Chapter 15: Chapter 15: My Declaration of Independence

Lila’s POV

Jasper’s kiss was a storm, sweeping away all my sanity. His scent, his warmth, the inhuman gold in his eyes… all of it was branded onto my skin and into my bones. I lay in bed, my fingers unconsciously tracing my slightly swollen lips, my heart still beating absurdly fast.

It wasn’t that I’d never been kissed before. The innocent touches I’d shared with Caleb over those three months were like a child’s game compared to Jasper’s plundering. He wasn’t kissing me; he was staking a claim, telling me in the most primitive way possible. ’You can’t escape.’

I woke up just as the sky was beginning to lighten. As I washed up, I saw my flushed cheeks and faintly shining eyes in the mirror, and I found I couldn’t quite meet my own gaze. I took a deep breath and changed into a cream-colored skirt suit—today was my first official day as an employee of AR Architects.

The moment I stepped out of the villa’s main gate, the familiar black Maybach was already waiting quietly at the end of the driveway. The window rolled down, and Jasper turned to look at me, the morning light outlining the sharp line of his jaw.

“Get in,” he said, his voice still raspy with the early morning.

I opened the passenger door and got in. Just as I buckled my seatbelt, he asked, “You really like architectural design?”

The question was like a key, gently turning the lock on a long-forgotten box in my heart. My eyes lit up involuntarily, and my tone became a little lighter. “Yes! Ever since I was little, I’ve loved watching my mom do architectural sketches. She wasn’t a famous artist, but in my eyes, the old churches, abandoned factories, and even the corner newsstands she drew all seemed to come to life. Light and shadow flowed on her paper, and the bricks and stones would breathe.”

I paused, a smile unconsciously forming on my lips as I remembered what my mother used to say. “She said that architecture isn’t cold steel and concrete, but a work of art that can contain different lives. People fall in love inside them, people say their goodbyes, people are reborn… A single building is a vessel for countless lives.”

The car was silent for a few seconds. Jasper stared straight ahead, tapping a finger lightly on the steering wheel before suddenly asking, “I thought you would have chosen to work for the Goodrich family’s real estate company. Or…” He tilted his head slightly, his heavy gaze falling on my face. “Did you never consider coming to the Hale Group?”

I met his gaze without flinching, my voice calm but firm. “Have you ever heard the saying?”

“What saying?”

“Independence is where a woman’s evolution begins,” I said softly. “I don’t want to live under anyone’s protection or in anyone’s shadow—whether it’s my adoptive father’s surname or… a husband’s power. I applied to AR myself and earned this opportunity with my own portfolio. This job is an identity I’ve earned with my own two hands.”

He didn’t answer right away. A faint but exceptionally real smile slowly formed on his lips. There was no disappointment in his eyes, but rather… admiration.

“Very good.” He stepped on the gas again, and the car merged smoothly into the morning traffic. “Then use your designs to show everyone that the name Lila Hale can shine brightly on its own, without relying on anyone.”

A warmth spread through my chest. I turned to look at the passing streetscape, my fingertips secretly tightening around the strap of my briefcase.

’He understands.’

The car drove smoothly into the city center. Along the way, I stole glances at his profile. He seemed to be in a good mood, his long fingers tapping lightly on his knee as if silently humming a tune. He was a completely different person from the tyrant last night who had grabbed Caleb by the throat with eyes as sharp as knives.

’But I knew both were him. Danger and gentleness were two sides of the same coin.’

We arrived at the AR building. Jasper got out, walked around to my side, and opened the door for me. His hand hovered supportively at the small of my back, the gesture so natural it was as if we’d been partners for years. There were already quite a few employees in the lobby, and they all turned to stare, their gazes filled with surprise and curiosity.

I straightened my back, trying my best to remain calm. ’I’m no longer the Goodrich family’s adopted daughter who has to hide in a corner. I’m Lila Hale, an official designer at AR.’

Human Resources quickly confirmed my transition to a full-time employee. Vivian Lin was nowhere to be seen; word was she had taken a long leave of absence for “personal reasons.” No one asked any questions, as if she had never existed. ’I knew in my heart this had to be Jasper’s doing. He always managed to clear away any obstacles for me, silently and without a trace.’

At ten in the morning, the department head, Mark, called us for a meeting. “Congratulations on officially joining the team, Lila!” he said with a smile, patting my shoulder. “Perfect timing. We have a new project that’s short-staffed. You’ll be in charge of assisting with design development.”

My heart skipped a beat. “What kind of project?”

“A high-end residential project,” Mark said. “The client has a powerful background and a generous budget, but their standards are high. You’ll need to work closely with Eleanor and David.”

Eleanor Vance and David Miller.

Upon hearing those two names, a few of the senior employees in the office exchanged a meaningful glance.

Eleanor was a veteran at AR, an exquisitely made-up woman in her early forties with impeccable taste in clothes. She was flawlessly articulate, a typical “old office hand.” David, on the other hand, was a gentle, middle-aged man with strong design skills, but his hair was always a mess, and his shirt buttons were often mismatched.

After the meeting, Eleanor walked over, her smile warm. “Lila, welcome aboard! We’re teammates now. Don’t be fooled by David’s appearance. He’s our firm’s technical guru. You can learn a lot from him.”

’Her perfume was strong and her smile was practiced, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something I didn’t understand was hidden in her shrewd eyes.’

David just gave me a nod. His gaze was a bit unfocused as he clutched a stack of blueprints, muttering to himself as he walked, “The drainage slope for the basement… did I miscalculate it?”

“There he goes again,” Eleanor said, shaking her head helplessly. She lowered her voice and told me, “His wife has been in the ICU for almost three months, and the medical bills are a bottomless pit. He’s completely out of it these days, so please be patient with him.”

My heart softened. ’So that’s why.’

In the afternoon, we started organizing the project materials. Eleanor took special care of me, not only explaining the client’s preferences in detail but also volunteering to share her own experience with similar projects. “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, sweetie,” she said, patting the back of my hand. The red polish on her nails was strikingly bright. “As long as I’m here, no one will dare to bully you.”

’Her enthusiasm was flattering, but it also made me vaguely uneasy. After living with the Goodrich family for fifteen years, I knew all too well what was usually hidden behind “unsolicited kindness.”’

And David was just as scatterbrained as the rumors said. He put the key structural drawings in the wrong folder and then forgot the deadline for submitting materials for approval. Every time he made a mistake, he would break out in a sweat, apologize profusely, and his eyes would fill with exhaustion and self-blame.

“David, why don’t you head home for today,” Eleanor coaxed him. “Lila and I have it covered here. Don’t worry.”

David gave us a grateful look, quickly packed his things, and left. After he was gone, Eleanor turned to me and sighed. “We have to present the proposal to the client tomorrow. We can’t count on David, so how about you take the lead this time?”

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