Chapter 3

"She still isn't awake?" Tyler asked from the driver's seat as he continued to keep his attention on the road.

"No," Lily replied glancing at the woman with half her body lying on the backseat, her wrists secured with a tight rope behind her.

"Do you think I should untie-"

"No!" Tyler cut in before she could complete her sentence leaving her to pout.

Tyler sighed glancing at the only woman who made him weak in the knees through the reareviw mirror, "You know it can be dangerous. We don't know her. What if it's all a plan and nothing else? Your kindness may not be returned the way you give it Lily."

Lily stared out the window at the passing night scenery of the familiar area she had grew up in, knowing he was right but she still couldn't help but feel empathy for the woman.

"Let's leave her to a hospital, we can pay and go. It's not like it's our responsibility," He said making Lily snap her head at him.

"No! Tyler what if those she was running from find her? She will be so helpless! We can't leave her like that!' Lily said desperately not wanting to imagine the consequences of the scenario if it happened.

"Baby, you can't be like this. We don't have any responsibility towards her, It's more than enough that we are paying her medical bill." He said with a sigh before continuing, "If you want I'll even leave some money with her so she can be well off for a week or two?"

"No, Tyler. Money isn't the problem here. I could give her some but that's not what matters, what if something happened to her when we leave her there? What she gets injured to a worse state?" Lily asked trying to put some logic in her reason.

Tyler knew it was a possibility and he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if something did happen to the woman and Lily was hurt because of it.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" He asked, giving in as he couldn't bear the way she was looking at him with those glossy puppy dog eyes and how her voice sounded like she could cry any second if he didn't give in to her wishes.

Lily smiled as soon as she heard his question, "We take her to the Mansion." He was about to decline when she held up her hand gesturing she wasn't done. "We will keep her there overnight and call for a doctor to check on her the maid's can take care of that and as soon as she wakes up and is ready to go, she can leave. I won't insist for anything else."

Tyler mulled over her words in the driver's seat and after concluding it shouldn't be a problem as he was staying over any ways so Lily would be safe, he finally agreed, albeit reluctant.

Lily cheered in happiness and leaned to give him a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

The rest of the short ride they continued to chat about other things and her brother's marriage.

_____

The gates of the huge Mansion opened as soon as the car halted before it for a second, letting them in through it's identification sensors.

They carefully walked inside with Tyler carrying the unconscious woman and Lily by his side as calling for help would immediately alert the other members of the family and they didn't want to alert a particular man at the wee hours of the night.

It seemed like they didn't need to worry about that anymore as the only man they were afraid of alerting was already sitting in one of the single arms chairs as they entered the vast living room, making them stop midway.

They froze, wide eyed like deers caught in headlights.

Lucas sat there with his usual stoic face and cold distant eyes as he looked at his little sister, her 'more than a friend' friend and the woman he was carrying in his arms.

His gaze stopped at her briefly, he couldn't see her face as it was covered with a veil of her dark browk hair but her clothes looked muddy and tattered and he could see dried bloody scratches on the skin that was visible, he frowned as he hated the sight of both blood and unhygiene.

"Brother, you're awake?' Lily asked with a shaky voice, no matter how much he pampered her she knew to never cross him.

Lucas glanced at her coldly before rising from his seat, putting the phone he was using on the coffee table and walked towards her.

"Why are you so late?" His voice was indifferent as ever, but Lily didn't mind knowing him asking the question meant he was worried.

"Grandpa held us up for dinner, you know how insisting he can be plus I also missed him, so..." she muttered a reply.

"And I guess he sent this woman as a gift?" If it was anyone else, it would have sounded funny but his tone was just as flat as it could get.

Lily bit her lip, getting nervous at her brother's questioning, that was when Tyler decided to step in.

He carefully put the woman on one of the couches, grimacing how her muddy clothes would ruin the fabric and made a mental note to ask a maid to clean it up before Lucas dismissed the household staff or....him.

"We found her on our way here. She was in need for help and I decided to bring her to the city but she fell unconscious mid journey. Since there was a chance she could get in trouble again, i thought it was better to bring her her, I'll make sure she leaves as soon as she wakes up." Tyler responded as he stood before Lucas, slightly shielding her from him, even though he knew Lucas would never hurt her.

Lucas stared at the man before him, analyzing him coldly, knowing it must have been Lily who insisted to bring her here as Tyler wasn't someone as kind to offer this much help to a stranger. He was protecting Lily as if he was afraid he would lash out at her.

His protective nature towards Lily was the only thing he was still allowed around her.

"Mhm," He hummed and looked at Lily who was putting her weight from one leg to other, knowing his sister was the one behind it, he couldn't do much but he still didn't want a stranger in his home, "Take her to Mark's hospital and provide her with a guard to ensure she is safe. Cover the expenses and leave her with some money."

His tone was final, leaving no room for further discussion.

Lily pouted but kept her mouth close.

"As you wish. I'll make the arrangements," Tyler responded and took out his phone to do as told as Lucas turned around to get his phone from the table.

As he bent down, his eyes fell on the unconscious woman lying on the couch, with her face now visible.

Lucas paused as he scanned her face before standing up to his full height.

"Forget it. It would be too much of a hassle. Just make arrangements for her in the west wing and call for a doctor," saying that he left for upstairs.

While Tyler and Lily stood there dumbfounded at his sudden burst of kindness.

"Did he really just say that?" Tyler asked.

"I think I must be hallucinating," Lily replied.

___

Meanwhile, In the private study upstairs, Lucas sat on the swivel chair, with a glass of whiskey he had just poured for himself, the amber liquid now his point of interest as he swished the liquid around.

He couldn't shake the image of her face. He had lost all hope, thought it was impossible, yet there she was in the living room of his home.

Blurred memories raced his mind in a mess, nothing recognizable except for that face, that he refused to forget, the face that was itched on his soul

As he stirred the amber liquid, his emotions stirred as well, emotions he had long forgotten her had.

He realized had the chance to make things right now, and he would be a fool if he didn't make it right this time.