CHAPTER 58: I JUST VALUE YOUR TIME, DON’T YOU?

Driving her old Beetle to the Young Residence, Lola kept thinking about the bounty that flashed on her screen for just a second. The request disappeared so fast that she couldn’t help but question her own eyes.

"Am I going crazy?" she asked herself, laughing as she shook her head. "There’s no way, right? Atlas... he’s a Bennet. Even if he disappeared from the business news, it’s obvious he’s still very active."

He was just staying more low-key than before.

"Is it because he had kids?" she wondered. "Or was it the rumors?"

These were unimportant thoughts, though. What truly bothered her was whether she was slowly losing her mind. Perhaps it was because, for some reason, the twins and their father had somehow ended up at her place and were growing comfortable there.

"I’m probably just thinking of him too much, so I just kept seeing his face," she shook her head mildly. "There’s no way someone would request Atlas’s head on the black market."

With that, Lola pushed the thought to the back of her mind as she slowed down, catching sight of the gates to the Young Residence. The gates opened for her, making her arch an eyebrow.

"They usually stop me here and never fail to make me feel this isn’t my home," she whispered as she drove past the gates.

She spotted the head maid standing on the porch and narrowed her eyes suspiciously, already concocting a theory about this kind gesture. Once she pulled over, the head maid quickly rushed to the driver’s side.

"Miss Lola!" the head maid beamed as she watched Lola step out. Her face twitched, catching the thickened brows and uneven makeup. "How was your trip here?"

Lola studied her smiling face, now even more suspicious. This maid had been hired by Jasmine and was a loyal follower of hers. Many of Melissa and Jasmine’s schemes had succeeded because of this head maid.

"Your father’s been waiting for you in his study," the head maid said. "Do you need anything? I’ll prepare it for you."

"No, thank you."

"Are you sure—" The head maid stopped as Lola indifferently walked past her, making her frown. "Tsk."

She glared at Lola’s back, irritated by what she perceived as Lola’s arrogance. If it weren’t for Jasmine’s orders, she wouldn’t even bother waiting outside in the heat.

Even so, she jogged to follow Lola, eventually taking the lead. She ushered her to the study, even opening the door with a big smile.

Before stepping in, Lola glanced at the head maid but said nothing. The maid glared at her back.

This disgrace — tsk!

At the same time, Lawrence’s voice rang out. "Lola!"

Lola stopped a few steps from her father’s desk, watching him stand up with arms spread open. The smile on his face was just as wide as the head maid’s.

"Finally! I’ve been waiting—"

"Are you going to transfer Mom’s properties to me?" Lola cut him off, leaving no room for any other conversation.

Lawrence’s smile froze before he snapped his eyes at the door. "What are you still doing?" His annoyed voice snapped the head maid out of her malicious thoughts.

"Ah, yes!" The head maid recomposed herself. "I’ll come back with some tea."

With that, the head maid finally closed the door and walked away. As she did so, Lawrence smiled again and refocused on Lola.

"Lola, why don’t you sit down, hmm?" he cooed, approaching his daughter. He placed his hands gently on her shoulders, tilting his head. "Okay, daughter?"

Lola glanced up at him, just staring at that pretentious smile.

In her first life, this would happen occasionally as well. Her father would treat her like a daughter for once, and she would stupidly fall for it. She wondered what it was this time.

"If you are going to ask me to give up my mother’s properties, I won’t," she answered after a second, her voice calm but with a tinge of finality. "If this is all this is about, then I won’t waste any more of your time, Sir."

Lawrence frowned. "Lola, why are you always so difficult? I am trying to be nice to you, but you always make it difficult for me."

"I just value your time," she argued calmly. "Don’t you?"

Whenever Lola needed him, he would always claim he didn’t have the time for her. Be it graduation, birthdays, or even her mother’s death anniversary. Yet, he was always present at Melissa’s every milestone—her first recital, her graduation, her birthdays, and even simple parent meetings.

"Lola." Lawrence was not pleased, but he huffed to calm himself down. "Just take a seat first, alright?"

"... fine."

With that, Lola marched toward the couch and sat down. As she did, she turned to him and caught him sitting down in the armchair.

"Ahem!" He cleared his throat. "Like I told you... I’m already processing the documents for the title transfer to your name, just as you wished. I can’t give them to you now since it’s still going through a ton of legalization."

He smiled. "But don’t worry! Once they finish, I’ll make sure to hand everything Loren left for you."

Lola blinked, her eyes never leaving Lawrence. She was wondering what this man had in mind.

"I’ll let the chairman know about it once the process is finished," she said.

The smile on Lawrence’s face faltered; his plan to ask his daughter to tell the chairman about this "good news" had failed. However, if that didn’t work, that was also fine.

"I know." He leaned back, his eyes shining in understanding. "If you speak too early, the chairman might think you’re lying. However..."

He trailed off, leaning forward. "You will tell him that I’m already processing them, right?"

Lola blinked, thinking the chairman wasn’t even asking for updates. The chairman was aware that title transfers would take time, so he wasn’t nagging anyone. However, since Lawrence thought she and the chairman were contacting each other daily, she nodded.

"Okay."

Pleased, Lawrence smiled. "Good, good!"

"Is that all?" She asked, already standing. "If so, then I’ll be—"

"No, no." He shook his head and waved. "Lola, sit down. I also want to talk to you about something."

Confused, Lola sat down and listened. Had she known what he would say, she would’ve brought the earplugs the twins had been supplying her.

"Melissa told me about your kids," he said, an insincere concern flickering in his eyes. "I didn’t know you still had children, considering... the first one died."