He took a deep breath before looking down. It looked like he was thinking of something, it looked like he understood what Lily said, every word. It looked like he knew the feeling which Lily was talking about, like he was familiar with it. His mouth almost opened to apologize to her but the ring of his phone distracted him.He looked at the caller id and pulled his brows together. He picked the call up and his eyes widened as soon as he heard what the person on the other side said. A scoff left his mouth as he averted his gaze to Lily. "Take care of it, tell them I have her hostage, make sure they know it's me, Alexander Guerra." He was staring at Lily the whole time and he was still staring at her when he hung up and returned his phone to his pocket.He held her hand and pulled it away from her face harshly. "Stop crying! You think I would believe you and your stupid story ?! The news is out, some man reported you to the cops and everything had already spread on the internet. This
“I need to change.” Lily said, looking straight in to his eyes. “Why didn't you do that when you were inside ?” “I didn't know you'd be here again, move.” Lily attempted to make her way to the bathroom once again when Alexander blocked her way. “What difference does it make?” He said, stepping forward towards her. She moved back as he continued to move towards her. “Just, let me go, stop bothering me for a second and let me breathe.” She held the headboard for support so that she didn't fall backward. Alexander stroked her arm, his hand traveling from her arm then forearm then her hand, he pulled her hand away from the headboard making Lily fall back on the bed. He hovered above her as she struggled to push him aside. “Give up, love. You know you're just wasting your energy, rather use it on something else.” Lily turned her face to the side as he moved his face closer to her’s. Alexander held her face with one of his hands and made her look at him. He crashed his
Two more days passed by, Zared was with Riley in the private bar once again, he sighed as another question popped up about Lily from Riley. “My love, you don't have to worry about her. She is alright, I told you I talked with her on the phone today.” “I know…but, it’s just, nevermind.” “Right, just relax, nothing is going to happen, she is totally fine and safe, you don't have to worry about her so much.” “It’s just- I am trying but I just keep getting this weird feeling.” “How about we go on a long drive to the countryside ? It will be peaceful and you’ll feel fresh.” “I guess.” “Don't think about it too much, she’s absolutely fine, I can-uh video call her for you tomorrow but that will be-” “Weird, yes, very weird, you know what, let’s just forget about it.” Zared nodded and side hugged her as and took a deep breath. Riley having some weird feeling about it made him a bit more conscious and the dread of her getting to know that he was one who abducted Lily was
She closed her eyes and pushed back the flashbacks threatening to come forth, her eyes filled with tears but she tried hard to push them back as much as she could. She pushed back all of it with a deep breath as she asked him“Why did you help me?” “I-nothing-just, I don't know, actually.” “Did Zared- no- he couldn't have.”“What ? Zared what ?”“Nevermind. You must want something, something from me as well, that is why you helped me, it was a stupid question, I know.”Aaron thought of all the stuff she had to go through to think that a person would never help her out of kindness but to get something in return, his heart clenched as he looked at her, her vulnerable face, the one she was trying to hide, the voice cracks she was trying to cover, she couldn't even be in shock or trauma in front of anyone because she wanted to hide it.“What would I want from you ?” He asked.Lily’s head turned to his.“No-I- what I mean is, why would I want anything from you, I just helped you because
He found himself entranced by her awkward smile, enchanted by her shy eyes, and deeply moved by her consciousness. Though he understood the boundaries that respect for her marriage demanded, he couldn't help but silently cherish every moment he spent in her presence.He kept recalling the moments he had spent with her that day, the talk he had had with her on their way out, the way she looked at him, the way her eyes looked. There wasn't a day in his life after the party which passed without him thinking about her, but what seemed the most strange and annoying for him was the way Zared neglected her though out the party.It seemed as if he was just there with her because he had to, not because he wanted to, the way Zared was enjoying while Lily was being harassed had stung him since the moment he saw it happening, Zared Williams? Who would fire a man if he touched the floor of his cabin without permission, and didn't even care when his own wife was being disrespected? It was unbeliev
"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
“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.