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THIRTY FIVE
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2025-04-22 23:22:12Lila felt like it was becoming a ritual for her mom to call her first thing in the morning and usually, when that happened, her mood for the entire day. She did not need any of the negativity in her life that day; she wanted to have a good day when she did not have to think of the burden of trying to uphold her family name and honour and her mom breathing down her neck.
She threw the phone to the bed after putting it on silent mode; it was then that she realised that Levi was not lying in bed. As if he heard her thoughts, the showers turned on immediately, and she nodded to herself. She was on vacation so why did he think he needed to be up and early before she did? Her mom kept calling and she knew that by the time she saw her, she was going to get an earful but for now, she chose her peace.
"He is such an early riser," she murmured to herself and that rubbed her the wrong way. He seemed to always be up before her and to her that was now something to compete about. She wondered why and how she had turned out to be that way and to find peace with herself, she could not help but blame her mom for the quality of the life she lived now.
She lay on the bed staring at the ceiling; after a few minutes, she decided to get up and stop acting lazy. As if Levi was really timing her, the showers went off, and she looked to the door, knowing he was going to come out of the bathroom any moment from then. She did not know what she was expecting but she let out a long breath when he came out of the bathroom with only a towel tied around his waist and his chest wet.
She knew he was in there freshening up and yet she still looked his way. She tried everything in her power to look away from him but her eyes stayed glued to his chest. It was unlikely that he was that built and looked so strong.
Levi looked to the bed and when he noticed that she was not there any longer, he looked up and caught her staring at him. He looked at her and she pulled her eyes away from him.
"You are always up early," she said, trying to act as if she had not been staring at him like he was a snack she could not wait to devour. She wanted to tell him that it was inappropriate for him to walk around half-naked but she did not want him to think that it was affecting him in any way. He could walk around naked and that wouldn't make her hate him any less.
"I am an early bird; I do better in the morning," he replied and she nodded. She went back to the bed and pretended to pick up her phone to scroll through it. He walked across the bed and even though she was watching her phone, she watched him with the corner of her eyes. She knew she should not be looking at him that way and that she would be embarrassed if he caught her again but it was as if his body was constantly calling his name as she walked by.
"You, on the other hand, sleep in; do you always sleep in?" He asked as he gently rubbed lotion all over his body. She knew that he knew what was going on. He decided to put on lotion as if he were in a commercial. She heard him but she did not know how to respond so she let silence linger in the air.
"You are stripping me; I can feel your eyes stripping me but if you are doing that then I fear..." he stopped when she jumped out of the bed with her hand on her chest.
"What on earth do you think you are saying?" she asked, looking at him with her red cheeks. She knew she had been caught but still, she could not just give in like that.
"I was just saying what I had observed," he replied, going into the van where their bags were. He popped his head through the door and she was still staring.
"I am going to get coffee; do you want some?" She asked; she had to leave that place immediately or else she did not know what might happen if she stayed. They had too many near-close intimate incidents; she felt it on the vacation because there was no way she was feeling it for real. He had seen her vulnerable too many times and now she was feeling safe with him. She walked to the door briskly, not waiting for his response before she was out of the door.
