CHAPTER 46 LILY’S POV I slowly opened my eyes, feeling groggy and weak as I twisted a little on the large silky surface I found myself on. My breath hitched a bit and I blinked, confused as I took in the unfamiliar surroundings I found myself. It screamed of opulence and luxury; a grand room filled with golden décor, sky-high ceiling, velvet curtains, and chandeliers that sparkled softly in the dim light. I lay on a silky, king-sized bed adorned with plush pillows and bolsters, far more luxurious than anything my body has ever rested on, and the air that enveloped me felt so crisp and light I could float away. Managing to pull my heavy body up to sit at the edge of the bed, a slight wince escaped my lips as I clutched my throbbing temple to feel a small gauze bandage over it. I also noticed plaster bandages covering various injuries on my body; both sides of my leg, the inside of my elbow and my arms. As I assessed myself, I realized I wasn’t wearing the same clothes as bef
CHAPTER 47LILY’S POVNoah’s words hooked me instantly and I looked at him with a sharp curious gaze. Of course, I wanted to know all that and more. No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t seem to understand how I wasn’t dead and, instead, had ended up here in his house.When that taxi driver was pointing the gun at me, I was sure he pulled the trigger. Even though I looked away because I didn’t want to witness my death, I heard the shot, loud and clear before passing out. Before that happened, I had called out for help and looked around to see if there was anyone nearby but there wasn’t. So how did Noah suddenly appear from nowhere and bring me here?“Please sit,” he sat at the edge of the bed and tapped the spot beside him for me to sit, his brown button eyes so charming and gentle it could melt away the troubles that lingered in one’s heart.Slashing out a breath, I eased up a little and reluctantly sat down but at a considerable distance away from him. Just because I de
CHAPTER 48LILY’S POV“Why are you crying? Please don’t cry…” Noah said and I realized a teardrop had escaped the corner of my left eye.Sniffling a sob and feeling embarrassed for breaking down in front of him, I tried to wipe the tear off with the back of my hand. After all that time with Robert, I had promised myself I wouldn’t cry again. While in prison, Alison had let me know crying was for the weak and faint-hearted and it never fixes any problem. She trained herself not to shed a single tear no matter the situation. I didn’t know how she managed to do it but she did.Despite my attempts to ward off the tears, I couldn’t help crying. It was as if I wasn’t in control of my emotions anymore and the tears had a mind of its own.Before I could wipe them myself, Noah reached out and used his thumb to scrape them away. He cradled my cheeks, my face fitting perfectly into the cup of his palms. We were so close I could feel his breath warm against my face, his eyes boring deep into min
CHAPTER 49LILY’S POV~ “Can I ask you something?” I said with a cautiously gentle tone. “Anything,” he sat on the edge of the bed while holding the empty tray, all his attention focused on me. “Did you have any kids with your ex-wife and have you ever thought of remarrying?” ~A forced, dry smile crossed his face and he took a moment as if thinking of what to say. I knew I had put him in an uncomfortable spot with that question and I was starting to regret it. Fuck. What was I thinking? I shouldn’t be asking such personal questions, especially at a time like this. He might believe I was becoming interested in him or worse, what if his past relationship didn’t end so well and I might just be opening up old wounds?“You know what?” I said, turning to the other side of the bed and adjusting the duvet. “Forget I ever asked that. Thanks again for the meal. Goodnight…”“No…it’s alright,” His hand reached out to stop me from turning away. I looked at him, my eyes widening a bit in sur
CHAPTER 50LILY’S POVSomething intense flared through my entrancement and I didn’t know when I threw myself at him, hugging him tightly. He didn’t retract like I had thought. Instead, he hugged me back, both of us seeking solace in the comfort of each other.I didn’t know how long we stayed that way but it was for quite a long time. I buried myself in the depths of his neck, resisting the urge to break down in tears. His masculine scent, an intoxicating mix of cedar wood and spice filled my senses, distracting the tears from flowing and making me feel better. He had his hands wrapped around the small of my waist possessively like he didn’t want to let go.When I pulled away slightly and met his gaze, all I could picture were his lips, his gentle needy eyes, and the clear-cut lines of his face. We stayed still, observing each other intensely. More like photographing each other, our heavy breaths crashing and mingling.“I should get going now and leave you to rest,” he said with that
CHAPTER 51ROBERT’S POVI paced the length of my office like a crazed scientist while waiting for Frank, restlessness gnawing at me to the bones. It’s been a week since I asked him to help me find Lily. Still, he hadn’t reported any progress he’s made to me so far. We were supposed to meet over half an hour ago but he was nowhere to be found. Plus, his line was unreachable. I don’t know what could be keeping him. Time was dangerously passing away.Three days ago, the remaining clients that had Lily managing their campaigns and projects stopped working with us, having lost their patience. They had no other choice as the delay was hurting their business and drawing them back. The impact was so devastating it nearly drove me to commit suicide. I hadn’t fed well and had a good night's sleep since then. And now, to make matters worse, we’d sunk to the bottom of the top ad agency rankings in the country and were dangerously sinking even lower than that. I never imagined sending Lily away w
