Lily’s Point of ViewI searched my wardrobe and found a corporate outfit, one of my old work dresses. I chose a black suit with tailored pants and a white camisole underneath. I packed my hair in a bun, grabbed my bag, and headed downstairs. Through the window, I saw that the driver had arrived. "Bye, Mum," I shouted."Bye, Lily," she echoed as I shut the door.I entered the car, and we headed to the infamous Weston Global. As we arrived, I took a moment to appreciate the gigantic building, its glass exterior mirroring the sun. Taking a deep breath, I walked in. A personal assistant was already waiting to take me to Thomas. We arrived at his glass-walled office. He was hunched over his desk, engrossed in a pile of papers. “Hello,” I said softly, watching as his gaze lifted and his lips curved into a smile.“Welcome, Lily,” he said, standing up. He walked over, kissed me on my lips, and guided me to a chair in, front, of his desk. “You have a beautiful office,” I noted. My, eyes scan
Lily’s Point of View I walked around the room admiringly. It was huge. “This will be your room soon,” he said, capturing my lips in his, deepening the kiss as he took off my jacket. I pulled away. “We should stop,” I said. “Why? You’ll be my wife soon,” he said, pulling me back to himself and kissing me again. His hands swiftly unbuttoned my shirt. I tried to resist him, but his grip was strong. I used my strength to push him away forcefully. “Stop,” I said. “What is the problem?” He asked, irritated. “This was your suggestion, to spend the day in my world. I usually end, my day with a woman in my bed and now we’re about to be married. That makes you the ideal woman for me to spend the night with,” he said. “We’re not married yet,” I said. “I can’t have sex with you before our marriage; my beliefs won’t allow it.” “What does that matter?” He asked with a hunger set to devour me. “I am attracted to you—that’s no secret—and I will be your husband soon. We might as well s
Lily’s Point of View As I followed the lady to meet Mr. Geoffrey Weston, my heart pounded, feeling as if it might leap out of my chest. He was sitting in a quiet part of the mansion, sipping scotch from a glass. I walked in, watching him from behind before moving to stand in front of him. “Hello, Mr. Weston,” I said. “Hello, Miss Stack. I was glad to hear you were here. It’s good to know you are warming up to my son,” he said, gesturing for me to sit next to him. “Would you like a drink?” he asked. “No, thank you. I do not take alcohol,” I replied. “I see,” he smiled. “Did I tell you that your father always spoke so highly of you!” he began. “So when he told me you were his most priceless possession and agreed to have you marry my son, I knew you’d be a fitting wife for him.” “Sir,” I started, “I don’t think this would work. We are different people. We’re not compatible.” “You are seeing it wrongly, young Miss Stack. It is that difference that makes you uniquely
Lily’s Point of ViewMy life had turned into a roller coaster of the same routine. I visited the mansion, Thomas visited me, and we ended up in a restaurant or at one point Thomas’s office at Weston Global. Either way, my days were increasingly centered on marrying into the Weston family. As usual, I stood at the towering mahogany double doors of the mansion before the butler, Abraham opened the door. This time, I wasn’t alone. My mum was beside me. We exchanged glances as the door opened and we walked in. “Welcome, Mrs. Stack, Miss Stack,” Abraham said, his lips parting in a warm smile.“Thanks, Abraham,” I said, flashing a smile. “Thank you,” my mum said, a half-smile on her lips. He ushered us in. Again, I became tense. It had gradually become a habit anytime I was around a Weston. I guess the fear of the unknown choked me.“It’s nice to have you in our home again,” Jessica said welcoming my mum with a kiss on the cheek and then me.Mr. Weston gently shook our hands, welcoming a
Lily’s Point of View My eyes blinked slowly open, and I saw all their eyes peering at me: my mum’s, Geoffrey’s, Jessica’s, Thomas’s, and even his—Si, or should I say Simon Weston's. I closed my eyes again, unwilling to see him. “Lily, open your eyes, please,” Thomas’s voice rang in my ears as my eyes fluttered open again. I soon realized he held my upper body in his arms. “Lily, darling, are you okay?” My mum’s voice echoed. I could see all their worried looks, but I froze, numb. It was like the weight of it all—my father’s death, the contract marriage, the love who left me and turned out to be my soon-to-be brother-in-law— came crashing down on me. “Call the doctor,” I heard Geoffrey say as Jessica rose from her bending position to swiftly carry out his instructions. “Let me take her to my room,” Thomas said. “I’m fine,” I finally spoke in a weak and low tone. Everyone stared at me, surprised including Jessica, who was phoning the doctor. “I want to go home,” I said a
Lily’s Point of View “You’re insane, Simon!” I spat, my voice quivering with anger and disbelief. His charming demeanor crumbled instantly as I spoke. “After three years, this is what you have to say to me?” I glared at him, my eyes wide with disbelief. I threw the sheets off my body, as I stood, with anger, and faced him. “Lily, I’m sorry,” Simon said, his tone sober, but the sincerity in his eyes almost made me believe him. “You left me, Simon. You left!” I choked on the words as tears began to stream down my cheeks, my voice breaking with each sob. My hands trembled as I tried to wipe them away, but they kept coming. “I know I did, Lily,” he said softly, his eyes cast down, “but I came back as soon as I could. You had left the apartment. I found out you had graduated and moved. I didn’t know where to find you.” “And when was this, Simon?” I demanded, my voice strained as I fought to keep my tears at bay. My eyes were heavy with unshed tears, and I refused to let him see me co
