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Chapter 3
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2024-10-29 19:42:56“Who?” She asks again, letting go of her father’s arms.
“William Rhodes, the owner of one of the most successful hotel groups in the whole world. Partner at Intra Vires, one of the most well-known law firms in the world. I have mentioned him a few times.” Lianna shakes her head and laughs softly at her dad’s frustration. “Of course, you wouldn’t know. You never listen.” Her dad sighs.
“I do listen, Dad. But I don’t recall you ever mentioning him before. He sounds important,” she jokes and bends down to pick up her dad’s cane. “So, does this William fellow know about your plans?” She throws the cane to her dad and he catches it in the air.
She walks to the house but turns around to face her father. She continues backward, her gaze still on her dad. He uses the crane to support him as he follows her.
“Yes, I met his father at a conference in New York last week. We talked about many things, including the marriage situation. We both agreed that it would not hurt if you guys could get to know each other. And that brings me to the final talking point." Her dad gestures with a dramatic hand gesture.
She lets out a laugh and stops walking.
“They invited us for dinner tonight. I got a dress for you and Gloria will help you to get ready. It is a big night. I want you to look and act your best.” Lianna flashes a smile and turns back around.
“Okay, I’ll get ready. See you,” she shouts over her shoulder and rushes through the door and up the stairs to her room. She sees Gloria down the hallway and calls her name.
As Gloria turns around, Lianna grabs her hand and forces her to run with her to her room. Gloria struggles to keep up but Lianna does not stop until she reaches her room.
Once they are in the room, Gloria pants and leans against the nearby wall.
“Lianna, my dear. I am much older since you left. I am in no shape to do that,” Gloria breathes out. Lianna pats Gloria's back and giggles.
“Don’t you die on me. You still have a good life in front of you.” Lianna weeps, pretending to be panicked.
“You little- I’m not that old.” Gloria scoffs and removes Lianna’s hand. She stands up, still leaning against the wall.
“Aw, are you angry?” Lianna throws her arms around Gloria. “I’m sorry,” she says in a baby voice. Gloria attempts to push Lianna off, but Lianna tightens her arms around Gloria.
“I must admit, I do not miss all this energy.” Lianna clicks her tongue and lets go of Gloria.
“Well, I missed you,” Lianna says and turns on her heel to her bathroom. Gloria shakes her head with a grin. She cannot believe Lianna did not change a bit. A loud gasp gets her attention and she shuffles closer to the bathroom.
“Is something the matter? What happened?” Gloria enters the bathroom. Lianna’s eyes are wide with her jaw dropped. She removes the dress from the hanger and shows it to Gloria.
“Dad got me this dress?” Gloria nods her head. Lianna squeals and hugs Gloria again. “It’s beautiful. Thank you so much.” Her excitement fills the bathroom and she places the dress on her bed. She lets her hand trail over the soft blue silk, amazed at the lace sleeves. It must have cost him an arm and a leg.
“Shoo, off you got. Take a shower. I can smell the school on you.” Gloria tugs Lianna’s arm and pushes her into the bathroom. Lianna complies and closes the door behind her. She plays around with the faucet and shrieks when the cold water hits her body.
“Lianna! We need to get going.” Her father’s voice travels down the hall to her room. Gloria helps her to finish her makeup. She takes the pink clip-ins and lifts them to her hair, but Gloria grabs them.
"No, you cannot wear this nonsense tonight," Gloria scolds and puts them back. Lianna crosses her arms and pouts. Gloria ignores her and dabs some powder on her nose which causes Lianna to sneeze.
“Apologies dear.” Gloria sprays hairspray onto Lianna’s neat bun. She pulls a stray hair from Lianna’s head. Lianna clicks her tongue, but she does not complain. Beauty is pain. That is what Gloria always said when Lianna was little. Gloria steps away and Lianna sees herself in the mirror.
“Wow, you did a fantastic job. Thanks, G,” Lianna says and pulls Gloria down for a peck on her cheek. Gloria groans in protest, but Lianna dismisses her. She then stands up and grabs her heels on the way to the door. She waves to Gloria and blows her a kiss.
“You look beautiful. Good luck.” Lianna beams and exits her room, running down the hall. She sees her dad waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. She runs down the stairs to the living room and sits carefully on the couch. She pulls on her heels and takes a deep breath.
While Lianna waits for her dad to finish the call, she scrolls through I*******m. She found a William Rhodes, but she is not sure whether it is the right one. All that she could find out so far was that he does not like to post pictures about himself. Everything is either promoting the law firm or a hotel opening.
“Ready?” Her dad turns around. “Look at you, kid. You look beautiful,” he says and takes her hand. She fans herself as she stands up, bowing at his compliment. He chuckles and they both walk to the car. He opens the door for her and she gets in, thanking him.
