Chapter 208: Lili's Ambition

"Thank you! How about this, tomorrow morning I'll go back to Chinatown. If they show up on time, I'll pay you three times the standard rate based on tonight's deadline."

Nodding, acknowledging the efforts of Lawyer Roy and, most importantly, confirming their payment settlement standard, Carter headed straight for the elevator lobby, while Roy and Kirkland watched contentedly as Carter's figure disappeared into the hotel lobby.

Coming out so late, to the hotel, just to confront people, weren't they aiming for that triple pay? To ensure a smooth collection of funds, they even brought documents like signed confessions from those families. Unexpectedly, their employer was even more accommodating than they had imagined!

Meanwhile, as Roy and Kirkland left contentedly, following Carter into the room was Lili, who felt anything but content.

Today, following Carter around the so-called elite Securities and Exchange Commission, in upscale office buildings, in the magnificent affluent communities of Long Island, and in the grand Plaza Hotel, Lili had been on a whirlwind tour.

Carter's value in Lili's eyes was increasing, and this series of experiences was like the whisper of a demon, lingering in her mind.

"I'll go freshen up first!"

Glancing at Lili, who was sitting by the window lost in thought, Carter didn't think much of it. With both physical and mental exhaustion, and the sticky feeling from not showering since yesterday, Carter couldn't wait to get into the bathtub for a comfortable hot bath to wash away the fatigue.

"Ah, sure, you go ahead!"

Absent-mindedly, as if in a daze, Lili half-heartedly responded, her gaze still fixed on the brightly lit New York skyline outside the hotel window.

The hotel Goodman had booked for Carter wasn't far from the Plaza Hotel, located right in the middle of Midtown Manhattan, between Wall Street and Central Park. And this area was one of the most bustling in New York.

Even though it was late at night, the dazzling lights still shone brightly, even more vibrant than during the day. The neon lights flickering in the darkness added a ripple of vitality to the metropolis.

For those who had lived in the city for a long time, too many neon lights meant light pollution! They were not only dazzling but also vulgar. But for Lili, a girl from a remote small town, everything in front of her was what she had longed for.

"Nikki, for us women, finding a good husband is more important than anything else."

"Nikki, you're too ambitious! It's not good, don't let the praise you're getting in Douglas get to your head. In those big cities, what kind of beautiful girls aren't there? They'll just play around and then dump you. Then you'll have nowhere to cry."

"Just find a reliable person from our local area, your dad and I can support you. Live a good life, isn't that good? You're not that young anymore, and it'll take time to fall in love. Don't set your sights too high."

"The grandson of the Jones family seems pretty good, he looks good too, why don't you consider him?"

"Nikki, do you have your eye on Carter from the Blake family? I heard Betsy telling me, he's also a good kid, but I feel like he's not as reliable as the grandson of old Jones. He's too restless, and might end up squandering all of old Blake's hard-earned money."

"If he goes bankrupt, and brings along a completely useless mother, and a sister who can't work, it's not good. If that's the case, we won't be able to live!"

Staring out the window, memories of previous conversations with her mother kept flooding Lili's mind. Compared to her easygoing father, Lili knew her mother was the one who understood her the most.

Lili also knew her mother had been anxious about her future on many nights. Afraid she would be too arrogant and end up as an old maid, or afraid she would chase after wealthy men and end up being used and discarded.

Just thinking about the future her mother had arranged for her, that Sean Jones... Lili knew he was an honest man, and if she married him, she might not become super rich, but at least she could count on him to keep his word.

But when it came to Carter...

Listening to the sound of water running in the bathroom, Lili suddenly clenched her silver teeth.

The more she got to know Carter, the less worried she became about the problems her mother feared. But compared to Sean, that honest man, Carter did have more ability, but with ability came independence, and it also meant he couldn't be controlled.

It wouldn't be so bad not to be controlled, as long as she could live comfortably, even if she stayed at home taking care of the family. At least he could give her the life she wanted. Being able to live in a big city, being able to casually enter places she used to only stand outside of, being able to...

But deep down in Lili's heart, there was always an inexplicable fear of Carter.

In the matter of Gwen, she saw another side of Carter. While almost everyone in Douglas praised Carter for his kindness, saying he was always willing to help out when others were in trouble, Lili was very sure that Carter was completely different from Uncle Blake, who passed away a year ago.

He was much more ruthless than the deceased Uncle Blake, choosing Carter might mean she wouldn't get any good results. But the experiences of today...

"Hahaha, great. Um, Nikki, sorry, I have something to do over here, I need to go for a bit, sorry to leave you!"

"Ah, what a coincidence, an old friend I haven't seen in a long time just arrived, I have to go."

One person after another, leaving Carter watched as they stood up and left, their polite manners concealing a hidden disdain.

Just like Carter, who smiled and got along with her on the surface. But deep down, he still looked down on her.

From childhood to adulthood, wherever Lili went, she was the center of attention. Yet here she was, her eyes gradually turning red. She felt a sourness in her nose, wanting to ask: why?!

Was it her fault that her family's circumstances weren't as good as others'? Was it her fault for wanting a better life?

"That, Lili! Could you help me get a towel? This hotel is weird, the towels aren't in the bathroom. My head against the edge of the bathtub is too hard, I want a towel to cushion it."

"Sure!"

Sniffling, Lili forced herself to suppress her emotions. Thinking about the expenses incurred along the way, all because of the man in the bathroom, Lili couldn't refuse this small request.

But as she picked up the towel, a strong feeling of resentment surged in her heart. Giving up the neon lights outside the window and returning to Douglas, putting on that ridiculous blue work shirt?

Mr. You added 14 gallons of gas, that'll be...

Both were light blue, Lili looked down at the tight-fitting skirt she was wearing and those legs that Carter had been eyeing.

"Thank you. Uh?! What are you... you're coming in. Uh."