Thomas’ Point of View“Thomas,” her voice low, as it called out to me. Her eyes wide with apprehension. She looked like she had been crying, her eyes red and glistening with tears.“I could hear you screaming from the hallway,” I said, stepping closer to her. “What’s wrong, Lily? Why are you crying?”She hesitated and my concern grew as her eyes darted away from mine. My eyes flickered to Simon, who stood close. I couldn’t read his expression. “Did I miss something?” I asked, trying to piece together what had happened in my absence.Simon shifted uneasily. “Lily and I…” he began, but Lily cut him off.“I was just… I got emotional, and Simon happened to be here,” she said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She avoided my gaze, focusing on the floor instead. “I glanced between the two of them, suspiciously. “Simon has only just arrived,” I noted, confused.“Yes,” Lily agreed, her voice steadier now. “I should leave you both. Have a good night, Tom, Lily,” Simon said, and wit
Lily’s Point of View “How’s my favorite girl doing?” My mum giggled as she entered the guest room I’d been settled in. “Hi Mum,” I smiled, greeting her with a hug as Lizzy, one of the staff rolled my suitcase in. “Thank you,” I said to Lizzy. She offered a polite smile and left. “Oh…Lily, I’m glad to see you looking better today.” “I am mum. Yesterday. was, too much for me. I didn’t expect the turn of events.” “I understand. You know, surprises can be heartwarming, especially when you think of all the effort put into them.” “Yeah. But not an unwelcome surprise or a bad turn of event no one saw coming.” “Yes. You’re right. Fortunately for us though, ours was great. You’re going to have a luxurious wedding. And the best part of it all, you won’t have to pay a dime,” she giggled. I chuckled, staring at her before grabbing the suitcase and placing it on the bed. “What? Did I say something wrong?” “No, It’s just…how can we be mother and daughter and still be so diff
Lily “Tom,” I stammered, unsure of how to explain. I wasn’t sure if Thomas was going to believe anything I said, but I had to try.“With Simon, I presume,” Thomas spat, barely containing his rage. He was furious. The thought of Simon and me together clearly irked him. Maybe it was jealousy, or the fact that a part of him knew Simon and I had something beyond a normal friendship.“Yes. We worked together,” I replied, trying to stay calm, though his anger made it hard to breathe.He moved closer, his eyes locked on mine, filled with an intensity that made my stomach twist in fear. “Didn’t I tell you not to work with Simon?” he repeated, his voice rising.“I know you did,” I began, my voice shaky. “But I told you, I couldn’t just not show up. I need to speak to Geoffrey first.”“Then what are you waiting for?” he shouted, slamming the bathroom door behind me. I flinched, my body reacting to the sudden noise. My heart pounded in my chest.He stepped closer, pointing a finger at me. “Lily
Lily Simon’s gaze was fixed on me. “Answer the call, Lily, or Tom will get even more suspicious.”I reluctantly picked up the phone. Before I could even say hello, Thomas’s voice blared through the speaker. “I don’t care what the hell you’re doing, I want you home now!” The call abruptly ended, leaving me staring at my phone in shock.For a few seconds, I was stunned. I hadn’t expected that reaction. My heart raced, not from fear of him, but from the relief that he wasn’t here. If Tom had found Simon and me having dinner together, especially after I refused to go home with him, it would have been a disaster. I exhaled slowly, thankful I didn’t have to face that mess. But now I had another problem—Simon’s eyes were locked on me.“What did he say?” Simon asked, curious.“He wants me home,” I muttered, pushing my chair back, ready to leave.“Wait.” Simon reached for my hand, and when his fingers wrapped around mine, a spark shot through me. I froze, my hand still under his warm grasp. I
Lily“I don’t know what you mean,” I said, my voice firmer than before.“Your coldness toward me seems more personal than professional.”Simon didn’t immediately respond, but his gaze remained on me, making the silence stretch longer than I was comfortable with. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was pushing my buttons on purpose, though I didn’t have the energy to figure out why.“Look, Simon, I’m already having a pretty bad day. Please don’t make it any worse,” I continued, exhaling deeply.My hands tightened around the paper in front of me. I braced myself for a sarcastic response or some come back, but instead, he just returned to his work, ignoring the tension. Maybe that was for the best. I wasn’t in the mood for an argument, even though I felt like I could bite his head off. He’s probably number two on my list of enemies, with Jessica holding the permanent top spot. I forced myself to concentrate again. Then, my phone beeped, pulling my attention away from the file. I glance