CHAPTER 52ROBERT’S POV~ “So…?” I asked in a gruff, impatient tone. “Did you find her? Where is she?” ~Frank heaved a sigh and his shoulders fell. “I’m sorry boss but I don’t have any lead on her yet.”“What?” I lashed at him with gritted teeth. “How can you tell me that after all the time I gave you and all the money I’m putting into this?”“Boss, I just need a little more time. This isn’t an easy task...” He tried to say but I brought a hand forward to cut him off with a stern expression on my face. “Don’t tell me that! You have proven to be incompetent. Not only did you waste nearly an hour of my time, but you returned empty-handed with not even a single piece of information or clue. It’s obvious you don’t want your job back…”“No, I do…” As if that struck a cord in him, he said quickly with a pleading expression on his face.“Well too bad!” I snapped. “Because you just lost it forever. I’m taking you off this case. Leave my office and refund my money before the end of today or
CHAPTER 53 ROBERT’S POV ~ I froze. “Mother… who is this?” My mother smiled proudly and breathed out like she’d accomplished something huge. “Meet Rosaline, your soon bride-to-be.” ~ “Isn’t she a lovely sight to behold?” She mused. “What?” My eyes bulged in disbelief as I stared at her she was still staring dreamily at Rosaline like she was the answer to all her prayers. “You arranged a bride for me…with …without my consent…?” I struggled to find my words because of the shock. “Yes,” she nodded enthusiastically, seeming unperturbed and proud of her actions. “I decided to come to your rescue and arrange the perfect bride for you since all the women you end up with turn out to be barren deserts, heartless murders and stupid whorish bigamists.” Anger dripped from her words, palpable in the atmosphere between us though she tried to conceal it and maintain a spurious expression of everything being fine obviously because of Rosaline’s presence. From what she said, it wa
CHAPTER 105LILY’S POV~ “I’m sorry, Noah,” I said genuinely. “I promise I’ll make it up to you. Anything you want.”He didn’t say anything. He just sighed dejectedly and shook his head. Turning the door, he grabbed the handle and jerked it open only to nearly collide with the company security guard who was standing by the doorway. I didn’t get what he was doing standing there. Was he eavesdropping on our conversation? ~For a split second, I thought he was but he wasn’t. In his hands was an extravagant bouquet of deep red roses, along with a sleek, elegant envelope. The sight of it made the air between us three tense and awkward.“Miss Jones, this just came in for you,” The security guard said, bringing it forward to hand it over to me.“Thank you…” My brows furrowed as I hesitantly accepted it. He bowed slightly before leaving. I closed my door and walked to my table, keeping the bouquet on it. Noah didn’t leave my office again like he wanted to. Instead, he followed closely behi
CHAPTER 104LILY’S POVThe next day I went to work earlier than usual. I couldn’t sleep properly last night because of what Nana Mae had told me yesterday. It kept ringing in my head over and over again. I spent the entire night restlessly rolling around on the bed and going to the kids’ room to check up on them.Was I feeling this miserable and angry because I was still in love with Robert? He was my high school crush, the only man I had truly opened my heart to, the man who took my virginity, the father of my children. Were all that truly the reasons I was finding it hard to forget him? Because of this unbreakable connection we share.No…no…no… I was restless as I pushed my chair back away from my table where I was working on my laptop. I couldn’t focus on work. Since yesterday, I couldn’t bring myself to focus on anything. I can’t stop thinking of Robert and that stupid look on his face. He said he wanted to tell me something but I didn’t give him the chance. What did he want to t
CHAPTER 103LILY’S POV~ I lifted my head and looked at her. “What about Liam?”“He’s playing a video game in his room.”I smiled, glad he was doing well. But didn’t he hear the sound of the glasses shattering? It was loud enough and could even be heard from outside the house. Since Nana Mae was coming from upstairs on hearing it, that meant he too must have heard it. Why didn’t he come rushing downstairs? Was she sure he was really upstairs in his room or was there something she wasn’t telling me? ~“I know what you’re thinking,” Nana Mae said as if she could read my mind. “You don’t have to worry. He has earphones on. He didn’t hear anything. And I think he’ll probably take a nap when he’s done playing to rest his eyes.”I sighed in quiet relief on hearing that. The eye doctor had mentioned that the antibiotics she prescribed would make him feel drowsy and inactive for a while, so it was important to let him rest and take time off school as needed. I fell silent, staring into sp