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She got back to the room with two large coffees, put them on the table and went to the toilet immediately. Levi was already dressed and that she was grateful for. He went to the table and picked up one of the coffees. "I will assume that this is for me," he said, sipping from it. She did not respond as she closed the door. She was not feeling coffee but the incident between them had forced her to get some and she would be glad if he drank both cups. While she wandered around downstairs, giving him all the time to get dressed, she could not help but continuously replay the image of his body in her mind. She hated that she liked what she saw.She spent a good time in the toilet, having her bath, and just freshening up. Since she got to the suite, she had not done anything for herself, and it felt tiring. Once she was done,, she felt like a huge load was lifted off her shoulders. She dressed up and joined him on the sofa."Should we go out for breakfast?" she asked because sitting down w
Last Updated : 2025-04-22Legacy of Love and War THIRTY SEVEN
They continued talking about random things without trying to touch on any personal topics. Finally, they were done with breakfast. "This is one of the longest breakfasts I have had," Lila began and he threw her a look. "Breakfast is usually something that is done in a hurry to meet up with the hustle and bustle of the day," she added, trying to explain to him. He wanted to tell her that they could have breakfast together from then on but he did not know if it was crossing the line or if they were cool enough for that to happen between them. "I hope it was worth the length." He said and she nodded. "It wasn't bad." She scrunched up her nose, ready to get up. "I have some business I need to attend to, so you can go to the room yourself and I will meet you there later," Levi broke the news to her. "Oh," she settles back into the chair. She thought they would go back up together, but for some reason walking alone to the room scared her. What if she made a mistake again and it result
Last Updated : 2025-04-22Legacy of Love and War THIRTY EIGHT
"You know that I am more of an expert on love than you are so I think we should take my word for it when I call someone hot," Jasmine retorted. "I mean, I would not call him ugly; he is just like any other John Doe out there; the only catch is that he has money," she said, laughing. She tilted her head to her friend and added in a low tone. "If he did not, then he wouldn't be as desirable," Lila said with distaste in her mouth.Jasmine knew that Lila was as strong-headed as a pitbull and that it was going to take a lot to convince her about Levi. Lila and Levi had been at each other's throat for a long time so it was even a wonder to Jasmine how they were able to put all differences aside and just accept to be together for the sake of her family; she was not sure she would be able to do anything like that for her family. They continued talking about random things and Lila could not help but feel grateful that she had not been left alone. At least Jasmine being there did great for he
Last Updated : 2025-04-22Legacy of Love and War THIRTY NINE
"Get changed," Lila threw at Levi as soon as he walked through the room door. He stopped with the door closing behind him, looking back as if someone had followed him in. He pointed to himself and she nodded. "Yes, you get changed," she said, going to pull him into the room. As she touched him, she felt something pass through her body, but she ignored it. She pulled him into the room and she knew with his weight it was possible only because he allowed it. "Where are we going?" He asked as he stopped in the middle of the room. "We have to give the paparazzi something to talk about," she said and he tilted his head. "I thought what we gave them this morning was supposed to keep them busy for a while." "Well, I feel like if we are here, we should milk it as much as we can get; I don't think we might get an opportunity like this again," she said. He knew that her mom probably had something to do with her acting like that but he refused to say anything about it. "So where are we goin
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"Let me tell you a secret," Lila said as they sat with their backs to the counter that separated them from the bartender. "A secret?" Levi replied, glancing at her before focusing on the moving bodies on the dance floor. "Yes, it's a secret," she nodded. "Well, I guess I'll be honoured to hear it then," he said, still trying to control his gaze from wandering to her. "I hate nightclubs," she declared as if it were a top secret. "The blinding lights, the excessive drinking, the sweaty bodies rubbing against each other." She paused as if she were counting off a list. " All of it, I hate it," she finished. "That is no secret to me; I mean, considering how uptight you are, this is not a surprise," he said and she glared at him. "You are calling me upright.""Because you are," he said, pressing his lips together. "I understand though; the club isn't really a place I like to be either," he said and that caused her to gasp. "But you're a social butterfly," she muttered and he nodded.
