Love or Die CEO’s Daily Dose of Swoon

“Lia…”

Chapter 151

Cordera finished answering the question and turned to her friend with a puzzled look, “What’s up?

Merry, struck dumb, handed her phone over. The moment Cordelia caught sight of the poem on the screen, her brow furrowed in concem.

It was only today that Cordelia had ventured into the world of social media, and she was quickly learning how easy it was for people to launch verbal attacks from behind their screens, without fear of legal repercussions,

“Watching the quiz whiz was cool, but Warren’s comment gotthinking. It does seem a bit like showboating. maybe even a bit attention–seeking.”

“As a parent, I really think kids should just focus on their studies. Trying to make money streaming is not really what a senior in high school should be doing.”

These people had no clue about Merry’s real situation, yet there they were, dishing out accusations and judgments under the guise of concern. How ridiculous!

A spark of anger lit within Cordelia, She quickly typed a response on Merry’s phone, posted it, and handed the phone back.

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Merry, still in a daze, watched as Cordelia stood up, packed her papers and pen into her backpack, and said, “Goodbye.”

Merry was confused.

She watched, rather cluelessly, as Cordelia’s cool figure disappeared through the door. Coming back to her senses, Merry saw the live chat exploding with messages.

“Quiz Queen is so cool.”

“I’ve always wanted to put Warren in his place, but I’m not as eloquent. Watching you take him down was so satisfying.”

This girl is a jack of all trades. I’m going to be her follower.”

Confused, Merry asked, “What just happened?”

The chat roared with laughter, urging her to check the tweet Cordelia had just posted.

As she had been live streaming the entire time, though the camera hadn’t been pointed at Cordelia’s face, their interaction was visible to all her viewers. So, when Cordelia took Merry’s phone to tweet, everyone was in on it.

Merry hastily exited the live stream and logged into her social media to see the tweet Cordelia had posted,

“WhiteLight @Warren.

Grand and upright stands the pine,

Swaying softly, such grace divine,

Without purpose, life can wither,

But with it, one surely thrives.

Verdant and lush, like summer’s glow,

Speaks of life’s purpose, of dreams to sow.

Smay blaze brief as kindling bright,

Others stand as beams, pillars of might.”

In just a few minutes, the post had gathered thousands of comments, all praising her cleverness, and the previously concerned citizen had cback to translate the poem into something more fitting for the

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audience

“Here I am again, not involved in the quarrel, just translating”

“She compared people to the variety of pine trees you’d find in the forests. Pines have sturdy trunks, representing the strength and resilience of a person. Those without such resolve will sooner wither and fail. The lushness of the forest alludes to the profusion of talents. Strees are cut down and turned into firewood to warm houses, suggesting those who misuse their talents may be reduced to a basic utility. However, sbecthe beams that uphold buildings, signifying that people with talent and virtue can becthe pillars of society.”

“Personally, I feel that this poem is better.”

The tweet quickly took off, and Warren, the target of the verse, fell silent, unable to retort. Cordelia had won the poetic duel.

Instead of bringing her down, Warren’s interference had only boosted Merry’s fame, skyrocketing her follower count to a million.

Shocked, Merry couldn’t help but let out an expletive to express her amazement, “Holy shit. What kind of

sorceress is Lia?.”

The live–stream audience was in stitches.

Deciding to ride the wave, Merry continued streaming until ten at night. When she finally signed off and checked her earnings, she was astonished to find she had made twenty thousand dollars in one evening.

As she stared at the money, her recent despair seemed to vanish.

Hungry and without dinner, she found a loaf of bread and ate it with a glass of tap water. After eating, she sat still for a moment, thinking about the harsh words from the social media trolls and the livestream.

Then she thought of Cordelia’s response, always so confident.

Even against a learned man, Cordelia could hold her own. Her life was a testament to the saying “Knowledge is

power.”

Suddenly, Merry’s gaze shifted to the textbooks on her desk.

Though she wasn’t a whiz like Leila, she had the basics down, and she wouldn’t have been in the honors class otherwise. But her parents only saw Leila’s success, always overlooking and scolding

Merry, which only made studying harder and harder.

She had been ready to give up on her studies, but now she felt a sudden urge to hit the books.

Opening her workbook, she began to study.

Before she knew it, it was the wee hours of the morning.

As she bit on her pen, pondering over a tricky math problem, a knock at the door startled her.

“Could it be the girl next door, locked out again?” Merry mused, her hair a disheveled mess and makeup smeared after forgetting to remove it. Preoccupied with her studies, she opened the door without a second thought.

As the door swung open, an irate voice burst through, “Merry.”

Startled, Merry saw Paulina, Cain, and Leila standing outside.

Her face fell instantly, “What are you doing here? You’re not welcome.”

Before she could finish, Paulina lunged forward, seizing her arm, “What has gotten into you? Streaming, really? The whole neighborhood’s been asking if that was you on the intetonight. You’ve dragged the Jordan nthrough the mud. You’re coming hwith me, this instant.”

Merry couldn’t match Paulina’s strength, and with Cain, her father, grabbing her other arm, she struggled,

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crying out, “Letgo. Help.”

The neighbors, hearing the commotion, opened their doors to investigate. Someone asked warily, “What’s going

on here?”

Lella quickly intervened, “She’s my sister. She’s being rebellious. Con, Merry, let’s go home. You’re still a student. How can you just abandon your family for streaming?”

Merry mustered all her strength, trying to cling to the doorframe, but Cain’s male vigor was undeniable. He hoisted her up effortlessly as Merry cried out, “I don’t have parents like you. Letgo.”

The neighbors attempted to intervene until Paulina, with the authority of a family registry, confirmed their relationship. Convinced they were witnessing a rebellious child’s tantrum, they stood by helplessly as Merry was dragged away.

With a thud, Merry landed in the backseat of the car. She tried to escape but was quickly restrained, her wrists bound as she was taken straight home.

The next day in class, Cordelia noticed Merry’s absence.

During the break, Paulina arrived at the school to process her transfer.

But Cordelia sensed something was amiss. She followed Paulina and asked, “Mrs. Jordan, where is Merry transferring to?”