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
Aaron’s voice was cracking as he realized the gravity of his actions. “I didn’t mean to…” Clara’s eyes were filled with tears as she took a cautious step back. She could see the conflict in Aaron’s eyes, the regret starting to take hold, but the fear she felt was overwhelming. “I can see what you meant to do” she repeated, her voice barely a whisper. Aaron’s hand trembled as he lowered the gun. The weight of what he had just done pressed down on him like a physical burden. He had crossed a line he never thought he would cross, and now he had to live with the consequences. For a moment, the two of them just stood there in silence, the air thick with tension and unspoken words. Then, without another word, Clara turned and fled the room, leaving Aaron standing there alone, the gun still in his hand, his mind reeling from what had just happened. Upstairs, Lily sat on her bed, completely unaware of the confrontation that had just taken place downstairs. She assumed Aaron and Clara
“I know what I did was wrong.” He said, “I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I just…I need you to know that I didn’t mean to hurt you. I was just-” “Obsessed,” Clara interjected, her eyes narrowing as she stared at him. “You’re obsessed, Aaron. With Lily. And it’s unhealthy.” Aaron opened his mouth to protest, but Clara didn’t give him a chance. “Do you even realize what you’ve done? Do you understand how far you’ve gone? You pulled a gun on me, Aaron! All because I suggested that Lily give Zared another chance. What is wrong with you?” Her words cut deep, and Aaron felt a lump form in his throat. “I wasn’t thinking clearly,” he tried to explain, but even to his own ears, it sounded like a weak excuse. “No, you weren’t,” Clara snapped. “Because all you can think about is Lily. You’re so obsessed with protecting her, with keeping her safe, that you’ve lost sight of everything else. And it’s not just unhealthy, Aaron. It’s dangerous.” Aaron felt a cold chill run d
Zared’s words from their last encounter kept replaying in her head. "I made mistakes, but I love you, Lily.” She hated how those words lingered, how they made her question everything she thought she knew about her feelings. Zared had hurt her in ways she never thought was possible, but his sincerity in their last conversation was undeniable. She was trying to focus on everything but Zared but nothing worked in her favour. The tension which lingered in the house was making her suffocate, no matter how curious she was about what had happened between Clara and Aaron, she wanted to give them space. Aaron didn't come home after he left and Clara had been in her room all day, even though she did come out a few times for her meals but she didn't interact with Lily, she wondered if she had something to do with what had happened between them, the guilt of the possibility was already seeping in, she collected some breath and headed outside to get some fresh air. It was chilly outside and
"No,no,no,no" Lily says to Alex as he comes closer, her voice less than a whisper. "Please dont! Please! Help! Help me please-" Her words get cut off as she loses her balance and almost trips, she looks up to the face holding her arms, it's not Alex anymore, where did he go, where did Alex go ? She looked around confused and then back to the person holding her. It was Aaron, with a concerned look on his face. "Lily, are you alright? What happened?" He asked. "Where did he go ?" "Who ?" Aaron looked around with a confused expression. "Alex, wh-where did he go ?" Aaron's gaze softened. "He's not here, Lily, you don't need to worry about him." Lily sits down in the middle of the road, sliding down from Aaron's grip, her knees finally giving in, her breath ragged and uneven. She looks into the distance as Aaron crouched down at her level, thinking of all the times Alex forced her, did so many unfair things that no one in this world should deserve, all the memories that
Lily sighs at Aaron's response. She knew this wasn't her, maybe not the old her but this is what she felt was better for her, maybe he didn't deserve to die or maybe he did, but whatever will happen will happen for good, she told herself. She wanted him dead so she could get rid of any possibilities of coming face to face with him in the future, she wasn't a person who would want anyone dead just for her sake and she hated everyone who made her like this. "I don't know when I became this person, Aaron, I've never been this cruel, but...I want you to kill him, please." She looked up at him. He was thinking about something, probably how heartless Lily had become and when did all her innocence get away, she thought. "If this is called being cruel then maybe I am the devil, I've killed those who have not harmed me." "It was for me though, you killed all those guards because of me-" "Does that make me cruel ?" "Of course not-" "Wanting someone who robbed you of your life dead, who
