The reason why Richard or Janice never realized Lilia's resemblance to Mellisa was simple. The Irwan family always emphasized traditional culture. They rarely got involved or paid attention to the bureaucracy or the entertainment industry. Their children were raised to stay away from the world of entertainment. That's why they never paid attention to any celebrities on the rise.
Richard felt very uncomfortable when he saw Lilia's figure now. He repeatedly stole glances at the model for an instant. But Richard was speechless.
Lilia picked up her wine glass and nodded politely at Richard. Her move was filled with grace. "Uncle Richard, if you are serious about meeting my parents, I'll take you to meet them. My mother and father are seated at one of the tables in the back," Lilia explained.
"Okay, let's go. I want to invite your parents to toast with this wine," Richard said.
The man admired Lilia's manners and humility. The model was young and had been in the entertainment industry for quite a while, but she didn't have domineering arrogance. Lilia behaved like a young lady from a respectable family who wouldn't embarrass her family.
Richard was curious about the parents who could raise a child as polite as Lilia. He guessed that they must be educating Lilia really well. Richard would never have thought that Lilia's parents didn't really care about their daughter.
Just as Richard got up from the chair and was about to leave with Lilia, Janice got up too. "Richard, I'll go with you. I want to thank them for their help with the trouble Leila brings up the other day."
Janice spoke softly, but her eyes were always on Lilia. The shape of the model's eyes was almost the same as Richard's eyes. Unless one of them used plastic surgery, it was almost impossible for them to look so much alike.
Just as Janice picked up her wine glass, Leila suddenly breathed heavily. The young woman touched her chest with a pale face.
She said with difficulty, "Mom, I ... I feel a little sick!"
Both Richard and Janice jumped at this. Richard had not yet had time to take a step away from the table, while Janice was rising from her chair. But the two of them immediately turned their head towards their daughter as soon as Leila said something. During this time, Leila had always had a weak body and got sick easily. Therefore, just hearing the word 'sick' was enough to make her parents panic.
"Leila, what's wrong? Has your asthma recurred?" Janice hurriedly put down her wine glass, which she was going to use in a toast.
Even Richard looked anxiously at Leila. The man's forehead creased deeply, showing his concern.
Leila had experienced a sudden asthma attack before. The family doctor said that as long as Leila was properly treated, her asthma would not recur. Then why was she showing signs of illness again tonight?! Even though they didn't bring her asthma medication at all!
At this moment, Lilia was standing at the side of the main table. She stared at Leila's figure for a moment without blinking. For an instant, a look of contempt appeared on her face. But that gaze vanished as fast as it appeared. Then Lilia walked back to the chair she had been sitting on and picked up another box. The box was half the size of her gift to Simon earlier.
Meanwhile, Janice looked even more panicked. She began to think about bringing Leila back into the house so that her daughter could rest.
Even Simon watched this scene with a worried expression. Even though the other members of Irwan's family didn't speak up, Leila's other aunt continued to pat her niece's back gently. But only Jenny looked at Leila without looking worried.
By this time, the birthday party was already running for more than half of the events. Most of the guests were busy toasting and eating the dishes available. They were all guests of Irwan's family acquaintances, and the atmosphere of the party was not very formal. That's why no one noticed what was going on at the main table.
After Lilia took the box, she walked step by step to Leila's side. Then she placed the box on the table, right in front of Leila. Lilia's voice wasn't loud, but she was able to make her voice clear in the hustle and bustle of the party.
"Miss Leila, sorry that I forgot to give this to you earlier," Lilia said politely. "This is something my mother asked me to tell you. This is an inhalant to treat asthma. The medicinal formula in it is found overseas. It has a very powerful effect on asthma relief,"
After hearing Lilia's words, Leila's gasping movements stopped for a moment. She shot a glare at the model, who was pretending she didn't know anything.
Janice looked at the box on the table, then she looked at Lilia with a more pleasant look. "Miss Lilia, thank you very much," she said with a big smile
Leila's mother received a gift box from Lilia and opened her inhaler without hesitation. When she put the inhaler on Leila's nose and mouth, she still insisted, "Leila, how about you try it first?" Janice tried to persuade her.
Leila looked at the asthma inhaler in Janice's hand, then she slowly looked at Lilia. Her tone choked a little as she asked, "This... did Aunty Sylvia ask you to bring it to me?"
Leila didn't believe Lilia's bullshit!
Lilia smiled calmly and nodded confidently. "If Miss Leila doesn't believe it, why don't we bring my mother here to convince you?" Lilia suggested while smiling faintly.
Leila stopped talking, but she took over the inhaler and took a sharp sip as if she had accepted her fate. The pungent smell of the inhaler made Leila cough uncontrollably.
At that moment, the eyes of everyone at the main table were fixed on Leila's figure. The young woman lowered her gaze, hiding the cold gaze that appeared on her face. She hid her hands under the tablecloth and clenched them tightly. She couldn't believe that she had to endure something like this because of Lilia!
A few seconds later, Leila looked up. Her pouting lips now looked more relaxed. She then gently smiled at Janice, like a very well-behaved child.
Janice patted her on the back and asked worriedly, "Are you feeling better?"
Leila nodded lightly, "This is much better," then she looked at Lilia again and smiled ambiguously, "Thank you..." she said reluctantly.
"You're welcome!" Lilia stopped talking after saying that. Her smile deepened.
This inhaler was something Lilia and Mellisa had been preparing for a long time. They knew that Leila had a "medical history" of sudden asthma and took advantage of it frequently. But they didn't want Leila to get away, regardless of whether she actually had asthma or not.
Lilia didn't expect Leila to be so talented when it came to pretending to be sick.
But with that inhaler, she wasn't stupid enough to give Leila a chance to escape the situation that was troubling her. And Leila wasn't stupid enough to believe something that Sylvia hadn't really prepared.
After all, if Leila were to make a fuss about the inhaler, she would only make her relationship with Sylvia worse. This was because Lilia had said that the inhaler was a gift from Sylvia. Leila wouldn't be able to refuse the 'gift' in front of everyone.
It could be said that in this first round, Lilia succeeded in cornering Leila!
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