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Lila turned to him and laughed before pulling him off the dance floor. She was panting as if she had run a marathon. "That's enough dancing for today," she said casually, still holding his hand. "Should we head back to the room?" He asked, and she nodded. "I think we have enough experience for ourselves and the paparazzi." "Wait here," he said, and before she could ask him why he was out of sight. She clutched her bag tightly as she looked down at her feet to realize her shoes were still gone. She hoped that Levi had gone to get the shoes for her because they were a pair she really liked. Levi approached the bartender and bought a bottle of water before sighting Lila's shoes still in the same place she had kicked them off. He picked them up, smiling from ear to ear for no reason, before happily going to meet her. "Why not dance with me?" A man asked. He looked up and saw the man close to Lila. He was so close that there was barely any space for her to escape. He was big and towe
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Lila groaned in bed as she shifted from side to side. She looked around as she tried to process where she was. She blinked and memories flooded her mind, beginning from when she had agreed to marry Levi to how drunk she was yesterday. She remembered every small detail that happened yesterday and was grateful that she had not embarrassed herself while drunk last night. She sat up in bed and something on the nightstand caught her eye.She picked up the sticky note and a card of hangover pills fell out; she read it and a smile unknowingly climbed her face. 'I have important business to take care of this morning; there is something to eat on the table and this is something for your hangover. Take Care'She smiled but then a frown took over on her face. She could not believe that he was caring for her while running to that woman from the other day. "Why doesn't he just stay with her instead of shuffling back and forth between us?" she murmured as she crumbled the paper in hand and threw it
Last Updated : 2025-04-23Legacy of Love and War FORTY THREE
Lila sighed when she got her mom's call. Levi was back in the room and her mom was demanding to get dinner with both of them before she left. Lila knew that it was going to be uncomfortable for her to sit through dinner with her mom constantly throwing jabs at her in front of Levi. She knew Levi might have been going through the same with his parents but still, it was a bit embarrassing for her to show him that side of her."Wasn't there any other thing to wear out?" Eleanor asked immediately, and they sat. Lila rolled her eyes as she tried to control the anger she felt from knowing that her mother was going to say worse. She looked down at her dress; she had been satisfied by the clothes she picked out before she left the room but no, her mother's tone was making her doubt herself. "You are in the eye of the public constantly; why don't you stick to wearing designer brands? Do you want me to send you a personal stylist?" she asked.If she wasn't her mother, she would have pegged her
Last Updated : 2025-04-23
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Legacy of Love and War SIXTY
"And you..." Lila trailed off in response as she was expecting him to say something."Wait, what?""You were speaking, and then you trailed off. It felt like you wanted to say something and changed your mind midway," she said."I don't know what to make of this," he replied with a frown."Make of what?""You and this conversation, it's frustrating with you.""Frustrated with me?" She scoffed and crossed her hand over her chest. "What on earth is that supposed to mean?" Levi looked at her, and her face was screaming a demand for an apology. "Well, explain?" she said when he stayed quiet, rubbing his lips together."One moment you are cold as ice, and the other moment you are very hot. So hot it is kind of scary," he replied."I don't get it." She was not usually slow, but his words strung together were not making any sense to her at all. She was hot and cold? "Are you writing a poem?" she asked. If this were any other situation, she might have laughed in his face that he was saying a b
Legacy of Love and War FIFTY NINE
Lila went back to the room and bade her father farewell before she left for the manor. She wondered how her life with Levi and her family was going to be. Her mother had to stay with her dad in the hospital, and her sisters were in their own homes, which left her alone in the house with nothing to do. She knew that her mother would frown on her having her cousins or friends over, so she was left to her thoughts all by herself. Since the honeymoon period was still extended, they could not go back to work just yet.By the time she got into the room that night, Levi had chosen a side of the bed and was already sound asleep. She did not want to bother him, so she silently got changed and slipped into bed. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, and her eyes only came open by the next morning.Levi had told her that he was a morning bird, and she was not surprised that he was not in bed when she woke up. She did her morning routine and went down to get something to eat. The sta
Legacy of Love and War FIFTY EIGHT
Lila left the room after a while. She was feeling overwhelmed and seeing her father like that was not great for her either. She took a stroll, finding the coffee shop in the hospital She was grateful for it as she felt tired and needed something to keep her awake. She ordered some black coffee and sat down to sip on the coffee while watching the doctors and patients walk around the place. She had been still for a long time, just occasionally filling her mouth with the warm, bitter liquid. After a while, she felt someone sit beside her, and she could tell it was a familiar presence. She looked, and it was her mom sitting close to her. She mentally prepared herself for whatever it was that her mouth was about to say. "Are you okay?" Eleanor asked, Lila slowed and turned her head to her with a confused expression. There was no doubt that her mom loved her, but the way she acted every time was something she could not wrap her mind around. "Yes, Mom," she replied. She had to admit that
