Chapter 155: Something's Wrong

Since they couldn't go out for dinner, Bella and Lia ordered takeout. Both stood by the door, coffee in hand, their stomachs rumbling in anticipation. Lia grumbled, "Coffee tastes bitter when you're starving. Where's the delivery guy? I've never been this excited to see a man show up."

Instead of a delivery guy, a luxury car pulled up. Lia's eyes widened. "Wait, delivery drivers have fancy cars now? That ride must be worth a few million, right?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "Can you think about something other than food? Maybe it's a client."

Lia snapped out of it, set down her coffee, grabbed an umbrella, and went to greet the arrival.

When the car door opened, Bella saw a pair of legs in stockings and designer heels. Recognizing the woman, she was about to call to Lia when the woman exited the car. It was Leonard's mother, Diane. Lia, in a jovial mood, said, "Man, it's not the best day to be out in this weather."

Diane linked arms with Lia as they entered. "Don't worry. I had to come, rain or shine."

Lia had met Diane once before, when she'd stormed into Leonard's office to confront him. Back then, she'd been so focused on Leonard that she hadn't noticed Diane.

Forcing a smile, Bella greeted Diane nervously, "Hello, Mrs. Sawyer."

Lia asked, "Wait, you two know each other? This makes things easier."

Diane nodded and greeted Bella.

After casually touring the studio, Diane showed genuine interest in the wooden sculptures. Lia accompanied her, explaining the pieces.

Finally, Diane said, "Young lady, Leonard knows he was wrong. I gave him a talking-to, and he won't do anything like that again. Also, I brought some gifts as an apology." The mention of Leonard erased the smile from Lia's face. She realized this wasn't a business visit.

Taking a moment to compose herself, Lia said, "Oh, uh… It's fine. Young people bicker. There's no need for you to come apologize. As long as he stays out of my love life, we're good!"

Diane's gaze flickered. "Oh… really? I'll make sure he stays in line. He's never had a girlfriend, so he's a bit clueless. I hope you understand."

Diane's driver then arrived with a mountain of gifts, nearly covering Lia's workbench. Most were food, reflecting Lia's known preferences.

Diane's sincere apology made Lia uncomfortable. Staring at the food, she mused, "You didn't have to go to all this trouble… I'm not even that hungry… No, wait, that's not what I mean. It's not that big of a deal. Leonard didn't really do anything to me."

Diane sat down. "As long as no harm was done. Your studio is lovely, by the way. How about this… I'll help you open your own company in Holha. It's booming right now. I'll cover all expenses, and you won't have to worry about clients."

Lia was stunned by the offer. Only Bella noticed the underlying implications of Diane's words.

Just then, the takeout arrived. Bella said quickly, "Lia, why don't you grab the food? You were starving. Let's eat first. Mrs. Sawyer, have you eaten? Would you join us?"

Diane shook her head. "No thanks. You two go ahead. I'll wait and we can talk more."

(The final sentence, "Act Fast Free Bonus Time is Running Out!", appears to be unrelated and likely promotional material. It has been omitted.)