"I’m always here, Lily." Just then, Clara came from behind Aaron. “And if he’s not, I am. What is going on here ?” She asked, looking at both of them with curious eyes. “I am here though, and nothing, we were just chatting and I was letting her know that we were here for her anytime she needed us.” "Oh, great, do you want some tea? I've just put the kettle on." Lily managed a small smile. "Sure, Clara. That sounds nice." Aaron gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before they both headed to the kitchen. As they sat down with Clara, the warmth of friendship and support surrounded Lily, giving her the strength she needed to face whatever came next. After tea, Lily decided to try to study again. Aaron was in his room and so was Clara. The night passed as each of them lay with their worries under their pillows. The next morning, Zared woke up to his dog jumping on his chest to wake him up. He smiled and wiped his face as he recalled the events of the previous day. He had called
Meanwhile Zared, who caught sight of her couldn't just sit there with the information of her being at the same place as him. Maybe it’s a sign? He asked himself, feeling the excitement and hope within him, he couldn't contain them anymore, he had to get up and approach her, he couldn't just sit there and do nothing. He waited for her to be seated with her coffee and as soon as she did, he didn't miss a beat to go up to her. “Riley.” He called her as he stood in front of her. Clara lifted her head up to look at him. “What do you want? And I’m Clara.” She demanded rudely. “Right, I’m sorry.” He apologized nervously “Clara, can we talk ?” “What for ? I don't go around talking to r*pists just so you know.” “Clara, please, may I ?” He asked, pointing at the seat in front of her. She nodded at him, sighing. “I’ll get to the point and not waste your time,look ...Clara....I know you hate me but...I'm not the same person anymore...trust me,I'm not lying." "What.do.you.
Lily didn't move forward but she didn't move backwards either. As he was about to touch her lips with his, a voice came in from behind, the door clicked. “I-I’m so sorry, I-I didn't mean to-you know what, I’m gonna go, I am so sorry, bye!” Aaron and Lily sat stunned as Clara left, closing the door again leaving both of them alone once again. Lily turned around looking back at the books while Aaron did the same. Aaron’s heart was pounding as he and Lily sat there, the weight of the almost-kiss pressing down on them both. The silence between them was thick, a palpable tension that neither seemed to know how to break. The once cozy room now felt stifling, and the air was charged with unspoken words. Lily kept her eyes fixed on the books in front of her, pretending to be engrossed in their contents, but her mind was racing. Aaron, on the other hand, couldn't shake the feeling of his heart hammering against his chest, the taste of regret already forming on his tongue. He had come so
And why did it feel like he had just dodged a bullet?Aaron’s face kept flashing in her mind, the way he had looked at her, the way he had leaned in so close... What had he been thinking? What had she been thinking? She didn’t even know anymore. All she knew was that she couldn’t stop replaying that moment in her head, couldn’t stop feeling the way her heart had skipped a beat when he had leaned in.But there was one thing she knew for sure, she wasn't ready for whatever this was-she wasn't ready for any more drama, there was nothing going on between them and it will stay like that, she thought to herself.But those feelings quickly gave way to anger, anger at herself for letting it happen, and anger at Aaron for putting her in that position. What had he been trying to prove? That he could just kiss her whenever he felt like it? That she was just there for him to do with as he pleased? Was this his motive all along ? Was this why he kept helping her? Making her feel safe and comfortab
Clara turned around to look at her and sighed as she heard what Lily said and sat beside her on the bed with her hand on top of her’s. Lily let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. She closed her eyes, trying to calm the storm of emotions swirling inside her. But it was no use. The more she tried to push it down, the more it bubbled to the surface, threatening to overwhelm her. “You know you can tell me anything, right?” “I know, but- it's just, weird, I guess” “It’s okay if you don’t want to share it, but, just so you know, I won’t ever judge you.” Lily pressed her lips together and looked at Clara. “Thank you. I-nothing actually happened, but it was going to.” ‘and..is it bad that it was going to happen?’ “Yes,yes, of course, it shouldn’t happen, never, and thanks to you it didn’t, but, it just makes me feel weird.”Lily looked down at her hands. “It’s okay to feel that way, but, why do you think it shouldn’t happen, like ever?” Clara asked curiously.