Legacy of Love and War FIFTY SEVEN
As Lila showed Levi around the house, she could not help but get this chilly feeling from him. She wanted to ask him questions, but she was not sure what kind would be appropriate for him, so she kept them all to herself. After they had identified the room they would have to stay in, she turned to him."Are you sure this would be okay? We can tell my mom that this won't work and go back to the house, where we would have separate rooms.""It's fine," he said as if they were in an argument."I might be wrong, but I get a feeling that you are mad at me. Did I do something wrong?" She asked, trying to cast her mind back to when she started feeling the coldness from him, but nothing stood out to her."Nothing," he said like a child who was sulking about being denied some candy. Suddenly, it clicked in her mind that he was probably missing Fiona after all; they had to leave so quickly that they had no chance to say goodbyes. Knowing that was why he was all moody was hurtful to her, but she
Legacy of Love and War FIFTY SIX
"It's impossible," Lila shook her head; it made no sense for her mom to ask her to move in with them. She was planning on keeping all the distance with her parents until the one year elapsed. Her plan was simple, and now her mom had somehow found out the plan and was ready to ruin it."That's what I said, but the bags," Elizabeth said as their eyes followed the staff carrying them in. Lila knew that asking them to stop was pointless; if she wanted to change anything, she needed to speak to her mom first, and then they could take the bags back to the car for her. "What are you going to do about it?" Elizabeth asked because she knew how difficult it was to resist their mom; she was persuasive and could get you to do anything she wanted to."Don't worry," Lila said, shaking her head. She did not have a plan, but she was sure that there was no way they would end up staying there. There was enough room to house about three families comfortably, but still she could not bring herself to thin
Legacy of Love and War FIFTY FIVE
Although Eleanor had given Lila and Levi a week more to stay, she called them to hurry back. A private jet was sent to bring them back to the city. Lila wondered what could be wrong and the reason why they had to hurry back. She felt a bad feeling in her gut, but knowing that her mom was a straightforward person and would tell her if something was wrong immediately, she knew that her mom probably changed her mind after sleeping on it all night.Levi had agreed to leave the island as well without asking any questions. Lila could not understand why he acted that way. If she were the one on the receiving end, she would have asked a ton of questions that might send the other party into frustration. He packed up his bags and was ready to leave for the airport before she could do the same.They left the hotel and headed to the airport for the plane ride. Levi was quiet, and Lila could not understand it because they had agreed to be friends, but he seemed cold to her. Maybe she had misunders
Legacy of Love and War FIFTY FOUR
Although Levi had told her to rest up, she could not bring her mind to do that; she needed to know what he was going to do and how he was going to do it. She also wanted to know how her father was, but she knew that calling him or her mother was pointless as Eleanor would refuse to tell her anything. She knew that her sisters were the only way to go and since Elizabeth was more mature, she was the one she decided to call first. Elizabeth did not pick up so she tried to call Victoria and it was the same case. She concluded that they were probably in the hospital and they did not want to pick it up in front of their parents. She kept on thinking of how she had ruined her father’s dream of getting Skyline just because she wanted to feel comfortable. Her father’s words rang in her mind as she paced in front of the bed. ‘You can sacrifice a little comfort for great gain,’ he always said to her, and she could see that it was true. She should have never been considered enough to turn down
Legacy of Love and War FIFTY THREE
As soon as Lila walked into the room, Levi could tell that she was not the same woman he had left behind. Something must have happened. She looked sad and angry at the same time. She did not acknowledge his presence; instead, she moved to one of the couches and sat silently. Levi wanted to ask her what was troubling her, but he was not sure if she would appreciate the efforts or even tell him what was wrong. He waited a few minutes for her to come forward by herself to tell him what was wrong but nothing happened, leaving of her to speak She sat still, looking ahead. "Lila?" he called because the silence was killing him. They had just resolved their differences and agreed to be friends, and that meant they could rely on each other. She slowly turned to him with her eyes sad and wet. He moved closer to her and bent so they were on the same level. "Are you okay?" he asked. She opened her mouth to respond to his question, but the words never got out of her mouth, and tears flowed down
Legacy of Love and War FIFTY TWO
A woman came to address all of the couples who had shown up. After speaking at length, she asked them all to come back the next day, as that was when the competition was going to begin. After that, she disappeared, and the room began to clear out. Weaving through the crowd, both of them found their way out of the place."I can not believe that I am doing something like this," Levi said as they walked to the elevator."We already wrote down our name and attended the first meeting. I don't think there is any need to not believe it anymore," Lila responded. She also could not believe that she had willingly tried to put herself in the eye of the public but all she could think of was the prize attached to this.Her phone began ringing in her hand, and somehow she feared it was her mom. She looked at the screen and felt a burning, bitter sensation rise up her stomach as she stared at it. It was her mom, and she never once had a good conversation with her mom over the phone. It was always so
