---- Chapter 116 Soren saw the trending news and nearly smashed his phone in fury. "Damn it! Lance, you're despicable!" Lance indirectly announced their relationship to the public to keep Soren from making a move and forcibly taking Tara away. Outsiders wouldn't know who the woman in the photo was, but Gemma and others who had met Tara would certainly recognize her. If Soren truly wanted to take Tara from Lance, the biggest challenge now would be Tara herself.

She was timid to begin with, and now that their relationship had gone public, she would never choose Soren no matter how hard he pursued her. Lance had clearly leaked the news on purpose so the media would be waiting to capture their photos. Soren cursed. What Lance did was absolutely underhanded. Gemma was going out of her mind with how hectic things had become. She never expected Lance to start dating without telling her. And why did the woman in the photo ---- look so familiar?

From the back, her figure looked exactly like Tara, the housekeeper they had just let go from the villa. An uneasy feeling settled over her. She picked up the phone and called Lance. He answered right away, almost like he had been waiting for her. "Lance, is the photo in the trending news real?" she asked, flustered. Lance, having just finished composing a song, replied casually, "Yeah, it's real." Gemma hesitated. "Is that woman... Tara?" He didn't bother to deny it.

"Yes, it's her." Gemma gasped in disbelief. So it really was Tara. "Lance, be rational. You know what the Swains will do if they find out you're dating a housekeeper." She was well aware of the tactics powerful families employed. For Tara's own good, Lance shouldn't be dating someone so far beneath his social standing. "They have no right to interfere," Lance said coldly. Frustrated , Gemma sighed. There was nothing more she ---- could do. The four male singers all came from powerful families .

It was only a matter of time before any one of them left the entertainment world for the family business. "Just be careful and protect Tara," she said in the end. Gemma had always liked Tara. If Lance had truly set his sights on her, there was no way Tara could escape him. But she was cautious and level-headed, and it seemed Lance had genuinely fallen for her. Gemma also now understood why the men had chosen her to be their manager. She knew when to stay in her lane.

Her responsibilities lay solely with their professional dealings; their passion was writing and singing. With little authority beyond that, she refrained from commenting further on the matter. Tara walked into the living room, looking anxious as she saw Lance hanging up the phone. When he noticed her, his expression softened. He pulled her gently into his arms and kissed her. "Are you that worried?" he asked with a trace of amusement. Tara nodded.

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"What did Gemma say?" ---- Lance smiled and held her tighter. "She told me to protect you." Tara looked up in disbelief. "Really? Gemma actually said that?" Lance hummed in confirmation. "You don't need to worry." Before Tara could respond , he captured her lips again, and all she could do was lean into him and kiss him back. Meanwhile, in a suburban villa, Stella had been staring at the trending article for hours. Of course, she recognized the woman in the photos. It was Tara.

Jealousy and bitterness flooded her. It hadn't even been that long since she left, and now Tara was ina relationship with Lance? She couldn't bear to look anymore. She loved Lance, down to her bones. How could Tara end up with him? She wouldn't come to terms with it. Just then, the phone on her lap buzzed to life, and she accepted the call. The caller told Stella the exposé on Lance's girlfriend was all set and wanted to know if she wanted to release it.

---- Stella had been driven nearly insane by jealousy. But suddenly, a memory pushed its way through. It was of Tara holding an umbrella over her wheelchair , shielding her from the pouring rain. Then came the towel Tara had wrapped around her shoulders afterward- warm and thick. That moment had stunned her back then, and now it struck her again. Stella finally saw the difference between them. Tears streamed down her face. She buried her face in her hands, ashamed.

After a long silence, she spoke into the phone. "Don't release it. Please delete everything. I'll still pay you." The man on the line didn't argue. He was in it for the money anyway, and personally, he didn't think Tara had done anything wrong. Plenty of women liked wealthy, handsome men. Just because Stella liked Lance didn't mean Tara couldn't. He readily agreed to delete everything . Less trouble was always better.

Ina prestigious residential district in central Stugard, Tara had spent more than two indulgent weeks living with Lance. But now, she was getting restless. ---- The problem was that Lance never seemed to run out of energy. Every day left Tara physically drained. Her legs had been weak so many times that she lost count. So she quietly submitted a job application to another company without telling him.

She hadn't received any replies to previous applications, and honestly, she wasn't expecting much this time either. But to her surprise, she got a response not long after submitting it. She nearly cried out in joy. Lance was still busy working in the study, so she tried to calm her nerves and excitement. She quickly messaged the HR representative . They said she could start work the next day; the office was close to where she lived. Coincidentally, Lance had plans to go out tomorrow.

Tara decided to treat it as a trial. If things went well, she would tell Lance afterward . If not, there was no need to bring it up at all. Lance had offered her a position at Swain Corp, but she had declined. He didn't push her either. Tara didn't want to get too deeply entangled with him - ---- not yet. After all, no one could predict the future. The massive gap between their worlds still left her feeling insecure in their relationship.