They both stayed in that position for a long while and she kept stroking his soft hair slowly, and he just hugged her tightly. They didn't speak a single word throughout. There was only silence between them, and they needed no words at that moment to understand each other.

  Lana knew that having someone beside you in sad moments like this was more comforting than hearing consoling words by many people.

  They stayed like that for a few minutes before Liam pulled Lana to sit beside him, worried that Lana's legs would numb.

  "Thank you… Thanks for being there and for lending your shoulder to me. Let me thank you properly and treat you to dinner tonight." Liam offered, but as soon as he said this his mobile phone rang.

  "What? What happened? Alright, I'll be on my way." Liam replied before ending the call.

  It was Jorge's call, informing him that Gracy was looking for him and hysterically passed out crying. It was hard for her to accept the sudden loss of her only family, her father, and worst that she couldn't even meet him once before he passed away. And at a time like this he was the only one who could pacify Gracy and console her, just like those good old times when they were very close.

  "Let's go first, I have to leave urgently. I will treat you to dinner some other day. I'll go after I drop you home." Liam said and pulled Lana by her hand back to the car.

  Lana wanted to ask what happened for him to rush like that but controlled herself from doing so. She did not want to look like a nosy person or a busybody, prying too much in Liam's private life.

  "You can drop me off here itself. I'll sleep at my mother's house." Lana commented. Her place was a bit far and since she was already here might as well sleep in her previous room and have a stay over with her mother.

  Liam nodded and followed Lana's instruction. It was his first time entering Lana's family mansion, and he was surprised to see how big it was.

  "Hmm, you have a big mansion, very beautifully maintained as well. As far as I know you are the only child of your parents, then what made you want to live separately," Liam could not help but wonder.

  Lana was a woman, and he thought it would be safer for her to stay in their mansion than living alone in her place now.

  Lana heaved a deep sigh before answering, "Hmm, I just wanted to experience living independently… To achieve something without the family's background. I'm a proud woman, I guess. I don't like others slapping me with sarcasm that I'm nothing but just a lucky daughter who hides behind my mother's wealth. You see, I'm but an adopted child after all."

  Liam was shocked to hear that. He never read any such information in her profile, and he knew the reason why.

  "That's quite a secret, Liam. Today, I have shared two of my secrets with you. I guess I trust you enough for doing that. But it seems you are not surprised by the fact that I'm an adopted child of the Huang family," Lana murmured with a smile and turned her head towards Liam.

  "Well, should I be surprised? Tell me, Lana, what difference does it make if you're an adopted child? Family background doesn't matter in any person's life, but what matters is your personality and how you are as a person. You grew up well, have been imbibed with excellent values, and that's more than enough to be proud of regardless if you're an adopted child or not."

  No one knew that she was an adopted child except her mother and some of her mother's close and trusted relatives who were aware that her mother was barren.

  Well, her biological parents knew that as well. But her mother was already dead… and dead men tell no tales… So her father should be counted among the ones who knew her secrets.

  Lana quickly shook off those thoughts from her head. Her biological parents were the worst nightmare of her life and she wanted to erase that chapter from her memories forever, but she didn't know how she could. No one could choose their parents, but she was lucky enough that God sent her to the only parent in her life, her mother, Mrs. Huang.

  Lana looked at Liam, whose eyes were glued on the road. She smiled because she realised that somehow she has become comfortable with a man for the first time in her life.

  "That also means that I trust your words a lot, to have accepted your?proposal without any hesitation that day," Lana added and Liam's face almost paled but he managed to give Lana a forced smile.

  Those words were like a knife being stabbed at him. She trusted him with words that he would not go beyond what he assured her.

  'What assurance did I give her again? Friends for benefits? No strings attached? What if he wanted more than that?' Liam pondered suddenly.

  He stopped the car as he reached the mansion's entrance door.

  "I would love to say hello to your mother but I'm in a rush… Maybe… some other time… I mean tell her that just in case she asks." Liam casually stated and Lana nodded.

  She went out of the car and watched Liam drive away from their mansion.

  "Oh dear! Is that Liam? Why is he leaving already? You brat! Didn't you invite him in?" Lana soon heard her mother's voice chiding her from behind.

  "Mom. He has an emergency to attend!" Lana cried out before she received some scolding.

  "Oh okay. Next time bring him here. Oh dear! You made me so happy by being in a relationship with such an outstanding man. I like him so much. We should talk about the wedding already. You and Liam are in the righ…"

  "Mom! I'm hungry. Like really, really hungry… please give me something to eat first…… Let's eat something delicious…" Lana immediately cut her mother off and pulled her inside. As expected, her mother had a lot of questions about her sudden arrival, so she told her all that had happened.