After pulling out the chair across from her and settling down, his intense gaze locking onto hers. “You called me,” he said, leaning slightly forward, his voice filled with a mixture of curiosity and cautious optimism. “I assumed it had to be about Lily. Is it… good news?” Clara hesitated, her fingers tightening around the cup. She couldn’t meet his eyes immediately, knowing the hope she saw there would only make what she had to say harder. She drew a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm and think about all the things HE had done, she doesn't need to feel sorry for him. “I don’t know if it’s the news you want to hear, Zared,” she began softly, lifting her gaze to his. “But I’ve been thinking a lot about Lily, about what she’s been through and what she wants.” Zared’s brow furrowed slightly, the hope dimming just a fraction. “What she wants?” he echoed, his tone careful but edged with tension. “What do you mean? Did she… did she say something about me?” Clara shook her he
There she was-sitting on the floor by the window, knees drawn to her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around them. Her caramel hair was unkempt, strands falling over her pale face. The moonlight washed over her frail figure, making her look even smaller, more fragile. “Lily…” Aaron’s voice was soft, cautious. She didn’t move, didn’t look at him. He stepped inside, his chest aching at the sight of her. Slowly, he lowered himself to sit beside her on the floor, his shoulder barely brushing hers. His heart ached, ached that the man who had caused her nothing but pain is still continuing to do it even after his death and Aaron couldn't do anything about it. “You don’t have to say anything,” he murmured, staring out at the same moonlit view she seemed fixated on. “But I’m here. I’ll always be here. I just want you to know." For a moment, it seemed like she might respond, her lips parting slightly, but then she closed them again, her gaze dropping to her knees, it made Aaron tak
He couldn’t shake the feeling, couldn’t silence the voice in the back of his mind screaming that Zared wasn’t gone. Zared was sharp, calculating, a man who wouldn’t fall so easily. But Aaron had no proof, no real reason to believe it-only a gnawing instinct buried deep in his chest. "He’s alive," the thought whispered again. But Aaron forced the thought away, shaking his head slightly before turning his attention back to Lily. She was still sitting there, small and fragile in the dim light, and he realized she needed comfort more than he needed answers to the questions clawing at his mind. “Hey,” he said softly, nudging her knee with his. “How about some hot chocolate? It won’t fix everything, but it might make this night feel a little less heavy.” Lily looked up at him, a ghost of a smile flickering across her lips for the first time that night. “Sure, thanks.” Aaron stood, his movements careful as if not to disturb the fragile calm that had settled between them. A few
For one fleeting moment, Lily felt him there-with her, surrounding her, a warmth that would linger in her heart long after she walked away from his home for the last time. "Oh, what have you done Zared." She said aloud. "Why did you have to do it, it was all your fault for turning your fate, why make me suffer by doing this." She sat on the couch with her head in her hands. Clara's home was dim when Lily returned, the faint glow of a lamp spilling light into the hallway. Her steps were slow, almost hesitant, as she pushed the door open and stepped inside. Aaron was pacing near the window, his phone clutched tightly in his hand, while Clara sat curled on the edge of the couch, her head snapping up the moment the door creaked. “Lily!” Aaron’s voice cut through the silence as he rushed towards her. “Where have you been? Do you have any idea how worried we’ve been?” Clara stood, her eyes wide with concern. “You didn’t answer your phone. We thought… we thought something happ
The clock on the wall ticked loudly, each second stretching longer than the last. Clara sat on the couch, clutching her phone tightly in her hands, her thumbs hovering over the screen as if another call might suddenly bring an answer. “Aaron…” she said quietly, her voice trembling. “It’s been hours. She’s not picking up. Where could she have gone?” Aaron stood by the window, his back to her, his jaw clenched so tightly it ached. His phone was already gripped in his palm, the screen blank after too many unanswered calls. “She wouldn’t just disappear like this,” he said, his voice sharp, his frustration barely contained. “Not without telling someone. Not after everything that’s happened.” Clara’s eyes shone with worry as she whispered, “What if something happened to her, Aaron?” Aaron turned, his expression softer now as he looked at her. “Don’t think like that. She’s okay. She has to be.” But even as he said the words, doubt gnawed at him. Without another word, Aaro
