"I'm sorry, love. I'll need to leave early. ""But why? " she looked sad. "Mom wants me to go home before it's 12 o'clock" he said with a sense of apology. "Can't you just say you're home? " she said pleading him. "I would've, but she wants me to face time her with Lily on reaching home. ""Just stay, maybe she won't even remember? ""She remembers everything, she's mad that I was making excuses and she hung up on me, look this is was she texted me." he showed her the text he got from Clarissa. Riley sadly pouted then nodded. "You can leave after a while, she wants you there before 12 right? ""Yeah, right, but that's what she says when she wants me to reach there at 11 and then she can say that it's too late and I should've left when she got mad. I can't let her be upset for long, she's the most important person for me. ""Fine, there is nothing you can do anyways. " she said looking down at her hands and Zared smiled and pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry, love. I would've stay
But it was too late, he was already in, she stopped in front of him as he frowned. "What? " he was confused as to why she came running and then stopped right in front of him. She shook her head and Zared came forward. "My mom asked me to come home early and face time her with you. "Lily's mouth formed an O as she realised why Clarissa was saying he'd be home soon. She was happy anyways and smiled widely. "I was enjoying my time happily until again, you had to mess it all up, don't you get tired of messing everything up for me? Why can't you just get your own life? ""But, I didn't do anything this time? " she looked at him innocently. "Mom wanted me to be at home because 'Lily must be feeling lonely' how is it not your fault ? it's you everytime. " Lily sighed and lowered her gaze fidgeting with her fingers. Zared moved past her as Lily turned to ask him. "Dinner? "Zared didn't respond and Lily assumed her voice was too low for him to be heard, she knew it wasn't that, but s
Zared sat up. "What else did he say? Did he talk to you? "He asked while getting up from his bed. "He asked if I was your wife"Lily lied without stopping. She checked the time and it was 11:58.Both of them made their way to the terrace, Lily ran to the front and made sure she climbed slowly checking the time, so It was exactly 12 when they reached. The hands of the watch stopped at 12 and Lily climbed the remaining two steps hurriedly and as both of them entered the terrace area she screamed. "HAPPY BIRTHDAYYY!!" Lily shouted joyously. Zared's eyes widened, he looked at Lily and then the whole terrace, which was filled with balloons and fringe curtains and lights and what not. He looked around stunned and then lastly his eyes stopped at Lily. "What is this?" he asked, still stunned. "I prepared all this, for you. Happy Birthday. " she said smiling cheek to cheek. Many time one couldn't read Zared's expressions easily and this was one of those situations. Lily stared at Zared
He really is the cold, heartless man shown in the movies, except they do have a soft side, but he is cruel, he is a monster. She looked around the roof top at the ruined decorations and balloons and then she lifted her head up to look at the sky. The clouds were crying, just like her. They looked sad, lonely and dark, Lily wondered what they must be going through... or were they crying looking at everyone who was in sorrow, she smiled lightly. "I hope you're fine. " she said to the clouds. I give up Zared Williams, I give up on you. She sat there looking at nothing, feeling the water going down her body, her tears dissolved in the rain water and she was glad. Maybe this is what God wants anyway, maybe he wants me to die as well, she thought to herself. A small laugh left her lips. 'Look at yourself Lily, look what you've done, look what you've done to yourself and look what you've made people do, to you and things that didn't deserve it.' She looked around once again and then the
The puppy jumped and was on it's way to Lily when Zared stopped it. "What's wrong? " he asked the puppy as it looked restless. It strugglef out of his grip and Zared gave up stopping it to see what it wanted. It jumped and ran towards Lily, it pulled her dress and jumped in front of her so she would pick it up, looking at it, she giggled and picked it up. It licked her face all over and couldn't stop barking at her. Once she let it out of her grip, he made circles around her and kept jumping in front of her. Lily's gaze moved to Zared, her eyes asking for permission for playing with him and as he nodded looking at her, she poured the warm milk in a bowl and kept it in front of the puppy. The clock was soon going to strike 2 o'clock when Zared came searching for Charlie, he didn't find it anywhere and assumed it must be with Lily as he remembered she was playing with him. He made his way to her room but stopped before he could open the door. He heard Lily's voice, she was talking
He could handle anything but regret, He didn't want to regret anything, not his decisions ,not his doings, not a thing. He was afraid that he would've punished the innocent one, that he may have broken her heart just like someone once broke his.His phone rang again, he looked at the caller id and then the time. It was Riley. He picked up the call"Zared...where are you?I'm waiting outside your house hurry up" "I-I...uh..Riley I can't-come I'm sorry."What ? You are kidding right ,what happenned ?""I'm sorry Riley maybe some, other time I am really sorry.""Hello ! Zared ! But why ?at least come ou-"Zared hung up. He was staring at nothing for a very long time. He didn't want to do anything right now. He just wanted this feeling to go. Was it all his power and money that he got lost into ? was it all of this that he was blinded by? was that the reason he thought she was a goldigger too ?was it his wealth that made him beleive Lily was nothing but a goldigger? He couldn't h
Zared raised his brows and looked at his mom. "No-No, I mean yes- I have been taking care of her, she just doesn't like to eat much, right?"Lily nodded. "Look, ask her, she knows better." he said. "You should feed her any way, she's your responsibility after all, look at her, the last time I saw her, her cheeks were filled and chubby, now look at her she's just bones and blood." she said turning Lily to Zared so he could take a better look at her. "I-" before Zared could say anything Lily changed the subject. "Mom, at least come inside first, I'll bring something to drink for you." Clarissa smiled watching Lily as she went to the kitchen. Clarissa and Zared took their seats on the couch. "What a well mannered girl" Clarissa said stating at Lily as Zared just rolled his eyes. "Mom, even I've turned skinny, don't you think ?""I think you're perfectly well.... well to take care of yourself, if you're still getting skinny then it's your fault that you're not working on being str
He had seen models all around the world, actresses and what not, but the beauty Lily held, it was something else, something he had never seen. He loved Riley though, he thought she was beautiful as well but not more than Lily, but he loved her and that's what mattered to him more than anything else. Riley was a pure soul in his eyes but Lily? a cunning one. "Go to the bed" he demanded.Lily turned and lied on the bed, taking the blanket over herself till she covered her neck, she closed her eyes. Zared closed the study's door and went to sleep on the bed beside Lily. He looked at her then turned around to face the other way and closed his eyes. The next morning, as the run rised the rays of the sun entered Zared's room through the window. Charlie climbed on Zared who was fast asleep and barked loudly and continuously. Zared opened his eyes to find Charlie jumping all over him and then on Lily, making Lily wake up from her sleep. She pet Charlie as she woke up and looked at him smil
“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.