Lily’s Point of ViewI sat on the couch, but my thoughts were miles away. I couldn’t shake off my conversation with Simon or the impossible choice he wanted me to make. And then there was Thomas—how devastated he’d be if I just ran off with his brother. Jessica would probably make it her life’s mission to ruin me, and Geoffrey? He’d never forgive me for shattering the family he’s so desperately trying to unite. When Geoffrey asked me to help change Thomas, I couldn’t even imagine how I’d do it. But after that night, there was a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, I could reach Thomas and, by doing so, help mend the strained relationship between the brothers, bringing the Westons closer like Geoffrey wanted.But that would mean giving up my own love, my happiness. Sacrificing everything for the sake of paying my father’s debt, preserving my mother’s precious social standing, and helping Geoffrey achieve his dream of a united family. The price was too high. One I wasn’t sure I could be
Simon’s Point of ViewAs soon as I saw the message from Lily, I knew I couldn’t ignore it. I read it twice, to be sure I wasn't imagining things but it was from her. She wanted to meet me, away from the house. It wasn’t something I expected, especially after everything. My heart hammered in my chest as I made my way to the spot she picked. What did she want? Was she ready to confront what was between us, or was she just going to tell me goodbye, once and for all?I got to the park walking toward the small bench under an oak tree where Lily had told me to meet her. It was quiet, away from the house, away from everyone. No one would see us here. But my mind was racing, trying to figure out what choice she’d made. Then I saw her, standing by the bench, her back turned to me. “I got your message,” I said, stepping closer.She turned to face me, and for a moment, we just stared at each other. She looked…nervous, unsure. My heart sped up. I wanted to take her worries off her shoulders, but
Lily’s Point of ViewI was packing my clothes when Mom stormed into the room, furious. “What the hell was that? Why did you just disappear like that? Lily, what’s going on? Jessica’s furious with you!”I rolled my eyes, feeling a surge of frustration. Here we go again. “Mom, I’m sorry I left like that, but I had something important to take care of,” I said, turning back to my clothes, busying myself.She glanced at my open suitcase and narrowed her eyes. “Why are you packing?” she asked, sounding suspicious.I froze for a moment, realizing she had no idea about Simon or our plan to leave. “I’m not packing,” I said quickly, giving her a brief glance. “Just... organizing my stuff.”But she wasn’t convinced. “It looks like you’re packing, Lily.”A knot tightened in my stomach as I tried to stay calm. “No, Mom, I’m not.”She took my hand and made me sit on the bed beside her. “Lily, if something’s wrong, you’d tell me, right?”My heart clenched at her words. I felt guilty. “Of course, Mom
Lily’s Point of View Everyone was seated at the dining table, busy with their plates, eating Filet mignon with green beans and drinking glasses of Pinot noir. Suddenly, Geoffrey broke the silence. “Simon, I need you to travel to Canada to meet with a new investor.” I froze, my eyes widening as I glanced at Simon, who looked just as stunned. Canada? Investor? What will happen to our plans now? And why Simon? I quickly lowered my eyes, not wanting to draw attention—especially from Jessica, who had been watching my every move recently. I could feel her gaze trying to peel away any hidden meaning in our exchanged glances. Thomas raised his eyebrows, surprised. "What, Dad? I didn’t know about this." "Yes," Geoffrey continued. "We need to secure this investor. We’re expanding into a new location, and we need this investor to help solidify the deal. So far, our attempts have fallen short, but I’ve found someone willing to take the risk.” Thomas scoffed, irritated. “Dad, I’m the CEO. I
Simon’s Point of View We arrived in Vancouver, Canada, and hopped into a cab that took us to one of the Weston properties in the city. Lily had been unusually quiet for most of the drive. I couldn’t quite figure out what she was thinking. Was she nervous about the change in our plans, or was she having second thoughts? I figured she’d open up when she was ready. When the driver stopped in front of the house, Lily blinked, taking in the sight. “Wait, is this...?” I grinned at her surprise. “Yeah, it’s one of ours. The Westons have properties everywhere.” She stepped out of the car, staring at the big mansion sitting in a peaceful, upscale neighborhood. It wasn’t as huge as the main Weston house, but it had the same luxurious touch. “I didn’t know you had a house here,” she said, sounding amazed. “Why am I not surprised?” I chuckled. “We usually stay here when we have business in the area. We’ve got places like this in most major cities.” “Of course you do,” she muttered,
Simon’s Point of View I scrolled through my laptop, studying Boyce Wright—the investor we had traveled all this way to meet. I had prepared a proposal for him, reading all the company documents and his profile as if my future depended on it. In a way, it kind of did. My plan was set, get Dad to accept payment for the debt and dissolve the contract. But I had to stay in his good graces if I wanted to succeed. For a big part of my life, I had lived mostly by myself, trusting no one. But with Lily, I didn’t have to be alone anymore. I found a partner, someone I wanted to share my life with. I was so engrossed, my eyes glued to the screen, that I didn’t notice when she wrapped her arms around my shoulders. “Good morning, my love,” her sweet voice rang in my ears. “Good morning,” I said, my lips forming a smile as her warm body pressed against mine. “What are you doing?” she asked, her eyes darting to my laptop screen. “Just doing my homework on our investor,” I explained. “Oh,
Simon’s Point of ViewWe arrived at the golf course to meet with Mr. Boyce Wright, Weston Global’s new prospective investor for the recent groundbreaking diamond mining project we’re undertaking in the Northwest Territories.“Hello, Mr. Wright,” I greeted warmly, shaking his hand. I tried to sound as confident as I looked, dressed in a crisp collared shirt tucked into tailored pants, with white socks and golf shoes. Lily wore a neat short-sleeve shirt paired with a matching skirt, looking effortlessly elegant.“Hello, Mr. Weston. You can call me Boyce,” he said, returning my handshake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Boyce,” I responded. “Likewise,” he said, then shifted his gaze to Lily.“This is Lily Stack. She’s my…” I hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words. “Woman,” I finally said, feeling a bit unsure as I watched Lily's expression.“Nice to meet you, Boyce,” she said, extending her hand to shake his.“The pleasure’s all mine, Miss Stack,” he replied, clearly taken
Simon’s Point of ViewHer silence infuriated me. The drive home was dead quiet. She couldn’t pretend to be angry. I was the one who had every right to be pissed off. She completely disregarded me. She bruised my ego, and she didn’t even care. I shot her furious glances as we drove back to the house. When we arrived, she slammed the car door and stormed into the house, looking upset.Is she kidding me right now? I wasn’t about to tolerate whatever manipulative game she was playing. Doubts started creeping in. Did she really want to be with me, or was this just about getting back at me for leaving her? That seemed like the only explanation. If not, why the hell was Tom still even in the picture for her? I walked into the house, my eyes scanning the wide living room. She was probably upstairs. I paced around, unsure whether I should confront her now or wait until I cooled off. I had asked her a simple question back at the golf course—“Why are you wearing Tom’s ring?”—and this was her re
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