Lily hesitated but eventually said, "Did you see how he did it?" She looked up at Aaron. "Did you see how he was found ? Laurent, the pictures on the news, they were so disgusting, he had...you must've seen." "I did." Aaron noticed the disgusted look on her face. He once again recalled how he had done it. How he had screamed like the goat when it is sacrificed, how his eyes went rolling behind showing only the white part. How he had joined his fingerless hands in front of him in order to be forgiven. "Maybe he deserved it...Zared, for what he did, Karma, they say?" She asked. Aaron nodded in response but remained silent. He knew he was betraying her, betraying her trust, taking advantage of the situation she was in, the trust she had at this vulnerable stage of her life. In the quiet of the room, Aaron’s guilt festered, hidden beneath the surface. Lily didn’t need to know the truth-not tonight, and maybe not ever. But that was for him to decide after. Aaron's mind was in t
His hand moved to the doorknob, twisting it slowly until the latch clicked open instead of knocking in case she was asleep. Peeking inside, he expected to see her resting, maybe curled up in the blankets. Instead, he found her awake, sitting stiffly on the edge of her bed. The moonlight cast a silvery glow across her features, making her appear ethereal and distant. She was staring out the window, her expression blank yet hauntingly sad, as though she were lost in a memory she couldn’t escape. She didn't deserve this, didn't deserve such a tragedy, she was way too nice for this world, for Zared. He didn't deserve her agony, her tears, her sleepless nights. Aaron hesitated again but finally stepped inside, giving a soft knock on the door to announce himself. The sound made her blink, breaking her trance. She glanced at him, her gaze piercing for the briefest second before it dulled again, returning to the view outside the window. Without waiting for an invitation, Aaron move
Lily didn’t respond to Clara. She stared out the window, her mind replaying every second she’d spent with Zared, searching for answers that would probably never come. She thought about what thoughts must have consumed Zared when he decided to end his life. Was he thinking about her? Was he blaming her? Was he guilty of what he did? Or he just couldn't bear the thought of her leaving him? But again, why would she hold so much importance in his life for him to give it all up. His family, the company, his friends-though Lily knew none. Maybe it was a punishment? From god ? Maybe he wanted Zared to die in exchange of Laurent, maybe because he killed him? Maybe this was his revenge? She shook her head shooing all the thoughts away. The three of them were now back at Clara's house, the silence was comfortable, no one wanted to talk, Aaron, however wanted to comfort Lily, make her believe that it wasn't her fault. He knew she must be blaming herself, she was the last person to t
Lily, Aaron, and Clara walked briskly down the sterile, cold hallways of the hospital, their footsteps echoing, at the end of the corridor, where Zared’s parents and Aaron’s parents were standing together, faces etched with grief. The moment they approached, Lily saw Zared’s mother, her tear-streaked face crumpling further. “He’s already been moved,” Zared’s father said, his voice hoarse. “To the freezer. They’re preparing him for the funeral.” Lily froze mid-step, her heart sinking. She hadn’t realized how desperately she’d wanted to see him one last time. Her lips parted, but no words came out. “Why so soon?” Aaron asked, his voice laced with disbelief. “It’s the procedure,” Aaron’s father said, his voice heavy. “Once the body is declared and cleared, there’s no waiting.” Lily clenched her fists at her sides, overwhelmed by a mixture of grief and frustration. The chance to say goodbye was ripped away. All she had now were the memories-and the haunting, unanswered qu
A single tear rolling down his cheek before he collapsed back onto the bed, lifeless. "No,no,no,no." The news anchor’s voice filled the silence. “Zared Williams, known for his innovative contributions to technology and his efforts towards hi company, was pronounced dead at 10:47 p.m. Doctors have confirmed that his death was caused by the disconnection of critical life-support machines. Despite being close to a full recovery, it appears Mr. Williams made the decision to end his life. What the doctors are calling an apparent suicide." Tears welled in Lily’s eyes as her chest tightened painfully. She turned to Clara, who was still frozen in place, her hand trembling against her lips. “This…this isn’t real,” Lily murmured, shaking her head as if trying to wake herself from a nightmare. “It can’t be.” Clara finally looked at her, her eyes glistening with tears. “It is, Lily,” she whispered. “He’s…he’s gone.” Lily stumbled back, her legs weak beneath her. The weight of the news c