“I don't have anything else to do, do I ?” “I just-he-,” he sighed “he’s arrogant, we were best buddies when we were younger, he was like the older brother I never had and I always looked up to him, but I just, I didn't like the way dad started comparing me with him, not that he would be harsh on me but just, him being better didn't mean I was any less good right? I didn't like my dad praising him over me, but still, I used to be with him and look up to him because I..I liked him so much but we eventually started disliking each other because of the competition.” “Oh.” “It’s okay, you don't have to feel sorry for me. C’mon, my turn.” He paused for a few seconds before he asked her… “Why didn't you divorce him?” “What?” Aaron stared at her. “I-Why would I ?” “I’m sorry, this is personal, but, I saw the scars on your hands,the other day…” “Oh,no-uh, they were-they were because of Alexander.” “Oh.” “Why do you think Zared did what he did?” “I have no idea.” Lil
Why was she so naive? Why didn't she fight back ? Aaron wished he could hug her right now.“I’m sorry-”“No, you’re right, I know it’s really stupid and I do feel pathetic because of it but I just can't help it, I can't and it makes me mad but still, there’s nothing I can do about it.”“There are a lot of people put there Lily, you can explore, you can fall in love and-and what not.”“I don't want to, I know, I know but I don't want to, I don't feel like it, at the end, he’s the only person I want to be with, even if he has someone else.” Aaron fell silent, he had seen many people in love like this but always thought they were stupid for compromising and sacrificing and choosing to suffer because of it, but now he could feel it, he could feel what Lily felt.“I understand.” He said softly.“What do you want to do then ?”“I don't know how or when I should go back…but, I need to figure out something to tell him so you don't get stuck in between.”“Don't worry about me, you should worr
"Either she’s not aware that the hotel belongs to me," Aaron continued "or she has a crush on me that’s why she ran away ?”“So full of yourself, aren't you?”“Always, now tell me, why did she suddenly run away from home ?”“That’s none of your business, it’s about my wife and my personal life.”“Then why is your wife not with you if she's in your personal life?”“You don't have to worry about that, she’ll soon be.”“A lot of confidence there, Williams. I haven't given her back to you yet.”“What do you mean you've not given her back to me-"“I met with her, had a talk, she is my hostage for now, why should I let her go ?”“What did you talk to her about ? What did she tell you ?”“Nothing much.”“I’ll get her-”“You can’t.”“What ?” “I will only let her go once you give me whatever I ask you of.”"This is not the time for jokes, Aaron.""You should let me decide that."“What is that you want ?”“I’m not sure….if you’ll be able to provide it.”“What do you want ?”“Guarantee.”“What
He turned back to Lily again and pulled her into his arms.Lily got startled by his action but she didn't push him away. The moment his arms wrapped around her and her head landed on his chest, it reminded her of the day she kept crying in his arms and he never let go of her. She hugged him back as a sigh of relief mixed with uneasiness escaped Aaron’s mouth.Aaron accompanied Lily as they came back at Zared’s mansion, his presence a silent reassurance. They arrived at the huge mansion where Lily had once lived, but all it looked like to her was plain black and white hellhole where she was hit, beaten to a pulp and left to rot all night long.They looked at the mansion from inside the car.“Lily.” Aaron called at her.She turned around with raised eye brows.“Are you sure you want to go back to him ?”“I am certain." She nodded reluctantly opposing her words.“Why?” Aaron asked in misery.“Because I love him.” Aaron’s breath hitched but he tried not to show that it affected him in an
"I'm sorry, Lily," Zared continued, his voice tinged with regret. "I know what I did wasn't...""You think your apology can make everything as it was before?" Lily interrupted, her tone incredulous. "All I did was love you, Zared. That's all I did, and this... this is what you repay me with? You don't even deserve to be called a human anymore." Pain filled her voice.Zared's demeanor hardened. "Oh, so now you're going to show attitude huh?" he retorted. "I just apologized to you."Frustration and anger surged within Lily, and without thinking, she lashed out, delivering a hard slap across Zared's face. He turned his head down in response, his expression a mixture of hurt and restraint.She remembered the look in his eyes.Similar to the times he would get violent with her. But this time, she sensed a difference. He threw down the spatula, his hand raised halfway as if to strike her, but then hesitated. Lily didn't flinch, meeting his gaze unwaveringly. The veins of his neck popped out
She had hoped that distance would dull the sharp edges of her emotions, but it seemed time was merely a healer of wounds, not an eraser of memories. The city around her buzzed with its usual fervor, oblivious to the quiet turmoil in her heart. Each street corner held echoes of Zared’s and Riley’s laughter, each café whispered fragments of their conversations. She had tried to move forward, to embrace his absence, yet his presence lingered in the shadows of her thoughts. Four months, and she still carried the weight of what could be one day. Nothing changed in her life but herself, the way she acted, the way she talked, she changed everything about her, hoping that she loses feelings for him someday or gains feelings for her someday, none happened. Her love for him had not diminished; it had only evolved into a poignant ache, a testament to the depth of her heart's yearning. She wondered if he ever thought of her, noticed her change, saw how she had grown quiet and doesn't bother h
"Grateful?" she echoed, her voice trembling. "I'm supposed to be grateful that a man was tortured and killed? You don't even care, do you? About what happened to me, about anything other than your own twisted sense of power." He took a step closer to her, his presence menacing. “Watch your mouth, Lily. You're stepping out of line." She stood her ground, a surge of anger and determination rising within her. “No, Zared. I've been out of line for too long. I'm done being afraid of you. I'm done living this nightmare." He smirked, taking a sip of his drink. "And what do you plan to do about it? Run off to Aaron again? He won't save you this time." Lily's heart ached at the mention of Aaron. He had been her savior, her protector. But she couldn't rely on him to fix her life. She had to take control, to find her own way out. She walked back to her bedroom banging the door shut, she picked her phone up and dialled Aaron’s number, not even two rings passed as Aaron picked up the call.
The stark reality was unavoidable,Zared would never love her, and she could no longer sacrifice her sanity and dignity, no longer live as pushover and a people pleaser, no one had pleased her ever but she always cared about them being hurt or disrespected no matter how much disrespect she endured.On the second night, Lily sat by the window, staring out at the moonlit garden. Her mind was made up, solidified by the silent hours of contemplation and the unrelenting pain in her heart. She knew what she had to do. Gathering her courage, she wrote out the words she had rehearsed in her mind a thousand times: "I want a divorce." The finality of the words felt like a liberation, a step towards reclaiming her life and self-worth. She knew Zared would not make it easy, that he would try to manipulate and intimidate her into staying, but she was resolute. She had survived his worst; she could survive his wrath.With a newfound sense of determination, Lily began to prepare for the inevitable c
"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