LilyJessica let out a cold, arrogant smile, her eyes narrowing. “Make sure you never forget what team you’re on,” she whispered, stepping back just enough to let me open the door again. Typical of Jessica, always giving me those condescending smiles and asking pointed questions about my marriage to Thomas, as if daring me to admit how miserable I was. It was exhausting. I felt trapped in a life I couldn’t escape.I rolled my eyes, refusing to let her words get under my skin. She always had a way of making me feel like I didn’t belong, like I was an outsider in my own marriage. But I wasn’t about to give her the satisfaction of seeing me rattled. Not today.I slid into the backseat of the car, slamming the door shut behind me, and glanced out the window as we pulled away. Jessica stood there for a moment longer, watching the car disappear down the road. I have no idea what she thinks I’ve done to her to make her detest me the way she does.As we drove toward the office, I couldn’t hel
LilyTom’s voice rang in my head all morning as I stood in front of the mirror, the black gown I had chosen laid across the bed. It was simple but elegant, the kind of dress I felt comfortable in. But of course, I was certain that It wouldn’t be good enough for Thomas.“I expect you to tell Simon today that you won’t be working with him,” he said, his tone intimidating as he paced across the room.“I have to inform Geoffrey first,” I replied calmly, knowing this conversation would go nowhere good. “I can’t just quit without speaking to him. He might feel disrespected if I stopped without saying anything.”Thomas scoffed, his eyes narrowing as they fell on the black dress. He crossed the room in a few long strides, eyeing the fabric like it offended him. “Wear a bright color.”I tensed, my fingers gripping the sides of the dressing table. “Thomas, this is what I want to wear. It’s fine.”His eyes flashed with irritation. “You should wear this instead,” he said, pulling out a bright red
LilyThomas was quiet the entire ride back from the hospital, but I could feel the tension in the car, even through the silence. His gaze was stuck on his phone, but I knew he was fuming about Geoffrey’s decision. I didn’t dare say anything as we drove home. There was no point.As soon as we walked into the house, I headed straight for the bedroom. I needed a moment to process everything. Sitting at the dressing table, I took off my earrings, my mind still on what happened at the hospital. Geoffrey’s words replayed in my head. Working with Simon? I hadn’t even had a chance to wrap my head around it.But before I could gather my thoughts, I heard Thomas storm into the room. I glanced at him in the mirror. One look at his face and, I could see both his anger and frustration.“You went to the hospital with Simon,” he said, like he was accusing me of something.I paused, my hands hovering over my jewelry box. “Thomas, I didn’t plan for it. We were just—”“I asked you to stay away from him
SimonI sat across from Lily, trying to focus on our lawyers speaking, but all I could think about was how things had gotten this far. One minute we were married and having the best time of our lives, and the next we were here, about to get a divorce. Here we were, sitting at a table, preparing to end it all. The sight of the divorce papers in front of me felt more disheartening than I thought it would. I glanced at her—her face looked calm, but I knew better. I knew she wasn’t as indifferent as she seemed.Lily’s lawyer cleared his throat. “The house is the only property Mrs. Stack has,” he said, looking between me and my lawyer.“There’s no dispute about my properties,” I cut in. “She can take whatever she wants. I don’t care.”But Lily shook her head. “I don’t want any of it, Simon. I didn’t marry you for your money. Taking it would make me feel like a fraud.”I frowned, leaning forward. “It’s yours if you want it. I’m not going to fight you on this.”“I don’t want anything from yo
SimonAfter they were gone, I whispered my thanks to the woman and snuck out, taking the opposite direction to avoid being seen. Every second Geoffrey spent in that hospital felt like a risk. It was strange to feel this way after all the resentment I had toward him for marrying Jessica and treating me like a soldier who had to follow orders. He pitted Tom and me against each other since we were young, and look how that turned out. I grew tired of trying to please him and do his bidding, while Thomas became his star son. He acted like a god, yet he’s the one who broke our family with his mistress. Geoffrey was anything but a perfect father. But the truth was, I cared about Geoffrey—much more than I realized. He was still my father. He had been trying to reach out to me during the eight years I was away, begging me to come back home. I finally did—for Tom’s wedding—only to find out that Tom was marrying Lily, the love of my life.I sensed someone enter the room and turned toward the doo
Simon‘Simon, you have to stop this,’ my mind barked at me. I reluctantly released her lips, resting my forehead on hers, wanting to kiss her again. I didn’t care that we were being watched. God, I wanted her. Even though I knew I shouldn’t. She’s Tom’s wife now. I caught them having sex in his office. That day is still burned into my mind, and I can’t get over it. I wanted to yank him off her, beat him to a pulp, and tell him to stay away from her. But I couldn’t—that would ruin my plans. My brother and I sleeping with the same woman? That’s borderline madness. I have to let Lily go. She made her choice. I know what I have to do now.I felt her warm hands on my chest, and she pulled me back. She looked up at me with anger in her eyes. But we both knew there was something more pressing than what we were feeling right now. We knew someone had been watching us, and it was time to find out who. Our eyes turned almost simultaneously toward the intruder.“Lizzy,” Lily said, with a bit of r