“Lily, aren’t you ready yet?” Clara asked, a hint of concern in her voice. “Aaron already left.” Lily’s heart skipped a beat. “He did?” she asked, surprised. “When?” “A little while ago,” Clara said, leaning against the doorframe. “I thought you two were going to walk to the university together?” Lily felt a pang of something she couldn’t quite identify, disappointment, perhaps. She had assumed that, despite everything, they would still go to the exam together and everything would be back to normal today. “I guess not,” she muttered, pulling herself out of bed and quickly getting dressed. Clara watched her with a knowing look. “You two need to talk,” she said softly. Lily didn’t respond, but Clara’s words echoed in her mind as she hurried through her morning routine. She couldn’t deny the truth in what Clara had said. Things between her and Aaron had been strained ever since that awkward moment, and if they didn’t address it soon, it would only get worse. But for now, ther
By the end of the second day, Lily had had enough. She was tired of the silent treatment, tired of the way Aaron was pretending like nothing had happened while simultaneously avoiding her like the plague. She knew she had been harsh during their argument, but she also knew that ignoring each other wasn’t going to solve anything. That evening, as she sat in her room, staring blankly at her notes, she made a decision. She wasn’t going to let this continue. She wasn’t going to let Aaron shut her out any longer. If he wasn’t going to talk to her, then she was going to make him listen. Without another thought, she stood up, marched out of her room, and headed straight for Aaron’s. She knocked on the door, and when there was no answer, she knocked again, louder this time. “Aaron, I know you’re in there,” she called out, her voice firm. “We need to talk.” There was a long pause, and for a moment, Lily thought he might not open the door. But then she heard footsteps, and a moment later, t
“Clara, it’s not that simple,” Lily finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. She looked down at her hands, trying to keep her emotions in check. “A lot has happened. I don’t know if I can just forgive and forget like that. I don't understand-why would you say that?” “I’m not asking you to forget,” Clara said softly. “But maybe… maybe you could give him a chance to show you that he’s changed. That he’s truly sorry, look I’m not trying to get you back with him, but just give him a chance to entirely explain himself, so you can decide for yourself?” “But, you were so against him, you didn't even want to see his face, what happened?” “I met him recently,” Clara continued after a pause “he was miserable, Lily, I know it sounds ridiculous and I tried to tell him how he was a monster and didn't deserve to be with you but-but the pain in his eyes explained it all, look, I don't know if you would ever get back with him or not but I just want you to know that he’s truly sorry.” Li
"I can forgive you, I guess. People have done worse than this." She admitted. "Did he do anything to you? What did he come for?" Lily's eyes narrowed. "I’ve had...Damian keeping an eye on you ever since he revealed himself to you...." Aaron admitted, "I didn’t want you to be blindsided by him.” For a moment, she didn’t know whether to be angry or grateful. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, her voice quiet. “Because I didn’t want to scare you,” he said honestly. “I wanted to make sure you were safe, but I also wanted to respect your space. I wasn’t sure if hearing it from me would help or just...make things worse.” Her emotions overwhelmed her, and before she could stop herself, tears welled up in her eyes. Aaron, without hesitation, reached across the table and took her hand. “It’s okay,” he said softly. “You’re safe now. That’s all that matters.” For the first time in what felt like forever, Lily let herself break. She leaned across the table, and Aaron
Lily was sitting in her living room, her mind a whirlwind of the confrontation with Zared and Aaron stepping in, having her back-as always. After all that happened, she wondered if her pushing Zared off was selfish of her. While Lily had grown more mature these years, she had also become cold and made sure to keep herself first at any cost-but this Lily...it was the old Lily...who wanted to think that she was wrong for mistreating Zared-maybe her was disturbed, what could have possibly been the reason for him to fake his death-how big the problem must've been? A knock at the door startled her from her thoughts. Frowning, she checked the time-it was late, far too late for visitors. Cautiously, she approached the door and looked through the peephole. It was Zared. Her breath caught, and her hand instinctively tightened on the doorknob. Part of her wanted to ignore him, but the other part-the one still grappling with the guilt of his supposed death-compelled her to open the
Lily sat across from Clara in her cozy apartment after the massive shock she had, the glow of the city lights filtered through the windows. Clara had invited her over for an evening of conversation, sensing something was weighing heavily on her friend. As Lily sipped her tea, her fingers fidgeted with the rim of the cup. “Clara,” she began hesitantly, “something happened yesterday.” Clara raised an eyebrow. “What is it?" Taking a deep breath, Lily placed the cup down and looked Clara in the eye. “Zared is alive.” Clara froze, the mug in her hands suspended mid-air. “What?” “He came to my office. I didn’t recognize him at first, but it was him, Clara. He’s alive, and he... he apologized for everything.” Clara placed her cup down, her expression a mixture of shock and confusion. “Zared? As in Zared Williams?The same man who k*lled himself? How is that even possible?” Lily shook her head, her voice shaky. “I don’t know. He said it was complicated and that he was tryin