CHAPTER 102LILY’S POVAfter I got out of the taxi, I quickly rushed into the house. I slammed the door shut and pressed my back against it as though I just encountered something horrifying. That horrifying thing was Robert. I broke down in sobs that I had been holding back all through the ride as I screeched my back against the door and crumpled hopelessly on the floor. I tried to hold back my outburst as Liam was probably upstairs in his room and I didn’t want him to hear me crying. But my sharp intake of breath was making it extremely difficult.Shaking my head in agony, I managed to get a grip and pushed myself up. I dragged myself to the refrigerator in the kitchen. I pulled its door open and rummaged through but didn’t find what I was looking for. A frustrated groan escaped my lips as I slammed it shut and checked the shelves but still couldn’t find it.I was desperately searching for a strong alcoholic drink to drown the storm of emotions raging inside me and hope it would som
CHAPTER 101ROBERT’S POV~ “Who does he think he is?” “We’re all CEOs, he’s no better or richer than us.” “What makes him think he can just walk in and out of this boardroom like he owns the place after that cringe episode with that lady?” “I bet he wooed her to his bed and fucked her and now, she had come to her senses, realizing what an arrogant jerk he is.” “If he feels he’s way above our league and can’t sit down to listen to what the chairman has to say then he should have continued fucking his whore and not bothered coming.” “Why is the side of his cheek red? He must have been slapped by his whore.” ~“Not only is his agency sinking lower than the gutter in the rankings, but he’s also stooped so low as to resort to screwing desperate whores and dragging them into professional meetings like this.”Their sniggering voices and prickly comments had me baring my teeth, hissing at them. I wanted to find whoever made the last comment and gouge his eyes from their sockets
CHAPTER 100 ROBERT’S POV “Don’t you dare call that name again! You lost the right to do that nine years ago. Stay the fuck away from me and keep pretending I don’t exist to you. I’m not the same Lily from nine years back. If you fuck around with me I’ll show you the other side of me. And if you ever think of following me, I’ll call the police on you and make sure you taste what it feels to be locked behind bars.” Lily barked at me and slapped me. A powerful one at that. No one has slapped me this hard before. In all my time of knowing her, I have never seen her this angry. She was always calm and collected even in the worst of situations. But now, it was as if a wild beast of anger and hatred had been festering inside her all these years and saw this as the perfect opportunity to unleash its ferality. I held my cheek where she had slapped me. It was throbbing with pain yet I was oblivious of it. I just held it and continued staring at her, almost on the brink of tears as I
CHAPTER 99 LILY’S POV My heels went click clack as I raced into the building which was the venue for the meeting. I was almost breathless and flustered as I was running dangerously late. The meeting was scheduled to hold at 10:00 am but it was 10:30 already. In important meetings like this, every company representative needed to arrive early. I didn’t want anyone looking down on me as if I were unprofessional, and Noah wouldn’t be happy with me if I missed it. I woke up this morning only for Liam to come complaining to me he was feeling pain around his right eye. I checked it to see a boil growing inside, under the base of his eyelids. Because of that, he couldn’t go to school which resumed for a new session today. I had to take him to the eye doctor. That was what made me arrive late. However, upon entering the boardroom where the meeting was held, I was fortunate and relieved to see they were about to start. Everyone was taking their seats. I didn’t expect to see this man
CHAPTER 98 LILY’S POV ~ I picked up the fork and strengthened myself up. I was about to hand it to him when the sight that greeted me had my jaw falling to the table. Noah was holding out a small opened black box towards me. Inside the box was an expensive-looking diamond ring beautifully sitting on the plush casing. ~ The fork I was holding fell from my grasp as I froze. My eyes which were large from my shock locked unto Noah’s. He had a dreamy smile spread across his face. “Lily Jones, meeting you and spending time with you has been some of the best moments of my life. You are the perfect woman for me, and I want what we share to last forever. So I ask, will you make the happiest man on earth by agreeing to marry me?” The question reverberated in my head over and over again. I felt like I was caught in a daze. Like my reality was twisted or something. What could possibly make him think I was ready for marriage? What made him think I was the perfect woman for him? Was it
CHAPTER 97 LILY’S POV Clad in a black evening gown with a thigh-high slit, I sat on my vanity, doing my makeup after fixing my hair. I was preparing to go on a date with Noah. He’d asked me out the day after our intense hot make-out in my office. I finally agreed to give it a shot because I know I have kept him waiting for too long. He’d been asking me out for over a year now and I keep making excuses on why I can’t accept. Accepting to go on this date with him will be like my own little way of thanking him for everything he has done for me and my kids. He’ll be taking me on a dinner date in one of those fancy restaurants in the city. Deep down, I kind of wished it was something simpler like a movie date or sightseeing just I don’t have to waste this much time dressing up like I was going to contest for a beauty pageant. After finishing my makeup, I used a setting spray to make sure it stayed in place. I cast one last glance at my reflection and I was satisfied with the res