Grace had been working peacefully on the top floor for a week. The atmosphere was professional, the employees were efficient, and best of all, no one cared about the gossip surrounding her.


    She nned to stop by a dealership after work to buy a car. Now that she had her own ce, it was time to get some transportation.


    At the dealership, she was greeted by a young salesman in his early 20s. He seemed reserved but spoke earnestly as he introduced her to the various models and their features. A few other salespeople nearby watched with indifferent expressions, clearly looking down on him.


    Grace furrowed her brows slightly. Just as she was about to ask him to arrange a test drive, a group of young men strolled in.


    She recognized the leader immediately. It was Liam.


    Liam had been spoiled his whole life, a typical rich boy who had never been told no. He looked arrogant, dressed in trendy streetwear with a pair of headphones hanging around his neck.


    The trust fund kids behind him immediately zeroed in on the young salesman.


    "Well, well, if it isn''t our little schrship kid. Still working part-time, huh?" one of them sneered.


    Another shoved the salesman''s shoulder.


    "Liam''s girl took a liking to you. Must feel pretty good, huh?"


    "Didn''t you call us flunkiesst time? Got real high standards for a guy who has to work for a living."


    Liam had been scrolling through his phone, uninterested. He was good-looking, the kind of guy who was probably popr at the university.


    Just as he was about to pull up a game, his gazended on Grace, and his eyes lit up.


    "Grace? You came to see me?"


    Grace watched the young salesman being shoved around, and none of the senior staff seemed surprised. They had seen this happen before.


    The rich kids acted like they owned the ce. Maybe one of their families actually did, so no one dared to step in.


    "Grace, are you finally here to apologize? I knew it. You wouldn''tst." Liam smirked, slipping his gaming console back into his pocket.


    He ruffled his already messy hair and leaned in. "But I won''t be so easily won over this time. You''ll have to cook for me every day for the next two years. And you have to bring the food to my university."


    Grace watched closely as he approached her happily.


    Meanwhile, the salesman didn''t make a sound. He had clearly been through this before.


    Grace''s voice was cold when she finally asked, "You bully people at your university?"


    Liam''s expression darkened instantly. "Bully? He deserves it. He knew I liked that girl and still got close to her."


    The words had barely left his mouth when a sharp pnded across his face.


    She hit him so hard that his head turned. It wasn''t the first time Grace had hit him.


    Liam clutched his cheek and stood frozen for several seconds before finally speaking, "You hit me again?"


    "Liam, you''re 19. You''re in university now. Yet you use your status to harass people, and you''re proud of it?"


    The guys surrounding them immediately went quiet. Then, as if snapping out of their shock, they rushed to Liam''s side.


    "Liam, you good?"


    "Who the hell is this? Let''s teach her a lesson!"


    Liam''s temper red.


    "Yeah, I''m bullying him. So what? What''s it got to do with you? You won''t even make me food, you''ve


    ignored me for months, and you


    don''t answer my calls. You''re really cutting ties with the family, huh? You don''t want me as your brother


    anymore, so why should listen to


    you?" he snapped at the end.


    Snatching his headphones, he put them on and gestured toward his group of followers.


    "Why did you stop? Keep going. Teach him a lesson."


    Grace saw that the salesman''s face was already bruised, but he remained silent, only ncing at her briefly before looking away. There was no plea for help or resistance.


    Without hesitation, she strode forward and shoved the bullies away. "Enough! Stop!"


    The group hesitated, their eyes darting toward Liam. They were waiting for his order.


    Liam pressed his lips together. For someone his age, he carried an air of authority. "Grace, you''re really taking his side over mine?"


    She positioned herself between the young man and Liam, her expression turning colder.


    "Liam, it''s one thing to mess around at home, but now, you''re pulling this gang mentality nonsense in university? Strip away the Lambert family name and what do you even have left?"


    Besides, it was obvious hisckeys weren''t good people, yet he had chosen to mix with them.


    Liam''s face flushed red. For some reason, seeing Grace defend someone else, especially someone he despised, felt like a betrayal. His gaze flickered to the salesman behind her, and his lips trembled with anger.


    After a long silence, he abruptly turned away.


    "Grace, I swear I''m done with you. Go ahead, take him as your brother. I''m just some stranger to you now, right? Fine. Don''t evere back to the Lambert family."


    With that, he stormed out. Hisckeys, suddenly lost without their leader, scrambled to follow.


    Only then did Grace turn to face the young salesman. Moments ago, when he had been exining the cars to her, he had seemed so


    professional. Now, he wouldn''teet


    look her in the eye. Maybe he had figured out her connection to Liam and found it repulsive.


    "If I buy this car, you''ll get themission, right?"


    "Yeah."


    "I won''t need a test drive. I''ll pay now."


    This was his first sale. The dealership treated him well-on the surface. But he


    knew it was to make it convenient for Liam to have an easy target nearby


    whenever he felt like picking a fight.


    The Lambert family was wealthy.


    Liam''s little entourage might not have been able to break into the elite


    social circles, but in the eyes of


    ordinary people, they were


    privileged with family businesses


    and money to burn.


    They clung to Liam because they wanted ess to the Lambert family''s influence.


    ...


    Liam stormed into the Lambert residence with a handprint on his cheek. The first


    person he saw was his ever-gentle second sister, Alice.


    She widened her eyes in surprise. "Liam, what happened to your face?"


    He slumped dramatically into a chair and yelled, "Grace hit me!"


    Carmen, who had been watering the nts, immediately mmed the watering


    can down. "Is she out of her damn mind? She''s out of control!"


    An idea formed in Alice''s mind as a smile crept onto her lips. "Didn''t Grace used


    to listen to Mrs. Henderson? Maybe we should have Mrs. Henderson invite her over for a little chat?"


    Mrs. Henderson was Lily, Yancey''s mother.