"Wha-what? " Lily looked at Zared confused, she was not aware that it was a mere joke, her forehead started sweating and her gaze continued to hold the uncomfortableness in them."He's kidding." Zared said. Lily lowered her gaze releasing a deep breath as if she was relieved it was just a joke?At the time, Aaron hadn't understood the depth of her distress, but now, with the knowledge that she had been kidnapped on the orders of Zared, everything clicked into place.The cold evening air cut through the city as Aaron stepped out of his car. His body raced with a mixture of anger and determination fueled by the article he had stumbled upon that day.He strode towards the address he had managed to take out from a discreet inquiry, it was a secluded mansion on the outskirts of the of London, owned by Alexander Guerra, the G logo on the main door made it easy for anyone in the city to recognize whom this mansion belonged to. Aaron vaguely remembered him as one of Zared's shadowy associate
Lily looked at Aaron, her eyes held amusement in them. Lily felt as if she was being fooled, fooled once again or used, she wanted to believe the honesty and kindness Aaron’s voice and expression held but there was this voice inside her humiliating her on how she is falling for yet another trick and believing a stranger ? She had believed her own family, her own husband and trusted everyone but look at what they had done to her and here she sat, trying to trust the person in front of her, whom she met for the second time.“I know…it won't be easy to believe a stranger, but trust me, I have no other purpose, especially ill ones.”Lily sighed and once again turned her mind to the view outside the window.“I’m not sure but I think you have a hearing problem.” He said to lighten her mood.“What?” Lily turned her head at the unusual comment.“You know, I’ve asked you multiple times if you were okay but you never answered.”“Oh.” She paused for a moment “yeah,I-I’m fine, thanks.”“Are you
The worker came forth with a tray of food, it contained different kinds of foods and was big enough for 10 people to have.“I-I’m not hungry, this is too much-”“I didn't know what you like to eat so I arranged all of them, you can have what you like.”“Thanks, but I’m not hungry.”“When did you last eat ?”“It doesn't matter, I’m not hungry.”“It has nothing mixed in it.” Lily’s head snapped at him, it was like he kept reading her mind again and again. He held a spoon to his mouth and shoved it in his mouth, he continued doing so with each dish, grabbing different spoons at each time.Lily’s mouth hung open as she saw him do this, she tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen to her at all.“See, I had all of it and I’m right here, just as fine as before, now , please, Lily. Don't starve yourself because you think it’s mixed with some kind of drug, it is not, trust me.”Lily sighed and attempted to eat but Aaron sitting beside her while she ate made her uncomfortable. She paused to l
Lily woke up to the sun seeping in from the balcony and hitting her eyes, she stared at the huge glass balcony and the trees wavering outside. She recalled everything that took place the previous day, she was scared to even go to sleep but now that she was safe and sound , it was as if a relief had taken its place in her chest, sighing, she got up from her bed and headed towards the bathroom to freshen up and take a bath. The white foam of soap spread itself as Lily soaked herself in. She inhaled the calming scent of soap as if it were some drug to distract her from the miseries of her life, she sat in there for half an hour, not caring about the time, since she had nowhere to be, no worry to figure out about , she allowed herself to take her time to clean herself and relax. When she finally stepped out of the bathroom and made her way to the closet, a sound stopped her in her tracks. There was someone outside the door, someone was struggling to open the door to the room, her heart
“Plans?” Lily asked him as confusion lined her brows. “For the day….I mean, do you study ?” Aaron sensed her unease but knew they needed time to process everything that had happened. “No…. I would like to… someday again.” “Not right now ?” “I don't know, I want to go to college and study but the marriage was so sudden and….and it distracted me from everything else.” “It was sudden, I don't understand why…anyway, till where have you studied ?” “I’m done with my 12th grade.” “What?” Aaron asked her, smiling, “you’re messing with me right ?” “No…I actually am just a 12th grade pass out.” Lily looked down embarrassed seeing how he was probably laughing at her, he would probably insult her just like everyone does every time. Aaron’s face softened as he noticed the embarrassment taking place on Lily’s face and her voice dropping to the lowest one. “It’s-I’m sorry, I didn't mean it in that way, I-I just, I just thought you were older than me, it's fine, you can still study, righ
Lily’s expression screamed that she disagreed and thought this was all bull because nothing was this easy.“Aaron, I know what you mean, but it’s too sudden, I need time to process and think about it as well.”Aaron may not have heard what she said after his name, “Aaron” he played it in his mind again and again, her voice calling his name felt so sweet, no one had called him in this way before but even if they did he probably didn't feel like this.He had fans all over his campus but he never thought of dating any of them or the girls that were genuinely interested him as well, all he did was politely refuse them when they confessed, he had a few girlfriends earlier but his relationships never lasted, he hadn't been in a serious relationship ever since his last one, he wanted time for himself after he broke up so he could focus on himself rather than somebody else.But right now, he was lost. His heart would stir with a mixture of tenderness and concern. Lily was a delicate soul, una
"Lily," he began tentatively, "I know you’re very scared and don't want to trust me easily- and you shouldn't- I-I mean…. you shouldn't trust anyone easily but, I just want you to know that you don't have to face this alone. I'm here for you." She turned to him, her eyes searching for any hint of deception. "Why are you helping me, Aaron? You barely know me." Aaron hesitated, his heart racing. How could he explain that his motives weren’t harmful, that seeing her safe was as much for his peace of mind as her’s? "Because... because no one deserves to live in fear. Especially not someone as brave as you." Lily’s gaze softened, a flicker of gratitude in her eyes. “Brave ? Me ?” She laughed, it wasn't a funny one and Aaron didn't return it “I’m not brave, I’m the weakest and the most vulnerable person you’ll ever meet, I’m the weakest person I’ve ever met. But I wish I could believe that.” She looked down at her foot disappointingly. "You will," Aaron said quietly, hoping his
The night passed as Lily faced nightmares in her sleep and woke up sweating multiple times. Aaron tossed and turned all night feeling uncomfortable on the unfamiliar structure. On the other hand, Zared was on his bed with Riley lying beside him with her head on his chest, she had fallen asleep but he couldn’t sleep yet, Alexander did not get back to any of his calls or texts the whole day, he felt concerned not for Alexander but for Lily this time, because he could not go there at his mansion as someone would definitely be out there waiting to know where he had gone to. No matter how cautious one might be, it is definitely going to be news for them as soon as they spot something suspicious about Zared whether it is a reporter or an enemy. That was why Zared had to watch his every move and timing since there were no official statements made concerning Lily’s article about being lost. He spent the whole day worrying about Alexander and his worry lines were visible such that it got
“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
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
“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
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
“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
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.
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
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
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.