Lily sat at her desk in her company, her fingers hovering over her keyboard. The day had been long and draining, but there was still a stack of work to get through. She sighed, rubbing her temples, when a soft knock interrupted her thoughts. “Come in,” she called not lifting her head up. The door opened and closed behind. “Do you need anything, ma'am?” "No, thanks." "Would you like some coffee?" "No, you can go." Lily said, her tone cold as her eyes remained on the screen. “Some tea?" he asked Her brows furrowed but her eyes remained on her paperwork. "I dont need anything, leave before I fire you." There was a pause, but the person in front of her didn’t leave. Instead, he took a step closer. “Are you sure? I can fetch you tea, coffee... water, maybe?” Lily looked up briefly, irritation flickering across her face, though she still didn’t focus on him entirely. “No, thank you. And I think you should go.” But the man didn’t move. “How about I help you
It had been two weeks since the gala, and life had settled back into its usual rhythm for Lily; or at least, that’s what she told herself over the weeks. The days were packed with meetings, client calls, and deadlines, leaving her little time to dwell on anything else. But no matter how busy she was, Aaron’s presence lingered in the back of her mind like a stubborn shadow. She hadn’t expected to see him again so soon, and certainly not like that-standing across a room, looking at her with a mix of longing and regret. Lily shook her head as she sat at her desk, trying to push the memory aside. He doesn’t matter anymore, she reminded herself. You’ve moved on. Your life is yours now. But the truth was harder to face. A part of her was still drawn to him, to the man who had once made her feel like the center of his universe. Later that evening at her apartment, as she stepped into the kitchen, her phone buzzed on the counter. She picked it up to see Clara’s name flashing on
Aaron was already making his way toward her, his steps purposeful but hesitant. “Do you want me to distract him?” Clara asked, noticing. “No,” Lily said, surprising even herself. “I’ll handle it.” When he finally reached her, he stopped just short of invading her space. “Lily,” he said, his voice a mix of relief and uncertainty. “Aaron,” she replied, keeping her tone neutral. Clara took that as her cue to slip away, leaving them alone. “You look...” Aaron trailed off, his gaze softening. “You look beautiful.” “Thank you,” Lily said, her walls firmly in place. There was an awkward silence before Aaron spoke again. “How have you been?” “Busy,” Lily said simply. “You?” "Same. Busy." He said, his eyes boring into her's. Aaron Knight had never been one to doubt himself. His confidence, honed over years of navigating ruthless boardrooms and mastering impossible deals, was unshakable. But now, sitting in his empty penthouse with the city lights stretching endlessly b
The 4 years that followed were a whirlwind of success for Lily. As the founder and CEO of her own fashion brand, she had become a name synonymous with innovation and elegance. Her designs graced international runways, and her name carried weight in the business world. She was confident, composed, and exactly where she wanted to be. It was a crisp evening in the city, and Lily sat in her office overlooking the bustling streets below. She tapped her pen against the edge of her notebook, her mind wandering. A knock at the door broke her thoughts. Clara walked in, looking radiant as ever in a sleek jumpsuit. “Your PR team says you need to approve the final list for the charity gala tomorrow,” she said, placing a folder on Lily’s desk. Lily smirked. “You didn’t need to bring this yourself. What’s the real reason you’re here?” Clara feigned an offended look. “What, I can’t check on my dear friend? Fine, maybe I just needed a break from my office. Paperwork is soul-sucking.”
The penthouse felt lifeless. Every step Aaron took echoed through the empty rooms, each sound reminding him of what he’d lost. He couldn’t stop himself from wandering to Lily’s favorite spots-the kitchen where she used to hum softly while brewing tea, the couch where they would argue about what to watch, her corner of the bedroom where her books were still stacked neatly, her pink and white bedroom-the one she always dreamed about. He stood by the window where Lily once leaned against his chest, watching the city lights together happily. Now, those same lights felt distant and cold. On the coffee table lay a scarf she’d left behind, forgotten in the rush of her departure. Aaron’s hand trembled as he picked it up, the soft fabric bringing back the faintest trace of her perfume. He closed his eyes, clutching it tightly as if it could somehow bring her back. Aaron couldn’t shake the memory of her face when she left, her tear filled eyes, the hurt in her voice as she said goodbye.
The penthouse felt cavernous in her absence. Lily’s steps echoed faintly against the polished floors as she carried a small bag down the hall. She had packed only the essentials-clothes, documents, and her favorite book-a conscious decision not to look back. The thought of leaving the home they'd shared stung, but staying felt like drowning. Her mind replayed the scene in Aaron’s study, the damning photographs and the file with her name etched at the top. Every piece of information about her, laid bare-her family, her childhood, her fears. She’d trusted him, and in return, he had dissected her life like a puzzle to control. As she neared the door, the faint scent of his cologne lingered, and her grip on the bag tightened. This was the only goodbye she could give. Aaron had been out since the incident-a small mercy-but as Lily turned the handle, she heard the elevator hum to life. Her heart plummeted. The doors slid open, and Aaron stepped out, his suit slightly dishevel