The following day, Riona awoke and accompanied Sophia to the dining room for a meal. May was already there, sipping tea. Still disheartened from the previous day's accusations, Riona remained quiet. May kept glancing at her without saying a word. Just then, Louis joined them and sat beside Riona. "How are your bruises? Did you use the medicine?" he asked, gently touching her forehead to check her temperature. "I'm fine," Riona reassured him, subtly moving her face away.May, observing their interaction, finally spoke up. "You two don't even try to hide it anymore," she said bitterly before storming off. Louis watched her leave, then turned his attention back to Riona. "It's alright," Riona said. "She's been unwelcoming ever since I arrived, so I'm used to it by now."A thought occurred to Louis. "I'll be right back," he said, leaving the dining room to chase after May. He caught up with her in the garden. "May," he called out. She turned, surprised to see him, and asked, "What do you
It became apparent that Riona had slapped Megan across the face, her anger reaching its peak. To the shock of everyone, she said, "You really don't have any manners, do you?" Megan, still stunned by the slap, couldn't process any words."I told you all not to test my patience!" Riona shouted, enraged. She walked up to May and forcefully pulled her to the center of the room. "What are you doing?!" Mrs. Owen exclaimed.Riona glared at Mrs. Owen and shouted, "Don't intervene!" Her tone was so fierce that it left Mrs. Owen shocked and silent.Riona pulled May's hair back, forcing her to look into her eyes. "You really don't know how crazy of a bitch I am, do you? I didn't grow up being pampered by mommy like you, so I've done things you can't even imagine." She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a menacing whisper. "Why do you think Theresa hired me? It's because she knows I'm capable of taking care of Sophia. So don't you dare play tricks to try and ruin my reputation. Or I'm ready to
That night, Lily lay in Greg's arms, recounting the day's events to him. When she mentioned what Theresa had told her, Greg stared at Lily and said, "Don't listen to Theresa. Believe me when I say you don't want to cross her. She's pure evil."Lily sat up, surprised, and asked, "What do you mean she's pure evil? Wasn't she your first love? Are you saying you fell for an evil person?" She then stared at Greg and continued, "Are you hiding anything from me, Greg?"Greg replied defensively, "What do you mean? I'm not hiding anything!"Realizing she might have overreacted, Lily said, "I was just joking." She noticed Greg's tense demeanor and asked, "Are you okay? Why are you so tense?"Greg shook his head and said, "Just tired from work stress.""I should let you rest, then," Lily said, giving him a quick peck on the lips before leaving the room.Later that night, Lily texted Theresa, asking where they could meet to discuss her past. Theresa, smirking, sent her the location of a restauran
As Lily stood up, Carla looked at her with concern and asked, "What are you going to do now?"Lily gazed at her mother and replied, "I'll be back," before getting into a taxi and leaving. Carla watched her daughter depart, her heart aching for all that Lily had been through, and she silently prayed for her daughter's healing and peace.On her way back to the mansion, Lily fought back tears, her hands clenched into fists. When she arrived, she stood in front of the mansion for a while, taking in the sight before heading inside. She began packing her belongings into a suitcase, leaving behind the dresses and gifts Greg had bought for her. She only packed the clothes she had brought with her originally.After finishing packing, Lily sent a text message to Greg: "Can you come home? We need to talk." Then, she made her way to Sophia's room. She played with the child and hugged her, feeling a wave of sadness wash over her as she realized how much she would miss Sophia. The young girl, unawa
Greg arrived at Carla's apartment, his heart pounding in his chest. He knocked on the door, and Carla opened it, her face cold and unwelcoming. "What do you want?" she asked.Greg pleaded, "Please, is Lily with you? I need to talk to her."Carla, protective of her daughter, replied, "She doesn't want to talk to you."Greg begged, "Please, just a minute."Lily emerged from inside the apartment, her arms crossed. She asked, "What do you want, Greg?"Greg replied, desperation in his voice, "Let's talk things out. Please don't leave like this."Lily scoffed, "What's there to talk about? The damage has been done."Greg cut in, "Lily, I love you, and I'd never hurt you. Please let me explain."Lily's annoyance was evident as she said, "I don't need your explanations. Just leave me alone. You don't deserve my love, Greg."Before turning to go back inside, Lily warned him, "I don't ever want to see you again, or I'll call the police and report you for stalking." With that, she stormed back in
A year had passed since Lily left Oakside, returning with her mother to rebuild her life. The time away had given her a chance to heal, reflect, and grow. Although the scars from her past remained, she found solace in focusing on her career and spending time with her family.Lily took charge of the family business with the help of her elder sister Elisa, who Lily had once believed to be her cousin. They reconnected and worked together, while their parents retired and stayed home. Lily had become a changed person – no longer as cheerful as she used to be. She now entered the company wearing luxurious attire from head to toe, reminiscent of her past life. She was back to a life of luxury, as her mother Carla had visited the foster family who had taken her in after the incident and generously compensated them for their care. Lily was now her own boss, determined not to let anyone bring her down again.On the other hand, Greg had returned to his usual cold demeanor. Theresa decided to sta
