While Lilian gripped the steering wheel, nightfall arrived, filling her mind with a jumble of broken memories. The slight sound of her car's engine was ignored as she drove; her mind focused on memories that would never go away. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the wheel harder, and the old anguish of past wounds began to permeate through her chest.It felt like a combat zone growing up. After her parents passed away suddenly, she found comfort and affection from her grandfather, the only one who had ever expressed love for her. That comfort, too, was short-lived. When he traveled for long as a result of work, she found herself in the cold and uninviting environment of Uncle George and his family, where she was considered an outsider and a constant symbol of what didn't belong. Initially, her uncle had only a small amount of dislike, but it grew and became more noticeable as time passed. His wife, Diana, had treated her with indifference, barely acknowledging her existence un
Lilian tapped her fingers against the cold glass of her office desk, her mind buzzing with a determination she hadn’t felt in years. “Call off all my appointments for the rest of the evening,” she instructed, her tone unyielding as she glanced at her assistant.The assistant, wide-eyed, stammered, “But, ma’am, we have a crucial meeting with clients—this could make or break the quarter, and rescheduling won’t be possible for six months!”Lilian’s gaze flicked away dismissively. She didn’t need reminders of the stakes; she knew them all too well. But tonight, work would take a backseat to something far more significant. Nothing mattered more than Chris, the man she’d shared three years with. They’d grown apart, no doubt, but tonight was her chance to bridge that gap. Her heart swelled at the thought of surprising him. She’d be preparing his favorite dinner—an act of love that, perhaps, would rekindle the spark she missed. After stopping by the grocery store, Lilian headed home with bag
Lilian blinked awake, feeling the cold press of a hospital bandage around her head and a dull throb from where she’d struck her head at the bottom of the stairs. Her vision was still fuzzy, and a sinking dread rose within her as she realized she wasn’t at home—she was confined to a hospital bed again. A flash of déjà vu hit her; it was almost identical to another time, another wound, another betrayal.The room swam into focus. Chris was standing in the corner, leaning close to someone with a soft smile—a figure all too familiar. Rita. The woman’s laughter tinkled in the air, and she leaned into Chris’s embrace, whispering something he responded to with a quiet chuckle. Lilian felt an icy surge of anger watching her husband laugh with his lover right by her bedside. Without so much as a glance in her direction, Chris murmured something to Rita. “Once she wakes up, we’ll leave. I just want to make sure she’s stable.” His words dripped with fake concern, but she recognized the thin veil
Lilian stood alone in the nearly empty bedroom, the kind of silence she knew all too well. A quick pinch of her skin reminded her that this was indeed her reality—a life that, ironically, had become the very fantasy she used to hate. She barely recognized herself anymore.The old Lilian, the one with dreams and confidence, would hardly recognize the woman packing up her belongings to leave Chris’s mansion once and for all. Her hands hesitated over the sleek, untouched dresses hanging in the closet, each a reminder of the naive hope she'd once had. "I was such a fool," she whispered bitterly, running a hand along the fabric. Each dress was bought to impress him, but she might as well have been invisible. The memories were painful to relive—her marriage to Chris had felt like a dream at first, a fairy tale in which she'd finally won the man she adored. But three years had only proven how mistaken she’d been. Chris had never truly acknowledged her as his wife. He dismissed her, belittl
The crisp morning air was charged with purpose as Lilian strode through the glass doors of Drake Group. Her heartbeat was steady, each beat a quiet defiance against the past and a promise to herself: she was reclaiming everything she had lost, no matter who tried to stand in her way. Today, her first day back in her own company, marked the beginning of a journey to restore her grandfather’s legacy—and to honor the second chance life had given her.But her return wasn’t without a reminder of her unfinished business with Chris. After catching him in his office with Rita, she hadn’t waited long before sending him the incriminating photos she'd taken, along with a clear message: he was to meet her at City Hall tomorrow to finalize their divorce, or those images would see the light of day. True to his nature, he’d been calling incessantly since, but she’d ignored every call. She had no desire to hear his excuses or his pleas. He was about to learn that she was no longer the woman who bent
The chilly evening air welcomed Lilian as she exited her workplace. The once bustling building was now quiet, with its halls nearly deserted. She released a breath of relief, appreciative of the calm but tired from the day's events. Despite feeling drained from Uncle George's requests, she was still anxious about the upcoming divorce proceedings scheduled for the following day. All she wanted was for things to go according to plan so she could finally get over this difficult period of her life.She walked to the parking lot. Then she saw a familiar figure sitting in a sleek black Rolls-Royce parked a short distance from her vehicle. Chris.Lilian froze.He hadn't noticed her yet because he was bent over his phone. An unwanted surge of emotions, including wrath, dread, and defiance, caused her chest to constrict. Why is he here? she thought. She had neither the time nor the energy to deal with him tonight. Dealing with George was hard enough. Now this? She exhaled quietly, trying to
