9 Take the relationship between the two people a step further.

Morris Jackson handed the bag over to her: "You forgot your bag."

So it was the bag!

His thoughtfulness caught Lyra Smith by surprise. She took the bag with both hands, not noticing that Morris had put the bag he picked up from the hotel reception together with her bag.

She politely said goodbye to him, "Uncle Erwin, see you later."

Morris nodded, "Mm."

In order not to appear too eager to leave, Lyra only quickened her pace instead of running. She walked a few dozen steps, looking back from time to time, until Morris's car drove away. Then, she breathed a sigh of relief.

...

Crane Pavilion Villa was a luxurious residential area, where all you could see were individual villas. Many long-established families in Select Society lived here because residing here symbolized an illustrious background.

Lyra was not the only child in the Smith family; she had three older brothers.

Her eldest brother, Jack Smith, was in a foreign country, living a simple life as an obscure professor. It was rumored that he planned to return and continue to seek a passion.

Her second brother, Frank Smith, was a doctor, so fascinated by traditional Chinese medicine that he tasted hundreds of herbs like Shennong and had entered the ICU several times due to poisoning. It was a miracle he was still alive.

Her third brother, Gregory Smith, was a poor artist who smelled of paint and sculpting powder.

They all had mediocre lives.

Including Lyra.

They all depended on the foundation her father had laid down years ago.

While the Smith family appeared to be thriving on the surface, they were not as glorious as they used to be.

Lyra was not cut out for business, and her three brothers were not reliable either. Her father was the only one struggling to maintain the family's dwindling business. If it wasn't for their solid foundation, the family would have been long expelled from the Select Society of old families.

On the other hand, the Jackson family was an influential clan in San Carlos.

The Smith family used to live next door to the Jacksons but later moved to Crane Pavilion Villa. Back then, she and Erwin Jackson had grown up together. Erwin went to study in Country H when he was 15 and returned at 20 to enter the entertainment industry. Backed by the Jackson family, his career skyrocketed and became a top celebrity.

Their engagement was settled in the year Erwin returned. He had no objections, and Lyra, who had liked him since childhood, was naturally delighted.

Later, Erwin always put up a barrier using work as an excuse. Though they always say everything comes to those who wait, she had been waiting for too long and wanted to advance their relationship.

Fueled by her best friend Sophia Jackson's suggestion, the mistake last night occurred.

If she really only slept with the wrong person, that would have been manageable.

But that person was Morris Jackson, which made her now completely in a passive state.

"You're back."

An abrupt voice startled Lyra.

She looked up and saw Kaitlyn Lan, sitting primly on the sofa. Startled, Lyra asked, "Mom, didn't you say you'd be in Milan for a show yesterday? How did you come back so soon?"

Kaitlyn Lan looked up at her daughter and asked slowly, "Where did you go last night?"

"Mom, why are you suddenly asking this?" Lyra began to feel nervous.

Kaitlyn Lan narrowed her long, eyeliner-framed eyes, making her appear especially youthful and strong-willed. In reality, her character was also strong, but Kaitlyn Lan was mostly strong towards her husband, Lyra's father.

Kaitlyn Lan: "I can't let you be for three days without causing trouble!"

Lyra: "..."

Kaitlyn Lan got up and walked to Lyra, asking, "Tell me, where did you go last night?"

At this moment, Lyra was panicking inside.

Kaitlyn Lan had experienced it all herself; she could see right through Lyra's every tiny move with her sharp eyes. Noticing her daughter averting her gaze, Kaitlyn guessed, "Did you do something bad?"

Lyra: "No."

Kaitlyn Lan: "You must have."

Lyra: "..." She should have kept silent.

Kaitlyn Lan took two steps back, crossed her arms, and tried not to put too much pressure on her daughter, "Just confess honestly. As long as you didn't kill or loot, Mom can cover for you."