As Lily and Mason made their way out of the cozy café, Lily's foot caught on an uneven tile, causing her to stumble forward. Before she could hit the ground, a pair of strong hands grabbed her by the shoulders, steadying her. She looked up to thank her rescuer and found herself staring into a familiar pair of eyes – it was Greg, her ex-boyfriend.Lily's heart skipped a beat as she took in his appearance. Time had been kind to Greg, and he looked as handsome as ever. Her mind raced with a thousand thoughts and emotions, but she managed to compose herself enough to utter a meek, "Thank you."Greg smiled, his eyes filled with concern and a hint of nostalgia. "You're welcome, Lily. Are you alright?"Lily nodded, her gaze shifting to Mason, who stood beside her with a look of surprise on his face. She quickly regained her composure, remembering that Greg was a part of her past, not her present. "I'm fine, thanks. Mason stepped forward, placing a supportive hand on Lily's shoulder. "We sho
In Theresa's apartment, her assistant entered and informed her that Lily had returned to town. The assistant happened to be a spy that Theresa had planted in Greg's team to keep tabs on his daily activities and report back to her.Upon hearing the news, Theresa was taken aback. She stood up, shock evident on her face. "She's back? Where? Did you see them together?"The assistant replied, "No, ma'am. They didn't meet, but Lily is in charge of the new mall construction in town."Theresa's expression grew calculating as she processed the information. She then asked, "Did they make contact? Did they talk?""No, ma'am," the assistant said, maintaining an obedient stance.With a dismissive wave of her hand, Theresa said, "You're dismissed for today. Make sure not to miss out on any details from now on."As the assistant left the room, Theresa's expression darkened, a hint of malice in her eyes. "Now, what is that bitch after?" she muttered to herself. "I guess I have to escort Greg everywhe
Desperation filled the air as Greg and Lily racked their brains for a way to diffuse the volatile situation. They knew that every second counted and that Megan's rage was a ticking time bomb.Greg, summoning every ounce of courage he possessed, decided to appeal to Megan's humanity. "Megan," he began, his voice steady despite the fear coursing through his veins, "I can't begin to imagine the pain you've experienced. Losing a child is a tragedy no parent should ever face."Lily, taking Greg's lead, added, "Your son's life was taken too soon, but taking Sophia's life won't bring him back. It will only cause more suffering, more pain."Lily, her eyes locked on Sophia's terrified face, continued, "Please, Megan, think about what you're doing. This isn't the way to honor your son's memory."A sudden, chilling laughter broke through the silence as Megan regained her composure. "You almost had me there," she said with a smirk. "I almost fell for your tricks, Greg. But you knew how much it hu
The next day, Mason and Greg remained at Lily's side in the hospital, the tension between them thick and bitter. Mason had been furious upon learning of the accident, blaming Greg for putting Lily in harm's way. Despite their differences, both men shared a profound concern for Lily's well-being.As Lily stirred from her slumber, her memories, once lost and scattered, began to flood her mind. She winced in pain, clutching her head as the fragmented pieces of her past began to fall into place. In a panic, Greg and Mason rushed to her side, their concern mounting as Lily's condition seemed to worsen.Mason quickly left the room to alert the doctor, and as he did so, Lily passed out, her head coming to rest on Greg's shoulder. The doctor, upon arrival, carefully examined Lily and advised that further tests be conducted as soon as she regained consciousness.With Mason temporarily away on a client briefing, Greg remained at Lily's side, steadfast in his dedication to her recovery. As the h
The drive to Theresa's apartment was heavy with silence, the weight of their shared purpose hanging between them. As they pulled up outside the building, Greg and Lily exchanged a brief glance before stepping out of the car, their faces set with determination.They made their way to Theresa's door, and Greg reached out, knocking firmly. Moments later, Theresa opened the door, her eyes widening in surprise as she took in the sight of Greg and Lily standing together."Greg, Lily," she said, forcing a smile and attempting to maintain her facade of kindness. "It seems you two have patched things up. I'm happy for you both."Greg stared at Theresa, his eyes cold and unflinching. "To think someone would have actually fallen for your pretense," he said, his voice heavy with disgust.Lily remained silent, her gaze fixed on Theresa as she awaited the woman's response."Do what?" Theresa asked, her eyes darting nervously between Greg and Lily as she attempted to maintain her innocence."Why did
