CHAPTER 42LILY’S POVUpon arriving at the company building, I headed straight to Noah’s office. The suspense and anticipation that came with finding out about what he wanted to talk to me about gnawed at me, leaving me panicked and restless throughout the ride to this place.He had called severally again while I was showering and getting ready. Due to the rush, I had picked something quick to wear, not taking my time to dress the way I wanted – a simple blouse and jeans, with my hair hastily tied in a messy bun.I also had to call Nana Mae to come look after the kids for me. Even though she wasn’t supposed to work at this time of the day as she was a part-time nanny, she agreed out of the kindness of her heart. I couldn’t leave Liam and Lila alone in that house. It will be a chaotic mess by the time I get back.I tapped on Noah’s office door and at the sound of a muffled voice that said, “Come in,” I entered and gently closed the door behind me.Noah didn’t bother looking at me to a
CHAPTER 43LILY’S POV“What?...” My eardrums slammed and my mind literally blew up from what he just said.“I’m sorry, Lily,” he said, looking away with a tight jaw and heavy heart. “You left me without a choice. I’m only following protocols. I don’t want anyone else especially in this company to find out about this. Not only will it affect the way the public and our clients see us, but it will also create a rift amongst our members. They’ll have every reason to believe I’m being biased and not following standard protocols.”The silence in the room stretched, thick and tense.The weight of his words hit me like a bullet from nowhere. For a moment, my body system stopped functioning from the impact of the shock. He can’t fire me like this. This can’t be happening to me again. I never expected it much less from someone like him. I thought he liked me. I know he was being professional, protecting the interest of his company but this wasn’t the way to go about this. He can’t fire me afte
CHAPTER 44 LILY’S POV I had to call my best friend, Jane. I needed to tell her what happened and ask if she had any idea how Robert might have found out my location. It had been ages since we last spoke—I couldn’t even remember the last time. Since we moved here, she and her family had only come by for a visit a couple of times even though Jane had promised the kids they’d come live with us after we got settled that time I was released from prison, and we were preparing for the trip.I didn’t have any intimate friends in this place to confide in. No shoulder to cry on. Nowadays, I hardly make any friends because of how busy I am with work and the kids. In tough times like this, Jane was the only one who could console me and make me feel better. But she wasn’t around so there was every need for me to console myself before I got home. I don’t want the kids to see me like this.I turned my attention away from the window. I wanted to take my phone out of my handbag and place a call thr
CHAPTER 45 LILY’S POV “No, you’re not,” I ground the words out from my clenched teeth. With renewed courage, I pulled forward and wrapped my elbow around his neck, caging him and stopping his intended move. I can’t die alone. If I’m going to die then he’ll also die along with me. After all, he instigated this. While he was taking off his seatbelt, he diverted his attention from the windscreen, causing the vehicle’s speed to reduce slightly. I grabbed the steering wheel and grappled with him, causing the car to screech, swerving right and left uncontrollably. “You bitch…!” He hurled a million curses at me, thrashing under my grip. I held on tight as if to strangle him, still fumbling with the steering wheel. I wanted to steer the car toward a nearby bush before we reached the edge of the bridge, which was only a short distance away, but he wasn’t making it easy for me. He was strong and I knew I wouldn’t hold on much longer. His hands shot up wildly, grabbing at the top
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