Lily shook her head again."You expect me to believe you?" he chuckled "I wasn't allowed to date anyone, because of dad"Zared nodded slowly in realisation. "No one wanted to date me either" "I understand that part" he said making Lily look down. "Remember what I said, I won't repeat it again" Lily didn't respond as Zared turned and left for upstairs. Both of them made their way to their rooms and lied on their beds. Zared was staring at the ceiling while lying. He recalled what he felt earlier, with Lily. He didn't know what it was but he knew it was wrong, wrong to feel that way because he already had a girlfriend. He thought about Riley, he always felt at ease with Riley, he felt joy and he was calm and happy, but with Lily? Not the same thing. There was something different, he felt the chaos that surrounded him when he was close to her. She made him feel butterflies. His heart beats fastened and his chest heaved, his emotions would be at peak and he would over react. He lik
The day passed by as a rough one for him as well as his employees. He was in extreme rage, rage which he had no control over. Lily was on the terrace, sitting on the swing and swinging while looking up at the sky, playing with strings falling from the neck of her frock. Zared's actions and his face from so close up and his eyes, oh his eyes, specially his eyes, never left her mind. She was still lost in those thoughts, she was now starting to interpret things, things she wasn't sure if but some where wanted to be. She liked it when Zared got mad about her talking about getting a boyfriend, she thought it was wrong though, wrong because he had a girlfriend, he was breaking her heart if he had any feelings towards Lily and Lily felt bad for Riley as well as herself. It was Zared's birthday tomorrow. She got to know when she first fell in love with him and googled him. She saw his birth date, July 23rd and remembered it ever since, she wanted to make it special , she wanted something b
Zared turned and left for Riley's house as Lily was running to her room crying. She fell down midway but got up and started running again. She slammed the door and fell down crying and screaming, she was being mentally tortured, she couldn't take it anymore, it was too much for her. It's not that she didn't like being close to Zared, but it's that he humiliated her every time and never respected her. It was like he stabbed her heart every time, she screamed calling to God and sceeamed while crying. She was too tired, too tired now, she wanted to be happy, to be at ease, she didn't want Zared to treat her like this or anyone to treat her like this, she was just 18, just 18 and too young to be married? too young to understand stuff? too young to know certain things? too young to be mature? but was she not too young to be tortured? not too young to be physically abused? not too young to be called a wh*re? Lily knew no one could answer the questions arising in her mind because no one t
"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
"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