“Are you nervous?” he asks as he buckles his seatbelt.
“Of course. These people are not parents from the school. Ugh, I need to get into the right mindset.” Lianna shakes her hands out and rolls her head. Her dad starts the car and exits through the gates.
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The massive white gates swing open, allowing Lianna and her dad to enter. They drive slowly while they look at their surroundings. Trees surround the house with a large Olympic swimming pool next to the house. Lianna gawks out the window at all the flowers in the enormous garden that enfolds the house.“Behave.” Her dad taps her leg and she returns to her normal sitting position.The car stops in the driveway and a woman comes into their view. She is short with a stern look on her face that sends shivers down Lianna’s spine. She has been so caught up in her world, she forgot about this world. She forces a small smile and all the childhood memories come flashing back. She forgot how cold and cruel this world is.“She scares me,” Lianna says through her teeth, keeping her forced smile. Her dad nudges her arm as a sign to get out of the car. Before she opens the door, she takes a deep breath in. Just do not do anything stupid.She climbs out of the car and takes her dad’s arm They walk un
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Lianna has to force the salmon down her throat and nearly throws up when she swallows the last piece. She gulps down the meat with the water.Why did she not just say she is allergic to seafood? Why is expensive food most of the time so revolting? She ignores the shudder that tries to escape.“Lianna, you have been extremely quiet during dinner. Why don’t you tell us more about yourself?” Rose rests back in her chair with that thin smile of hers.Does that woman know how to smile? Lianna wishes she could say no thank you, but it would be rude. She sits straighter and wipes her mouth with the napkin.“Certainly. What would you like to know?” Lianna’s eyes shift to William and he watches her intently. She averts her gaze back to Rose.“Where did you study?”“Ah, well it is not as impressive as Harvard Law School. I studied music at North Dakota State University and then education with psychology at Columbia University.”“Did you not get into Harvard or Yale?” William mentally cringes at
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Lianna hands Maeve a mug filled with coffee and sits down across from Maeve on the chair. Maeve takes a sip before she continues.“I still can’t believe it. You’re getting married? I never thought I’d see the day.” Maeve places the mug next to her. “And you’re getting married to none other than William Rhodes. I’m so jealous,” Maeve says with a giggle. Lianna rubs her eyebrow and lets out a tired sigh.“How do you even know who he is?” Lianna crosses her legs on the chair and leans back.“His name appears a lot in the news and he is constantly in the tabloids. He is so dreamy. And you’re getting married to him,” Maeve says, placing a soft punch against Lianna’s arm. Lianna rolls her eyes while shaking her head.“Sheesh, so he is like a celebrity?" Maeve nods her head with excitement. Lianna laughs at her reaction."One of these days you'll be reading about me.""Don't even joke about that." Maeve takes another sip from her mug. Lianna stretches out her legs."At least I will get to kno
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Loud laughter snaps him back to reality and he looks to his left. He pushes himself off the wall and narrows his eyes. Is that . . . Lianna? The girl walks closer to him, still laughing loudly. He notices the dark blue highlights in her hair. She did not have those last night, did she? She seems so different from last night.“Look at you. You’re a mess,” Lianna says, followed by more laughter. William closes his eyes and sighs heavily. At least she made it. “What happened to you? Why are your shoes covered in mud? And your coat?” William looks down at his shoes. He tries to calm his breathing, the anger rising in his chest. Why is she laughing?“I had to walk all the way because my driver could not drop me here. Why didn’t you give me better instructions on how to get to your apartment?” He stares into her eyes and sees how her smile disappears.She clicks her tongue and walks closer to him. Rich people are always so serious.“Are you angry? Aw, mianhae.” Lianna says with her hands tog
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William sits on the bed, drying his hair and talking to his mother. He has not told her about Lianna’s living conditions. He is aware that she will use this as an excuse to get him out of the marriage. The call does not last long, and his mother ends it without saying goodbye. She is still furious that he might get married to Lianna and not the girl she chose for him.“Dinner is ready!” Lianna calls and William gets up. He walks out of the room into the living room. There is a nice aroma of soup hanging in the air. Lianna is busy placing two bowls on the island with spoons.She lifts her head when she senses William coming closer. She gestures for him to sit down. “How was the shower?” she asks while she gets the bread from the refrigerator.“It was fine, thank you,” he answers and takes his seat across from her. She eyes him for a moment before she shakes her head slightly. “Bon Appetit,” she says suddenly and dips the bread into the soup. William sighs and takes a piece of the bread
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Lianna has managed to clean the whole kitchen and living room within an hour. William is sitting on the couch with his laptop on his lap. He would occasionally look up and see Lianna dancing to the songs.She is currently busy sorting things out in the bedroom. A gag echoes from the bedroom, followed by Lianna almost falling out of the door. A soft chuckle escapes him.“I asked him to stop the horror of the broccoli, but it is only getting worse. Ugh, where’s the fan? How are you going to sleep there tonight? You will be gassed,” she says and gags again.William watches her struggle to get a box from on top of the shelf. He places the laptop on the table, gets off the couch, and walks to the shelf.“Here,” he says and lifts the box from the shelf. He hands it to Lianna before returning to the couch.“Kamsamida,” she says without even looking at him as she is walking back to the bedroom. He sits down with a sigh and stares at the empty PowerPoint in front of him. He does not even know