Few days later, Lily and Mason made their way to the hypnotherapist's office for their scheduled appointment. However, as they approached the building, they couldn't help but notice that something seemed amiss. The windows were shuttered, and a "Closed" sign hung prominently on the door.Exchanging a worried glance, they ventured inside, only to find the waiting room empty and the office in disarray. Files were scattered across the floor, and the furniture was in disarray, as if someone had left in a hurry.Apprehension growing, Lily and Mason sought out the building manager, who informed them that the hypnotherapist had abruptly packed her belongings and fled the country. The cryptic nature of her departure left Lily and Mason with more questions than answers, and a gnawing suspicion that something was seriously wrong."This can't be a coincidence," Lily murmured, her eyes scanning the chaotic scene before them. "Someone didn't want us to continue these sessions."Mason nodded in agr
"You're back?" Louis finally broke the silence, his voice tinged with a mixture of surprise and concern.Riona nodded in response, her eyes never leaving his. "Yes, I brought Sophia for a short stay with her dad."As Louis studied Riona, he couldn't help but notice a change in her demeanor. The once vibrant and outgoing woman now seemed troubled and distant, as if something heavy weighed upon her heart."It's been a while," Louis said softly, trying to bridge the gap between them. He hesitated before asking, "How have you been?"Before he could finish his question, Riona cut him off abruptly. "I should rest up; I'm a bit tired from the long flight." Her words were clipped, and her tone seemed to suggest that she was eager to end the conversation.Without another word, Riona turned and walked away, her steps echoing in the now silent room. Louis watched her retreat, a sense of unease settling in his chest as he pondered the growing distance between them. It was clear that Riona was avo
In Theresa's apartment, her assistant entered and informed her that Lily had returned to town. The assistant happened to be a spy that Theresa had planted in Greg's team to keep tabs on his daily activities and report back to her.Upon hearing the news, Theresa was taken aback. She stood up, shock evident on her face. "She's back? Where? Did you see them together?"The assistant replied, "No, ma'am. They didn't meet, but Lily is in charge of the new mall construction in town."Theresa's expression grew calculating as she processed the information. She then asked, "Did they make contact? Did they talk?""No, ma'am," the assistant said, maintaining an obedient stance.With a dismissive wave of her hand, Theresa said, "You're dismissed for today. Make sure not to miss out on any details from now on."As the assistant left the room, Theresa's expression darkened, a hint of malice in her eyes. "Now, what is that bitch after?" she muttered to herself. "I guess I have to escort Greg everywhe
As Lily and Mason made their way out of the cozy café, Lily's foot caught on an uneven tile, causing her to stumble forward. Before she could hit the ground, a pair of strong hands grabbed her by the shoulders, steadying her. She looked up to thank her rescuer and found herself staring into a familiar pair of eyes – it was Greg, her ex-boyfriend.Lily's heart skipped a beat as she took in his appearance. Time had been kind to Greg, and he looked as handsome as ever. Her mind raced with a thousand thoughts and emotions, but she managed to compose herself enough to utter a meek, "Thank you."Greg smiled, his eyes filled with concern and a hint of nostalgia. "You're welcome, Lily. Are you alright?"Lily nodded, her gaze shifting to Mason, who stood beside her with a look of surprise on his face. She quickly regained her composure, remembering that Greg was a part of her past, not her present. "I'm fine, thanks. Mason stepped forward, placing a supportive hand on Lily's shoulder. "We sho
A year had passed since Lily left Oakside, returning with her mother to rebuild her life. The time away had given her a chance to heal, reflect, and grow. Although the scars from her past remained, she found solace in focusing on her career and spending time with her family.Lily took charge of the family business with the help of her elder sister Elisa, who Lily had once believed to be her cousin. They reconnected and worked together, while their parents retired and stayed home. Lily had become a changed person – no longer as cheerful as she used to be. She now entered the company wearing luxurious attire from head to toe, reminiscent of her past life. She was back to a life of luxury, as her mother Carla had visited the foster family who had taken her in after the incident and generously compensated them for their care. Lily was now her own boss, determined not to let anyone bring her down again.On the other hand, Greg had returned to his usual cold demeanor. Theresa decided to sta
Greg arrived at Carla's apartment, his heart pounding in his chest. He knocked on the door, and Carla opened it, her face cold and unwelcoming. "What do you want?" she asked.Greg pleaded, "Please, is Lily with you? I need to talk to her."Carla, protective of her daughter, replied, "She doesn't want to talk to you."Greg begged, "Please, just a minute."Lily emerged from inside the apartment, her arms crossed. She asked, "What do you want, Greg?"Greg replied, desperation in his voice, "Let's talk things out. Please don't leave like this."Lily scoffed, "What's there to talk about? The damage has been done."Greg cut in, "Lily, I love you, and I'd never hurt you. Please let me explain."Lily's annoyance was evident as she said, "I don't need your explanations. Just leave me alone. You don't deserve my love, Greg."Before turning to go back inside, Lily warned him, "I don't ever want to see you again, or I'll call the police and report you for stalking." With that, she stormed back in