Rebirth's treatment might not be ideal, but it was a highly sought-after position in the industry. After all, a job at Rebirth offered a clear path to advancement within the La Beauté Group, potentially leading to mid-management.

Lily's rapid ascent was unusual. Not only did she secure a position, but the other new hires seemed quite protective of her.

Melanie received no reply. She looked at Nathaniel and asked, "By the way, you've known her for a long time. Do you know if Lily knows kickboxing?"

Nathaniel was surprised. "Lily knows kickboxing? Who told you that?"

Melanie was surprised by his reaction, confirming her suspicions. His question, "Who told you that?"—rather than "How could that be?"—suggested Lily did indeed know kickboxing. How could Nathaniel not know? If he knew, Melanie would have, too.

"How long have you known?" Melanie asked.

Nathaniel shook his head. "I'm not sure. Why are you asking?"

"I" Melanie hesitated. She couldn't tell him Lily had beaten up Frank; he'd likely be amused. Mentioning it risked revisiting an embarrassing incident and prompting questions about Lily's motivation.

After a pause, Melanie said, "Someone said they saw it, but I don't believe it! I've known her for years and never knew she was skilled in kickboxing. I don't recall her studying Taekwondo or karate, did you?"

"Besides," she continued, "what do you mean by 'not sure'? Did you see her fight?" She focused on his word choice.

"I've seen it, but I'm unsure if it was kickboxing," he replied vaguely.

"When did you see it?" Melanie already suspected the answer.

Why the misunderstanding between Frank and Nathaniel, if it wasn't real? Frank had visible, serious injuries, and easily identified Lily as his attacker. Something didn't add up.

"Remember the last press conference?" Nathaniel said thoughtfully. "The one where we asked her to stand and admit her mistake to refute the rumor, but she backed out at the last minute?"

Melanie nodded. "I remember leaving early."

"Yes, I followed you. I guessed her route and had some people intercept her in a back alley. In the end…"

"In the end, you were beaten by her?!" Melanie exclaimed.

"How's that possible?!" He denied it instantly.

He wouldn't tell anyone about the embarrassing incident where Lily held a knife to his neck, especially not Melanie. "She subdued my bodyguards, and I had to let her go. At the time, I thought the bodyguards were weak. Now, I realize that even if they were weak, she's still a woman. She held her own against several men."