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 54ROBERT’S POVMy mother was all over the place. She dismissed the servants, acting more like the waitress as she filled our plates, poured us drinks and fetched anything we needed without us needing to stand up or lift a finger. She also forced words into my mouth, doing her best to initiate conversations I wasn’t interested in and comfortable in having.“You don’t need to reveal much about yourself if you don’t want to, okay?” Rosaline said, relishing in the moment. “I already know everything about you. Your mother told me everything! This might be our first time meeting but I already feel a connection like I have known you for ages.”I was momentarily rebuffed by her words, my mouth rounding in shock as I stared at her in utter disbelief. “Everything?”“Yep,” she nodded with a smile.When I glanced at my mother from behind Rosaline where she was monitoring our every move, she half shrugged and nodded proudly, urging me to carry on with the conversation.“Like how you hate
CHAPTER 55ROBERT’S POVI hadn’t seen my mother talk about anyone the way she talked about Rosaline in a long time. She talked about her with so much intrigue in a way that showed how badly she wanted this marriage between us. Too bad the feeling wasn’t mutual. I was still uninterested in everything she had to say about her.I wasn’t the type to enter commitments just because of the perks or financial gain involved. The last thing I wanted was to be forced into something as serious and binding as marriage with someone I harboured no feelings for all because of the financial benefits it provided. She could be the daughter of the president of the United States. I still didn’t give a fuck. I didn’t how my mother managed to find out my company was struggling lately, but I just hoped my father wasn’t aware of it. He’d be extremely disappointed in me. Nothing bothered me more than falling short of expectations, especially from my father and late grandfather. I know how hard I worked to pr
CHAPTER 56LILY’S POVAfter that passionate night Noah and I shared, I slipped out of his house early the following morning, careful not to wake him. I knew things between us might get awkward and I didn’t want to face it. By all accounts, last night wasn’t meant to happen. That was my hormones acting up and taking charge. I was sexually deprived and angry at the thought of Robert spending every night for the past nine years with Scarlett. Noah just happened to be there, at the right place and time, with the right charm, the right body, and those irresistible eyes and moves.Fuck…I must say I was impressed with his love-making skills. I never expected it. He was one sweet irresistible man. He handled me with so much care like I was made of delicate glass and didn’t mind letting me dominate. From the way he made love to me, it was obvious he too was sexually deprived and kind of still hurting from his ex-wife abandoning him. I felt for him. I hope the moment will come when he’ll reali
CHAPTER 57LILY’S POVAfraid we were been followed, I tightened my grip on my kids’ hands and quickened my steps, urging them to keep up. But when I glanced back and saw it was the bodyguards, I stopped.I deflated with a sigh of relief, scolding myself inwardly for letting my paranoia and fear get the better of me. I thought we were been followed by the same bad people who paid that driver to kill me. Nonetheless, there was no need to be afraid. The estate with its top-notch security services was one of the safest in the city. It was one of the few reasons I chose to come live here. Though expensive, it was worth every penny“You’re relieved of your duties,” I said to them in an unfriendly commanding tone, still brooding over how they didn’t believe me and let me in after I told them I was the owner of my house and the mother of my kids. “As you can see I’m their mother and I’m back so there is no need to play the tough guy around them anymore.”I thought they stayed back to continu
ROBERT’S POV~ On seeing me approach, my chauffeur quickly strengthened himself up and froze in shock as though he’d seen something his mouth couldn’t describe. My brows furrowed as I couldn’t understand why he was looking at me that way. ~“Boss… your arm…you’re bleeding…” He stuttered in a mix of alarm and bafflement.“Oh…” I feigned surprise like I hadn’t noticed all along. “This?...” I pointed at the bloodied cut on my right arm which I sustained from the broken splinters of that chair after I crashed into it. The bastard had pushed me really well. I won’t deny he was strong and had the perfect form. He probably works out every day. Due to how busy I am lately, I couldn’t even remember the last time I hit the gym. I’ll probably start when this issue with Lily is resolved and I have my family back with me. But it was kind of amusing to know I was bleeding this much yet I couldn’t feel the pain. I guess anger can make one numb to pain and a whole lot of other feelings.Fishing out
CHAPTER 131ROBERT’S POV I couldn’t control the level of anger boiling inside me. I was so angry as I stepped out of the house I could tear the whole damn world apart. I couldn’t believe she kicked me out. Like a fucking stray dog. She didn’t believe what I told her about Scarlett, and she chose that bastard over me.She should have just let me disfigure his face. I didn’t like him or any other man getting close to her and touching her. She was mine. Mine! She had told him everything that happened between us in the past. Who the fuck was he to involve himself in matters that didn’t concern him and talk to me like that? Did he at all know who he was messing with?If he hadn’t intervened, I think there was a greater chance Lily would have heard me out. She would have believed me. Even though she had acted all berserk because I took the kids without her knowledge and said all that hurtful shit to me, I saw that look in her eyes. The heart-rending tenderness of her beautiful amber gaze.
