches in other locations.

She also started doing more business and invested in the stock exchange, trading, real estate, AI, and other opportunities she found.

Wanting to be more productive, she even helped her most trusted friends put up their own businesses by being one of the main investors and lent money to help them become stable. Once the businesses stabilized, she earned money from them without lifting a finger.

Lillian worked super hard the past three years when she was given the opportunity to get her hands on that lump sum of money.

Others may call it unethical, selling her soul for money, or whatever it was, but for Lillian who was born poor, the deal gave her so much opportunity and opened so many doors even for the people who were close to her.

The money she got from Leo changed so many lives as Lillian now had a lot of employees in several locations in the country.

Lillian did rest at times, but she still kept grinding.

It was all to ensure that she would still be stable no matter what happened between her and her contract husband. Especially if he had found a new lover.

This thought bothered her, but what else could she do if they did not form the connection they were supposed to do?

A long-distance relationship was harder she thought, and perhaps it was why their relationship did not work. Or was it because both of their motives were impure when they began?

Who knows? Lillian had given up on stressing about it and logically considered the possibilities instead.

For instance, the possibility that Leo may already have a new lover, perhaps, ever since he stopped contacting her.

If Leo's new lover or next wife ends up as someone with an attitude, Lillian knew she might become her target. Thus, she kept grinding to save up so she won't be bullied.

Lillian did not want to end up penniless and bankrupt if Leo decides he no longer needed any connection with her, and he or his new lover, decides to take back the money he had given her as payment.

Now, Lillian was a multimillionaire. She was likely still no one compared to her husband, but at least, she would not be bullied so easily when it came to it. She had prepared her own escape routes.

Lillian had thoroughly prepared herself so she could also return the amount her husband had paid her in case he truly had a new lover and wanted his money back.

Leo had sent her monthly allowances in their first year of marriage as well, and she used it for more investments. There were also gifts sent for her birthday, Valentine's Day, Christmas day, New Year, and other special holidays.

Lillian had made sure she accounted for all those and added the cost of his gifts and monthly allowances to the account where she had stored the amount she was saving up to return to him in case he asked.

She had always been the kind who calculated and planned everything in advance. Her marriage with Leo was sudden, but everything else, she planned very carefully.

Lillian did not want to be a paper tiger. Thus, she prepared herself for the worst. Now, she was ready for it. (Or so she thought.)

"Mm~ This tea is good! I'll have to buy more of this!" Lillian exclaimed. This tea was perfect for this summer. Yet, here she was reminiscing about Leo.

Was it because she could afford this expensive tea now thanks to him?

She first had this tea on one of their dates in Las Vegas three years ago.

'Geez. I should just forget about him,' Lillian thought, and tried to focus on the novel she was reading.

Sighing in contentment as she took another sip of her iced tea, Lillian realized that Leo had not crossed her mind for a while. 

Perhaps, it was also because she was too focused on work and it had been too long since the last time they talked. After all, his last call was two years ago.

At dawn, Lillian was surprised when she woke up drenched in sweat after a nightmare and Leo was the first person that came to her mind.

She could not remember what her dream was about, but she was certain it was not good. She suddenly felt a bit worried.

Was her husband-in-paper doing something dangerous? 

Lillian hoped that he was not doing any prohibited risky business.

Before they got married, Lillian learned that he was into tech and Ai business and there was nothing shady.

Of course, being a rich person must mean that he faces danger a lot. After all, even Lillian had to be more careful once her net worth grew bigger and her businesses expanded.

During their one month together in Las Vegas, they had shared some information about each other in order to perfect a loving-couple-act in case she had to meet his grandparents, parents, or his entourage, but it never came to that.

Based on their one month together, Lillian could say Leo was not a bad guy. Unless, all she saw was pretense.

Lillian knew he hid a lot from her, but she did not mind as long as he kept his word on their agreement. She knew at least that he was not a criminal, mass murderer, or anything like that.

Due to the nightmare, Lillian could not return to sleep despite not remembering what it was about, so she opened her computer and was engrossed with some writing work until morning came.

Lillian did her daily routine, had breakfast, and lazily read a novel on the couch, considering today as a rest day since it was a Sunday.

It was a lovely day, but she felt too lazy to go out. 

A day at home doing nothing was a treasure. She had been praying for a break like this to come, even if just once in a while. She waited patiently and it was finally granted by the gods. She would rather not ruin it by going out.

After several hours, she opened the TV to take a break from her book.

As she was watching the news, Lillian immediately perked up when saw her husband's face for the first time in a while.

But why does she have a bad feeling about this?