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William checks his watch while he sits in the corner of the restaurant. The waiter stops at the table and checks if he wants to order. He declines and explains that he is still waiting.Giggles erupt from a few tables away from him. Two girls are staring at him and wave when he looks at them. He gives them a quick smile and waves back. They giggle again before standing up from their chairs.William rests his hands on the table, keeping his eyes on them. They quickly make their way over to him.“Can we get a picture with you?” they ask innocently, and he smirks.“Of course. Here,” he says, standing up. They put their arms around his waist and the girl lifts her phone to take a picture. He places his arms around their shoulders and gives his signature skewed smile.She snaps the picture and checks to see whether they look good. She nods her head and takes her friend's arm. They thank him as he sits back down and they head back to their table. He watches them sit down and smiles to himsel
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William unlocks the door with the spare key Lianna left for him this morning. He enters the apartment and throws his stuff onto the island. He loosens his tie and sits down on the couch. The sun shines through the window, and the heat warms his skin. He lies back on the couch with closed eyes.“Lianna?” A high voice calls from behind the closed door. William frowns and looks at the door. It swings open and a small figure walks into the apartment. A little girl appears next to the island. She stares at William with big eyes.“Where is Lianna?”“She’s not here.” William sits up. Who is this girl?“When will she be here?”“Probably soon.” The little girl walks over to the coffee table and sits on the chair, crossing her legs. William notices her dirty feet on the light blue chair.“What’s your name?” she asks and tugs her hair behind her ears with both hands. William stands up and walks back to the kitchen.“William,” he answers and closes the door.“I’m Daisy. And I’m seven,” she says pr
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William groans softly as he opens his eyes. He looks around the dark room, hearing music from the radio. He lets out a sigh and closes his eyes again.Lianna stirs next to him and he remembers that she is next to him. He turns his eyes to her, looking at her through heavy lids. She has a peaceful look on her face and her arms are wrapped around his chest and waist. A smile spreads on his face as he relishes the warmth and comfort.He turns on his back, lifting her head so that his arm can slither between her neck and the pillow. He pulls her closer to him before closing his eyes. The loud sounds of the nearby apartments allow him to appreciate this life. The one Lianna had shown him. To find peace amidst all the noise and chaos.With a wide smile, William drifts back to sleep.Laughter rumbles through William and his eyes shoot open. He takes a moment to orientate himself. He feels Lianna next to him, talking to someone. He notices his arms wraps around her middle and he turns his hea
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The cab stops near him and he hurriedly gets into the car. The facility is quite a drive from the apartment and by the time he gets to the apartment, it is already half past ten.Luckily, Lianna is not home yet, so he has time to take a shower and make himself some food. He sits on the couch as he eats his spaghetti bolognese. His eyes scan all the pictures and books on the bookshelf in front of him. At first, he thought that this apartment might lead him to insanity, but he appreciates the distractions.A photo catches his attention and he gets up, placing his plate on the coffee table. He walks to the shelf and takes one of the pictures that were standing out from the shelf. It is a large picture of what looks like Lianna, but it is not Lianna. William inspects the picture and concludes that it might be Lianna’s mother. She looks exactly like Lianna, except for the green eyes and darker skin, She is holding two baby turtles. William smiles at the picture and realizes that Lianna and
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The cab driver bids William farewell and William turns to the facility in front of him. “Harmony Haven Residence” decorates the pale building. He stuffs his hands into his pockets, trying to pull himself together.“William,” one of the nurses greet him. She walks up to him, her hands full of papers and files. “How are you?” She gestures for him to follow her and he obliges.“Busy, but I cannot complain.” She nods knowingly and stops when they reach the elevator. William pushes the button for the doors to open since Nurse Madrich’s hands are full. He pushes the button for the fifth floor and the doors close.“Has anyone else come to visit her since the last time I was here?” he asks. The nurse shakes her head.“We missed you last week, but unfortunately, no one has come to visit Nora. You are the only one,” she says with sadness in her voice. He hums absentmindedly.The elevator comes to a stop and the doors open slowly. William embraces himself and exits the elevator. Nurse Madrich le
