Chapter 209: A Foolish Decision
{Third Person}
This...
This was the kind of man worthy of standing beside her.
Unlike Torin, whom she had practically transformed with her own hands, Fredrick needed no polishing.
She had spent years secretly buying Torin expensive clothes, choosing watches for him, correcting his manners, and teaching him how to carry himself among wealthy families so he would not embarrass her.
Looking back now, she almost felt foolish.
Fredrick already possessed everything naturally. His upbringing. His confidence. His family background. His wealth. Everything about him matched the kind of future she had always imagined for herself.
For perhaps the first time in weeks, Lila silently thanked heaven for allowing her to cross paths with Fredrick that evening at the club.
Sometimes, she thought, fate truly knew how to correct a person’s mistakes.
The dinner stretched pleasantly into the evening until the waiter finally returned with the bill.
Fredrick barely glanced at it before reaching into his wallet and producing an Express Platinum Card. He handed it over as casually as though paying for such an expensive meal meant nothing at all.
Lila watched quietly. Even that simple gesture pleased her.
Once the payment had been completed, Fredrick rose from his seat and politely pulled out her chair. "Allow me to drive you home."
Lila smiled apologetically. "I appreciate the offer, but I came with my own car."
"Then at least let my driver follow behind you."
She shook her head gently. "That’s kind of you, but I still need to stop somewhere before going home."
Fredrick accepted the explanation without pressing the matter further. "I understand."
Together, they walked out of the restaurant. The cool evening breeze greeted them as they reached the entrance.
"I had a wonderful time tonight," Fredrick said sincerely.
"So did I." Lila smiled back just as warmly.
"I hope we will do this again," he said with a smile.
"I would like that."
Fredrick remained rooted to the spot as Lila walked toward her car. Only after watching her drive safely out of the parking area did he turn around and head for his own vehicle.
As Lila drove through the brightly illuminated streets, she found herself smiling almost the entire journey home.
Her thoughts repeatedly returned to the evening she had just spent with Fredrick. Everything had gone perfectly. He was handsome, well-mannered, successful and financially secure. But more importantly, he came from a family whose status matched her own.
For the first time in a long while, Lila felt genuinely optimistic about her future.
She could already picture herself standing beside Fredrick at high-profile social events, attending charity galas, business dinners, and family celebrations together.
Compared to that image, every memory involving Torin suddenly seemed painfully insignificant.
The more she thought about it, the more certain she became that ending things with him had been the right decision.
A satisfied smile remained on her face until she finally turned into the quiet residential street leading to the Caldwell residence.
She slowed the car as she approached the front gate. Then... her smile disappeared.
Standing beneath one of the streetlights, with both hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket, was a figure she recognized immediately.
Torin.
The warmth that had filled her heart throughout the evening vanished in an instant. Her expression hardened.
Every trace of the happiness she had carried home with her was wiped away the moment her eyes landed on him.
Her fingers tightened around the steering wheel, her polished nails almost digging into it as she stared through the windshield at the man standing outside the gate.
She knew Torin well enough to understand why he was waiting there instead of sitting inside the Caldwell residence with her parents.
He wanted to speak to her alone. And knowing his stubborn personality, he would not leave until he got the opportunity.
Lila released a slow, impatient sigh. "If I don’t deal with him now, he will keep showing up."
She switched off the engine and stepped out of the car.
The moment Torin saw her, relief flashed across his face. He had been standing there for nearly two hours. At last, she had returned.
"Lila." He took several hurried steps toward her. "I’ve been trying to reach you all day."
Lila shut the car door without sparing him a glance. "What do you want?"
Torin frowned. "What do I want?"
He looked at her in disbelief. "I’ve called you countless times today. Why haven’t you been answering my calls?"
Lila calmly locked her car before finally turning to face him. "You mean the calls I deliberately declined?"
Torin’s brows knitted together. "So you did see them."
"I did."
"Then why?"
Lila folded her arms across her chest. "Am I obligated to answer your calls?"
Torin stared at her. For a brief moment, he genuinely wondered whether he had heard her correctly. "...What?"
"I asked you a question." Her voice was cold. "Am I under some obligation to answer every time you decide to call me?"
Torin looked completely taken aback. "Lila..." He searched her face, hoping this was merely another one of her moods.
"We had an argument a few days ago." His voice remained surprisingly calm despite his growing frustration. "I know things became heated between us, but it hasn’t reached the point where you’re overreacting."
The moment the word overreacting left his mouth, Lila’s expression changed. A sharp laugh escaped her lips.
"So now I’m overreacting?" Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "You really have the audacity to say that to me?"
Torin frowned. "I didn’t mean—"
"No." She cut him off immediately. "You meant exactly what you said." Her voice gradually rose.
"Listen carefully, Torin." She took one deliberate step toward him. "No man is allowed to make me unhappy."
Torin blinked, wondering where she was getting at.
"I was raised differently from that." There was unmistakable pride in her voice now. "My father has spent his entire life giving me the very best. I’ve never lacked anything. I’ve been loved, pampered, respected and treated like a princess since the day I was born."
Then she looked him straight in the eye. "So after the way I was raised, no man has the right to treat me unfairly."
Torin could barely believe what he was hearing. "Lila..." He spoke slowly, trying to remain patient. "Do I not even have the right to tell you when you’re wrong?"
She laughed again. This time, the sound carried nothing but ridicule. "You?" She pointed a finger toward him. "What right do you have?"
Torin frowned deeply. "What are you talking about?"
"What gives you the confidence to raise your voice at me?" She did not wait for an answer. "What gives you the right to correct me?"
Torin opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He had never imagined that one day Lila would ask him such questions.
She stepped even closer as her tone became increasingly sharp. "I overlooked many things because I accepted you. But now I realize just how blind I was."
Then she looked him up and down without bothering to hide the contempt in her eyes. "Your family isn’t anywhere close to mine."
Torin’s face stiffened.
Lila continued mercilessly. "My family’s wealth surpasses yours. Our business connections surpass yours. Our political influence surpasses yours."
She smiled coldly. "In every possible way, the Caldwell family stands far above the Fisher family."
Torin clenched his fists.
"But despite all of that..." She laughed softly. "I still chose you." There was no warmth left in her eyes. "I actually believed I could overlook the difference between us."
She slowly shook her head. "What a foolish decision."