While Lilian gripped the steering wheel, nightfall arrived, filling her mind with a jumble of broken memories. The slight sound of her car's engine was ignored as she drove; her mind focused on memories that would never go away. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the wheel harder, and the old anguish of past wounds began to permeate through her chest.It felt like a combat zone growing up. After her parents passed away suddenly, she found comfort and affection from her grandfather, the only one who had ever expressed love for her. That comfort, too, was short-lived. When he traveled for long as a result of work, she found herself in the cold and uninviting environment of Uncle George and his family, where she was considered an outsider and a constant symbol of what didn't belong. Initially, her uncle had only a small amount of dislike, but it grew and became more noticeable as time passed. His wife, Diana, had treated her with indifference, barely acknowledging her existence un
Lilian's heels clicked on the pavement as she stepped out of her car and walked towards the large mansion. She walked cautiously, feeling her heartbeat. It was done. Finally. The divorce decree sat in her handbag, heavy with the weight of everything it symbolized. Two days ago, she and Chris had stood before the City Hall clerk, signing away their union. Chris, as expected, had arrived late, a reflection of the same reluctance he’d carried through their marriage. The mansion loomed before her—a place that once held her dreams but now felt foreign, its walls echoing memories she’d rather forget. She wasn’t here for nostalgia. She was here to deliver a copy of the decree to him and to gather the last of her belongings.Inside, the house was eerily quiet except for the faint murmur of voices. She followed the sound, her steps hesitant. The voices grew clearer as she neared the kitchen, but their words froze her in place.“I still don’t understand why you agreed to this,” came the gruff
The chilly evening air welcomed Lilian as she exited her workplace. The once bustling building was now quiet, with its halls nearly deserted. She released a breath of relief, appreciative of the calm but tired from the day's events. Despite feeling drained from Uncle George's requests, she was still anxious about the upcoming divorce proceedings scheduled for the following day. All she wanted was for things to go according to plan so she could finally get over this difficult period of her life.She walked to the parking lot. Then she saw a familiar figure sitting in a sleek black Rolls-Royce parked a short distance from her vehicle. Chris.Lilian froze.He hadn't noticed her yet because he was bent over his phone. An unwanted surge of emotions, including wrath, dread, and defiance, caused her chest to constrict. Why is he here? she thought. She had neither the time nor the energy to deal with him tonight. Dealing with George was hard enough. Now this? She exhaled quietly, trying to
The crisp morning air was charged with purpose as Lilian strode through the glass doors of Drake Group. Her heartbeat was steady, each beat a quiet defiance against the past and a promise to herself: she was reclaiming everything she had lost, no matter who tried to stand in her way. Today, her first day back in her own company, marked the beginning of a journey to restore her grandfather’s legacy—and to honor the second chance life had given her.But her return wasn’t without a reminder of her unfinished business with Chris. After catching him in his office with Rita, she hadn’t waited long before sending him the incriminating photos she'd taken, along with a clear message: he was to meet her at City Hall tomorrow to finalize their divorce, or those images would see the light of day. True to his nature, he’d been calling incessantly since, but she’d ignored every call. She had no desire to hear his excuses or his pleas. He was about to learn that she was no longer the woman who bent
Lilian stood alone in the nearly empty bedroom, the kind of silence she knew all too well. A quick pinch of her skin reminded her that this was indeed her reality—a life that, ironically, had become the very fantasy she used to hate. She barely recognized herself anymore.The old Lilian, the one with dreams and confidence, would hardly recognize the woman packing up her belongings to leave Chris’s mansion once and for all. Her hands hesitated over the sleek, untouched dresses hanging in the closet, each a reminder of the naive hope she'd once had. "I was such a fool," she whispered bitterly, running a hand along the fabric. Each dress was bought to impress him, but she might as well have been invisible. The memories were painful to relive—her marriage to Chris had felt like a dream at first, a fairy tale in which she'd finally won the man she adored. But three years had only proven how mistaken she’d been. Chris had never truly acknowledged her as his wife. He dismissed her, belittl
Lilian blinked awake, feeling the cold press of a hospital bandage around her head and a dull throb from where she’d struck her head at the bottom of the stairs. Her vision was still fuzzy, and a sinking dread rose within her as she realized she wasn’t at home—she was confined to a hospital bed again. A flash of déjà vu hit her; it was almost identical to another time, another wound, another betrayal.The room swam into focus. Chris was standing in the corner, leaning close to someone with a soft smile—a figure all too familiar. Rita. The woman’s laughter tinkled in the air, and she leaned into Chris’s embrace, whispering something he responded to with a quiet chuckle. Lilian felt an icy surge of anger watching her husband laugh with his lover right by her bedside. Without so much as a glance in her direction, Chris murmured something to Rita. “Once she wakes up, we’ll leave. I just want to make sure she’s stable.” His words dripped with fake concern, but she recognized the thin veil
Lilian tapped her fingers against the cold glass of her office desk, her mind buzzing with a determination she hadn’t felt in years. “Call off all my appointments for the rest of the evening,” she instructed, her tone unyielding as she glanced at her assistant.The assistant, wide-eyed, stammered, “But, ma’am, we have a crucial meeting with clients—this could make or break the quarter, and rescheduling won’t be possible for six months!”Lilian’s gaze flicked away dismissively. She didn’t need reminders of the stakes; she knew them all too well. But tonight, work would take a backseat to something far more significant. Nothing mattered more than Chris, the man she’d shared three years with. They’d grown apart, no doubt, but tonight was her chance to bridge that gap. Her heart swelled at the thought of surprising him. She’d be preparing his favorite dinner—an act of love that, perhaps, would rekindle the spark she missed. After stopping by the grocery store, Lilian headed home with bag