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William walks through the door of the bedroom, heading to the kitchen. He passes Lianna who is still asleep on the couch. The conversation between her and her dad replays in his head.He stops to look at her, wondering what her intentions are. She has been pretending everything is fine for the last few days. She did not once mention Evelyn or his mother. How can she forget things so easily?A sharp sound pulls him from his thoughts. There is a reminder on his phone.NoraAnother exhausted sigh leaves his lips. He completely forgot about that. He chuckles at himself. He supposes that is why he had the reminder; to remind him.He grabs his suitcase and adjusts his tie. He glances back at Lianna, contemplating whether he should say good luck. He could always just send a text.No, he could not do that.His feet carry him back to the couch where Lianna is sleeping. Her hair is sprawled out on the pillow and she is sleeping in a strange position. How has her back not disintegrated from slee
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A knock at the door drags them from the moment. Lianna lets go of William and stands up, making her way to the door. William wipes his eyes and face, ensuring that Lianna would not be able to tell that he cried.“Dad.” William also gets up and waits for John to appear. Lianna’s dad enters and smiles widely when he sees William.“Ah, William. So nice to see you,” John says, holding his hand out and William shakes his hand.“What are you doing here?” William asks, glancing at Lianna who is busy making coffee in the kitchen. Did she tell her dad about what happened? It makes sense.“Lianna called for security, but apparently the threat left. I just came to see whether you two are still okay.” John sits down on the couch and William sits on the chair.“Oh, yeah, yeah. We are fine. So, this is security?” William asks, chuckling at the idea that Evelyn and his mother were so scared about security. It was just Lianna’s dad all along. It’s quite funny.Lianna places the mugs on the table and
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There is nothing.He hears his mother arguing and he opens his eyes.“No, lady. Not in my apartment. Thank you very much for dropping, or rather breaking, in,” Lianna says while she drags Rose out of the apartment. Rose tries to fight back, but Lianna has her in a tight hold and forces her out through the door. Evelyn rushes to William to check on him.“Just leave,” he mutters, stepping away from her. She lets out a huff before she stomps past him, calling after Rose.“If you don’t leave, I’m calling security.” William hears Lianna saying from the hallway.“You can’t afford security,” Evelyn remarks. “No, wait, wait.”William walks to the door and peaks his head out to see what is going on. Lianna is talking on the phone to what seems to be security while his mother and Evelyn rush down the hall to the stairs.“Wait till your father hears about this,” Rose calls over her shoulder to William. Lianna finishes her phone call and looks to where Rose and Evelyn disappear down the stairs. S
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William swiftly opens the door and enters the apartment, leading Lianna with him. His eyes scan the apartment as he looks for his mother and Evelyn. Where are-“I cannot believe he chooses to live like this,” Evelyn’s voice rings through the apartment. His mother appears from the bedroom with Evelyn on her heels.William lets out a silent sigh, already aware of what is going to happen. His grips tighten on Lianna’s arm, pulling her even closer to him.“What is going on?” Lianna asks in a whisper from behind him. He gives her a quick warning glance and she purses her lips together with a frown.“William,” his mother says with a scornful tone. He steps forward and lets go of Lianna. Another sigh leaves his mouth.“Mother, and Evelyn,” he greets them with a bow of his head. His mother takes a few steps toward him, her arms crossing across her chest.“William.” His mother glares at him. “You should have told me that this was your living condition. I would have told your father you wanted t
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Light rain tickles Lianna’s face as she makes her way out of the school, William running in front of her. They had finished the color run, but it started to rain while they were cleaning up. They managed to finish packing up and are now hurrying to the car that William arranged for them.“Come on,” William calls over his shoulder, slowing his pace so that Lianna can catch up. She falls into step next to him and he lifts his jacket over them to shelter them from the rain.William leads her to the abandoned building across from the school where they can wait for the car. He ushers Lianna to the nearest wall which serves as protection from the weather. Lianna falls back against the wall and rests her hands on her knees. She tries to catch her breath. William also rests against the wall, running his hand through wet hair.“Ugh, I am soaked,” she says, twisting her shirt between her hands to get the water from it. William turns his gaze to her and notices that her white shirt is clinging to
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William leans against the wall, looking around at his surroundings. There are a few people walking past him, all on their own mission.He turns his gaze to the school building across the street from him. The school building looks abandoned, except for a few children running through the halls. The pale grass in front of the school building makes him feel depressed.He checks his watch and lets out a frustrated sigh. Blake wanted to see him before he went to the color run. And now he is going to be late. He will just explain the situation to Lianna. She will understand. She always does.“Oi, why are you standing out in the open?” Blake’s gravel voice startles William. He jerks his head to Blake and finds him standing around the corner of the wall.“Good afternoon, Blake,” William greets while making his way over to him. Blake lets out a grunt as he leads them around the old wall. They come to a stop and Blake rests against the old wall.William steps next to Blake and crosses his arms.
