"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
Riley stood in the doorway, her eyes wide with shock as she took in the scene. She had clearly heard everything, her face pale as she processed the truth. Zared's eyes flashed with anger, but he didn't move. He seemed to realize, perhaps for the first time, that he couldn't control the narrative any longer. "You're making a big mistake." "Just sign them, I'm already done.” He scoffed as if to laugh at her for leaving him. “Sure, with all my pleasure, I'll be more than happy to do so." Lily’s tears fell silently, her face blank and numb. Her breath came in shallow, ragged gasps as she struggled to find strength. She wished Zared loved her, and wished he could see her pain. Wished he would ask her to stop this because he loved her not because this was a contract. Across from her, Zared finished signing the divorce papers and pushed them towards her with a sigh. Leaning back on the couch, he looked at her with an expression of disdain. Lily choked out between sobs.
Ignoring her, Zared lunged at Lily, but she was quick. She dropped her suitcase, grabbed his hand, and twisted it behind his back. “Dare you touch me again,” she warned, pushing him away harshly. Zared turned around, scoffing. “I see where your attitude is going. You’re not free yet, bitch!” He advanced again, but Lily kicked his crotch and slapped him as hard as she could. The shock in his eyes mirrored the rush of blood in her hand. “Just stop it, Zared,” she cried, her voice trembling with a mixture of fury and pain. "What do you think I am? I’m human too, with feelings that can be hurt just like anyone else’s. But you don’t care about that, do you? Fine, don’t care;but don’t you dare touch me. Ever again. I’m not your punching bag. Find someone else who will tolerate your abuse. Do you know who the real headache is? It’s you, Zared. You’re the one who’s useless. All your hard work to become a billionaire means nothing if you have no soul. You’re going to die, and your mo
Zared was shaken to his core. "Riley, this is a joke, right? Tell me you're joking." Clara's eyes were cold and unyielding. "Why would I joke about this? Did you think everything you did to her was a joke? Does all that suffering seem like a joke to you? I don't just use people for money and ruin their lives. I target people whose lives can't be further destroyed by me. And you, Zared, are one of them. But the reason I'm exposing myself now is because your life is already in ruins. The person who truly loved you is leaving, and you'll never get her back. Since your life is beyond repair, I don't want Lily's to be the same." Clara walked briskly toward Lily, taking her luggage from her hands. "Come on, Lily," she said firmly. Lily looked at her, puzzled. "You’re coming with me.” Clara declared, already heading outside with the luggage. Lily followed her, gripping her dress tightly. They walked out of the house together, leaving Zared standing alone in the living room. As the
"So you weren’t good in studies?" "Nope." "Your parents still loved you?" "It’s not like your parents don’t love you if you’re not good in studies,” she chuckled “Did you use to get scolded for not studying? Is that why you’re asking this?" "Uh... yeah. I always ranked second in school, but my parents wanted me to rank first so that they would be popular." "Girl, I was not even near that, anyway, it must’ve been years since you went to school, let's forget it.” "It’s just been a year." Clara frowned. "It’s only been a year? What were you studying? You must really like studying?" "No... I turned 19 this year. I didn't study after marriage because my parents said I shouldn’t study after getting married. It would distract me from handling the house." Clara’s jaw dropped "What’s your age again?" "19." "That’s why you look so young! I always wondered how you looked so young! I assumed you were 25 or something." Lily awkwardly chuckled. Clara looked at Lily w
Yet, in the end, she had shown a strength he had never acknowledged. Her departure, her willingness to leave him, spoke of a resilience he had underestimated. Was it possible that he had been wrong about her all along? Three months had passed since Lily left the confines of Zared's mansion and started living peacefully with Clara. On the surface, her life had taken a remarkable turn. Clara, who had revealed her true self in an unexpected twist of fate, had opened her home and heart to Lily, offering her a fresh start which she gratefully accepted. Lily had settled into Clara's spacious, elegant home, a far cry from the suffocating walls she had known before. She had even secured admission into the top university in London. Lily's days were now filled with the vibrant hues of opportunity and freedom. She attended lectures in grand, historic halls, engaged in lively discussions with new friends, and found solace in the bustling energy of the city. Clara, too, became more than a pro
They had their own struggles, she knew, but they also had a freedom she longed for. A freedom from the relentless grip of fear. She felt a pang of jealousy, wishing she could experience their normalcy, their ability to find happiness in the mundane. Her mind drifted to her classmates at the university. They were vibrant and full of life, immersed in their studies and social lives. They spoke of their dreams and ambitions with an ease that seemed foreign to her. Lily participated, she smiled and engaged, but there was a part of her that remained distant, locked away. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was different, marked by her past in a way that set her apart. As she lay there, the ceiling fading into a blur, Lily felt a deep sense of loneliness. Clara had been a wonderful friend, a pillar of support, but even she couldn't fully understand the depths of Lily's pain. She longed for the days when her biggest worries were academic pressures and social anxieties, before her lif