CHAPTER 130LILY’S POV ~ “You know what?... Just leave. I’ve had about enough of you invading into my life like a damn shadow, lurking where you don’t belong. I refuse to believe what you just said because I know it’s a lie, a manipulation tactic to disorient and make me ease up to you. But it won’t work. You can’t deceive me again.”“I’m not lying Lily…” ~“I don’t want to hear it,” I brought my hand forward to stop him. “That’s how you lied to their teacher about you and I being separated and sharing custody of the kids. I never thought you’d stoop so low just to get your way. Don’t you think that’s embarrassing for someone who once thought he could get anything he wanted with the snap of his finger?” I asked with a condescending sneer.“That was different, Lily…”“Why don’t you stop being an asshole and leave like she told you to?” Noah fumed from behind me, clearly annoyed and fed up with Robert’s persistence.“Did the Chihuahua finally find its voice?” Robert sneered at Noah,
CHAPTER 129LILY’S POV ~ “Don’t bother,” Nana Mae said firmly, like one holding onto the last shred of her dignity. “I have been working here for the past two years. I know my way to the door.”She looked at me, her eyes glistening with hurtful disappointment. “I was wrong to think of you as a daughter. You’ve changed so much over these past few weeks I can barely recognize what you’ve become. If you keep up with this attitude, not only will your kids hate you but you also going to end up alone, feeling miserable and regretting your entire life.” She finished before furiously matching towards the exit. ~“My kids won’t hate me because they love me very much and know how much I sacrificed for them to be where they are now, and I can never feel miserable and alone because I have them by my side!” I yelled at her scornfully but I don’t think she heard it because the door had slammed shut, proving she’d left.If she thought her words would affect me then she was wrong because, at this
CHAPTER 128LILY’S POV~ “I said now!” I yelled at them. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”They both jumped in fear. Liam gave Robert a quick hug before they raced to their room like they were being chased by a monster.After I heard them shut their door, I faced Robert because I didn’t want them to witness what was about to happen. ~“You have some nerves showing up at my kids’ school and pulling them from their classes even after I warned you not to get any close to them,” I said, my eyes burning into him with murderous intent. At this point, if Noah proposed we hire an assassin to take him out again, I’ll pass it in a heartbeat because I’ve had just about enough of him.“Still, that isn’t enough reason for you to do this,” he said, gesturing toward the mess I made on the floor. His frustration was evident, and judging by the look on his face, what I did really got to him. Just exactly what I wanted.But I couldn’t help snorting in disbelief, a scornful smirk curving the side of my
CHAPTER 127LILY’S POVWe drove straight home after Nana Mae made it known to us the kids were safe and home. Noah was speeding on the way he almost ran into a construction vehicle. I hadn’t seen him this angry and serious in a while.If Nana Mae hadn’t called, we would have been on our way to New York. Noah had wanted to drive to his hangar and get one of his private jets to take us when she called. I was relieved we didn’t leave the city. The thought of meeting with Robert’s family members filled me with nothing but dread and rage. They were monsters, and seeing them will bring back a lot of memories I struggled to forget.I couldn’t believe Nana Mae was asking if I was sure Robert was the one who hurt me. Like what the fuck! Did she think I was lying or making a big deal out of the matter? Robert had probably put up an act to deceive her and the kids. That’s what he’d been doing ever since he arrived – putting on acts and pretending to be sorry while in reality, he had ulterior mo
CHAPTER 126LILY’S POV~ “I have nothing to say to you,” I sneered at her coldly. “Just know that if anything happens to my kids, I’ll make sure you lose your teaching license and I’ll burn this school to the fucking ground. Now, where did he take them?!”“I don’t know…” She squeaked amid the tears burning at the back of her shielded eyes. ~“What do you mean you don’t know?” My eyes were wide as I stared at her in disbelief.“He didn’t say…” she muttered.I gripped my forehead, feeling the panic flood my system. How do I find them when I had no idea where Robert had taken them? I didn’t have his contact and didn’t know any means I could use to get to him. As far as I was concerned, this was a kidnap. Robert had kidnapped my kids.Quickly, I rushed out of the office, determined to get to Noah and tell him because he’ll know what to do in this kind of situation. Miss Hampton tried calling me back but I ignored her like she didn’t exist. If anything happens to my kids, I’ll make sure
CHAPTER 125LILY’S POVNoah and I pulled up to the school just as the bell rang, signalling the end of the day. The whole area was filled with parents who had come to pick up their kids. Nothing warmed my heart more than seeing little children reunite with their parents after a long day in school and telling them how it went. I couldn’t wait for Liam and Lila to tell me how their day went.We waited for Liam and Lila in the spot where they usually stayed after school to wait for me. But five minutes went by, ten, fifteen, getting to twenty minutes yet they were nowhere to be seen.Having this odd feeling that something could be wrong, I stepped out of the car in search of them, telling Noah I would be right back. Why were they taking so long? What could be keeping them? Usually, they wait for me at that spot before I even arrive.I went straight to their classroom only to see their classmates were gone, leaving the classroom empty. The hallway and other classes were empty too. Tensio
CHAPTER 125LILY’S POV~ Moments later, Tony, the head of security came back on the line. “Mrs. Jones, I have gone through all the footage of your office and can confirm there was no unauthorized entry. I’ll send it to you so you can see for yourself.” I didn’t wait for him to finish as I put the telephone back into the casing. I glanced around helplessly, feeling the tears I was holding back trail down my cheeks. Sooner or later, Noah will come asking why I hadn’t sent the pitch to him. What do I tell him? What do I do now? ~I was fretting, pacing the length of my office like a crazy ass scientist when the door pushed open and Noah walked in. My heart skipped a beat on seeing him and I had to place my hand against my thumping chest to steady it.“I’m sorry…” Noah apologized, his brows furrowing in confusion as he found my reaction a bit disturbing. Vaguely disturbing. I had never reacted like this whenever he came to my office. “I didn’t mean to startle you like that.”“It’s oka